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Fiscal discipline seen eroded by unchecked budget allocations

BUSINESS GROUPS said the government has not gone far enough in curbing unprogrammed appropriations in the newly signed 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), warning that these could undermine fiscal discipline and governance.

The Makati Business Club (MBC) said that though the GAA improved, with fewer items not supported by available funding compared to the 2025 edition, it had been hoping that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. would take aggressive action on constitutionally questionable allocations.

“We believe they could be subject to discretionary disbursement, i.e., patronage. Many of these are social welfare programs, falling under the heading of ayuda, which we classify as ‘soft pork,’” the MBC said in a statement on Tuesday.

Although the President has promised that no politicians will be allowed to intervene in funding allocation, the MBC said an executive order is needed to firm up such promises.

“We are requesting an executive order to create rights-based and rules-based mechanisms to govern the disbursement of ayuda funds and to strictly limit confidential and intelligence funds to legitimate security uses,” it added.

The MBC is also urging the government to classify some of these projects into “conditional implementation” and “later release” categories.

The MBC is a member of the People’s Budget Coalition, which closely monitored the formulation of the 2026 GAA.

On Dec. 29, the coalition sent an open letter to the President flagging P633 billion worth of line items that it considered “vulnerable to plunder,” including P243 billion worth of unprogrammed appropriations.

“The President has vetoed P92.5 billion of the unprogrammed appropriations. We acknowledge that this shows that the President is responsive to feedback from the private sector,” the MBC said.

“The President further assured that the funds’ utilization (comes with) safeguards and is only available when clearly defined triggers and tests are met and will be released only after careful validation,” it added, noting that the implementation phase will be critical.

Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines President Robert M. Young said that though the GAA report “was quite impressive and substantive in content, the implementation and execution will determine if it indeed is a true and real government action.”

The President signed this year’s P6.793-trillion national budget on Monday, saying that unprogrammed appropriations were held to the “absolute bare minimum” of about P150 billion.

The Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) also expressed concern about the scale of unprogrammed appropriations, noting that these “inherently create uncertainty, weaken fiscal discipline, and heighten governance risks if not subject to strict, transparent conditions.”

“Without clear triggers, safeguards, and public disclosure, unprogrammed funds risk undermining budget credibility, distorting spending priorities, and eroding public trust,” it said.

FINEX welcomed the President’s decision to veto P92.5 billion of the unprogrammed funds.

“This commitment sends a strong signal to markets, taxpayers, and institutions that fiscal discipline and accountability remain priorities,” it said.

“Economic stimulus should not come at the expense of transparency, and every peso, whether programmed or unprogrammed, must be guided by clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and strong oversight,” it added.

Meanwhile, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry  President Ferdinand A. Ferrer urged the adoption of strong fiduciary safeguards and institutionalized stakeholder dialogues during the budget execution phase.

He also supported the passage of the proposed Citizens’ Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability, which he said will make every peso of public spending fully transparent, traceable, and accountable.

“It is not enough to know what projects are created and funded, but rather the detailed cost of the project should be transparent to ensure efficient use of taxpayers’ money. There has to be a proper check and balance in every project spending,” he added.

He likewise welcomed Mr. Marcos’ decision to veto P92.5 billion in unprogrammed funds but cited five priority areas where the national budget should be programmed.

These include the development of hard and soft infrastructure systems, investment in education and workforce skills, measures to boost trade competitiveness, initiatives to reinforce economic resilience and manage inflation, and policies that safeguard food, water, and energy security.

“Implemented with integrity and in close consultation with the private sector, the 2026 GAA can be a transformative tool for enhancing Philippine competitiveness,” he said.

“We look forward to deepening our collaboration to ensure public spending effectively empowers micro, small and medium enterprises, creates quality jobs, and catalyzes long-term, inclusive growth,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Manufacturing PPI growth slows to 0.1% in Nov.

Workers are seen at an electronics manufacturing assembly plant in Biñan, Laguna, April 20, 2016. — REUTERS/ERIK DE CASTRO

PRICE GROWTH at the factory gate slowed in November, with transport equipment dragging down the overall index, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), citing preliminary data.

The PSA said the Producer Price Index (PPI) for manufacturing grew 0.1% year on year in November, against the 0.5% year-earlier rate. November growth also slowed from the month-earlier rate of 0.5%.

PPI measures the average change in selling prices received by domestic producers for their manufactured goods, tracking inflation at the wholesale level.

