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Montblanc introduces Digital Paper e-ink tablet

MONTBLANC

MONTBLANC has introduced its Digital Paper device, which aims to bring the physical experience of writing to the digital realm.

The Montblanc Digital Paper is an e-ink tablet that is accompanied by the Digital Pen that is modeled on the design of its Meisterstück. It is ideal for note-taking, writing, and annotating presentations, e-books and documents, the brand said.

There are no local pricing and availability details yet, but the device retails for $975, based on Montblanc’s website.

“While digital tools provide efficiency and convenience, handwriting offers a more immersive, reflective, and emotionally rich experience. It can ground us and inspire us in an increasingly fast-paced world. With the Montblanc Digital Paper, we have found a way to retain all the special qualities of writing by hand, while recognizing the need for boundless space and effortless digital collaboration,” Felix Obschonka, Montblanc director of new technologies, said in a statement.

The brand said the device brings the signature Montblanc writing experience to life as the Digital Pen is equipped with three interchangeable pen tips that each mimic a different paper texture, depending on users’ personal handwriting preference.

“Writing on the Montblanc Digital Paper’s high-resolution electronic ink display delivers a realistic feel of paper and a haptic experience that embodies the tactile feeling of handwriting with a traditional Montblanc writing instrument,” it said.

The Digital Paper also comes with smart features, including a search function with handwriting recognition and templates. Files can also be shared and received via e-mail, USB-C, or by using the companion apps connected to the Montblanc Cloud.

It comes in a lightweight aluminum metal case available in Mystery Black, Elixir Gold and Cool Grey colors, as well as a calf leather side bar debossed with the Montblanc emblem.

Optional smart leather covers are also available in seasonal colors and can be customized.

Based on the brand’s website, The Montblanc Digital Paper works via a companion app that supports both iOS 15 and Android 14 or higher. It has a 3,740mAh battery, with charging done via USB-C, and also comes with 64GB storage.

Montblanc is available at Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Cebu, Greenbelt 5, and Solaire Resort Entertainment City. — BVR

Peso slides after inflation report

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Wednesday as steady October inflation supported expectations of a December rate cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The local unit closed at P58.83 per dollar, dropping by 31.5 centavos from its P58.515 finish on Tuesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Wednesday’s session weaker at P58.65 against the greenback. Its intraday high was at P58.63, while its worst showing was at P58.85 versus the dollar.

Dollars traded rose to $1.44 billion from $1.33 billion on Tuesday.

“The dollar-peso closed higher as inflation data came short of expectations, supporting bets of another rate cut from the BSP come December,” a trader said in a phone interview.

Headline inflation stood at 1.7% in October, steady from the September clip but slowing from 2.3% in the same month a year ago.

This was a tad below the 1.8% median estimate in a BusinessWorld poll of 17 analysts and was within the BSP’s 1.4-2.2% forecast for the month.

October was also the eighth straight month that the consumer price index was below the central bank’s annual 2-4% target.

For the first 10 months, inflation averaged 1.7%, matching the BSP’s full-year forecast.

Last month, the central bank trimmed benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) for a fourth consecutive meeting to bring the policy rate to 4.75%. The Monetary Board has now reduced borrowing costs by a total of 175 bps since it began its easing cycle in August 2024.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. has said that one more cut is possible at their Dec. 11 meeting. He also left the door open for further easing until next year to help boost domestic demand due to a softer economic outlook as a widening corruption scandal involving government infrastructure projects has affected business sentiment.

The peso was also dragged lower by a stronger dollar amid increased risk aversion in global markets, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

For Thursday, the trader sees the peso moving between P58.60 and P59 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort sees it ranging from P58.70 to P58.95. — A.M.C. Sy

Seating arrangements

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Virender Singh from Unsplash

THE CHAIR does not merely refer to a piece of furniture. It can stand for a person heading an organization or committee. While not always the designated decision-maker, the head of a group who leads a meeting around the table or online is designated as the “chair.”

Using a piece of furniture for sitting to designate the sitter avoids the need for specifying gender or needing to change the word itself to accommodate any difference in sexual orientation. This tends to skirt (note the gender bias) the now chauvinistic term “chairman” with a male entitlement implied.

The dictionary reveals another possible meaning for the word “chairman” as one who carries a chair or pushes one with wheels for a physically challenged ward unable to walk the length of an airport terminal. This little-used definition of chairman as a menial occupation deviates from its more common reference.

