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Giuseppe Garofalo takes helm at Italpinas as developer targets growth cities

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LISTED real estate developer Italpinas Development Corp. (IDC) has appointed Giuseppe Garofalo as chief executive officer (CEO) as it pushes to expand in high-growth cities in the Philippines.

“His technical background as an engineer and his extensive experience in construction and operations management have been central to IDC’s record of delivering high-quality, environmentally responsive developments,” IDC said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.

Mr. Garofalo, who previously served as chief operating officer, said: “I look forward to leading our talented team as we continue to grow responsibly, create value for our shareholders, for the environment and for the communities and deliver thoughtfully designed certified green developments to our clients.”

He replaces co-founder Romolo V. Nati, who will remain chairman of the board and serve as chief design officer. “In my new role, I will continue to guide our design philosophy and long-term strategy, ensuring that our developments remain thoughtful, resilient, and responsive to the evolving needs of our communities,” Mr. Nati said.

IDC President and co-founder Jojo Leviste added that Mr. Garofalo’s appointment “marks a natural and well-deserved progression. His deep operational knowledge, strong leadership, established community relationships, and engineering expertise make him the ideal person to lead IDC into its next phase of growth.”

The company reported a 109% jump in net income to P335.45 million in 2024 from P165.27 million a year earlier, while revenues climbed to P604.23 million.

“This leadership transition and financial performance underscore IDC’s strong organizational foundation and its continued expansion across high-growth cities in the Philippines,” the company said.

Shares of IDC last closed at P0.93 apiece on Nov. 10. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Partner with Taiwan: A path for the Philippines to break the cycle of climate disaster loss

PHILIPPINE STAR/RYAN BALDEMOR

By Wallace Minn-Gan Chow

THIS YEAR ALONE, the Philippines has endured a relentless procession of storms. Wipha (Crising) in July submerged entire communities in Northern Luzon. Ragasa (Nando) and Bualoi (Opong) arrived back-to-back in late September and brought heavy flooding, forcing thousands into evacuation centers across Eastern Visayas. And just last week, Kalmaegi (Tino) triggered landslides and flooded swaths of the central Philippines, which reportedly killed hundreds of people, with hundreds of thousands displaced. Homes were swept away, rice fields nearing harvest were drowned, and local governments once again scrambled to source relief, rebuild roads, and restore electricity, among others. (This piece was submitted before Typhoon Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan, hit northern Luzon this past weekend. — Ed.)

This story in the Philippines repeats so often that it risks becoming background noise. Yet the cost is staggering, not only in monetary terms or disrupted livelihoods, but also in the exhaustion of constant rebuilding. The 2025 World Risk Index Report has named the Philippines the most disaster-prone country in the world, and its adaptation capacity is struggling to keep pace with the speed of global warming.

Across the Bashi Channel, Taiwan experiences these same typhoons, floods, and landslides, but Taiwan has systematically built a more robust resilience that it can share with the Philippines.

TAIWAN IS A RELIABLE DISASTER RESILIENCE PARTNER
Disasters are natural, loss is not. Rain, earthquakes, and typhoons are normal in our region — what turns natural events into national tragedies is insufficient preparation and systemic fragility.

Over the decades through repeated climate impact, Taiwan has forged battle-tested mechanisms such as a nationwide emergency response system, strict seismic and flood-resilient building standards, advanced warning systems, and annual disaster preparedness drills.

Furthermore, the international outreach has proven Taiwan’s strengths in disaster preparedness and response:

• Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams assisted in global disaster zones, including the 2023 Türkiye earthquake.

• Through APEC, Taiwan has spent nearly two decades advancing emergency preparedness across the Asia-Pacific region.

• The Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) hosted by Taiwan has facilitated disaster resilience workshops with over 30 participating countries.

• Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction has helped implement flood early-warning systems in Belize, Palau, India, and Indonesia, combining river sensors, forecasting, evacuation planning, and community drills.

Climate change is a pressing problem that requires concerted, collaborative action. The Philippines needs the technical cooperation, training networks, and standardized disaster governance models that Taiwan has already refined. And Taiwan is willing to share with the Philippines its operational, technology-backed, community-rooted expertise.

