After 'ghost roads' flagged in sea coordinates, DA invites watchdogs to audit billions in farm projects

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published Oct 30, 2026 05:22 pm

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is teaming up with civil society groups to help promote transparency in the development of farm-to-market road (FMR) projects.

The DA said in a statement on Friday, Oct. 30, that it has partnered with citizen watchdogs the People’s Budget Coalition (PBC), BetterGov.PH, and Bisto Proyekto for a comprehensive review of its FMR projects.

The scrutiny of the projects is expected to range from planning and budget preparation to construction and post-implementation monitoring, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel.

The agency has agreed to share project documents and conduct joint monitoring under its partnership with the civil society groups.

This comes amid questions over FMR coordinates, which were earlier flagged in a recent Senate hearing due to inconsistencies, including entries that appeared to be located in the sea.

Civil society groups have likewise raised concerns over more than 350 FMR projects worth nearly ₱6 billion that were inserted in the proposed national budget due to the lack of publicly available documents.

Agriculture Undersecretary Arrey Perez said the DA’s partnership with citizen watchdogs is crucial to ensuring that every infrastructure project is completed for its intended purpose.

“We welcome the extra hands and eyes offered by these civil society groups to audit these projects and ensure they are executed properly,” Perez said.

“By completing these projects as intended, we bring greater development to our farmers, fisherfolk, other food producers, and more rural areas,” he added.

In line with efforts to uphold transparency, the DA earlier launched the FMR Watch online portal, which publishes detailed engineering designs, programs of work, and validation

reports of ongoing projects.

The department is also pursuing third-party audits involving state universities and colleges, where their engineers and faculty could independently assess FMR projects before contractors receive payment.

With these safeguards, the DA said it is making sure that FMRs are constructed to connect farms to trading centers, effectively reducing logistics costs and limiting post-harvest losses.

The DA has identified the need for 131,000 kilometers (km) of FMRs nationwide, with about 55,000 km still unbuilt. By 2028, it plans to develop roughly 10,000 km, or about 18 percent of the infrastructure backlog.

The DA said its partnership with watchdogs and civil society groups would not be limited to this year, indicating that the initiative would continue beyond the current budget cycle.

“Its ultimate measure will not be the number of documents published or projects inspected, but whether scrutiny helps prevent waste, improves construction quality and ensures roads reach the farming communities that need them most,” it said. (Dexter Barro II)

BSP can't fight inflation alone

 

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

The peso breaking past 64 against the United States dollar may have signaled that monetary policy has reached its limit. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has already pushed the benchmark interest rate to 5.50 percent, with market analysts bracing for another hike toward six percent if inflation keeps climbing. Now, it seems President Marcos is expecting the central bank to single-handedly defend the currency and stabilize the economy, which is a serious mistake.

Higher interest rates are an indiscriminate mechanism because while they can curb currency speculation and cool down aggregate demand, they cannot produce more rice, repair broken irrigation networks, or move goods smoothly through crowded ports.

The primary drivers behind domestic price hikes are structural supply shortages and high transport costs. Treating a supply problem strictly with interest rate hikes is squeezing local businesses and families already struggling to pay for basic necessities.

This is where the Marcos administration must step in with serious fiscal solutions. Yet, the current handling of government funds shows the continued disconnect between fiscal spending and economic priorities.

According to the latest national government disbursement report from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), capital outlays and public infrastructure spending dropped sharply to ₱522 billion at end-September from ₱798.4 billion in the same period last year, a ₱276.4 billion contraction.

The DBM attributed the slump to reduced disbursements by the Department of Public Works and Highways, driven by stricter payment conditions, enhanced project verification, and heightened oversight. In August alone, infrastructure spending fell 16.9 percent year-on-year. While safeguards on public spending are necessary, allowing essential capital investments to stall during an economic slowdown weakens the very foundation the country needs to sustain growth.