A “chair” person (two words) on the other hand refers to someone with the job of collecting seats like Thai elephant chairs for tourists, ottomans around a hotel lobby, or divans for lounges.

Another usage of “chair” person can refer to the hobby of collecting seating paraphernalia, just like a “gun person” being someone who collects pistols and uses them on non-moving targets.

The commonly understood “chair” however presides over meetings. She opens a meeting by ritually asking the corporate secretary if there is a quorum. (Yes, there is a quorum, Madame Chair.)

Other uses of our furniture for resting the body (in a sitting position) can refer to how we occupy ourselves.

The video game or TV addict is referred to as a “couch potato.” The chair envelops its sitter, inert and absorbed in his addiction. Clutching the remote control to surf channels or using a mobile screen with push keys, the couch potato wallows in his solitary preoccupation.

Another chair usage involves politics, traditional or corporate. There are references to “musical chairs” in the reorganization of the cabinet (coincidentally another piece of furniture for storing files and old socks). The chair game pertains to the practice of reassigning the same people to different portfolios. In this one, the music never stops. Also as in the game, the chairs are fewer than those wishing to be seated.

This musical game applies to corporations too, although certain seats here are outside the building, maybe in the middle of traffic, or on the biking lane. Thus is a corporate casualty sometimes referred to as “roadkill” — flattened and unrecognizable. Old furniture can suffer the same fate in a warehouse.

Management styles have acquired other furniture traits.

One who is deemed too laid back is called an “armchair manager” as opposed to one who is rocking everyone’s chair. Armchair occupancy refers to those preferring to be observers comfortably seated, with only a theoretical understanding of how things work, and relying heavily on others to do the heavy lifting.

In team sports like basketball, there are “bench warmers” who are given less minutes of play than the starting five. If the rotation is deep, the bench warmers get to play a few more minutes. When the lead is insurmountable in the last seconds, the coach can “clear the bench” to allow the laggards to get their stats in.

Seats available purely for resting are seldom available in malls as a visitor at rest is considered a non-revenue customer. Seats are therefore only provided in restaurants and food courts where being stationary is necessary for dining in. Any flat surfaces which can serve as benches are declared off limits by putting potted plants on them, preferably cacti or leafy hibiscus.

Cocktail events encourage interaction and movement. Seats only make people stay in one place with a small group, restricting if not completely stopping the flow of social congress and the exchange of calling cards. Movement and noise, even when driven by alcohol, measure the success of an event. Live performers have already been removed as well at such occasions.

What about empty seats?

Chairs may refer to people and their elevated status in an investigative committee or a corporate board. Still, even such high perches can be brought back to their inanimate state when a chair is declared vacant.

As Burt Bacharach puts it in his song, “A chair is still a chair, even if there’s no one sitting there.”

 

Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda

ar.samson@yahoo.com

How PSEi member stocks performed — November 5, 2025

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

October inflation rate steadies at 1.7%

PHILIPPINE HEADLINE inflation steadied in October as slower price increases in vegetables and meat offset higher utility costs during the month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Wednesday. Read the full story.

October inflation rate steadies at 1.7%

Typhoon Tino death toll climbs to at least 66

DEBRIS from damage caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally called Tino, covers the ground in Talisay, Cebu. — REUTERS/ELOISA LOPEZ

TYPHOON KALMAEGI, locally known as Tino, left at least 66 dead, 26 missing and over a million individuals affected after its onslaught caused widespread flooding and massive destruction across the Visayas, particularly in Cebu, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Diego A. Mariano, deputy spokesperson of the OCD, confirmed that 49 of the reported deaths were in Cebu, mainly due to fallen debris, landslides, and flooding, with some incidents still under investigation.

The death toll also included six military personnel who died on Tuesday in a helicopter crash in Agusan del Sur en route to Butuan City for a humanitarian mission.

The provinces of Bohol, Capiz, and Leyte each reported one death, all caused by fallen trees.

The Negros Island Region recorded seven deaths: two were due to fallen debris and drowning, while the causes of the remaining five are still under investigation.

Mr. Mariano also said a total of 26 individuals were missing, with 13 in Cebu and another 13 in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

There were also ten reported injuries caused by fallen debris and floodwaters, while the causes of the others have yet to be determined.

