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All-Star James

For more than two decades, LeBron James’ name on the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star starting lineup was not so much announced as assumed. It was a constant, arriving with the same predictability as the very passage of time. From his teenage emergence in Cleveland to his late-career stewardship in Los Angeles, the distinction was both an honor than a reaffirmation of a central truth in pro hoops: year after year, he remained its most enduring axis. This season, for the first time since his rookie year, that assumption no longer held.

The mechanics are straightforward enough. The revised All-Star voting format, with fans’ choices weighted heavily, elevated a new Western Conference starting five and left James missing the cut. To be sure, age and availability played their parts; at 41, in his 23rd campaign, he has missed games, managed his body, and picked his spots. The numbers he puts up on the board are still impressive, but they are no longer overwhelming. In a league invariably rich with peak-age superstars, respect in and of itself is insufficient currency. The ballot, cold and unsentimental, reflected the stark reality.

Yet to frame the development purely as a referendum on James’ performance is to miss the larger undercurrent. All-Star voting has always been more about presence than precision; it’s about who commands attention in a given snapshot of history. And for 21 years, he did so effortlessly. He bridged eras, platforms, and generations, remaining culturally indispensable even as the NBA continued to reinvent itself. That he is now edged out underscores not a collapse of his standing, but a public redirection of fascination. These days, the NBA’s audience is younger, more fragmented, and increasingly attached to players whose careers align with their own timelines. Legacy, his most powerful accelerator, is being overrun by immediacy.

Make no mistake. James remains productive, influential, and deeply relevant. That said, he is no longer singular enough to keep the votes that used to come his way without question. As with the great careers of countless others before him, his is ending amid diminishing certainty; he is learning firsthand the difference between being excellent and being inevitable. Michael Jordan experienced it. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did, too. Longevity buys time, not immunity from its ravages.

Which is not to say James is done. Far from it. He will almost certainly be named an All-Star reserve, extending another remarkable run at or near the top of the heap. He will continue to shape games, conversations, and expectations for the foreseeable future. All the same, there can be no doubting that the league’s most durable presence is becoming part of its past, and faster than he would like. Not dismissed, but placed, at last, within the flow of time.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

ASEAN will not certify Myanmar election or send observers, Malaysia says

A MYANMAR protester residing in Japan uses a face mask with an image of Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally denouncing an upcoming election led by the military junta and demanding the immediate release of Ms. Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, outside Myanmar’s embassy in Tokyo, Japan on Dec. 14, 2025. — REUTERS/ISSEI KATO

KUALA LUMPUR — The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not send observers to army-ruled Myanmar’s ongoing three-stage election and will therefore not endorse the poll, Malaysia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military staged a coup against a civilian government in 2021.

The election, which began in December last year, has been criticized by the United Nations, many Western countries and rights groups as a ploy to legitimize military rule through political proxies — a charge the junta has denied.

In a low turnout, voters cast their ballots in the second stage of the poll earlier this month, with the military-allied Union Solidarity and Development Party leading after securing 88% of the lower house seats contested over the first phase.

Speaking in parliament, Minister Mohamad Hasan said ASEAN had rejected a request from Myanmar to send election observers during the annual leaders’ summit in Kuala Lumpur last year, though some individual member states had decided to do so on their own.

“We have said that ASEAN will not send observers, and by virtue of that, we will not certify the poll,” Mr. Mohamad said in response to a question from another lawmaker about Malaysia and ASEAN’s position on the election.

Separately, Mr. Mohamad also said ASEAN was in the final stages of concluding a long-proposed code of conduct with Beijing this year concerning activities in the South China Sea.

“We hope we are able to do it by this year,” he said.

ASEAN and China pledged in 2002 to create a code of conduct but took 15 years to start discussions, and progress has been slow.

Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including parts of the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, complicating fishing and energy exploration activities by those countries. — Reuters

Taiwan says it will lead ‘democratic’ high-tech supply chain with US

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Jcomp from Freepik

TAIPEI — Taiwan aims to build a “democratic” high-tech supply chain with the United States and form a strategic artificial intelligence (AI) partnership under the new tariffs deal it sealed with Washington last week, Taipei’s top negotiator in the talks said on Tuesday.

US President Donald J. Trump has pushed the major producer of semiconductors, which runs a large trade surplus with the United States, to invest more in the US, specifically in chips that power AI.