“The deceleration in the annual growth rate of PPI for the manufacturing section in November was primarily due to the annual decline in the PPI for manufacture of transport equipment,” the PSA said in a statement on Tuesday.

The PPI for the manufacture of transport equipment slipped to 0.1% year on year in November after having risen 2.1% a year earlier.

“Among the 22 industry divisions for manufacturing, manufacture of transport equipment has the third-highest weight in the computation of PPI,” the PSA added.

Another contributor to the decline was the slowdown in price growth of food products to 0.1% year on year in November after having risen 2.4% a year earlier.

PPI growth was also dragged down by the sub-index for computer, electronic and optical products, which fell 0.5% in November compared to a 3.5% rise a year earlier.

“Of the remaining 19 industry divisions, ten exhibited annual increases, while nine industry divisions registered annual decreases during the period,” the PSA said.

Meanwhile, coke and refined petroleum products were the main driver on the upside of PPI growth for manufactured goods, rising 3.4% in November from 0.4% a year earlier.

Month on month, the PPI for manufacturing grew 0.2% in November, decelerating from the 0.6% rise in both October 2025 and November 2024.

“The top contributor to the slower monthly growth rate of PPI for manufacturing in November 2025 was the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, which registered a slower monthly increment of 0.4% during the period from 1.9% in October 2025,” the PSA said.

Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co., told BusinessWorld via Viber that producer prices stayed soft throughout 2025 as global commodity costs stabilized and supply chains continued to normalize.

He said the slowdown in PPI growth to 0.1% in November points to weak pricing power and softer demand conditions, with the transport equipment sector weighing on the index.

“Petroleum products remain the main driver, but even that is losing steam as oil prices cool,” Mr. Ravelas added. “For manufacturers, the playbook is clear: keep prices competitive and focus on efficiency and value-added products rather than relying on price hikes.”

John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, told BusinessWorld that while the slower PPI growth suggests easing cost pressures, it may also reflect a slowdown in industrial activity. 

“It also hints at sluggish industrial activity and cautious business sentiment toward year-end. PPI growth may remain subdued unless manufacturing demand and export orders pick up alongside a stronger domestic recovery this 2026,” he said via Viber.

Meanwhile, Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., told BusinessWorld that prices could pick up in December due to the seasonal increase in demand during the holidays, before easing again after the new year.

He said global oil prices and currency movements will shape producer price trends in the coming months.

“Going forward, (this will be) a function of global crude oil prices in view of geopolitical risks recently, as well as the peso exchange rate, with its effects on import costs,” Mr. Ricafort said via Viber. 

He added that improved weather conditions heading into the dry season could also help keep prices subdued. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

Stronger action needed to stabilize food prices — Agri dep’t

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said aggressive action is needed to stabilize food prices after they rose during the December holidays.

In a statement on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said that while rice prices remain low, holiday demand, weather damage, and supply issues pushed up December food inflation overall.

“The DA must move faster — tightening market monitoring, accelerating production, swiftly deploying available stocks, and expanding safety-net support like the P20 rice program to blunt price spikes,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

Food inflation accelerated to 1.2% in December from 0.3% in November. A year earlier, the rate had been 3.5%.

Inflation for households in the bottom 30% of the income table was also 1.1%, ending a six-month streak of deflation.

Rice prices fell 12.3% year on year in December against a 15.4% drop in November. Vegetable, tuber and plantain prices accelerated 11.6% from 4% a month earlier.

Other staples, including flour, bakery products, pasta, fish, and ready-to-eat food products, also accelerated in terms of price growth.

Partly offsetting these gains were softer inflation in meat, dairy products, eggs and oils and fats. Sugar and confectionery prices, meanwhile, declined year on year.

Food accounted for nearly a quarter of December’s headline inflation, contributing 0.4 percentage point.

To ease the inflation burden, the DA said it is expanding the reach of its P20-per-kilo rice program to up to 15 million households, or roughly 60 million people, by the end of 2026.

The subsidized-rice program is intended to improve access to the staple grain for vulnerable members of society.

The DA said the expansion will be accompanied by production support to address both seasonal demand surges and weather-related supply disruptions. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

Rice inventory up 5.8% in Dec. as NFA holdings rise sharply

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE national rice inventory rose 5.8% year on year to 2.7 million metric tons (MMT) as of Dec. 1, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

Of the total stock, 45.2% was held by commercial traders, 38% by households, and 16.9% by the National Food Authority (NFA).

