Newsandnuances (2026)

16/10/2025

ABOUT three weeks ago, I got the chance to meet First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the 76th anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. I wasn’t even sure if she still recognizes me as it is actually the second time for me to get to meet her, the first time being about four years ago when a friend, former Candaba mayor Jerry Pelayo, brought me to the BBM campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong so I could set up an interview with then-presidential aspirant, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

I met the future First Lady, who was then referred to as LAM by the Marcos supporters, who then asked me if I thought BBM, whom she calls B**g, had a winning chance for the country’s top post. I replied there was no chance BBM would lose, giving her my analysis:

“From 2010, the Marcos supporters, or loyalists as they have been referred to since the time of BBM’s late father, have been slowly coming out, showing their support for the would-be president. In the 2010 senatorial race, BBM got 10 million votes.

In the 2016 vice presidential elections, assuming he was not cheated, he still got 14 million votes, showing a 4 million increase from 2010. Dissecting his 14 million votes, assuming again the 1.5 million votes the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago got was part of that 14 million votes, we still have 12.5 million votes to account for. Who did these 12.5 million voters put on their ballots? Not Mar Roxas, nor Jojo Binay or even Grace Poe as they are perceived to be extensions of the Yellows. The most logical answer would be former president Rodrigo Duterte. Thus, it would be safe to say it was the Marcos supporters who catapulted Duterte to power and as such, BBM has his own political mass base to count on.”

Anyway, after the short talk, I had the usual picture-taking with LAM. Noticing I was hesitant to stand beside her, she put a hand over my shoulder and pulled me next to her.

Now, four years later, I again asked her for a picture. But seeing I was not used to taking selfies, LAM again showed her playful side, got my cell phone and took our selfie.

After that, I approached a fellow columnist who teased me for being “sipsip” warning me this administration is about to collapse.

No, sir, I beg to disagree. Actually, I believe this administration is enjoying its finest moment. Come to think of it, the closest this administration’s detractors got to ousting him was last Sept. 21 during the “Trillion Peso March,” an anti-corruption rally which coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law. However, BBM woke up to another day still sitting as president, surviving what was supposed to be the biggest threat to his administration.

It also exposed the declining clout of the Dutertes in the political scene. While about a hundred thousand people gathered at the Luneta Grandstand, only a handful showed up at the designated Duterte supporters rally venue. Those who were calling for BBM’s ouster who showed up at Luneta were even booed. And according to some sources, it was the Duterte supporters who tried to instigate riots at Mendiola, a stone’s throw away from Malacañang.

While the people who showed up at the main rally venue were denouncing the massive corruption, they were not calling for BBM to step down.

Why? Because it was BBM who exposed the massive corruption in the flood control projects which shot to unprecedented heights during the last administration.

Whereas before corruption in infrastructure projects were limited to substandard projects, now the projects are nowhere to be found. Contractors and their benefactors in the government, both elected and appointed, have resorted to ghost projects worth billions of pesos. Worse, they have become so shameless that instead of hiding their ill-gotten wealth, they are even flaunting them.

And this is all thanks to BBM who showed courage in exposing them, even naming the contractors who were allegedly involved in these anomalous projects, creating the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to investigate these contractors and the officials who have empowered them in exchange for humongous cuts in the contract price.

And no less than the latest results of an OCTA Research survey showing 83 percent of Filipinos support BBM’s decision to expose corruption in government, particularly in the flood control projects, would validate this.

The Tugon ng Masa survey showed only 3 percent of the respondents disagreed with the president’s move, while 13 percent were undecided.

“These results indicate a strong reservoir of public goodwill and trust for the president’s decision to confront corruption head-on. The findings suggest that sustained transparency and follow-through on reforms could further strengthen public confidence in government integrity and leadership,” OCTA Research said.

This administration collapsing? As I’ve said, if this administration survived its biggest, then it is enjoying its finest moment.