SUPPORTING TAIWAN’S PARTICIPATION AT COP30 MATTERS
As the world prepares for the 30th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP30) in Belém, Brazil this November, Taiwan remains excluded from this major climate governance mechanism.

Taiwan has voluntarily aligned its climate commitments with the Paris Agreement; it operates the world’s most advanced climate monitoring satellites and has enforceable legislation supporting its 2050 net-zero transition. A climate summit that excludes Taiwan, a country that demonstrates climate solutions, is a summit weakened.

SHARED RISK REQUIRES SHARED ACTION
Taiwan and the Philippines are neighbors not only in geography but in climate destiny. Supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in global climate governance is not geopolitics. It is practical climate survival.

If the Philippines is to break the cycle of destruction and rebuilding, it needs partners who understand not just the science, but the storm. Taiwan is one of those partners, and we stand ready to help.

Storms do not ask for visas, floods do not stop at borders, resilience is always stronger when it is shared. I therefore call on our Filipino friends to support Taiwan’s bid to participate in COP30, and to join hands with Taiwan in building a climate-resilient future for our region.

 

Wallace Minn-Gan Chow is the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines.

Peso slips with US shutdown nearing end

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO slipped against the dollar on Tuesday as the market awaited updates on the possible reopening of the US government.

The local unit closed at P58.985 per dollar, dipping by 2.5 centavos from its P58.96 finish on Monday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened the session flat at P58.96 against the greenback. Its intraday high was at P58.865, while its worst showing was at P59.005 versus the dollar.

Dollars traded increased to $1.47 billion on Tuesday from $1.38 billion on Monday.

“The dollar-peso moved sideways but closed a tad higher as players await developments on the potential resolution of US government shutdown,” a trader said in a phone interview.

The US Senate passed a deal on Monday that would restore US federal funding and end the longest shutdown, Reuters reported.

It now heads to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would like to pass it as soon as Wednesday and send it on to President Donald J. Trump to sign into law.

Prediction markets, such as the online Polymarket, have reopening nearly fully priced in for the end of the week.

The nearly six-week shutdown will have likely already knocked somewhere between 0.4 and 1 percentage points from fourth-quarter gross domestic product, said UBP economist Carlos Casanova in Hong Kong.

Fears that damage caused by recent typhoons could further weaken Philippine economic growth weighed on the peso, Rizal Commercial banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

He added that the stock market’s weakness also affected sentiment. The Philippine Stock Exchange index closed at a fresh over five-year low of 5,629.07 on Tuesday.

For Wednesday, the trader said the peso could move between P58.80 and P59.10 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort sees it ranging from P58.85 to P59.10. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

Louvre Museum will need years to fix security issues, state auditor finds

A TIARA adorned with pearls worn by French Empress Eugenie, which was among the items stolen by thieves during a heist at Paris’ Louvre Museum on Oct. 19, on display in this undated still frame from a video. — LOUVRE MUSEUM/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

PARIS — France’s Louvre Museum began a security audit a decade ago but the recommended upgrades will not be completed until 2032, the state auditor said in a report on last Thursday compiled before a spectacular heist there last month.

The daylight robbery, in which four robbers made off with jewels worth $102 million, raised doubts over the credibility of the world’s most-visited museum as a guardian for its myriad works. Officials have admitted security was not up to scratch.

While investigators have charged four suspects for involvement in the raid, the treasures have yet to be recovered.

Excerpts from the report, which was published on Thursday by the national audit office, known as the Cour des Comptes, had already leaked in the media days after the raid.

Only 39% of the museum’s rooms had cameras as of 2024, the report said, and a security audit begun in 2015, which found the museum was not sufficiently monitored or prepared for a crisis, only led to a tender for security works at the end of last year.

“It will take several years to complete the project, which, according to the museum, is not expected to be finished until 2032,” the report said.

It said the museum’s inability to update its infrastructure was exacerbated by excessive spending to buy artwork, only a quarter of which is exposed to the public, and post-pandemic relaunch projects, as well as inefficiencies and ticket fraud.

Even the development initiatives it announced this year were not based on feasibility studies, whether technical or financial, and did not consider staffing needs, the report said.

