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Pancit is life! Different regions have different pancit – here’s how to tell them apart
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Steph Arnaldo
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27/01/2024 19:45
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MANILA, Philippines – What’s the difference between pancit bihon and pancit canton? How does pancit malabon differ from pancit palabok? In the Philippines, pancit is life, but with so many regional varieties, it’s common to get confused.
The word “pancit” comes from the Hokkien term “pian-e-sit,” which means “conveniently cooked,” like fast food. The noodle dish was said to have been brought to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants centuries ago and was eventually localized as a staple Filipino dish during the Spanish colonization. It has since become a widespread mainstay for Filipino celebrations and milestones, signifying the Chinese tradition of noodles carrying “long life,” according to Pepper.ph.
Different regions and cities have their own versions of pancit, with each one distinctly its own, using a variety of noodles, vegetables, meats, seafood, ingredients, sauces, and even methods of cooking. So, if you’ve been looking for a quick guide to help you out, dish is it, pancit! Here are some well-loved pancit dishes from across the country!
Probably one of the most famous iterations, the Filipino stir-fry noodle dish pancit bihon also comes with “guisado” in its name, which means to sauté.
This dish is composed of thin rice noodles that are stir-fried in soy sauce and, at times, oyster sauce. It is seasoned with calamansi juice and typically served with sliced pork, shredded chicken, sometimes liver, and various vegetables like garlic, onion, green beans, cabbage, carrot, snow peas, and more.
Also a popular choice, pancit canton uses almost the same ingredients as bihon but is made from egg/wheat flour noodles instead. This stir-fry dish is also seasoned with soy sauce and calamansi juice and can sometimes have shrimp, eggs, beef, and other ingredients and seasonings.
Served in several Filipino food stalls, canteens, and fast-food restaurants, pancit palabok is a staple noodle dish that uses thin, translucent rice noodles topped with a rich and thick seafood-based sauce typically made from shrimps. The savory and creamy sauce gives the dish its signature bright-orange color and umami flavor.
The noodles are served with a variety of toppings – crunchy chicharon (pork crackling) bits, shrimp, scallions, pork, smoked fish, eggs, and crunchy garlic bits.
Not to be confused with fellow orange dish pancit palabok, pancit malabon is Malabon City’s pancit pride and joy. Malabon’s version uses thicker rice noodles with its sauce already mixed in. The flavorful shrimp-infused sauce typically has crab fat and/or patis (fish sauce) and other seafood like shrimp, mussel, or squid. It is also topped with chicharon bits, sliced cabbage, dried fish, eggs, and other ingredients. Since Malabon City is a coastal region, fresh and local seafood is the star of this noodle dish.
Pampanga’s pancit luglug is quite similar to palabok and malabon, just saucier and made with cornstarch noodles that are thicker than palabok’s. The term “luglog” comes from the translation “to dunk in water,” which is what is done to the thick rice noodles to make them softer. It is also a seafood-forward noodle dish, topped with fresh seafood, scallions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Pancit habhab, which resembles pancit canton, originated from Lucban, Quezon province, and is a dish that uses the chewy Filipino egg noodles called miki noodles. The name comes from the way it’s traditionally eaten, “to gobble up” – the cooked pancit is placed on a banana leaf and then “dumped” into the eater’s mouth. No utensils here!
Pancit habhab is a stir-fry dish usually made with soy sauce, pork belly, liver, shrimp, and veggies like sayote, carrots, and bok choy/pechay. It’s served with calamansi juice and/or spiced cane vinegar.
Hailing from Tuguegarao, pancit batil patung is made from stir-fried miki noodles mixed in with minced carabao meat (a staple protein of the region), bean sprouts, seafood, liver, and veggies, topped with chicharon and egg. It is typically served with a poached egg on top, which means “patong.” The word “batil” comes from the “beaten egg” soup-sauce that the dish is traditionally served with.
The noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur, is a Bicolano delicacy that is similar to pancit canton but uses thicker noodles that are sun-dried and dehydrated first to give a distinctly smoky flavor. Once the noodles are boiled, they are stir-fried with garlic, onions, soft sauteéd pork (that are simmered in chicken stock prior), salt and pepper, shrimp, and vegetables like carrot, bok choy, snap peas, and more. Sometimes, patis is added for extra flavor.
Cebu’s Bam-i or pancit bisaya is a Central Visayas favorite that uses two kinds of noodles – canton and bihon – quickly cooked together with pork, chicken, Chinese sausage, shrimp, cabbage, tenga ng daga (dried wood ear), carrot, and other veggies. It is seasoned with soy sauce and chicken stock, usually, and is known for its different noodle textures and thickness.
The comforting pancit langlang from Imus, Cavite, has miki noodles and sotanghon (rice) noodles stir-fried with garlic, onions, shredded chicken, ground pork, quail eggs, chicharon, with veggies like carrot, cabbage, string beans, and more. It is considered a soupy noodle dish and is even hailed as Jose Rizal’s favorite from Cavite – he called it “the soup par excellence!” in El Filibusterismo.
Pancit lusay is an Ilocos favorite made of “lusay noodles” or miki noodles, stir-fried with Ilocos’ famed Laoag longganisa, garlic, onion, tomato slices, egg, bell peppers, and bagoong alamang or isda, which gives the dish its distinctly umami taste.
Let us know your other regional pancit favorites! – Rappler.com
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Pancit is life! Different regions have different pancit – here’s how to tell them apart
|
Steph Arnaldo
|
27/01/2024 19:45
|
MANILA, Philippines – What’s the difference between pancit bihon and pancit canton? How does pancit malabon differ from pancit palabok? In the Philippines, pancit is life, but with so many regional varieties, it’s common to get confused.
The word “pancit” comes from the Hokkien term “pian-e-sit,” which means “conveniently cooked,” like fast food. The noodle dish was said to have been brought to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants centuries ago and was eventually localized as a staple Filipino dish during the Spanish colonization. It has since become a widespread mainstay for Filipino celebrations and milestones, signifying the Chinese tradition of noodles carrying “long life,” according to Pepper.ph.
Different regions and cities have their own versions of pancit, with each one distinctly its own, using a variety of noodles, vegetables, meats, seafood, ingredients, sauces, and even methods of cooking. So, if you’ve been looking for a quick guide to help you out, dish is it, pancit! Here are some well-loved pancit dishes from across the country!
Probably one of the most famous iterations, the Filipino stir-fry noodle dish pancit bihon also comes with “guisado” in its name, which means to sauté.
This dish is composed of thin rice noodles that are stir-fried in soy sauce and, at times, oyster sauce. It is seasoned with calamansi juice and typically served with sliced pork, shredded chicken, sometimes liver, and various vegetables like garlic, onion, green beans, cabbage, carrot, snow peas, and more.
Also a popular choice, pancit canton uses almost the same ingredients as bihon but is made from egg/wheat flour noodles instead. This stir-fry dish is also seasoned with soy sauce and calamansi juice and can sometimes have shrimp, eggs, beef, and other ingredients and seasonings.
Served in several Filipino food stalls, canteens, and fast-food restaurants, pancit palabok is a staple noodle dish that uses thin, translucent rice noodles topped with a rich and thick seafood-based sauce typically made from shrimps. The savory and creamy sauce gives the dish its signature bright-orange color and umami flavor.
The noodles are served with a variety of toppings – crunchy chicharon (pork crackling) bits, shrimp, scallions, pork, smoked fish, eggs, and crunchy garlic bits.
Not to be confused with fellow orange dish pancit palabok, pancit malabon is Malabon City’s pancit pride and joy. Malabon’s version uses thicker rice noodles with its sauce already mixed in. The flavorful shrimp-infused sauce typically has crab fat and/or patis (fish sauce) and other seafood like shrimp, mussel, or squid. It is also topped with chicharon bits, sliced cabbage, dried fish, eggs, and other ingredients. Since Malabon City is a coastal region, fresh and local seafood is the star of this noodle dish.
Pampanga’s pancit luglug is quite similar to palabok and malabon, just saucier and made with cornstarch noodles that are thicker than palabok’s. The term “luglog” comes from the translation “to dunk in water,” which is what is done to the thick rice noodles to make them softer. It is also a seafood-forward noodle dish, topped with fresh seafood, scallions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Pancit habhab, which resembles pancit canton, originated from Lucban, Quezon province, and is a dish that uses the chewy Filipino egg noodles called miki noodles. The name comes from the way it’s traditionally eaten, “to gobble up” – the cooked pancit is placed on a banana leaf and then “dumped” into the eater’s mouth. No utensils here!
Pancit habhab is a stir-fry dish usually made with soy sauce, pork belly, liver, shrimp, and veggies like sayote, carrots, and bok choy/pechay. It’s served with calamansi juice and/or spiced cane vinegar.
Hailing from Tuguegarao, pancit batil patung is made from stir-fried miki noodles mixed in with minced carabao meat (a staple protein of the region), bean sprouts, seafood, liver, and veggies, topped with chicharon and egg. It is typically served with a poached egg on top, which means “patong.” The word “batil” comes from the “beaten egg” soup-sauce that the dish is traditionally served with.
The noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur, is a Bicolano delicacy that is similar to pancit canton but uses thicker noodles that are sun-dried and dehydrated first to give a distinctly smoky flavor. Once the noodles are boiled, they are stir-fried with garlic, onions, soft sauteéd pork (that are simmered in chicken stock prior), salt and pepper, shrimp, and vegetables like carrot, bok choy, snap peas, and more. Sometimes, patis is added for extra flavor.
Cebu’s Bam-i or pancit bisaya is a Central Visayas favorite that uses two kinds of noodles – canton and bihon – quickly cooked together with pork, chicken, Chinese sausage, shrimp, cabbage, tenga ng daga (dried wood ear), carrot, and other veggies. It is seasoned with soy sauce and chicken stock, usually, and is known for its different noodle textures and thickness.
The comforting pancit langlang from Imus, Cavite, has miki noodles and sotanghon (rice) noodles stir-fried with garlic, onions, shredded chicken, ground pork, quail eggs, chicharon, with veggies like carrot, cabbage, string beans, and more. It is considered a soupy noodle dish and is even hailed as Jose Rizal’s favorite from Cavite – he called it “the soup par excellence!” in El Filibusterismo.
Pancit lusay is an Ilocos favorite made of “lusay noodles” or miki noodles, stir-fried with Ilocos’ famed Laoag longganisa, garlic, onion, tomato slices, egg, bell peppers, and bagoong alamang or isda, which gives the dish its distinctly umami taste.
Let us know your other regional pancit favorites! – Rappler.com
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LIST: Here are the confirmed delegates for Miss Universe Philippines 2024
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Ysa Abad
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28/01/2024 14:15
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The search for the next Miss Universe Philippines queen is on! And for the first time in the Miss Universe Philippines history, the delegates for the competition will be chosen through local pageants.
Instead of the usual process wherein aspiring candidates will have to send in their online applications and take part in on-site screenings, the candidates for the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant will be chosen via accredited partners.
In April 2023, the Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) organization announced that they would be holding a new Accredited Partners Program for their succeeding editions, starting 2024. These accredited partners that were approved by the MUPH organization will select the candidates from their respective localities through local pageants or appointments.
Only the winners of these local pageants or representatives chosen by these partners will be able to participate in the national edition of the Miss Universe Philippines competition.
Meaning, those interested to join the Miss Universe Philippines should send their applications through these local partners instead of waiting for a national screening.
According to the organization, the new program aims to help expand their reach “by promoting the pageant, organizing local events, and selecting candidates in their respective areas.”
As of writing, more than 20 local partners have already named their representatives for the competition. This list will be updated as more delegates will be announced.
Albay
Elaine Bernales was named Miss Universe Philippines-Albay. The 23-year-old beauty queen is from the municipality of Daraga.
Australia
Kymberlee Street will be representing the Filipino community in Australia.
“I’m ready to embrace the challenges, soak in every learning opportunity, and grow into the authentic, empowered woman I aspire to be. Miss Universe Philippines is more than a pageant, it’s my platform to make a difference, leaving a legacy that transcends the crown,” she wrote.
Bacolod
Yvonna Catamco was hailed Miss Bacolod MassKara 2023, making her the official representative from the city for the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant.
Bacoor
Victoria Velasquez Vincent has been appointed as the representative of Bacoor in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant. She previously competed in the 2021 edition where she clinched the Miss Universe Philippines Charity title.
A post shared by V V V (@victoriavelasquezvincent)
Baguio
Janah Rhyl Lumidao was crowned Miss Baguio 2023 in August, making her the representative of the province for the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant.
“Your belief in me and your willingness to stand by my side meant the world to me,” she said.
Batangas
Mariztella Lat is the delegate from Batangas Province.
“I will always use my heart in everything, every step of the way. The universe needs to know that we are barakos with a heart,” she said.
Bohol
Bianca Gaviola is the delegate of Bohol in the competition. The 24-year-old beauty queen also holds the titles of Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2017 and Miss Bohol 2017 3rd runner-up.
“This year will be the foundation of a creative and beautiful beginning, as I bring with me my talent and passion and represent the dreams and aspirations of every woman and child in the Miss Universe Philippines stage,” she said.
Bukidnon
Natasha Bajuyo will be the representative from Bukidnon.
“As your Miss Universe Philippines – Bukidnon, I step into the spotlight with elegance that echoes through every stride,” she wrote. “This journey is more than a pageant — it’s a celebration of inner strength, intelligence, and my unwavering commitment to inspire others to reach for their own stars.”
Cagayan de Oro
Lynn Eirene Lomongo Iponan is the delegate of Cagayan de Oro.
Cainta, Rizal
Stacey Gabriel is returning to the Miss Universe Philippines stage to represent Cainta, Rizal. The actress-beauty queen previously finished as second runner-up in the Binibining Pilipinas 2022 pageant.
“The universe has my back,” she wrote.
Camiguin
Rethy Rosa is the representative of Camiguin in the national pageant.
Cebu
Kris Tiffany Janson is the delegate of Cebu in the national competition. The pageant veteran previously won the Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental crown in 2014 and finished as 2nd runner-up in the Miss Intercontinental 2014 pageant.
Delaware, USA
Amanda Russo, who holds the title of Miss Filipina International Tourism, will be representing the Filipino community of Delaware, USA in the pageant.
“I am overflowing with gratitude for the incredible opportunity that has been bestowed upon me, and my heart brims with appreciation for all those who played a role in making this journey a reality,” she said.
Florida, USA
Matea Mahal Smith, who was born in Florida, USA and with family roots in Pililla, Rizal, will also be competing in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant. She’s the first beauty queen of Filipino and Black descent who won the Miss Filipina International title.
It was earlier reported that the Miss Filipina International (MFI) pageant has partnered with Jonas Gaffud’s Empire Philippines to send three MFI winners to compete in the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. These three delegates are Florida’s Smith, Delaware’s Russo, and Sacramento’s Lauren Skeoch.
Iloilo
Alexie Brooks will compete in the pageant as a representative of Iloilo.
“Manifesting, working, and claiming — a journey of gratitude. Thank you, Universe,” she wrote after winning the local pageant.
Kananga
Natasha Jung is the delegate from Kananga, Leyte.
“I’m honored to represent Kananga’s spirit—a reflection of strength and resilience—on the Miss Universe Philippines stage,” she wrote. “I promise to make you all proud, shouting Kananga in Miss Universe Philippines with pride, honor, and dedication.”
Leyte
Angel Rose Tambal will represent Leyte in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant.
Lucban
Rikki Abuel Dela Peña is the representative of Lucban in the national pageant. “I am here to represent those individuals who feel hopeless, secluded, specifically those who are facing physical and clinical challenges in life,” she wrote after her crowning ceremony.
Misamis Oriental
Kristine Sarsalejo was hailed as Miss Kuyamis, making her the official delegate of Misamis Oriental for the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant.
Naic, Cavite
Mary Rose Guiral was the winner of the Miss Universe Philippines – Naic pageant, making her the representative of the locality in the national edition. She previously competed in the Miss World Philippines 2021 pageant.
“Today marks the unlockment of my wildest dreams in life,” she wrote. “Truly, when you put all the hard work, determination, and heart for what you’re passionate about, you will harvest the fruit of your labor,” she wrote.
Northern California, USA
Kayla Jean Rabaya will represent Northern California, USA in the pageant. The 26-year-old actress has familiar roots in Talisay, Cebu.
Occidental Mindoro
Zoleil Taño will compete as a representative of Occidental Mindoro.
Pampanga
Cyrille Payumo will be representing Pampanga in the competition. The beauty queen from Porac, Pampanga has previously competed in Mutya ng Pilipinas 2019, World Top Model Philippines 2022, and Binibining Pilipinas 2022.
“I know that this dream holds a purpose in my heart, especially considering everything I’ve been through. I’m gonna use this platform as a vehicle where I can continue to inspire and empower everyone through my story and purpose,” she said.
Quezon City
Lorraine Ojimba is the delegate of Quezon City in the national competition. In an Instagram post, she said that it’s an “honor to represent [Quezon City] on the national stage.”
Quezon Province
Ahtisa Manalo will be representing the province of Quezon in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant. She won the title of Binibining Pilipinas International in 2018 and finished as first runner-up in the Miss International pageant.
In an interview with the press during her sashing ceremony, Manalo said: “I feel like I’m a lot stronger now. I can handle a lot more things in a better way.”
Sacramento, California, USA
Lauren Skeoch, who finished as first-runner up in the Miss Filipina International pageant, will also compete in the Miss Universe Philippines. Skeoch, who has roots in Cagayan de Oro City, represented Sacramento, California.
Siargao
Joshell De Ocampo is the delegate of Siargao in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 competition.
South California, USA
Janet Hammond is the representative from South California, USA. According to the Miss Philippines California organization, the 25-year-old actress hopes to be the first-ever married woman to win the Miss Universe Philippines crown.
Tacloban
Tamara Ocier will be competing in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 stage as a delegate from Tacloban. “I am committed to use the remaining time to improve and prove myself worthy of representing Tacloban,” she wrote.
Taguig
Christi McGarry has been appointed as the delegate of Taguig in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant. She finished as 1st runner-up in the Miss Intercontinental 2015 competition.
“Firm believer of everything in its right time and place,” she wrote.
Toledo
Kim Irish Placibe won the Binibining Toledo pageant, making her the chosen representative for the Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
“On this journey, I’ll look back and see what I’ve gone through to come where I am now. Life’s shortcomings strengthened and bolded me, and it made me realize that I am a woman eager to accept risk and responsibilities,” she wrote.
Tuguegarao
Zhyra Mae Cabalza is the delegate of Tuguegarao.
“Your belief in my potential, even when I had doubts, inspired me to push past my comfort zones and embrace the challenges that came my way. Your countless words of encouragement lifted my spirits on days when I needed it most and pushed me to reach for the stars,” she said.
United Kingdom
Christina Chalk will be representing the Filipino community in the United Kingdom. “I really thought my pageant days were over. However, when the universe calls, you certainly have to answer,” the Filipina-Scottish beauty queen said.
Meanwhile, other local partners have yet to name their representatives.
As of writing, the organization has yet to announce the details for its national pageant. Makati’s Michelle Dee, who finished in the Top 20 of the international edition, is the reigning Miss Universe Philippines.
The Miss Universe 2024 pageant will also be the first edition without age restrictions for the candidates. This comes after mothers and wives were welcomed into the competition starting 2023. – Rappler.com
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SCHEDULE: 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship
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jisaga0269
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16/01/2024 14:15
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STAR POWER. Former NBA star Dwight Howard in a practice session with Strong Group.
Strong Group Athletics
Strong Group looks to complete a tournament sweep after wrecking Beirut Sports Club, 94-72, in the knockout semifinals of 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
But the Philippine club team, bannered by the Dwight Howard-Kevin Quiambao tandem, needs to put together another formidable outing as Strong Group faces unbeaten defending champion Al Riyadi of Lebanon in the winner-take-all title match:
A victory will be sweet redemption for Strong Group after a quarterfinal exit last year.
It will also make the team the second Philippine club to rule the tournament after Mighty Sports pulled off the feat in 2020.
Strong Group secured its spot in the final four after outlasting Moroccan squad AS Sale, 92-80, in the knockout quarterfinals of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Led by Dwight Howard and Kevin Quiambao, the Philippine club team vies to stay unbeaten for a spot in the title round. Here’s their semifinal schedule:
Lebanon’s Al Riyadi, another unbeaten squad, battles Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli in the other semifinal match.
The winners will march to the winner-take-all championship showdown the next day.
Strong Group Athletics marched to the knockout round of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship after completing a 5-0 sweep of the eliminations behind the solid plays of former NBA star Dwight Howard, UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, and former Gilas Pilipinas sniper Jordan Heading.
Here’s the Philippine club team’s quarterfinal schedule:
The winner will advance to the knockout semifinal clash the next day.
Other quarterfinal duels pit the Emirates National Team versus the Beirut Club, the Al-Riyadi Club Beirut against Dubai’s Al Nasr Club, and Lebanon’s Homenetmen Club versus Dubai’s Al Wahda Club.
After weeks of high anticipation, former NBA champion and eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard is finally suiting up for the Philippines as part of Strong Group Athletics in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship tipping off on Friday, January 19.
Arguably the most decorated import in Philippine basketball history, the 38-year-old center is joined by fellow former NBA players Andray Blatche, who once suited up as Gilas Pilipinas’ former naturalized player, and defensive ace Andre Roberson, who played seven seasons for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Making up the local Filipino cast of Strong Group is another collection of stars, including reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, MPBL MVP Justine Baltazar, and UAAP champion JD Cagulangan.
Import McKenzie Moore rounds out the roster alongside locals Francis Escandor, Allen Liwag, Justine Sanchez, and Tony Ynot.
Here is the elimination round schedule for the one-week pocket tournament:
– Rappler.com
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Meet your matcha: Where to get the best matcha lattes around Metro Manila
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jreyes0314
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28/01/2024 12:39
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MANILA, Philippines – By now, it’s already been established that matcha is an acquired taste. To some, its grassy register may make it difficult to like right off the bat, but to others, including me, it’s one of the best things in the world.
Every time I visit a new cafe, I always go for their matcha latte first before trying out their coffee. It’s become one of my measures for determining whether or not a cafe is worth going back to.
Different types of matcha lattes appeal to different types of matcha drinkers, so whether you enjoy your beverage bitter or you prefer it creamier, here’s a tried and tested list of where to get some of the best matcha lattes around the metro!
A post shared by Dot Coffee (@drink.dotcoffee)
Price: P120-P130 (hot); P130-P140 (iced)
For those with a sweet tooth, Dot Coffee’s Matcha Latte is for you. Without completely forgoing the iconic bitter aftertaste of good matcha, Dot Coffee offers you the best of both worlds: just the right amount of sweetness coupled with the rich taste of pure matcha.
Dot Coffee currently has nine locations around Metro Manila. Refer to this story highlight to find the branch nearest you.