The typhoon was last located 330 kilometers east northeast of Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan Islands, where a Wind Signal No. 2 is currently hoisted, the state weather bureau said in its 5 p.m. bulletin. 

It was packing 140 kilometers per hour (kph) of sustained winds, gustiness of up to 170 kph and was moving west northwestward at 30 kph.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also placed Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands and the rest of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands under Wind Signal No. 1.

“On the forecast track, Tino will continue moving west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tonight or tomorrow (Nov. 6) early morning,” PAGASA said.

“Tino is forecast to re-intensify in the next 12 hours and may reach its peak intensity while over the West Philippine Sea.”

Typhoon Kalmaegi affected more than 1.1 million individuals, or more than 318,000 families, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its 12 p.m. situational report.

Most of the affected families were from Western Visayas (489,000), Caraga Region (320,573), Eastern Visayas (171,20), and central Visayas (104,619).

Around 1.4 million households, mostly in parts of the Visayas, also experienced power interruption, according to government estimates.

In a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella said that a total of 1.4 million consumer connections were affected due to down facilities affected by the onslaught of the typhoon.

“There’s a tendency for the calamities to compound. We are still recovering from the previous typhoons and the earthquake, and now we have this Typhoon Tino, and there’s another coming this Sunday,” Mr. Fuentebella said.

“But nevertheless, it should not stop our agencies, our members from the energy family to be prepared and to have strategies to immediately restore,” he added.

Eric Campoto, officer-in-charge for Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department at the National Electrification Administration (NEA), said that there are 1.3 million consumer connections still up for restoration in areas served by electric cooperatives.

NEA’s situational report as of 10 a.m. showed that there are 27 electric cooperatives (ECs) that experienced partial power outages and three that experienced total power interruptions.

“With regards with the restoration of affected ECs, we are trying our best to restore all the affected ECs within the end of the week,” Mr. Campoto said.

Meanwhile, state-run National Power Corp. reported that about 110,000 households were affected after 57 small power utilities group (SPUG) plants were disrupted.

Mr. Fuentebella has estimated that the affected households translate to seven million power consumers.

“I understand it’s about seven million people that are affected, but this is also a huge task. Still, we want to assure you that we are working hard. Even late at night, our teams are still on the job so that we can restore power,” Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said.

On Tuesday, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) ordered the temporary suspension of the operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in the Visayas grid, the trading floor of electricity, due to “overgeneration.”

The suspension took effect on Nov. 4 at 8 a.m. and will be lifted until approval of the ERC.

During the period of market suspension, the standard fixed price is used for all electricity transactions, or the price cap, if applicable.

“During the period of market suspension, the ERC said that the administrative price, or the price imposed by the market operator to the trading participants during market suspension or market intervention, will be applied.”

Meanwhile, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will visit the southern province of Cebu after deadly flash floods triggered by Typhoon Kalmaegi, Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said.

She did not specify when the President will visit the province.

She added that initial data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) show that 343 flood control projects were completed in Cebu between 2016 and 2022, with two of them terminated.

Another 168 projects were implemented between 2023 and 2025, including 55 still ongoing.

The province is suffering from the harsh impact of Kalmaegi, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility last Sunday.

The Philippines, a country located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, is battered by about 20 typhoons annually. — Edg Adrian A. Eva, Sheldeen Joy Talavera and Chloe Mari A. Hufana

AMLC freezes 126 more luxury assets linked to flood control scandal

The Bureau of Customs recovered 12 luxury vehicles linked to the Discaya family following a court-ordered search operation in Pasig City, Sept. 2, 2025. — BUREAU OF CUSTOMS

DOZENS of high-value properties and luxury vehicles linked to individuals alleged to be behind the flood control controversy have been frozen as the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) secured its seventh freeze order on Wednesday.

In a statement, the financial intelligence unit said the appellate court’s ruling marked a “significant escalation” in the ongoing probe into the anomalies in government flood control projects.

“The Anti-Money Laundering Council has tightened its grip on assets linked to the controversial flood control projects,” the AMLC said.

“It secured its seventh freeze order from the Court of Appeals in a move that adds dozens of high-value properties and luxury vehicles to the growing list of frozen assets,” it added.

