Survey: Chiz Escudero highest-rated Senator-Judge in Impeachment Court

CEBU CITY — Senate President and impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero emerged as the highest-rated senator-judge in the first Pulso Intelligence Senator-Judge Scorecard, with the public giving him top marks for trust, performance, and fairness.

In the nationwide survey conducted August 15 to 16 among 1,500 Filipinos of legal age, Escudero scored an overall 2.92 out of a possible 3.00.  Pulso Intelligence said Escudero led in all three dimensions: 2.95 in performance, 2.89 in trust, and 2.89 in fairness.

“Upon taking oath as presiding officer, I vowed to champion impartiality and constitutional fidelity,” Escudero said. “I will uphold the fairness and integrity of this process and see it through to its proper conclusion, without fear or favor.”

Following Escudero in the maiden scorecard were: Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go - 2.86; Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano - 2.85; Sen. Bam Aquino - 2.82; Sen. Robin Padilla - 2.81. 

The lowest-rated were: Sen. Joel Villanueva - 2.44; Sen. Migz Zubiri - 2.48; Sen. JV Ejercito - 2.51; Sen. Tito Sotto - 2.56; Sen. Erwin Tulfo - 2.56.

Pulso stressed the ratings reflect public perception of conduct, not a prediction of the trial’s outcome.

The same survey gauged public opinion on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.  Forty-nine percent of respondents lean toward acquittal, 34 percent favor a guilty verdict, and 17 percent remain neutral.

Escudero earlier reminded his colleagues that removing an elected official is “among the most drastic acts our constitutional democracy can undertake,” and urged senator-judges, prosecutors, and defense counsels to refrain from public commentary and to observe the “cold neutrality of an impartial judge.”

Pulso Intelligence said it will release a weekly scorecard throughout the impeachment trial based on weighted samples of 1,500 respondents nationwide. (Photos courtesy of the Office of Sen. Chiz Escuredo)

DTI-7 pushes coco biz in Cebu for value-adding products as PH targets top coco exporter spot

CEBU CITY — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region VII urged coconut farmers to shift from selling raw nuts to building brands and higher-value products as it opened the 2026 Coco Negosyo – Cebu Coconut Market Expo on August 20 at Ayala Center Cebu, gathering 25 CFIDP-vetted MSMEs and farmers registered under the National Coconut Farmers Registry System to showcase coconut oil, beverages, soaps, snacks, and handicrafts.

Held in celebration of the 40th National Coconut Week with the theme “Lubi, Bahandi sa Kinaiyahan, Kusog sa Panginabuhian.”  The expo runs from August 20-23 and beyond the 25-booth Coco Bazaar, the expo includes a Techno Forum, training on costing and online marketing, cooperative development, a Women Farmers Forum, and coconut painting activities.

DTI-7 Acting-Assistant Regional Director Epifania Suralta said that the expo is part of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan that aims to move farmers beyond production.

“The growth of the coconut industry cannot rest on one agency or one sector alone,” Suralta said. “It requires the collective efforts of our farmers, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, government agencies, business organizations, development partners, and consumers.”

Suralta added that there is a need to help the coconut farmers and entrepreneurs move from being producers of raw materials to becoming coco entrepreneurs, creating higher-value products, building brands, developing innovative products, and accessing markets where they can earn more from their hard work.

She noted the future depends “not only on how much coconut is produced, but also on how much value can be created from it.”  

To support that, DTI-7 links exhibitors to Negosyo Centers for advisory, OTOP Philippines for product development on packaging and standards, and Shared Service Facilities (SSF) for equipment to improve quality and productivity.

“Market access must be accompanied by capability,” Suralta emphasized, urging enterprises to improve pricing, branding, and digital marketing to compete.  The push comes as the Philippines works to reclaim its spot as the world’s top coconut exporter.

Finance Secretary Frederick Go said in February the government is using the Coconut Levy Fund to revive the industry, noting the PH is currently the 2nd largest exporter of coconuts globally and sees “a lot of opportunity” to take the lead.

Data shows the sector remains a major economic driver. The Philippines produced 14.506 million metric tons of coconut in 2025, slightly higher than in 2024, and coconut contributes at least 35 percent of total agricultural export earnings from 2013 to 2022.

The industry provides livelihood to over 2.74 million coconut farmers nationwide.  Exports hit a record $3.57 billion in 2025, up 34 percent from $2.66 billion in 2024, driven by coconut oil which alone accounted for $2.87 billion. In H1 2026, coconut-based export revenues rose 12.3 percent to $1.9 billion.

