GMA strengthens regional news coverage in Western Visayas with 'Ratsada Balita'

 

By Neil Ramos

Published Jun 27, 2026 02:12 pm

GMA Regional TV is strengthening its regional news coverage with the launch of "Ratsada Balita," a revamped version of its flagship Hiligaynon newscast "One Western Visayas," beginning June 29.

The rebranding marks a new chapter for the regional news program, introducing a refreshed identity and expanded lineup of news and public service segments aimed at delivering faster, more in-depth, and community-centered reporting across Western Visayas and Negros Occidental.

Leading the newscast is anchor Gerthrode Charlotte Tan, joined by reporters Adrian Prietos, Kim Salinas, Zen Quilantang-Sasa, John Sala, and Aileen Pedreso, who will deliver reports from key areas across the region.  

Beyond its new name, "Ratsada Balita" is introducing several original segments designed to deepen its coverage of local issues.

Among the highlights is "Tatak Ratsada," a mini-documentary segment featuring in-depth reports on pressing community concerns, human interest stories, and emerging regional issues.

Meanwhile, "Ratsada Exclusive" will showcase exclusive reports and special investigations, while "Ipa-Ratsada Mo!" strengthens the program's public service mandate by giving residents a platform to raise complaints and concerns affecting their communities.

The newscast will also feature "Ratsada Express" for breaking news and police reports, "Money-Obra (May Trabaho Ka)" for local and overseas job opportunities and foreign exchange updates, and "Isports Lang," a dedicated segment focused on local and regional sports.

Adding variety to the lineup is "Mga Istorya ni Alyas Kanor," which offers lighthearted and relatable stories drawn from everyday life.

THE WORRIER TAKES IT ALL

"The warrior takes it all" reflects a mindset of total commitment, where a warrior (or a "Warrior of Light") embraces every challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow, and act, rather than acting as a victim of fate. This perspective emphasizes living with absolute discipline, turning obstacles into stepping stones, and accepting one's life—challenges and all—with humility and purpose.

"The warrior takes it all" is a clever twist on the famous song title ABBA – The Winner Takes It All Lyrics. It perfectly captures how worry "takes over" your mind and steals your peace. Everyone worries, but letting a specific concern or anxiety rule your day does not help you win or feel better.

Worries, doubts, and anxieties are a normal part of life. It’s natural to worry about an unpaid bill, an upcoming job interview, or a first date. But “normal” worry becomes excessive when it’s persistent and uncontrollable. You worry every day about “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, you can’t get anxious thoughts out of your head, and it interferes with your daily life.

Constant worrying, negative thinking, and always expecting the worst can take a toll on your emotional and physical health. It can sap your emotional strength, leave you feeling restless and jumpy, cause insomnia, headaches, stomach problems, and muscle tension, and make it difficult to concentrate at work or school. You may take your negative feelings out on the people closest to you, self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, or try to distract yourself by zoning out in front of screens. Chronic worrying can also be a major symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a common anxiety disorder that involves tension, nervousness, and a general feeling of unease that colors your whole life.

If you’re plagued by exaggerated worry and tension, there are steps you can take to turn off anxious thoughts. Chronic worrying is a mental habit that can be broken. You can train your brain to stay calm and look at life from a more balanced, less fearful perspective.

Really? Do you let the worrier take over your life and your present situation? A pessimist, a worrier, an alarmist, a license dodger, name it whomever you like. Call some, they are all between us. Maybe her or she or even you?

We hardly count our blessings. We enjoy counting our crosses. Instead of gains, we count our losses. We don't have to do all that counting - computers do it for us. Information is easily had. Especially during these terrible times of pandemic.

Just remember this: Opportunity doesn't just knock - it jiggles the door-knob. and "your friend" - the worrier, is with you day and night, at every corner, following your every step. Complaining and grumbling are good excuses, right? We have time and opportunities to do almost anything. So why haven't we done it? We have the freedom of bondage or restraint, every one of us in his or her very special unique way - but, we're still our old inferior selves.