The latest freeze order, which came nearly a month after its last issuance, covers 45 real estate properties and 81 vehicles. The AMLC said it included luxury sports cars, SUVs (sport utility vehicles) and motorcycles belonging to former government officials.

However, it did not disclose the names of said officials.

The total number of frozen flood control assets now stands at over 2,000 valued at about P6.3 billion, a figure the AMLC expects to continue climbing amid the ongoing probe into the issue.

Since the first freeze order was issued on Sept. 15, the council has so far facilitated the freezing of 1,671 bank accounts, 58 insurance policies, 244 motor vehicles, 144 real properties, and 12 e-wallet accounts.

“We assure the public that our efforts have not ceased,” AMLC Executive Director Matthew M. David said in a statement. “We continue to pursue every lead, secure every necessary order, and hold accountable those who misuse public funds.”

The freeze orders came following the growing scrutiny over the flood control fiasco that linked multiple Public Works officials, private contractors and lawmakers to multibillion-peso corruption.

In September, the AMLC, through its Chair Eli M. Remolona, Jr., signed a memorandum of agreement with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to ramp up its information sharing and assets recovery initiatives. 

Mr. David earlier said that the AMLC will file a petition for civil forfeiture with the Regional Trial Court for the frozen assets before the six-month validity of the order lapses. This would allow the government to recover the assets and potentially auction it off.

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said it has also been cooperating with the ICI to recover public funds lost to corruption. 

Beyond providing legal expertise, the OSG is leading the ICI’s Asset Recovery Technical Working Group which is tasked to recover public funds and assets lost to corruption,” Solicitor General Darlene Marie B. Berberabe said in a forum on Wednesday.

She added that it represents the AMLC in its civil forfeiture cases.

“We will work in close coordination with the Office of the Ombudsman to ensure the return of monies and assets lost to corruption into our public coffers where they rightfully belong,” Ms. Berberabe said.

“Public resources belong to the people, and every peso that will be recovered is a restoration of trust in our institutions and the people who run it,” Ms. Berberabe said.

NO ZALDY CO REBUTTAL
Meanwhile, a former lawmaker Elizaldy S. Co, who is among the key personalities tagged in the multibillion-peso scandal, is not planning to file a counter-affidavit if a formal complaint is lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman, his lawyer said on Wednesday, citing concerns that the case is being handled in a biased manner.

The ICI has recommended graft, malversation and falsification charges against officials linked to bogus flood control projects, including resigned Party-list Rep. Co, though his lawyer Ruy Albert S. Rondain does not consider them official complaints.

“I don’t think it’s under oath, so I don’t think that was a complaint,” he said in a media briefing.

The anti-graft body “may have already prejudged” its investigation against Mr. Co, he added, as authorities move to rein in a widening flood control controversy that has gripped the Philippines.

Mr. Co sat as the House Appropriations committee chair for more than two years since the start of the Marcos administration. He was ousted in January.

Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said earlier this week that as many as 60 individuals could face jail time before yearend over alleged involvement in kickbacks tied to government flood control contracts.

“My thinking is the Ombudsman has already prejudged this case, and this is bolstered by the statements of [Public Works] Secretary Vince Dizon,” said Mr. Rondain. “Under these circumstances, there’s really no tactical benefit to filing a counter-affidavit,”

“If the government sticks to the facts and the evidence, that case shouldn’t be filed.”

Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment but had said on Monday that Mr. Co’s refusal for a counter-affidavit will waive his right to present evidence in possible court proceedings.

Mr. Co also fears for his life if he returns to the Philippines, Mr. Rondain said, citing that the ex-lawmaker is not evading authorities but is rather getting medical treatment overseas.

He said he knew Mr. Co was last in Boston, US, and last spoke with him on Tuesday night, describing his client as sounding “downtrodden” during their talk.

“I don’t blame him, and I wouldn’t recommend that he come home either under these circumstances,” said Mr. Rondain. “One half of the country wants to throw him in jail and throw away the key. The other half wants to string him up by the nearest tree.”

Reports of subpar, incomplete or nonexistent flood control projects have triggered outrage in the Philippines, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, which faces an average of 20 typhoons a year that often leaves cities and provinces flooded in their wake.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has said his government has spent P545 billion on flood control works since he took office in July 2022. About P100 billion worth of projects were cornered by only 15 contractors, he said in August.

Also on Wednesday, a coalition of civil society organization on Wednesday called for the government to file appropriate charges to public officials and lawmakers involved in irregularities in flood control funding.

