Teodoro Leads Opening of ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Joint Cooperative Activity, Future Leaders' Program

OLONGAPO CITY, Zambales, September 21, 2026 – Underscoring the importance of trust, cooperation, and networking among regional partners, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. led the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security's (EWG-MS) Joint Cooperative Activity (JCA) and Future Leaders' Program (FLP) on September 21.

Co-hosted by the Philippines and Japan as co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus EWG-MS, the JCA and FLP will feature a series of harbor and sea phase activities involving personnel, naval assets, ships, and aircraft from eight ADMM-Plus countries from September 20 to 26, 2026. Observers from fellow ASEAN member states and ASEAN dialogue partners were also invited.

"We hope that this exercise will be foundational in two things: number one, learning the procedures or getting familiar with the procedures and working together and cooperation; and secondly, develop, at an early stage, networking, trust, and cooperation amongst all the participants and your respective defense establishments and navies," Secretary Teodoro said.

In his speech, the Defense Chief recalled the outcomes of the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience last week, focusing on shared commitments on quicker anticipatory, science-based actions on natural calamities and disasters and the importance of secure and fast transmission of trusted information.

"Our collaboration and cooperation not merely in response but in early prepositioning, working together, and in detection becomes more critical," Secretary Teodoro said, adding that an important avenue for effective and efficient response are free open sea lanes of communication.

Complementing the JCA, the FLP will provide junior naval officers with an opportunity to engage their counterparts on climate change, maritime security, and key topics, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and Critical Underwater Infrastructure security. 

With the theme, "Enhancing Maritime Security and Environmental Resilience in Response to Climate Change," these activities are vital in enhancing security and resilience of individual countries, the ASEAN, and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

"We are committed to sustaining the significant progress we have made in our areas of practical cooperation, strengthening our solidarity, and to defending our principles, shared principles. I look forward to receiving feedback about key observations, lessons learned, and best practices from these important engagements which will guide us in navigating our future together," Secretary Teodoro concluded.

Also present were Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Q. Ezpeleta PN; RADM Edwin M. Nera PN, Chief of Staff, Philippine Navy and Co-Chair; and RADM Terada Hiroyuki JMSDF (Ret.), Co-Chair, along with members of the diplomatic corps and participating delegates.

SiGMA Foundation donates 3,500 wheelchairs to the Philippines

The SiGMA Foundation has formally donated 3,500 wheelchairs to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), supporting communities across the Philippines affected by the southwest monsoon and strengthening a longstanding partnership between the two organisations.

The ceremonial turnover took place on Wednesday, 16 September, at PAGCOR’s Corporate Office at the MET Live Building in Pasay City, Metro Manila. SiGMA Asia Managing Director Neil Shih represented the SiGMA Foundation, while PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro H. Tengco represented the government corporation.

In its effort to help individuals in need across the province and cities, PAGCOR will distribute wheelchairs as part of its relief goods programme. The idea is to assist people with mobility problems in functioning more independently and participating in everyday activities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Shih highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring SiGMA’s presence in the Philippines extends beyond its role as an events organiser.

“For SiGMA, our presence in the Philippines has always been about more than organising an event. Since we established SiGMA Asia in Manila, we have received tremendous support from PAGCOR, the Philippine government, our industry partners and local communities.”

He added that the organisation’s growing presence in the country comes with a corresponding

responsibility to contribute to the communities that support it.

“As our platform continues to grow in the Philippines, we also believe our responsibility

to contribute to the community should grow with it.”Supporting mobility and independence

The contribution demonstrates the SiGMA Foundation's commitment to programmes that deliver real social impact. According to Shih, the importance of the wheelchair for the people who receive it is much bigger than the mere object itself.

“A wheelchair may appear to be a simple piece of equipment, but for the person

receiving it, it can mean much more. It can mean mobility, independence, dignity and the ability to participate more fully in everyday life.

The Foundation worked with PAGCOR to ensure wheelchairs could reach communities and individuals in need through PAGCOR’s established relief efforts.

For PAGCOR, the donation also represents an extension of its relationship with SiGMA, which has developed through three successful gaming summits held in Manila. Tengco recalled the early stages of the partnership, including his first meeting with Neil Shih when the organisation was seeking PAGCOR’s support to establish a gaming conference in the Philippines.

At the time, Shih told Tengco that he expected the inaugural event to attract at least 10,000

delegates. Tengco recalled questioning the scale of that projection, having recently attended a gaming conference in Macau with considerably fewer attendees. The first SiGMA Summit in Manila subsequently attracted close to 15,000 delegates.