The job is boring. Even at the present home office. I don't get a good job. The house is an unpleasant mixture of tidy and dirty things. It's a mess. I'm not in the mood to arrange my garden. I can't afford a gardener. That's life. How sad. No, it's not my fault; or course not.

The whole world is an awful place filled with dreadful and horrible negativism. Right now because of the pandemic. Yes, I confess, I'm also surrounded by many worriers who put their fears into me. Politicians, i.e., many times love to search for some grave alarm that will cause individuals to abandon their separate concerns and act in concert, so that politicians can wield the baton. Calls to fatal struggles and fights are forever being sounded.

The overbearing person, who tyrannizes the weak, who wants to dominate and to bluster, is simply nothing else than a worrier, who claims to be a friend. But he or she isn't. Really not! The bullying of fellow citizens by means of dread and fright has been going on since Paleolithic times. The night wolf is eating the moon. Give me silver and I'll make him spit out.

Well, when will we start counting our courage and not our fears, or enjoy instead of our woe? Worrying itself is pointless. Of course, no society has achieved perfect rules of law, never-ending education or unique responsible governments. Let's seek out the worries but avoid the warriors, because they try to avoid liberty.

If you are still worrying right now about something, try to read Jeremiah 29:10-14 or Revelation 21:1-8, just to mention these two. It works. And in my opinion: Let Jesus take over.

It is important to note that while this phrase can describe an intense, focused, and disciplined life, it is sometimes confused with the lyric "The winner takes it all" from the ABBA song. 

No, I don't give up... .And you shouldn't give up too!

From human weakness to greatness

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

THAT’S what can come to mind as we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul on June 29. They were men with their share of human weaknesses and imperfections and yet they became the pillars and foundational columns of the Church.

We all know how St. Peter was. He denied Christ three times. He received from Christ that most severe and corrective rebuke, “Get behind me, Satan” (Mt 16,23) when he tried to prevent Christ from fulfilling his redemptive mission of offering his life on the cross.

St. Paul was hardly any different. Before his conversion, he aggressively attacked the early Christians. And even after conversion, he continued to be hounded by his weaknesses that at one point, to prevent him from being conceited, he was given a “thorn in the flesh.” (cfr. 2 Cor 12,7)

But what made them great was their faith in Christ and in the power of grace that always triumphs whatever human frailty they had. St. Paul articulated this when he said: “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” (Rom 5,20)

The lesson to learn here is for us to know how to convert our weaknesses into the occasion to grow in strength. And the secret is to assume the identity of Christ and his attitude toward all forms of human weaknesses and limitations. He himself assumed our human weaknesses even to the extent of making himself like sin without committing sin, if only to save us from our fatal predicament. (cfr. 2 Cor 5,21)

If we would just open ourselves to the possibility of taking that leap of faith to become like Christ who gives us all the means to be so, what may appear to us as an impossibility due to our weakness and limitations can become possible.

We should make St. Paul’s words, “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” (2 Cor 12,10) also as our own, and feel reassured and consoled every time we are hounded and burdened by all sorts of difficulties and troubles, including when we are tempted and fall into sin.

We have to know what exactly St. Paul meant by those words. What we can readily see is that he made all these predicaments a reason for him to go to Christ, to identify himself more closely with Christ who went all the way to making himself like sin without committing sin just to save us. (cfr. 2 Cor 5,21)

We have to learn how to react to all these negative and evil elements in our life from the point of view of our Christian faith, and never just from our own estimation of things that would often lead us to be scandalized, to feel bad and discouraged, and to run away from the one who can resolve everything for us, including those problems we cannot anymore resolve.

Our faith in God can still work and function even if we are down spiritually and morally, because it is, first of all, a gift from God who will always give it to us irrespective of how we have been behaving. We should just try our best to receive it and to correspond to it as best that we can.

