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Rural infra push underscored

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., on Wednesday, underscored the government’s push to expand cold chain facilities and rural infrastructure to raise the incomes of fisherfolk and farmers, saying such investments will cut transport costs and eliminate middlemen in the agriculture supply chain.

Speaking at the inauguration of a rehabilitated fish port in Iloilo, Mr. Marcos said the upgraded facility, which will serve about 1,500 fishermen, now includes cold storage and ice-making capacity powered by solar energy.

The improvements will extend seafood shelf life, allowing it to reach distant markets at higher prices.

The President said the government will build 10 more fish ports across the country, citing regional competitors such as Thailand and Vietnam as models.

“The value-added should remain with our fishermen and farmers, not with the middlemen,” he said in Filipino, according to a live-streamed video on the Radio, Television, Malacañang’s (RTVM) Facebook page.

Mr. Marcos also announced the distribution of fishing boats, tractors, harvesters, and milling machines, adding that grain dryers will be provided to complement the new equipment.

He underscored that infrastructure, from cold storage to retail linkages, is essential to making the fisheries sector more competitive and encouraging more Filipinos to make their living from the sea. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Budget transparency resolution OKd

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Philippine Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution that seeks to upload all budget documents in online platforms, amid public calls for transparency in the budget process.

Senators unanimously approved Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, which mandates that all budget related documents should be available to the public online, after three days of debate.

The resolution mandates all documents, including all annexes and attachments of the General Appropriations Bill to be uploaded in the Senate and House website.

All transcripts of committee hearing, briefing, technical working group meetings should also be uploaded in the Senate and House’s websites.

It also orders the committees to produce and publish a matrix comparing the Senate and House versions of the budget bill, including how disagreements were resolved.

Congress should ensure that all budget deliberations, hearings, plenary discussions, bicameral conference committee meetings be available via live streaming.

The House and Senate should also make available platforms for the public to communicate their analyses, suggestions, and feedback on the national budget.

Meanwhile, a local chief executive also called on lawmakers to exercise transparency in the 2026 budget deliberations to avoid corruption and questionable insertions.

“We’re pressuring them to be very transparent about the bicam hearing,” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong told reporters on the sidelines of the Management Association of the Philippines’ (MAP) general membership meeting on Wednesday.

Next year’s budget is expected to face more scrutiny after the 2025 General Appropriations Act faced controversies surrounding alleged fund diversions, questionable allocations for public works projects, and blank line items.

The P6.793-trillion proposed spending plan for 2026 is 7.4% higher than last year’s budget, and equivalent to 22% of the country’s gross domestic product.

He also asserted that the small bicameral committee should not be convened because it lacked transparency.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing, who will be heading this year’s budget deliberations as the House appropriations panel chairman, said it will be abolishing the “small committee” to ensure a more transparent budget process.

The small committee, which is typically headed by a few elected lawmakers, was originally tasked to consolidate amendments of congressmen and senators on the budget.

During the MAP event, Mr. Magalong urged business leaders and top-level executives to demand accountability and good governance in public office.

“We’re asking the business sector to re-echo, to also demand, and declare support for the good governance and anti-corruption drive that we’re launching as a movement,” said Mr. Magalong.

“If the entire business sector, for example, the MAP, will make a declaration that says, ‘We want you to be transparent about how you formulate the 2026 budget,’ that would be a big deal,” he added.

Mr. Magalong recently said he’s willing to head an investigation on the government’s controversial flood control projects, noting that it must be conducted by an external body.

“I said I’m willing to take the lead, but that would depend on the decision of the President. Because the creation of an investigating body is important, it’s not possible for the investigating body to be Congress,” he told reporters.

Since the beginning of the Marcos administration, about P545 billion worth of flood control projects, but 6,021 of them — valued at P350 billion — lacked clear specifications, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Monday. — Adrian H. Halili and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

BI rescues 3 from human trafficking

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers at the Davao International Airport (DIA) rescued three Filipino women from a suspected human trafficking scheme that allegedly intended to send them to Singapore to work as entertainers, the agency reported on Wednesday.

The interception, conducted by the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section, took place on Aug. 12, when frontline officers stopped two women in their 20s and one 18-year-old before they boarded a Scoot Airlines flight.

Immigration officials said two of them came from Luzon and had traveled to Davao for the trip.

They initially told officers they were traveling together for a five-day holiday, but verification revealed they had been recruited for overseas work.