Under the terms of the long-negotiated deal, chipmakers like TSMC that expand US production will incur a lower tariff on semiconductors or related manufacturing equipment and products they import into the US and will be able to import some items duty-free. Broad tariffs that apply to most other Taiwanese exports to the US will fall from 20% to 15%.

Taiwan companies will also invest $250 billion to boost production of semiconductors, energy and AI in the US, while Taiwan will also guarantee an additional $250 billion in credit to facilitate further investment.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Vice-Premier Cheng Li-chiun said the deal was not about hollowing out Taiwan’s chip industry, which is so important for the economy it is widely referred to as the “sacred mountain protecting the country.”

“This is not supply-chain relocation; rather, it is support for Taiwan’s high-tech industries to extend their strength abroad — through addition, and even multiplication — to expand a strong international footprint in the United States,” she said.

CHIPMAKER INVESTMENTS
Under the agreement, chipmakers that expand in the US will be able to import up to 2.5 times their new capacity of semiconductors and wafers with no extra tariffs during an approved construction period. Preferential treatment would apply to chips that exceed that quota.

Ms. Cheng said Taiwan has secured preferential treatment in advance under any future Section 232 measures on semiconductors, which is an ongoing US national security investigation into imports of key products like chips and pharmaceuticals.

“As for what the actual Section 232 semiconductor tariff will be in the future, (US Commerce) Secretary Lutnick recently mentioned a possible rate of 100%, but this remains undecided,” Ms. Cheng said.

“Regardless, under any future tariff scenario, we have ensured that the US will grant Taiwan the most favorable treatment: zero tariffs within the quota and preferential tariffs even outside the quota.”

In an interview with CNBC last week, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that if companies do not build in the US, a tariff would likely be 100%.

“In the past we said, ‘Taiwan can help,’” Ms. Cheng added, referring to Taiwan’s past efforts to help the international community during the COVID pandemic and other crises.

“We hope in the future it will be ‘Taiwan-US can lead,’ with the two sides joining forces and, under the wave of AI, working together to build a high-tech supply chain for the democratic camp. This is our strategic objective.”

The US is Taiwan’s most important backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties. Beijing claims the democratically governed island as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goals. — Reuters

As US orders fade, Chinese salespeople face tough grind in new markets

STOCK PHOTO | Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

CHINA sold more goods to the world than ever in 2025, but export saleswoman Aimee Chen says it was the hardest of her roughly two-decade career.

After US President Donald J. Trump’s tariff hikes led to US orders plunging by a third, Ms. Chen’s pet products company moved to diversify geographies, chasing new and often lower-income markets like South America. The response mirrored China’s official trade policy, which led to a record $1.2-trillion surplus for 2025 despite new trade barriers.

Reuters’ interviews with 14 salespeople working on the frontlines of China’s export diversification push, however, reveal the costs and caveats behind the rosy headline trade figures.

Four of the salespeople said that orders from the new markets were often smaller in volume and less lucrative than US sales, resulting in lower commissions and pay. Government data show profits at China’s industrial firms fell 13.1% year on year in November, the fastest pace in over a year.

Many of the employees also described longer working hours as well as greater intensity and uncertainty amid the export boom.

“I’m very anxious,” said Ms. Chen, adding that she had recently experienced stress symptoms like hair loss and insomnia.

Mingwei Liu, director at the Center for Global Work and Employment at Rutgers University, said that China’s export strategy in alternative markets depended on firms chasing high volumes of cheap orders. Companies that succeed often give clients longer payment cycles and bear higher default risks, he said.

“This market reorientation increases the labor intensity, the emotional burden and income uncertainty faced by workers in export sales,” Mr. Liu said.

China’s commerce ministry and human resources ministry, as well as the office which manages the cabinet’s media queries, did not respond to requests for comment.

NEW MARKETS, NEW PROBLEMS
China and the US have grown increasingly interconnected since Beijing’s 2001 accession to the World Trade Organization. Their relationship has also become more imbalanced, with their respective economic policies favoring production in the former country and consumption in the latter.

Some American retailers and Chinese producers have said they developed relationships that were so close that they could anticipate each other’s needs and red lines, making deals feel almost automatic.

Ms. Chen, for instance, described her past interactions with US retailers in largely glowing terms. Clients in the world’s largest economy were often “easy-going” and signed deals quickly, she said.