We need to trust in God’s providence and mercy. We have to learn to live a spirit of abandonment in the hands of God. Yes, if we have faith in God, in his wisdom and mercy, in his unfailing love for us, we know that everything will always work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28) Our weaknesses can be the gateway for our greatness, the greatness of the children of God!

What makes Swiss German sound so different from Standard High German, and how can someone learn to understand it better?

To a Standard German speaker, Swiss German isn't just an accent—it's often as unintelligible as Dutch. The divide stems from a medieval phonetic shift that Switzerland simply ignored.

While Standard German underwent the New High German diphthongization, where long, single vowels split into two sounds—for example, hus became Haus (house), and zit became Zeit (time)—Swiss German kept the original monophthongs. A house is still a Huus, and time is still Ziit. The pronunciation is also distinctly guttural. The hard "k" at the start of standard German words often becomes a deep, throat-clearing "ch" in Swiss German (Kind becomes Chind), famously culminating in the shibboleth for a kitchen cupboard: Chuchichäschtli.

Grammatically, Swiss German strips away complex structures. The simple past tense (Präteritum) does not exist; speakers exclusively use the perfect tense (Ich bi ggange instead of Ich ging for "I went"). The genitive case is similarly absent, replaced by a dative construction so that "the man's car" becomes "to the man his car" (em Maa sis Auto). Vocabulary also diverges sharply, heavily influenced by neighboring France. In Switzerland, a bicycle is a Velo, a sidewalk is a Trottoir, and the standard "danke" is often replaced with Merci.

Learning to understand Swiss German requires treating it as a new language rather than "sloppy" German. A crucial first step is memorizing the vowel shifts. Once you internalize that the Standard German "au" is usually "uu" and "ei" is "ii", thousands of words instantly become recognizable.

Practical exposure is most effective when learners ask Swiss friends and colleagues to maintain the dialect but speak slowly ("Chasch bitte langsamer rede?") rather than switching to High German. Passive listening also trains the ear rapidly. The Swiss public broadcaster SRF airs regional news, talk shows, and comedy in various dialects, providing a steady, predictable stream of vocabulary that helps decode the melody and rhythm of the language.

The spines of the Schweizerisches Idiotikon, an ongoing, multi-volume dictionary project documenting the Alemannic German dialects spoken in Switzerland. Photo by Adrian Michael (Wikimedia Commons) is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Ashtine Olviga takes charge of first solo concert

 

By Neil Ramos

Published Jun 26, 2026 12:06 pm

Actress-singer Ashtine Olviga is returning to her musical roots, and this time, she's making sure her voice is heard both on and off the stage.

Ahead of her first solo concert, "Love Like Ashtine," the rising star revealed that she has been deeply involved in every aspect of the production, from the show's concept and setlist to the costumes and stage design.

"Siyempre may mga taong assigned to do all that, pero thankful ako na pinapakinggan nila ang mga suggestions ko, yung mga sinasabi ko," Ashtine told us.   

The hands-on approach marks a significant change for the actress, who admitted she used to keep her opinions to herself out of fear of offending others.

"Kasi po, before, nakakatakot magsalita. Baka kasi may ma-offend. So parang, 'Sige po, okay na po 'yun.' Ganoon po ako dati," she shared.

"Ngayon, I am very much involved. Super thankful ako kasi hinahayaan nila akong ma-involve. Sobrang welcoming ng production team. Ipinaramdam nila sa akin na kung may ideas ako, puwede kong sabihin."

Beyond shaping the show's creative direction, Ashtine also had a hand in selecting many of the concert's special guests.  

"Karamihan sa mga kinuha ko, kakilala ko na rin. Para masaya," she said with a laugh.

Asked if her guests were willing to take direction from her, she smiled and replied, "Opo! Yung mga guest din po, sila pa yung parang nagsabi na, 'O sige, okay lang kung sino ang mga gusto mo.'"