Instead of fixing these spending bottlenecks and directing capital where it is needed most, the proposed ₱7.2 trillion national budget for 2027 looks like business as usual. The House of Representatives added over ₱180 billion in unvetted infrastructure insertions for thousands of local projects, including multi-purpose buildings and bypass roads with little technical justification. To make room for these additions, heavy cuts were made to essential areas: ₱130 billion stripped from foreign-assisted projects, ₱9.5 billion taken from calamity funds, nearly ₱5 billion removed from health programs, and vital funding cut from mass transit like the EDSA Busway.

A coalition of 35 major business and civil society groups recently called out these insertions, pointing out that shifting national resources into vague local projects while cutting disaster preparation, healthcare, and infrastructure undermines investor confidence.

If the government wants to ease price pressures and support the peso, public spending must be directed toward real economic bottlenecks. That means prioritizing repairs to existing irrigation systems before El Niño conditions worsen, lowering logistics costs for food producers, streamlining customs clearance, and accelerating domestic energy investments to reduce reliance on expensive imported oil. Spending public money on well-planned supply solutions builds long-term productive capacity; spending it on discretionary local line items simply strains public finances.

There is also a direct fiscal cost to leaving the fight against inflation entirely to the central bank. With national debt standing at ₱19.61 trillion, every rate hike by the central bank increases the government’s own borrowing costs. Meanwhile, foreign direct investment has dropped as international investors weigh higher interest rates against weak execution and infrastructure gaps.

Government assurances that the country holds enough foreign exchange reserves to protect the peso offer temporary comfort, but those reserves are not bottomless. Gross international reserves have already dipped to a three-year low of $100 billion. The central bank cannot spend its dollar buffers indefinitely while fiscal policy pulls in the opposite direction.

Interest rate hikes can buy temporary time, but they cannot fix underlying structural weaknesses. Until the Marcos administration cleans up the 2027 budget, removes politically motivated insertions, and puts public money into projects that actually expand supply and lower business costs, the central bank will be left fighting a lonely and expensive battle to protect the Philippine economy.

BLACKPINK, ENHYPEN, NMIXX among honorees at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards

 

BLACKPINK, ENHYPEN, NMIXX among honorees at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards

By Jonathan Hicap

K-pop groups BLACKPINK, ENHYPEN and NMIXX along with other personalities were named honorees at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards on Oct. 29 at the National Theater of Korea. 

Marking its 17th edition since its launch in 2010, the awards ceremony is the most prestigious government-awarded honor in the field of popular culture and arts. 

It recognizes individuals for elevating the social status of popular culture and arts professionals and for their contributions to the development of the industry.

There were 36 honorees this year: 10 for the prestigious Order of Cultural Merit, seven for Presidential Commendation, eight for Prime Minister’s Commendation, and 11 for the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation. 

The 2016 honorees represented a diverse range of fields within popular culture and the arts, including singers, actors, comedians, radio personalities, music directors, voice actors, jazz musicians, musical theater actors, choreographers, and producers of live performances and films.

The late singer Shin Hae-chul, who debuted after winning the grand prize at the 1988 MBC Campus Song Festival and later led the popularization of Korean rock music, was honored with the Eungwan (Silver) Crown Order of Cultural Merit. 

“Running Man” star, comedian and TV personality Yoo Jae-suk received the Bogwan (Precious Crown) Order of Cultural Merit. 

BLACKPINK was given the Ok-gwan (Jeweled Crown) Order of Cultural Merit. 

K-pop groups ENHYPEN and NMIXX were among the 11 honorees of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation. 

17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards honorees: 

Eungwan (Silver Crown) Order of Cultural Merit

- The late singer Shin Hae-chul

Bogwan (Precious Crown) Order of Cultural Merit

- Park Myung-sung, a performing arts producer who has been active in the field for more than 40 years.