A partnership beyond business

Reflecting on how the relationship has evolved since those early discussions, Tengco described the partnership between PAGCOR and the SiGMA Group as warm and established, with the two

organisations now looking beyond events and industry development to community outreach.

He said the wheelchair initiative demonstrated what could be achieved through cooperation between the private sector and government.

Tengco thanked Shih and the SiGMA Group for their support, while signalling PAGCOR’s willingness to continue working together on future initiatives.

“The wheelchairs are ready to be distributed to the different parts, cities, municipalities and provinces of the Philippines. So, on behalf of PAGCOR, I would like to thank you

[SiGMA Foundation] for the support that you are providing to PAGCOR ”

The PAGCOR Chairman also suggested thatcommunity- focused initiatives could become a regular part of the organisation’s relationship, with opportunities to identify further ways to support communities across the country.

Shih likewise emphasised the importance of the partnership, thanking Tengco, Senior Vice

President Dan Cecilio and the wider PAGCOR team for their continued trust and cooperation.

“The relationship between SiGMA and PAGCOR has developed far beyond the traditional partnership. We share a common interest in supporting the responsible development of the industry while also creating a positive impact beyond the business community.”

Continuing the commitment

The event also brought together media, partners and stakeholders for interviews, photography

For SiGMA Foundation, the donation forms part of its ongoing commitment to giving back to the communities in the markets where the SiGMA Group operates. In the Philippines, that commitment is being delivered in partnership with an organisation with an established national reach and infrastructure to distribute assistance to communities in need.

Shih said the initiative demonstrated the potential of collaboration between government and business when both sides share a focus on community support.

“Today, the ceremony is a meaningful example of what can be achieved when the private sector and government work together with a shared purpose. We hope these 3,500

wheelchairs will make a difference to thousands of Filipinos and their families.”

The donation also reinforces SiGMA’s continued commitment to the Philippines, where its events have brought together the international gaming industry and local operators, regulators,

government representatives, and other stakeholders.

As the Foundation continues to develop its social impact work, the wheelchair donation provides a tangible example of how established industry partnerships can extend beyond commercial activity to support communities and individuals across the country.

#todayph26

Revised outage limits raise concerns on power system reliability in Visayas and Mindanao

QUEZON CITY, 10 September 2026 — Filipino consumers are facing mounting pressure for a more dependable power system as recurring grid alerts expose vulnerabilities in the country’s electricity supply. The Visayas alone recorded 123 yellow and red alerts since January, underscoring the need for policy and system-level measures to strengthen the power system and ensure consumers have access to affordable and secure electricity. 

Following the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)’s recent revision of reliability standards and allowable equivalent unplanned outage days for generating units, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) is raising concerns that higher outage allowances could weaken incentives for generation companies to improve plant reliability. 

Over the past year, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has issued repeated yellow and red alerts across Luzon and Visayas grids, signaling that available power reserves had fallen to critical levels. These alerts have coincided with a pattern of unplanned outages among large power plants, particularly coal-fired units, which have gone offline unexpectedly and placed additional strain on an already tight power system.

Under the new ERC Resolution, allowable unplanned outage days have increased for nearly all generation technologies covered by the previous standards. In several cases, the revised allowance is nearly double the limit previously set under Resolution No. 10, Series of 2020.

	Old Allowable Unplanned Outage Days (Resolution No. 10, Series of 2020)	Updated Allowable Unplanned Outage Days (Resolution No. 23, Series of 2026)
Biomass	7.0	32.06
Circulating Fluidized Bed	16.9	27.32
Pulverized	16.8	32.15
Gas Turbine	22.7	26.92
Combined Cycle	7.7	14.35
Diesel	14	21.09
Geothermal	13.7	22.98
Oil-fired thermal	27.8	37.03
Hydro Conventional	6.8	12.72
Pumped-Storage Hydro	-	18.98
Run-of River Hydro	-	12.03

Under the new framework, nearly all generation technologies are allowed more unplanned outage days, although the extent of the increase varies across technologies. For several technologies, among them pulverized coal, combined cycle, and conventional hydro, the allowable outage days effectively doubled. 

According to the ERC, the revised thresholds were based on actual operating and outage data between 2015 and 2024. ICSC acknowledges the value of this data, noting that a decade of operating history provide a clear picture of where the country's generation fleet has struggled to perform reliably. 

However, ICSC stressed that this same historical record should be used to identify reliability gaps, not to establish past underperformance as the accepted benchmark for future reliability.