The report provided 10 recommendations including a drop in the number of acquisitions by the museum, an increase in its ticket prices and a refurbishment of its digital infrastructure and governance.

In the face of a “chronic under-investment in information systems,” the auditor said, “the museum must strengthen its internal control function, which remains underdeveloped for an institution the size of the Louvre.”

The theft only reinforces some of the considerations made in the report, the auditor’s head Pierre Moscovici told journalists on Thursday.

“The theft of the crown jewels was without a doubt a deafening alarm bell: this pace [of security upgrades] is far from sufficient,” Mr. Moscovici said. “The authorities are now realizing that they have heard these alarm bells.”

He said the Louvre has sufficient funds for the upgrades needed, and “now it must do so without fail.”

After the robbery, French officials said the Louvre would introduce extra security, including anti-intrusion devices and anti-vehicle ramming barriers on nearby public roads, by the end of the year.

In January, amid growing complaints about disarray at the museum, France launched an ambitious development project involving a new space dedicated to Leonardo’s Mona Lisa, the world’s most famous painting, and new security steps to protect its visitors and precious exhibits.

In written remarks published by the audit office, Culture Minister Rachida Dati said she agreed on the urgency of the technical work and reiterated calls for swift corrective measures.

Louvre director Laurence des Cars said in the same document she supported most of the auditor’s recommendations but insisted the museum’s long-term transformation plan is essential to address its structural challenges. — Reuters

Philippines ranks 33rd in organized crime list

The Philippines placed 33rd out of 193 countries in criminality and 114th in resilience in the 2025 edition of the Global Organized Crime Index. Published biennially by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, the index measures a country’s level of criminality and resilience to organized crime across three pillars: criminal markets, criminal actors, and resilience. On a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 is the highest, the country scored 6.57 in terms of criminality, worse than the global average of 5.08. Meanwhile, it scored 4.46 in resilience, below the global score of 4.78.

Philippines ranks 33<sup>rd</sup> in organized crime list

How PSEi member stocks performed — November 11, 2025

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.

Uwan death toll climbs to 18, OCD says

STRONG WAVES hit a dock in Aurora due to Super Typhoon Fung-wong, locally called Uwan, Nov. 9. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

By Adrian H. Halili and Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporters

TYPHOON Fung-wong, locally known as Uwan, left at least 18 dead mainly due to landslides caused by heavy rains across Luzon and Visayas, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Tuesday.

OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV said that casualties were reported in Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Bicol Region (Region 5), Western Visayas (Region 6), and Eastern Visayas (Region 8).

“There were three in Region 2, 12 in CAR mostly because of landslides, one in Region 5 due to drowning, one in Region 6 due to electrocution, and one in Region 8,” Mr. Alejandro told a livestreamed briefing.

He added that authorities have logged 28 injuries and two missing individuals due to the effects of storm surge.

The Philippines remains under a state of calamity after the twin storms left extensive damage across several regions.

The country was still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Kalmaegi (Local name: Tino), which claimed the lives of more than 200 individuals, when Uwan struck large parts of Luzon on Sunday evening.

Uwan, the 21st storm to hit the Philippines this year, caused widespread flooding, storm surges, strong winds and landslides over 6,900 local villages. It displaced 2.4 million individuals, with about 804,000 seeking refuge in evacuation centers.

Uwan, which reached super typhoon category, has since weakened as it traversed the rest of Luzon, exiting the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday, the state weather bureau reported.

In an 11 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the typhoon weakened into a severe tropical storm as it moved outside of the PAR closer to Taiwan.

Parts of northern Luzon continue to feel the effects of Uwan, with PAGASA raising Signal No. 2 over Batanes and the western portion of Ilocos Norte; while other portions of Cagayan Valley, CAR, and Ilocos Region are under a lower wind signal.

Uwan was last seen 370 kilometers west northwest of Calayan, Cagayan and moving north northwestward at 10 kilometers per hour (kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 110 kph near the center and gusts reaching up to 135 kph.

PAGASA noted Uwan may re-enter PAR on Wednesday evening as it makes landfall over the southwestern coast of Taiwan.