By contrast, customers in new markets like to haggle on price, she said.

Chinese shipments to the US fell 20% in 2025, though it remains a top export destination. Shipments rose 25.8% to Africa, 7.4% to Latin America, 13.4% to Southeast Asia, and 8.4% to the European Union last year. 

While Washington and Beijing have had previous trade disputes, tensions escalated after Mr. Trump took office at the start of 2025. He raised tariffs to over 100% in April, before partially reversing and settling for a fragile detente.

His re-election sent China’s export-oriented industrial complex into a rat race for foreign demand across the world.

Monica Chen, who has been selling auto parts for more than a decade in the eastern Zhejiang province, had long relied on e-mail to keep business going. But with US tariffs in place, she’s had to fight harder to win business. That means ramping up business travel to as much as three times a month and cold-calling prospects.

“It’s very hard to develop new markets, they are basically saturated,” said Monica, who isn’t related to Aimee Chen.

Her company ultimately responded by cutting prices to undercut other Chinese firms that are also looking for buyers abroad.

The firm’s orders were down a third in value from 2024, Monica said.

WORK HARDER, EXPECT LESS
With profits falling, companies have placed pressure on their sales agents.

Cici Lv, 24, who has sold electric bicycle batteries since 2022 from the southern city of Shenzhen, earns about 5,000 yuan ($717, $1 = 6.9683 Chinese yuan renminbi) per month — not much more than workers in the factories that produce such units.

But while workers’ shifts come to an end, Ms. Lv said she is constantly on the clock talking to foreign clients.

One of her peers, Rowan Wang, a sales rep for an exporter of agricultural equipment in eastern China, summed up the demands as “if we’re alive, we have to reply.”

Five of the salespeople also described struggles to manage less-affluent clients in markets with which they have little familiarity.

Ms. Lv said she traded messages with one client for months, discussing everything from news events to lunch choices and religion. He eventually ordered just one battery, earning Ms. Lv a commission of less than $2.

A review of the top 100 most liked export-related posts on social media platform RedNote in the six months to mid-January found 37 that raised complaints about heightened job stress. Another six complained about unprofessional client interactions.

“Sometimes it messes with your mind,” said Ms. Lv, who said she’s fielded relationship proposals.

The hardship described by the sales staff may be an early warning that China’s trade diversification success in 2025 could be hard to replicate in the years ahead, said Chen Bo, senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute.

Economists have long argued that China has to develop local markets if it wants to end its deflationary cycle. Weak consumption pushes Chinese producers to compete overseas, often against each other, which brings revenue into the economy but erodes profits, Mr. Chen said.

China “can’t maintain sustainable economic growth by relying on foreign markets,” the academic said. — Reuters

Lam vows faster growth as he seeks to extend his hold on Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam (right) meets with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 29, 2021. Image via Chad J. McNeeley/US Department of Defense.

HANOI — In an address to the Communist Party congress that will decide his political future, Vietnam’s top leader To Lam on Tuesday pledged annual economic growth of more than 10% for the remainder of the decade, despite global headwinds.

The weeklong congress, which convenes every five years and kicked off on Monday in Hanoi, will select the party chief, the most powerful position in the single-party country, and set economic goals up to 2030.

The congress is taking place in a time of “many overlapping difficulties and challenges, from natural disasters, storms and floods to epidemics, security risks, fierce strategic competition, and major disruptions in energy and food supply chains,” Mr. Lam told the nearly 1,600 delegates to the congress at the start of his speech.

Mr. Lam, a former head of state security, is seeking to retain his role as party chief and possibly take on the state presidency. He has promised greater governmental reforms after he launched the bureaucracy’s most significant overhaul in decades during his brief tenure as party chief.

A party document submitted to the congress that was reviewed by Reuters set Vietnam’s annual growth goal at no less than 10% until 2030, above a missed target of 6.5% to 7.0% for the first half of the decade.

Mr. Lam is widely viewed as a risk-taker who has been praised by foreign investors for his ambitious reforms, though he has stirred criticism as tens of thousands of civil servants have lost their jobs.

He has also strengthened state security, giving police more powers to vet laws and control businesses, while ramping up a rivalry with the army, which oversees its own vast economic interests.