- Voice actor Park Young-nam, known for lending her voice to iconic characters in works such as *Dooly the Little Dinosaur* and *Crayon Shin-chan*.

- Musician Shin Gwan-woong, who has been a fixture on the jazz scene for over half a century.

- Comedian and TV personality Yoo Jae-suk, a prominent figure in broadcasting for over 30 years, known for shows like “Running Man: and *Infinite Challenge*.

- Singer Han Young-ae, who is celebrating the 50th anniversary of her debut.

Recipients of commendations from the President, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism:

Presidential Commendation

- Music Director Kang Seung-won, who has led music programs for 36 years

- The band Boohwal, which has kept the legacy of Korean rock alive for over 40 years

- K-pop boy band Super Junior, which ignited a K-pop craze with their hit "Sorry, Sorry"

- Actor Yoo Hae-jin, who has appeared in five "ten-million-viewer" (blockbuster) films

- Director Jang Hang-jun, whose film *The King’s Warden” stands as the second highest-grossing Korean film of all time

- Actor Ryu Seung-ryong, who has appeared in four "ten-million-viewer" films 

- Actor So Ji-sub, who has remained consistently beloved for his roles 

Prime Minister’s Commendation

- Broadcaster Bae Mi-hyang, who has hosted the radio program *Bae Mi-hyang’s Evening Sketch* for over 25 years

- Actor Yoo Seung-mok, who has portrayed a wide range of characters across various projects

- Director Yoon Ga-eun, who has garnered international acclaim at film festivals for works such as *The World of Us*

- “Pansori” performer and musical actress Lee Ja-ram

- Composer Lee Jae, who achieved a Billboard No. 1 hit and a Grammy Award with the song "Golden"

- Actress Kim Go-eun, who has demonstrated great versatility across both television dramas and "ten-million-viewer" films

- Actor Oh Jung-se, who has been active across a diverse range of genres, including both film and television

- The sibling duo AKMU

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation

- Comedian Kim Shin-young

- Comedian Kim Won-hun

- Choreographer Lee Jung

-  Actress Lim Ji-yeon, who delivered a stellar performance in works such as *The Glory*

- Film producer Jang Won-seok

- Actor Choi Dae-hoon

- Actor Park Ji-hoon, who left a profound impression with his portrayal of King Danjong in *The King’s Warden” 

- Actor Yoon Kyung-ho

- Singer Jang Min-ho, who garnered immense popularity through *Mr. Trot*

- Girl group NMIXX

- Idol group ENHYPEN

 

Mayon Volcano alert status raised to Level 3

Mayon Volcano in Albay emits a grayish plume that rises 3,000 meters above its crater during a moderately explosive eruption on Oct. 30, 2026. (Screenshot/Phivolcs Facebook page)

The alert status of Mayon Volcano in Albay has been raised from Level 2 to Level 3 as it enters “a new phase of magmatic eruption,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Friday, Oct. 30. Read more

LGBTQIA+ individuals not excluded from solo parent benefits, DSWD says

DSWD officials discuss the inclusion of members of the LGBTQIA+ community in solo parent programs during the DSWD Media Forum on Thursday, Oct. 29. (DSWD photo)

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) clarified that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community are not excluded from qualifying for solo parent benefits under Republic Act (RA) 11861, also known as the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act. Read more

Mei Gui Zhang

 by Oliver Pashley  October 1st, 2026

‘Being patient is very important in this business’

Mozart and Chinese folk music surrounded soprano Mei Gui Zhang in equal measure as a child. Growing up in China with singers for parents, one singing opera, the other folk, created an indelible fusion of cultures that she carries with her to this day.

Now based in New York, Mei Gui’s versatility and commitment to a variety of styles and roles have made her a rising star on the opera circuit.

Mei Gui Zhang © Dario Acosta

Mozart is particularly close to Mei Gui’s heart, having sung Despina in Così fan tutte (Tanglewood), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Atlanta Opera) and Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro (Metropolitan Opera); having competed in the Glyndebourne Opera Cup in 2020 (winning the audience prize), Mei Gui makes a role debut as Susanna at the Glyndebourne production of Figaro in their autumn festival this year.