“The filing of cases makes the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) investigations relevant to ending the impunity of our officials,” Sylvia Estrada Claudio, Tindig Pilipinas, co-convenor told a news briefing.

She called on the Office of the Ombudsman to file charges like plunder to those involved in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.

“Once plunder cases are filed, plunder being a non-bailable offense, arrest can finally be made and accountability can begin,” Ms. Claudio added.

Earlier, the ICI had recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against lawmakers and public works officials linked to the flood control kickback scheme.

The Marcos Administration is facing mounting public scrutiny over its investigation into the multibillion-peso corruption scandal.

She added that the coalition also calls on the suspension of officials implicated by the independent probe body.

“These officials should not spend one day more in their position of power and must not be given the chance to influence the wheels of justice,” Ms. Claudio said.

The group also called for the immediate freezing as seizure of all ill-gotten wealth of politician implicated in the corruption scandal.

“These are assets and money funded by the people’s taxes, and must be returned to the nation’s coffers,” she said.

Among other demands are the immediate implementation of livestreaming in ICI proceedings, the passage of laws that would hinder further corruption, and better accountability from public officials. — Katherine K. Chan, Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, and Adrian H. Halili

Pres. Marcos, VP Duterte’s ratings fall in Q3

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

A MAJORITY of Filipinos remained supportive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. even as his trust and approval ratings slightly dropped in the third quarter, while Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s ratings continued to tumble, a pollster said on Wednesday, amid the widening flood control scandal that has rocked the government.

About 57% said they trust Mr. Marcos, while 54% approved of his performance, according to an OCTA Research report that surveyed 1,200 Filipinos from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. It had an error margin of ±3 points. Still, both figures marked declines from July, with trust down seven percentage points and approval down eight points.

“Even with the observed declines, President Marcos, Jr. continues to enjoy majority trust and approval among Filipinos,” the pollster said in its report.

Ms. Duterte’s trust rating dropped by three percentage points to 51% in September, while her approval rating dropped by a point to 49%, “continuing a gradual downward trend observed since the first quarter of 2025,” it added.

Mr. Marcos drew attention to anomalies involving billions worth of flood control projects during his July state of the nation address, sparking a political fallout for his administration.

The controversy has since fueled street protests, exposed cracks within the political establishment and has dimmed economic outlook.

OCTA said Mr. Marcos’ trust rating was highest in Balance Luzon at 67%, followed by Metro Manila (55%), Visayas (53%) and Mindanao (43%).

The President’s trust rating suffered most in the Visayas, dropping 14 percentage points from July, while Metro Manila and Balance Luzon saw declines of 9 points and 7 points, respectively, it added.

“Across most major areas, President Marcos, Jr.’s trust rating decreased except in Mindanao, which recorded a 3-percentage point increase,” the pollster said.

Mr. Marcos’ rating was highest among upper and middle-income groups, with 64% of respondents from Classes A, B and C, saying they trust the president. This was followed by Class E at 58% and Class D at 57%.

OCTA said Mr. Marcos’ performance rating was highest in Balance Luzon at 64%, followed again by Metro Manila (52%), Visayas (50%) and Mindanao (41%).

“Satisfaction is highest among Class ABC (62%), followed by Classes D and E (both at 54%),” it added.

Meanwhile, Ms. Duterte’s trust rating was highest in Mindanao — her family’s political bailiwick — where more than eight in 10 Filipinos said they trusted her. About 63% of respondents in the Visayas expressed trust, followed by Balance Luzon (35%) and Metro Manila (30%), the survey showed.

“Vice-President Duterte-Carpio’s trust ratings also fell across all major areas, except in Visayas where it rose by 3 percentage points, and in Balance Luzon where it remained steady at 35%,” the pollster said.

Her trust rating was highest among Class E at 64%, unchanged from July.

About 51% of respondents from Class D said they trusted her, while it was lowest among Classes A, B and C at 31%.

OCTA said Ms. Duterte’s performance rating was highest in Mindanao at 80%, followed by Visayas (57%), Balance Luzon (37%) and Metro Manila (29%). — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Hunger rises to 22% in Q3 — SWS

BW FILE PHOTO

HUNGER among Filipino families climbed sharply in the third quarter of 2025, interrupting earlier gains in food security, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Wednesday.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 24 to 30, found that 22% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger, or being hungry and having nothing to eat, at least once in the past three months.