One victim reported that she was introduced by a neighbor in Davao to a Manila-based contact, who facilitated their travel without requiring payment. However, the contact stated that recruitment expenses amounting to SGD5,000 (approximately P221,846.50) would be deducted from their salaries.

“This is a form of debt bondage,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado in a statement on Wednesday. “This is a clear case of human trafficking, wherein our kababayan are made to agree to unfair arrangements. In many cases, women who are promised work as entertainers are later forced to work in the sex trade.”

The victims were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation. Authorities have identified two possible recruiters and are also probing the possible involvement of two immigration personnel.

“We commend the swift action of our immigration officers who thwarted this attempt to traffic women abroad. This interception shows that our multiple layers of security are effective,” Mr. Viado said. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

SC revises rules for rape cases

PHOTO BY MIKE GONZALEZ

THE Philippine Supreme Court revised its guidelines on how courts should classify and penalize rape cases involving minors, broadening the scope of the term “qualified rape of a minor” and raising the minimum damages awarded to victims.

Under the amended guidelines, the term applies when the victim is below the statutory age, now under 16 following a 2022 law, or has comparable mental disabilities, and at least one qualifying circumstance is present. Statutory rape will only apply when no aggravating factor exists.

Minimum damages were set at P150,000 each for civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages in qualified rape of a minor; P100,000 each in qualified rape; and P75,000 each in statutory rape, with possible increases for cruelty.

“Clearly, not all rape committed against a minor will automatically bear the nomenclature ‘Qualified Rape of a Minor,’” a 9-page resolution penned by now-retired Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez, dated June 30, read.

“The designation should be used only when a special qualifying aggravating circumstance is present and when the victim is below the statutory age or is suffering from mental retardation comparable to the intellectual capacity of a child below the statutory age.”

“The term ‘statutory age’ shall mean either ‘below 12 years old’ or ‘under 16 years old,’ depending on whether the crime of rape was committed before or after the effectivity of Republic Act No. 11648, respectively.”

Qualified rape applies if at least one special aggravating circumstance under Article 266-B of the Revised Penal Code exists and the victim is not under the statutory age or is mentally disabled, like a child of that age. The accused must pay at least P100,000 each in civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages, with possible increases for extreme cruelty.

If the victim is below the statutory age or has a mental disability equivalent to that of a child of that age, the crime is considered statutory rape. The minimum civil liability is P75,000 each for civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages, which can be increased if the crime involved extreme cruelty. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

PPA defers review of higher terminal fees at Batangas port

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has temporarily suspended its review of Asian Terminals Inc.’s (ATI) petition of adjusted terminal fee at the Batangas port while Oriental Mindoro is still under state of calamity.

The port regulator will immediately resume its review of ATI’s plan to increase passenger terminal fees to P100 from P30 once the state of calamity is lifted in Oriental Mindoro, PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said in a media release on Tuesday.

The province of Oriental Mindoro was placed under a state of calamity caused by the recent typhoons.

ATI, the operator of the Batangas port, had earlier proposed to collect a higher terminal fee at the Batangas port, citing that the increase in fees is a recovery measure after improvements at the port and will help the company in maintaining the terminal.

In 2024, ATI launched the opening of a new and modernized passenger terminal building at the Batangas Port — one of the country’s busiest terminals.

Data from PPA website showed that the upgraded passenger terminal building has a capacity of 8,000 passengers from the previous 2,500. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Illegal mining crackdown in South Cotabato intensified

COTABATO CITY — Officials of the Region XII police and two other government agencies will intensify crackdown on small-scale copper and gold mining in Tampakan, South Cotabato after two miners drowned in rampaging floodwaters that swept through their clandestine mine site in the municipality.

Local executives and police officials in South Cotabato had reported that the incident left two residents, Johnry Samling and Richard Sumali, dead. They also confirmed that Mr. Samling and Mr. Sumali were engaged in “banlas,” or sluice gold mining using only farming tools and portable motor-driven water pumps

Geologists in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Mines Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and mining engineers from Europe and Australia had placed the value of copper and gold deposits in Blaan ancestral lands in Tampakan, waiting to be mined at no less than $200 billion.

Radio reports on Wednesday in Central Mindanao cities and provinces stated that officials of the Police Regional Office-12, under Brig. Gen. Romeo J. Macapaz, and Felix S. Alicer and Efren B. Carido, directors of the DENR-12 and the MGB-12, respectively, are to cooperate in addressing the banlas operations in Tampakan.

