Marcos Demands Explanation for Unfinished Bulacan Flood Control Project

Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Saturday, August 16, 2025.

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READ: Marcos wants contractor to explain unfinished Bulacan flood control project

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday demanded an explanation from a contractor why it failed to complete the repair of a river protection structure in Calumpit, Bulacan. The President wants answers from St. Timothy Construction Corp. after visiting the project site in Barangay Bulusan and found that the structure is still unfinished, contrary to what official records indicated. St. Timothy is one of the top three contractors that secured the majority of the government’s flood control projects. It won the 96.4-million peso contract to rehabilitate the river protection structure at Bulusan. Based on the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website, the contract was awarded to the St. Timothy on Feb. 18, 2022, and the project was to have been completed on Feb. 12, 2023.

READ: ICC approves Duterte’s request to postpone procedural deadlines while it is on recess

THE Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has partially approved former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request to postpone specific procedural deadlines during the court’s summer recess. The court, however, clarified that the postponement does not affect ongoing or previously established deadlines. In a ruling dated July 25 and made public on Aug. 12, the ICC chamber decided to temporarily pause the time limits for new motions submitted between July 25, at 5:30 p.m., and Aug. 18, at 9 a.m., the period when the court takes a judicial break.

READ: PH ‘bears no responsibility’ in China ships’ collision in territorial waters

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said the Philippines is not responsible for the collision between the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel and the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel near Bajo de Masinloc shoal in the West Philippine Sea. In an incident that highlights the escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, a CCG vessel was rammed by a Chinese Navy warship during the pursuit of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel. The PCG said CCG vessel 3104 was tailing the BRP Suluan when it collided with PLAN warship 164 last Monday. Video footage released by the PCG showed the Suluan sustaining minor damage, including a bent flagpole, as a result of being struck during the encounter.

READ: Marcos, Lee agree to deepen PH-South Korea trade, defense ties

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed their intention to expand their countries’ collaboration in trade and investment, defense and security, and people-to-people exchanges. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the strategic partnership between the Philippines and South Korea during their first telephone conversation on Thursday. Marcos congratulated Lee, who assumed office in June, and expressed full support for his administration.

READ: Ex-NASA scientist believes PH can put first Filipino astronaut in space in the next 2 years

A VISITING former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientist believes the Philippines can put the first Filipino astronaut in space in the next two years. Aisha Bose, founder of STEMBoard tech company supporting US national security programs, said the country “already has the talent” to make it possible. Bose, a US State Department Global Speaker, is an expert in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), entrepreneurship and space exploration. In 2025, she flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket as part of a historic all-female crew.

BUSINESS: Filipinos abroad send $3.33B in remittances in June, highest so far for 2025

MONEY sent home by Filipinos working abroad rose to their highest for the year in June, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed on Friday. Personal remittances expanded by 3.7 percent to $3.33 billion from $3.21 billion a year earlier, with cash remittances alone growing 3.1 percent to $2.99 billion — also the highest for 2025 to date — from $2.88 billion. Of the $2.99 billion, land-based OFs sent $2.43 billion — up 3.7 percent year-on-year — while sea-based OFs contributed $555 million in a 3.5-percent increase.

SPORTS: Millora-Brown eyed for Gilas pool – Cone

GILAS Pilipinas Tim Cone welcomed the idea of having an additional legitimate big man for the Philippine men’s basketball team. News broke out late Thursday evening that 6-foot-10 Quentin Millora-Brown, a former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroon, has been classified as a local player by FIBA (International Basketball Federation). This means he can play for Gilas Pilipinas as a Filipino player and not as an import or naturalized player. But then again, pending an official announcement from FIBA, Cone admitted he would not want to get his hopes high at this point.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Danton Remoto are today’s front page columnists. Contreras analyzed the Senate wearing the wrong hat, Makabenta has questions for the Supreme Court, while Remoto looks at random notes and translations of the Jose Rizal novel Noli Me Tangere.

Today’s editorial calls on the country to welcome the Global Climate Fund. Read more in the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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