Set for Aug. 23 at the New Frontier Theater, "Love Like Ashtine" will feature an eclectic lineup of artists from music, P-pop, and acting.

Among the confirmed guests are singer-songwriter Rob Deniel, who starred alongside Ashtine in "My Melody," an episode of the anthology series "Viva One Originals: Ashtine," as well as hitmaker Amiel Sol, whose viral song "Sa Bawat Sandali" was memorably covered by the actress.

P-pop groups GAT and RAYA will also perform, alongside Ashtine's former Litz groupmates Yumi Garcia, Fatima Anonuevo, and Bianca Santos.

Joining the celebration are her "Ang Mutya ng Section E" co-stars Sara Joe and Jastine Lim, together with fellow Vivarkada artists Nicole Omillo, Krissha Viaje, and Aubrey Caraan.

The impressive lineup has turned rehearsals into what feels like a reunion.

"Yeah, kaya po sa rehearsals ang saya lang namin. Kahit napapagod na kami, madalas tawa lang kami nang tawa," she said.

Fans can also expect brand-new music during the concert.

Ashtine revealed she will premiere five new songs, including "Nasaan Ka Na?," a track she personally wrote.

"So, bale sa concert ko po, maglalabas po kami ng additional five songs. Isa na rito yung 'Nasaan Ka Na?' which ako po ang sumulat."

She said the song came from exploring a more vulnerable side of herself.

"Yung inspiration? In-explore ko lang yung vulnerable side ko. Yung mga nakikita kong stories na malulungkot."

The concert comes as Ashtine continues to expand her music career following the release of her debut single, "Love Like U," which has already surpassed 840,000 streams.

Produced in collaboration with acclaimed songwriter Thyro Alfaro, the track introduced fans to another side of the actress, blending modern pop with soulful melodies while highlighting her sweet yet confident vocals.

With new music, surprise collaborations, and a more personal creative vision, "Love Like Ashtine" promises to showcase not just Ashtine the actress, but Ashtine the performer and emerging pop artist.

Tickets are now available via TicketNet.

MILF supporters urge gov't to continue implementing all peace accords

 

MILF supporters rally in Cotabato City. (Bangsamoro Multimedia Network)

By Keith Bacongco

Published Jun 27, 2026 05:17 pm

DAVAO CITY – Supporters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) pressed the government to continue honoring and implementing the peace agreement amid the political tensions hounding the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

A group known as Recover BARMM Movement (RBM) has reiterated its call to the government to implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), and all signed peace agreements.

On Thursday, June 25, thousands of MILF supporters rallied in front of the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City and criticized the government for alleged intervention in the internal affairs of the BARMM government.

The MILF supporters, coming from different parts of Central Mindanao, occupied the entire stretch of the kilometer-long road leading to the BARMM compound.

Aside from Cotabato City, thousands of MILF supporters in Lanao del Sur gathered in Marawi City to join the call.

In a manifesto released to the media, RBM expressed concern on the political developments in the region, claiming that it does not only threaten the integrity of the peace process but could also undermine the spirit of the Bangsamoro peace agreements.

“The Bangsamoro peace process was built upon decades of sacrifices, countless lives lost, and the unwavering commitment of generations of Bangsamoro leaders and communities who struggled for justice, genuine autonomy, and self-determination,” said the MILF-affiliated group.

The group called for the reinstatement of MILF Chairman Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim as the interim chief minister of the BARMM.

On March 2025, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed Abdulraof Macacua as the new interim chief minister, replacing Ebrahim who held the post since BARMM was formed in 2019, catching the Bangsamoro community by surprise.

Macacua was then chief of the staff of the MILF armed wing Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).

However, due to some controversies involving the MILF leadership and Macacua, he was suspended as BIAF chief early this month.

