Investagrams – Page 28 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Las Piñas City Congressman Santos Says Zapote River Drive Narrowed Waterway and Made Flooding Worse

September 5, 2025August 29, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, Congressman Mark Santos visited the Zapote River Drive and pointed out that the construction of the road made the waterway narrower and resulted in worse flooding in recent times, according to a GMA Network news report.

For the newcomers reading this, the Zapote River stretches for several kilometers and it physically separates Las Piñas City from Bacoor City (Cavite province). The Zapote River Drive itself was constructed to decongest traffic in Las Piñas City.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…

The construction of a road along the Zapote River in Las Piñas City has narrowed the waterway and worsened flooding in parts of the city, according to a lawmaker.

In Maki Pulido’s Thursday report on “24 Oras,” a resident of Barangay Zapote 2 said floodwater enters their home during heavy rains.

Due to the rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) in July, several areas in Las Piñas City were submerged in the ensuing floods.

According to Las Piñas Rep. Anthony Santos, there is a flood control project for the Zapote River, one of the major waterways in the city. But instead of dredging and cleaning the river, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) constructed a road alongside the river.

As a result, Santos said the river became narrower and prone to faster overflowing, causing more floods in different areas of the city.

“Malaki po ang inoccupy nito doon sa Zapote River kung saan makikita natin ngayon na medyo nabawasan yung puwang o luwang ng river na nagdudulot ngayon ng problema dito sa Las Piñas nung raw na mas malapad ito mas maraming tubig ang dumadaloy,” Santos said.

(The road occupies a larger portion of the Zapote River. The width of the river is now smaller, which is causing problems here in Las Piñas. When it was wider, more water was able to flow.)

The DPWH is currently repairing riprap after a portion of it collapsed.

“Itong river na ito, hindi dapat tinayuan para gawing kalsada. Ito po ay para linisin lang ang river, pero kita niyo ang nag initiate na predecessors ko. Conflict of interest po, very clear po dito, kasi lahat ng kalsadang dinaanan papunta sa mga lupa nila ng mga Villar kasi nagpagawa bridge papunta sa mga property nila. Ang dulo nito ay isang malaking mall na pag aari ng pamilya Villar,” Santos said.

(Roads were not supposed to be constructed alongside the river. It was intended for just cleaning the river, but look at what my predecessors did. It’s very clear that there is a conflict of interest because all the constructed roads lead to the properties of the Villars. At the end of this road is a mall owned by the Villar family.)

According to Santos, the road construction began in 2012 and now stretches to at least 10 kilometers.

Posters along Las Piñas Zapote Road indicate the road is a project by siblings and senators Mark Villar and Camille Villar-Genuino and their mother, former senator Cynthia Villar.

Santos won the congressional seat against the elder Villar during the 2025 Philippine elections.

“Wala naman pong kwestyun kung sino mag be-benefit dito e nag re-reklamo mga kababayan ko sa baha (there is no question who will benefit from this project, but the people are complaining about the floods),” Santos said.

Roads were also built alongside the city’s creeks, including Talong Creek in Barangay Pulang Dos.

According to a resident, in 2024, the retaining wall collapsed due to the volume of water and accumulated garbage in the narrower creek.

“Gumiba siya. Nag breach aming wall pinasok kami tubig. May portion pa na neck-deep. Kinakatakot namin papasok na naman tag-ulan wala na natutulog dito,” resident Elmer Pascual said, adding that their subdivision experienced flooding for the first time.

(The wall collapsed after it was breached by the water. In some areas, the floodwaters rose to neck-deep levels. We’re concerned that it might happen again during the rainy season.)