Meigui Zhang – ‘Ach, ich fühl’s’ (Die Zauberflöte)  

I catch Mei Gui during Glyndebourne rehearsals, and we talk about her love of Mozart, the folk music surrounding her growing up in China, and the one thing from home she never leaves without on her international travels…

You are deep in rehearsals for your upcoming Glyndebourne debut, singing Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro. How’s it going?

I think it’s going to be a wonderful production — I’m really looking forward to it. The cast, the singers, everyone is at such a high level. I really enjoy singing Susanna. It’s a lot of fun.

Are there any challenges unique to this role?

Susanna has so many recitatives, and physically I have to anticipate singing them. It’s a long role — I have to sing from the beginning to the end — I have to tell myself where to save the energy and where to give it more, because it’s a really physical role for me. I’m always on stage!

You are renowned for your interpretations of Mozart — do you remember your first encounters with his music?

Don Giovanni, Guangzhou Opera House © Guangzhou Opera House

My parents were both singers, and I studied with my father from the very beginning. My first aria was actually Cherubino’s Voi che sapete, so The Marriage of Figaro was one of the first things I sang!

I then went to the Lindemann Young Artist Programme at the Metropolitan Opera, where I started singing Barbarina from that opera a lot. I sang it in at least thirty different performances across three productions, so I know The Marriage of Figaro quite well!

I started with Cherubino, moved on to Barbarina, and now I am singing Susanna — hopefully later on I can sing the Countess! So I knew Mozart really well from the very beginning of my training.

What kind of music surrounded you as a child, with both parents as singers?

My mother is a Chinese folk singer, and my father is a classical opera singer. The styles are totally different. Opera singers don’t use a microphone, of course, and Chinese folk singers do, so their projection techniques are very different from those of a ‘classical’ opera singer. That’s why my parents are always disagreeing with each other!

I can sing a little bit of folk music because I always heard my mum singing it, and when I was young, my mum taught me a lot of Chinese folk songs, but opera is my favourite.  

Your connection to your cultural roots has been described as ‘a hallmark of your career’. What do you do to stay connected?

When I was young, I learned so many Chinese traditional songs and folk songs, so I think I have those melodies in my blood. I enjoy singing them, and my classical opera training helps me sing them.

Sometimes, when I have a recital, I’ll put Chinese art songs into my repertoire. The audiences love it, even if they don’t understand the words. I include translations in the programmes, so they can really feel it and love it.

The audience always gives me good feedback when I do that, so that’s why I keep putting these art songs into my programmes.

How much does the fact that Chinese is a tonal language influence things like the melodic contour when set to music?

Chinese is not an easy language to sing, so when I sing and use my opera technique, I need to modify what I’m doing a little bit, because it’s not as easy a language to sing in as, say, Italian.

Composers do think about the tones — spoken Chinese goes up and down — but in the music it’s not as obvious. I think the most important thing for singing in any language is legato. I think that’s true for every instrument. I played the violin and piano as well, and when you think about a phrase, the legato is very important.

Did you always want to be a singer, or were you tempted by the violin or piano as well?

Mei Gui Zhang © Dario Acosta

I always wanted to play the violin when I was very young, but my parents told me that I had to study the piano first. They thought the piano was a necessary instrument not just for singing, but for everything, so they said I had to play the piano first — but they also said that the violin was too difficult!

I started piano when I was seven years old, and my high school major at the Shanghai Conservatory was piano. I started to play the violin only when I was fifteen. I still loved it, so I convinced my parents to let me play it!

I started singing when I was three, just as a hobby, and singing has been in my blood since childhood. My experience with instruments has been really helpful.