For RBM, Ebrahim must be reinstated as he “remains the foremost symbol of the Bangsamoro peace process” in respect to his role and contributions to the Bangsamoro struggle.

The group also called on the government to restore the leadership of the MILF in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

The MILF, according to RBM, remains the principal signatory to the peace agreement.

“The Bangsamoro Transition Authority must reflect the spirit, mandate, and political reality envisioned in the peace process,” it added.

The MILF has questioned composition of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority as some of its members were not recommended by the MILF.

The MILF said that the Bangsamoro Organic Law states that 40 BTA members shall be recommended by the MILF. Thirty-nine others will be recommended by the government.

However, when the BTA’s term was extended after the 2025 elections, seven of those appointed by Marcos did not reportedly come from the MILF list.

RBM urged the government to appoint a chairperson in the peace implementing panel.

The government has yet to designate a new peace panel chairperson following the resignation of Cesar Yano last January.

RBM said that the absence of a peace panel chair slowed down the implementation of important commitments under the peace agreement.

The Bangsamoro people deserve action, not neglect, the group pointed out.

Reimagining the future

By Tonyo Cruz

Published Jun 27, 2026 12:02 am | Updated Jun 26, 2026 03:37 pm

HOTSPOT

A couple of weeks ago, I jokingly asked a friend: “When do we intend to flee the country and migrate?”

Without missing a beat, my friend replied: “Why should we be the ones who ought to leave?”

“It is the thieves and the exploiters who should be chased out of the country,” my friend said.

Indeed, the big landlords, compradors, traditional politicians and dynasts stay in the country because the system suits them, allows their every whim, and there’s impunity for whatever crimes they commit. No surprise because they set this system up, and maintains it with an iron fist. For everyone else, there’s only daily hardship.

We cannot think of other countries that would allow the elites to “do business” there, in the same manner they conduct business here. They would most probably be immediately arrested, prosecuted and thrown in jail there. There’s no special treatment for them outside of the Philippines.

Of course, there are exceptions. There are humane, patriotic, conscientious and God-fearing elites. But they are —again — exceptions.

This is the tragedy or comedy of today’s Filipino life.

Ordinary working-class and middle-class Filipinos can aspire to work abroad and immigrate to other countries. There, they get gainful employment, enjoy healthcare and social services, and modern infrastructure. They are recognized for their economic, professional, and other contributions. True, there’s rising racism, anti-immigrant sentiments, sometimes downright fascism or wars, but in their brutally honest calculations, going back to the rotten and corrupt system in the Philippines is a lot worse.

Place a Filipino in any part of the world, where there’s a measure of fairness and freedom, and that Filipino would thrive and excel. (This is also possible in the Philippines but it takes lots of extra effort due to red tape, corruption, patronage, the abject lack of basics and overall unfairness that rig the system against ordinary folk.)

If left alone by or freed from the elites, I guess we could transform the country and change the system to make it work for us. Whether it is healthcare or housing, mass transport or education, agriculture or the environment, or even how to conduct politics, I believe the workers, farmers, professionals, entrepreneurs and the balikbayans who have helped build other countries would have superior ideas and would win in a truly democratic arrangement.

I have always believed that our overseas Filipino workers’ heroism is not just about the remittances that keep the bankrupt economy afloat or even about how they lift their families from poverty. They can do more than that, if only we ask them. These are people who built entire economies from nothing, laid down and managed train systems and power grids, managed and manned hospitals and healthcare systems, built mass housing, taught generations of children, worked in hi-tech companies and scientific labs, dominated the international maritime industry, and so on. Their individual and collective experience could be tapped for nation-building, and could put to shame the so-called economic plans that almost always benefit only a few. Our OFWs know what’s good and what’s possible. They have seen it, and they have done it in other countries. Hopefully soon, they could play a key role in making change in our own country.