A post shared by a.m. (@amespresso.mnl)
Price: P140
Double matcha? Say less! The Corner House’s beloved a.m. espresso mnl tops its Matcha Latte with a matcha foam cloud to make for a thicker and creamier beverage. The foam on its own is already sweet, so it perfectly complements the strong flavor of the Matcha Latte itself with every sip.
This Matcha Latte is best for those who aren’t particularly fond of the grassy overtone of matcha.
a.m. espresso mnl is situated on the first floor of the Dining Block at The Corner House, P. Guevarra cor. Recto, San Juan City.
Price: P140 (P250 mL)
While Matcha Mama offers a variety of special matcha beverages infused with other unique flavors, their classic Matcha Latte is a great place to start. The matcha flavor has creamy notes to it and is a little more subtle, so this is ideal for those who are just trying matcha for the first time.
Matcha Mama has a pickup option for their main location in Evangelista Avenue, Pasig City. They also have a newly opened physical stall at B1, Mitsukoshi Fresh, Mitsukoshi Mall, BGC, Taguig City.
Price: P190
Niseko Coffee’s matcha is always a vibrant green color. The matcha isn’t overpowered by the milk, which allows the latte to maintain a powerful bitterness to it — great for those who prefer their matcha strong. However, you can opt to have it sweetened.
Niseko Coffee is located in Promenade Mall, Greenhills, San Juan City.
A post shared by TSUJIRI Philippines (@tsujiri_ph)
Price: P210
Similar to Niseko Coffee, TSUJIRI doesn’t hold back on the matcha in their TSUJIRI Latte. While this is one of the pricier options on the list, this is a suitable choice for those who enjoy the natural bitter aftertaste that pure matcha has.
TSUJIRI has branches in S Maison in Pasay City, SM Aura in Taguig City, Podium in Mandaluyong City, and Greenbelt 5 and Rockwell in Makati City.
Price: P210
Contrary to matcha lattes made with fresh milk, Latitude Bean+Bar’s Matcha Oat Latte elevates the subtle nuttiness there is to matcha. As the Matcha Oat Latte already comes unsweetened, the oat milk is able to strike a balance with the matcha’s natural bitter taste – creating the ultimate matcha experience.
Latitude Bean+Bar is located at 1851 Pilar Hidalgo Lim, Malate, Manila City.
Price: P135
Made with Uji matcha and steamed milk, Molly’s Donuts & Brunch Cafe’s Uji Matcha Latte is the sweet treat you would get after a long day. This beverage’s powerful and bitter taste of matcha is sweetened with milk and simple syrup, which makes it easy for first-timers and matcha connoisseurs alike to enjoy. But if you’d just like to taste the strong flavor profile of matcha in all its glory, you can also request to forgo the sweetener.
Molly’s Donuts & Brunch Cafe is located at Pioneer Center Supermarket, Pioneer St., cor. United St., Pasig City.
Price: P180 (hot); P190 (iced)
Cooper’s Coffee Haus’ Matcha Latte is made with Uji matcha and milk, and is topped off with thick foam to add to its creaminess. While it definitely falls on the sweeter side, it doesn’t forget to hold on to the earthy notes that matcha itself is so well-liked (and sometimes, disliked) for.
Cooper’s Coffee Haus currently has four branches around Metro Manila: Estancia Mall and Ortigas Home Depot in Pasig City, Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, 7th Avenue in BGC, Taguig City, and EcoOil EDSA along Mandaluyong City.
Which matcha latte are you looking forward to trying? – Rappler.com
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A good voyage: How the Antipolo Cathedral became an international shrine
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pfkahanap0307
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28/01/2024 10:45
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VIVA LA VIRGEN. Parishioners from the Vicariate of St Francis Xavier gather around the images of their patron saints and the Virgin of Antipolo during the sixth day of the novena masses on January 23 for the solemn declaration of Antipolo Cathedral as an international shrine.
The Antipolo Cathedral Facebook page
The 450-year-old Antipolo Cathedral was formally declared an international Catholic shrine on Friday, January 26, during a solemn Mass celebrated by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown.
Also known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, the cathedral is the first international Catholic shrine in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
“We pray with our hearts filled with gratitude for everyone who will come here to this shrine to present to our Lady all of their petitions, knowing that our Lady will look at them with compassion and love,” Brown said in his homily.
According to its website, the cathedral was built on the site of the tipolo, where the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was found after mysteriously disappearing multiple times.
It was declared a national shrine in January 1954, around 322 years after it finished construction.
The cathedral assumed its international title on March 25, 2023, 397 years after the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage departed for the Philippines from the Mexican town of Acapulco.
But how does a church become a shrine?
The Code of Canon Law describes a shrine as a church or any sacred place where the faithful can go on pilgrimage “for a special reason of piety.”
What makes them different from regular parishes? Shrines, according to the ecclesiastical law, should provide more means of salvation to the people “by the diligent proclamation of the word of God, the suitable promotion of liturgical life especially through the celebration of the Eucharist and of penance, and the cultivation of approved forms of popular piety.”
They must also display votive offerings of popular art and piety, which should always be guarded.
The Antipolo Cathedral is a known pilgrimage site for many devotees praying for safe travel. The shrine is visited by millions of tourists during its annual pilgrimage season held every first Tuesday of the month, from May to July.
There are three kinds of shrines recognized by the Catholic Church: diocesan shrines, national shrines, and international shrines.
A parish that wishes to become a shrine must first file a petition with the bishop of its diocese.
Policies laid out by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) state that among other requirements, a church “must be a place of historical significance, prayer and pilgrimage” to be considered a diocesan shrine.
At least 10 years after being declared a diocesan shrine, a church may ask the CBCP to elevate its status to a national shrine.
But there are exceptions to this rule.
The Quiapo Church in Manila is set to be declared a national shrine on Monday, January 29, just a few months after it became an archdiocesan shrine in May 2023.
CBCP secretary-general Bernardo Pantin said that the 10-year condition was put in place to allow the shrine to become popular at the national level. But the Quiapo Church, he added, “is already well known, so it was exempted from the requirement.”
Millions of devotees flock to the basilica every January 9 for the Traslacion, an event that pays homage to the image of the Black Nazarene, that is said to have healing powers.
Lastly, a church that aspires to become an international shrine will need the approval of the Holy See.
In July 2021, the CBCP sent a letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the New Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization, recommending that the Antipolo Cathedral be elevated to an international shrine.
“It is undeniable that the National Shrine of Our Lady is considered a prime pilgrim Church of the Philippines because of the countless devotees and pilgrims who have come and experienced the love of the Blessed Mother in their [lives] through the pastoral care of pilgrims in this Shrine,” the conference of bishops said.
Almost a year later, in June 2022, Antipolo Bishop Francisco de Leon announced that the Vatican had granted a petition to elevate the cathedral to an international shrine.
In a Vatican meeting held in November 2023, Antipolo Cathedral Rector Reynante Tolentino said their church is “experiencing an increase of 1 to 2 million pilgrims per year, peaking to around 10 million pilgrims as of [2023].”
Pope Francis reminded rectors and shrine workers in the same event that “special places” such as shrines must be places of prayer that welcome pilgrims and practice sacraments with care.
Another national shrine in the Philippines, the Parish of Saint Padre Pio, is also filing a petition to become internationally recognized, according to a book published by the Archdiocese of Lipa.
The shrine, located in Batangas, houses first-class relics of its patron saint, who is known for his stigmata and gift of healing.
“This dream reflects the archdiocese’s desire to extend its influence far beyond its local and immediate surroundings and welcome people of diverse cultures and nationalities to experience the spiritual richness it offers,” part of the book said.
The Antipolo Cathedral is the 11th international cathedral worldwide and only the third in Asia, aside from the St. Thomas Syro Malabar Pilgrim Church in India and the Haemi International Catholic Martyr’s Shrine. – Rappler.com
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Mathematician says audit of PCSO lotto, not statistics, can check for cheating
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gdecastro0289
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28/01/2024 11:43
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LOTTO QUEUE. Bettors queue at a lotto betting station in Baguio City to take chance in winning the P350-million jackpot at stake in the 6/55 draw on July 6, 2022.
Mau Victa/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The odds of the PCSO lotto games being won successively in less than a month are “rare,” but the question of whether there was cheating can be determined not by statistics but by an audit of the lottery system, according to a mathematician of the state university.
Guido David, who became known in the Philippines for his work with OCTA Research during the pandemic, weighed in on Friday, January 26, on the PCSO lotto controversy.
In an interview with DWPM Radyo 630, David, a professor at the UP Institute of Mathematics, said the chances of winning in the 6/42 is one in 5 million; one in 14 million in 6/49; and one in 29 million in 6/55.
When asked on the chances of the lotto games being won successively in less than a month, like what happened in PCSO’s “Handog Pakabog” promo draws, David replied:
“Nagbigay ako ng scenario na a few hundred thousand ang pumupusta kada bola. So, every bola, ang probability na may tatama is nasa 2% or less than 2%. Pero pag sunod-sunod yan, kunyari, dalawang bola, it’s 2% x 2% so 0.04%, so, paliit ng paliit. Kunyari, sampung sunod-sunod, napakaliiit ng probability nun. Hindi imposible, napakaliit. It’s a rare occurence pero maliit yung probability.”
(I assumed a scenario of a few hundred thousand betting in every draw. So, every draw, the probability of winning is 2% or less than 2%. But if it’s in succession, for example, if two draws, it’s 2% times 2% so 0.04%, so, it gets smaller and smaller. For example, ten in succession, the probability of that is very small. It’s not impossible, but very small. It’s a rare occurrence but the probability is small.)
He also qualified that the chances of the lotto game being won depends on how many people bet. For instance, in the 6/42, there’s a higher chance that someone will win if 5 million people bet than if only a few people bet.
When asked whether he agreed with Senator Koko Pimentel’s observation that it was an “anomaly,” David said what happened in PCSO’s recent promo draws “raises eybrows” due to its rarity but that “statistics will never prove” that there was cheating.
“So kailangan i-audit, if ever, they should look at the process. Were the draws fair?…Kung gusto nilang iinvestigate, I guess, may statistical basis, kunyari medyo rare na occurrence,” he added. “Yung pag audit, dun nila malalaman, hindi sa numbers.:
(So, there’s a need for an audit, if ever, they should look at the process. Were the draws fair?…If they want to investigate, I guess, there’s statistical basis [for it], for example, the occurrence here is rare. They’ll find out in the audit, not in the numbers.)
David agreed with PCSO General Manager Mel Robles that PCSO’s lottery is a “game of chance.”
David teaches numerical analysis, game theory, mathematical biology, and machine learning in UP Diliman. He is member of OCTA Research and of the academic group Mathematical Finance and Acturial Science.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Guido provided daily analyses of the country’s positivity rate, testing statistics, and other important pandemic-related data.
In the Senate Games and Amusement hearing last Thursday, January 25, committee chair Raffy Tulfo asked the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (DICT-CICC) to look into the PCSO controversy.
Drexx Laggui, a technical consultant of the DICT-CICC, said they will have to check the PCSO’s system, such as how it creates logs, and other processes.
He said the DICT-CICC can also look into PCSO’s ISO documents and also compare the PCSO’s system with the gaming rules in Nevada, USA. PCSO officials said its lotto system is ISO-certified.
“We can employ digital forensics,” Laggui said.
In a press release last January 19, the PCSO said it “churned out multi-millionaires one after the other to the delight of millions of Filipino bettors,” after the PCSO board augmented the jackpot draws for its “Handog Pakabog” Christmas and New Year draws.
The PCSO raised on December 16, 2023 the minimum guaranteed jackpot for the Grand Lotto 6/55, Ultra Lotto 6/58, Super Lotto 6/49 by P500 million each, and P100 million each for Lotto 6/42 and MegaLotto 6/45 as part of its Christmas and New Year draws.
On December 29, 2023, a lone bettor won P571 million in the Ultra Lotto 6/58, the biggest jackpot in 2023.
On January 16, 2024, a bettor won P640 million with the combination 26-33-14-48-06-42 in the Super Lotto 6/49 draw.
On January 17, another lone bettor won P698 million in the Grand Lotto 6/55 with the correct combination of 24-50-52-09-51-03 through PCSO’s new e-Lotto platform.
Three bettors, meantime, won in the Lotto 6/42 jackpot on January 2 with a prize of P108 million.
Two people split the Megalotto 6/45 jackpot of P121 million on January 8.
Pimentel said during the Senate hearing that based on the history of PCSO’s lotto draws, it usually took months before lotto games with a jackpot prize of P500 million or more were won, but in this recent series of draws, which he described as an “anomaly,” all the games with big prizes produced winners in less than month.
“In less than one month, limang laro ang tinamaan…itong nangyari ng December is really an anomaly. Hindi lang one [lotto] game, limang games,” he said. (In less than one month, 5 games were won…what happened this December is really an anomaly.)
Robles, however, told the committee that no cheating is being done. “We would like to assure you that you can never, never manipulate it, kaya nga po (that’s why) allowed kami mag-bet (even PCSO personnel can bet), Mr. Chair. Even I can bet because it’s beyond me.” – Rappler.com
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Doubles breakthrough: Underdogs Eala, Semenistaja reign in India
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Jasmine Payo
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27/01/2024 22:18
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CHAMPS. Alex Eala (left) and Darja Semenistaja in action in the TF W50 Pune.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara appear to have developed a habit of winning together.
After bagging a bronze last year in the Asian Games mixed doubles, the Filipino standouts both emerged doubles champions – but this time in separate tournaments – in India on Saturday, January 27.
Eala captured her first pro doubles crown with Latvian Darja Semenistaja, overcoming their underdog tag in the final match of the ITF W50 Pune.
Alcantara and partner Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia, meanwhile, lived up to their billing to rule the Adityan Memorial ITF Men’s Future over in Chennai.
Eala and Semenistaja stunned top-seeded veterans Naiktha Bains of Great Britain and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 7-6 (8), 6-3.
The fourth-seeded Eala and Semenistaja showed they’re far from awed by their opponents, who aside from being former world top 100 players, also come with Grand Slam pedigree.
Bains was a quarterfinalist of the 2023 Wimbledon, while Stollar has reached the second round of the US Open twice and Wimbledon once.
But that hardly fazed the Filipino-Latvian duo, who went toe-to-toe with Bains and Stollar in the opening set, which saw the contending pairs not dropping serve.
In the tiebreaker, Eala and Semenistaja surged ahead, 4-2, only to find themselves facing set point when Bains and Stollar regained the advantage at 6-5.
The 18-year-old Eala and the 21-year-old Semenistaja faced another set point at 7-8, but showed strong resolve by racking up 3 straight points to pocket the first set.
The momentum carried over for Eala and Semenistaja in the second set where they broke serve twice and closed it out in the ninth game, 6-3, to bag the championship after an hour and 14 minutes.
The title romp made up for Eala’s exit in the singles event after she lost to Semenistaja in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Semenistaja’s singles campaign eventually ended in the semifinals earlier Saturday.
Eala is set to see action next week as a third seed in the ITF W50 Indore, also in India, before she flies to the United Arab Emirates for the WTA Mubadala Abu Dhabi from February 5-12.
Alcantara and Rungkat, meanwhile, blasted Bogdan Bobrov of Russia and Adil Kalyanpur of India, 6-4, 6-2, in the title match.
It was all over in just 59 minutes, with Alcantara and Rungkat holding serve the entire match while breaking Bobrov and Kalyanpur once in the first set and twice in the second set.
It’s the third straight title conquest as a tandem for Alcantara and Rungkat, who won back-to-back ITF titles together late last year in Malaysia.
Now at a career-high 176th in the world, Alcantara is expected to climb further up the world rankings and could possibly become the new No. 1 ranked player of the Philippines. – Rappler.com
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Quiambao-Howard dream tandem excels anew as Strong Group cruises to 1st Dubai final
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jisaga0269
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28/01/2024 9:39
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MAJOR FORCE. Strong Group's Dwight Howard grabs a rebound against Beirut Sports Club.
UAE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
MANILA, Philippines – Former NBA superstar Dwight Howard and reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao – an on-court tandem once lying beyond the realm of what was thought possible – continued to make magic happen for Strong Group Athletics in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
With one being 38 years old and the other 22, both stars shone as if in their athletic primes as the Philippine-based squad cruised to its first-ever final off a 94-72 dismantling of Beirut Sports Club on Saturday, January 27 (Sunday, January 28, Manila time).
Howard, a former NBA champion and eight-time All-Star, turned back the clock a decade or so in the do-or-die semifinal with a massive 26-point, 20-rebound double-double, while Quiambao continued to make rumored international suitors salivate with 18 easy-looking points – 12 coming in the first half alone.
Reigning MPBL MVP Justine Baltazar likewise put his name out there with a 15-point effort on an efficient 6-of-8 clip and 2-of-4 from three, as former PBA import McKenzie Moore directed the offense with 7 points, a game-high 11 assists, and 5 boards.
Veteran guard Dar Tucker paced the loss with 22 points, while Alexander Saleh tallied a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Now awaiting Strong Group in the winner-take-all game on Sunday night is mighty defending champion Al Riyadi Lebanon, still touting local sensation Wael Arakji.
Notably, this matchup echoes the Philippines’ last appearance in the tournament’s final in 2020, when Mighty Sports – boasting former NBA players Renaldo Balkman and current Strong Group veteran Andray Blatche – dethroned Al Riyadi to mark the first time a non-Middle Eastern team won it all.
Since then, the pandemic halted the tournament’s operations for two years before Strong Group took over the Philippines’ slot in 2023, only to crash and burn in the knockout quarterfinal despite tagging along ex-NBA shooters Nick Young and Shabazz Muhammad.
With clearly no expense spared in its preparations, the Frank Lao-owned team is now one win away from a tournament sweep and sweet redemption, unless Al Riyadi plays its role of underdog champion to perfection.
Strong Group-Philippines 94 – Howard 26, Quiambao 18, Baltazar 15, Heading 10, Moore 7, Roberson 6, Sanchez 5, Escandor 3, Cagulangan 2, Liwag 2, Ynot 0.
Beirut Sports Club-Lebanon 72 – Tucker 22, Saleh 19, El Darwich 8, Haidar 6, Rabay 6, Mahmoud 3, Mehzer 3, Mechref 0.
Quarters: 22-17, 50-34, 73-49, 94-72.
– Rappler.com
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Priest loses P27,000 to grateful ‘scammer’: ‘I gave everything to him’
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Paterno Esmaquel II
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28/01/2024 9:32
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To all men and women of faith, this is a warning: You might be next.
A 62-year-old priest from Manila lost P27,000 ($480) to a suspected scammer who posed as an “officer of Palawan” and thanked him for healing his wife.
Father Yulito Ignacio, a priest for nearly four decades, told Rappler he received the supposed Palawan officer in his room on January 18.
Ignacio is a renowned Filipino Mariologist, which means an expert in the study of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who trained at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Born on January 4, 1962, and ordained a priest on September 19, 1987, he is currently assigned to Cardinal Sin’s Welcome Home, a retirement home for priests in Sampaloc, Manila.
According to Ignacio, the “officer of Palawan” was grateful because he (Ignacio) supposedly healed the tumor of the scammer’s wife. The man repeatedly mentioned Ignacio’s name and knew he came from San Carlos Seminary.
Ignacio said he indeed came from San Carlos and healed the sick during his 17 years there.
“He said his wife would arrive on Saturday bringing lobsters and four parrots from Palawan. Before he left, he showed me his back, which, he said, was being treated at PGH (Philippine General Hospital). He asked for P35,000 ($620) to pay for his PGH treatment and his wife’s ferry ticket so she can bring the lobsters and parrots,” Ignacio wrote in Filipino in a Facebook post dated Tuesday, January 23.
“My money, at that time, was P27,000. I gave everything to him. He was happy when he left,” Ignacio said.
Truth unraveled for Ignacio, however, after he later called a priest whom the man had name-dropped during their conversation. The other priest told Ignacio that the man had also visited him and “scammed” him as well.
“Let’s be careful with people like him who dress well but actually bring about scams,” Ignacio said. He told Rappler, however, that he “was not able to report it to the police.”
In the past, religious leaders or their churches had already been the targets of scams, disinformation, and even stolen identities on social media accounts.
It’s a reminder that all should be watchful because, to borrow the words of the Bible, a thief comes at a time when we least expect it. – Rappler.com
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‘Cafe by day, bar by night’: 7 Metro Manila coffee shops that serve cocktails in the evening
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jreyes0314
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27/01/2024 20:10
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MANILA, Philippines – Coffee and cocktails seem like two totally opposite beverages meant to be consumed on different occasions. Coffee is for you to sip on as you complete your deliverables during the day, while cocktails are usually reserved for nights out.
But what if your daily 9-to-5 grind and your 5-to-9 wind-down session could actually happen in the same place? Experience the best of both worlds with these seven “cafe by day, bar by night” coffee shops around Metro Manila that serve booze in the after hours!
A post shared by The Curator Coffee & Cocktails (@thecurator_)
If you frequent the Legazpi Sunday Market, chances are you’ve seen this establishment just across the street. The Curator Coffee & Cocktails serves kickass coffee and specialty drinks guaranteed to power you through the daily grind.
Hailed the Best Bar in the Philippines, The Curator also shakes up cocktails like the Amalfi Mule.
The Curator’s coffee hours run from 7 am to 5 pm daily, while its cocktail hours run from 6:30 pm to 1 am from Tuesday to Sunday. It is located at 134 Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City.
A post shared by NoDoze Coffee Lounge (@nodoze.coffeelounge)
Nestled in the heart of Katipunan, NoDoze Coffee Lounge serves a wide range of unique espresso-based beverages like the Tablea Latte and Cloud Americano, and a modest selection of non-coffee drinks like the Matcha Latte and Chai Spice Latte.
When the evening comes, NoDoze begins serving alcoholic beverages – from classic cocktails like Amaretto Sour to coffee-infused ones like the Espresso Martini. The Katipunan-based coffee lounge also serves different types of liquor by the shot or bottle, as well as local and imported beer.
NoDoze’s cafe is open from Monday to Saturday, from 11 am to 8 pm, while its bar operates on Fridays and Saturdays, from 8 pm to 3 am. It is located at YDG Building along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.
At Latitude Bean+Bar, you can begin your day with some of their crowd-favorite beverages such as their Cinnamon Oat Latte, Cold Brew, or even their Matcha Oat Latte, which can all be ordered throughout the whole day.
By 4:30 pm, however, Latitude makes its bar menu available, serving craft beer, classic cocktails, and special mixers. For the sweet tooth looking for a kick, try Sweet Night, a concoction made of ube liqueur, coconut rum, dark rum, and milk!
Located at 1851 Pilar Hidalgo Lim St., Malate, Manila City, Latitude Bean+Bar is open daily from 11 am to 11 pm.