LAM PLEDGES LESS RED TAPE, MORE TRADE
Under strict security arrangements, Mr. Lam delivered a 40-minute speech in a red-carpeted hall where delegates sat on red-upholstered seats facing a towering statue of party founder Ho Chi Minh — under the images of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.

He was preceded by President Luong Cuong, an army general, who spoke for about 10 minutes. It may have been his final opening speech at a congress if Mr. Lam is successful in taking over his job.

Mr. Lam, 68, said Vietnam needs to cut red tape and expand global trade to protect its independence and national interests.

The 20% tariffs imposed on Vietnam in August by the Trump administration have not restrained the growth of Vietnamese exports to the US, leading to a record trade surplus with Washington last year.

But Vietnam is seeking to boost trade ties with other partners, as the impact of US duties will likely be felt in the coming months.

INFRASTRUCTURE SPLURGE TO GO ON
Vietnam’s party chief promised to continue the fight against corruption, although during his tenure the anti-graft drive launched by his predecessor Nguyen Phu Trong has abated as Mr. Lam sought to speed up project approvals to boost growth.

“Infrastructure must be developed to adapt to climate change and ensure strong regional, interregional, and global connectivity,” Mr. Lam said.

He has presided over a splurge in infrastructure projects, which have supported economic growth, though that has also raised concerns about favoritism and waste.

Vietnam wants to build new rail links to China and is planning to build a nationwide high-speed train network with an estimated cost of nearly $70 billion. It is also constructing new airports close to major cities, even though existing international terminals lack rail links to urban centers.

As minister of public security, Mr. Lam — a lover of classical music — oversaw approval of a large new opera house, Hanoi’s second, which opened in 2023. A third, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, is under construction. — Reuters

Trump shares Macron message offering G7 summit, questioning Greenland tactics

GREENLAND’s flag flutters on a tourist boat as it sails past icebergs near Ilulissat, Greenland, Sept. 13, 2017. — REUTERS

French President Emmanuel Macron told Donald Trump he did not understand what the US President was “doing on Greenland,” and offered to host a G7 meeting inviting Russia and others, according to a screenshot of the messages Trump posted online.

In the messages, Mr. Macron told Mr. Trump he could invite the Ukrainians, the Danes, the Syrians and the Russians to participate on the margins of the G7 meeting on Thursday, and also invited Trump to have dinner with him in Paris.

A source close to Macron said the messages shared by Trump were authentic. Mr. Trump’s replies, if any, were not part of the screenshot that he posted on his Truth Social account early on Tuesday. The White House and Mr. Macron’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Macron, addressing Mr.  Trump as his “friend” in the messages, said he was “totally in line” Mr. Trump on Syria, and that they could do “great things on Iran”.

CRISIS MEETING PLANNED ON GREENLAND
Mr. Trump’s post comes after EU leaders decided over the weekend to convene in Brussels on Thursday evening for an emergency summit following the US leader’s threats to impose new tariffs on goods from several European countries over his demand to acquire Greenland.

Mr. Macron has called  Mr. Trump’s threat of tariffs over Greenland unacceptable.

The Truth Social post appeared hours after the US president said he will impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes, a move he said would push Mr. Macron to join Trump’s Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.

It was not immediately clear when the messages from Mr. Macron to Mr. Trump were sent.

Mr. Macron is scheduled to arrive at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday morning, and return to Paris on Tuesday evening, Elysee aides said on Monday, adding there were no plans to extend his stay to Wednesday, when  Trump arrives in the Swiss town.

In December the French president said Europe will have to re-engage in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin if the latest US-led efforts to broker a Ukraine peace deal founder.

Last week, Mr. Macron said that France was now providing two-thirds of intelligence information to Ukraine, largely replacing the United States.— Reuters

Rescue workers clearing Karachi inferno ruins, 63 missing feared dead

BW FILE PHOTO

KARACHI — Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi mall on Tuesday as they tried to locate 63 people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed 21 people.

Police have said most of the missing are feared dead and rescue workers were trying to locate bodies in the debris.

The city’s largest fire in over a decade started late on Saturday and quickly spread through the sprawling Gul Plaza shopping complex, famous for its 1,200 family-owned stores that sold wedding clothes, toys, crockery, and much else.

Firefighters battled the flames that created an inferno inside the mall throughout the night and late into Sunday before bringing the blaze under control, although small fires continued to break out across the ruins.