In a related news, the government recently boasted that foreign nationals view the Philippines as a top retirement destination. I frankly don’t mind it and unsurprised about it. Who wouldn’t want to retire in our beautiful country? But we also ought to ask: Are Filipinos also looking forward to retire with dignity and good health in their own country?

Tough question, I know. But the answer is important, and how we could radically make things better equally important as well. Filipinos here and abroad have a stake in it.

(See you in the streets this weekend. June 27 is the date of Love LabanPride PH Festival at UP Diliman, and of the Metro Manila Pride March and Festival at Remedios Circle. June 28 meanwhile is the date of the White Ribbon Movement March at the EDSA People Power Monument.)

Eating well in a world that never stops feeding you

 

BY MITCH FELIPE MENDOZA

JUNE 27, 2026

Photo by Monika Grabkowska/Unsplash+

The biggest nutrition challenge today isn’t knowing what to eat. It’s learning how to live in a world where food is constantly competing for our attention. Convenience, easy access to food, and constant exposure are no longer temporary trends, but they are part of modern life and will only continue to grow. We cannot control these changes, but we can control how we respond to them in ways that protect and support our health.

Growing up in the 1980s, I ate meals at regular times. Sometimes I’d have biscuits or a small bag of chichirya from the local sari-sari store. Eating out with my family was a treat—maybe once a month—and family trips were rare. I don’t remember craving sweets as much as people seem to now.

If my childhood felt different from today’s food scene, just think about the generations before us. My late mom used to tell me how slim people were when she was young, and how many women her age had 22-inch waistlines or even smaller in their 20s.

Hello, anxiety: my old friend

 

By Joyce Lorraine Mina

“Hi, Joyce! How are you?”

“I’m good,” is how I would usually respond when asked such question. But deep down, what I honestly want to say is, “I’m constantly on edge, with unexplainable worst-case scenarios already playing out in my head.”

After viewing “Inside Out 2” in 2024, I felt nothing but mixed emotions chaotically stirring within me, like a storm not to be reckoned with.

I imagine Joy and Envy standing in front of the monitor, both applauding and cheering inside the headquarters of my bewildered mind. Beside them were Fear, Sadness, and Embarrassment, as they took turns comforting one another, each of them taking their own time processing the entire movie.

Of course, let’s also not forget Anger and Ennui, who were watching impatiently from the sidelines, already itching to leave the crowded, noisy cinema and head home.

Then last but not least, my old friend Anxiety—the primary controller of my life—who, like in the movie, lets a single tear fall from the corner of her eye, for she has never related to a character as much as Riley’s Anxiety.

“If only this movie had been released sooner, then maybe I would have gotten the help I desperately needed,” I hear Anxiety voicing out my thoughts. Because then I would have figured out why my heart was tugging me away from every classroom door all these years, or why I suddenly have trouble breathing whenever I attend public events or parties. Would I have been able to identify these scary, unfathomable symptoms of mine sooner?

I always believed it was normal to have recurring fits of uncontrollable sobs whenever my head was heavy from the routine thoughts of daily life. I also thought it was common to overanalyze the simplest habits—like rewriting and deleting words and sentences over and over again until you are left exhaustingly burned out. But what truly hit the fan for me was the entire school year 2022–2023, stretching all the way back to Grade 12.

Back when it was slowly transitioning to face-to-face classes, little did I know that my insurmountable, unexplainable, and unlivable fear of school would heighten.

I would skip classes or pretend to be sick from school, all because I was suffocating in an environment where teachers would never fail to remind rebellious students like me that I was not up to their standards, while my classmates looked at me with pitiful and scornful gazes that sent shivers up my spine.

Mind you, this was an entirely new experience for me, so undergoing all this was a disaster waiting to happen.

And in fact, it did. I would regularly attract attention in class by randomly tearing up in between classes due to the insufferable emotional pain that I had been welling up for the entire school year. At that point, I requested to see my guidance counselor, who, at the time, only said that I just needed to interact more with my classmates. But this did not solve my lack of sleep, caused by constant rumination about the past and overwhelming thoughts about the future.