A post shared by Saikou Bar & Cafe (@saikou_bar)
Saikou Bar + Cafe whips up classic coffee-based drinks alongside its extensive selection of alcoholic beverages. After you have your Caramel Frappe or your Saikou Golden Mocha during the day, you can take things up a notch with their signature cocktail selection, which boasts offerings like the Kuma Gumi Sour and the Saikou Fashioned.
If you’d like to keep things simple, though, Saikou also has a classic cocktail menu that includes old favorites like the Amaretto Sour, Martini, and Margarita.
Located at The Deck in Ronac Art Center, Greenhills, San Juan City, Saikou’s cafe is open daily from 10 am to 8 pm, while its bar is open from 4 pm to 1 am daily.
A post shared by Cala Café (@calacafeph)
Cala Café is equipped with a curated roster of caffeinated beverages that include Cold Brew, Lattes, and Espresso.
Meanwhile, its cocktail menu is balanced with classic and signature cocktails perfect for any kind of individual on a night out. Indulge in an Old Fashioned cocktail for days when you’d like to keep it simple, or try their Lychee Martini to switch things up for a change.
Cala Café is located at 1022 E Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8 am to 11 pm.
A post shared by Snooze Cafe + Bar (@snooze.mnl)
Snooze Cafe + Bar makes sure to take care of you during the day with its generous offering of coffee, non-coffee beverages, and tea – with its Spanish Latte, Matcha Latte, and different types of iced tea.
Similar to the other cafes in this list, the Quezon City-based establishment serves both classic and signature cocktails. Whether you’re up for an adventure with their Pick Me Up cocktail containing cognac, prosecco, curaçao, apple, and spiced syrup, or a more laid back experience with their New York Sour, Snooze Cafe + Bar has you covered.
Snooze Cafe + Bar serves coffee from Monday to Thursday, from 7 am to 10 pm, and from 7 am to 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Cocktails are available from Tuesday to Sunday, starting 6 pm.
A post shared by INT.Bar / EXT.Cafe (@intbar.extcafe)
INT.Bar / EXT.Cafe’s classic coffee stays true to its honest nature with straightforward names like Americano, Capuccino, and Cortado. Meanwhile, the shop’s signature coffee is named after popular films like La La Land, 50 First Dates, and Pulp Fiction, as these drinks are infused with unique ingredients – from black currant syrup to meringue – to level up your caffeine fix.
On the other side of the establishment is the bar area, where you can find the classics like Mimosas, Martinis, and Amaretto Sours. Similar to its coffee offerings, INT.Bar / EXT.Cafe also serves signature cocktails named after films and characters, like Charlie Brown, Mowgli, and Love, Actually.
Located in Cubao Expo, Quezon City, INT.Bar / EXT.Cafe is open daily from 9 am to 12:30 am. While its bar area opens at 5 pm, cocktails are available starting 3 pm. – Rappler.com
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Pancit is life! Different regions have different pancit – here’s how to tell them apart
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Steph Arnaldo
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27/01/2024 19:45
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MANILA, Philippines – What’s the difference between pancit bihon and pancit canton? How does pancit malabon differ from pancit palabok? In the Philippines, pancit is life, but with so many regional varieties, it’s common to get confused.
The word “pancit” comes from the Hokkien term “pian-e-sit,” which means “conveniently cooked,” like fast food. The noodle dish was said to have been brought to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants centuries ago and was eventually localized as a staple Filipino dish during the Spanish colonization. It has since become a widespread mainstay for Filipino celebrations and milestones, signifying the Chinese tradition of noodles carrying “long life,” according to Pepper.ph.
Different regions and cities have their own versions of pancit, with each one distinctly its own, using a variety of noodles, vegetables, meats, seafood, ingredients, sauces, and even methods of cooking. So, if you’ve been looking for a quick guide to help you out, dish is it, pancit! Here are some well-loved pancit dishes from across the country!
Probably one of the most famous iterations, the Filipino stir-fry noodle dish pancit bihon also comes with “guisado” in its name, which means to sauté.
This dish is composed of thin rice noodles that are stir-fried in soy sauce and, at times, oyster sauce. It is seasoned with calamansi juice and typically served with sliced pork, shredded chicken, sometimes liver, and various vegetables like garlic, onion, green beans, cabbage, carrot, snow peas, and more.
Also a popular choice, pancit canton uses almost the same ingredients as bihon but is made from egg/wheat flour noodles instead. This stir-fry dish is also seasoned with soy sauce and calamansi juice and can sometimes have shrimp, eggs, beef, and other ingredients and seasonings.
Served in several Filipino food stalls, canteens, and fast-food restaurants, pancit palabok is a staple noodle dish that uses thin, translucent rice noodles topped with a rich and thick seafood-based sauce typically made from shrimps. The savory and creamy sauce gives the dish its signature bright-orange color and umami flavor.
The noodles are served with a variety of toppings – crunchy chicharon (pork crackling) bits, shrimp, scallions, pork, smoked fish, eggs, and crunchy garlic bits.
Not to be confused with fellow orange dish pancit palabok, pancit malabon is Malabon City’s pancit pride and joy. Malabon’s version uses thicker rice noodles with its sauce already mixed in. The flavorful shrimp-infused sauce typically has crab fat and/or patis (fish sauce) and other seafood like shrimp, mussel, or squid. It is also topped with chicharon bits, sliced cabbage, dried fish, eggs, and other ingredients. Since Malabon City is a coastal region, fresh and local seafood is the star of this noodle dish.
Pampanga’s pancit luglug is quite similar to palabok and malabon, just saucier and made with cornstarch noodles that are thicker than palabok’s. The term “luglog” comes from the translation “to dunk in water,” which is what is done to the thick rice noodles to make them softer. It is also a seafood-forward noodle dish, topped with fresh seafood, scallions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Pancit habhab, which resembles pancit canton, originated from Lucban, Quezon province, and is a dish that uses the chewy Filipino egg noodles called miki noodles. The name comes from the way it’s traditionally eaten, “to gobble up” – the cooked pancit is placed on a banana leaf and then “dumped” into the eater’s mouth. No utensils here!
Pancit habhab is a stir-fry dish usually made with soy sauce, pork belly, liver, shrimp, and veggies like sayote, carrots, and bok choy/pechay. It’s served with calamansi juice and/or spiced cane vinegar.
Hailing from Tuguegarao, pancit batil patung is made from stir-fried miki noodles mixed in with minced carabao meat (a staple protein of the region), bean sprouts, seafood, liver, and veggies, topped with chicharon and egg. It is typically served with a poached egg on top, which means “patong.” The word “batil” comes from the “beaten egg” soup-sauce that the dish is traditionally served with.
The noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur, is a Bicolano delicacy that is similar to pancit canton but uses thicker noodles that are sun-dried and dehydrated first to give a distinctly smoky flavor. Once the noodles are boiled, they are stir-fried with garlic, onions, soft sauteéd pork (that are simmered in chicken stock prior), salt and pepper, shrimp, and vegetables like carrot, bok choy, snap peas, and more. Sometimes, patis is added for extra flavor.
Cebu’s Bam-i or pancit bisaya is a Central Visayas favorite that uses two kinds of noodles – canton and bihon – quickly cooked together with pork, chicken, Chinese sausage, shrimp, cabbage, tenga ng daga (dried wood ear), carrot, and other veggies. It is seasoned with soy sauce and chicken stock, usually, and is known for its different noodle textures and thickness.
The comforting pancit langlang from Imus, Cavite, has miki noodles and sotanghon (rice) noodles stir-fried with garlic, onions, shredded chicken, ground pork, quail eggs, chicharon, with veggies like carrot, cabbage, string beans, and more. It is considered a soupy noodle dish and is even hailed as Jose Rizal’s favorite from Cavite – he called it “the soup par excellence!” in El Filibusterismo.
Pancit lusay is an Ilocos favorite made of “lusay noodles” or miki noodles, stir-fried with Ilocos’ famed Laoag longganisa, garlic, onion, tomato slices, egg, bell peppers, and bagoong alamang or isda, which gives the dish its distinctly umami taste.
Let us know your other regional pancit favorites! – Rappler.com
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6-day, 680-kilometer run to help Negros Occidental kids with cancer ends
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Herbie G
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27/01/2024 18:31
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STARTING POINT. Runners prepare in front of Negros Occidental provincial capitol for the start of the historic 680-kilometer run-for-a-cause in the province on January 20.
Negros Juan-Negros Loop FB Page
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Filipino-Irish nurse and ultramarathoner Rolando Espina Jr. completed on Saturday morning, January 27, a historic 680-kilometer run around Negros, the Philippines’ fourth largest island. It was a run-for-a-cause event aimed at helping children battling cancer in Negros Occidental.
The group, which included a crew of five alternate runners who also took turns driving and managing logistics, left the Negros Occidental capital Bacolod City on January 20, at 3 pm.
They completed the five legs six days later after braving hot days, then rain and strong headwinds on the fifth leg of their run.
They exited Negros Occidental’s last town, Hinobaan, on the second day of the run, and spent the next five traversing Negros Oriental before returning to the Occidental side.
Christian Alayon, one of the organizers of the event, called the 680-km run across Negros Island for six consecutive days “a remarkable achievement.”
The run consisted of five legs along Negros Island’s coastal highway. The journey began in front of the Negros Occidental capitol, heading to Sipalay City at 3 pm on Saturday, January 20, covering about 165 kilometers.
The second leg went about 175 kilometers from Sipalay to Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental.
The third leg covered a route of 113 kilometers from Dumaguete to La Libertad, and the fourth leg extended from La Libertad to Sagay City, Negros Occidental, covering around 133 kilometers.
The final leg, more than 85 kilometers from Sagay to Bacolod City, concluded with a triumphant arrival in front of the provincial capitol on Saturday, January 27, around 7 am.
Philippine National Police units from the two Negros provinces and local units escorted them on all legs. Local government officials met with the team, including Victorias City Mayor Javi Benitez who waited until the team arrived at midnight on January 27.
The event was organized by Team Bagat, of which Alayon was a part. The team consisted of seven core members who brainstormed and planned for the initiative. It included Police Captain Honey Labaro, Jan Christopher Chua, JC Fregil Chua, Brekz Cabrillos, Franklin Echevaria, Christian James Togonon Alayon, and Neil Stephen Valenzuela. – Rappler.com
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Anti-doping code violation? PSC says resolution near
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 15:19
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GIRL POWER. Volleyball star Alyssa Valdez leads an all-female athlete cast for the Philippines during the parade of nations in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) said on Friday night, January 26, that it is working toward resolving its alleged non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code that may lead to a ban in major international sports events, including the Paris Olympics this year.
The government’s sports arm said the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) has taken “prompt and decisive” actions after WADA gave the PSC a total of 21 days – or until February 13 – to dispute allegations of its non-compliance.
“We acknowledge the importance of adhering to the WADA Code and upholding the principles of fair play and integrity in sports,” the PSC said in a statement.
“After receiving evaluations from WADA, certain revisions relating to critical requirements of the Code are now being worked upon. PHI-NADO has reported that we are nearing closure for these requirements within a 21-day period.”
In September, the international anti-doping body already gave the PSC four additional months to comply with the WADA Code.
WADA said the PSC must develop and implement an “effective, intelligent, and proportionate” test distribution plan, and must share and maintain the list of athletes included in its registered training pool.
The PSC is also required to ensure all doping cases are prosecuted in a timely manner and it needs to simultaneously notify all involved parties, including WADA and the concerned NADO or international federation, with the right to appeal the decision in a case.
WADA pointed to an instance when the PSC failed to notify an athlete who tested positive for a banned substance in 2016.
The deadline of the four-month extension lapsed on January 22, prompting WADA to follow up.
“If the Philippines Sports Commission does not dispute any of these elements in writing to WADA within 21 days from the date of this formal notice, the allegation of non-compliance will be deemed admitted, the consequences of non-compliance and the reinstatement conditions proposed by WADA will be deemed accepted, and this formal notice will automatically become a final decision with immediate effect,” WADA director general Olivier Niggli wrote in a letter to PHI-NADO head Alejandro Pineda dated January 23.
Consequences of non-compliance include a ban from hosting regional, continental, and world championships as well.
The PSC also stands the risk of losing its WADA funding and other privileges, among them the eligibility for its representatives to hold WADA office.
Led by chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, the PSC said it met with WADA officials on January 25.
“The primary objective of this meeting was to foster open communication, address the pending concerns and revisions raised by WADA, and collaboratively undertake measures to ensure complete compliance at the earliest possible time,” said the PSC.
“Furthermore, we wish to reassure the public that these possible sanctions are avoidable. We are fully engaged in a constructive dialogue with WADA, working collectively to address any remaining concerns and to ensure that our national athletes can continue to compete on the global stage with honor and integrity.”
It is a big year for Filipino athletes as they try to qualify for the Paris Games, which will be held in the France capital from July to August.
Four Filipinos have booked their tickets to Paris: pole vaulter EJ Obiena, boxer Eumir Marcial, and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.
“The PSC remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship and ethical conduct to our national athletes and coaches,” the PSC said. – Rappler.com
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Doubles breakthrough: Underdogs Eala, Semenistaja reign in India
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Jasmine Payo
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27/01/2024 22:18
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CHAMPS. Alex Eala (left) and Darja Semenistaja in action in the TF W50 Pune.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara appear to have developed a habit of winning together.
After bagging a bronze last year in the Asian Games mixed doubles, the Filipino standouts both emerged doubles champions – but this time in separate tournaments – in India on Saturday, January 27.
Eala captured her first pro doubles crown with Latvian Darja Semenistaja, overcoming their underdog tag in the final match of the ITF W50 Pune.
Alcantara and partner Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia, meanwhile, lived up to their billing to rule the Adityan Memorial ITF Men’s Future over in Chennai.
Eala and Semenistaja stunned top-seeded veterans Naiktha Bains of Great Britain and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 7-6 (8), 6-3.
The fourth-seeded Eala and Semenistaja showed they’re far from awed by their opponents, who aside from being former world top 100 players, also come with Grand Slam pedigree.
Bains was a quarterfinalist of the 2023 Wimbledon, while Stollar has reached the second round of the US Open twice and Wimbledon once.
But that hardly fazed the Filipino-Latvian duo, who went toe-to-toe with Bains and Stollar in the opening set, which saw the contending pairs not dropping serve.
In the tiebreaker, Eala and Semenistaja surged ahead, 4-2, only to find themselves facing set point when Bains and Stollar regained the advantage at 6-5.
The 18-year-old Eala and the 21-year-old Semenistaja faced another set point at 7-8, but showed strong resolve by racking up 3 straight points to pocket the first set.
The momentum carried over for Eala and Semenistaja in the second set where they broke serve twice and closed it out in the ninth game, 6-3, to bag the championship after an hour and 14 minutes.
The title romp made up for Eala’s exit in the singles event after she lost to Semenistaja in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Semenistaja’s singles campaign eventually ended in the semifinals earlier Saturday.
Eala is set to see action next week as a third seed in the ITF W50 Indore, also in India, before she flies to the United Arab Emirates for the WTA Mubadala Abu Dhabi from February 5-12.
Alcantara and Rungkat, meanwhile, blasted Bogdan Bobrov of Russia and Adil Kalyanpur of India, 6-4, 6-2, in the title match.
It was all over in just 59 minutes, with Alcantara and Rungkat holding serve the entire match while breaking Bobrov and Kalyanpur once in the first set and twice in the second set.
It’s the third straight title conquest as a tandem for Alcantara and Rungkat, who won back-to-back ITF titles together late last year in Malaysia.
Now at a career-high 176th in the world, Alcantara is expected to climb further up the world rankings and could possibly become the new No. 1 ranked player of the Philippines. – Rappler.com
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Senate rejects House push for Cha-Cha via people’s initiative. What happens next?
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Bonz Magsambol
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27/01/2024 10:30
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PROTEST. Members of Nagkaisa stage a protest against charter change at the Senate gate in Pasay City on January 23, 2024.
Angie de Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Can the House of Representatives proceed with amending the 1987 Constitution through people’s initiative (PI) without Senate approval?
Charter change has been the talk of the town since early January when signature documents began circulating nationwide. But the problem is – the legitimacy of the people’s initiative has been questioned amid allegations of bribery in securing signatures for the campaign.
The Senate was not having any of it, as on Tuesday, January 23, it released a strongly-worded manifesto rejecting the House bid for charter change. (READ: Senate unanimously rejects House push for charter change via people’s initiative)
“If this PI prospers, further changes to the Constitution can be done with or without the Senate’s approval, or worse, even absent all the senators. Should Congress vote jointly in a constituent assembly, the Senate and its 24 members cannot cast any meaningful vote against the 316 members of the House of Representatives,” Zubiri said as he read the manifesto, which was signed by all 24 senators.
A people’s initiative can only propose amendments through a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters, according to Article XVII of the Constitution. The process is provided in Republic Act 6735 or the Initiative and Referendum Act.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda claimed that the total signatures collected account for 12.1% of total registered voters. This could mean that the campaign has already collected at least eight million signatures.
In a text message to Rappler, University of the Philippines professor and political analyst Ela Atienza said that if the signature campaign becomes successful, this would force both Houses to vote as one instead of two separate chambers.
Is this the end game for the senators? The answer is no.
Atienza said the next step for them is to stop and question the legality of the people’s initiative by bringing the issue to the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court (SC) can also rule on whether [the] House of Representatives can initiate the people’s initiative when they are elected as representatives and not their constituents. The SC can also rule on the fact that there are no programmed funds for people’s initiative this year,” she said.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said that the upper chamber was planning to file a petition to stop the signature campaign. Pimentel said the Senate will have a “planning session” but the case was already prepared and they only have to discuss the “finishing touches.”
As refresher, the people’s initiative, if successful, would allow the House to force the Senate into convening into a Constitutional Assembly (con-ass) because the Senate is massively outnumbered, 24 vs 316. Once a con-ass is formed, lawmakers can now introduce amendments to the Constitution. To formalize the amendments, it should be ratified by Filipino voters through a plebiscite.
Before the Senate released the manifesto, the upper chamber announced that it was taking the lead in reviewing the charter just to be sure that it would cover only economic provisions. Zubiri tried to reassure those wary of charter change that if they lead, term limits would not be part of the amendments.
This seemed to be the compromise after Zubiri met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez early January. But despite the Senate agreeing with Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH6), “proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution,” the signature campaign – believed to be led by Romualdez – is still ongoing.
This didn’t sit well with senators, prompting them to suspend RBH6. (READ: Senate, House joint resolution on Cha-Cha now suspended, says Pimentel)
“It is ridiculous that the Senate, a co-equal chamber of the House, which is needed to pass even local bills, will have a dispensable and diluted role in charter change, the most monumental act of policymaking concerning the highest law in the land,” Zubiri said. – Rappler.com
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Rise from the ashes: Gutted Manila Central Post Office begins rehab
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lkyu0285
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27/01/2024 9:40
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Benjamin Nabong/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – In 2023, an inferno gutted Manila Central Post Office (MCPO), burning for more than 30 hours and reaching the highest level of alarm.
By the end of it, the building’s neoclassical facade, framed by 16 enormous white pillars, were left soot black. Filipinos grieved the loss of one of the oldest landmarks in the nation’s capital, tracing its roots back nearly a hundred years.
Now, eight months after the fire, architects, heritage experts, and government officials are coming together to bring its burned-out husk back to life.
The Department of Tourism (DOT), through its infrastructure arm Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), has committed P15 million to kick-start the MCPO’s restoration and rehabilitation. The fund will go towards the detailed architectural and engineering studies for the “conservative assessment and pre-restoration work” of the building.
Here’s the breakdown of the P15 million budget as stated by the DOT:
Project consultants and officers from TIEZA and the Philippine Postal Corporation have already conducted a preliminary evaluation of the MCPO last January 16. Now, the Department of Tourism said that they are working on the “creation of plans for the pre-restoration work” and the “creation of the rehabilitation and conservation plan.”
“When the Manila Central Post Office was destroyed in a massive fire, we lost not just a building, but an edifice that holds the rich history and past of the Filipinos,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco. “We are delighted to have worked closely with the Philippine Postal Corporation, the management of the Manila Central Post Office, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to ensure the proper and meticulous restoration of the landmark.”
The MCPO sits as the backdrop of the recently beautified Pasig River Esplanade. The building’s restoration is expected to tie in with the “Pasig Bigyan Buhay Muli” – or PBBM – program under the Office of the First Lady. – Rappler.com
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Quiambao already ‘too good’ for college hoops amid naturalization offer
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 21:48
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MVP. Kevin Quiambao in action for the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament.
UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – Amid a stellar performance in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics swingman Kevin Quiambao received a naturalization offer from the United Arab Emirates national basketball team.
And it didn’t surprise Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu at all.
“Kevin can really play. He’s got a great future ahead of him,” Tiu said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk.
“There would be way more opportunities for Kevin, even a higher level of basketball. That’s how good we think he is. And he’s been really impressive.”
Quiambao, the UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player has been leading the charge for a stacked squad filled with NBA talent such as Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
The 23-year-old Quiambao had been averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists with an immaculate 5-0 record thus far in the tournament.
Tiu confirmed Quiambao’s UAE naturalization offer in the television interview on Tuesday, January 23.
“That is true. They’ve actually met with him… They’ve shown a lot of interest in him,” said Tiu.
Quiambao – who is playing under La Salle head coach Topex Robinson, who’s also serving as deputy for Strong Group – has already committed to play for the Green Archers next year in a UAAP title-retention bid for Season 87.
However, if the champion forward suddenly makes a move to go professional, Tiu said he will be behind him.
“Whatever he decides to do, we fully support him. It’s exciting for Kevin,” said Tiu. “I hope he can continue his stellar play and he’s going to make waves. To me, he is too good for college basketball in the Philippines already.”
In a separate post, Tiu also shot down rumors of Quiambao possibly being pursued by the New York Knicks to play for their NBA Summer League roster in July.
“Can I just say, there is nothing about Kevin Quiambao and the Knicks right now. 0 (zero),” Tiu posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, January 25.
The online buzz floated when Strong Group’s public relations officer said in a now-deleted Instagram post that there were initial talks for a Knicks opportunity. — Rappler.com
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Gokongweis dream big, launch ‘The Jewel’ to match Marina Bay Sands, Twin Towers, Taipei 101
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gdecastro0289
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27/01/2024 20:32
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LAUNCH. Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) officials led by its CEO Lance Gokongwei (center), RLC senior vice president Jericho Go (extreme left), Mandaluyong City Mayor Ben Abalos (2nd from left), Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (2nd from right), and RLC chairman James Go (extreme right) lead the ceremonial toast for the cornerstone laying of The Jewel office towers and Forum Robinsons mall along EDSA corner Pioneer St. on January 26, 2024.
