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Over 1,000 reports filed on flood control projects, Palace says

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. held a press conference on Monday in Malacañan Palace during the launch of the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website, which will allow the public to report issues on flood control projects.— PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B PABALATE

OVER 1,000 Filipinos had already reported on President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s flood control complaint website within just three days since it launch on Aug. 11, the Palace reported on Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said the sumbongsapangulo.ph website had received 1,148 reports, 823 pieces of feedback, and 84,892 total views from Aug. 11 to Aug. 13.

Mr. Marcos on Monday, revealed that 6,021 flood control projects launched since July 2022, totaling over P350 billion, lacked basic details specifying the type of infrastructure to be built.

He flagged troubling findings from an initial government review, including 50 separate projects that shared an identical contract price of P150 million.

The President also noted that out of the P545 billion in total flood control funding since 2022, P100 billion (about 20%) went to only 15 contractors. Notably, five of these firms secured projects in nearly every region across the country.

President Marcos clarified no accusations have been made yet as the findings are preliminary.

Further, he noted a misalignment between project distribution and flood vulnerability: provinces most prone to flooding — like Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Metro Manila — should logically receive more mitigation efforts, but data does not always reflect this.

In his last State of the Nation Address, the President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate flood control projects that failed during recent storms, calling out widespread corruption in infrastructure spending and warning of criminal charges for those found guilty.

He cited his recent inspections after the onslaught of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, which exposed the country’s inadequate flood control projects.

Mr. Marcos accused unnamed officials and contractors of pocketing public funds through “kickbacks, initiatives, errata, and SOPs (standard operating procedures), for the boys” and called out their lack of shame.

Meanwhile, a congressman on Thursday urged the DPWH to immediately expel engineers linked to corruption or project irregularities, calling for a zero-tolerance policy amid mounting scrutiny on flood infrastructure spending.

Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan must start firing officials linked to construction anomalies, like questionable transactions, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos said.

“Public works projects are vital to national development. We cannot allow corrupt practices to compromise the quality, safety, and integrity of these initiatives,” he said in a statement.

“It’s time to institutionalize a strict, one-strike policy that reinforces accountability across all regional and district offices,” he added. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Palace defends P4.5-B confidential and intelligence funds

PCO

MALACAÑANG on Thursday defended the Office of the President’s proposed P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF), saying there is nothing wrong with secret funds as long as they are not tainted with corruption.

“Let’s remember that if the reporting is correct and the funds were used correctly, it will not be questionable,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told reporters in Filipino.

She also reminded that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. also stands as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and chief architect of national and foreign policies.

The Chief Executive is seeking almost half of the total P10.77-billion CIF under the proposed 2026 budget, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, whose impeachment trial is in limbo, was accused of misusing her confidential funds as the Education secretary from 2022 to 2023 and as Vice-President, totaling over P612 million.

Her alleged misuse of CIF funds was one of the bases for her impeachment complaint, deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (SC). The impeachment case against her has been archived by the Senate ahead of the SC’s action on motions to reconsider its ruling to junk the case.

Former Finance Undersecretary Cielo D. Magno earlier flagged Mr. Marcos’ confidential funds, saying the President has no moral ascendancy over Ms. Duterte if he continues to seek such funds despite corruption.

“Let us remember that this also came from the DBM — that the President is the Commander-in-Chief and the chief architect of national policy, national security, and foreign policy, and that the President needs funds,” Ms. Castro added in Filipino.

“Confidential funds or money are not bad if used correctly. Confidential funds or resources only become bad if used by someone corrupt.”

The DBM on Wednesday transmitted to the House of Representatives the proposed spending plan for 2026, totaling a record P6.793 trillion. This is 7.4% higher than this year’s national budget and is equivalent to 22% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Also during the same briefing, Ms. Castro said there may have been irregularities in the use of P15 million in confidential funds by the Department of Education (DepEd) under Ms. Duterte, contradicting her camp’s assertion that state auditors had found no corruption.

She said a Commission on Audit (CoA) notice of disallowance is not merely about missing documentation as it could indicate irregular, excessive, or questionable spending, creating a presumption of misuse of funds.