Rice held by the NFA more than tripled to 456,140 MT as of Dec. 1, it said.

Rice held by commercial establishments amounted to 1.22 MMT, down 19.2% from a year earlier.

Rice held by households rose 14.3% to 1.03 MMT.

Month on month, the volume of rice stocks grew 5.9%.

“In comparison to November 2025, increment was noted in the rice stocks in the commercial sector by 29.4%. Meanwhile, decreases in the rice inventory were noted in the holdings of households by 10.7% and NFA depositories by 1%,” the PSA said.

The PSA also reported a 23.1% year-on-year increase in the corn inventory to 675,000 MT as of Dec. 1.

Corn held by the commercial sector accounted for 86.4% of the total, with the remainder held by households.

Month on month, the corn inventory declined 14.6%. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

BIR, FIRB data-sharing deal grants reciprocal access to tax records, incentives information

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) said the data-sharing agreement they signed last year allows reciprocal access to taxpayer records and tax-incentive information.

BIR Commissioner Martin R. Mendoza released the full text on Tuesday of the data sharing agreement between the BIR and the FIRB.

The agreement was entered into on Oct. 27.

“This agreement allows the FIRB Secretariat to access taxpayer registration information from BIR systems and grants the BIR access to tax incentive information of Registered Business Enterprises through the Fiscal Incentives Registration and Monitoring System (FIRMS) platform,” he said.

Mr. Mendoza said the agreement ensures secure and efficient data sharing compliant with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and National Privacy Commission Circular No. 16-02.

Under the agreement, the FIRB Secretariat will have access to taxpayer registration records with on-site and online access to BIR documents and databases, he said.

The BIR will share its taxpayer registration information with the FIRB Secretariat, limited to the registered name and taxpayer identification number.

Meanwhile, the FIRB Secretariat will provide real-time access to FIRMS data like the master list of registered business enterprises and verify the Certificate of Entitlement to Tax Incentives submitted to the BIR. It will also grant access to the firm-level Annual Tax Incentives Report data.

The agreement runs for five years from the date of signing, “unless pre-terminated by either party for reasonable grounds, without prejudice to entering into a new data-sharing agreement before or upon the expiration thereof.” — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

DBM issues budget call for 2027

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has notified government departments and agencies to start preparing their budget proposals for 2027.

Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo issued National Budget Memorandum No. 156, signaling the preparatory stage for drafting the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and outlining the priorities for next year.

“The FY 2027 budget aims to capitalize on the gains of the previous years while responding to the emerging challenges of the country,” he said.

The memorandum, dated Jan. 5, was issued on the same day President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed the record P6.792-trillion national budget for 2026.

Mr. Toledo said the 2027 budget seeks to protect the public’s purchasing power amid lingering inflationary pressures, drive inclusive growth through infrastructure investment, and boost climate resilience.

The NEP, the document prepared by the executive branch that serves as the basis for budget legislation, also aims to improve public service quality, accessibility and transparency through sustained digitalization, he said.

He said the budget also hopes to promote balanced development by aligning local, regional and national programs. Other priorities include empowering local governments and staying adaptable to emerging domestic and foreign risks.

“As the country is nearing its final phase of the PDP implementation, the proposed FY 2027 budget will serve as a critical pipeline to implement its strategic objectives,” he said.

The PDP Midterm Update 2023-2028 serves as the medium-term blueprint for inclusive, sustainable growth, anchored on AmBisyon Natin 2040’s goal of a middle-class society with per-capita income tripling.

Mr. Toledo told agencies to align their budget proposals with the roadmap’s main goals such as aggregate fiscal discipline, allocative efficiency, and operational efficiency.

“Avoid proposing PAPs (Programs, Activities and Projects) that duplicate devolved functions/services, except where allowed by law or necessary to address significant capacity gaps or exigencies,” he said.

The DBM has come under fire for failing to flag duplicate infrastructure projects in the 2025 budget, described by a former Budget Secretary herself as the “most corrupt budget,” due to allocations for the Department of Public Works and Highways.

In addition, Mr. Toledo said prudent debt management and efficient resource allocation remain a “critical priority” of the administration’s budgeting strategy.

The Bureau of the Treasury reported outstanding debt of P17.562 trillion at the end of October, 1.2% above the P17.36-trillion projected debt level by the end of 2025.