Kosar Bano, a woman standing near the site, said six of her family had gone to the mall to shop for a wedding. The last time she heard from them, they said they would be home in 15 minutes.

“The only hope we have is how many hands we will find, how many fingers we will find, and how many legs we will find. That’s it,” she said.

Much of the once-imposing structure, larger than a football field, was reduced to a pile of ash and debris scattered across the street as rescue workers searched for a growing list of missing people.

Rizwan Ahmed from the Rescue 1122 group said on Tuesday that 21 people were killed in the blaze while another 63 were still missing, nearly three days after the fire began.

INVESTIGATION PROMISED
Relief workers dug through the rubble and brought out human remains in sacks before sending them for DNA testing.

Senior police official Syed Asad Raza told Reuters that 15 DNA samples had been collected by Monday night to help identify the bodies.

There was also rising anger at the scene with people blaming a delayed rescue effort and jeering the city’s mayor when he showed up at the site nearly 24 hours after the fire began.

The government has said it will investigate the cause of the fire and the response.

Police also said that all but three of the mall’s 16 exits were locked when the fire began around the mall’s closing time.

Gul Plaza’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The blaze is Karachi’s biggest since an industrial site went up in flames in 2012, killing more than 260 people. A court ruled in 2020 that the disaster involved arson. — Reuters

Australia set to pass tougher laws on guns, hate crimes after Bondi shooting

People gather at the floral tribute at Bondi Beach to honor the victims of a mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. — REUTERS

SYDNEY — Australia’s lower house of parliament has passed new laws for a national gun buyback, tighter background checks for gun licenses and a crackdown on hate crimes, in response to the country’s worst mass shooting in decades at a Jewish festival last month.

Two bills for stricter gun control and anti-hate measures passed on Tuesday by the House of Representatives in a special parliament session will now go to the upper house Senate for debate.

The gun control laws are expected to pass with the support of the Greens party despite opposition from the conservative Liberal-National coalition. The anti-hate laws are likely to pass with support from the Liberal party.

Introducing the gun reforms, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said individuals with “hate in their hearts and guns in their hands”, carried out the December 14 attack at Bondi Beach that killed 15 people.

“The tragic events at Bondi demand a comprehensive response from government,” Mr. Burke added. “As a government, we must do everything we can to counter both the motivation and the method.”

PARLIAMENT RECALLED EARLY FOR SPECIAL SESSION
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled parliament early from its summer break for this week’s special two-day session to toughen curbs after the shooting shocked the nation and prompted calls for more action on gun control and antisemitism.

The proposed gun control measures enable the largest national buyback scheme since a similar campaign after a 1996 massacre in Tasmania’s Port Arthur, in which a lone gunman killed 35 people.

They also toughen background checks for firearm licenses issued by Australian states, making use of information from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization.

Australia had a record 4.1 million firearms last year, the government said on Sunday, with more than 1.1 million of those in New South Wales, its most populous state and the site of the Bondi attack.

“The sheer number of firearms currently circulating within the Australian community is unsustainable,” Mr. Burke said.

The bill passed by a vote of 96 to 45 without the support of the coalition.

“This bill reveals the contempt the government has for the million gun owners of Australia,” said Shadow Attorney-General Andrew Wallace of the Liberals.

“The prime minister has failed to recognize that guns are tools of trade for so many Australians.”

HATE CRIME PENALTIES STEPPED UP
A second bill steps up penalties for hate crimes, such as jail terms up to 12 years when a religious official or preacher is involved, and allows bans on groups deemed to spread hate.

The bill, which also provides new powers to cancel or refuse visas for those who spread hate, passed the lower house 116 to 7, with support from Liberal party lawmakers while the National party, their coalition partners, abstained.

“This bill targets those that support violence, in particular violence targeted at a person because of their immutable attributes,” said Attorney-General Michelle Rowland.

Such conduct was not only criminal but sowed the seed of extremism leading to terrorism, she added. Police say the alleged Bondi gunmen were inspired by the Islamic State militant group.

The measures were originally planned for a single bill, but backlash from both the coalition and the Greens forced the government to split the package and drop provisions for an offense of racial vilification.

In its own reforms, New South Wales limits individuals to possession of four guns, and beefs up the power of police to curb protests during designated terrorist attacks.