The weather bureau also maintained warning for marines to avoid sea travel on northern and central Luzon seaboards, advising vessels to remain in port or seek safe harbor until conditions improve.

DISASTER RESPONSE
Meanwhile, electricity and communications services have been restored in more than half of the areas hit by Uwan, as Cabinet secretaries were deployed to oversee response and recovery operations across the Visayas and Bicol regions, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Citing information from the Department of Energy (DoE), Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro reported that power has been brought back to 454 of 712 storm-hit municipalities, or about 60% of affected areas.

Quoting Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin, Ms. Castro said restoration work continues for roughly three million customers still without power, while 60 electric cooperatives remain under close monitoring.

Initial DoE estimates placed the damage to energy infrastructure at over P4 million.

Meanwhile, telecommunications services have also been gradually restored, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 82% of Smart’s network, 77% of Globe’s, 63% of DITO’s, and 79% of Converge’s connections were back online.

Ms. Castro quoted DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda in saying restoration crews are prioritizing areas where communications remain critical for rescue and logistics operations.

Government relief efforts continue, she noted. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said P324.1 million in aid has been distributed to families affected by Typhoon Tino, while P48.1 million has been released for communities hit by Uwan.

Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian, currently in Catanduanes, reported that 600,000 family food packs and 21,000 ready-to-eat boxes have been distributed in the two typhoon-affected regions.

Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, who is in Leyte, said P8.2 million worth of medical supplies and nutrition commodities have been sent to five municipalities in Southern Leyte, including Silago and Sogod.

Education Secretary Juan Edgardo M. Angara has been inspecting damaged schools in Negros Occidental to assess structural safety, while Tourism Secretary Ma. Christina G. Frasco is evaluating the extent of damage to tourism sites and facilities.

The Philippines sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean.

This position makes the country one of the most disaster-prone in the world, experiencing frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.

This geologic setting has shaped the nation’s landscape and posed persistent challenges for infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and economic stability.

PHL to comply should ICC issue warrant vs Sen. Dela Rosa, DoJ says

SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA — OFFICIAL FACEBOOK ACCOUNT OF THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES/VOLTAIRE F. DOMINGO, SENATE SOCIAL MEDIA UNIT/ JOSEPH B. VIDAL, OSP

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

THE Philippine government could expedite or surrender Senator Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa to the Interpol if the International Criminal Court (ICC) formally issues an arrest warrant over the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war, the Justice department said on Tuesday.

The Department of Justice (DoJ), through Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin L. Chan, said it would comply with legal procedures and reciprocity principles once the document is formally transmitted, even as it reiterated for the second time that it has yet to receive a copy of the alleged ICC warrant.

Mr. Chan said that the state has two legal options: extradition or surrender, with the latter being “the faster approach.” He cautioned against focusing solely on extradition, noting that this “is limiting the state’s discretion under Section 17 of RA (Republic Act) 9851.”

Mr. Chan said that the government is “seriously studying” all options.

“We are not closing the door on extradition or surrender and until now we have not seen nor received a copy of this ICC warrant of arrest,” he told reporters at a press briefing in Taguig City.

The discussion comes after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla claimed during a radio interview last Saturday that an arrest warrant for Mr. dela Rosa was issued.

In his latest remark on Tuesday, Mr. Remulla stood by the existence of the document, saying he has a copy of the ICC arrest warrant on his phone but noting it has yet to pass through proper channels before it can be officially implemented.

“If you ask me whether there is a warrant, yes, I have it on my phone. I have a copy, but it is not yet an official copy; I just know that it exists. The warrant is on my phone, but since it’s not official, it still has to go through the proper channels to be implemented,” he told a press briefing.

Fadi El Abdallah, spokesperson and head of the Public Affairs Unit at the ICC, said in a message to reporters on Monday that the court “cannot confirm such news,” noting that all official announcements are published through its formal communication channels.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have also confirmed they have not received any official document regarding the alleged warrant.

At the same briefing, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon said that the government is exercising “circumspect” caution and may await a resolution from the Supreme Court (SC) on pending petitions related to the ICC’s jurisdiction before taking definitive action.