Ms. Castro pointed to Ms. Duterte’s Spokesperson Michael T. Poa’s earlier admission before the House that the confidential funds were spent without receipts, with only certificates from the Armed Forces of the Philippines submitted to CoA to support a youth leadership summit.

She noted Mr. Poa himself admitted that the summit had not been financed by DepEd’s confidential funds.

“That makes it appear the certificates were used to cover up or plug a gap to show that the P15 million was spent,” Ms. Castro said, adding it would be best for Mr. Poa to explain directly what happened to the funds.

Ms. Duterte’s camp earlier said CoA notices showed only deficiencies in documentation, not evidence of corruption.

Once a formidable tandem that resulted in a landslide win during the 2022 presidential race, Mr. Marcos and Mr. Duterte last year broke up after the revelations of Ms. Duterte’s alleged fund misuse and her threats against the First Family.

The Philippines’ surrender of Ms. Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity for his deadly war on drugs, further soured the two top government officials’ relationship. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

New law grants fiscal autonomy to judiciary

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed a measure granting fiscal autonomy to the judiciary into law in Malacañan Palace on Thursday. He was joined by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Senate President Francis G. Escudero, and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez. — NOEL B. PABALATE/PPA POOL

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., on Thursday signed a measure aimed at ensuring the courts have guaranteed, automatic funding, and greater control over their budget into law, in a bid to strengthen judicial independence and efficiency.

Speaking at Malacañan Palace alongside leaders of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, Mr. Marcos said the law puts “safeguards in place so that the Judiciary can work more efficiently and more independently,” noting that democracy thrives when the law is applied equally and without “fear or favor.”

The Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act, which enters the books as Republic Act No. 12233, mandates that the judiciary’s proposed budget be transmitted directly to Congress and included in the national budget as submitted.

Funds will be released automatically every month, while the Chief Justice may, through an en banc resolution, reallocate resources within legal limits to priority needs such as hiring more personnel, courtroom repairs, or system upgrades.

The Supreme Court (SC) will be required to submit quarterly reports to both the executive and legislative branches detailing how the funds are spent, a provision Mr. Marcos said promotes “transparency and accountability” and reinforces the system of checks and balances.

The measure also establishes a Judiciary Trust Fund to allow the courts to use collected fees to address urgent needs.

It enables the Supreme Court to reorganize offices, speed up hiring, and decentralize operations to bring services closer to the public.

Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo said the reform addresses long-standing budgetary hurdles that have hampered operations and modernization under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027.

“The Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act significantly supports the SC’s ongoing modernization efforts under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027 (SPJI),” the SC said in a separate statement. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Customs estimates P20B in foregone revenue from rice import ban

Sacks of rice are seen at the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Valenzuela City, Feb. 5, 2025. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) estimated the foregone revenue for the two-month rice import ban will likely be around P20 billion

Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said in a briefing on Thursday their foregone revenue from lower tariff on rice stood at about P20 billion last year, after Executive Order 62 slashed rice import tariffs to 15% from 35% until 2028.

This will likely reflect the same losses for the rice import ban, he said.

Last week, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered a 60-day freeze on rice imports starting Sept. 1 to provide relief for farmers, who are being pressured by traders to accept low prices for their grain.

However, Mr. Nepomuceno said the agency is banking on its collections from their top commodity, petroleum and the recent exemption of excise tax on pick-up trucks.

“Our biggest source is the one that comes from petroleum products, so we’ll improve that so we can catch up with the collection target for the year because the year is still long,” Mr. Nepomuceno said.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said he expects a “slight drop” from the Customs’ revenue due to the two-month ban but will still meet the target.

The BoC also urging the Development Budget Coordination Committee to revise its collection target amid lower rice tariff.

In the 2026 National Expenditure Program, the BoC is projected to collect P1.01 trillion next year from P958.7-billion goal this year. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

‘All systems go’ for budget scrutiny

PHILIPPINE STAR /KJ ROSALES

THE House of Representatives is “all systems go” for next week’s budget deliberations, with the chamber’s appropriations committee set to begin hearings on the proposed P6.793-trillion spending plan for next year, its chairperson said on Thursday.