"A reliability standard should be built around what the grid, and the consumers who depend on it, need going forward, not around what plants have already delivered," Mr. Alberto Dalusung III, ICSC’s Energy Transition Advisor said. "And when a single power plant fails, the impact is rarely confined to that plant alone."

The consequences extend beyond individual plant performance. The Philippines remains heavily reliant on a limited number of large, centralized power plants, a structure that leaves the broader grid vulnerable whenever one of these plants fails unexpectedly. When a major generating unit unexpectedly goes offline, available reserves are quickly depleted, particularly during periods of high demand or limited supply. The grid may then need to dispatch more expensive backup generation, and prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) can rise as a result. These costs are ultimately borne by consumers, who have no direct role in how power plants are operated or maintained.

“When a major power plant gets offline, it can put the entire grid under pressure,” Mr. Dalusung added. “This makes it important for reliability standards to drive better plant performance and ensure that the system is better protected from unexpected outages, rather than simply accepting historical performance as the benchmark. The allowable outage limits should therefore be regularly reviewed and tightened as plant performance improves.”

ICSC has proposed that the ERC treat the revised thresholds under Resolution No. 23 as a transitional standard rather than a permanent benchmark, outlining the following recommendations.

1. Progressive tightening of standards - The ERC should periodically review and reduce allowable outage days as generation performance improves, rather than treating the revised thresholds as a fixed benchmark.

2. Use of outage data for diagnosis, not dilution - Recurring outages should prompt corrective investment and increased regulatory oversight, rather than serve as justification for higher allowances in future revisions.

3. Stronger public disclosure and accountability - Outage performance should be made publicly accessible, with meaningful consequences applied to plants that repeatedly exceed their allowable limits.

4. System-wide evaluation of outage impact - Reliability assessments should account for how outages affect grid reserves, market prices, and consumer costs, rather than treating each incident in isolation.

5. Parallel investment in grid diversification - Expanding rooftop solar, battery storage, and other distributed energy resources would reduce the broader grid's exposure to the failure of any single power plant.

ABOUT

The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities is a Philippine-based non-governmental organization that advances climate, energy, and low-carbon solutions to enable fair and climate-resilient development at the national and international levels.

#todayph26

STRENGTHENING ASEAN AIR TIES: PAF HOSTS 23RD AACC

The Philippines reaffirmed its role in advancing regional air cooperation as it hosted the 23rd ASEAN Air Chiefs’ Conference (AACC) under the theme, " Forging Interoperable and Integrated ASEAN Air Forces: Unified Action for Regional Stability” on September 9, 2026. The conference was conducted via Video Teleconference (VTC), with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) hosting the Philippine component at the PAF Museum, Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City. Chaired by Lieutenant General Arthur M Cordura PAF, Commanding General, Philippine Air Force, the conference featured an exchange of views among ASEAN Air Chiefs on matters of mutual interest and regional security, with Defense Attachés and Embassy representatives from ASEAN member states present at the venue.

The conference provided a platform for the Air Chiefs to share views and discuss areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening professional engagement, interoperability, and regional security. As part of the proceedings, the AACC Chairship was handed over from the Philippines to Malaysia for the AACC 2027. In the Philippines, Lieutenant General Cordura handed the Chairship to Colonel Jafri Ahmad Zulaydi, Malaysian Defense Attaché to the Philippines, representing the incoming AACC Chairman, General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Muhamad Norazlan bin Aris, Chief of Air Force, Royal Malaysian Air Force. Meanwhile, Colonel Michael F Lugtu (MI) PA (GSC), Philippine Defense Attaché to Malaysia, represented the Philippines in the corresponding handover to the Malaysian Air Chief through the VTC.

The hosting of the 23rd AACC underscores the PAF’s role in strengthening air force-to-air force engagement within ASEAN. Through continued dialogue and exchange of views, the conference supports closer cooperation and a shared commitment to regional security and stability.

PH to Convene ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Circular Economy, Pushing Region's Shift Away from Single-Use Waste

MANILA, Philippines — As ASEAN economies grow, so does the waste they leave behind, with plastics, packaging, and electronics piling up faster than the region can recover them. The Philippines is convening the region's policymakers, industry, and civil society to change that trajectory, hosting the ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Circular Economy (ARDCE) on 22 to 23 September 2026 at the New World Hotel Makati.

The two-day Dialogue, convened under the Philippine ASEAN Chairship 2026, will look at how member states can move from a linear "take-make-dispose" model toward one built on reuse, recycling, and resource efficiency, guided by the ASEAN Framework for Circular Economy, the ASEAN Sustainable Consumption and Production Framework, and the ASEAN Regional Action Plan on Marine Debris.