The Department of Finance has said that debt is projected to rise to P20.5 trillion in 2027, P21.9 trillion in 2028 and P23.3 trillion in 2029.

“Given the limited available fiscal space, agency budget proposals will be carefully evaluated in terms of value for money, performance metrics and alignment with the government’s fiscal consolidation strategy,” he said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Alex Eala rallies to beat Croatia’s Vekic, advances to quarterfinals

ALEX EALA — FACEBOOK.COM/ASBCLASSIC

ALEXANDRA “ALEX” EALA recovered from a first-set meltdown to hack out a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback win against Croatia’s Donna Vekic in Round 1 of the 2026 ASB Classic singles on Tuesday at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.

Ms. Eala, WTA No. 53, wasted a red-hot 3-0 start in the opener to move on the brink of an early exit before showing steely nerves in the next two frames for a hard-earned first singles win this season.

The fourth-seeded Ms. Eala, on the heels of a doubles victory with American partner Iva Jovic, needed two hours and 40 minutes in the marathon match to get the better of the WTA No. 69 Ms. Vekic.

Up next for Ms. Eala in the Round of 16 on Wednesday is another Croatian in WTA No. 82 Petra Marcinko, who scored a 6-4, 0-6, 7-6(2) win over Colombia’s Camila Osorio, WTA No. 76.

“It’s so special. If there’s one thing I learned in 2025, it’s that home is the people and not the place. Thank you everyone. Maraming salamat,” said the 20-year-old wunderkind as Filipinos abroad came in groves anew to rally behind her.

“Like you said, Donna is such an experienced and super talented player. She’s definitely a decorated player so I really had a tough time today. I’m most happy about being able to compete and show up at a level like this after a tough pre-season. I’m proud about that.”

Ms. Eala did, facing an acid test from the 29-year-old Croatian who has won four WTA titles in her career.

Holder of a lone title in her young career so far, the lefty sensation rode on the momentum of her doubles win against the super tandem of Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and the US’ Venus Williams on Monday for a 3-0 start in the first set only to settle for just one win the rest of the way.

Ms. Vekic unloaded a 6-1 blast on Ms. Eala to take the opener and even led 3-2 in the second set for a potential sweep.

But Ms. Eala wasn’t keen on absorbing an early elimination in her first tournament this year after a banner 2025 campaign, returning the favor on the more seasoned foe with a 4-1 run of her own to force a rubber.

It proved to be a back-and-forth duel from there with both players taking turns at the driver’s seat before Ms. Eala netted the last two, breaking Ms. Vekic’s serve punctuated by a lightning forehand at the baseline for the win.

The Southeast Asian Games gold medalist will take a break from the singles campaign to prepare for the doubles quarterfinals on Thursday at 6:30 a.m. against Czechia’s Jesika Maleckova and Mexico’s Renata Zarazua, who beat home bet Erin Routliffe and Asia Muhammad of the United States, 3-6, 6-2, 12-10.

Ms. Eala and the 18-year-old Ms. Jovic, WTA No. 35, advanced to the Last 16 after stunning the seven-time major champion Ms. Williams and former WTA Tour finals titlist Ms. Svitolina in the opener, 7-6 (9-7), 6-1. — John Bryan Ulanday

TNT and Gin Kings brace for Game 2 reversal

THE way Game 1 went down, there’s no doubt in the minds of TNT and Barangay Ginebra that their respective opponents will be out for blood in the second match.

And so the Tropang 5G and the Gin Kings are battening down the hatches as they attempt to make it 2-0 against Meralco and defending champion San Miguel Beermen (SMB) on Wednesday in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals.

“We actually talked about it. We told them to put yourselves in the position of Meralco, put yourselves in their shoes. They are chomping at the bit to get back at us,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes ahead of the 7:30 p.m. duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang 5G had to climb out of an early 21-point hole then outwit the Bolts in a tight finish to steal the opener of the best-of-seven dispute, 100-95.

“We saw that with the kind of energy, execution, even their three-point shooting in the first half. They were really primed for it. We got a first hand taste of that. So hopefully in Game 2, we are more ready to play from the start because I don’t think we can bring this kind of game to Game 2 and expect to come up with the same result,” he said.

“We have to definitely be better in Game 2,” he added.

For Meralco’s Luigi Trillo, the challenge is how to match TNT’s intensity as well as adjust to the calls after giving up 47 free throws the first time around.