Isagani de Castro Jr./Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Gokongweis, one of the richest Filipino families, laid the cornerstone on Friday night, January 26, for an ambitious P25-billion property project that they hope will become an iconic Philippine structure like Australia’s Sydney Opera House, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers, and Taiwan’s Taipei 101.
With the Philippines’ nightingale Lani Misalucha singing Rihanna’s “Diamonds” and with no less than National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab conducting the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) launched The Jewel project, situated on a 2.5-hectare property at the corner of EDSA and Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong City that used to house the now-demolished, two-decades-old Forum Robinsons mall.
“It is with humble privilege that I get to share the vision behind this dream. All over the world, we see architectural icons that represent the ingenuity of a country and its people – Australia has the Sydney Opera House, Malaysia has the Petronas, Taiwan boasts Taipei 101, while Singapore has become synonymous to the Marina Bay Sands. The Philippines? (pause) Exactly. There has not been a single development in the Philippines that’s been able to stand out and keep up with such majestic structures. And with this, we present to you: The Jewel,” said Jericho Go, RLC senior vice president and business unit general manager, during Friday’s event.
Go, together with RLC president and CEO Lance Gokongwei, RLC chair emeritus James Go, Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr., and Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. led the symbolic cornerstone laying, after which an architectural model of The Jewel was unveiled.
The laying of a cornerstone is typically the stone from which the position of the entire structure will be determined.
The Jewel will have four office towers, with each tower named after cuts of diamonds – Asscher, Trilliant, Marquise, and Peruzzi – that collectively will be called the ATMP Towers.
Each tower will have 8-meter-high art installations – a butanding, a Philippine Eagle, a tarsier, and a tamaraw. Go said these “proud symbols representing the gifts our country has been naturally endowed with” will serve as the The Jewel’s “way finders.”
“These impressive art pieces shall form part of equally impressive lobbies that feature 12-meter ceiling heights. From hereon, people from all over the world shall marvel at an icon that shall be synonymous with Filipino talent and ingenuity,” Go said.
The architect for The Jewel’s design concept is Ernesto Zabarte, a Filipino who heads the retail team in the Asia Pacific region of Broadway Malyan, a global architectural firm. The company’s website describes him as a “highly skilled concept designer” who has worked in the US, Europe, Middle East, Russia, China, and South East Asia for 40 years. Broadway Malyan’s scope for The Jewel includes only the office towers’ facade, office towers’ interior design, and landscape and environmental graphics design.
The Jewel project will include a new 6-story Forum Robinsons, replacing the old two-story mall. The architect for the new mall is Concept i, a global interior design and architecture studio.
Lance Gokongwei told Rappler they expect the mall and one of the office towers to be completed in 2026, with the three other office towers finished by the end of the decade.
When asked that most architectural icons around the world are public structures and not private office buildings, Gokongwei told Rappler that “the iconic element about it is really the design, the way it’s built to fit the city and the space.”
“So, I would say it’s not necessarily public or private, I think what’s important is we come out with a building that the city can be proud of,” he said.
In his speech, Go said an edge of The Jewel is accessibility since it is on Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare, EDSA, which has the MRT3, and the Pasig River is visible from the project site.
“There have not been major structures around it that could block such an amazing view. Look at New York, Singapore, London, and Hong Kong. What do they have in common? All these amazing cities have emerged along bodies of water. And this is the same vision we aspire for in The Jewel,” Go said.
He added that The Jewel would build on the people’s “affinity” to EDSA as well as provide a “major uplift to the meaning of EDSA” by putting the “Philippines on the map of quality, iconic developments.”
In his speech, Gokongwei said The Jewel is a new chapter in RLC symbolizing “innovation, progress, and our unwavering commitment to excellence.”
“As we embark on diverse projects, we are not only transforming developments; we consistently raise the bar,” he said. “Together, we stride confidently into the future, establishing new benchmarks and crafting spaces that surpass expectations.”
The Jewel will be beside RLC’s PEZA-registered Robinsons Cybergate Center office buildings, which house BPOs, among other tenants. The area also includes Robinsons Cybergate Plaza and Go Hotels Mandaluyong. To the north are commercial buildings of SM Prime’s SM Development Corporation, Ayala Land, and the Campos family’s Greenfield District. Decades ago, this area was dotted by industrial establishments.
RLC also unveiled on Friday night the new logo of Robinsons Offices.
Gokongwei said the new logo “is a reflection of our vision for the future – a future where Robinsons Offices becomes synonymous with access to talent, premium, best-in-class, future-ready, and sustainable.”
Publicly listed RLC had a net income of P9.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2023, up from P7.8 billion in the same period prior.
Boosted by strong consumer spending and full normalization post-pandemic, Robinsons Malls contributed 39% to RLC’s revenues as of September 2023, followed by revenues from its office portfolio of 31 office buildings. – Rappler.com
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‘It’s not easy’: 6 Filipino celebrity moms who opened up about postpartum depression
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Ysa Abad
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25/01/2024 17:46
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Being a mom is no doubt fulfilling. But while it can be a source of joy, it can also be a tough job to navigate.
According to studies, the postnatal period, in particular, can be very difficult for mothers – with 1 in 7 new mothers experiencing postpartum depression. According to Healthline, postpartum depression “causes changes in mood, exhaustion, and a general sense of hopelessness for a long time after birth.”
Even celebrities have shared their experiences in managing motherhood alongside this mental health issue. Here’s how they handled the pressure of parenthood:
In a January 2024 episode of Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, actress Kris Bernal revealed that she was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety.
“I was enjoying the whole time being pregnant. Hindi ko alam na ang hirap pala kapag nanganak ka na (I didn’t know that it would be this hard once you gave birth),” she said. “It’s really not easy. I was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety kasi nahirapan talaga ako mag-adjust (because I was really finding it hard to adjust).”
The first-time mom, who gave birth to daughter Hailee Lucca in September 2023, shared that she feels like she “could no longer recognize [her] old self.”
“Feel ko parang bagong tao ako…. The things that I used to love, wala na. I’m loving myself now pero siguro may hinahanap pa ako sa dati kong sarili (I feel like I’m a brand new person.… The things I used to love no longer interest me. I’m loving myself now but I’m still looking for something from my past self),” she added.
Bernal, however, was quick to clarify that she’s thankful to be a mom: “This doesn’t mean I’m not grateful or na hindi ko gusto ‘tong journey ko. Ito ang pinakamagandang nangyari sa buhay ko (that I’m not happy with my journey. This is the best thing that’s happened in my life.)”
Months after giving birth to her first child with Luis Manzano, actress Jessy Mendiola got candid about her postpartum body.
“The truth is, accepting your postpartum body gives a huge impact on your mental health. I went through postpartum depression and it wasn’t easy,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Mendiola continued that while she’ll always have insecurities, having recognized the strength of her body has helped change her perspective.
“Once you acknowledge the strength of carrying a life inside you for nine months, giving birth and caring for your baby while recovering is definitely amazing,” she added.
Prior to this, the actress already opened up about experiencing body image issues when she was pregnant, sharing that she didn’t “feel like [herself] anymore” and that she “really get[s] insecure” at times.
In August 2019 — shortly after giving birth to her second child — Andi Eigenmann detailed her struggles accepting the changes brought upon by motherhood.
“I guess this is what postpartum depression looks like to me. I haven’t been feeling like myself lately. Sleepless nights are getting the best of me. When the others are asleep, I’d shed tears I’d normally save for my acting performances on TV show finales,” she said.
The actress continued that she’s “having so many thoughts of guilt” and even “questioning every decision [she] made.” But Eigenmann clarified that while she misses her old self prior to having two kids, she still doesn’t regret the life she has now as a mother.
“I love where I’m at, even if it hasn’t been easy. That’s what keeps me going,” she said.
Prior to being a mom, Toni Gonzaga said she wondered why mothers experienced postpartum depression. However, after giving birth to her first son Seve in September 2016, the actress-host experienced first-hand how it was to be in their shoes.
During a 2017 press conference, Gonzaga recalled that during the first weeks after giving birth, she would usually cry in the bathroom when she was alone.
“Kapag umiiyak siya (Seve), sabi ko, ‘Umiiyak na naman siya, ano na namang kailangan niya?’ Iiyak din ako, magda-drama din ako. Minsan may gaanon kami, kapag umiiyak siya, iiyak din ako,” she said.
(Whenever Seve would cry, I’d say, ‘He’s crying again, what does he need again?’ I would cry too, I would be dramatic, too. Sometimes we do that – when he cries, I cry too.)
When asked about her advice to moms who are also dealing with postpartum depression, Gonzaga emphasized the importance of having a support system to talk to.
In a February 2023 Instagram post, actress Kylie Padilla detailed how she struggled with postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety three years prior.
“The chemistry in my body was out of control, hormonal fluctuations took a toll on my emotional journey. Complications from birth hindered me from taking care of my kids,” she said.
The mother of two recalled that at the time, she was in constant pain and constant doubt. Among her worries include whether her body would recover or if she’ll be able to stand or walk properly again.”
Padilla shared that “never in [her] life” did she feel so “emotionally, physically exhausted” than during this period.
“Like all wives and mothers do, I was fulfilled. But was I happy? And is seeking my own happiness even a possibility? I asked myself every single day,” she wrote.
Reflecting on how much her life had changed, the actress said these emotional tolls made her appreciate where she is now.
“I have a safe home for my kids, work that I’m proud of, and one by one, my dreams are becoming reality. After all my doubt, pain, and fighting the silent battles, fighting my own psyche for the right to be happy, I’m still here,” she said.
In a February 2021 vlog, US-based actress Michelle Madrigal opened up about how not having a support system when she gave birth to her daughter in the United States led her to having postpartum depression.
“Having a child on its own without any family members, mahirap (it’s tough). I didn’t know how to figure it out. I didn’t invite anybody. It was just me when I gave birth,” she said.
“Mahirap na parang wala pala akong support (It was difficult kind of realizing I didn’t have a support system) here. And then the transition to stay-at-home, finding myself…I had postpartum depression. Six months.”
Madrigal said that aside from crying at random times and for unknown reasons, her mood swings were also bad.
“There’ll be days na sobrang high (I feel high and) I’m really happy…and then at night time, parang (it’s like) I don’t want to talk to anybody,” she said.
As she detailed her experience, the actress also pointed out how mental health issues like this shouldn’t be taken lightly by Filipinos.
“You have to acknowledge it,” she said. – Rappler.com
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Pancit is life! Different regions have different pancit – here’s how to tell them apart
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Steph Arnaldo
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27/01/2024 19:45
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MANILA, Philippines – What’s the difference between pancit bihon and pancit canton? How does pancit malabon differ from pancit palabok? In the Philippines, pancit is life, but with so many regional varieties, it’s common to get confused.
The word “pancit” comes from the Hokkien term “pian-e-sit,” which means “conveniently cooked,” like fast food. The noodle dish was said to have been brought to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants centuries ago and was eventually localized as a staple Filipino dish during the Spanish colonization. It has since become a widespread mainstay for Filipino celebrations and milestones, signifying the Chinese tradition of noodles carrying “long life,” according to Pepper.ph.
Different regions and cities have their own versions of pancit, with each one distinctly its own, using a variety of noodles, vegetables, meats, seafood, ingredients, sauces, and even methods of cooking. So, if you’ve been looking for a quick guide to help you out, dish is it, pancit! Here are some well-loved pancit dishes from across the country!
Probably one of the most famous iterations, the Filipino stir-fry noodle dish pancit bihon also comes with “guisado” in its name, which means to sauté.
This dish is composed of thin rice noodles that are stir-fried in soy sauce and, at times, oyster sauce. It is seasoned with calamansi juice and typically served with sliced pork, shredded chicken, sometimes liver, and various vegetables like garlic, onion, green beans, cabbage, carrot, snow peas, and more.
Also a popular choice, pancit canton uses almost the same ingredients as bihon but is made from egg/wheat flour noodles instead. This stir-fry dish is also seasoned with soy sauce and calamansi juice and can sometimes have shrimp, eggs, beef, and other ingredients and seasonings.
Served in several Filipino food stalls, canteens, and fast-food restaurants, pancit palabok is a staple noodle dish that uses thin, translucent rice noodles topped with a rich and thick seafood-based sauce typically made from shrimps. The savory and creamy sauce gives the dish its signature bright-orange color and umami flavor.
The noodles are served with a variety of toppings – crunchy chicharon (pork crackling) bits, shrimp, scallions, pork, smoked fish, eggs, and crunchy garlic bits.
Not to be confused with fellow orange dish pancit palabok, pancit malabon is Malabon City’s pancit pride and joy. Malabon’s version uses thicker rice noodles with its sauce already mixed in. The flavorful shrimp-infused sauce typically has crab fat and/or patis (fish sauce) and other seafood like shrimp, mussel, or squid. It is also topped with chicharon bits, sliced cabbage, dried fish, eggs, and other ingredients. Since Malabon City is a coastal region, fresh and local seafood is the star of this noodle dish.
Pampanga’s pancit luglug is quite similar to palabok and malabon, just saucier and made with cornstarch noodles that are thicker than palabok’s. The term “luglog” comes from the translation “to dunk in water,” which is what is done to the thick rice noodles to make them softer. It is also a seafood-forward noodle dish, topped with fresh seafood, scallions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Pancit habhab, which resembles pancit canton, originated from Lucban, Quezon province, and is a dish that uses the chewy Filipino egg noodles called miki noodles. The name comes from the way it’s traditionally eaten, “to gobble up” – the cooked pancit is placed on a banana leaf and then “dumped” into the eater’s mouth. No utensils here!
Pancit habhab is a stir-fry dish usually made with soy sauce, pork belly, liver, shrimp, and veggies like sayote, carrots, and bok choy/pechay. It’s served with calamansi juice and/or spiced cane vinegar.
Hailing from Tuguegarao, pancit batil patung is made from stir-fried miki noodles mixed in with minced carabao meat (a staple protein of the region), bean sprouts, seafood, liver, and veggies, topped with chicharon and egg. It is typically served with a poached egg on top, which means “patong.” The word “batil” comes from the “beaten egg” soup-sauce that the dish is traditionally served with.
The noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur, is a Bicolano delicacy that is similar to pancit canton but uses thicker noodles that are sun-dried and dehydrated first to give a distinctly smoky flavor. Once the noodles are boiled, they are stir-fried with garlic, onions, soft sauteéd pork (that are simmered in chicken stock prior), salt and pepper, shrimp, and vegetables like carrot, bok choy, snap peas, and more. Sometimes, patis is added for extra flavor.
Cebu’s Bam-i or pancit bisaya is a Central Visayas favorite that uses two kinds of noodles – canton and bihon – quickly cooked together with pork, chicken, Chinese sausage, shrimp, cabbage, tenga ng daga (dried wood ear), carrot, and other veggies. It is seasoned with soy sauce and chicken stock, usually, and is known for its different noodle textures and thickness.
The comforting pancit langlang from Imus, Cavite, has miki noodles and sotanghon (rice) noodles stir-fried with garlic, onions, shredded chicken, ground pork, quail eggs, chicharon, with veggies like carrot, cabbage, string beans, and more. It is considered a soupy noodle dish and is even hailed as Jose Rizal’s favorite from Cavite – he called it “the soup par excellence!” in El Filibusterismo.
Pancit lusay is an Ilocos favorite made of “lusay noodles” or miki noodles, stir-fried with Ilocos’ famed Laoag longganisa, garlic, onion, tomato slices, egg, bell peppers, and bagoong alamang or isda, which gives the dish its distinctly umami taste.
Let us know your other regional pancit favorites! – Rappler.com
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No stopping flawless run as Strong Group reaches semis in Dubai
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 9:27
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SUPERMAN. Dwight Howard in action for Strong Group Athletics in the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
UAE Basketball Association Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – A disappointing quarterfinal exit in the Dubai International Basketball Championship last year is officially a thing of the past for Strong Group Athletics.
Banking on its reliable reinforcements, Strong Group earned its place in the final four after scraping past AS Sale, 92-80, in the knockout quarterfinals at the Al Nasr Club on Friday, January 26 (Saturday, January 27, Manila time).
Former NBA standouts Andre Roberson and Dwight Howard steered unscathed Strong Group to its sixth consecutive victory as it inched closer to becoming the second team from the Philippines to capture the Dubai crown.
Mighty Sports Philippines first achieved the feat in 2020.
Roberson posted 18 points and 9 rebounds, taking over in the crucial stretch to help put away the stubborn Moroccan crew that managed to claw its way back into the game despite trailing by twin digits on multiple occasions.
AS Sale got within 71-78 with under six minutes left before Strong Group unleashed a 9-0 blitz highlighted by 6 straight Roberson points for its biggest lead.
Howard put up a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, while McKenzie Moore also finished with 17 points on top of 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
Kevin Quiambao, a member of the Strong Group squad that got the quarterfinal boot last year, made sure there will be no repeat of that disappointing ending as he supplied 15 points and 5 assists.
Other locals stepped up, with Justine Baltazar (8 points and 5 rebounds) and Jordan Heading (6 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) living up to their roles as starters.
American import Ramon Galloway tallied 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists for AS Sale, which held the upper hand in the early parts of the first half before Strong Group found its touch.
Off a 26-26 deadlock midway through the second quarter, Howard scored 5 points in an 18-5 run that allowed Strong Group to prop up a 44-31 advantage.
Up next for Strong Group in the semifinals on Sunday (Manila time) is Lebanese crew Beirut Sports Club, a team that the Philippine side crushed by 22 points in the group stage.
Strong Group 92 – Roberson 18, Howard 17, Moore 17, Quiambao 15, Baltazar 8, Heading 6, Blatche 4, Ynot 3, Cagulangan 2, Liwag 2, Escandor 0, Sanchez 0.
AS Sale 80 – Galloway 27, Williams 20, Al Quraishi 6, Benchlikha 5, Kourdou 4, Buqisho 4, Al Mohseni 2, Benabou 2.
Quarters: 19-21, 44-36, 67-59, 92-80.
– Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 3 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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delfin.dioquino editor
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28/01/2024 17:50
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PBA Images
San Miguel Beer became the first team to reach the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals after completing a sweep of Barangay Ginebra with a 94-91 triumph in Game 3 of the semifinals.
Bennie Boatwright dropped 26 points and 13 rebounds as the Beermen picked up their ninth straight win.
The Beermen, who got swept by the Gin Kings in their last series face-off, also became the first team in a decade to sweep Ginebra in a best-of-five series.
No team has swept Barangay Ginebra in a best-of-five series in over a decade.
San Miguel stands one win away from achieving that feat as it looks to finish off the Gin Kings in Game 3 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, January 28.
Gaining a commanding 2-0 series lead following a 106-96 victory on Friday, the Beermen looks primed to avenge its 3-0 loss to Ginebra last season when they tangled in the semifinals of the Governors’ Cup.
The Gin Kings last got swept in a best-of-five affair in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup finals, where they succumbed to the Alaska Aces.
Ginebra has its work cut out for it as the Beermen have been on a roll, winning eight straight games behind import Bennie Boatwright and local stars June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez.
Boatwright averaged 30.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first two games of the series, while Fajardo and Perez provided ample support as San Miguel zeroed in on its first finals stint since ruling the Philippine Cup last season.
The Beermen, though, have no plans getting ahead of themselves.
“In this team, it is ladder by ladder. We’re on the third ladder. A win is a win on Sunday, but if not, then we just got to work harder,” said San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent.
“Of course, we want to try to finish it on Sunday. But I’m sure Ginebra is going to come prepared. We’re just going to grind it.”
Game time is 6:30 pm. – Rappler.com
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Bishop still upbeat even as Ginebra faces semis elimination vs San Miguel
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 20:19
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LOOSE BALL. Tony Bishop in action for Barangay Ginebra in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – All is not lost for Barangay Ginebra import Tony Bishop, believing that the Gin Kings can still turn their fortunes around in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Bishop and Ginebra face elimination going into Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinals against San Miguel on Sunday, January 28, at the Mall of Asia Arena as the Beermen sit on a comfortable 2-0 series cushion.
“Oh yeah, until it’s over with. Until the fat lady sings, like we say,” said Bishop when asked if he still likes the Gin Kings’ chances of overcoming that deficit.
“We’re going to keep going hard. They’re up two. We have to win next game and take it one game at a time. We have to make sure that we come out strong, come out hard, and win the game.”
Coming back from that deep hole, though, is a tall order for Ginebra, considering San Miguel has been the hottest team in the PBA.
Featuring a talented import in Bennie Boatwright and a star-studded local cast led by seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, the Beermen ride on a blistering eight-game winning streak.
“They have everything. They have shooters outside, they got big presence inside. They got June Mar. They got guys who can give you 20 any given night, three or four threes in a row every night,” said Bishop.
But Bishop finds comfort in the fact that the Gin Kings have been able to keep the games close, losing Game 1 by just a single possession and dropping Game 2 by 10 points.
“We’re there every game. We’re not getting blown out. We’re right there. It’s just a couple of mistakes that we got to tweak, we got to fix, so we can win next game,” said Bishop.
Although the Gin Kings have hit a sudden slump, Bishop has been a steady force, averaging 22.5 points and 10 rebounds in the first two games of the semifinals.
He said Ginebra only needs fine-tuning on both ends.
“We just have to fix some stuff on our defense. On offense, we got to make sure that we’re continuing to score the ball, continue to find guys open at their spots,” said Bishop. – Rappler.com
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Check the consolidation status of your jeepney, UV Express route
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lkyu0285
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23/01/2024 18:20
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CONSOLIDATION. Jeepneys ply Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on December 12, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Caving in to pressure, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted a “final extension” for operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to consolidate.
Prior to the new April 30 deadline, more than 1,900 jeepney and UV Express routes risked being wiped out nationwide by February 1. Under a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) memorandum circular, jeepneys that failed to consolidate before the deadline of December 31, 2023, had only until January 31 to ply certain routes, including those with low consolidation rates.
But there were also some routes where none of the jeepneys or UV Express units plying them formed a cooperative or corporation. Based on LTFRB data, 395 jeepney routes in Metro Manila have no consolidated entities, along with 108 routes for UV Express. Nationwide, the number of PUV routes without consolidated entities reaches 1,948. What happens to these routes?
Before the extension, this meant that legally, those routes were supposed to have no more trips by February 1 unless other consolidated PUVs were pulled in to serve them, or the PUVs originally under that route continued to ply them as “colorum” vehicles.
However, the government clarified now that unconsolidated PUVs will still be allowed to ply their routes by February in light of the extended deadline. The LTFRB, however, has yet to release an updated memorandum on how it will implement the extension.
Even with the new deadline granted, transportation officials were firm that operators must consolidate if they want to keep their routes. This extension will serve as a last chance for operators to consolidate into a cooperative or corporation.
Search this table below to see the consolidation status of your route as of December 31, 2023, if your route will still be in service by February 1. Take note that only routes labeled as having no consolidated entities are in danger of being wiped out.
Before the extension was announced, left-leaning critics of the PUV Modernization Program warned that the consolidation requirement will soon bring job losses and messy commutes.