By the time I entered college, I had finally found my answer through my psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), an excessive form of anxiety that I would not wish even on my worst enemy.

GAD is a mental health condition marked by persistent, excessive worry that often extends into a person’s everyday life without a clear cause. Some of these symptoms include, but are not limited to, fatigue, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty sleeping, among others.

After a few months of taking my prescribed medication, my anxiety started to settle, calming itself down for the first time.

“So this is what it feels like to not worry about everything,” I thought, as I confidently looked into the eyes of strangers, feeling relieved and overwhelmed at the same time. This is all thanks to my understanding college counselor, who was the only person to see right through me.

To those who have their anxiety constantly steering the wheel, just know that I am giving you the warmest hug.

I know that it is difficult to be surrounded by people who hardly understand the predicament that you’re going through. But no matter what they say, please know that your feelings are always valid, no matter how big or small.

And to you, my Anxiety, I want you to know that you will always be a part of me, and I do not blame you for all the things that you have put me through. Because, after all, you only did those things to keep me safe from everything I couldn’t handle.

“Are you sure you are doing fine?” My friend asks again. I snap back from my swirling thoughts as I imagine Joy and Anxiety pushing up the lever together. I respond with a warm smile.

“Well, not really. But I am sure that I will be alright.”

Samal Island recharged

By MBrand

Published Jun 25, 2026 05:59 pm

Mindanao's luxury convention resort. As the first and only luxury convention resort in Mindanao, Discovery Samal needs available and reliable power to welcome guests and operate its 150+ villas and suites, dining outlets, ballroom, function rooms, and resort facilities.

With its white sands and crystal waters, the Island Garden City of Samal in the Davao Gulf fits the bill of a relaxing beach escape, if not for the lackluster power situation that has held back its appeal in recent years.

The hospitality and leisure industry promises experience, comfort, and entertainment for people taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. But without stable power, the lights, air conditioning units, internet connections, hot showers, and other amenities cannot work.

An inconvenience of that scale is enough to deter any tourist.

“A lot of our services rely very much on power. In the past five or eight years, power started to become really bad, then it became worse,” observed Julian Rodriguez, owner of Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort in Samal.

With the need to power 82 rooms at full capacity set against intermittent service becoming so frequent, Rodriguez said the resort had to put up three diesel-powered generator sets and supply its expensive fuel at their own cost. “We had a gen set, then we needed a backup, and then another backup for the backup.”

Similarly, to the north of Samal, Villa Amparo Beach Resort also had to rely on generator sets—two of them to be exact—just to continue with its operations and serve its guests.

Without backup power, both beach resorts faced long and unpredictable power interruptions and risked damage to their equipment and appliances. Much worse, they risked losing their customers to other places where power availability and reliability are not an issue.

“Sometimes we have guests who are working online and then [we’re suddenly hit with a blackout],” said Villa Amparo’s Marketing Manager Aliene Pearl Condez. “It’s a really big inconvenience.”

Things have started to change.

Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort. “A lot of our services rely very much on power,” said resort owner Julian Rodriguez, having in mind Paradise’s iconic beachfront restaurant (pictured) and in-house aviary.

Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort. “A lot of our services rely very much on power,” said resort owner Julian Rodriguez, having in mind Paradise’s iconic beachfront restaurant (pictured) and in-house aviary.

With Republic Act No. 12144, which became law last April 2025, the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light), a distribution utility company under Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), expanded to serve the Island Garden City of Samal, Tagum City, and 15 towns in Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro.

Its legality was affirmed by the Supreme Court in January 2026, which was followed by subsequent Writs of Possession issued by the local courts of Panabo and Tagum City. The Energy Regulatory Commission also granted the Provisional Authority for Davao Light’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.