You could tell that from the stance of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who displayed no panic in her eyes when she took our selfie during the Chinese Embassy event. Charlie Manalo

READ MORE: https://www.manilatimes.net/author/charlie-v-manalo

13/10/2025

ASIDE from the series of earthquakes hitting different parts of the country, nothing could be hotter these days than the ongoing investigation into the anomalous flood control projects.

Unfortunately, as too many have dipped hands into it, it seems the probe is getting nowhere. Especially in the light of some holier-than-thou individuals who have come out with their guns blazing, only to backtrack when they found their own guns were beginning to point at them.

Among these people is Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who was appointed as adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) but was later forced to resign after it was found out that he also had his share of infrastructure projects with the controversial contractors — the Discayas.

However, instead of submitting himself to the scrutiny of the ICI, he immediately absolved himself, declaring that the Discaya projects in Baguio City under his watch were all clear of any anomaly.

Really, Mayor Magalong? If you want to come to court, you should come with clean hands.

Anyway, what has Magalong achieved so far? In fairness, a far cry from his earlier pronouncements when he came out accusing public officials of being involved in anomalous government projects, Magalong has revealed names who allegedly benefited from the infrastructure projects — ghost or substandard.

Unfortunately, he still came short of presenting evidence to substantiate his allegations, effectively subjecting these people to trial by publicity.

Actually, there’s nothing new in Magalong’s list. Rumors have long been circulating that the names he had released were said to be involved in those anomalous projects. But to date, no evidence against them has been presented.

And this is so unfair to the ones being accused. The name of Quezon City congressman PM Vargas has also been linked to the Discayas and was even included in the complaint filed by a group but documents presented reveal he has no projects in any form with the controversial couple. This was even supported by no less than Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

In their efforts to destabilize the Marcos administration, critics have been trying to link former House speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to the mess, simply because of his relationship with President Ferdinand “B**gbong” Marcos Jr. (They are first cousins.)

As I’ve said in my previous column, I’ve also been doing some research to determine the extent of the former speaker’s hand in the budget insertions for these shady flood control projects, but to no avail. Because if we are to zero in mainly on the insertions and then point fingers at him for receiving bribes for those insertions, we’ll come up empty-handed.

As I’ve stated before, “priority list vetting and submission starts with the regions, regional agencies, local government units (LGUs), lawmakers, national government agencies (NGAs), and priority areas visited by the speaker and are consolidated into one priority list. There are also requests from LGUs, lawmakers and NGAs. But all of these are submitted to the chairman of the appropriations committee, who does the final vetting and approval. And that happens to be Co.”

And nowhere in the process after the consolidation of the list does the hand of the speaker appear. As members of the House have revealed, the speaker won’t show up during this process, as his mere presence would be interpreted as intervening or vouching for a particular area in the budget. And so far, no speaker has ever done that.”

Even National Bureau of Investigation director Jaime Santiago has stepped into the picture but, just like the others, has failed to come up with concrete evidence linking the poor public officials to the mess, prompting a friend to comment, “Maybe he just wants to be retained.”

For the record, Santiago has filed his resignation, but it has been put on hold by the Palace.

So far, only former assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez and his superior, district engineer Henry Alcantara and some contractors (on a limited basis) have presented some sort of evidence and testimony to back up their allegations on certain individuals. But most of them fall short of linking certain House officials to the mess.

The rule of law should always prevail. If there is no evidence, mitigating or circumstantial, then these open accusations against certain public officials should stop. Freedom of expression is not absolute.

But rest assured, I am also not done digging. In the event I uncover something myself, I will come out with guns blazing.
Charlie Manalo

READ MORE: https://www.manilatimes.net/author/charlie-v-manalo

09/10/2025

As the Philippines works toward meeting its climate commitments and cutting carbon emissions, renewable energy has emerged as the ideal path forward.

Among the options are wind power projects — onshore, which are built on land, and offshore, which are developed along coastlines and in open seas.