Meigui Zhang – Comme autrefois from The Pearl Fishers (CSOTW, 12th June 2023)  

You are known for your versatility across different styles and operatic roles. What’s the key to maintaining that versatility?

I’ve sung Mozart a lot, and I also recently sang a lot of Verdi, like Gilda in Rigoletto and Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, so I think my repertoire is quite wide.

It’s wide, but not aggressive. I like to take my time. That’s why I still sing a lot of Mozart. Mozart is very essential for young opera singers, so I keep his repertoire close.

Mozart is like school for me. It’s like when kids play outside and have fun, but then have to come back in for some discipline! It feels like a safe area [for my voice].

What would you like to sing in the future?

I would love to sing Lucia from Lucia di Lammermoor, Liù from Turandot, and maybe, when I’m older, Madame Butterfly. I’d also love to sing Mimi from La Bohème — I think my voice is growing more and more as time goes on, so there are so many more roles I’d like to sing.

I think in the opera world, you have a long way to go — you have to be patient before singing everything. I feel like I’m on the right track, moving slowly! I think being patient is very important in this business. I have to grow myself and let people see me grow.

What do you do in your spare time?

For sports, I love to do scuba diving. I love the ocean, so that’s my favourite thing to do. I like swimming and being in the water. Apart from that, I like to watch movies. I get a lot of inspiration from films, which I can then use on the opera stage. Any kind of movie — Chinese, Korean, American — but not horror movies!

I also like to cook, especially Chinese food. I’m from Southwest China, so I enjoy cooking Sichuan food, which is very spicy. The red spicy peppers are one of the most important ingredients for me, so I always carry chillies with me when I travel — chilli powder, spicy sauce, anything. My fiancé, however, cannot eat spice — he says it’s pain rather than a flavour!

10 Places You Should Stay Silent

1. Be silent if you can't talk without yelling.

2. Be silent in the heat of anger.

3. Be silent if your words can offend someone.

4. Be silent if your words can destroy a friendship.

5. Be silent if your silence can save bonds.

6. Be silent if you don't know the full story.

7. Be silent if speaking will only serve to boost your ego or seek validation.

8. Be silent if your words can betray someone's trust.

9. Be silent when you lack knowledge about a topic.

10. Be silent when someone is sharing their personal struggles or vulnerabilities.

Life Is Unfair, Now What?

 

By Klaus Döring

Ask yourself this question, if it was fair would you be here? Yes, would you be here?

Why should life be fair to you? The fact that you are reading this, means you have food to eat, access to shelter, clothing, access to a computer and internet which approximately means you have some edge over some people around the world that has one thought — food.

A lot of people complain about how life is unfair and how things went bad in their life. But hey, life was meant to be so, you just have to embrace it and not take it as the cake you can always have.

Life is Unfair

We suffer because of the idea that life was meant to be painless and things should go smoothly as it is. If life was so smooth, then we will all still be a dunce and still be using stones to start a fire or still wearing animal skins as clothes.

You don’t expect life to be fair to you because you are a good person or you work so hard. Life has its own rules, it’s complicated and not the same for everyone.

This life is so unfair that we are being brought to this life without our consent, and as well die without death asking for our permission before taking us away.

Life is a mixture of myriad torments and baffling situations that may even compel one unconsciously to erase off all the joyous occasions that they lived. Every moment in life is a bundle of unpredictable surprises, some good and some really tough.

From the school to the workplace to community, there’s no statement more damning than “You’re being unfair!” Born out of democracy and raised in open markets, fairness has become our de facto modern creed in this modern life. — Stephen T. Asma

In almost every country, judicial building, courts all over the world you will see a statue — Lady Justice — wearing a blindfold as she weighs the law on her impartial scale.

Everyone here is a victim of life unfairness. I just wondered sometimes why things happened to some people and wish I can just lift my hands and make their problems go away. But the truth is, I am also a victim.

Sometimes, humans are livestock and fuel to make this life thrive with the way newborn babies come into our lives and the way we see the people we loved no more.