The three officials had separately said the national government had only contracted one legitimate firm, the Sagittarius Mines Incorporated (SMI), to mine for copper and gold in Tampakan, which has not started operating since its inception some two decades ago.

Officials of the DENR-12 and MGB-12 and employees of the SMI and traditional leaders in Tampakan have long been cooperating in addressing banlas activities in the municipality even as the firm has not operated the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project yet as contracted by Malacañang.

“We in PRO-12 will support the efforts of the DENR-12 and the MGB 12 in putting an end to all forms of illegal mining activities in that municipality,” Mr. Macapaz said.

DENR-12 and MGB-12 employees had told reporters that legitimate mining firms have extensive environmental-protection thrusts in areas permitted to operate by the government. — John Felix M. Unson

Baguio, Benguet electric users to see big rate drop

BAGUIO CITY — Electricity consumers in Baguio and Benguet, the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) said, will see a significant drop in their electricity bills this August as residential rates fall to P9.8809 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from P10.4763/kWh in July.

For households consuming 100 kWh per month, this reduction translates to P53.79 in savings, while those consuming 200 kWh will save P107.58 on their August 2025 electric bill, BENECO detailed.

The overall decrease of P0.5953/kWh in the total electricity rate is mainly driven by lower generation costs, the electric cooperative said.

Generation costs from BENECO’s power suppliers fell to P5.4434/kWh in August from P5.9466/kWh in July. Rates from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) also dropped to P4.7865/kWh from P5.4702/kWh.

In contrast, the transmission cost paid to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) increased by P0.0801/kWh stemming from higher regulated services charges and the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval of NGCP’s Maximum Annual Revenue Requirement for the fourth regulatory period (2016-2022).

Under this approval, NGCP is authorized to collect P28.297 billion over a period of 84 months, or until the amount is fully recovered. As a result, consumers can expect higher transmission rates for the next seven years, BENECO said.

BENECO General Manager Melchor S. Licoben said that the ERC has granted a Provisional Authority for the implementation of the long-term Power Supply Agreement (PSA) between BENECO and Therma Luzon, Inc. (TLI), which contributed to the reduction in generation cost.

The Emergency Power Supply Agreement (EPSA) by BENECO with GNPower Dinginin ended on July 25.

BENECO is also awaiting action from the ERC on another long-term PSA with Masinloc Power Co. Ltd. (MPCL), which could further help stabilize and potentially lower rates in the future.

“BENECO remains committed to finding ways to bring down electricity rates, as we have consistently done for many years. We continue to optimize our power supply to ensure that our consumers enjoy the most competitive rates possible,” Mr. Licoben promised.

BENECO is among the 90 electric cooperatives in the country reported by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. to have lower rates compared to MERALCO. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Philippines to host the Siargao International 6000 Surfing Cup

TOP SURFERS (128 male and 64 female) from China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and the host country will vie in the “highly-sought-after event” that offers $50,000 to the champions.

THE excitement and charm of Philippine surfing will take centerstage with the holding of the Siargao International 6000 Surfing Cup from Oct. 23 to 31 in beautiful Siargao.

It is the highest-ranking WSL (World Surf League) qualifying series ever in the Philippines, which is fast becoming a premier destination for professional surf events. It is open to global participants beyond Asia Pacific.

Top surfers (128 male and 64 female) from China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and the host country will vie in the “highly-sought-after event” that offers $50,000 to the champions.

Earlier this year, the WSL staged the World Junior Championships in La Union, and this time, an even bigger event aimed at further promoting sports tourism in the country is set to take place.

“It’s not just for the athletes but for the local communities as well,” said Presidential son and Sports Ambassador Vincent Marcos during Tuesday’s special Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Wild Flour restaurant in Makati.

“I love all sports but surfing has a very special place in my heart,” added the young Marcos, who’s into surfing himself. He said it’s a perfect chance for the Philippines to promote sports tourism and show how “world class” its surfing destinations are.

Also gracing the forum were Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio, Isabela 5th District and House Committee on Youth and Sports Chairman Rep. Mike Dy, Aurora Lone District Rep. Rommel Angara, United Philippine Surfing Association President Dr. Raul Canlas, tournament technical director John Carby, world No. 3 and longboard champion Jay-R Esquivel and Nildie Blancada of the Siargao Surf Association.