The figure rose 5.9 points from 16.1% in June, halting the downward trend recorded earlier this year from 27.2% in March.

The national hunger rate averaged 20.2% so far in 2025, matching last year’s average and just below the record-high 21.1% during the pandemic year 2020.

Hunger increased across the country except in the Visayas, where hunger rate dropped by 4 points to 17.7%.

Metro Manila recorded the highest hunger rate, with 25.7%, followed by Balance Luzon with 23.8%. Mindanao recorded the sharpest jump, climbing 10 points to 19.7% from the previous quarter.

Of those who experienced hunger, 16.7% reported “moderate hunger,” or  being hungry only once or a few times in the last three months, while 5.2% reported “severe hunger,” or experiencing hunger often or always.

The problem affected both the poor and non-poor, though the poor remained more vulnerable.

Hunger among self-rated poor families rose to 26.9% in September from 21% in June, while it climbed to 17% from 11.4% among the non-poor.

Among those who identified as food-poor, hunger surged to 31.5% from 21.3%.

The survey interviewed 1,500 adults nationwide through face-to-face interviews, with a ±3% national margin of error. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

DA: Rice supply safe, corn at risk

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said on Wednesday that corn output could take a heavy hit after Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally called Tino, battered Visayas and parts of Mindanao.

“We’re not too worried about rice since the harvest is almost complete in major producing provinces, and most of the affected regions are not major producing areas. But we may have an issue with corn because about 33,000 hectares of cornfields were affected by Tino,” Mr. Tiu Laurel was quoted as saying in a statement.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered its regional field offices to conduct rapid damage assessments and prepare for a potentially stronger typhoon that could hit Northern Luzon over the weekend.

To support recovery efforts, the department will distribute P255 million worth of farm inputs, including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds; fingerlings; and biologics, to affected farmers and fisherfolk.

Fishers affected by Typhoon Tino may also be provided with boat repair and fuel assistance. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

AFP told to beef up PHL defense

SOLDIERS march during the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Anniversary held at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Dec. 20, 2024. — PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to ensure that the country can defend itself without relying on foreign assistance, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

“If that’s what the President said, then we must be able to do it,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino when asked about AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, Jr.’s statement on Mr. Marcos’ directive.

She deferred further details to Mr. Brawner.

The order comes as tensions persist in the South China Sea, where Chinese vessels have repeatedly harassed Philippine ships.

Ms. Castro said Mr. Marcos remains “vocal” in asserting the country’s sovereign rights while pursuing a diplomatic approach to avoid escalating conflict.

“The President defends the rights of our nation, of every Filipino, and of our fishermen,” she said. “We are not instigating or provoking war, but we must always be ready.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Budget realignments questioned

THIS drone shot, taken during a DoH inspection, shows an empty lot in Marikina, which was supposed to be the site of a P21.49-million Super Health Center, Oct. 15, 2025. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

SENATOR Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday said that he is looking to probe potentially problematic budget allocations for farm-to-market roads, government aid, and “Super Health Centers” in the 2026 budget.

In a statement, the senator said that P255.5 billion meant for the Public Works department’s flood control projects were realigned into the “dubious” programs.

“Much of the realignments went to farm-to-market roads. The question is, is the list of such roads from the Department of Agriculture or from congressmen?” Mr. Lacson asked.

He added that some of the realignments went to unprogrammed funding for government aid or ayuda programs.

“Some ayuda programs are to be funded by unprogrammed appropriations,” the senator said. “We intend to uproot these and return them to the regular budget.”

Under the proposed 2026 national budget, unprogrammed appropriations amount to P250 billion, largely earmarked for pre-planned initiatives instead of emergency contingencies.

He added that other realignments under the proposed 2026 budget included allocations for the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) that funds the Super Health Centers.

Mr. Lacson said that he will also move to consolidate funding for government aid and social services under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) once budget deliberations reached the Senate plenary.

The legislator is also pushing for the realignments of P2 billion under the “Tulong Dunong” scholarship program to fund Free Tertiary Education.

This year’s budget deliberations have been under heightened public scrutiny after the 2025 budget was found to have numerous unprogrammed funding and line-item insertions from lawmakers. — Adrian H. Halili

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