Discussions will span national circular economy policies, the role of local governments, Extended Producer Responsibility and other policy instruments, and financing and market mechanisms that can help businesses and communities make the shift. A dedicated session will focus on ensuring MSMEs and informal waste workers are not left behind as the region formalizes and scales up circular systems.

"Long-term solutions must also address the problem at its source and strengthen measures that can discourage repeated abuse of natural resources," Environment Secretary Juan Miguel T. Cuna said in an earlier DENR statement on strengthening the country's waste management framework under the EPR Act.

For ordinary Filipinos and communities across ASEAN, the Dialogue points to something concrete: cleaner neighborhoods, new livelihoods built around recycling and resource recovery, and stronger safety nets for the informal waste workers who already do much of this work today. Because waste and pollution do not stop at borders, the region's response has to be shared, and the Dialogue is designed to turn that shared urgency into partnerships and investments member states can act on.

The Dialogue will produce an ASEAN Chair's Summary on Circular Economy Policy and Implementation, capturing key policy messages and priority recommendations. The Summary will feed into discussions at the ASEAN Circular Economy Forum in October 2026, carrying the region's work forward as the Philippines' Chairship year builds toward the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila this November.

The European Union provides €150 000 (PHP 10.9 million) in response to monsoon floods in the Philippines

 

The European Union (EU) is providing €150 000 (about PHP 10.9 million) in humanitarian funding to support people affected by severe flooding across Luzon in the Philippines. The funding will benefit over 32,000 people in some of the hardest-hit areas, including Ilocos Region, Central Luzon and Metro Manila.

 

This EU funding will support the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in providing families with essential household items, including sleeping kits, water containers and hygiene items. The response will also provide hot meals and safe drinking water to people in evacuation centres and affected communities. Mobile health teams will offer medical consultations, medicines, health information and mental health support. Hygiene activities and disease monitoring will also be conducted to mitigate the risk of water-borne and vector-borne diseases that often become prevalent after flooding.

 

The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).  It comes in addition to the over €2 million already allocated to humanitarian partners in the Philippines at the start of 2026.

 

Since early August, the southwest monsoon, locally known as ‘Habagat’, has been intensified by several tropical cyclones and other weather systems. Prolonged heavy rain has caused widespread flooding and landslides across Luzon, particularly in low-lying, coastal and mountainous areas, damaging homes, roads, bridges, farmland, water supplies and power lines. Metro Manila has also been affected. By 14 September, more than 10.5 million people had been affected across 11 regions, with more than 120,100 people being displaced in over 500 evacuation centres. More than 4,500 homes have so far been damaged. A total of 188 cities have been declared under a state of calamity.

 

Background

 

The EU and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

 

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the EU helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

 

The EU is signatory to a €16 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF, which can then be replenished by the donors.

 

ASEAN Ministers Adopt the Manila Declaration, to Endorse ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the RISE ASEAN Vision

PASAY CITY, Philippines– Secretary of National Defense and Chairperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday presided over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience (AMCDR) Ministerial Meeting, where ministers from ASEAN Member States adopted the Manila Declaration.

The meeting took place against a backdrop of complex and dynamic risk landscapes, and presented an opportunity to build consensus on exchanging knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned, which are vital to ASEAN efforts to enhance the safety and well-being of its communities and build the resilience and prosperity of the region.

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The Manila Declaration affirms collective commitment to accelerating implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2026-2030; strengthening ASEAN accountability, monitoring, and learning for disaster resilience; and shaping ASEAN’s disaster resilience agenda toward 2030 and beyond.

“It likewise reaffirms the role of ASEAN as a global leader and convener in disaster resilience, as well as our commitment to sharing lessons, innovations, and good practices with the international community,” Secretary Teodoro said.

With the concurrence of all member states, it is now slated for notation by state leaders at the 49th ASEAN Summit this November.

Secretary Teodoro also announced that they will seek the endorsement of the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Empowered (RISE) ASEAN Vision, subject to the consensus of all member states.

This statement declares the region’s shared vision of a resilient, innovative, sustainable, and empowered ASEAN, which is defined as “one that can better anticipate, withstand, adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of complex and systemic risks while leaving no one behind.”

“We are hopeful that these critical directions will reduce risks, accelerate resilience, and transform the lives of our people. For our part, the Philippines remains firmly committed to building and enhancing ASEAN solidarity. This is the indispensable pathway to ensuring resilience, security, and prosperity in our region, not only today, but for generations yet to come,” Secretary Teodoro said