“This reaffirms our fears of massive job losses and disruption of public transport after January 31 when unconsolidated jeeps and UVE will no longer be allowed to operate,” said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes in a statement on Saturday, January 20.
Transport group PISTON, which has co-led a series of protests against the program, also said a “mass transport disaster” awaited as “thousands” of drivers and operators could be displaced.
Using the data provided by the LTFRB, Rappler created a map visualizing the status of consolidation nationwide. Regions are shaded based on the number of jeepney or UV Express routes that failed to consolidate before December 31, 2023.
Looking closely at the data, Bicol is the region that has the most number of unconsolidated jeepney routes. Nearly 68% of all routes in Bicol, or 451 routes, have no consolidated jeepneys. In Metro Manila, more than 35% of jeepney routes have no consolidated jeepneys. Central Visayas, Caraga, and Soccsksargen are the only regions that do not have routes that failed to consolidate.
Still, the government insists that there will be no transportation crisis. According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), consolidated cooperatives will be asked to operate on routes with unconsolidated jeepneys. In relation to this, drivers who will be displaced by consolidation could be absorbed by other cooperatives or corporations that will “badly need” them as they expand routes.
“We were assured by the cooperatives na sila po ay tatanggap ng mga drivers doon sa operators na hindi po nag-consolidate (that they will accept drivers from operators who were unable to consolidate),” said Office of Transportation Cooperatives Chairman Jesus Ferdinand Ortega on January 5.
The DOTr also views consolidation as an opportunity to “rationalize” routes, which means that it really doesn’t expect to keep all routes. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that based on the government’s study, achieving a 65% consolidation rate nationwide will be “sufficient” to carry the program forward. He explained that some routes are redundant, with shorter routes overlapping with longer ones.
“‘Yung mga naiwan, sa tingin namin, will be enough. And we will, siyempre, rationalize na ‘yung mga ruta. For example, merong isang ruta 'nyo na mahaba. May mga ruta in between. ‘Yun ‘yung mga unconsolidated, ‘yung in between, baka hindi na. Kaya, ‘yun ang mga tinitignan natin,” he said in an interview on January 5.
(Those that were left, in our view, will be enough. We will, of course, rationalize the routes. For example, there's one long route. There are routes in between. Those routes in between that were unconsolidated may be dropped. That's what we're looking at.)
In the meantime, the LTFRB also advised the public to turn to other modes of public transportation for their daily commute.
“There are still other modes of public transport in Metro Manila. We are talking of buses, other modes like taxis, TNVS (transport network vehicle services) that could also accommodate public demand,” said LTFRB NCR Regional Director Zona Tamayo in a press briefing last December 29.
The government has also gone on record numerous times to defend its controversial PUV Modernization Program, holding three press conferences about it in a week. In each one, officials underscored how the program will uplift drivers and operators and how consolidation is a necessary first step to upgrading to modern jeepneys. (READ: Anti-poor? How gov’t defends PUV modernization, why jeepney stakeholders oppose it) – Rappler.com
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It’s budol time! Here are the dates for Manila International Book Fair 2024
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Ysa Abad
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25/01/2024 11:31
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Manila International Book Fair's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Book lovers, mark your calendars for your highly-anticipated budol of the year as the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) announced on Wednesday, January 24, the schedule for its 2024 run.
This year’s book affair is set to take place on September 14 to 17 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.
Other details, such as the fair’s hours, list of exhibitors and publishers, schedule of activities, and ticket prices, have yet to be announced.
Usually, over 100 exhibitors participate in the MIBF — ranging from mainstream to indie publishers, university presses, and academic and international distributors, among others.
Aside from the wide range of titles, the MIBF also holds several activities, such as book launches, webinars, storytellings, workshops, and panel discussions.
The MIBF is one of the biggest and longest-running book fairs in the Philippines, having showcased various publishers for over 40 years now. – Rappler.com
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Bishop still upbeat even as Ginebra faces semis elimination vs San Miguel
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 20:19
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LOOSE BALL. Tony Bishop in action for Barangay Ginebra in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – All is not lost for Barangay Ginebra import Tony Bishop, believing that the Gin Kings can still turn their fortunes around in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Bishop and Ginebra face elimination going into Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinals against San Miguel on Sunday, January 28, at the Mall of Asia Arena as the Beermen sit on a comfortable 2-0 series cushion.
“Oh yeah, until it’s over with. Until the fat lady sings, like we say,” said Bishop when asked if he still likes the Gin Kings’ chances of overcoming that deficit.
“We’re going to keep going hard. They’re up two. We have to win next game and take it one game at a time. We have to make sure that we come out strong, come out hard, and win the game.”
Coming back from that deep hole, though, is a tall order for Ginebra, considering San Miguel has been the hottest team in the PBA.
Featuring a talented import in Bennie Boatwright and a star-studded local cast led by seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, the Beermen ride on a blistering eight-game winning streak.
“They have everything. They have shooters outside, they got big presence inside. They got June Mar. They got guys who can give you 20 any given night, three or four threes in a row every night,” said Bishop.
But Bishop finds comfort in the fact that the Gin Kings have been able to keep the games close, losing Game 1 by just a single possession and dropping Game 2 by 10 points.
“We’re there every game. We’re not getting blown out. We’re right there. It’s just a couple of mistakes that we got to tweak, we got to fix, so we can win next game,” said Bishop.
Although the Gin Kings have hit a sudden slump, Bishop has been a steady force, averaging 22.5 points and 10 rebounds in the first two games of the semifinals.
He said Ginebra only needs fine-tuning on both ends.
“We just have to fix some stuff on our defense. On offense, we got to make sure that we’re continuing to score the ball, continue to find guys open at their spots,” said Bishop. – Rappler.com
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Pancit is life! Different regions have different pancit – here’s how to tell them apart
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Steph Arnaldo
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27/01/2024 19:45
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MANILA, Philippines – What’s the difference between pancit bihon and pancit canton? How does pancit malabon differ from pancit palabok? In the Philippines, pancit is life, but with so many regional varieties, it’s common to get confused.
The word “pancit” comes from the Hokkien term “pian-e-sit,” which means “conveniently cooked,” like fast food. The noodle dish was said to have been brought to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants centuries ago and was eventually localized as a staple Filipino dish during the Spanish colonization. It has since become a widespread mainstay for Filipino celebrations and milestones, signifying the Chinese tradition of noodles carrying “long life,” according to Pepper.ph.
Different regions and cities have their own versions of pancit, with each one distinctly its own, using a variety of noodles, vegetables, meats, seafood, ingredients, sauces, and even methods of cooking. So, if you’ve been looking for a quick guide to help you out, dish is it, pancit! Here are some well-loved pancit dishes from across the country!
Probably one of the most famous iterations, the Filipino stir-fry noodle dish pancit bihon also comes with “guisado” in its name, which means to sauté.
This dish is composed of thin rice noodles that are stir-fried in soy sauce and, at times, oyster sauce. It is seasoned with calamansi juice and typically served with sliced pork, shredded chicken, sometimes liver, and various vegetables like garlic, onion, green beans, cabbage, carrot, snow peas, and more.
Also a popular choice, pancit canton uses almost the same ingredients as bihon but is made from egg/wheat flour noodles instead. This stir-fry dish is also seasoned with soy sauce and calamansi juice and can sometimes have shrimp, eggs, beef, and other ingredients and seasonings.
Served in several Filipino food stalls, canteens, and fast-food restaurants, pancit palabok is a staple noodle dish that uses thin, translucent rice noodles topped with a rich and thick seafood-based sauce typically made from shrimps. The savory and creamy sauce gives the dish its signature bright-orange color and umami flavor.
The noodles are served with a variety of toppings – crunchy chicharon (pork crackling) bits, shrimp, scallions, pork, smoked fish, eggs, and crunchy garlic bits.
Not to be confused with fellow orange dish pancit palabok, pancit malabon is Malabon City’s pancit pride and joy. Malabon’s version uses thicker rice noodles with its sauce already mixed in. The flavorful shrimp-infused sauce typically has crab fat and/or patis (fish sauce) and other seafood like shrimp, mussel, or squid. It is also topped with chicharon bits, sliced cabbage, dried fish, eggs, and other ingredients. Since Malabon City is a coastal region, fresh and local seafood is the star of this noodle dish.
Pampanga’s pancit luglug is quite similar to palabok and malabon, just saucier and made with cornstarch noodles that are thicker than palabok’s. The term “luglog” comes from the translation “to dunk in water,” which is what is done to the thick rice noodles to make them softer. It is also a seafood-forward noodle dish, topped with fresh seafood, scallions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Pancit habhab, which resembles pancit canton, originated from Lucban, Quezon province, and is a dish that uses the chewy Filipino egg noodles called miki noodles. The name comes from the way it’s traditionally eaten, “to gobble up” – the cooked pancit is placed on a banana leaf and then “dumped” into the eater’s mouth. No utensils here!
Pancit habhab is a stir-fry dish usually made with soy sauce, pork belly, liver, shrimp, and veggies like sayote, carrots, and bok choy/pechay. It’s served with calamansi juice and/or spiced cane vinegar.
Hailing from Tuguegarao, pancit batil patung is made from stir-fried miki noodles mixed in with minced carabao meat (a staple protein of the region), bean sprouts, seafood, liver, and veggies, topped with chicharon and egg. It is typically served with a poached egg on top, which means “patong.” The word “batil” comes from the “beaten egg” soup-sauce that the dish is traditionally served with.
The noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur, is a Bicolano delicacy that is similar to pancit canton but uses thicker noodles that are sun-dried and dehydrated first to give a distinctly smoky flavor. Once the noodles are boiled, they are stir-fried with garlic, onions, soft sauteéd pork (that are simmered in chicken stock prior), salt and pepper, shrimp, and vegetables like carrot, bok choy, snap peas, and more. Sometimes, patis is added for extra flavor.
Cebu’s Bam-i or pancit bisaya is a Central Visayas favorite that uses two kinds of noodles – canton and bihon – quickly cooked together with pork, chicken, Chinese sausage, shrimp, cabbage, tenga ng daga (dried wood ear), carrot, and other veggies. It is seasoned with soy sauce and chicken stock, usually, and is known for its different noodle textures and thickness.
The comforting pancit langlang from Imus, Cavite, has miki noodles and sotanghon (rice) noodles stir-fried with garlic, onions, shredded chicken, ground pork, quail eggs, chicharon, with veggies like carrot, cabbage, string beans, and more. It is considered a soupy noodle dish and is even hailed as Jose Rizal’s favorite from Cavite – he called it “the soup par excellence!” in El Filibusterismo.
Pancit lusay is an Ilocos favorite made of “lusay noodles” or miki noodles, stir-fried with Ilocos’ famed Laoag longganisa, garlic, onion, tomato slices, egg, bell peppers, and bagoong alamang or isda, which gives the dish its distinctly umami taste.
Let us know your other regional pancit favorites! – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: No super typhoon expected in PH up until January 28
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Lorenz Pasion
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27/01/2024 18:58
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Claim: A Signal No. 4 super typhoon is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, January 28.
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in the title and thumbnail of a video posted on January 25 by Balitang Pinas, a verified YouTube channel with 624,000 subscribers. As of writing, the video has 17,000 views and 541 likes.
The video’s thumbnail also claims that the incoming tropical cyclone would be the first super typhoon entering the PAR in 2024.
The facts: According to the latest public weather forecast issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Saturday, January 27, no tropical cyclone is currently being monitored within and outside the PAR.
In its 5 pm weather update, PAGASA said the northeast monsoon affects the country.
PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja earlier said that no tropical cyclones are expected to enter the PAR and that there was a “low chance” for one to develop until the end of January.
The first tropical cyclone to enter the PAR this year is set to be named Aghon, according to PAGASA’s list of tropical cyclone names for 2024.
Outdated audio: The misleading video used audio from the 4 am public weather forecast streamed live on Thursday, January 25, on the PAGASA YouTube channel and Facebook page. The report, however, did not mention that a super typhoon would be entering the PAR this weekend.
Previous fact-checks: Although the YouTube channel that uploaded the deceptive video has a verified badge, this only indicates that it is the “official channel of a creator, artist, company, or public figure.” Verifying the authenticity of a channel’s content is not listed among YouTube’s standards for a verified badge.
Several weather-related claims from the same YouTube channel have been repeatedly debunked by Rappler:
Official news: For official weather updates, visit PAGASA’s official website, Twitter page, and YouTube channel. Get updates too via Rappler’s Philippine weather page. – Chinie Ann Jocel R. Mendoza/Rappler.comChinie Ann Jocel R. Mendoza is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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Select McDonald’s branches are getting greener with Meralco
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Julian Cirineo
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23/01/2024 18:47
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Meralco, the largest power distributor equipped with expertise in green initiatives, joined forces with McDonald’s to power the implementation of eco-friendly practices within its restaurant operations.
This collaboration between One Meralco and Golden Arches Development Corporation (GADC), the company behind McDonald’s, began in January 2021. The fast-food giant aimed to integrate custom solutions into its operations, including solar rooftop installations, solar lamp posts, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
“Together with Meralco, we’re planting the seeds for a Greener future for the Good of the planet,” said Kenneth S. Yang, president & CEO of McDonald’s Philippines.
In a significant stride towards sustainability, select McDonald’s branches including Green and Good flagship stores now offer EV users the facility to charge their e-bikes and e-scooters at minimal fees through coin-operated charging stations. This initiative, enabled by Meralco’s electric mobility solutions subsidiary, Movem Electric, Inc., aligns with the government’s push to promote EV use and expedite the country’s transition towards green mobility.
The partnership evolved as GADC leveraged Meralco’s Peak / Off-Peak (POP) solution, optimizing electricity usage to take advantage of lower rates during off-peak hours. This measure proved instrumental in helping McDonald’s save on electricity costs for its 24/7 branches, vital for fulfilling their all-day McDelivery services.
Furthering their commitment, solar panel installations are underway at McDonald’s Petron KM44 and McDonald’s Pagsanjan branches. Once fully operational with the support of Meralco’s subsidiary, MSpectrum, Inc. these branches are estimated to yield annual savings of approximately P450K and P880K, respectively.
In a bid to advance GADC’s goals towards sustainability, Meralco integrated its solutions by combining solar installations and POP with energy-efficient technologies such as inverter appliances and LED lighting, fostering overall operational efficiency.
“Meralco is always top of mind when it comes to energy solutions. Our relationship with the Meralco group has been long-standing and I look forward to many more years with them as partners as we work towards a greener and brighter future,” Yang added.
Meralco Enterprise, the service arm catering to public and private sectors with a contracted capacity of at least 500kW per month, provides tailor-made solutions. Leveraging insights into energy consumption behaviors and strategic partnerships with technology leaders, Meralco Enterprise offers custom-fit solutions for industrial, commercial, and residential customers.
This partnership, marked by a mutual commitment to sustainability and innovation, not only reduced operational costs for McDonald’s but also exemplified the power of Meralco’s tailored strategies and collaborative efforts in fostering a greener future. With a shared vision and ongoing dedication, this alliance stands as a testament to the potential for impactful change and sets the stage for further advancements in sustainable practices within the energy and food industries.
Watch how Kenneth S. Yang shares the full scale of McDonald’s successful partnership with Meralco in this video.
For those interested in partnering with Meralco Enterprise, get in touch with a Meralco Enterprise Relationship Manager, email enterprise@meralco.com.ph, or call the hotline at 16210. – Rappler.com
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Frying soon! What to expect from NeNe Chicken’s 1st Metro Manila branch
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Steph Arnaldo
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25/01/2024 17:06
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MANILA, Philippines – You can never go wrong with fried chicken, especially if it’s from one of the countries that does it best – South Korea. If you’ve been craving for Korean fried chicken after watching your K-dramas, don’t be a-fried! Renowned Korean chain NeNe Chicken is making its way to the Philippines for the first time on April 2024.
NeNe Chicken is opening its first branch in One Ayala Mall, Makati City, open from 10:30 am to 10 pm. Owners Gil and Saeed of Relle Foods Inc. – the company bringing in the brand – confirmed the news to Rappler. If you’re not that familiar with NeNe Chicken yet, or if you are but don’t know what to expect from its first Philippine foray, here’s the lowdown fresh out of the fryer!
NeNe – which actually means “Yes Yes” in Korean – is being brought to the Philippines by two young friends Gil and Saeed, “who know a thing or two about great-tasting chicken,” they said.
Relle Foods owns and operates NeNe Chicken in other countries outside South Korea, while also holding the master license for a few brands in the Philippines. They decided to finally bring NeNe Chicken to the Philippines after seeing it so well-received by Filipinos in other countries.
“We want to give Filipinos here an authentic KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) brand offered at an affordable price point,” Gil said.
NeNe aims to stand out from its other Korean chicken competitors by offering its menu at budget-friendly prices.
“Our main goal is to share good food with as many customers as we can. We don’t want to be a ‘Sometimes Food’ like our competitors, but instead be an ‘Everyday Food,'” Gil added.
For its Philippine outpost, Gil and Saeed wanted a casual and inviting space where different people could come together and enjoy good food with good company.
“We want to celebrate everyones uniqueness, which is symbolized with the mismatching chairs. Our space is like a friend’s house. We want you to come and hang out.”
Fresh chicken is sourced from NeNe’s sustainable farmers, marinated in a signature blend, seasoned in flour, and then fried until light and crispy. NeNe’s sauces and toppings are authentically Korean and sourced from Korea, made from recipes that have been perfected since 1999.
“Our customers can expect to experience the genuine taste of KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) flavors and how it should taste in Korea,” Gil said.
NeNe Chicken’s Philippine menu will feature the Legendary Chicken Range of its famous flavors, such as the Original crispy chicken; the world-famous Swicy (sweet-and-spicy); Bulgogi (garlic-soy blend); and Freaking Hot.
The Signature Snowing Range – which Gil said first originated from Nene Chicken – offers the Snowing Cheese flavor, which is crispy chicken coated in a rich, “snowy” layer of NeNe’s secret blend of cheese. The Snowing Spicy is a spicy version, and the Snowing Vegetable has a rich, cheesy seasoning with extra notes of veggie flavors.
More flavors will be announced during the official opening, Gil said. The menu will also include burgers, fries, twister potatoes, K-Dogs with a twist, cheese balls, tteokbokki, rice bowls, and desserts.
The K-favorite chicken brand first started as a chicken processing facility in 1995, and then became the NeNe Chicken brand in 1999 with the mission to “create a happy society where people come together.”
Since then, NeNe has grown to over 1,500 stores in 11 different countries worldwide.
NeNe Chicken also boasts an impressive roster of Korean ambassadors, such as hit K-pop group SEVENTEEN, girl group OH MY GIRL, boy group NU’EST, and even comedian Yoo Jae-suk. NeNe also makes cameos in various K-dramas, such as in Netflix’s She Would Never Know.
“We want NeNe Chicken to continue to be the ‘Happy Choice’ for fried chicken lovers worldwide,” Gil and Saeed said. With plans to expand the brand throughout the country after the first branch, we’re excited to come along for the chicken ride! – Rappler.com
For more information, you can check out NeNe Chicken Philippines’ website or Facebook page.
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CNN Philippines and its financial troubles
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Ralf Rivas
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25/01/2024 19:31
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Photo from CNN Philippines' website
MANILA, Philippines – Employees of CNN Philippines, the only predominantly English-language channel on free TV in the Philippines, anxiously await the outcome of a management-level meeting on Thursday, January 25, as rumors of a company shutdown circulate.
Sources, mostly insiders, confirmed to Rappler that a management meeting was held on Thursday regarding the company’s future. Rank-and-file employees and talents have not yet been briefed on the matter, with some telling Rappler they were “at a loss.” A general assembly has been scheduled on Monday, January 29, according to insiders.
Rappler has reviewed the latest financial statement of Nine Media Corporation, the TV company which has the rights to carry the CNN brand. Auditors cast doubt on its ability to continue as a business, according to documents obtained by Rappler from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
It’s worth noting that Nine Media’s deal with Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific is set to expire on December 31, 2024.
The two companies first struck a deal in October 2014, which allowed Nine Media to use CNN-branded materials and programming for five years. The network debuted in 2015. The licensing deal was renewed in 2019 for another five years, or up to 2024.
The financial statement showed that CNN Philippines’ cash flow was completely dependent on the advances made to it by its parent company, JRLT-JHI Corporation, a financial holding company. In 2022, JRLT-JHI Corporation gave the company P181.5 million. Prior to that, the parent firm gave the TV network P118.6 million.
Reyes Tacandong & Co., the firm that audited the network, flagged Nine Media’s losses amounting to P231.4 million and P239.7 million in 2021 and 2022, respectively, as well as its capital deficiencies of P226.2 million and P465.2 million during the same period.
“These conditions indicate a material uncertainty which may cast a significant doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the audit read.
In 2022, revenues grew by 4.6% to P407.3 million, but this was outpaced by cost of services, which increased by 6.7% to P514.89 million. Cost of services includes salaries, licensing fees, and other production costs.
With costs growing faster than revenues, gross losses ballooned by 15.17% to P107.59 million in 2022. Net losses reached P239.7 million, a 3.6% increase from 2021.
Meanwhile, license fees that Nine Media had to pay Turner Broadcasting System increased from P108 million in 2021 to P139.3 million, up by 29%.
Nine Media also had a separate deal with RPN, a former government-controlled TV network, to air its shows on free TV Channel 9. The deal allowed RPN to collect P8.2 million monthly from Nine Media for airtime fees. In 2021, RPN granted a 20% discount, but this discount ended in December 2022.
Nine Media said in its 2022 financial statement that management was aware of these conditions and had put in place plans to stop the hemorrhage.
Nine Media attributed the drop in revenues to the pandemic.
In 2022, the company banked on a post-pandemic economic recovery and advertising spending of politicians for the national elections that year. These, in Nine Media's own words, "did not materialize."
“The national elections held in May 2022 and the campaign period leading to it, while contributing to some increase in the spending behavior of people, did not significantly impact on the traditional advertising revenues, with the campaign efforts focused on social media platforms with funds channeled to social media influencers, vloggers, and content producers,” Nine Media said.
After the elections, advertising sales did not immediately pick up as agencies and companies struggled with inflation.
A similar trend could be observed from bigger media companies.
GMA Network reported a 20% drop in advertising revenues, from P15.77 billion in January to September 2022 to P12.68 billion in the same period in 2023. The Kapuso network's bottom line dropped by 51% to P2.47 billion in the first three quarters of 2023.
"Advertising revenues remained the lifeblood of the Company, comprising a huge chunk of the total revenue pie. This segment was also the hardest hit due to the absence of election-related placements this year," GMA Network said.
ABS-CBN's advertising revenues were flat at P4.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2023. The Kapamilya network, however, no longer draws most of its income from advertising.