But production remains vulnerable. PSA reported Q4 2025 output fell 3.5 percent year-on-year to 4.022 million MT, and PCA officials warn El Niño could cut productivity by 20 percent as it did in 2024.

While national data leads, Central Visayas is using events like Coco Negosyo to address local gaps. The region is not among the top 3 producing regions — Davao, Northern Mindanao, and Zamboanga Peninsula led 2025 with 1.9M, 1.8M, and 1.7M MT respectively, but it is a key consumption and processing hub.

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA-7) officials said that the government is banking on interventions like fertilization and drip irrigation to offset El Niño impacts, and on shifting exports from 70 percent crude coconut oil to refined and value-added products like VCO, coco water, and coco coir to push revenues toward $4 billion. (Photos courtesy of DTI-7 Cebu)

OMODA/JAECOO brings electrified J5 SUVs to Cebu Motorists

CEBU CITY — Electrified SUVs have officially arrived in Cebu with OMODA/JAECOO Philippines showcasing the JAECOO J5 HEV Hybrid and J5 EV at SM Seaside City Cebu from August 20 to 23, 2026, marking the models’ first public display in Central Visayas with test drives and prizes for the buyers.

“Our goal is to make smarter, more accessible mobility a reality for Filipino drivers nationwide. We’re delivering intelligent in-car features with a seamless ownership experience so customers can embrace the future with confidence,” said Weijia Luo, Vice President of OMODA & JAECOO Motor Philippines at the launching event on Thursday.

The launch gives Cebuano customers their first chance to see both variants up close, learn about features and ownership benefits, and experience the vehicles firsthand.  Public test drives run from August 21 to 23, allowing motorists to try the J5 HEV’s Super-Hybrid System and the J5 EV’s fully electric powertrain.

To mark the debut, OMODA/JAECOO is also rolling out launch promos. Customers can get a chance to win a Vivo V50 daily from August 20 to 23 and those who make full payment during the event may also receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab as a special token, subject to terms and availability, said Rocky Xu, Vice Country Director.

The Cebu showcase is part of OMODA/ JAECOO’s nationwide expansion to bring smart and electrified mobility outside Metro Manila, Xu said the push goes beyond vehicles, with innovations like the AIMOGA humanoid robot and Smart Cockpit technology already launched in other markets, backed by dependable after-sales support.

The JAECOO J5 lineup offers two electrified options: the HEV for drivers who want efficiency without range concerns, and the EV with a 461km NEDC-rated range and a 539.2km real-world range recorded by the Automobile Association of the Philippines.

Gracing the Cebu launch were key executives: Weijia Luo, Vice President of OMODA & JAECOO Motor Philippines; Rocky Xu, Vice Country Director; Joseph Carlo Japson, President and CEO of Eres Automotive; and Cyrus Zoleta, Brand Head of Gateway Group. (Photos: MBCNewman)

 

 

Rose Pharmacy blends savings, family fun at mega sale

CEBU CITY — Shopping for family essentials turned into an interactive weekend getaway as Rose Pharmacy hosted its Mom and Kids Mega Sale on July 29–30, 2026, transforming the Atrium of Robinsons Galleria Cebu into a lively, camping-themed destination.

Designed to go beyond the typical shopping experience, the two-day event offered parents steep discounts of up to 50% on trusted healthcare and childcare brands while giving children a dedicated space to play, create, and explore.

The venue's vibrant campsite design featured several interactive stations, including: Camping-Themed Photo Spot: A festive backdrop for families to capture keepsake photos; Arts & Crafts Corner: A hands-on station for kids to unleash their creativity; Interactive Games & Activities: Group challenges structured to bring parents and children together and Kids Costume Contest: A centerpiece showcase where young participants took the stage in colorful, imaginative outfits.

The event brought together top partner brands alongside Rose Pharmacy to offer exclusive promotions, blending everyday value with entertainment.

“At Rose Pharmacy, we understand that caring for families goes beyond providing trusted healthcare products,” said Michael So, General Manager of Rose Pharmacy Inc. “Through the Mom and Kids Mega Sale, we wanted to create an experience where families could enjoy quality time together while taking advantage of meaningful savings.”