State police have extended by two weeks in some areas protest curbs enforced in Sydney late in December. While they do not ban protests outright, critics say they are undemocratic. — Reuters

Two dead, two hurt as Storm Ada triggers landslide in Sorsogon

Residents clear debris while motorists brave the scattered soil and large stones carried by the flooding at Barangay Masarawag in Guinobatan, Albay on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

Two deaths and two injuries were reported following the heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Nokaen, locally named Ada, which mostly affected the Bicol Region, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday.

The two fatalities were both landslide victims from Matnog, Sorsogon, earlier reported last Saturday.

The two injured individuals indicated in the latest NDRRMC 8:00 a.m. situational report were also confirmed to be related to the same landslide incident.

Meanwhile, the number of affected families has climbed to nearly 131,000, all from Regions 5, 8, and Caraga.

Of the affected families, the NDRRMC said that 1,657 families are taking shelter inside 325 evacuation centers, while 3,931 are staying outside these centers.

The report also showed that a total of nine cities or municipalities remain without electricity, while power supply has been restored in 10 areas.
A water interruption was also reported in one area in Region 8.

As of the report, more than 6,406 families, or 13.46% of the total 47,582 families requiring assistance, have received aid, the NDRRMC said.
The total cost of assistance provided has reached more than P6.6 million.

Ada, which has weakened into a tropical depression, is no longer affecting any areas of the country, according to PAGASA’s 11:00 a.m. advisory.
It is also likely to further weaken into a low-pressure area as it moves farther away from the country. — Edg Adrian A. Eva

CoA files 4 fraud audit reports worth over P325 million for Bulacan flood control projects; flags ghost projects, unauthorized relocations, and questionable accomplishments

The Commission on Audit (CoA) has filed four fraud audit reports involving more than P325 million worth of flood control projects in Bulacan, citing ghost projects, unauthorized relocation of project sites, and questionable claims of completion.

In reports submitted to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the CoA said the projects were implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and awarded to contractors Wawao Builders and Darcy and Anna Builders & Trading. The audit found recurring indicators of systemic misuse of public funds in projects intended to mitigate flooding in vulnerable communities.

The CoA said its findings underscore the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability, stressing that funds earmarked for public safety must not be diverted through corruption.

Ghost projects and dubious accomplishments

Based on physical inspections, drone surveillance, geotagged photographs, and historical satellite imagery, auditors uncovered several irregularities. In some cases, no flood control or riverbank protection structures were found at the approved project sites despite documents declaring the projects completed or substantially accomplished.

The CoA also reported instances where DPWH representatives directed inspectors to locations different from those specified in approved bid documents and contracts, without any authorized revised plans — violations of procurement and contract rules. In other locations, satellite images showed that riverbank protection structures already existed before the contracts took effect, raising the possibility that public funds were used to pay for works that were not newly constructed.

The audit further flagged severe documentation deficiencies, including missing as-built plans, detailed cost estimates, geotechnical investigation reports, complete statements of work accomplished, and approved master plans, which auditors said undermined the credibility of reported accomplishments and payments.

Projects under scrutiny

Among the projects cited was the P96.49-million construction of a riverbank protection structure in Barangay Santa Cruz, Guiguinto, Bulacan, awarded to Wawao Builders. The CoA found that the structure was not built at the approved site and appeared to have been relocated without authority, with discrepancies in project length and design.

Another Wawao Builders project worth P77.19 million in Barangay Iba-Ibayo, Hagonoy, Bulacan, was declared 100% complete, but auditors found no structure at the designated site. The structure pointed out by DPWH officials was located about 694 meters away and had no approved authority for relocation.

In Calumpit, Bulacan, a P77.19-million riverbank protection project also awarded to Wawao Builders showed inconsistencies in location and measurements, with a structure bearing a different contract identification and located outside the approved site.

The CoA also flagged a P74.12-million project in Barangay Babatnin, Malolos City, awarded to Darcy and Anna Builders & Trading. Auditors confirmed that no structure was built at the approved site, while the structure identified by DPWH officials predated the contract by nearly a year based on satellite imagery. Progress photos submitted by the contractor also contained embedded coordinates inconsistent with the approved project location.

The fraud audit reports named several DPWH engineers and officials, as well as representatives of the contractors, as persons potentially liable.