Since its departure from free TV due to Congress denying it a franchise renewal in 2020, it pivoted to placing its shows in former rival networks and increased its presence in digital streaming services.
Advertising revenues comprised 36% of ABS-CBN's revenue pie, while consumer sales accounted for 64%. This pivot, however, is still a struggle, as consumer sales fell by 8% to P16.1 billion.
Against this bleak economic backdrop, Nine Media implemented cost-reduction measures, including a discounted airtime rate and migrating to a less costly satellite service provider. It even stopped certain service-level agreements and system maintenance costs and suspended several marketing and human resources activities.
These cost-cutting measures resulted in a 10.95% reduction in its general and administrative expenses.
Towards the latter part of 2022, Nine Media adopted ABS-CBN's strategy of aggressively selling blocktimes and co-production contracts with revenue-sharing terms.
Recall that CNN Philippines and Manny Villar’s Advanced Media Broadcasting System entered into a deal in 2022 to air the former’s flagship news program News Night in Filipino on weekdays. It was short-lived, however, after AMBS hit pause for most of its shows in the first quarter of 2023.
Nine Media was optimistic for 2023, citing forecasts from the government of an improved economic climate.
It even went on to say that advertising revenues would improve in 2023. The company also implied that the absence of the Lopezes’ ABS-CBN on free TV would be beneficial for Nine Media.
“Thus, advertising budgets are expected to also rise and the Company is poised to benefit from this development, particularly with the absence of the erstwhile biggest TV network in the country. In the coming years, the Company will further strengthen its branded content sales, blocktime revenues, co- production deals, digital content sales, and program distribution efforts,” it said.
The network derives most of its revenues from advertising. Yet, in 2022, advertising revenues increased by just 5%, according to the same documents.
Despite Nine Media's declared optimism, the auditor did not modify its opinion on the company’s financial health.
Nine Media’s financial statements for 2023 are not yet available.
On December 22, 2023, Nine Media and Manny Pangilinan’s TV5 agreed to air the PBA’s Commissioner’s Cup Season 48, as well as episodes of the popular noon show E.A.T. Bulaga on CNN Philippines’ weekend programming starting January 6, 2024.
This was intended to improve the reach of PBA games and E.A.T. Bulaga on free television, aside from improving Nine Media’s revenues. It remains to be seen what will now happen to this deal.
Nine Media underscored that it can continue operating “given its ability to obtain funding and commitment of support from its major stockholder.”
Nine Media, incorporated in January 2010, is wholly owned by JRLT-JHI Corporation, a financial holding company.
It is part of businessman Antonio Cabangon-Chua’s ALC Group of Companies, a conglomerate with various interests, which includes insurance, real estate, security, education, and even other media companies.
It is widely speculated that tycoon Ramon Ang funds the network, but his name does not appear in any of the companies related to CNN Philippines.
Nine Media's financial statement showed that its cash flows from operations and investing activities were both in the red for both 2021 and 2022. The only reason CNN Philippines had cash was because of the advances made by its parent company JRLT-JHI Corporation.
CNN Philippines is home to some of the country's veteran journalists. Its top talents include Pia Hontiveros, anchor and chief correspondent; Pinky Webb, senior anchor and correspondent; Rico Hizon, director of news content development and senior anchor; and Ruth Cabal, anchor and senior correspondent.
Nine Media has around 300 employees. – with reports from Lance Yu/Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 3 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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delfin.dioquino editor
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28/01/2024 17:50
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PBA Images
San Miguel Beer became the first team to reach the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals after completing a sweep of Barangay Ginebra with a 94-91 triumph in Game 3 of the semifinals.
Bennie Boatwright dropped 26 points and 13 rebounds as the Beermen picked up their ninth straight win.
The Beermen, who got swept by the Gin Kings in their last series face-off, also became the first team in a decade to sweep Ginebra in a best-of-five series.
No team has swept Barangay Ginebra in a best-of-five series in over a decade.
San Miguel stands one win away from achieving that feat as it looks to finish off the Gin Kings in Game 3 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, January 28.
Gaining a commanding 2-0 series lead following a 106-96 victory on Friday, the Beermen looks primed to avenge its 3-0 loss to Ginebra last season when they tangled in the semifinals of the Governors’ Cup.
The Gin Kings last got swept in a best-of-five affair in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup finals, where they succumbed to the Alaska Aces.
Ginebra has its work cut out for it as the Beermen have been on a roll, winning eight straight games behind import Bennie Boatwright and local stars June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez.
Boatwright averaged 30.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first two games of the series, while Fajardo and Perez provided ample support as San Miguel zeroed in on its first finals stint since ruling the Philippine Cup last season.
The Beermen, though, have no plans getting ahead of themselves.
“In this team, it is ladder by ladder. We’re on the third ladder. A win is a win on Sunday, but if not, then we just got to work harder,” said San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent.
“Of course, we want to try to finish it on Sunday. But I’m sure Ginebra is going to come prepared. We’re just going to grind it.”
Game time is 6:30 pm. – Rappler.com
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Baguio court suspends hearing on terrorist designation challenge
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Ralf Rivas
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27/01/2024 14:55
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SOLIDARITY. Baguio activists rally in front of the Baguio City Justice Hall in support of the call for the delisting of four Cordillera Peoples Alliance leaders designated as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council.
Sherwin de Vera
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) might wait for more days for the resolution of their legal challenge against the government’s move calling them terrorists.
Judge Cecilia Dulay-Archog of the Baguio Regional Trial Court Branch 7 suspended the hearing of the first legal challenge on the Anti-Terrorism Council’s (ATC) authority to designate individuals as terrorists.
“The Court suspends the proceedings in this case pending the Court’s query with the Supreme Court on whether it should continue hearing this case or to transfer this case to the Court of Appeals,” the judge said in a January 6 order.
Another alternative is to transfer the proceedings to Branch 73 in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan, the designated Anti-Terrorism Court in the First Judicial Region.
The court sought the High Court’s guidance following the release of the Rules on the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and Related Laws, which took effect on January 15.
Rule 2 Section 1 states that the Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over petitions for delisting groups and individuals. The same court also has the authority on freeze orders related to terrorist designations.
Windel Bolinget, Sarah Abellon-Alikes, Stephen Tauli, and Jennifer Awingan-Taggaoa, whom the ATC declared “terrorists” in a June 2023 resolution, filed the petition in November 2023.
They asked the court to issue a writ of certiorari, prohibition, and preliminary injunction against the ATC and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). The petition also seeks to nullify the designation and freeze orders on their assets.
In an interview on January 26, Bolinget said they view the court’s action as a positive development. However, they are concerned about the prolonged trial “because of the urgency of the prayer for preliminary injunction.”
“The problem there is that our prayer for a preliminary injunction is very urgent because we continue to be victimized due to the designation – the CPA asset freeze and the threat to our liberty and security,” the CPA chairperson in mixed Filipino and English.
The second hearing on the petition coincided with the Baguio leg of United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) Irene Khan’s official visit.
The UN expert on the freedom of expression and opinion met with city officials and civil society organizations from North and Central Luzon.
Abellon, who spoke during the meeting with Khan, said cases filed against CPA leaders and members and the ATC’s terrorist designation are “systematic actions of political persecution” for their environmental advocacy and human rights work.
“All these acts of judicial harassment and designation only intend to criminalize my work as an indigenous activist and violate my fundamental rights to freedom of association, speech, and expression,” she stated.
Alikes also urged Khan to monitor the petition they filed to remove their name from the government’s terrorist list.
Khan was one of the six UNSRs who wrote to the Philippine government in October 2023 to express concern about reported human rights violations in implementing the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
They requested a response from President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. within 60 days. They cautioned the administration that the letter would be published on their communications reporting website if the government failed to reply. The letter was made public this January.
Among the cases raised were the rebellion charges against six Northern Luzon activists, including the Alikes, Bolinget, Taggaoa, and Tauli. The UNSRs also raised the designation of the four individuals as terrorists despite the dismissal of the case. – Rappler.com
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More likely, the ATC and AMLC are used as part of “systematic actions of political persecution” against their environmental advocacy and human rights work. This is true if commercial interests and military positions are threatened by such environmental advocacy and human rights work.
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[Newspoint] Blaming the innocent constitution
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gdecastro0289
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27/01/2024 13:00
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Marian Hukom/Rappler
Another plot is afoot to amend the constitution, and it is based on the same presumption as before — that we have been made stupid enough by desperation to finally agree to it. The strategy this time around is to help us ease ourselves toward such presumed suitable stupidity, in case we haven’t achieved it yet.
Constitutional change is promoted as the quick fix for all our troubles, and those troubles are portrayed as chiefly economic; thus, all manner of economic prognostications are foisted on us simple folk who are thought also too simpleminded to understand them. I bet some of those proponents don’t understand them either, and are only going along for what’s in it for them, not for what’s in it for us.
In any case, the campaign deploys theoreticians who argue from oversimplified and patronizing assumptions: Let’s be nice to foreign investors; allow them wider, even full, ownerships in enterprises and native resources and they will come in droves; they will set themselves up on our shores, create jobs for our jobless, and bring us prosperity.
These prospective capitalists don’t really expect any largesse, only fair and sensible standing regulations and a corruption-free environment. But you can trust our officials to go overboard at the prospect of self-gain once the favor is returned. Our history is so replete with cases in evidence these arguers for charter change are forced to divert the argument toward theory and away from facts — such facts as these:
The constitution underwent its first change, a wholesale messing up really, after it had been in more or less fine service for longer than a generation. Ferdinand E. Marcos set the stage for it by intimidation and bribery as he prepared to make himself dictator. In fact, he signed the new constitution two months after proclaiming himself martial-law president, and put it into force the following month, after declaring it ratified, not by the normal popular vote in a plebiscite, but by “citizens’ assemblies” he had decreed to be organized in every barangay.
I guess inspired by England’s constitutional monarchs, though obviously not in their gracious acceptance of a ceremonial, if unifying, role in a modern-day democracy, Marcos himself chose to remain medieval. Propped up by American sponsorship, he reigned by torture, murder, and plunder for 14 years, until the people rose up and booted him out, although by then he had looted the nation into bankruptcy and was flying away to exile with his $10-billion plunder.
A rewrite of the Marcos constitution was, therefore, a moral duty for the succeeding presidency of Corazon Aquino. No moral duty or any other such honorable cause, however, has prompted any of the attempts to touch the constitution after that — not in Fidel Ramos’s time, not in Gloria Arroyo’s, not in Rodrigo Duterte’s, and certainly not now.
Ramos’s motive seemed more self-righteous than self-serving, though. Toward the end of his term, he called for a constitutional shift to parliamentary system in an apparent attempt to frustrate the presidential ambition of the former actor Joseph Estrada, a character of suspicious intent and dubious capability. Ramos failed in his plot, and Estrada succeeded in his ambition, but only to be ousted himself at midterm as a plundering president by a popular rising, as in Marcos’s case.
Unlike Ramos, Arroyo and Duterte were self-interestedly motivated. They plotted to keep power in a restructured system of government in order to escape prosecution, for corruption, and, in Duterte’s case, for mass murder in addition. All the same, both have gone unpunished even under the present constitution, and that’s because the constitution has not been given enough chance to work, being honored more in the breach than in the observance.
Those moments in our recent past reveal two things that should make us proud and at the same time offer lessons particularly useful today.
Revelation one: We have not proved so stupid, after all, not in the least, as to allow any tinkering with our constitution, having seen through the deceptions by its insistent proponents. In the present case, the deception consists in us being made to believe that only the economic provisions will be touched — “updated” ostensibly to present-day realities. The only reality that really matters now is that once the constitution is laid open for touching, it becomes indefensible against the worst contaminations.
Revelation two: Our troubles lie not with our constitution, but precisely with the people who want to mess with it, like the dictator Marcos. And aren’t we lucky to have his own son to keep us constantly reminded by his mere presidential presence? – Rappler.com
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Thanks to Vergel Santos for another enlightening and inspiring article. I agree: “Unlike Ramos, Arroyo and Duterte were self-interestedly motivated.” And how shall we add President Marcos Jr.? More likely to Arroyo and Duterte. I also agree: “We have not proved so stupid, after all, not in the least, as to allow any tinkering with our constitution.” But how about now? Will the Filipino People not be tempted by the P 100 per signature incentive? (Note: plus other incentives.) Lastly, I also agree: “Our troubles lie not with our constitution, but precisely with the people who want to mess with it, like the dictator Marcos.” But can I add? “… like the dictator Marcos and his son and nephew.”
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Zamboanga del Norte town mayor dismissed over illegal cockfight permits
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Ralf Rivas
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27/01/2024 16:00
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ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial director has secretly implemented on Friday, January 26, the Ombudsman’s Dismissal Order against Sindangan town Mayor Rosendo Labadlabad and five barangay officials.
The Ombudsman found Labadlabad guilty of grave misconduct for issuing permits to hold the cockfights called tari-tari to barangay chairmen Antonio Mohametano, Zosima dela Cerna, Joselito Espinas, and Mysandro Dagondong, and barangay treasurer Rebecca Pacas.
By law, government officials “are not qualified to such permits.” Labadlabad and the barangay officials are also perpetually barred from holding government office while the criminal aspect of the same cases was already elevated to the Sandiganbayan.
DILG Provincial Director Oliver Ombos granted Labadlabad’s request to keep the implementation off the media, which the main complainant – retired Sangguniang Bayan secretary Leoncio Orillosa – described as “Labadlabad’s way of saving face.”
“Bisan kami wala gyud kabalo unsay gibuhat ni sir, milakaw siya adtong (January 25) ug wala pa kabalik, basin miadto sa Ipil (town in Zamboanga Sibugay) kay mouli man na siya kada-weekend,” Ombos’ staff told Rappler on January 26 at their office in Dipolog City.
(We don’t know what (Ombos) is dong, he went out at noon on January 25 and has not yet returned, we thought he went to Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay, he used to go home every weekend.)
Ombos reportedly went alone to the Office of the Mayor in Sindangan at 3 pm on January 26 to serve the Ombudsman’s Dismissal Order, which was received by Labadlabad’s lawyer Roldan Dalman.
Vice Mayor Florentino Sy posted on his Facebook account on January 27 that he was immediately installed the new mayor, though he described himself as the “acting mayor” in an obvious deference to Labadlabad.
Nevertheless, Orillosa vowed to bring Ombos to the Ombudsman for “dilly-dallying and being unfair” in the implementation of the dismissal order by giving Labadlabad a “kid-glove treatment” while “brutally swift” to other government officials.
In a letter to DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos last week, Orillosa cited Section 5 (3) of the Ombudsman Act of 1989 that says the Ombudsman “can take appropriate action against a public officer or employee at fault or who neglect to perform an act or discharge a duty”
Earlier, on December 1 last year, Assistant Ombudsman Pilarita T. Lapitan ordered DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos to “implement immediately” the dismissal order “notwithstanding the legal remedies pursued by the respondents…”
Labadlabad filed Motion for Reconsideration (MR) to the Ombudsman, which is still pending, and a petition to the Court of Appeals questioning the Ombudsman decision, and asking for temporary restraining order or a writ for preliminary injunction.
The Court of Appeals however dismissed on January 5 Labadlabad’s petition saying it was “premature” as their MR at the Ombudsman is yet to be resolved. – Rappler.com
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Soldiers kill 9 alleged Dawlah Islamiyah members tagged in Marawi bombing
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Herbie G
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27/01/2024 15:26
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AFTERMATH. Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. stands among law enforcement officers as they investigate the scene of an explosion during a Catholic Mass in a gymnasium at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Philippines, December 3, 2023.
Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government/Handout via Reuters
DAVAO, Philippines – At least nine suspected members of the terrorist organization Dawlah Islamiyah who were allegedly behind the December 3, 2023 bombing during a Catholic Mass in Marawi, were killed during two days of fierce fighting in Lanao del Sur.
The clashes took place on Thursday and Friday, January 25 and 26, in the village of Tapurog, Piagapo, in Lanao del Sur.
In a statement on Saturday, January 27, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. confirmed the incident, adding that military troops also recovered nine high-powered firearms and two improvised explosive devices. The military said they had also retrieved two-way radio equipment and smartphones near the bodies of the killed suspects.
“The precision and unwavering dedication exhibited in this operation, particularly in targeting the perpetrators of the Mindanao State University bombing on December 3, 2023, deliver swift and decisive justice for the victims of the despicable attack,” the AFP chief added
Earlier, Piagapo Mayor Ali Sumandar said eight suspected members of the Islamic State-inspired Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group were killed in the operation.
At least five Scout Rangers were wounded in the clashes with the group led by Nasser Daud, according to the military.
A report from the Army’s 1st Infantry Division identified two of those killed as Khadafi and Arsani Membesa, suspects in the bombing that killed four people and injured several others during the Mass at the Mindanao State University (MSU) gymnasium in Marawi.
Khadafi was referred to as “Engineer” and used the aliases Kadi and Akoya, while Arsani Membesa used the aliases Khatab, Hatab, and Lapitos. The two men were caught in the MSU’s CCTV footage shortly before the powerful explosion ripped through the MSU gym during the Mass last month. – Rappler.com
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Anti-doping code violation? PSC says resolution near
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 15:19
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GIRL POWER. Volleyball star Alyssa Valdez leads an all-female athlete cast for the Philippines during the parade of nations in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) said on Friday night, January 26, that it is working toward resolving its alleged non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code that may lead to a ban in major international sports events, including the Paris Olympics this year.
The government’s sports arm said the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) has taken “prompt and decisive” actions after WADA gave the PSC a total of 21 days – or until February 13 – to dispute allegations of its non-compliance.
“We acknowledge the importance of adhering to the WADA Code and upholding the principles of fair play and integrity in sports,” the PSC said in a statement.
“After receiving evaluations from WADA, certain revisions relating to critical requirements of the Code are now being worked upon. PHI-NADO has reported that we are nearing closure for these requirements within a 21-day period.”
In September, the international anti-doping body already gave the PSC four additional months to comply with the WADA Code.
WADA said the PSC must develop and implement an “effective, intelligent, and proportionate” test distribution plan, and must share and maintain the list of athletes included in its registered training pool.
The PSC is also required to ensure all doping cases are prosecuted in a timely manner and it needs to simultaneously notify all involved parties, including WADA and the concerned NADO or international federation, with the right to appeal the decision in a case.
WADA pointed to an instance when the PSC failed to notify an athlete who tested positive for a banned substance in 2016.
The deadline of the four-month extension lapsed on January 22, prompting WADA to follow up.
“If the Philippines Sports Commission does not dispute any of these elements in writing to WADA within 21 days from the date of this formal notice, the allegation of non-compliance will be deemed admitted, the consequences of non-compliance and the reinstatement conditions proposed by WADA will be deemed accepted, and this formal notice will automatically become a final decision with immediate effect,” WADA director general Olivier Niggli wrote in a letter to PHI-NADO head Alejandro Pineda dated January 23.
Consequences of non-compliance include a ban from hosting regional, continental, and world championships as well.
The PSC also stands the risk of losing its WADA funding and other privileges, among them the eligibility for its representatives to hold WADA office.
Led by chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, the PSC said it met with WADA officials on January 25.
“The primary objective of this meeting was to foster open communication, address the pending concerns and revisions raised by WADA, and collaboratively undertake measures to ensure complete compliance at the earliest possible time,” said the PSC.
“Furthermore, we wish to reassure the public that these possible sanctions are avoidable. We are fully engaged in a constructive dialogue with WADA, working collectively to address any remaining concerns and to ensure that our national athletes can continue to compete on the global stage with honor and integrity.”
It is a big year for Filipino athletes as they try to qualify for the Paris Games, which will be held in the France capital from July to August.
Four Filipinos have booked their tickets to Paris: pole vaulter EJ Obiena, boxer Eumir Marcial, and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.
“The PSC remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship and ethical conduct to our national athletes and coaches,” the PSC said. – Rappler.com
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Avery Balbanida takes pressure head on as last Filipino standing in Winter Youth Olympics
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jisaga0269
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27/01/2024 14:47
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LAST HOPE. Filipino-Canadian skier Avery Balbanida (left) poses with his coach Allison McArdle
Philippine Olympic Committee
MANILA, Philippines – All eyes are on young skier Avery Uriel Balbanida as the last Filipino on deck in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea.
The Filipino-Canadian prospect will compete in the Philippines’ final two chances at a breakthrough medal in the men’s sprint freestyle and 7.5km classic skiing on Tuesday, January 30, at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre.
The challenges will be expectedly tough, as contenders from frigid countries Norway, Finland, and Sweden lead the 80-strong start list, but Balbanida is ready to soak in lessons from the upcoming experience, win or lose.
“It’s truly an experience that I want to save here and just like I said before, the chance to ski with the greatest skiers of my age is something of a chance I cannot pass,” said Balbanida, also a taekwondo blackbelter and a roller sports enthusiast. “So I’m going to take my time and enjoy the moment.”
“I really want to try my best and I’m honored to be here. Pressure? It will help me more to be motivated and it gives me more drive.”
At the bare minimum, Balbanida will try to leave South Korea physically unscathed, as his two compatriots, Fil-Am Peter Groseclose and Fil-Swiss Laetaz Amihan Rabe, both left the country with injuries as souvenirs.
The 16-year-old Groseclose, who competed in the 1500m and 1000m short track speed skating events, crashed and cut his foot in his final 500m event, causing him to miss out on a historic medal and finish fifth instead of third.
The 14-year-old Rabe, meanwhile, only took home to Geneva the positive memory of flag-bearing duties, as she suffered knee and jaw injuries before she could even compete in the women’s free ski slopestyle event.
Regardless of the tasks at hand and the perils surrounding Balbanida, his Canada-based Australian coach Allison McArdle just wants her ward to enjoy the entire experience as he gears up for more events in their pipeline.
“We don’t have a specific goal, we just hope he tries the best he can and enjoy the competition,” she said.
“I’m going to continue competing in the World Cups, Junior World Cups and even the world championships,” Balbanida added. “And I hope to compete in the 2026 Olympics in Italy. I got some good racing experience and this competition has really refined my abilities.” – Rappler.com
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Anti-doping code violation? PSC says resolution near
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 15:19
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GIRL POWER. Volleyball star Alyssa Valdez leads an all-female athlete cast for the Philippines during the parade of nations in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) said on Friday night, January 26, that it is working toward resolving its alleged non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code that may lead to a ban in major international sports events, including the Paris Olympics this year.
The government’s sports arm said the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) has taken “prompt and decisive” actions after WADA gave the PSC a total of 21 days – or until February 13 – to dispute allegations of its non-compliance.
“We acknowledge the importance of adhering to the WADA Code and upholding the principles of fair play and integrity in sports,” the PSC said in a statement.
“After receiving evaluations from WADA, certain revisions relating to critical requirements of the Code are now being worked upon. PHI-NADO has reported that we are nearing closure for these requirements within a 21-day period.”