“This hosting is part of the sports tourism program that we are pursuing. We believe that sports tourism is an economic driver. And why surfing? Because it’s a beautiful sport,” said the PSC chairman.

“And with 7,100 islands, how can we go wrong? As long as we see the leaders really pushing, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t support it,” added Mr. Gregorio in the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app Arena Plus.

“This is a top-level event. It’s world class,” said Mr. Carby, noting that Philippine surfing destinations such as Siargao, Baler and La Union are also known for their unmatched hospitality, and “that makes it very easy for the WSL to host such events.”

“There’s magic in Siargao, there’s magic in Baler, there’s magic in La Union,” said Mr. Gregorio.

Alcaraz beats Medjedovic in Cincinnati before rain forces games’ suspension

CARLOS ALCARAZ — FACEBOOK.COM/CINCYTENNIS

CARLOS ALCARAZ beat Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4, to reach the Cincinnati Open last 16 on Tuesday, battling the sweltering Ohio heat to notch a tour-leading 50th victory of the season before the evening session was suspended due to rain.

The Spanish second seed also secured his 13th consecutive win at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, converting three of seven break points in a deliberate, slow-paced contest.

Treated for neck pain after the first set, Serbia’s Medjedovic ramped up in the second to shorten rallies, outhitting Alcaraz 25–16 on winners but committing 38 unforced errors to the Spaniard’s 18.

“I know he’s a really powerful player,” Alcaraz said.

“His shots are incredibly hard to return. He has a big serve also. I know he doesn’t like to run too much from side to side, so my plan was to make him run as much as I could.”

Monte Carlo and Rome champion Alcaraz next faces Italian Luca Nardi as he continues his bid for an eight Masters 1000 title.

Earlier, Andrey Rublev rallied from a set down to edge Alexei Popyrin 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-5, in a fierce 3-1/2-hour battle.

The Russian ninth seed will play against Argentine Franciso Comesana, who claimed a stunning 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5 win over American Reilly Opelka.

In the women’s draw, second seed Coco Gauff advanced after Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska withdrew from their third-round clash due to illness. The American will face Lucia Bronzetti, who beat 23rd seed Jelena Ostapenko 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

It marked the second third-round walkover, following fellow Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk’s withdrawal before her match against Polish third seed Iga Swiatek. The Wimbledon champion will take on Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the round of 16.

In the evening session, men’s third seed Alexander Zverev and women’s fourth seed Jessica Pegula were forced off the court mid-match due to rain and the threat of lightning.

The suspension was particularly frustrating for Zverev, who had a 6-4, 5-4 lead in his match against American Brandon Nakashima and was about to serve for the win.

Pegula rallied to take the second set 6-3 in her meeting with Magda Linette, leaving their match all square after the Pole won the first 7-6(5).

Canadian Open winner Ben Shelton’s match with Roberto Bautista Agut and Dane Clara Tauson’s match with Veronika Kudermetova were both moved to Wednesday.

Tuesday’s rain-enforced suspension was the latest in a string of interruptions at the Cincinnati Open this week.

On Monday, Jannik Sinner’s win over Gabriel Diallo was delayed by a fire alarm before the players continued through the noise. There was also a one-hour delay due to a power outage. — Reuters

MLB postseason set to start on Sept. 30, World Series on Oct. 24

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL’s (MLB) 2025 postseason will begin on Sept. 30 and conclude on Nov. 1 at the latest, the league announced Tuesday.

The playoffs get underway with four best-of-three wild-card series from Sept. 30–Oct. 2, airing on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.

The four best-of-five American League (AL) and National League (NL) Division Series will begin on Oct. 4, with the AL contests on Fox, FS1 and Fox Deportes and the NL games on TBS, truTV and HBO MAX. Game 5 in the AL would be on Oct. 10 and Game 5 in the NL on Oct. 11, if necessary.

The American League Championship Series begins on Oct. 12, with games airing on Fox or FS1 and Fox Deportes, with Game 7 (if necessary) on Oct. 20.

The National League Championship Series begins on Oct. 13, airing on TBS, truTV and HBO MAX, with Game 7 (if necessary) on Oct. 21.

