Eala barges into semisMANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala finally solved the puzzle of Polish ace Magda Linette with a 6-3, 6-2 masterclass and rolled into the semifinals of the ASB Classic singles yesterday at the ASB Tennis Center in Auckland, New Zealand. Eala, currently WTA No. Eala and Jovic, however, could not make it a twin milestone later in the day after bowing to the third-seeded Chinese tandem of Xu Yifan, WTA No. 40, and Yang Zhaoxuan, WTA No. Eala trailed 0-1 in the first set but owned her old rival the rest of the way.

Senate ready to defend constitutionality of unprogrammed funds – SottoEmployees enter the Senate of the Philippines as seen in this photo release on August 5, 2024. MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Senate is ready to defend the constitutionality of the unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2026 national budget that has been questioned before the Supreme Court (SC). Unprogrammed funds are constitutionally valid based on SC decisions,” Sotto said in a Zoom press briefing yesterday. Sotto said the petitioners were just “nitpicking” when they assailed the legality of UA before the SC. Sotto stressed the need to set aside standby funds for foreign-assisted and other big-ticket projects, like the Metro Manila Subway and modernization of the military.

Extraction and refining of what is basically sludge will be costly to the planet. In a word, Venezuela’s oil may be abundant but it can never be cheap. Given the looming global oil surplus, it might not even make sense to invest in modernizing the cursed country’s oil sector. So there: Venezuela’s oil is not about to be flowing generously to flood the market and push prices down. The cost of extracting and refining thick and viscous sludge sets a basic price for the commodity that the global market may not be willing to pay.

ICI initiated operation seizing Co-linked luxury carsThe Independent Commission for Infrastructure temporarily holds custody of eight luxury vehicles linked to former congressman Zaldy Co, which are now parked at the ICI’s compound in Taguig City. MANILA, Philippines — The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) received a tip during the holiday season that 15 luxury cars, owned by companies linked to fugitive ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co, were parked in a condominium building in Taguig. After verification, the BOC found nine cars lacked proper documentation and had unpaid taxes and dues, the ICI said. On Thursday night authorities executed search warrants, issued by First Vice Executive Judge Rosalyn Mislos-Loja of the Metro Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 41, and confiscated a total of 12 luxury cars. It’s the first major operation initiated by the ICI in 2026, amid rumors that the fact-finding body could already cease to exist.

• Megawide Construction (MWIDE) follows BLOOM closely with forecasted earnings growth of 119.5 percent. Renewable energy businesses benefit from long-term contracts and predictable cash flows once projects are operational. • Cosco Capital (COSCO), with forecasted earnings growth of 59.7 percent, offers a different type of opportunity. • Monde Nissin (MONDE), to deliver 45.4 percent annual earnings growth; produces widely consumed food products across Asia and Western markets. Also good buys are other mining stocks but they have risen dramatically in value in recent months.

DOTr to LTO: Suspend driver’s license confiscationIn a memorandum dated Jan. 9, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez instructed the LTO to halt the confiscation of licenses during apprehensions and to review all existing issuances to ensure uniform implementation of policies nationwide. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transport has ordered the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to immediately suspend the confiscation of driver’s licenses in cases involving traffic violations, while new procedures are being streamlined. In a memorandum dated Jan. 9, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez instructed the LTO to halt the confiscation of licenses during apprehensions and to review all existing issuances to ensure uniform implementation of policies nationwide. “This means that holidays and long weekends are not included in the counting of days when a driver is settling a violation,” Lopez said. “The new memorandum circular shall take effect immediately,” the agency said.

Let’s grow our own mushroomsFor generations, many Filipinos believed that mushrooms sprout only after a thunderstorm. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, my plantita daughter started growing mushrooms from fruiting bags. It was fascinating to watch how mushrooms grow overnight, are harvested daily and cooked into delicious dishes like mushroom sinigang and my favorite – mushroom tempura. Made as a compact, automated cabinet-style setup, it allows individuals, schools and small businesses to easily grow mushrooms. This should interest small entrepreneurs, young people, housewives and plantitos and plantitas to grow mushrooms at home.

ROW for metro subway 90 percent cleared at end-2025MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has secured 90 percent of the right of way or ROW for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) as of the end of 2025, picking up the slack for a railway that is now behind by years. Based on its year-end report, the DOTr has acquired 90.76 percent of ROW for the subway as of 2025, with properties cleared in business districts and exclusive villages. Given this, acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez views 2025 as a banner year for the DOTr in ROW procurement. He said it would benefit commuters the most if ROW problems in the MMSP and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) are settled. It is also working on ROW procurement for NSCR’s southern curve, with land cleared for four of the 19 stations, namely, in EDSA; Cabuyao and Sta.

