Good morning. Let’s get straight into it.
Here is what we are tracking in today’s newsletter:
National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag launched an inquiry into businessman Jaime T. Cruz regarding his corporate connections to Vice President Sara Duterte’s family and a vanishing Chinese associate.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged Filipino households to actively collect rainwater and plant home vegetable gardens to prepare for severe Super El Niño dry spells.
Civil society groups Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition and People’s Budget Coalition criticized the House of Representatives for lack of transparency in passing the 2027 national budget bill.
NBI Probes Businessman Jaime Cruz
Coverage: Politics & National Security
When corporate paper trails start linking political dynasties to vanishing foreign associates, state investigators take notice. National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that agents are probing businessman Jaime T. Cruz over his ties to entities associated with Vice President Sara Duterte and her family.
The investigation is zeroing in on Cale88 Foods Corp., where a Chinese national named Ang Hai Peng held key corporate positions before abruptly disappearing without a trace. The NBI is investigating potential foreign financial inflows to assess potential national security risks, while simultaneously reviewing 121 property records across Davao linked to the Duterte family. While defense attorneys dismiss the claims as political theater, investigators insist that following the money remains a top administrative priority.
Marcos Urges Super El Niño Prep
Coverage: Climate & Domestic Policy
If you think dry spells only affect rural farmlands, Malacañang is offering a reality check for city households. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly called on citizens to gear up for an incoming Super El Niño by taking direct personal action at home.
Rather than relying solely on large-scale infrastructure projects, the President suggested simple household measures like setting up rainwater collection systems and starting backyard vegetable plots to hedge against sudden crop shortages. With water levels dropping across major reservoirs and agricultural yield risks mounting nationwide, executive officials hope that combining municipal supply management with grassroots preparation will soften the blow of severe seasonal heatwaves.
Watchdogs Slam 2027 Budget Bill
Coverage: Business & Government Finance
Whenever billions of taxpayers’ money move behind closed doors, budget watchdogs raise red flags. The People’s Budget Coalition and the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition issued a joint critique against the House of Representatives over transparency gaps in the approval of the 2027 national budget bill.
Watchdogs pointed out that for every P100 spent in the proposed budget, over P15 goes toward cash aid programs and unprogrammed funds lacking publicly verifiable work plans. Highlighting doubled infrastructure allocations in the Department of Public Works and Highways, civil society groups are urging President Marcos to veto questionable line items before the spending bill completes its legislative journey through the Senate.
That’s it for today. We hope this informed you today so you can be the smartest person in the room.