The turnout highlights Rose Pharmacy's ongoing effort to make everyday family care more accessible, engaging, and rewarding for generations of Filipino households. (Photos: Rose Pharmacy)

G Summit 2026 drives Visayas enterprises toward ‘Intelligent Transformation’

 CEBU CITY— As the Visayas region cements its position as a primary driver of national economic growth and a critical conduit for international trade, regional enterprises are navigating increasingly complex operational demands. Managing multi-island operations, cross-island supply chains, and stringent global compliance requirements has placed a spotlight on the need for integrated, future-ready digital systems.

Addressing this strategic need, Globe Business convened the region’s top corporate leaders, utility executives, and technology innovators at G Summit Cebu 2026, held on August 19 at Nustar. Centered on the theme "Orchestrating Intelligence," the event presented a unified vision for "Intelligent Transformation"—a model that shifts enterprises away from fragmented tech upgrades toward a synchronized ecosystem linking cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, telco APIs, and artificial intelligence over a resilient network backbone.

“Technology should be a catalyst for regional growth, not a barrier,” said Glenn Estrella, Vice President of Globe Business. “For the Visayan region, connecting operations across a distributed landscape represents a complex operational undertaking. G Summit Cebu is about aligning with the region's leaders to orchestrate regional resilience that meets global standards.”

The summit featured an executive panel exploring the distinct operational requirements of Visayan industries. Key panellists included: Mark Anthony Kindica, President and General Manager of Visayan Electric Company (VECO); Nilo Arribas, Chief Information Officer of Vivant Corporation and Suzelyn Urbano, Vice President at GCash.

The leaders addressed practical challenges across the region, including coordinating utility and telecom infrastructure for new commercial developments, scaling operations across island markets, and securing high-volume digital transactions.

 Moving beyond high-level strategy, G Summit Cebu 2026 featured four immersive, purpose-built innovation experience rooms, offering attendees hands-on exposure to working prototypes of next-generation enterprise technology:

Orchestrated Infrastructure: Live stress tests demonstrated self-healing networks and quantum-safe protocols capable of automatically mitigating hardware failures and security threats without service disruption—a critical feature for 24/7 IT-BPM hubs and manufacturing facilities across the Visayas.

API Hub, a live demonstration showed zero-friction digital identity verification and credibility scoring using telco APIs. While presented as a digital loan scenario, the underlying framework provides instant onboarding solutions for retail, e-commerce, and tourism sectors.

Cyberheist Room, a floor-to-ceiling projected digital grid immersed executives in multi-vector threat simulations, highlighting how proactive, layered defenses protect sensitive customer data and financial transactions across enterprise platforms and hotel chains.

Gemini Agent Force, focused on deployable AI, this zone allowed executives to build custom enterprise AI agents designed to automate departmental workflows, helping BPOs, food and beverage operators, and SMEs resolve operational bottlenecks in real time.

As the Visayas economy accelerates, Globe Business’s summit highlighted a clear takeaway for regional decision-makers: long-term competitiveness will rely heavily on the cohesion, security, and intelligence built into an enterprise's core digital foundation.

 

 

Globe pushes 'Intelligent Transformation' for PH Enterprises at G Summit in Cebu

 CEBU CITY — Despite downgraded growth forecasts and the slowest GDP expansion in five years, Philippine businesses are entering 2026 with record optimism, Globe Business said Wednesday, August 19 at the G Summit 2026 in Cebu.

Speaking before more than 200 enterprise leaders at G Summit 2026 in NUSTAR Resort & Casino, Globe Chief Marketing Officer KD Dizon framed the year as one of "quiet defiance" and called for a shift from buying disconnected digital tools to what she termed "orchestrating intelligence."

"If you open any news feed, the headlines feel quite heavy," Dizon said. "ADB has growth down to 3.8 percent, IMF to 3.9, OECD to 3.2. Our nation's GDP growth came in at 2.3 percent. Reuters reports this as our slowest growth in five years. But those headlines miss the sheer quiet defiance of the Filipino business leader."

Citing a CPA Australia survey, Dizon said 79 percent of Philippine SMEs grew last year — the strongest result since before the pandemic. This year, 89 percent  expect to grow, the highest expectation among countries surveyed, ahead of Singapore and Australia.

"This room is not a side conversation to the Philippine economy. You are the Filipino economy," Dizon told the audience. "The business sector employs about 29 million Filipinos. That is over 60 percent of our country's workforce, and it generates 45 percent of our GDP."

From Digital Tools to 'One Brain'
Dizon acknowledged that companies have spent the last decade migrating to the cloud, automating operations, and building digital touchpoints.

