Ched Chairperson Agrupis, 3 others face Ombudsman complaint over Program Closures, Alleged Bad Faith

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis and four other CHED officials have been accused by the Office of the Ombudsman of graft and administrative misconduct in connection with the termination of several degree programs at campuses that are a part of a major private higher education network.

The complaint also names Agrupis's chief of staff and three regional directors who oversee CHED operations nationwide. The complaint accuses them of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in addition to engaging in serious misconduct, oppression, and actions that are detrimental to the service's best interests.

According to the complaint, CHED issued resolutions in early March 2026 that ordered the closure or phase-out of several degree programs at three network campuses due to non-compliance with faculty, facility, and program administration regulations. The organization in charge of the affected campuses claims that it did not contest the closures. The complaint centers on how CHED handled the public rollout, particularly a number of advisories that were posted on CHED's official website and Facebook pages, directly naming the affected campuses and inviting comments.

The complaint claims that because the campuses operate under a single, well-known brand, the public misinterpreted the advisories as signaling a shutdown of the institution nationwide rather than just a few programs at three of its roughly 150 campuses. Campus administrators in other parts of the network reportedly received anxious calls from students, parents, and partner institutions who believed the entire system was shutting down.

Additionally, the complaint alleges that the institution, through its representative, sent Chairperson Agrupis three separate written appeals between late April and early May 2026, asking CHED to arrange a smooth transition and delay further public dissemination until the matter was settled. Reports state that every letter received a meaningless automated acknowledgment. According to the complaint, CHED re-published the advisories on Facebook with comments enabled in the middle of May despite these requests, aggravating what the organization describes as financial and reputational harm during a critical enrollment period.

The resulting harm, according to the complaint, was serious enough to raise concerns with the institution's bank, attract media attention, and lead to missed enrollment opportunities from which it may be difficult to fully recover.

Beyond how it handled its own case, the complaint claims that CHED has applied its regulatory standards inconsistently. It cites statements made in public by a lawmaker and previous news reports that demonstrate hundreds of teacher education programs nationwide were marked for closure because of their performance on licensing exams, but they did not receive the same prompt, public attention as the campuses at the center of this complaint. The complainant argues that the relative inaction in some cases and the forceful, public action in others are evidence of bias in and of themselves.

In addition to the Ombudsman complaint, the institution has filed other lawsuits. Additionally, it has complained separately to the Anti-Red Tape Authority about CHED's alleged inability to respond to its appeals. It has also filed an injunction case in a Quezon City trial court in an effort to stop the advisories from being distributed going forward and to get ₱20 million in moral damages.

Rapidus and Cadence Partner on Agentic AI for Advanced SoC Design

“Advanced-node SoC design increasingly requires AI agents that can orchestrate complex workflows across the design lifecycle, not just optimize individual tasks. By combining Cadence’s InnoStack AI Super Agent with Rapidus’ Raads platform, we are extending agentic AI into a leading-edge semiconductor ecosystem, enabling customers to improve productivity, accelerate design closure and bring more advanced silicon to market faster.” ~Anirudh Devgan, president and CEO, Cadence

Collaboration combines Rapidus’ AI-Agentic Design Solution with Cadence InnoStack AI Super Agent to target up to a 2X acceleration of design turnaround times

Today, Rapidus Corporation and Cadence (Nasdaq: CDNS) announced a collaboration to advance agentic AI for advanced-node system-on-chip (SoC) design by integrating the Cadence® InnoStackTM AI Super Agent into the Rapidus AI-Agentic Design Solution (Raads). By integrating Cadence's agentic AI design orchestration technology with Rapidus' AI-native design and manufacturing ecosystem for advanced-node semiconductors, the joint effort helps design teams boost productivity, reduce time to market, and improve design quality throughout the SoC design lifecycle. As part of this collaboration, Rapidus aims to reduce design turnaround time (TAT) by two times compared to traditional flows.