Lawmakers will kick off the budget process that is expected to stretch into the year’s final months with a briefing from the government’s economic managers on Monday, said Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing, who heads the House appropriations committee.

“On Aug. 18, it’s all systems go,” she told reporters after lawmakers met to discuss preparations for this year’s budget discussions.

The Budget department on Wednesday submitted the P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program for 2026 to the House, just over two weeks after President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s State of the Nation Address.

The budget proposal saw double-digit increases for the Education, Health, and Transportation departments, while allocation for the Public Works department was slashed.

Next year’s budget is equivalent to 22% of the country’s gross domestic product, and is 7.4% higher than the P6.326-trillion national budget this year.

The chamber will hold budget hearings for the whole week, even Fridays, until September, said Ms. Suansing.

“The only time that we are going to take a break is during the holidays,” she said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Palace still studying GSIS investment

GSIS FACEBOOK PAGE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., is still reviewing the Government Service Insurance System’s (GSIS) P1-billion investment in DigiPlus Interactive Corp. after a senator raised alarm on the government agency’s involvement in the online gambling platform.

“We just asked for the President’s opinion on this and according to him, we are still studying it in more depth,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said in a news briefing in Filipino. “Most probably by next week we will have an update on that.”

This comes after Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel flagged GSIS’ billion-peso investment in an online gambling platform amid intensified calls for the government to tighten regulation on such platforms or impose a total ban due to societal costs.

“GSIS got into this when DigiPlus shares were being offered at a peak of P65.30. Those shares have since dropped to a low of P13.68. That’s a loss! In the first place, what was GSIS thinking, investing funds in online gambling?” she said last Aug. 5.

She also criticized the GSIS for allegedly using public funds — specifically contributions from government employees — as capital for gambling.

The pension fund was already under scrutiny after its president and general manager, Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso, was placed under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman in July over the GSIS’ P1.45-billion purchase of preferred shares in Alternergy Holdings Corp. in November 2023. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Customs temporarily suspends QR code requirement at airports

NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (NAIA) Terminal 3 — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Thursday announced the temporary suspension of the clearance procedure under green lane to expedite long queues for arriving passengers.

“It will now be easier for our visitors and fellow Filipinos to enter the country,” BoC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno told reporters in Filipino.

Starting Aug. 14, passengers in the green lane will no longer need to have their Quick Response (QR) codes scanned.

Customs clarified that passengers still need to accomplish their e-Travel application.

The temporary suspension will last until further notice, it said.

Passengers in the country are required to register through the e-Travel application and accomplish the Customs Declaration Form before arrival. A QR code is then generated for all passengers, regardless of whether they have goods or currency to declare.

“There’s an option of ‘something to declare’ and a ‘nothing to declare’ section. Those with ‘nothing to declare’ go straight out,” Mr. Nepomuceno said.

Despite this, the BoC assures the public that this will not interfere with border controls as baggage will still undergo random inspection and x-ray machines.

Mr. Nepomuceno said the country now follows other countries and hopes to make good impression for foreign travelers. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Media readies for BARMM polls 

COTABATO CITY — News reporters in southern cities and provinces are now bracing for their coverage of the first-ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Oct. 13.

“It is a different kind of electoral exercise, something that shall set a historical precedent. We are excited to cover it,” said Erwin C. Cabilbigan, manager of Station DXMY in Cotabato City, a broadcast outfit of the Radio Mindanao Network.

BARMM, a product of 22 years of peace talks between the government and the MILF, was established in early 2019, replacing the then 27-year less empowered Autonomous Region.

Brig. Gen. Jaysen C. De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and the commander of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, separately told reporters on Thursday, that they shall provide ample security for journalists out to cover the electoral exercise.

“Personnel of our units in all provinces and cities in the autonomous region will secure them to the best they can,” Mr. De Guzman said.

More than 20 print and broadcast journalists and officials of different agencies held a dialogue on Tuesday on the intricacies and ramifications of the Oct. 13 elections in the five provinces and three cities in the region.