In a statement, Cynthia Villar said the Las Piñas Zapote River Drive is a flood control and traffic decongestion project to rehabilitate the Las Piñas River.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Have you ever traveled along the Zapote River Drive in Las Piñas City? Are you convinced that the Zapote River Drive made the river narrower and made flooding worse? Do you think the Zapote River Drive succeeded in decongesting traffic within the city? Do you live in a residential community bordering the Zapote River?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Two Vietnamese Nationals Arrested in Parañaque For Operating Illegal Cosmetic Clinic

September 4, 2025August 27, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Parañaque, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested two Vietnamese nationals for the operation of an illegal cosmetic clinic, according to a news report by the Daily Tribune. This development is similar with what happened to an abortion clinic that was raided in Parañaque in 2023.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Daily Tribune. Some parts in boldface…

Personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation–Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD) arrested two Vietnamese nationals in Parañaque City on 15 August for illegally practicing medicine and offering unauthorized cosmetic procedures.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the suspects as Nguyen The Thang and Mai Quy Loc, who also used the alias “Dr. Do Thi Binh.” They operated a beauty clinic where they performed procedures such as chin fillers, liposuction, rhinoplasty, and facelifts without proper authorization. The NBI acted on a tip about their activities, which violated the Medical Act of 1959 (R.A. No. 2382) and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (R.A. No. 10175).

Agents posed as clients and confirmed the suspects were advertising their services online. Verification with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) revealed that “Dr. Do Thi Binh” had no Special Temporary Permit (STP) or Special Permit (SP) to practice medicine in the Philippines.

During the entrapment operation, the NBI seized medical equipment and supplies used in their illegal clinic. The suspects now face multiple charges, including: Illegal practice of medicine (under R.A. No. 2382 and R.A. No. 10175), Sale of unregistered and misbranded health products (under the FDA Act, R.A. No. 9711), Unauthorized dispensing of pharmaceutical products (under the Philippine Pharmacy Act, R.A. No. 10918)

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think there could still be a lot more illegal operations being done by foreigners? What do you think makes Parañaque an attractive place for foreign criminals to put up illegal operations?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Trump’s America Is a Shining Example of Solving The Illegal Immigration Crisis

September 4, 2025August 29, 2025carlocarrasco

There is no doubt that United States President Donald Trump and his administration have successfully secured their borders as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed during a recent cabinet meeting that absolutely zero illegals entered their country over the past three months, according to a Newsmax news report.

Trump’s America not only succeeded in securing the borders, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants with criminal records, other illegal immigrants volunteered to be deported back to where they came from, the safety of the citizens has improved and more citizens have gotten employed this year. Homeland security is working in tandem with the other departments of the government such as Defense, Justice and Immigration. These developments are indeed change that Americans and Trump supports can believe in.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface.

The U.S. has gone three straight months without an illegal immigrant entering the country and 1.6 million inside the country have self-deported, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday.

Noem, speaking during a Cabinet meeting that aired live on Newsmax and the Newsmax2 free online streaming platform, thanked President Donald Trump for his support and said that her department is following through on his campaign promise to make America safe again.

“Today, the average family and individual that lives in this country is safer than they’ve been in years because of what you’ve done,” Noem said. “We’ve gone three months in a row now with zero illegal aliens coming into this country.“

Noem also thanked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for helping her agency with border enforcement.

“They’re down at the border with us, still helping us keep that border secure and make sure we know who’s coming into this country,” she said. “You’ve arrested and brought to justice hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, criminals that have perpetuated violence against American people. Sir, you’ve had 1.6 million people voluntarily go home to their home countries that were here in this country illegally. Because of your strong message and you enforcing the law, they decided to go home on their own so that they could come back the right way someday and be American citizens.

“But what I think is one of the most remarkable statistics is that under Joe Biden’s administration, 88% of new jobs went to foreign born individuals. Under your administration, 2.5 [million] Americans have jobs today that they didn’t under the previous administration. And they have those jobs because you created opportunities.

“You made this country safe. You opened up the economy. You enforced the law. Now people can get up and provide for their families and go to work every day and be confident in that.“

Noem also talked about the savings made on the president’s immigration crackdown, noting it cost American taxpayers between $8,000 and $9,000 to support each illegal immigrant “in what they were taking out of our social programs, out of Social Security.”

“You saved this country billions of dollars, about $15 billion just in what those illegal aliens were costing us in social programs,” Noem said. “I’ve cut over 450 different contracts at the Department of Homeland Security. We’re getting rid of corrupt ones, ones that were not efficient for taxpayers, weren’t focused on our mission of keeping us safe. And we’ve also renegotiated and brought in our biggest vendors and said, you have to do better.