The development of AI infrastructure and the next generation of physical AI-powered systems require close, system-level co-optimization across semiconductor design, manufacturing, packaging, and systems. Agentic AI is essential for the next generation of advanced SoCs. As part of today's announcement, Rapidus is extending its Raads lineup with the introduction of Raads Navigator and Raads Indicator to enhance quality assurance and help designers overcome design issues and challenges. Crucially, the new tools' integration with the Cadence InnoStack AI Super Agent, which automates and coordinates tasks from early architectural exploration through implementation and signoff, enables agentic design orchestration across crucial SoC workflows. By applying data-driven optimization throughout the design lifecycle, the integration is intended to help teams manage advanced-node complexity, improve design predictability, and scale engineering productivity while advancing Rapidus' design TAT reduction objectives.

Rapidus and Cadence will discuss the collaboration at CadenceLIVE Japan 2026, where Dr. Atsuyoshi Koike, Representative Director and CEO of Rapidus will deliver a keynote on how Rapidus is evolving Raads with Cadence Agentic AI and EDA to improve efficiency and quality in advanced-node SoC development.

“At its completion, our Innovative Integration for Manufacturing facility will be the most advanced, AI-native foundry where AI is incorporated at almost every stage of semiconductor manufacturing. By evolving Raads and integrating it with Cadence’s InnoStack AI Super Agent, we are strengthening our AI-agentic design environment to help customers manage increasing SoC complexity, improve engineering productivity and realize the full value of Rapidus’ advanced process technologies. In working closely with Cadence on InnoStack and additional Cadence AI Super Agent solutions, we see a clear path to significantly reducing design turnaround time and enabling faster innovation on Rapidus’ advanced nodes.” ~Dr. Atsuyoshi Koike, Representative Director and CEO of Rapidus

To learn more about the Rapidus Raads tools, visit the Rapidus website. To learn more about Cadence AI-driven design solutions and the InnoStack AI Super Agent, visit cadence.com/ai-for-design. For more information on this collaboration and CadenceLIVE Japan 2026, visit the CadenceLIVE Japan event page.

About Cadence

Cadence is a market leader in AI and digital twins, pioneering the application of computational software to accelerate innovation in the engineering design of silicon to systems. Our design solutions, based on Cadence’s Intelligent System Design™ strategy, are essential for the world’s leading semiconductor and systems companies to build their next-generation products from chips to full electromechanical systems that serve a wide range of markets, including hyperscale computing, mobile communications, automotive, aerospace, industrial, life sciences and robotics. In 2025, Cadence was recognized by Fortune as one of the world’s top 100 best companies to work for. Cadence solutions offer limitless opportunities.

© 2026 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Cadence, the Cadence logo, and the other Cadence marks found at www.cadence.com/go/trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Rapidus Corporation

Rapidus Corporation aims to develop and manufacture the world's most advanced logic semiconductors. We will create new industries together with our customers through the development and provision of services to shorten cycle times in design, wafer processes, 3D packaging and more. We will continue to challenge ourselves in order to contribute to the fulfillment, prosperity and happiness of people’s lives through the use of semiconductors. Visit: https://www.rapidus.inc/en/

The Iconic Blue Magic Opens at SM Center Sangandaan

For many Filipinos, Blue Magic has long been connected to important life events. For nearly 40 years, the local business has helped customers remember special occasions by providing everything from teddy bears and novelty gifts to keepsakes for anniversaries, birthdays, and graduations.

Caloocan customers now have easier access to those cherished gifts thanks to the opening of Blue Magic's newest store on the ground floor of SM Center Sangandaan, which is conveniently close to Watsons.

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Blue Magic was founded in 1985 and has since grown to become one of the country's most well-known gift retailers, offering plush toys, novelty items, home décor, and gift options for every occasion. Its enduring appeal stems from its ability to combine affordable finds with sentimental value, making it a popular shopping destination for generations of Filipinos.