The activity was organized by Jose A. Torres, Jr., executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS), the office of Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., and the Bangsamoro Information Office under its director, John Ameen Andrew L. Alonto.

Mr. Torres had told reporters present in the forum that their foremost concern is the safety of members of BARMM’s media community.

Representatives from the Army’s 6th Infantry Division also attended the forum, where officials of the Commission on Elections based in BARMM, led by regional director Ray F. Sumalipao, talked about their preparations.

BARMM’s social services minister, the lawyer Raissa H. Jadjurie, explained then how prepared regional officials are to help ensure the credibility of the regional elections.

Air Force Lt. Col. Eisen S. Vicente, a representative of the Armed Forces to the PTFOMS, lectured on security procedures in covering the elections in remote areas in the autonomous region that are beset with security issues.

Mr. Torres provided participants to the forum with insights on how they can promptly avail of interventions by the PTFOMS if they have security concerns while covering the elections.

“We all need to fuse ranks in protecting members of the media community in this part of the country not just during election periods but all the time,” Mr. Torres said. — John Felix M. Unson

Kamuning bridge December completion eyed

VIVENCIO “VINCE” B. DIZON — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Department of Transportation is hoping to complete the P89-million Kamuning footbridge in Quezon City designed to connect to the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Busway by the end of the year.

“Our target is to finish the footbridge and station by December, that is our promise. Our designers are also fully compliant with mobility and accessibility standards,” Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said on Thursday.

The Transportation department announced the start of the construction of the new footbridge which is said to have pedestrian-friendly walkways and wheelchair lifts.

The agency said the upgrade of the footbridge is also expected to give seamless access for Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and busway passengers as the footbridge will be linked to the EDSA busway stop.

Last month, the agency issued a bid invitation for the design and construction of the new Kamuning footbridge.

According to its bid notice, the contractor of the footbridge will be given 180 days to complete the project. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Boomers too much for Gilas

FIBA

WHATEVER hangover Gilas Pilipinas had from its epic quarterfinal clincher against FIBA Asia Cup host Saudi Arabia, mighty Australia quickly washed it away with a strong dose of reality pill.

They’re no peers. At least not yet.

And the Nationals are well aware of the tremendous amount of labor needed before even getting close to such status.

“No doubt the Australian athleticism and length, even though you see it on video, when you get up there and start playing against it on the court, you realize that they’re very superior,” Gilas coach Tim Cone said after the three-peat-seeking Boomers gave them the boot with an 84-60 whipping on Wednesday.

“We just had a hard time staying in front of them, challenging their threes and they moved the ball really well and they got up shots quick. They played at a really good pace and they also did a great job defending Justin (Brownlee), limiting him to only seven shots,” he added.

If anything, the one-sided Last-8 showdown in Jeddah gave Mr. Cone and Co. a better comprehension on how to deal with the world No. 7 Aussies when they meet again.

That’s sure to happen as group mates in the coming FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ), where they’re booked for a home and away duel on March 1 and July 6 next year.

“They imposed their will on us and we’ve got to figure out a way to overcome that,” said Mr. Cone.

The veteran tactician intends to keep his handpicked dozen for the next clashes.

“We put this team together for the long term and try to get them to grow together and get better. And if we’re going to just go ahead and change personnel, then we’re all back to zero again,” he said.

“So we’re going to use this and try to make some adjustments. The big missing piece for us is Kai Sotto and hopefully we get Kai (Sotto) and that makes us a little bit more competitive (next time).”

Gilas breaks camp for now and is expected to reassemble by November ahead of the WCQ opener. First up are back-to-back games in Group A against Guam (Nov. 28 away and Dec. 1 home) in the first window then it’s time to meet the big dogs in Window 2 — New Zealand on Feb. 26 and Australia three days later, both in Manila.

“It’s a great learning experience for us,” said young gun Kevin Quiambao, who made the Asia Cup his breakout tournament and even took scoring cudgels for Gilas versus the Aussies with 17. “We will carry this over onto the next one in November.” — Olmin Leyba

Filipinas draw with Myanmar, miss Asean Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup semifinals

16-year-old Nina Mathelus — PFF.ORG.PH

THE Filipinas rallied to a 1-1 draw with Myanmar at the end of group play, consequently missing out on the semifinals and relinquishing the throne in the Asean Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup on Wednesday in Haiphong, Vietnam.