In a country where electricity rates rank among the highest in Asia, the challenge goes beyond simply adopting clean energy — it is about choosing a power source that can provide affordable, reliable electricity without undermining people’s livelihoods.

Offshore wind turbines are frequently regarded as a key component of the future energy mix.
However, its supposed advantage of generating more megawatts per hour is offset by the fact that offshore wind conditions are generally less stable and predictable than those inland.

This reality is evident in Europe, where several offshore projects once hailed as groundbreaking have been abandoned in 2025 after failing to meet wind expectations.

This highlights an important caution: higher output on paper does not necessarily equate to consistent and dependable power.

Another factor that needs to be considered is the cost of production. Onshore windmills are far cheaper and simpler to build.

Developers build foundations, assemble turbines on site and connect directly to the grid.

Maintenance is equally straightforward and repairs can be done by land-based crews without the need for specialized vessels.

Offshore, on the other hand, is a different challenge as each project requires heavy-duty foundations, specialized ships, subsea cables, offshore substations and complex marine engineering.

Maintenance can also be costly and dangerous as it will involve helicopters and limited weather windows.

This explains why the Department of Energy itself admits that energy transition technologies like offshore wind are “not cheap” and require high capital that risks being passed on to consumers.
Apart from the reasons mentioned above, investors are also aware of this difference.

That is why onshore projects attract financing more easily as they carry lower construction risks, shorter timelines and more predictable policy support.

By contrast, offshore projects are capital-concentrated and demand high returns, which raise concerns that offshore development may drive up power rates instead of bringing them down.

Fixed-bottom offshore projects are scheduled to go online between 2028 and 2030.

To reiterate, with electricity rates already among the highest in the Southeast Asian region, can a developing country like the Philippines afford such an expensive undertaking?

The ensuing effect to generation cost is at about below P6 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for onshore facilities, while offshore’s rate is expected to soar at approximately P15 per kWh.

The burden of the more-than-double-the-cost impact of offshore projects will surely trigger negative consumer reactions, won’t it?

Another factor to weigh is the environmental cost.
While it’s true that onshore wind farms require vast areas of rural land, and may raise issues on land use and potential displacement, offshore wind farms, while sidestepping land-related conflicts, come with their own set of challenges in relation to the environment, such as construction activities that can disrupt seabeds, seagrass and coral ecosystems.

On top of environmental-related challenges, offshore wind farms have an impact on fishing communities.

In Ilocos Norte and Camarines Sur, local groups have already staged protests against the BuhaWind project in Pagudpud and the planned Ayala-Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners wind farm in San Miguel Bay.

Fisherfolk fear losing their traditional fishing grounds to “no-sail/no-fishing” zones and facing rising costs of fuel as they are forced to sail farther for catch.

The question is: Which option is best suited for the Philippines?

The answer may lie in finding the right balance. Offshore wind offers large-scale capacity, but onshore remains the more affordable, reliable and less risky option.

In a country where millions still struggle to pay their electricity bills, the practical approach can be to prioritize expanding onshore capacity first, while gradually developing offshore projects with stronger safeguards on cost management and environmental protection.

Wind power is set to play a vital role in the Philippines’ clean energy future.

However, “clean” should not come at the expense of affordability, and ”renewable” should not cause harm to communities.

While offshore wind may eventually help power megacities, what the Philippines needs right now is onshore wind — offering energy that is affordable, reliable and accessible to all.

READ MORE: https://www.manilatimes.net/author/charlie-v-manalo Charlie Manalo fans

06/10/2025

EXACTLY a month ago, I wrote an article entitled “The point man,” which dealt with the alleged maneuverings of a House official who was said to be regarded as former speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez’s most trusted man and who I referred to as the designated point man — Deputy Secretary Sofonias “Ponyong” Gabonada.

Citing sources, I wrote “it was Gabonada who had convinced Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to institutionalize AKAP, or the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita, AICS or the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, both programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; and the Tupad, or the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, a program of the Department of Labor and Employment, by providing congressional funding for the said programs.”