Possible charges, more reports expected

The CoA said the individuals involved may face charges for graft and corruption under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as malversation and falsification of public documents under the Revised Penal Code. Possible violations of CoA Circular No. 2009-001 were also noted.

The fraud audit forms part of a broader investigation ordered by CoA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba in August 2025, directing an immediate review of DPWH flood control projects in Bulacan from July 2022 to May 2025 amid public concerns over alleged ghost projects.

The CoA said it will continue to submit additional reports to the ICI as the investigation progresses, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s call for greater transparency and accountability in government spending.

 

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New LPA spotted as Tropical Depression Ada moves away

DOST-PAGASA FB PAGE

A new low-pressure area (LPA) was spotted outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as Tropical Depression Ada continued to move away from the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday.

In its 11:00 a.m. advisory, PAGASA said the LPA was located about 2,245 kilometers east of southeastern Mindanao (Davao) and currently has a low chance of developing into a tropical depression.

In a separate tropical cyclone threat advisory, PAGASA said the LPA is expected to maintain a low probability of intensifying into a storm until February 1. However, between January 26 and February 1, it may move toward Caraga and Eastern Visayas.

PAGASA said it will continue to monitor the LPA and provide updates in its succeeding advisories.

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Nokaen, locally named Ada, is no longer affecting any part of the country and is expected to continue moving farther away, PAGASA said.

No heavy rainfall warnings or tropical cyclone wind signals are currently in effect in relation to Nokaen.

As of the latest advisory, Nokaen was last located about 820 kilometers east of northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 20 kph, while moving northwestward at 20 kph.

PAGASA said the cyclone is expected to move generally eastward before turning south-southeastward on Wednesday.

Nokaen is also undergoing gradual weakening due to dry air associated with the northeast monsoon and may further weaken into a low-pressure area by Wednesday, PAGASA said.

However, the prevailing northeast monsoon will continue to affect large parts of the country, bringing strong to gale-force winds over Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, and nearby areas on Tuesday.

PAGASA advised local disaster risk reduction and management offices to remain vigilant and take necessary measures to protect life and property, while residents were urged to follow advisories and evacuation instructions from authorities.— Edg Adrian A. Eva

The ultimate homecoming: Piolo Pascual for Bench Body

Piolo Pascual serves as the newest endorser of BENCH.

In what stands as the most significant fashion event of 2026, BENCH, the Philippines’ leading global lifestyle brand, announces the monumental “homecoming” of the country’s definitive icon, Piolo Pascual. This landmark campaign is more than a simple reunion; it is a full-circle moment that honors nearly three decades of shared history, reaffirming Pascual’s unmatched status and BENCH’s legacy as the architect of Philippine pop culture.

Returning to the brand that helped define the dawn of his career, Pascual asserts his position not as a figure of nostalgia, but as the modern standard of the industry — a presence that remains as sharp and influential as ever.

In this new chapter, Pascual serves as the newest endorser of BENCH, embodying a lifestyle defined by unyielding discipline and peak physical form. The campaign reframes the narrative of time, positioning Piolo as living proof that strength, confidence, and relevance are the results of lifelong commitment. By showcasing a physique and a presence sculpted by years of dedication, he provides a master class in longevity, commanding the scene with a quiet, seasoned authority that requires no introduction.

To execute a vision of this magnitude, BENCH enlisted a world-class international creative powerhouse led by acclaimed South Korean photographer Chun Youngsan. Known for capturing the world’s most elite Hallyu stars and global luxury icons, Youngsan’s collaboration with Pascual marks a historic creative summit, transforming the campaign into a high-art experience.

For the first time ever, Pascual headlines a BENCH Body underwear campaign that draws inspiration from classical antiquity. Under Youngsan’s cinematic lens, Pascual is reimagined as a “Living Statue.” The visuals celebrate a timeless aesthetic, treating the human form as an architectural landscape of strength and proportion, showcasing the collection’s latest designs with sophisticated power.

This campaign strips away the ephemeral noise of fast fashion, focusing instead on the enduring power of an icon. Piolo Pascual’s return to BENCH is a reminder of why he remains the industry’s most immutable figure.

It is the homecoming of a man who no longer seeks to prove his status; he simply defines it. In this partnership, the brand and the man once again set the pace for the nation, proving that while trends may fade, true icons are the ones who write the history of the era.

 

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