Needing a win to gain a shot at Top 2 in Group B and a ticket to the Final Four, the Pinay booters found themselves in an even more rocky situation after conceding to Win Theingi Tun from the spot in the 33rd minute.

Mark Torcaso’s youth-laden charges went out for a turnaround but could only manage an equalizer from 16-year-old Nina Mathelus in the 71st.

The result proved catastrophic as the 2022 champs finished group action at third with four points on a 1-1-1 win-draw-loss card.

The Burmese tallied seven on two wins and this standoff to top the bracket as the Australia Under 23, gaining from a 9-0 thrashing of Timor-Leste following the 1-nil victory over the Philippines, took No. 2 with six points (2-0-1).

Myanmar set a semis duel with Group A second-placer Thailand while the Aussies face Group A winner and host Vietnam.

“This was a really good learning curve for all of us — our team, our coaches, to see some of our younger players play, ” said Mr. Torcaso, who worked with a team with an average age of 22.5.

“Yes, we would like to progress to the next stage but unfortunately, we haven’t, and we’ll focus on the (2026) Asian Cup now and our preparations going into it.”

Before that, the Filipinas will aim for redemption in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December. — Olmin Leyba

Olan set to coach Lady Bulldogs as Dimaunahan quits

Second from left: DA OLAN — UAAP

LONG-TIME deputy Da Olan is set to inherit the mighty women’s basketball program of National University (NU) in the UAAP following the surprise resignation of head coach Aris Dimaunahan.

There’s still no official announcement from the Lady Bulldogs but sources closely monitoring the situation disclosed that it’s Mr. Olan who would succeed the coaching reins for Season 88 next month.

Mr. Dimaunahan, a recipient of the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year award, will remain with the team as consultant as he shifts his focus as the lead assistant coach for Jeff Cariaso with Blackwater in the PBA, where he once served as chief tactician before replacing Pat Aquino in NU.

Mr. Olan, for his part, finally takes its turn at coaching the Lady Bulldogs, being loyal soldier since Mr. Aquino’s era marked by a six-peat championship peat and 96 straight wins in the UAAP as one of the greatest collegiate runs ever.

He will have deputies Julie Amos, Paul Du and Cams Escoto by his side and an intact championship core led by rising star Cielo Pagdulagan along with veterans Kristine Cayabyab, Angel Surada and Karl Ann Pingol as they aim to extend NU’s dominance in the UAAP.

Mr. Dimaunahan replaced Mr. Aquino in 2022 and completed a seven-peat with 108 straight wins for NU. The Lady Bulldogs lost the next one to University of Santo Tomas before a sweet redemption in Season 87 for Mr. Dimaunahan’s second title in three seasons.

The former PBA player Mr. Dimaunahan on Wednesday stepped down from his post as per his announcement and NU’s.

“The unbreakable bond and the relationship I had with all the players I coached and with the coaching staff I worked with will be the most important things I will carry and bring along with me,” said Mr. Dimaunahan.

“I will be forever grateful for all the moments we shared. The battles we’ve won not only in the court but more so outside of the hardwood will be kept in my heart and will stay in my mind. Thank you to all of my players for letting me coach the way I coached you. Y’all made me look like a man who knows how to coach this game of basketball.”

“Thank you, Coach Aris. From the huddles to the hardcourt, you’ve been a pillar of strength and inspiration for the NU Lady Bulldogs. From your years as assistant coach to leading us as head coach, your passion, discipline, and heart have shaped champions — not just in games, but in life,” said NU.

“You’ve been there in our battles, celebrated our victories, and stood tall in every challenge. Your legacy will forever be part of our story, and the lessons you’ve taught will live on in every Lady Bulldog who takes the court. Once a Lady Bulldog, always a Lady Bulldog. Thank you for the journey, the championships, and the unbreakable bond.” — John Bryan Ulanday

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