“And we’ve saved the taxpayers over $13 billion doing that, as well. So, we’re continuing to be accountable with taxpayer dollars [and] focused on doing the mission of what you’ve committed, and that’s to keep us safe and to make sure we put Americans first.”

Trump appeared pleased to hear Noem’s report, thanking Noem, Hegseth and Tom Homan, his point man for mass deportations and border security.

Wow! What was revealed during the cabinet meeting was indeed a bunch of breakthroughs. The Trump administration is truly progressing with its immigration policies, economic efforts and putting Americans first. 2025 still has a few months left and already the United States is blossoming and has established itself as the shining example of solving the illegal immigration crisis and preventing foreigners from trespassing into the country.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you like what the Trump administration is doing with regards to border security, illegal immigration, job creation and the wellbeing of American citizens? Are you still surrounded by people who love illegal immigrants while they keep on attacking the Trump administration for serving the American people? How many people in your local community still follow the Democrats and the Islamo-Leftists?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Las Piñas City Congressman Santos Says Over 40 DPWH Projects Lack Permits From City Government

September 3, 2025August 26, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, Congressman Mark Santos revealed that more than forty projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the city lacked permits from the City Government, according to a BusinessMirror news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessMirror news report. Some parts in boldface…

Las Pinas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos revealed that a total of 42 construction projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), amounting to millions of pesos, were found to have been carried out without the required permits.

Citing acting City Engineer Michael Aguilar, Santos said that the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office, failed to secure any building permits from the city government when the projects commenced earlier this year.

Santos, citing the district office, noted that of the projects inspected, 19 have already been completed while seven are still undergoing construction. Fifteen projects with ongoing activities were promptly issued notices of violation, while one project has stopped construction after being served with the same notice.

The City Engineering Office has directed the concerned private contractors and government offices to immediately secure the required building, electrical, and plumbing permits, along with zoning and barangay clearances, the lawmaker said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the mentioned projects in Las Piñas City will be able to get completed in the near future?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Free HIV Self-Test Kits Offered by Muntinlupa City Government

September 2, 2025August 26, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government announced that it is offering free HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) self-test kits to the public, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Registration for the kits is ongoing.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government is offering free HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) self-test kits to the public.

The HIV self-test kits are available at the Muntinlupa Reproductive Health and Wellness Clinic located at the Laguerta Health Center on Centennial Avenue in Laguerta, Tunasan.

To avail of the free HIV self-test kit, people need to register at https://tinyurl.com/sfr3yz2. They need to wait for the call or text from the clinic staff to verify their request. They will receive a confirmation text for the delivery of the kit.

“Ang pag-sumite ng iyong resulta ay mahalaga upang ikaw ay higit na matulungan. Bisitahin ang https://tinyurl.com/3yurw32m upang i-report ang iyong resulta (Submitting your results is important so that we can help you further. Visit https://tinyurl.com/3yurw32m to report your results),” the clinic posted on Facebook.

The instruction on how to use to the HIV self-test kit is available at https://alere.wistia.com/medias/guyym62w5j.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you need an HIV test kit? Are there many members in your local community who need the kits?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Vietnam-based Thien Long to invest almost $3 million in the Philippines

September 2, 2025August 26, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently the Vietnam-based office supplies company Thien Long announced that it will be investing almost $3 million in the Philippines as it is expanding in the Southeast Asian region, according to a news report by VnExpress.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Vietnamese office supplies company Thien Long plans to invest US$2.8 million in the Philippines as part of efforts to expand in Southeast Asia.

It will establish the Flex Office Philippines brand to distribute stationary products imported from Vietnam, according to a recent announcement.

In an interview with VnExpress in April, the company’s chairman, Co Gia Tho, had outlined plans to gain a bigger share of the Southeast Asian stationary market.

In recent years the pen and stationery market in the region has been shrinking, with businesses shifting to more profitable industries, offering Thien Long the chance to expand overseas, he said.

Exports currently account for 20% of the company’s sales, and have been growing in double digits over the last decade, reaching VND1 trillion ($38 million) for the first time in 2024.

The management aims to increase this share in the coming years through a “glocalization” strategy, leveraging domestic strengths and adapting them for international markets.