Game 1 of the 121st World Series is scheduled to be played Oct. 24 at the home of the league champion with the superior regular season record, broadcast by Fox and Fox Deportes. It continues with Game 2 on Oct. 25, Game 3 on Oct. 27 and Game 4 on Oct. 28. Game 5 (if necessary) is on Oct. 29, followed by Games 6 and 7 (if necessary) on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Games 3, 4 and 5 will be at the home of the other league champion. — Reuters

Carlos Rodon, NY Yankees fire one-hitter in rout of Twins

CARLOS RODON allowed one hit in seven outstanding innings, Giancarlo Stanton homered and collected four hits, and the New York (NY) Yankees trounced the visiting Minnesota Twins 9-1 on Tuesday.

Rodon (12-7) cruised after the first three hitters reached in a 31-pitch opening inning, allowing one baserunner in the remainder of his outing. The left-hander gave up one run, struck out five and walked two as New York won its second straight game to open a three-game series.

Tim Hill and Yerry De Los Santos finished the one-hitter. Minnesota’s Austin Martin opened the game with a single and scored the Twins’ lone run.

Stanton homered for the second straight game and drove in three runs. The slugger went 4-for-5, his first four-hit game since Aug. 24, 2023, against the Washington Nationals.

Aaron Judge homered for the first time since July 23, Anthony Volpe hit a tie-breaking three-run homer off Minnesota rookie Travis Adams (1-2) in the second inning and Stanton went deep in the fifth.

Stanton, making his third start in right field, doubled in the first inning and singled in his final two at-bats after hitting his 12th homer of the season. His seventh-inning hit drove in two for an 8-1 lead.

Cody Bellinger preceded Stanton’s fourth hit by drawing a bases-loaded walk after an intentional walk to Judge.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached base four times, Judge drew three walks after homering and the Yankees finished with 11 hits and a season-high 11 walks. Chisholm scored New York’s final run on a grounder by JC Escarra in the eighth.

Adams allowed four runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings during his second career start. The right-hander struck out two and walked four in a 70-pitch outing.

In the first inning, Minnesota loaded the bases and scored when Royce Lewis beat out a potential double-play grounder by a few steps.

In the bottom of the frame, Judge hit a 2-2 fastball into the Yankees’ bullpen beyond the right-center-field fence.

New York extended its lead in the second following walks to Chisholm and Ryan McMahon. Volpe lifted a 1-1 sinker into the right-center-field seats.

Leading off the fifth, Stanton upped the lead to 5-1 with a 447-foot drive into the bleachers beyond the visiting bullpen in left-center field.

Rodon retired 17 straight until walking Ryan Jeffers with two outs in the sixth. He ended the inning by retiring Luke Keaschall on a grounder. — Reuters

Pete Alonso sets NY Mets record with 253rd HR, adds No. 254

PETE ALONSO — MLB.COM

METS first baseman Pete Alonso broke the team’s career home run (HR) record in the third inning of New York’s Tuesday game against the visiting Atlanta Braves — then went deep again in the sixth.

The third-inning shot, a two-run homer against Spencer Strider, gave Alonso 253 long balls in his seven-season career. Darryl Strawberry clouted 252 in his eight-year tenure with the franchise, 1983-90.

With Brandon Nimmo aboard after a two-out single, Alonso lined a first-pitch fastball over the right-center-field wall for his 27th homer of the year. The crowd at Citi Field erupted and Alonso shared hugs with many players and manager Carlos Mendoza following the blast.

“Good swing on a good pitch,” Alonso said. “Just really happy it just carried a little bit over the fence.”

Alonso set the record in his 965th game — 144 fewer than Strawberry. The milestone homer gave New York a 5-1 lead.

Asked if he was thinking about his place in club history, Alonso said, “A little bit, but it’s really not going to settle in because right now we’re in the thick of the playoff race. I don’t really want to make this about myself. This is about the team, this is about guys fighting every single day and doing whatever they can to win.”

Alonso acknowledged the moment was a career highlight.

“It’s unimaginable,” he said. “It’s still really not fully set in. I don’t think I’m going to fully appreciate this moment until the offseason.”

In the sixth, Alonso belted a solo shot against reliever Austin Cox. The Mets first baseman, who doubled in the first inning, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs as New York prevailed 13-5, ending a seven-game losing streak.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “Special for him to do it here at home, not only 253 but 254. It’s a special number. You think about how many great players have put this uniform on and then to finally break the record — one of the greatest, Straw.

“Obviously special night for him, for all of us, and I’m just glad we were able to witness that.” — Reuters

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