The new store offers a diverse range of gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, and everyday occasions. Whether customers want a simple token of appreciation or a meaningful present, the store has gift ideas for every budget and occasion.

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Customers can also benefit from extra perks through the Blue-tiful Rewards program. If customers have purchase receipts totaling ₱5,000 by December 31, 2026, they can be eligible for VIP status and receive 10% off some regular-priced items for a year.

Additionally, Blue Magic operates a pop-up store on the mall's 5th Floor of SM City Grand Central, providing nearby residents with an additional convenient way to locate considerate presents.

With the opening of its newest location at your favorite SM Center Sangandaan and its presence at SM City Grand Central, Blue Magic continues to make its signature gift selections more accessible to customers throughout northern Metro Manila.

Tanduay's Two Gold Wins in the U.S. Raises the Bar for Philippine Rums Anew

“The awards Tanduay has received throughout the years show that Philippine rums can truly compete with the world’s best. And what makes our latest wins at the Bar-tender Spirits Awards even more special is that it was judged by a panel composed ex-clusively of bartenders and hospitality professionals. These are the people who know what spirits truly shine from shelf to glass. These international awards reflect Tanduay’s commitment to Filipino craftsmanship and innovation, and they inspire us to continue showcasing the best of the Philippines on the global stage.” ~Roy Kristoffer Sumang, Tanduay Interna-tional Business Development Manager

Two year Bartender Spirits Awards in Chicago, USA. This strengthens Tanduay's standing as one of the world's leading producers of premium rums.

Tanduay Reserve Rum 10 Years and Tanduay Double Rum both earned 95 points to win the coveted awards in a competition that evaluates spirits based on how well they perform in real hospitality settings.

Two of Tanduay’s Finest Premium Rums

A mixture aged in former Bourbon barrels for a further two years. This aging process results in the award-winning rum's harmony of flavors throughout, making it a great sipping rum.

According to the 2026 Bartender Spirits Awards’ tasting notes, Tanduay Double Rum’s “aromas of honeysuckle, marzipan, and nutmeg lead to a palate of toasted toffee and cacao, culminating in a soft, long, and very pleasant finish.”

Another well-known product around the world is Tanduay Reserve Rum 10 Years, a powerful blend of rums aged in oak barrels for ten years. It is an overproof rum with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 50.5%.

In the 2026 Bartender Spirits Awards, its tasting notes were “aromas of honey, dried fruit, and spice” that “lead to a smooth, approachable palate with evolving candied fruit notes and a balanced, lingering finish.”

How Products Are Scored

Spirits well or combine in cocktails; and balance and versatility, or their flavor and aroma. Their packaging, inventive design, la-bel quality, label details, back-bar appeal, functionality (like shape, size, weight, and ease of pouring), and value—that is, their price and value—are also assessed.

Bronze medals are awarded to spirits who score between 80 and 84, silver to those who score between 85 and 89, gold to those who score between 90 and 95, and double gold to those who score 96 or higher.

More About the Bartender Spirits Awards

The goal for bars, restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality establishments by identifying products that perform well in the U.S. on-premise market. 

The competition is judged solely by professionals currently working in the hospitality sector, and winning spirits are recognized for their quality and practicality in real beverage programs.

Learn more about Tanduay’s products and latest events and promotions by following its  official social media accounts. Tanduay products are available via its official e-commerce site, www.shots.ph, and from leading liquor stores and supermarkets nation-wide.

About Tanduay

Tanduay is one of the most-awarded rum brands in the Philippines, receiving various local and international citations. In 2017, it was declared the World’s No. 1 Rum by Drinks International magazine. Tanduay will hold this title for nine consecutive years.

Tanduay started out as a distillery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, a province in the island of Luzon known for its heroes and craftsmen. It changed ownership throughout the decades and has been under the Lucio Tan Group of Companies, Inc., one of the biggest conglomerates in the Philippines, since 1988.