In May, through a subsidiary, it acquired Phuong Nam Cultural Corporation, which operates a chain of nearly 50 bookstores.

The management said the purchase is a strategic step to develop new product categories, particularly toys and lifestyle consumer goods, on which the company has been focusing in recent years.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Have you ever heard of Thien Long before? Do you think the Vietnam-based office supplies company will succeed with its $2.8 million investment in the Philippines?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 34

September 1, 2025August 24, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1970s to the 1990s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. North American Pac-Mania arcade flyer

Released in 1987, Pac-Mania became a big hit among critics, fans and casual arcade gamers which added a lot to the enduring popularity of the Pac-Man game franchise. As it featured a new game design with an oblique perspective and a more 3D feel, Pac-Mania was a very serious attempt on reinventing the Pac-Man formula. For the American market, Namco licensed the game to Atari which in turn came up with the above arcade flyer that had a pretty eye-catching front cover artwork showcasing the iconic Pac-Man jumping out from a maze with the line “I’m back,…and bouncing.” The arcade cabinet was also shown and a clear message about the 3D feature of the game was shown. The other side of the flyer showed screenshots and details that are worth reading. This arcade flyer still looks attractive and informative by today’s standards.

2. Japanese Missile Command arcade flyer

*Cocktail arcade tables were popular in Japan and Taito brought Missile Command with the format.*

Missile Command is a true arcade classic which I always enjoy replaying (read my retro review by clicking here). It was an instant hit in arcades in America and after Atari licensed the game to Sega and Taito for the arcades of Japan, it also achieved huge success there. Along the way, Taito released Missile Command with an cocktail arcade table format which is common in Japan. The arcade flyer Taito came up with had a very simplistic presentation of details, an image of the cocktail arcade table and one screenshot of the game. The Japanese arcade flyer clearly lacks excitement but at least it gave gamers and arcade operators a clear idea of what to expect with Missile Command.

3. Atari 2600 print ad

When the Atari 2600 was first launched in 1977, it was officially called the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS). The Atari company really aimed high to sell a lot of consoles to as many households as possible and they came up with a print ad like this one from 1978. While the Atari 2600 and its games were displayed, the image of a father, mother and daughter showed that the company not only targeted American families but also want to change home entertainment to be more interactive. This old ad is truly an inspired piece of work.

4. Kool-Aid Man video game print ad

*I never played the Kool-Aid Man video game.*

There was a time when Kool-Aid was such a popular drink, the character Kool-Aid Man debuted in 1974 after initially starting as the Pitcher Man. A short time later, merchandising featuring the character followed and in 1983 the official Kool-Aid Man video game was released on the Atari 2600 and the Intellivision. This particular print ad appeared in some comic books I read a very long time ago and it offered customers the opportunity to get the game free by sending 125 proof-of-purchase points to the company by mail. This old ad was visually striking and was a creative way to boost sales of the drink.

5. Spider-Man Atari 2600 game print ad

*Spider-Man and Green Goblin with the Atari 2600 and the TV.*

Even though the controls were rough and the game’s difficulty really went high with each new session, my friends and I still enjoyed playing the Spider-Man video game on Atari 2600 from Parker Brothers. Apart from the comic book-style print ads they came up with to promote the game, Parker Brothers went on to make this particular ad featuring Spider-Man and the Green Goblin with a TV set, the game and the Atari 2600 together all presented with a totally different art style. This is still a fun ad to look at.

6. Phoenix game print ad

After playing shooter-type games like Space Invaders and Centipede on the Atari 2600, my friends and I experienced something familiar yet fresh with Phoenix. Atari secured from Taito the rights to make the Atari 2600 port of the game, and they came up with a dark print ad that showcased the official painted art work, a portion of the video game’s box and the line “Arm Your Missiles…Charge Up Your Shields! Phoenix is coming!” Having played the game many times, those highlighted words really captured the essence of Phoenix gameplay.