“Certainly we can be better. (But) this is a champion team and they’re playing very well the last few conferences. So we have our hands full,” he said.

The Gin Kings brace for a furious strike back from the Beermen in their 5:15 p.m. encounter.

“Game 2 is going to be a completely different game,” said Ginebra strategist Tim Cone, whose charges overcame the monster 27-point, 23-rebound double-double of June Mar Fajardo to draw first blood, 99-90. “This (SMB) is a great team. So we have to play it at the very top of our game to have a chance to beat them.”

The Gin Kings know from experience that getting the head start against the Beermen isn’t a guarantee. In the same stage last season, Ginebra won the opener, 73-71, but SMB quickly equalized in Game 2, 100-83, and ultimately won the series that went the full route, 4-3. — Olmin Leyba

Strong Group Athletics nets free agent middle blocker Imee Hernandez

STRONG GROUP ATHLETICS (SGA) added a talented Imee Hernandez on its free agent shopping spree as it continued its bid to make its two teams in Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee formidable in the forthcoming PVL All-Filipino Conference.

The 5-foot-10 middle blocker will wear a new set of uniform this year after suiting up for the disbanded Crossovers for two years in a stretch that was mostly plagued by injuries.

She did return healthy in the PVL on Tour and should be a significant contributor to either the Foxies or the Thunderbelles.

“Strong will,” said the franchise on its social media account on Tuesday.

SGA has netted the most free agents thus far with eight acquisitions including Royse Tubino, Remy Palma, Chie Saet, Bia General, Cess Robles, Karen Verdeflor and Renee Penafiel.

Of the aforementioned, only Ms. Robles and Ms. Verdeflor have a specific team to land to — ZUS. — Joey Villar

Reset underway for six NFL teams starting offseason in search mode

AS THREE first-year coaches prepare their teams to kick off the playoffs this week, six franchises begin the offseason hoping to find the right man for their job.

Four head coaches — Kevin Stefanski (Browns), Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals), Pete Carroll (Raiders) and Raheem Morris (Falcons) — were fired since the regular season wrapped on Sunday. The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants had a head start because they dismissed coaches during the season, and both kept their existing general managers (GMs) in place.

For Joe Schoen, the general manager of a Giants’ franchise with only 22 wins in the past four seasons, there’s a sense of longing in seeing the Jaguars win the AFC South under new coach Liam Coen, and the Bears win the NFC North for first-time head coach Ben Johnson. Along with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, the pilot behind New England’s worst-to-first flip in the AFC East, decision makers like Schoen have enough traits and characteristics to study before seeking out the “right” candidate.

Of course, all three of those teams are also fortunate to have the right fit at quarterback with top draft picks in Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), Caleb Williams (Bears) and Drake Maye (Patriots).

The Giants (4-13 in 2025) might be ahead of the curve in Schoen’s estimation, with rookie Jaxson Dart already in the building.

“Caleb Williams and Chicago, what they were able to do,” Schoen said on Monday. “Each of those franchises brought in new head coaches and were able to turn it around rather quickly. Drake Maye is in the MVP race right now. Caleb Williams, we obviously played against him. He had a really good year and playing at a high level. That’s certainly an opportunity that you look at those franchises and how they put it together in a quick turnaround. In an ideal world, yeah, that would be it.”

The Raiders (3-14) have the first overall pick in the draft for the first time since drafting JaMarcus Russell in 2007. Las Vegas is a safe bet to consider quarterbacks given Geno Smith underperformed and is 35 years old, and the Browns and Cardinals are not settled at the position.

The Titans (3-14) hit the ground full stride on Monday with a series of official interview requests from general manager Mike Borgonzi, who used the top pick in the 2025 draft on quarterback Cam Ward last April. Tennessee fired Brian Callahan following a 1-5 start; he was 4-19 overall with the Titans.

“He has a vision, we do see eye to eye,” Ward said of Borgonzi. “He’s a GM that is connected to his players.”