Even as the years passed, Tanduay has maintained the traditional way of distilling its rums, a practice that started in its now decommissioned Manila distillery. It has likewise consistently maintained its product quality, ensuring that Filipinos and foreigners alike will enjoy the same taste and aroma of a Tanduay product wherever they are in the world

More Miles Than Milestones? Agrupis' Foreign Trips Face Scrutiny

Concerns have been raised about whether Shirley Agrupis, the chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), has become the most travelled chairperson in the organization's history and what advantages her travels have brought to Philippine higher education.

Agrupis' increasing attendance at international events has drawn the attention of critics and observers in the education sector, who are now calling for greater transparency about the number, cost, and outcomes of her international travels.

Her latest trip to Paris has brought the issue back into focus.

In a social media post, Agrupis described the extreme heat in the French capital, saying temperatures had reached 43 degrees Celsius and were “too hard to tolerate/survive.”

She also made broad observations about Paris' preparedness for climate change, claiming the “world's famous City apparently is not ready or have not anticipated that climate change was coming.”

Agrupis went on to say that because homes, apartments, some hotels, and public areas lacked air conditioning, there was "practically NO place to hang on" in the heat.

While attending an international engagement, a senior Philippine government official publicly discussed conditions in a host country in a tone that provoked criticism.

Agrupis ended her post with a call to action on climate change: “LET US save our planet EARTH.”

The post drew reactions online, including one social media user who remarked: “Let's save our planet earth tapos nag travel sa Paris. Hahaha.”

Beyond the social media exchange, however, questions over Agrupis' foreign travel remain.

Some have questioned whether her overseas schedule is more extensive than that of previous CHED chairpersons. Examining and disclosing CHED's official travel records would reveal the number of trips Agrupis has taken, their funding sources, and the measurable outcomes of each engagement.

The head of CHED frequently travels overseas, particularly as Philippine universities participate in regional and global education initiatives and expand their international partnerships.

On the other hand, observers argue that the frequency of these interactions should be accompanied by clear and noticeable benefits for the country's higher education system.

How many international trips has Agrupis taken since taking office? What particular initiatives, partnerships, or chances for Filipino institutions and students have resulted from these interactions, and how much money has been invested in them?

At a time when CHED is still addressing pressing domestic issues, the growing attention to Agrupis' foreign travel is unlikely to end without greater transparency.

Whether Agrupis is, in fact, CHED's most traveled chairperson will be determined by the records. The more important question is what Philippine higher education has learned from the journey.

Justice Zones to Strengthen Coordination within the Nationwide Justice System

“Today’s launch reflects more than commitment. It reflects vision and the conscious decision of the City of San Fernando to embrace a system where communication, cooperation, and collaboration become the foundation of every action and every decision. The launch marks a shift in perspective. From functioning as separate offices, the justice sector agencies and actors of the City of San Fernando now move forward together as one collective unit; a Justice Zone.” ~Secretary Fredderick A. Vida, Representing the DOJ 

(L-R) Department of Justice undersecretary Atty. Ian Norman Dato, assistant secretary Robert Nomar V. Leyretana, and associate justices John Z. Lee and Rex Bernardo L. Pascual

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has welcomed the City of San Fernando, La Union, into the expanding network of Justice Zones under the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) as part of continuous efforts to enhance national coordination of the justice system.

The initiative, which was unveiled during the grand ceremony at Hotel Aureo, is part of the JSCC's ongoing expansion, which aims to improve the efficacy and coherence of justice delivery across local jurisdictions by fostering closer collaboration between the five pillars of justice: law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections, and the community.

On behalf of DOJ secretary Fredderick A. Vida, DOJ Law Enforcement Cluster Undersecretary Ian Norman E. Dato stated the DOJ's steadfast support for the City of San Fernando's integration into the growing Justice Zone network nationwide.

At Justice Zones, cooperation between law enforcement, prosecution, courts, prisons, and community stakeholders is expected.