7. Sunset Riders North American arcade flyer

Released in arcades in 1991, Sunset Riders was a critical and commercial hit raking in more success to Konami. For the American arcades, Konami came up with this print ad showing a creepy looking cowboy carrying a bag of money (related to the “strike it rich” line) with his donkey with him. The rear of the ad shows another photograph of 3 cowboys on their horses, the four screenshots and the creative text description. Too bad we don’t see flyers like this anymore.

8. Parker Brothers’ 6-game print ad

Quite arguably, Parker Brothers was the 2^nd most prominent publisher of video games on the Atari 2600 console next to Atari itself. Out of the six games presented in this old print ad, I only played Spider-Man and Super Cobra. Each game’s box had a unique art style and collectively they made this ad look exciting. Times were really different back in the 1980s.

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UA&P Sees Stronger Q3 Economic Growth for the Philippines Despite Trump Tariffs

September 1, 2025August 25, 2025carlocarrasco

As far as the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) is concerned, the economy of the Philippines will still grow stronger in the 3^rd quarter by 5.8% despite the 19% Trump tariffs, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…

PHILIPPINE economic growth may pick up in the third quarter despite higher US tariffs and “milder” typhoons, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said.

“Despite the Trump tariffs, milder typhoon season will help accelerate GDP expansion in Q3 to 5.8%, given a low base in 2024,” it said in its latest The Market Call released on Friday.

If realized, this would be faster than 5.2% in the third quarter of 2024 and 5.5% print in the second quarter. This forecast is also within the government’s revised 5.5% to 6.5% target this year.

“Consumer spending remains strong, aided by low inflation but limited by new US taxes on OFW (overseas Filipino Worker) remittances,” UA&P said.

Inflation cooled to a near six-year low of 0.9% in July as utilities and food costs continued to ease. This brought the seven-month average to 1.7%, slightly below the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2-4% target band.

UA&P said government infrastructure spending may also regain momentum in the third quarter. This was after state spending slumped due to the 45-day election ban on public works spending from March 28 to May 12.

UA&P said residential construction will remain subdued due to elevated policy and interest rates.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has so far lowered borrowing costs by a total of 125 basis points (bps) since it began its easing cycle in August last year. The policy rate now stands at 5.25%.

UA&P said the US dollar rate will “move either way” depending on rate cuts by the BSP and the US Federal Reserve.

“The peso-dollar rate has a fundamental depreciation bias although it will depend much on extent and timing of policy rate cuts by BSP and the Fed,” it said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines will be able to grow stronger in the 3^rd quarter even though the 19% Trump tariffs are already in effect? Do you see any signs of Philippine exports to America slowing down already?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippines Seeking US Tariff Exemptions For Agricultural Commodities, Electronics and More

August 31, 2025August 30, 2025carlocarrasco

Remember the big meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., over a month ago? A 19% tariff by America on Philippine goods was set and now the government of the Philippines is seeking exemptions specifically for exports of agricultural commodities, electronics, vehicle tires, bags and aircraft parts, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…

THE PHILIPPINES is asking the US to exempt exports of agricultural products and other goods from the 19% tariff imposed by US President Donald J. Trump, a Trade official said on Thursday.

Trade Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said the government is seeking US tariff exemptions for exports of agricultural commodities, electronics, vehicle tires, bags and aircraft parts.

“We submitted a list of products we asked the US to exempt from the imposed tariff rates, because these are key and complementary items. And some of them, in fact, are not even produced or manufactured there (in the US),” he told senators at a Senate briefing on the tariff set by Washington on Philippine exports.

“The immediate need right now is we want to negotiate for an exemption, because we want to protect our industries whose main export market is the US,” he added.

The US began imposing a 19% tariff on Philippine goods starting Aug. 7.

“We already submitted to the US the products that should be exempted from the reciprocal tariffs,” he said.

Mr. Gepty said about 23% of the country’s total exports to the US are exempted from the 19% tariff.

In June, the United States was the top destination for Philippine-made goods amounting to $1.22 billion, 35.2% higher from the same month a year ago. Around 53% of the Philippines’ total exports to the US were semiconductors and electronics, Mr. Gepty said.

The US has yet to set new global tariffs for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Mr. Trump had earlier said he plans to announce higher tariffs on imports of semiconductors, but companies that plan to build manufacturing facilities in the US would be exempted.