Business opportunitiesWhat are the top business trends in 2026? Business advisory group Philippine Hub Partners recently identified several high-growth industries that are shaping the country’s economy and are creating fresh opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors alike. The same e-Conomy report revealed that e-commerce remained the backbone of the Philippine digital economy, accounting for over 60 percent of the industry’s total GMV. It explained that the pandemic spurred this transformation, with more people investing in health-conscious choices and digital health care tools. The country’s combination of creativity, tech-savvy talent and affordability makes it a hotspot for outsourced digital marketing services,” it said.

More M&A deals expected this yearMANILA, Philippines — Merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in the Philippines are expected to increase this year after deal activity saw a slowdown in 2025 with investors being strategically selective, according to a report by PwC Philippines. In its M&A Report 2025, PwC Philippines said the country recorded 74 M&A transactions as of Dec. 4, 2025 with a total deal value of $4.6 billion, lower than the 113 deals registered in 2024 worth $8.6 billion. A total deal value of $1.9 billion from 22 deals was recorded in the energy and natural resources sector. Compared to other countries in Southeast Asia, M&A deals in the Philippines ranked fifth in terms of value behind Singapore ($31.7 billion from 336 deals), Malaysia ($7.3 billion from 147 deals), Vietnam ($6.9 billion from 94 deals) and Indonesia ($6.2 billion from 102 deals). “Philippine M&A trends last year indicated our resilience points and opportunity strongholds,” PwC Philippines M&A and corporate finance partner Trissy Rogacion said.

Bato’s paid Senate absence an injustice to workers – ACTMANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers yesterday criticized Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa for his prolonged absence from the Senate, calling it a brazen dereliction of duty, an abuse of privilege and betrayal of public trust. ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo urged Senate leaders to stop coddling the absentee lawmaker and immediately impose sanctions, including disciplinary action tantamount to dismissal. Bernardo cited reports that Dela Rosa has not reported for Senate work since Nov. 11, 2025, yet continues to receive his full salary, benefits and perks – an arrangement she described as an obscene display of entitlement funded by the taxes of struggling Filipino workers and teachers. She challenged Dela Rosa to stop hiding and face the consequences of his actions, daring him to “reunite with his former commander-in-chief, Rodrigo Duterte, who is now detained by the ICC to stand trial for crimes against humanity.”The continued Senate inaction would only fuel public outrage and further erode trust in government, she added.

Fuel price cut seen amid possible higher Venezuelan outputAfter four days of trading in the Mean of Platts Singapore, local industry experts said diesel could drop by P0.10 to P0.30 per liter, while gasoline may hold steady or dip by P0.20 per liter. MANILA, Philippines — Domestic pump prices are expected to fall next week, as plans to sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil have fueled concerns over global oversupply. “Oil prices edged lower this week as markets weighed the possibility of higher Venezuelan crude output, reinforcing expectations of ample global supply amid weak demand,” Rodela Romero, assistant director at the Department of Energy, said. Earlier this week, US president Donald Trump announced that Caracas would deliver 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to Washington. Final price adjustments will be announced on Monday and will take effect the following day.

Angara says Palace told him: No Cabinet revampMANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara yesterday said that Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has already denied that there will be a revamp in the Cabinet of President Marcos. Then the Presidential Management Staff secretary also told me there is none,” he said when asked about the supposed Cabinet shake-up. He refused to identify the source of the Cabinet revamp rumor. Castro explained why her denial of a rumored Cabinet revamp has a “for now” qualifier. “But if there actually is a Cabinet revamp, it will start from us and we will announce it.

94 percent see widespread corruption in government – Pulse AsiaStudents from various universities join the class walk out and gather along Mendiola Street in Manila on Friday, October 17, 2025, to participate in the protest against corruption. MANILA, Philippines — Although slightly lower than in a previous poll, almost all Filipinos still believe that corruption is widespread in the government. Pulse Asia’s Dec. 12 to 15 survey found that 94 percent of the respondents see widespread corruption in the government, slightly down from 97 percent in a similar poll conducted in September. In the recent survey, 71 percent said corruption was “very widespread,” while 24 percent said it was “somewhat” widespread. One percent said corruption is not widespread, almost similar to 0.6 percent in the previous poll, while five percent said they cannot say if it is widespread or not, up from two percent.

The truth that every Bar examinee knows, but the world often forgets, is simple: No one becomes a lawyer alone. A family shares a group hug during the release of the 2025 Bar exam results at the Supreme Court. Then there is the village within the walls of the law school: the classmates who turn from competitors into comrades. In a world that prizes "solo survival," the Bar exam is actually a testament to shared struggle. The 2025 Bar exam results were released on Jan. 7.