"Justice Zones thrive  because they develop a stronger culture of interdependence, coordination, and shared responsibility in the service of justice. With an established Justice Zone, law enforcement agencies gain the assurance of prosecutorial involvement during the case build-up stage. At the same time, prosecutors gain confidence that the cases filed before them meet the required quantum of evidence, ensuring that only quality cases are brought before our courts." ~Ian Norman E. Dato, DOJ Law Enforcement Cluster Undersecretary

Department of Justice undersecretary Atty. Ian Norman Dato

Additionally, according to the DOJ, the framework guarantees early prosecutorial involvement, boosts prosecutors' confidence that filed cases contain the necessary amount of evidence, and improves coordination during case build-up.

The launch in San Fernando follows JSCC-led initiatives in other parts of the country, including specialty zones in Calbayog, Tacloban, Ormoc, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Ozamiz that deal with child exploitation and online sexual abuse (OSAEC-CSAEM).

The DOJ also highlighted ongoing reforms within the National Prosecution Service, including updated policies on inquest and preliminary investigation proceedings, to enhance case efficiency and support broader efforts to decongestion the justice system.

During the event, judges, prosecutors, public attorneys, law enforcement officials, and representatives from the local justice sector were also recognized for their participation and continued support of the Justice Zone framework.

Ballet Manila brings back global ballet superstars Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim in La Bayadère

“We are very excited to welcome Renata and Kimin back to Ballet Manila. Their performances in Don Quixote were truly unforgettable, and the response from Filipino audiences was overwhelming. It was a delight to see our audiences embrace them so warmly, and I know many have been looking forward to seeing them perform here again. Renata and Kim’s extensive experience with La Bayadère promises Filipinos audiences a moving and authentic interpretation of Marius Petipa’s enduring masterpiece. We hope that by the end of the show, the audience will have a renewed love for ballet.” ~Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Ballet Manila’s Founder and Artistic Director

Mariinsky Ballet principal dancers Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim return for Ballet Manila's La Bayadere

Filipino audiences will witness the remarkable and well-known artistry, passion, and technical mastery of two of the world's most famous ballet performers when they return to the Philippine stage.

The Mariinsky Ballet's principal dancers, Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim, will return to Ballet Manila in August to revive the timeless classic La Bayadère. The performance will take place at the Aliw Theater on August 14 at 8 PM and August 15 and 16 at 5 PM.  

Significantly, their return advances Ballet Manila's long-standing objective of bringing excellent ballet closer to Filipino audiences by giving local theatergoers a rare chance to see internationally recognized performers in the country.

Kim and Shakirova's exceptional qualifications are advantageous to the production. One of the Mariinsky's best prima ballerinas, Shakirova is a native of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and is renowned for her musicality, dramatic depth, and commanding presence. Early on, her exceptional talent was identified, and she has already won the coveted 2025 Benois de la Danse award, also known as the "Ballet Oscar."

However, despite beginning ballet at a relatively late age—roughly ten years old—Kim became the first foreign male principal dancer in the history of the Mariinsky Ballet.  He is well known for his remarkable athleticism and accurate technique. As a duo, they are equally impressive, having won Russia-Kultura TV's Grand Ballet competition in 2016.

For the couple, La Bayadère, a well-known ballet masterpiece, is nothing new. The tragic romance between the warrior Solor and the temple dancer Nikiya (bayadère) is the main focus of the story, which is set in ancient India. The High Brahmin (high priest), who is also in love with Nikiya, asks the Rajah to kill Solor after discovering their relationship. But his plan is foiled when the Rajah chooses to murder Nikiya instead. Both this world and the afterlife are included in the classic melodramatic love triangle.

At the Mariinsky Theatre, Kim regularly portrays the noble warrior Solor, and Shakirova has portrayed both the Nikya and the regal Gamzatti, showcasing her versatility and garnering international acclaim.

Stay up-to-date with Ballet Manila’s schedule of performances and celebration events by visiting Ballet Manila’s website www.balletmanila.com.ph or Ticketworld page www.ticketworld.com.ph.