The precedent for implementation was set earlier this year in relation to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte. In that prior incident, the warrant was likely transmitted via Interpol to the Philippine Center for Transnational Crimes and quickly relayed to law enforcement for implementation. This procedure is the subject of a pending SC petition filed by Mr. dela Rosa himself.

Mr. Fadullon said that while there is no temporary restraining order (TRO), prudence dictates waiting for the SC ruling to resolve the legal issues surrounding the implementation process before moving definitively on a new case.

He also clarified that Mr. dela Rosa’s status as a sitting senator would not legally prevent the government from surrendering or extraditing him if an ICC warrant is issued.

JUDICIAL CLARITY
Meanwhile, high school teacher John Barry T. Tayam filed a motion for reconsideration before the SC, seeking judicial clarity on the reported ICC arrest warrant against Mr. dela Rosa.

The filing, submitted on Tuesday, also requests amendments to include the current heads of key government offices as respondents, reflecting recent changes in leadership.

Mr. Tayam’s original petition for prohibition, filed on March 27, 2025, sought to prevent Mr. dela Rosa from using the Senate as a sanctuary, in the event the ICC issues a warrant. The SC dismissed it on May 20, 2025, citing the absence of an actual case or controversy.

In the new motion, Mr. Tayam argued the matter has now ripened into a justiciable controversy following Mr. Remulla’s remarks on Nov. 8, that the ICC issued an arrest warrant against the senator.

The Office of Senator Dela Rosa did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The motion asks the high court to clarify the scope of legislative immunity, the distinction between extradition and surrender under Philippine law, and the applicability of the New Rules on Extradition Proceedings, effective Nov. 11, 2025.

Mr. Tayam said the ICC warrant falls under the “surrender” provision of Republic Act No. 9851, since the ICC is an international tribunal and not a sovereign state.

He also stressed the constitutional requirement for due process and transparency, urging the Court to decide on the merits rather than procedural technicalities.

The updated list of respondents now includes the Senate, the Office of the Ombudsman, the DoJ, and the Office of the Solicitor General.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III earlier reiterated that no senator can be arrested within the chamber, consistent with institutional rules and courtesy. He noted, however, that any arrests outside Senate premises would be “no longer our concern.”

Mr. Dela Rosa, who sat as Police chief from July 2016 to April 2018, enforced President Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

Government data recorded 6,252 deaths in police operations, while human rights groups and the ICC estimate the toll, including extrajudicial and vigilante-style killings, could be 8,000 to 30,000.

House to tackle anti-dynasty bill, push anti-corruption body before yearend

BW FILE PHOTO

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE House of Representatives will jumpstart discussions on a long-sought anti-dynasty bill and pass a measure institutionalizing an anti-corruption body that will investigate public works projects before the year ends, Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said on Tuesday, as lawmakers convene for the final leg of the 2025 congressional session.

He said the measures are intended to reform governance in the country, as public trust in the government continues to erode amid a widening flood control controversy that gripped the Southeast Asian nation.

“In the face of reports of corruption and ghost projects, anger is not enough. We need solutions,” he told the House floor in Filipino.

The scandal struck a chord among Filipinos due to the scale of alleged collusion among politicians and contractors to siphon off billions of pesos from public works widely seen as essential in the flood-prone nation.

The House Speaker said the chamber will begin talks on an anti-dynasty bill, a measure mandated by the 1987 Constitution but was never enforced due to the lack of an enabling law.

“It is time to confront an issue enshrined in our Constitution: the implementation of a law against political dynasties,” said Mr. Dy, who hails from a prominent political family in the northern Philippines.

Mr. Dy’s asset disclosure document listed 16 relatives in government service, including a nephew serving as Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland. His son, daughter-in-law, and another nephew currently hold mayoral posts in cities and municipalities across Isabela province, where his family maintains political influence.

Public office in the Philippines has often been treated like heirlooms, being passed down from parents to children and even grandchildren that has entrenched families in the political system across generations and regions.

“The aim of this is not to hinder anyone, but to broaden opportunities for more Filipinos to serve and participate in government,” said Mr. Dy.

The House Speaker also said congressmen will swiftly pass a bill to institutionalize the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), pledging “zero delays” in its approval as Filipinos “have zero tolerance for corruption.”