In Arizona, Gannon had a 15-36 record and the Cardinals finished 3-14 in 2025 with Kyler Murray out for the majority of the season due to a foot injury. Murray, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, has already played for two coaches with the franchise. Whether Murray will get a shot to return to a third coach — given his $19.5 million in guarantees and injury history — is not clear. — Reuters

Brutal AFC North

The AFC North has always been unforgiving, but its featured contest the other day managed to distill its cruelty into one final, unblinking moment. The Steelers escaped the Ravens, 26-24, through sheer endurance, absorbing every late shove until the clock expired and the division title finally settled in black and gold. For the hosts, it was a return to familiar territory, albeit far from guaranteed; they were champions and playoff-bound anew, but the path to success was replete with challenges. Meanwhile, the vanquished found the season compressed into a single breath held too long and released only after the cowhide drifted wide right.

To be sure, the set-to unfolded with expected tension. The Ravens struck first, assertive and efficient, leaning into their physical identity to briefly seize control. The Steelers answered in fragments, never quite smooth but decidedly stubborn, keeping the outcome in doubt even when it seemed to favor the visitors. Needless to say, the absence of order seeped into the fourth quarter; leads changed hands, nerves frayed, and execution grew more difficult with escalating consequence. They reclaimed the advantage late, leaning on calmness and confidence borne of equal parts defiance and experience.

The self-assurance was, not surprisingly, embodied by Aaron Rodgers, whose presence throughout their 2025 campaign had been debated more than celebrated. He was neither spectacular nor tentative the other day, but he did provide precision exactly when required. If nothing else, his touchdown pass in the crunch reminded all and sundry that time can still be tamed. The Steelers’ offense may not have dominated, but it trusted itself, and that trust proved decisive in the game’s final exchange.

Make no mistake. The Ravens did more than enough to claim victory. Lamar Jackson engineered the drive he needed, converting under pressure to push the purple and black into position for a seemingly surefire field goal. When the kick missed, however, there was no one to console and no explanation to offer. They had not been undone by a single play, but they were dismissed by the last all the same.

The National Football League is invariably brutal, of course, and none more so than the AFC North. The Steelers move forward because they were steadier in the waning moments. The Ravens head into winter forced to examine how a season with so much promise could end in disappointment. Once again, it turns out, fate proves that a title can simply by inherited by survivors.

 

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.

Filipino scientist bags international award for marginalized community research 

Glenn S. Banaguas. — THE TOFIL LAUREATES

A Filipino scientist received recognition under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi of Egypt for his work in advancing sustainability and innovation in marginalized communities in the Philippines. 

Glenn S. Banaguas, a science diplomat with advocacies on climate-disaster resiliency and environmental sustainability, was one of the first Laureates of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award announced on Monday. 

“I really don’t know what I’m going to say…this particular award is under the patronage of the president of Egypt,” he told BusinessWorld in a Zoom interview on Tuesday. 

“I was speechless, and the only words that I would utter was just ‘Thank you so much’,” he added. 

Mr. Banaguas became known for his dedication to helping the disadvantaged through his Environmental & Climate Change Research Institute and its “Climate Smart Philippines: Science for Service” initiative. 

“During the earliest times in 2010 up to the present, most of our research projects are focusing on this particular sector,” he said. “It’s a volunteer research organization so 90% of our projects in the Philippines are for free – it’s pro bono.” 

Some of his works include providing practical solutions such as biofuels, flood and drought forecasting devices, disaster-prediction systems, and sustainable energy and health systems. 

“Most of the research projects are concentrating on our farmers, fisherfolks, indigenous people, because I know that every time there is a disaster, the poor become poorer,” he said. “And every time there’s a disaster, these particular sectors suffer so much.” 

“What I really want to do is just do research because I know that this particular research will really create positive impacts in the lives of our people, and that’s really my goal,” he added. 

Before becoming a multi-awarded scientist, Mr. Banaguas first dreamt of becoming a priest. 

“I really wanted to become a priest, I really don’t want to become a scientist,” he said. “What I really wanted to do is to serve the Lord, serve God with all my heart.” 

“This particular vocation is not really meant for me, so I said all right, I will serve through our people,” he added. 

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award aims to honor individuals with significant contributions on a specific theme determined by the Higher Committee of the Award. The field of the award’s first edition was “Green Technology Applications for Achieving Well-Being and Happiness for Humanity.” 

Award winners will receive a monetary value of one million Egyptian pounds (1.2 million pesos), along with a gold medal and an official certificate of excellence to be given in February in Cairo, Egypt. 

“The money that we get every time I win in a competition or in awards like this, we use it for research purposes,” he said. “Sometimes I also allot something for the orphans because part of my advocacy is to give it to the orphanage, a portion of it.” — Almira Louise S. Martinez

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