“Ninety-nine percent of our semiconductors as of now are still exempted, there’s still no problem” he said. “If the 100% continues, that’s a big problem,” he added.

Mr. Gepty said most of the semiconductors are made by US companies in the Philippines and exported to the US. He noted the higher tariffs would pose problems for the US supply chain, particularly for its defense industry.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has not formally granted zero tariffs on US products, as negotiations over a reciprocal trade agreement remain ongoing, he said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Do you think the Philippines will succeed in getting an exemption from the Trump tariff on key exports?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Muntinlupa City Government Prohibits Names and Images of Local Officials on Projects and Programs

August 30, 2025August 21, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government approved a key ordinance that specifically prohibits putting the names and photos of local officials on local programs and projects of the government, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government has passed an ordinance that prohibits putting names and photos of local officials on government-funded infrastructures, programs, and projects.

Ordinance No. 2025-004, also known as the “Anti-Epal Ordinance of Muntinlupa City,” will prohibit the “marking or installation of identifiers such as names, initials, aliases, insignias, logos, images of incumbent government officials on infrastructure, programs, or projects funded by government appropriations.”

It was signed by Mayor Ruffy Biazon after the measure was passed by the Muntinlupa City Council.

One basis of the ordinance is a 2010 memorandum of the Department of the Interior and Local Government that banned the names, initials or photos of government officials on billboards and signages of government programs and properties.

“Elected and appointed government officials have engaged in the practice of displaying their names, logos, insignias, and even photographs on government-funded projects and programs facilitated by their office and administration during their term. In reality, such projects are fully funded by taxes collected from the Filipino people, making this act clearly contrary to the law,” the ordinance noted.

It added, “the City Government of Muntinlupa firmly upholds the principle that all government programs and projects are funded by public money and must not be used as platforms for self-promotion or political propaganda by any public official, and asserts that such acts undermine the integrity of public service and mislead the people.”

Under the ordinance, government officials refer to “any person, appointed or elected to government service at the city or barangay level, whose office is given the authority, privilege or right to identify, administer, implement, coordinate or propose a government program or projects.”

Government project, as used in the ordinance, refers “to all current and future government infrastructure, engineering works and service contracts, and other related and necessary activities such as site acquisition, supply and/or installation of equipment and materials, implementation, construction, completion, operation, maintenance, improvement, repair and rehabilitation, funded from local sources.”

Government program refers to “all current and future government projects providing the delivery of any basic or special services, falling under all programs of social outreach and services, anti-poverty measures, educational, infrastructure, livelihood, and all Other programs that utilize government funding and resources for the provision of giving any tangible or intangible support to the citizenry, and other related and necessary activities or all Muntinlupenos.”

Public works include “the construction, improvement, rehabilitation, repair, restoration, or maintenance of sidewalks, walkways, roads and bridges, irrigation, flood control and drainage, water supply, sanitation, sewerage and solid waste management systems, shore protection, school buildings, hospital buildings, public buildings, public parks, sports facilities, waiting sheds, and lamp posts, which are funded, wholly or partly, through public funds expended by the local government.”

Prohibited acts under the ordinance include “naming after or marking with the initials, alias, insignia, logo, or image of an incumbent elected local government official on government projects or programs funded by public funds; affixing, or causing to be affixed, the name, initials, alias, insignia, logo, or image of any incumbent local government official to a signage announcing a proposed, on-going, or existing public works project funded through government appropriations;” and “installing, or causing to be installed, signage/s announcing the maintenance, rehabilitation, and/or construction of public works crediting any incumbent local elected government official, or bearing his or her name, initials, alias, insignia, logo, or image for the maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction of such public works funded by public funds.”

Also prohibited are “attaching any stickers that contains the name, initials, alias, insignia, logo, or image to property owned or items given away by the city government and barangays that were bought using public funds including but not limited to vehicles, relief goods, supplies, equipment and the like; and putting the image or picture of local officials in business license plates and permits.”

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you glad that the City Government approved the anti epal ordinance? Do you think the approved new ordinance will make Muntinlupa a shining example for other cities dealing with pride and vanity of local officials on projects, programs and infrastructure?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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