And that to avail of “the funding for those programs, lawmakers have to call Ponyong’s office and lobby for the amount to be accorded to them. “

Sources also alleged that “with regard to congressional-sponsored infrastructure projects, it is Ponyong who would call the regional and district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways to dictate to them to whom the contract should be awarded even though that particular project has already been bid out and that a contract is about to be awarded.”

Anyway, now that a new speaker has assumed the helm of the House of Representatives, we were expecting the Ponyong saga to have ended with his supposed benefactor, the former speaker.

Not too fast. Before the leadership change at the House, Ponyong reportedly had his office renovated to include a conference room. What was Ponyong’s purpose in having a conference room in his office? Anyway, the conference room was said to have included a solid hardwood table (I wasn’t provided much information on this by the source), which commanded a very hefty price.

And since Ponyong had to move out, the source said he tried to sell the table to the wife of the newly installed speaker, Rep. Faustino “Bodjie” Dy, which the new speaker’s wife reportedly rejected.

But if Ponyong was trying to sell it, then it would be safe to assume it wasn’t government money which was used to acquire that particular piece of furniture. It came from his own pocket. Now the question is: Where would a government personnel with a salary grade 25, receiving around P110,000 a month, get the money to acquire such an expensive table?

However, some people in the House of Representatives see Ponyong as too valuable to just let his “talent” go to waste.

Sources again reveal that a close friend who happens to be the chief of staff of a prominent member of the legislative chamber is lobbying for Ponyong’s reinstatement — Yeyi Vivas, chief of staff of the president’s son, majority leader Sandro Marcos.

In my column “The point man,” I mentioned that it was Ponyong who talked Yeyi into accepting former undersecretary Joeie Domingo, whose real name is Joahna Paula Quiros, to be one of Sandro’s staff, and at the same time, convinced Romualdez’s wife, Tingog Rep. Yedda Romualdez, to take in former assistant secretary Thea Uy as her chief of staff.

Take note that these two were reportedly booted out of the office of the special assistant to the president, after being suspected of involvement in the collection of 20 percent to 30 percent commissions from contractors of government infrastructure projects.

But given Ponyong’s alleged shady dealings, why is Yeyi reportedly lobbying for his reinstatement, which would effectively make her his new handler?

Maybe because Yeyi has her own “questionable” acts?

According to sources, it was Vivas who helped RA Pahati Construction & Supply, Inc. corner the P747 million flood control project in Padsan River, Barangay Gabu, Laoag City. Allegedly using substandard material, the project collapsed even though it had been barely a year after it was finished and turned over.

And who owns the RA Pahati Construction & Supply, Inc.? The Ceniza couple — the husband — Leonel “Jhong,” whom Yeyi reportedly helped to secure a congressional seat, and the wife, Jel, her bosom buddy.

Yeyi reportedly met Jel at the gallery of couturier Avel Bacudio, and since then, they have become inseparable. Yeyi would even reportedly take Jel to official functions with ease whenever the First Couple would be present.

And even having just met, Yeyi reportedly helped Ceniza obtain P9 billion for flood control projects.

To top it all, Davao Breaking News reported it was Yeyi who made local leaders of the 2nd district of Davao de Oro believe Jhong was being supported by the president and the first lady in his run for a congressional seat.

Davao Breaking News reported: “On Oct. 23, 2024, barangay captains from Davao de Oro’s second district gathered at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City. The event was billed as a simple ‘lunch fellowship’ hosted by Ceniza.”

Yeyi reportedly represented the Marcoses and “delivered a message of full support from Rep. Sandro and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos for Ceniza’s congressional run.”

“Dahil sa hardship ni Mayor Jhong na secured niya po ang national funds, mga programa at projects, so alam ko po na kayang-kaya niyang ipagpatuloy,” Davao Breaking News quoted Yeyi as telling the crowd, specifically emphasizing that “Ceniza’s strength lay in his access to national funding streams.”