"But the friction still remains," she said. "When an executive needs a clear cross-departmental answer, for many of you, it still means someone has to go and manually extract three, five different spreadsheets. Over 80 percent of data in modern enterprises still sits locked within silos."

The solution, she said, is "Intelligent Transformation" — moving away from fragmented upgrades toward a connected ecosystem where network, data, AI, cybersecurity and APIs work as one.

"Real transformation means looking at your enterprise as a single living organism," Dizon said. "We are no longer here to stack disconnected digital tools. Our true mandate is to breathe life into every technology investment."

She outlined four pillars: resilient network infrastructure to withstand typhoons and outages, open APIs to connect legacy and modern systems, embedded cybersecurity, and AI as a "master conductor" that turns fragmented data into real-time decisions.

"Instead of reading about supply chain friction or fraud in your end-of-day report, you are able to act on it instantly," she said.

Dizon said G Summit 2026 at NUSTAR serves as the launch platform for Globe’s Intelligent Transformation framework, with live "experience spaces" demonstrating how the integrated approach applies to Philippine use cases.

"Globe Business is not just here to sell bandwidth. We believe connectivity is nation building," she said. "Every cell site we fire up, every fiber that we lay down drives development for our country, one business partnership at a time."

She closed with a call for partnership amid economic headwinds and natural disruptions. "Every single year, a stream of typhoons tests every supply chain, every server room, every promise we have made as a business. Yet we get through it the exact same way we always have — through bayanihan. We show up for one another when the ground gets a little bit unsteady. Let us build, let us scale, and let us master that ecosystem together, Dizon concluded. 

New Health Secretary meets Cebu private hospitals to push UHC reforms

MANDAUE CITY— Acting Health Secretary Dr. Edwin Mercado met with officials of Cebu’s major private tertiary hospitals on August 18 to discuss expanding financial risk protection under Universal Health Care while keeping hospitals financially viable.

The dialogue, held at Oakridge Horizons, brought together administrators from Cebu’s biggest training hospitals: Cebu Doctors' University Hospital, Chong Hua Hospital Cebu, Chong Hua Hospital Mandaue, Healthway Cebu Velez General Hospital, Perpetual Succour Hospital, Southwestern University Medical Center, University of Cebu Medical Center, and VisayasMed Hospital.

Mercado, who previously served as PhilHealth President and CEO, said the engagement was meant to get private sector input on key UHC reforms, particularly new payment mechanisms already envisioned under the UHC Act.

A central topic was the "no co-payment policy." Under the UHC Act, private hospitals are required to dedicate at least 10% of bed capacity to basic or ward accommodations.

Mercado said the policy aims to make hospital care more affordable and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for Filipinos. Hospital representatives raised concerns on implementation, sustainability, and reimbursement rates.

The discussion also covered "prospective payment mechanisms" — a shift from fee-for-service to fixed packages that PhilHealth and the Department of Health are pushing to control costs and improve predictability for both patients and providers.

Mercado presented a proposed "shared agenda" between DOH and private providers. Priority areas include specialty care expansion through the Health Facility Development Plan, aligned with the expansion of PhilHealth Z Benefits for catastrophic illnesses.

Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities programs to be jointly implemented with hospitals; health workforce development, including scholarships for health-related courses, upskilling of primary care doctors, and career progression mapping for Doctors to the Barrios toward leadership roles in primary care teams.

"Private training hospitals play a vital role in the country's healthcare system. They provide specialized medical services and serve as training grounds for future healthcare professionals. We need them as partners if UHC is to work,” Mercado said.

Earlier in the day, Mercado graced the opening of Clinica Prime Cebu’s new Cancer Screening Facility at its Mantlewood branch.  The clinic is now accredited as a PhilHealth YAKAP provider and is the first standalone YAKAP clinic in Central Visayas with a dedicated cancer screening facility.

YAKAP, or "Yaman ng Kalusugan Program," is PhilHealth’s primary care benefit package. The event was facilitated by PhilHealth in coordination with Clinica Prime Cebu, Inc. It was originally planned before Mercado’s appointment as Health Secretary, and officials said it reflects PhilHealth’s continuing commitment to work with private providers.

With the country’s health system under pressure from rising costs and post-pandemic backlogs, DOH said stronger public-private collaboration will be critical to meeting UHC targets by 2028. (Photos: Courtesy of PhilHealth-VII)