In September, the international anti-doping body already gave the PSC four additional months to comply with the WADA Code.
WADA said the PSC must develop and implement an “effective, intelligent, and proportionate” test distribution plan, and must share and maintain the list of athletes included in its registered training pool.
The PSC is also required to ensure all doping cases are prosecuted in a timely manner and it needs to simultaneously notify all involved parties, including WADA and the concerned NADO or international federation, with the right to appeal the decision in a case.
WADA pointed to an instance when the PSC failed to notify an athlete who tested positive for a banned substance in 2016.
The deadline of the four-month extension lapsed on January 22, prompting WADA to follow up.
“If the Philippines Sports Commission does not dispute any of these elements in writing to WADA within 21 days from the date of this formal notice, the allegation of non-compliance will be deemed admitted, the consequences of non-compliance and the reinstatement conditions proposed by WADA will be deemed accepted, and this formal notice will automatically become a final decision with immediate effect,” WADA director general Olivier Niggli wrote in a letter to PHI-NADO head Alejandro Pineda dated January 23.
Consequences of non-compliance include a ban from hosting regional, continental, and world championships as well.
The PSC also stands the risk of losing its WADA funding and other privileges, among them the eligibility for its representatives to hold WADA office.
Led by chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, the PSC said it met with WADA officials on January 25.
“The primary objective of this meeting was to foster open communication, address the pending concerns and revisions raised by WADA, and collaboratively undertake measures to ensure complete compliance at the earliest possible time,” said the PSC.
“Furthermore, we wish to reassure the public that these possible sanctions are avoidable. We are fully engaged in a constructive dialogue with WADA, working collectively to address any remaining concerns and to ensure that our national athletes can continue to compete on the global stage with honor and integrity.”
It is a big year for Filipino athletes as they try to qualify for the Paris Games, which will be held in the France capital from July to August.
Four Filipinos have booked their tickets to Paris: pole vaulter EJ Obiena, boxer Eumir Marcial, and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.
“The PSC remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship and ethical conduct to our national athletes and coaches,” the PSC said. – Rappler.com
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Avery Balbanida takes pressure head on as last Filipino standing in Winter Youth Olympics
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jisaga0269
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27/01/2024 14:47
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LAST HOPE. Filipino-Canadian skier Avery Balbanida (left) poses with his coach Allison McArdle
Philippine Olympic Committee
MANILA, Philippines – All eyes are on young skier Avery Uriel Balbanida as the last Filipino on deck in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea.
The Filipino-Canadian prospect will compete in the Philippines’ final two chances at a breakthrough medal in the men’s sprint freestyle and 7.5km classic skiing on Tuesday, January 30, at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre.
The challenges will be expectedly tough, as contenders from frigid countries Norway, Finland, and Sweden lead the 80-strong start list, but Balbanida is ready to soak in lessons from the upcoming experience, win or lose.
“It’s truly an experience that I want to save here and just like I said before, the chance to ski with the greatest skiers of my age is something of a chance I cannot pass,” said Balbanida, also a taekwondo blackbelter and a roller sports enthusiast. “So I’m going to take my time and enjoy the moment.”
“I really want to try my best and I’m honored to be here. Pressure? It will help me more to be motivated and it gives me more drive.”
At the bare minimum, Balbanida will try to leave South Korea physically unscathed, as his two compatriots, Fil-Am Peter Groseclose and Fil-Swiss Laetaz Amihan Rabe, both left the country with injuries as souvenirs.
The 16-year-old Groseclose, who competed in the 1500m and 1000m short track speed skating events, crashed and cut his foot in his final 500m event, causing him to miss out on a historic medal and finish fifth instead of third.
The 14-year-old Rabe, meanwhile, only took home to Geneva the positive memory of flag-bearing duties, as she suffered knee and jaw injuries before she could even compete in the women’s free ski slopestyle event.
Regardless of the tasks at hand and the perils surrounding Balbanida, his Canada-based Australian coach Allison McArdle just wants her ward to enjoy the entire experience as he gears up for more events in their pipeline.
“We don’t have a specific goal, we just hope he tries the best he can and enjoy the competition,” she said.
“I’m going to continue competing in the World Cups, Junior World Cups and even the world championships,” Balbanida added. “And I hope to compete in the 2026 Olympics in Italy. I got some good racing experience and this competition has really refined my abilities.” – Rappler.com
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‘Rewind’ is now Philippines’ highest grossing film, surpassing ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’
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gdecastro0289
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17/01/2024 22:45
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MANILA, Philippines – The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entry Rewind is now the Philippines’ highest grossing film of all time after earning P889 million worldwide as of January 26, surpassing Hello, Love, Goodbye’s total worldwide gross of P880 million.
ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema, one of three producers of the comeback reunion film of real life Kapuso couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, updated the box-office earnings of Rewind on Friday night in social media posts.
In his Instagram post on January 17, MMFF 2023 spokesman Noel Ferrer congratulated Star Cinema and its partners, Dantes’ film outfit, Agostodos Pictures, as well as Tony Tuviera’s APT Entertainment company.
“I would now even venture into saying that, if and when the awards for Box Office King and Queen for 2023 be given at all (calling the all-new Multi-Media Press Awards): the rightful winners should be —DINGDONG DANTES and MARIAN RIVERA of REWIND, bar none,” Ferrer wrote. “GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.”
Last January 17, with its P845 million gross earnings (which includes international ticket sales), Rewind had surpassed the box-office record of P838 million in 24 days set by Star Cinema’s Hello, Love, Goodbye, starring Kathryn Bernardo and Kapuso star Alden Richards, in 2019.
A post shared by ABS-CBN Films, Star Cinema (@starcinema)
Hello, Love, Goodbye, however, was not shown during the MMFF, which means it competed with foreign and other local films. It opened in cinemas on July 31, 2019.
Excluding international sales, Rewind earned P815 million compared to P691 million in total domestic gross earnings of Hello, Love, Goodbye, and P660 million for Bernardo and Daniel Padilla’s 2018 Star Cinema movie, The Hows of Us, Star Cinema told Rappler on Wednesday night.
In a message posted on his Instagram after the MMFF 2023, Dantes thanked moviegoers “for believing in the magic of movies and for appreciating these films during the festival.”
“When we joined the MMFF, my prayer was for the strength to be an effective storyteller, aiming to touch lives, particularly during this holiday season. The other prayer was for the revival of vibrancy in local cinema, a return to its glory days.
A post shared by Dingdong Dantes (@dongdantes)
“Now, as the curtain falls on the MMFF, I extend a salute to the ten films that courageously shared their beautiful stories. These films are destined to be timeless pieces, outliving us all. It’s an honor to be part of the historic 49th MMF,” he said as he also thanked Star Cinema and APT Entertainment.
Dantes also recognized his wife for what they have accomplished.
“And finally, thanks to you, Marian, my leading lady on and off camera. Telling this story is a gift, and successfully sharing it with millions fulfills a mission. Accomplishing this mission alongside you, my wife is a rare privilege, one that I believe comes once in a lifetime. I am genuinely grateful for this extraordinary experience, forever holding a special place in my heart,” he said.
In a thanksgiving celebration in ABS-CBN on Wednesday night, Rewind Director Mae Cruz-Alviar thanked Dantes and Rivera for “allowing us to teach you,” and for “teaching us to trust you.”
She said Rewind was supposed to be done in 2019, got stalled, and became a reality in 2023 when “we all needed it, not just the company [ABS-CBN], but also the people who need a good cry.”
Rivera was emotional when she was shown a video of the work they put in for Rewind. She also thanked Alviar for opening her heart and helping her explore her character, Mary.
“She [Alviar] will give you the right feeling para ma-deliver mo ng tama yung (so you can rightly deliver your) character,” Rivera said.
“Nung binasa namin ni Dong ‘to, siguro bonus nalang na ito yung figure na nakuha natin. Pero sa simula palang alam namin na maraming pinagdaanan ang mga tao nung pandemic, at sabi namin ni Dong, sana gawin tayong instrumento ni Lord para kapag napanood nila yung pelikula ay mayroong mabago at mas mahalin pa ng mga to ang pamilya nila at lahat ng nakapaligid sa kanila,” Rivera also said.
(When Dong and I read the script, perhaps the figure we got is just a bonus. But from the start, we knew people went through a lot during the pandemic, and as Dong and I said, we hoped the Lord would use us as instruments so that when they watch this film, there will be change and they will love their family and those surrounding them more.)
ABS-CBN Films Managing Director Kriz Gazmen said Rewind’s success is “also a win for the audiences” and for the Philippine film industry.
“I want to share this success with the whole film industry. Finally, after everything that happened, lahat tayo takot na takot sa (everyone was afraid of) box office, magkakaroon pa pala ng ganitong (but it turns out we now have this) opportunity. We also want to share the success of Rewind with all the other MMFF entries, it was a very beautiful [MMFF] run. This is also a win to all our audiences, salamat sa lahat ng nakapanood (thank you to all those who watched),” he said.
Dantes said that when they read the story for Rewind four years ago, “grabe and impact sa amin (It had a strong impact on us).” He then hoped that they would have the strength to rightly fulfill their roles in the movie. “Buti na lang nagkatotoo, natuloy yung project (It’s good that the project became a reality),” he added.
Dantes expressed hope that through Rewind and the 9 other MMFF films, the Philippine movie industry would be revitalized not just during the film festival’s two-week run but throughout the year.
As of January 26, Rewind was still being shown in over 270 cinemas in the Philippines, UAE, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Guam, and Saipan, Star Cinema said. – Rappler.com
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Quiambao already ‘too good’ for college hoops amid naturalization offer
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 21:48
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MVP. Kevin Quiambao in action for the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament.
UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – Amid a stellar performance in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics swingman Kevin Quiambao received a naturalization offer from the United Arab Emirates national basketball team.
And it didn’t surprise Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu at all.
“Kevin can really play. He’s got a great future ahead of him,” Tiu said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk.
“There would be way more opportunities for Kevin, even a higher level of basketball. That’s how good we think he is. And he’s been really impressive.”
Quiambao, the UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player has been leading the charge for a stacked squad filled with NBA talent such as Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
The 23-year-old Quiambao had been averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists with an immaculate 5-0 record thus far in the tournament.
Tiu confirmed Quiambao’s UAE naturalization offer in the television interview on Tuesday, January 23.
“That is true. They’ve actually met with him… They’ve shown a lot of interest in him,” said Tiu.
Quiambao – who is playing under La Salle head coach Topex Robinson, who’s also serving as deputy for Strong Group – has already committed to play for the Green Archers next year in a UAAP title-retention bid for Season 87.
However, if the champion forward suddenly makes a move to go professional, Tiu said he will be behind him.
“Whatever he decides to do, we fully support him. It’s exciting for Kevin,” said Tiu. “I hope he can continue his stellar play and he’s going to make waves. To me, he is too good for college basketball in the Philippines already.”
In a separate post, Tiu also shot down rumors of Quiambao possibly being pursued by the New York Knicks to play for their NBA Summer League roster in July.
“Can I just say, there is nothing about Kevin Quiambao and the Knicks right now. 0 (zero),” Tiu posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, January 25.
The online buzz floated when Strong Group’s public relations officer said in a now-deleted Instagram post that there were initial talks for a Knicks opportunity. — Rappler.com
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Rise from the ashes: Gutted Manila Central Post Office begins rehab
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lkyu0285
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27/01/2024 9:40
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Benjamin Nabong/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – In 2023, an inferno gutted Manila Central Post Office (MCPO), burning for more than 30 hours and reaching the highest level of alarm.
By the end of it, the building’s neoclassical facade, framed by 16 enormous white pillars, were left soot black. Filipinos grieved the loss of one of the oldest landmarks in the nation’s capital, tracing its roots back nearly a hundred years.
Now, eight months after the fire, architects, heritage experts, and government officials are coming together to bring its burned-out husk back to life.
The Department of Tourism (DOT), through its infrastructure arm Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), has committed P15 million to kick-start the MCPO’s restoration and rehabilitation. The fund will go towards the detailed architectural and engineering studies for the “conservative assessment and pre-restoration work” of the building.
Here’s the breakdown of the P15 million budget as stated by the DOT:
Project consultants and officers from TIEZA and the Philippine Postal Corporation have already conducted a preliminary evaluation of the MCPO last January 16. Now, the Department of Tourism said that they are working on the “creation of plans for the pre-restoration work” and the “creation of the rehabilitation and conservation plan.”
“When the Manila Central Post Office was destroyed in a massive fire, we lost not just a building, but an edifice that holds the rich history and past of the Filipinos,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco. “We are delighted to have worked closely with the Philippine Postal Corporation, the management of the Manila Central Post Office, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to ensure the proper and meticulous restoration of the landmark.”
The MCPO sits as the backdrop of the recently beautified Pasig River Esplanade. The building’s restoration is expected to tie in with the “Pasig Bigyan Buhay Muli” – or PBBM – program under the Office of the First Lady. – Rappler.com
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Senate rejects House push for Cha-Cha via people’s initiative. What happens next?
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Bonz Magsambol
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27/01/2024 10:30
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PROTEST. Members of Nagkaisa stage a protest against charter change at the Senate gate in Pasay City on January 23, 2024.
Angie de Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Can the House of Representatives proceed with amending the 1987 Constitution through people’s initiative (PI) without Senate approval?
Charter change has been the talk of the town since early January when signature documents began circulating nationwide. But the problem is – the legitimacy of the people’s initiative has been questioned amid allegations of bribery in securing signatures for the campaign.
The Senate was not having any of it, as on Tuesday, January 23, it released a strongly-worded manifesto rejecting the House bid for charter change. (READ: Senate unanimously rejects House push for charter change via people’s initiative)
“If this PI prospers, further changes to the Constitution can be done with or without the Senate’s approval, or worse, even absent all the senators. Should Congress vote jointly in a constituent assembly, the Senate and its 24 members cannot cast any meaningful vote against the 316 members of the House of Representatives,” Zubiri said as he read the manifesto, which was signed by all 24 senators.
A people’s initiative can only propose amendments through a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters, according to Article XVII of the Constitution. The process is provided in Republic Act 6735 or the Initiative and Referendum Act.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda claimed that the total signatures collected account for 12.1% of total registered voters. This could mean that the campaign has already collected at least eight million signatures.
In a text message to Rappler, University of the Philippines professor and political analyst Ela Atienza said that if the signature campaign becomes successful, this would force both Houses to vote as one instead of two separate chambers.
Is this the end game for the senators? The answer is no.
Atienza said the next step for them is to stop and question the legality of the people’s initiative by bringing the issue to the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court (SC) can also rule on whether [the] House of Representatives can initiate the people’s initiative when they are elected as representatives and not their constituents. The SC can also rule on the fact that there are no programmed funds for people’s initiative this year,” she said.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said that the upper chamber was planning to file a petition to stop the signature campaign. Pimentel said the Senate will have a “planning session” but the case was already prepared and they only have to discuss the “finishing touches.”
As refresher, the people’s initiative, if successful, would allow the House to force the Senate into convening into a Constitutional Assembly (con-ass) because the Senate is massively outnumbered, 24 vs 316. Once a con-ass is formed, lawmakers can now introduce amendments to the Constitution. To formalize the amendments, it should be ratified by Filipino voters through a plebiscite.
Before the Senate released the manifesto, the upper chamber announced that it was taking the lead in reviewing the charter just to be sure that it would cover only economic provisions. Zubiri tried to reassure those wary of charter change that if they lead, term limits would not be part of the amendments.
This seemed to be the compromise after Zubiri met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez early January. But despite the Senate agreeing with Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH6), “proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution,” the signature campaign – believed to be led by Romualdez – is still ongoing.
This didn’t sit well with senators, prompting them to suspend RBH6. (READ: Senate, House joint resolution on Cha-Cha now suspended, says Pimentel)
“It is ridiculous that the Senate, a co-equal chamber of the House, which is needed to pass even local bills, will have a dispensable and diluted role in charter change, the most monumental act of policymaking concerning the highest law in the land,” Zubiri said. – Rappler.com
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Eala, Semenistaja turn foes to friends in ITF Pune doubles finals march
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 22:57
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FOCUSED. Alex Eala looks to return a shot in ITF action.
Alex Eala's Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Friend and foe all in one day.
Alex Eala found it better to have Darja Semenistaja on the same side of the court than across the net, falling to the Latvian in the singles quarterfinals but advancing with her to the doubles finals in the ITF W50 Pune on Friday, January 26, at the Deccan Gymkhana in India.
Eala bowed to Semenistaja, 7-6(6), 6-0, to end her singles run in the last eight, but the two rivals made good partners, tripping Saki Imamura and Naho Sato of Japan in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in the doubles semifinals.
The fifth-seeded Eala had her chances in the opening set of singles action against the top-ranked Semenistaja, who is coming off a title win in the ITF W50 Bengalaru a week ago.
Eala came back from a 2-4 deficit in a set where she and Semenistja broke each other three times each.
In the tiebreak, Eala came within a point of winning at 6-5. But the 21-year-old Semenistaja refused to give up and staged a furious rally that gave her the next 3 points to surge ahead by a set.
The opener was so tight that both Eala and Semenistaja each scored 55 points the entire set.
However, the long, drawn-out battle seemed to have zapped the energy out of Eala, who only managed to score 9 points the entire second set.
Semenistaja, on the other hand, remained sharp, breaking Eala three more times to turn the match into a lopsided affair in the second-set shutout.
It was all over after just an hour and 12 minutes with the Latvian advancing to the semifinals to keep alive her hopes for back-to-back singles titles.
In the doubles competition, fourth seeds Eala and Semenistaja may have finally found the right formula after dumping Imamura and Sato in straight sets in the women’s doubles semifinals.
Eala and Semenistaja previously struggled in their first two matches, getting dragged into the third set in the opening round and the quarterfinals before prevailing.
Semenistaja will also gun for a second straight doubles title after emerging champion the previous week with Camilla Rosatello of Italy.
Eala and Semenistaja, though, will have to bring their A-game in the finals as they will face top seeds Naiktha Bains of Great Britain and Danni Stollar of Hungary.
Bains and Stollar are both formerly ranked in the world top 100 in doubles, with Bains even reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023 and the main draw of the Australian Open five times.
Stollar also made the second round of the US Open twice and Wimbledon once.
Over in Chennai, Francis Casey Alcantara and Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia continued to play beautiful tennis together as they secured their third straight ITF finals as a duo.
The top-seeded Alcantara and Rungkat faced their toughest battle the entire week but still prevailed over Sandro Kopp and David Pichler of Austria, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7, in the semifinals of the GNC-BR Adityan Memorial ITF Men’s Future.
On Saturday’s finals, Alcantara and Rungkat will be up against the giant-killing tandem of Bogdan Bobrov of Russia and Adil Kalyanpur of India, who pulled off an upset over second seeds Luca Castelnuovo of Switzerland and Eric Vanshelboim of Ukraine in the other semifinal pairing. – Rappler.com
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No stopping flawless run as Strong Group reaches semis in Dubai
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 9:27
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SUPERMAN. Dwight Howard in action for Strong Group Athletics in the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
UAE Basketball Association Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – A disappointing quarterfinal exit in the Dubai International Basketball Championship last year is officially a thing of the past for Strong Group Athletics.
Banking on its reliable reinforcements, Strong Group earned its place in the final four after scraping past AS Sale, 92-80, in the knockout quarterfinals at the Al Nasr Club on Friday, January 26 (Saturday, January 27, Manila time).
Former NBA standouts Andre Roberson and Dwight Howard steered unscathed Strong Group to its sixth consecutive victory as it inched closer to becoming the second team from the Philippines to capture the Dubai crown.
Mighty Sports Philippines first achieved the feat in 2020.
Roberson posted 18 points and 9 rebounds, taking over in the crucial stretch to help put away the stubborn Moroccan crew that managed to claw its way back into the game despite trailing by twin digits on multiple occasions.
AS Sale got within 71-78 with under six minutes left before Strong Group unleashed a 9-0 blitz highlighted by 6 straight Roberson points for its biggest lead.
Howard put up a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, while McKenzie Moore also finished with 17 points on top of 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
Kevin Quiambao, a member of the Strong Group squad that got the quarterfinal boot last year, made sure there will be no repeat of that disappointing ending as he supplied 15 points and 5 assists.
Other locals stepped up, with Justine Baltazar (8 points and 5 rebounds) and Jordan Heading (6 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) living up to their roles as starters.
American import Ramon Galloway tallied 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists for AS Sale, which held the upper hand in the early parts of the first half before Strong Group found its touch.
Off a 26-26 deadlock midway through the second quarter, Howard scored 5 points in an 18-5 run that allowed Strong Group to prop up a 44-31 advantage.
Up next for Strong Group in the semifinals on Sunday (Manila time) is Lebanese crew Beirut Sports Club, a team that the Philippine side crushed by 22 points in the group stage.
Strong Group 92 – Roberson 18, Howard 17, Moore 17, Quiambao 15, Baltazar 8, Heading 6, Blatche 4, Ynot 3, Cagulangan 2, Liwag 2, Escandor 0, Sanchez 0.
AS Sale 80 – Galloway 27, Williams 20, Al Quraishi 6, Benchlikha 5, Kourdou 4, Buqisho 4, Al Mohseni 2, Benabou 2.
Quarters: 19-21, 44-36, 67-59, 92-80.
– Rappler.com
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More than just ‘Death Five’: San Miguel flaunts depth to zero in on finals return
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delfin.dioquino editor
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26/01/2024 21:02
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CELEBRATE. Bennie Boatwright (right) and Jeron Teng in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel is more than just its vaunted starting lineup.
Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent made that crystal clear as San Miguel moved on the cusp of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals with as 106-96 victory over Barangay Ginebra at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, January 26.
“Everybody’s good here. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t good,” said Gallent.
Import Bennie Boatwright erupted for 38 points to propel San Miguel to a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinals as he rediscovered his scoring ways after being limited to a conference-low 23 points in Game 1.
Game 1 hero CJ Perez delivered again with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, while reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo shone on both ends with a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double on top of a career-high 6 blocks plus 3 steals.
Marcio Lassiter also regained his touch, netting 16 points off four three-pointers as he scored in double figures for the first time in 10 games.
While the starters – or what Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone called the new version of the “Death Five” lineup – showed the way for the Beermen, their reserves also made key contributions.
For example, Jeron Teng tallied 7 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in just under nine minutes of action as he featured prominently in the third and fourth quarters to help San Miguel create some separation.
Back-to-back Teng buckets to start the fourth period gave the Beermen an 80-74 lead before Boatwright, Fajardo, Perez, and Lassiter took over the rest of the way.
“There’s no Death Five here. It’s Death Fifteen,” said Gallent.
Riding on an eight-game winning streak, San Miguel is just a victory away from returning to the Commissioner’s Cup finals for the first time since 2019.
“This is a very strong team we have. We have a really strong group and everyone can contribute,” said Lassiter.