So, why then is Yeyi reportedly lobbying for Ponyong’s return? Maybe she trusts the way Ponyong allegedly maneuvers whatever is there to maneuver. He just needs a new handler.

But the first lady has already spoken. In expressing her support for the president’s call for honesty and integrity among public officials, she called on those misusing her name to halt their selfish and corrupt agenda.

“Enough is enough. Public service is a privilege, not a business,” was the first lady’s explicit message.

And we believe she would not let these alleged acts of Yeyi go unchecked. Charlie Manalo

READ MORE: https://www.manilatimes.net/author/charlie-v-manalo

01/10/2025

WHILE Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon’s resolve to fight corruption is somewhat commendable, his most recent actions are starting to look less like a noble pursuit, and more like a brazen audition for higher office.

After all, the nation expects leadership that steadies the ship, not a spotlight-stealing and politics-driven performance.

His eager-beaver attitude to speak for the entire government — while positioning himself as the public face of the anti-corruption campaign — has crossed from energetic advocacy into something more perilous: grandstanding that risks the very credibility of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and, by extension, the administration’s broader anti-corruption push.

There is no doubt that the fight against graft and corruption in public works is noble. Secretary Dizon’s resolve to pursue anomalies should be commended in principle.

Yet the manner in which this mission has been pursued lately — throwing open the doors to frequent public pronouncements, and more aggressive personal showmanship — has begun to feel less like surgical strikes and more like friendly fire.

It is not merely a question of style but of substance and institutional integrity.

A single person cannot be the mouthpiece for all government activities, yet when a public works secretary takes on that role, the line between policy and political theater becomes blurred.

His obvious love for the spotlight also undermines the DPWH’s technical core: infrastructure work is built on decades of engineering judgment, project finance and procurement expertise.

The district engineers, regional directors and mid-level officials possess keys to years of on-the-ground experience. A climate of constant public accusations without due process can chill initiative, deter qualified professionals, and derail critical projects.

His repeated pronouncements of investigations, especially when announced in high-profile settings, can create a climate in which the workforce feels under perpetual suspicion.

That is not the environment in which projects thrive.

If Dizon’s broader strategic aim is to fight graft, then the means must be proportionate to the ends.

The creation of a dedicated, impartial body — the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) — offers a promising path to ensure investigations are conducted with independence and due process, while keeping the DPWH focused on its core mission: building.

Just recently, Education Secretary Sonny Angara complained that more than 1,000 classrooms built by the DPWH for the Department of Education remain unfinished or unusable despite being turned over and potentially paid for in full.

Issues or problems like these should be Dizon’s main focus, and he must address them immediately without the glare of the spotlight and fanfare.

In short, he must now shift from showmanship and public relations antics to actual governance.

A shift of investigative authority to the ICI, as outlined in policy direction and relevant department orders, should be welcomed as a force multiplier for good governance.

It allows the DPWH to concentrate on delivery — bridges, roads, flood-control systems, and other infrastructure that sustain mobility, protect lives, and drive economic growth — without becoming entangled in a cycle of public allegations and counter-allegations.

Imagine the impact if Dizon and the entire department redirected their energy toward project delivery, rather than political theater.

The BBM legacy projects — when implemented with rigorous governance, transparent procurement, and robust project management — have the potential to markedly improve the nation’s infrastructure.

That is where Dizon’s leadership should lie: in inspiring confidence among workers, contractors, and communities that the government truly prioritizes efficient, honest delivery.

Cooperation with the ICI should be embraced fully. The DPWH can, and should, provide documents and data as needed, but the DPWH’s role remains building — designing, financing and executing the nation’s infrastructure agenda.

The DPWH personnel deserve a leadership that trusts and protects professional integrity. Constant exposure to public scandals and preemptive blame can erode morale and slow progress.

A governance culture that prioritizes due process, evidence-based action, and transparent results will yield stronger outcomes than one driven by high-octane PR.