Have you ever wondered why people suffer? Why people die? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why everyone around you seems to succeed and all you do is fail? Why you always don’t feel special? Why people disappoint you? Why you can’t get the job/offer/position you want? Why you have that serious illness?

Well, all these questions are questions I have asked myself and come with only one thing:

We suffer a lot because we only think about how life is unfair to us, ask a lot of whys, compare ourselves to others, we don’t want to accept it and just move on. Everyone in this life has a place they stand, orchestrated by the laws of the universe. You need to fight for yours. Don’t ever compare yourself.

THE FALL OF GRANDAIR

Xennials and older millennials may still remember GrandAir from the late 1990s. Grand International Airways, better known as GrandAir, launched in March 1995 and became the first major new challenger to Philippine Airlines after the government opened domestic air travel to more competition. Why did the airline last less than four years?

President Fidel Ramos signed Executive Order 219 on January 3, 1995. The order encouraged at least two operators on domestic routes and provided for at least two carriers to be designated as official international carriers for the Philippines.

GrandAir belonged to the Panlilio family, whose hospitality businesses included the Silahis International Hotel along Roxas Boulevard, the Philippine Village Hotel beside Manila’s airport, and Puerto Azul in Cavite. Their airline aimed to attract passengers through service and comfort.

GrandAir used Airbus A300B4 widebodies, including RP-C8881 and RP-C8882, on flights linking Manila with Cebu and Davao. Boeing 737-200s later helped it expand to destinations such as Cagayan de Oro and Tacloban. Across its operating history, GrandAir used four 737-200s.

The airline followed a full-service approach, offering Business Class and Economy Class aboard its A300s, along with hot meals. Passengers had another carrier to choose from, including one offering a twin-aisle aircraft on domestic flights.

GrandAir expanded internationally in 1996, with services to Hong Kong and Taipei. It also operated Hong Kong flights through Subic Bay. On June 16, 1996, a GrandAir Boeing 737 operated Clark’s first international commercial passenger flight to Hong Kong.

Financial problems had already developed before the Asian Financial Crisis. GrandAir recorded losses of about ₱92 million in 1995 and ₱91 million in 1996, followed by about ₱150 million in 1997.

The crisis added financial pressure in 1997 as the peso weakened against the US dollar. Expenses charged in dollars, including aircraft leases, became more expensive when paid using pesos. An airline earning much of its revenue locally needed more pesos to cover the same dollar payment.

In July 1997, Netherlands-based lessor ING had two GrandAir A300s seized in Hong Kong after a delayed lease payment. GrandAir said administrative and communication problems had caused the delay. Losing access to those aircraft disrupted its operations after it had expanded internationally.

GrandAir announced in February 1998 that it would suspend its Hong Kong and Taipei services as the regional crisis affected its business. Later that month, on February 28, Republic Act 8583 became law, granting the airline a 25-year franchise subject to regulatory requirements. Its financial problems continued despite receiving the franchise.

The Air Transportation Office suspended GrandAir’s flights in August 1998 over safety violations. Its domestic passenger numbers had also declined, from about 480,000 in 1996 to about 180,000 in 1998.

GrandAir ceased operations in early 1999, less than four years after its launch. 

Considering how Philippine domestic air travel has changed since then, do you think another full-service Philippine-based carrier offering hot meals on short domestic flights could survive today?

UST 71 SECONDS APART: TWO OF THREE QUAKES REPORTED OFF THE PHILIPPINES

Barely more than a minute separated the first two earthquakes in a sequence of three reported near Davao, Philippines.

The reported magnitudes were 5.4, 5.8 and 5.4, with all three occurring within hours of one another.

For communities that felt the shaking, those closely spaced tremors could have made for an unsettling experience.

Hoping everyone in the affected areas is safe.

Did you feel any shaking? Tell us your town or city and what you experienced.

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