“Our directive here is also clear: We will pass this before we adjourn this December,” he said.

Lawmakers have six weeks to approve pending bills before Congress adjourns for the year.

In a House hearing on bills seeking to institutionalize the ICI, its executive director Brian Keith F. Hosaka said the fact-finding body supports legislative thrusts to empower it further.

“In a time of deep public distrust, much is expected from a Commission tasked with investigating projects which have drained billions in public funds and exposed systemic weakness in our government,” he said. “We believe that given the gravity of this undertaking, the proposed investigative body tasked to examine these projects must be vested with expanded powers.”

House Deputy Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. Leila M. de Lima said in the same hearing her proposed House Bill No. 4453 will empower the ICI with the capability to conduct more comprehensive inquiries into alleged infrastructure spending anomalies and recommend charges against those implicated.

Marcos extends devolution transition for LGUs by 2 years

PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has signed Executive Order (EO) No. 103, extending by two years the deadline for the full transfer of certain executive branch functions to local government units (LGUs), citing the need to give them more time to strengthen their financial and administrative capacity.

The order, signed on behalf of the President by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, moves the full devolution timeline to 2028.

It amended Executive Order No. 138 issued in 2021, which sought to implement the Supreme Court’s Mandanas-Garcia ruling expanding LGUs’ share in national tax revenues under the Local Government Code of 1991.

The new measure introduces additional policies to ensure a “phased and equitable” transfer of functions and prioritizes assistance to poorer and less developed localities, particularly those in remote or high-poverty areas.
Under the new EO, provinces and municipalities must achieve full devolution by 2028, while cities are expected to complete the process by 2027.

The government will also prioritize capacity-building programs and fiscal support for fourth- and fifth-class LGUs to ensure they can deliver devolved services effectively.

The Marcos administration said the extension aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, and the AmBisyon Natin 2040 roadmap.

It aims to strengthen local governance, promote transparency, and encourage LGUs to generate their own revenues to sustain devolved services.

Once the transition is complete, the national government will shift its role toward more strategic and supervisory functions to address long-term development challenges and improve coordination between national and local plans. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Enrile in the ICU, Estrada says

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

FORMER Senator Juan Ponce Enrile is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) with “slim” chances of surviving, a senator said on Tuesday.

“I have information that our former colleague, is currently in the intensive care unit of an undisclosed hospital suffering from pneumonia,” Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada said during Tuesday’s session.

“I heard from a reliable source, a very, very reliable source, that he has slim chances of surviving,” he added.

The 101-year-old Mr. Enrile advises President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. as his chief legal counsel since 2022. He had also served Mr. Marcos’ father and namesake, as minister for justice and defense under the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

He also served as the 21st Senate President from 2008 to 2013 and as a four-term senator.

He was also among those involved in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, where lawmakers had siphoned off funding from the Priority Development Assistance Fund. He was acquitted of charges last month. 

A short prayer, led by Senator Joel J. Villanueva, was also offered during the plenary session, followed by a moment of silence.

The Presidential Palace and Mr. Enrile’s family is yet to issue a statement on the matter. — Adrian H. Halili

Sotto confident amid coup rumors

SENATE PRESIDENT VICENTE C. SOTTO III — SENATE PRIB

SENATE PRESIDENT Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III on Tuesday said that he remains confident that he would retain his position despite hearing potential coup rumors, ahead of the Senate resumption.

“(I’ve heard) one or two stories that someone was going around and talking to others that’s all,” Mr. Sotto told reporters.

The Senate resumed its plenary session on Tuesday, following a month-long break.

“For me I will leave it to my peers,” he added. “The Senate President should always leave it to the wisdom and the trust and confidence of his colleagues.”

Separately, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter S. Cayetano denied that there was a coup ongoing, noting their focus on upcoming budget deliberations.

“People always talk about it. Everyone in the minority wants to be in the majority. Everyone thinks they can do a better job,” he told reporters. “The minority now has a job to give better ideas for the budget.”

Mr. Sotto was elected as the Senate chief last September following a coup, led by then-minority legislators, as the chamber’s leadership under Senator Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero faced scrutiny over the flood control scandal. — Adrian H. Halili

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