Dizon should therefore pause, recalibrate and refocus. His role is to lead the DPWH, not to stand as the de facto government spokesperson.

Let the ICI handle investigations; let the president’s policy agenda guide him; and let the department’s engineers, planners and field teams deliver the tangible achievements that transform the people’s lives. Charlie Manalo

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15/09/2025

LAST Sunday, a friend who is currently based in Boracay sent me a message informing me that the world-famous island resort had been plunged into a brownout since Saturday.

According to a post of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on its social media page, the root cause of the unscheduled power interruption which affected the areas being serviced by Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) that includes Caticlan and Boracay, was a damaged power cable of 69kV sub-transmission line at the underground gantry near the airport arrival in Union, Nabas.

But hours later, the NGCP issued an updated report that its transmission facilities in Aklan under the Nabas-Unidos 69kV line had been restored and were under normal operations at around 4 p.m. of the same day.

However, my friend said that up to the time we were chatting on social media, power had yet to be fully restored in Boracay. And with the island depending mainly on the tourism business, we know that a prolonged power outage could spell hundreds of thousands, if not millions of pesos, in lost revenues.

And these power outages, my friend said, had been going on for some time now, prompting business owners to finally seek redress from the government agencies concerned, particularly the Department of Energy and the National Electrification Administration.

In a petition sent to the DOE and NEA, the business owners asked these agencies to “urgently address the recurring power interruptions, high electricity rates, and inadequate infrastructure maintenance of Akelco.”

“As Boracay is a globally recognized tourism destination, uninterrupted and affordable electricity is not only a basic need but also a national economic priority. The recent unscheduled power outage on Sept. 13, 2025, caused by a damaged 69kV sub-transmission line cable in Union, Nabas, highlights the critical vulnerabilities in Akelco’s system,” the petition read.

The petitioners further asked the DOE to “require Akelco to implement redundancy, undergrounding of lines, and renewable and backup systems for Boracay,” and for NEA to “conduct a full governance and management audit, and if necessary, intervene directly under its supervisory authority.”

The petitioners further said that “strategic reforms (public-private partnership, stronger investment requirements, or franchise restructuring) must be explored if Akelco cannot guarantee reliable service.”

“We respectfully call on the DOE and NEA to treat Boracay as a critical energy zone and ensure sustainable, transparent and accountable electricity service for residents, workers and visitors,” the business owners said.

Personally, I believe it’s about time the government agencies concerned — the DOE and the NEA act on this recurring Boracay concern. The government already addressed the issue of pollution on the island before. Now, it’s about power. Power brings in investors. The lack of it drives them away.

From the President’s mouth.

“If I wasn’t President, I might be out in the streets with them.”

Apparently seething with rage on the way the flood control projects with the hundreds of billions in budgets were handled, President Ferdinand “B**gbong” Marcos Jr. yesterday expressed his approval of the upcoming mass protest against the massive corruption in government slated on the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law.

“You have to remember, I brought this up. And it is my interest that we find a solution to what has become a very egregious problem. And since this has been all exposed... to the general public, do you blame them for going out into the streets?” said Marcos.

“Of course, they are enraged. Of course, they are angry. I’m angry. We should all be angry. Because what’s happening is not right,” he added.

And instead of discouraging Filipinos from joining the protest action, Marcos even enjoined everyone to hold accountable all government officials and personnel as well as private individuals involved in anomalies, and to make those responsible answerable for their illegal actions.

“So, yes, express it. Make your feelings known to these people and make them answerable for the wrongdoing that they have done,” the President stressed.

Of course he had to remind them to remain peaceful, warning that law enforcement authorities would be duty-bound to act if demonstrations turned violent.

But the good thing in the press briefing yesterday is that Marcos assured everyone no one will be spared in the investigation, including his first cousin House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and congressman Zaldy Co.

Way to go, Mr. President! Charlie Manalo

READ MORE: https://www.manilatimes.net/author/charlie-v-manalo

Newsandnuances

16/10/2025

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