As a result, Davao Light—already the third largest privately-owned distribution utility in the Philippines—will undertake the full range of electric distribution services, including system operations and maintenance, customer service, billing, and collection in the expansion areas.

Since Davao Light’s entry into Samal and amid an ongoing transition of stewardship, Condez noticed fewer and shorter power outages. She hopes that the arrival of reliable power would finally divert their operational costs for diesel to resort upgrades or staff incentives.

“I am happy and thankful to Davao Light for coming in,” Rodriguez added. “With the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Bridge nearing completion in 2027, we expect business to pick up.”

Villa Amparo Beach Resort. Prior to Davao Light’s entry in Samal, Villa Amparo had to rely on generator sets to hedge against the long and unpredictable power interruptions and continue its operations.

The potential of Mindanao

When Jonathan Michael Bartlett assumed his current role as General Manager of Discovery Samal last January 2026, he was thrilled, citing the resort’s unique position to “showcase the unparalleled beauty and potential of Mindanao.”

“I am thrilled to join Discovery Samal at such a pivotal moment,” he said then. “My mission is to build upon the outstanding foundation already established, elevating our service to create unforgettable experiences that blend world-class luxury with the authentic, heartfelt charm of Filipino hospitality.”

But, like his predecessor, he was immediately faced with the stark reality of the power situation in the island. “We’ve had to make some decisions about operations—things that we may have to do just to make sure that we can maintain a certain level of profit.”

As the first and only luxury convention resort in Mindanao, Discovery Samal needed assurance that its 150+ luxury suites and villas, as well as its ballroom (the largest in the region) and other facilities, can be powered by electricity whenever it needed it.

When Discovery Samal opened in 2023, it coincided with a State of Calamity placed over the island due to its localized power crisis. For years, Samal has faced power distribution issues due to aging infrastructure and network maintenance concerns, with frequent outages straining households, disrupting businesses, and weakening its potential as a tourism hub.

While Discovery Samal has “always operated in optimal power”, Bartlett attributed it to six diesel-powered generator sets that they also had to finance out of pocket. Amidst a national energy emergency due to the crisis in the Middle East, fuel costs only loomed larger in their balance sheet.

Things have started to change.

As Davao Light begins its stewardship of Samal’s electric distribution assets and service, Bartlett expects reliable power, an uptick in tourism, and perhaps even the stabilization of operational costs.

A long-awaited lifeline

Submarine cable laying in the Pakiputan Strait. A team of technical experts and divers, led by AboitizPower’s Davao Light, initiate the long-awaited Davao-Samal power interconnection project—an initial step to Samal’s much needed integration into the mainland power grid.

Earlier this year, AboitizPower and Davao Light undertook an important step for energy, tourism, and economic development in Samal via the energization of a submarine cable that finally connects and integrates the resort island into the mainland power grid in Davao City.

After a rigorous cable-laying activity in the Pakiputan Strait—the first in the Company’s history—the 1,015 meter 69-kilovolt line will bring much-needed power network stability and support the growing load requirements of Samal.

At a 50-megawatt capacity, the submarine cable is more than enough to meet the island’s current 12-megawatt peak demand and provide for even more—in anticipation of more commerce, activities, and opportunities.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Island Garden City of Samal has a population of 119,701 as of the 2024 census.

“Samal is home to over 25,500 households and approximately 555 tourism-related businesses, including beach resorts and private getaways, ranging from rustic, budget-friendly sites to luxury destinations,” said Davao Light President and COO Enriczar Tia. “Davao Light is ready to serve and undertake the distribution network expansion and upgrades for the progress of businesses and communities on the island.”

For those in Samal, Davao Light’s submarine cable will not only serve as a bridgeway for electricity between two places, but it will also be a path to a new phase of development and a better future for their island.

Moreover, with the arrival of reliable power, Samal can finally claim to be a relaxing beach escape that invites—and not deters—tourists. Resort owners and managers can breathe a sigh of relief.

Things have started to change indeed.