“It can be anyone tonight for us. That’s the quality of our confidence in our team.”
Jamie Malonzo put up 27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the losing effort that has Ginebra teetering on the brink of being swept in a best-of-five series for the first time since the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Gin Kings badly missed the production of Christian Standhardinger, who got held to just 9 points with 14 rebounds and 3 assists.
Ginebra import Tony Bishop posted 25 points and 9 rebounds in the defeat.
San Miguel 106 – Boatwright 38, Perez 17, Fajardo 17, Lassiter 16, Teng 7, Trollano 5, Cruz 4, Tautuaa 2, Brondial 0, Ross 0, Enciso 0
Barangay Ginebra 96 – Malonzo 27, Bishop 25, Ahanmisi 13, Thompson 9, Standhardinger 9, Pringle 6, Pinto 5, J.Aguilar 2, Tenorio 0
Quarters: 23-21, 43-46, 76-74, 106-96.
– Rappler.com
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No stopping flawless run as Strong Group reaches semis in Dubai
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delfin.dioquino editor
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27/01/2024 9:27
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SUPERMAN. Dwight Howard in action for Strong Group Athletics in the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
UAE Basketball Association Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – A disappointing quarterfinal exit in the Dubai International Basketball Championship last year is officially a thing of the past for Strong Group Athletics.
Banking on its reliable reinforcements, Strong Group earned its place in the final four after scraping past AS Sale, 92-80, in the knockout quarterfinals at the Al Nasr Club on Friday, January 26 (Saturday, January 27, Manila time).
Former NBA standouts Andre Roberson and Dwight Howard steered unscathed Strong Group to its sixth consecutive victory as it inched closer to becoming the second team from the Philippines to capture the Dubai crown.
Mighty Sports Philippines first achieved the feat in 2020.
Roberson posted 18 points and 9 rebounds, taking over in the crucial stretch to help put away the stubborn Moroccan crew that managed to claw its way back into the game despite trailing by twin digits on multiple occasions.
AS Sale got within 71-78 with under six minutes left before Strong Group unleashed a 9-0 blitz highlighted by 6 straight Roberson points for its biggest lead.
Howard put up a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, while McKenzie Moore also finished with 17 points on top of 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
Kevin Quiambao, a member of the Strong Group squad that got the quarterfinal boot last year, made sure there will be no repeat of that disappointing ending as he supplied 15 points and 5 assists.
Other locals stepped up, with Justine Baltazar (8 points and 5 rebounds) and Jordan Heading (6 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) living up to their roles as starters.
American import Ramon Galloway tallied 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists for AS Sale, which held the upper hand in the early parts of the first half before Strong Group found its touch.
Off a 26-26 deadlock midway through the second quarter, Howard scored 5 points in an 18-5 run that allowed Strong Group to prop up a 44-31 advantage.
Up next for Strong Group in the semifinals on Sunday (Manila time) is Lebanese crew Beirut Sports Club, a team that the Philippine side crushed by 22 points in the group stage.
Strong Group 92 – Roberson 18, Howard 17, Moore 17, Quiambao 15, Baltazar 8, Heading 6, Blatche 4, Ynot 3, Cagulangan 2, Liwag 2, Escandor 0, Sanchez 0.
AS Sale 80 – Galloway 27, Williams 20, Al Quraishi 6, Benchlikha 5, Kourdou 4, Buqisho 4, Al Mohseni 2, Benabou 2.
Quarters: 19-21, 44-36, 67-59, 92-80.
– Rappler.com
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Time to scrap foreign ownership limits, says Philippines’ chief economist
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lkyu0285
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26/01/2024 19:00
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SKYLINE. Buildings are seen behind houses in communities near the Makati Central Business District on April 23, 2022.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – With debates surrounding the latest push for charter change heating up, the country’s chief economist has also spoken up: it’s time to remove “unnecessary restrictions” on foreign investments.
“We need to make the country more competitive. We need to eliminate those unnecessary restrictions on foreign investments [so] that we have a better chance of attracting foreign investments,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
The NEDA secretary said the constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership are “impediments” that cause big investments to flow to neighboring Asian countries instead.
Balisacan also echoed the view of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who recently said that “the 1987 Constitution was not written for a globalized world…. We have to adjust so that we can increase the economic activity in the Philippines, we can attract more foreign investors.”
“Our President has mentioned that the Constitution was designed for a period that perhaps [was] not responsive to the current state of the world now. So, we need to address those, remove those,” the NEDA secretary said in a Palace briefing on Friday, January 26.
In particular, Balisacan believes that opening up education to full foreign ownership is “long overdue.”
“I think we have missed a major opportunity to have the country as a base for higher education of many countries that have looked for branch campuses outside of their country,” he said, pointing to how educational institutions from advanced economies have put up campuses in neighboring Southeast Asian countries instead of the Philippines.
“We would have been the best candidate, because our educational system is something very close to the US, very close to the western countries, and we get the language. But we missed it because we won’t allow ownership of foreigners in the area of education.”
The Constitution limits foreign ownership in industries following a 60% Filipino-40% foreign general rule. In recent years, a slew of new laws and regulations have circumvented this rule and opened up businesses in several industries – such as telecommunication, shipping, airlines, startups, and renewable energy – to full foreign ownership. (READ: How Philippine economy opened up to the world without charter change)
The latest push for charter change has hinged on the potential benefits of lifting these economic provisions, but there are fears that opening up the Constitution to changes could allow politicians to remove term limits and stay in power.
The national economist acknowledged these concerns, prompting him to wish that politicians can “come to a common position quickly” before the Philippines spooks domestic and foreign investors.
“I hope that they can agree very soon because we don’t also want those uncertainties because one of the factors that inhibit investments, whether it’s domestic or foreign, is the state of uncertainty,” he added.
To support economic development, Balisacan underscored that there are other actions the Philippines must take besides lifting foreign ownership restrictions.
For instance, he pointed to the issues surrounding the ease of doing business in the country, the high cost of energy, and the unpredictability of policies and regulations.
A 2021 study by economists in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas similarly concluded that “while reducing FDI (foreign direct investment) restrictions and the corporate tax rate could provide a boost to a country’s FDI performance, improving the way business is done in a country would most likely have a more positive impact in attracting and retaining FDI.”
In the meantime, NEDA targets gross domestic product growth in the Philippines to reach 6.5% to 7% in 2024 and to reach upper middle-income country status by 2025. Challenges to that growth target include geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and food inflation that could be worsened by the effects of El Ñino. – Rappler.com
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Prof. JC Punongbayan has just written, “Stop using the Philippine Economy as [an] Excuse for Charter Change,” here we have President Marcos Jr. and NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan doing the opposite. I believe President Marcos Jr. wants to have his legacy Philippine Constitution: the Marcos Jr. Philippine Constitution. That is why he is doing the opposite, no matter what.
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No systematic attack against press, Philippines tells UN expert
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Jairo Bolledo
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26/01/2024 18:42
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PRESS FREEDOM. Students and media practitioners hold a candle lighting gathering at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, to call for justice for journalists killed in Gaza and for the November 5 murder of broadcaster Juan Jumalon in Mindanao, on November 7, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government denied there was a systematic attack against the press on the first week of United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan‘s visit to the Philippines.
After arriving in the country on January 22, Khan met with Supreme Court magistrates and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials on January 24. After the meeting, DOJ Undersecretaries Raul Vasquez and Jesse Hermogenes Andres said among the matters they discussed with Khan was red-tagging.
“On the matter of red-tagging, diniscuss din namin (we also discussed it) because she asked whether it is a policy, and we said it’s not a policy,” Vasquez said.
“If there were individual cases that need to be addressed where red tagging happened, we ask that all of the complainants and the evidence be brought forth with the Department of Justice and we will pursue appropriate cases against those involved in red tagging because there is no policy,” Andres explained.
A special rapporteur before Khan raised concern over red-tagging during his visit last year. Ian Fry, the first UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, told the government after his visit in November 2023 to disband the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
In a statement on Friday, January 26, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said the government’s claim that red-tagging is not a state policy is “blatantly false.” The NUPL noted the Ombudsman’s decision finding former NTF-ELCAC officials Lorraine Badoy and Antonio Parlade Jr. guilty in an administrative case for red-tagging NUPL lawyers.
“During their meeting with Khan, NUPL lawyers recounted that they continue to be vilified as “communist terrorists” or subjected to arbitrary surveillance while killings of lawyers (three so far under President Marcos Jr.’s term) remain largely unresolved,” the NUPL said.
Human rights group Karapatan, in a statement on Friday, reiterated its call for the NTF-ELCAC’s abolition.
“The people remain in grave danger as the Marcos Jr. administration harnesses all available resources to surveil, profile, tag as terrorists, marginalize, persecute and inflict other human rights violations against the poor and other critical voices. The NTF-ELCAC cannot forever act as if it has nothing to answer for its notorious record of attacks and human rights violations. We reiterate our urgent call for its abolition,” Karapatan secretary general Tinay Palabay ended.
Especially under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, the NTF-ELCAC became the government’s main avenue to red-tag progressive individuals, including activists and human rights advocates. During and after her tenure at the NTF-ELCAC, Badoy gained notoriety for red-tagging. Various groups and individuals filed several complaints against her for her red-tagging.
Andres said Khan, during their meeting, also requested them to provide updates on certain cases such as Percy Lapid‘s, the broadcaster gunned down in October 2022, and Juan Jumalon, the latest case of a slain journalist in the country.
The DOJ undersecretary said the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) explained to Khan that not all media killings have a direct link to press freedom because some of these cases involve personal issues.
“What we have discovered is while they are media personalities, the reason behind their death [is] really personal vendetta or money controversies, money issues, or even, you know, love triangle. So it’s not really related to freedom of expression even if the victims were themselves media personalities,” Andres explained to reporters. “So that is the angle that we are presenting because those are the facts and evidence they are able to secure.”
But for National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) secretary general Len Olea, media killings, regardless of motives, indicate the culture of impunity in the country. Impunity means the people behind crimes walk free as if they’re exempt from punishments.
“Whether work-related or not, killings of journalists are not acceptable, and should not happen in a democratic society in the first place. The brazenness of the killings, such as in the cases of Percy Mabasa and Juan Jumalon, indicate that impunity is alive in this country,” Olea told Rappler on Friday.
“The killings underscore the failure of government to protect the right to life of its citizens. It’s pathetic how government officials attempt to brush aside these incidents for the sake of saving their reputation,” the NUJP secretary general added.
The Philippines remains a dangerous country for media practitioners. Based on the NUJP’s tally, at least 199 journalists have been killed since 1986. This number includes all journalists slain in relation to their job.
In the world ranking, the Philippines ranked 132nd out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index for 2023. The annual index shows the ranking of 180 countries based on political, legal, sociocultural, economic, and media safety factors.
In terms of conviction of suspects behind media killings, only 42 perpetrators were convicted out of 188, according to the NUJP Media Safety Office in 2020. The 188 reflected the number of journalists killed from 1986 to 2020. Twenty eight of this number were those involved in the infamous Maguindanao massacre, which took the lives of 32 journalists. – Rappler.com
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Farmers work together to supply Palawan town with cheaper rice, other produce
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Herbie G
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26/01/2024 15:23
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CHEAP RICE. Residents of Narra in Palawan flock to a public facility to buy rice at P20 a kilogram.
courtesy of Raymundo Imaysay
PALAWAN, Philippines – For the second week this month, residents of Narra town in Palawan flocked to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the province to buy food supplies, including rice, seafood, vegetables, eggs, and other produce.
But what most buyers were after was the rice which cost only P20 per kilogram.
The prices of rice available from local retailers range from P50 per kilo to P 65 per kilo, which is P30 to P45 higher than what is available at a “Kadiwa” organized by Palawan rice farmers themselves.
Kadiwa is a market system that sells major agricultural goods at reasonably low prices to help poor Filipino households and consumers.
It started in the province on January 18, and until this week, people kept on coming back to the covered court to buy fresh farm produce and even seafood.
Their initial success was made possible by farmer-members of 16 associations in Narra town under the Batang-Batang River Irrigation System (RIS) Irrigators’ Association.
They came from Antipuluan, Cabages Sunriser, Caguisn Linamen, Central Malinao, Delta Falls Upper Lapu-Lapu, Samahang Magpapatubig ng Kanayon, Luntiang Kabundukan, Magsasaka ng Caraniogan at Guminubat, Malinao Tugbuan, Nagkakaisang Lahi, Princess Urduja Maharlika, Sagisag ng Pagsasaka, Tugbuan Caguisan, Upper Malinao, Upstream Farmers of Princess Urduja, and Ugnayang Magsasaka ng Urcatugma.
Narra is known as the rice granary of Palawan, a municipality that dedicates much of its vast land to rice farming, distinguishing it from other towns in the island province.
Philipps Rasco from Narra town said that when the Kadiwa opened, many people went to the NIA compound to buy vegetables like Chinese cabbage, banana, and squash, but most were there for cheap rice.
The organizers limited the rice up to three kilos per buyer so that others could still avail of cheaply priced rice. A total of 16 sacks of rice at that price was made available during the event.
Ann Belandres said she informed her friends about the availability of Kadiwa rice so that they could also buy it.
The residents, who were visibly pleased with the Kadiwa, said they wished that the program would be sustained so that they could continue buying food supplies at much cheaper prices.
Raymundo Imaysay, president of Ugnayang Magsasaka ng Urcatugma, said it was their way of supporting the government by offering food products at affordable prices, much cheaper than those in public markets and smaller marketplaces.
“Ito ay aming pasasalamat sa pamahalaan sa mga interventions na itinulong nila sa aming mga farmers. Kaya kami naman ay gumagawa ng ganito upang makatulong din sa mga kapwa natin Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng pagtitinda ng mga produkto sa mas mababang presyo, lalong lalo na ang mga mahihirap,” said Imaysay, a rice farmer based in Princess Urduja, Narra town.
(This is our way of expressing gratitude to the government, especially for its interventions and programs provided to the farmers. We are doing this to help our fellow Filipinos, especially the poor and needy, by selling products at lower prices.)
Due to the steep prices of essential goods, people opted to buy from the Kadiwa to access fresh and high-quality farm and fishery products at more affordable rates, he said.
“Kung ganito rin ang gagawin ng mga kooperatiba sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa. nakakatulong tayong maibsan ang kahirapan. Kung sa mababang halaga, mabibili na nila, bigas man o gulay, o isda, napakalaking tulong. Sana itong pinapakita naming ay makabigay din ng inspirasyon upang gawin din ng ibang farmers’ cooperative,” he said.
(If cooperatives from different parts of the country do the same thing, it can cushion the impact of poverty. If they can buy things at lower prices, especially products like rice, vegetables, or fish, it would be a big help. I hope these examples inspire other farmers’ cooperatives.)
Imaysay, incidentally, is also the general manager of the Palawan Agrarian Reform Communities Federation (PARCOFED), an association of farmers’ cooperatives in the island province.
The PARCOFED in Narra town offers farm products daily, while the Batang-Batang RIS Irrigators Association, comprising smaller farmers’ groups, aims to maintain a Kadiwa monthly. The approach allows them to help as many people as possible in the town, particularly those in need. – Rappler.com
Gerardo C. Reyes Jr. is an Aries Rufo fellow.
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Oops! State university mistakenly names Pampanga sports venue after Lito Lapid
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Joann Manabat - CMS
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26/01/2024 13:35
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OOPS! Senator Lito Lapid's son, Mark, speaks before an audience on stage at the inauguration of the sports venue of the Pampanga State Agricultural University on Monday, January 22.
Magalang LGU
PAMPANGA, Philippines – The Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) on Monday, January 22, faced criticism for mistakenly naming its new sports venue after Senator Lito Lapid, an act prohibited by law.
Led by PSAU President Anita David, the state-owned university in Magalang town, Pampanga, inaugurated the covered court, an event graced by the senator together with his son, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid, and Magalang Mayor Malou Lacson.
Based on Republic Act 1059, naming public places, schools, buildings, parks, plazas, thoroughfares, government-owned aircraft, and vessels after living persons is generally not allowed, except when the property is donated to the government.
Journalist and heritage conservation advocate Tonette Orejas called out Lapid in a Facebook post for violating the law. Orejas immediately sent a letter to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to bring to its attention the violation.
The state university acknowledged the oversight, and said it promptly removed the name of the senator from the building to correct the mistake.
PSAU added that the project was initiated by the university’s previous administration. However, it was built through the initiative of Lapid.
“There was indeed an oversight. But we are certain that there (are) no immoral or political motives behind naming the covered court after Senator Lito Lapid,” said Grace Viray, PSAU public information officer.
She added, “While we are sure that the current [PSAU] administration is grateful for the initiatives of Senator Lapid, it will not be deterred from taking immediate steps to address and rectify the oversight. PSAU will remain committed to transparency and accountability.”
The university’s sports venue will now be named simply as University Covered Court.
In a statement sent to Rappler on Saturday, January 27, Lapid said they were the ones who called out the state university about the violation during the inauguration.
“When we went to PSAU to inaugurate their new building, we immediately mentioned to the university administration that it is forbidden by law to name it after me. It was quickly acted upon by the person in charge,” Lapid said.
Lapid added, “Our goal is to build a facility for the university to be used by their students and the youth. This is from the people’s money, so it was used for their welfare.” – Rappler.com
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Why does PCSO’s pink lotto ticket fade?
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gdecastro0289
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26/01/2024 12:48
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LOTTO. In this file photo, bettors wait for their turn in a lotto outlet in Paco, Manila on October 2, 2022.
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Have you ever seen your Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) ticket slowly fade?
In a Senate Games and Amusement committee hearing on Thursday, January 25, Philippine Online Lottery Agents Association Incorporated (POLAAI) president Evelyn Javier brought up the poor quality paper used in lotto receipts.
She said the old, orange-colored PCSO ticket was better than the pink ones now being used. She said the pink tickets usually fade in six to seven months, depending on the “handling.”
Two senators pressed the state-run lottery corporation to address this, especially since a winning bettor has one year to collect his prize.
Arnel Casas, PCSO assistant general manager for gaming, product development and marketing, was asked what would happen if a jackpot winner presents a no-longer-readable ticket.
Casas said there would be no winner because the PCSO must be able to validate and recognize the winning numbers on the ticket.
This prompted senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and committee chair Raffy Tulfo to inquire why the lotto tickets fade.
Casas said this was because PCSO tickets use thermal paper, not the normal paper printed with ink.
According to websites of companies that sell thermal paper, this type of paper fades when exposed to direct sunlight. They also absorb moisture in areas with high levels of humidity. If the thermal paper gets wet, it reacts with the coating and discolors it.
It’s also not advisable to keep the ticket inside a car since it exposes the ticket to sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Heat inside kitchens could also make the colors fade, says Chinese thermal paper maker, PandaPaperRoll.
Frequent touching of the ticket degrades it, and dust also affects the “sheen” or the gloss on thermal paper rolls.
Casas said thermal paper does not use ink, so the problem is not with the quality of the ink.
According to the website pospaper.com, another thermal paper seller, “thermal receipt paper is coated in chemicals that allow images to be produced when heat is applied to the surface.”
“While this is an efficient way of printing receipts, it also leaves receipts susceptible to damage or degradation from a number of chemicals and heat sources,” the site says.
It recommends not touching it often since the oil on a person’s hands “[facilitates] chemical reactions that cause the printing on the receipt to fade.”
It also suggests not to store receipts in bright areas since ultraviolet light from sunlight would cause it to fade “incredibly fast.” Tape should also not be used on receipts as the chemicals used in the glue on tape react with the thermal paper.
PCSO officials said the old, orange-colored PCSO tickets were printed by the government printing facility Apo Production Unit, while the pink ones in use are based on thermal paper supplied by the winning bidder which they identified as DTM Philippines.
Casas said the PCSO has technical specifications that bidders have to follow, and that the materials used undergo “quality testing,” including an “aging test.”
He presented a December 2022 ticket to prove that it lasts over a year.
Tulfo said he would ask the thermal paper provider to testify in the next hearing since they want to make sure that the Philippines’ lottery system meets “general or global standards.”
PCSO officials said not all is lost on winners who may have no-longer-readable tickets, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling last September which ordered the PCSO to give winning bettor Antonio Mendoza his 6/42 jackpot prize of P12.3 million, after nine years of legal battle.
Mendoza won via a lucky pick, but his granddaughter had crumpled his winning ticket and ironed it with a piece of cloth covering it in an attempt to straighten the ticket. It ended up black instead. Read the story here: Give lotto winner with damaged ticket his P12-M prize, SC orders PCSO – Rappler.com
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Eala, Semenistaja turn foes to friends in ITF Pune doubles finals march
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 22:57
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FOCUSED. Alex Eala looks to return a shot in ITF action.
Alex Eala's Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Friend and foe all in one day.
Alex Eala found it better to have Darja Semenistaja on the same side of the court than across the net, falling to the Latvian in the singles quarterfinals but advancing with her to the doubles finals in the ITF W50 Pune on Friday, January 26, at the Deccan Gymkhana in India.
Eala bowed to Semenistaja, 7-6(6), 6-0, to end her singles run in the last eight, but the two rivals made good partners, tripping Saki Imamura and Naho Sato of Japan in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in the doubles semifinals.
The fifth-seeded Eala had her chances in the opening set of singles action against the top-ranked Semenistaja, who is coming off a title win in the ITF W50 Bengalaru a week ago.
Eala came back from a 2-4 deficit in a set where she and Semenistja broke each other three times each.
In the tiebreak, Eala came within a point of winning at 6-5. But the 21-year-old Semenistaja refused to give up and staged a furious rally that gave her the next 3 points to surge ahead by a set.
The opener was so tight that both Eala and Semenistaja each scored 55 points the entire set.
However, the long, drawn-out battle seemed to have zapped the energy out of Eala, who only managed to score 9 points the entire second set.
Semenistaja, on the other hand, remained sharp, breaking Eala three more times to turn the match into a lopsided affair in the second-set shutout.
It was all over after just an hour and 12 minutes with the Latvian advancing to the semifinals to keep alive her hopes for back-to-back singles titles.
In the doubles competition, fourth seeds Eala and Semenistaja may have finally found the right formula after dumping Imamura and Sato in straight sets in the women’s doubles semifinals.
Eala and Semenistaja previously struggled in their first two matches, getting dragged into the third set in the opening round and the quarterfinals before prevailing.
Semenistaja will also gun for a second straight doubles title after emerging champion the previous week with Camilla Rosatello of Italy.
Eala and Semenistaja, though, will have to bring their A-game in the finals as they will face top seeds Naiktha Bains of Great Britain and Danni Stollar of Hungary.
Bains and Stollar are both formerly ranked in the world top 100 in doubles, with Bains even reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023 and the main draw of the Australian Open five times.
Stollar also made the second round of the US Open twice and Wimbledon once.
Over in Chennai, Francis Casey Alcantara and Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia continued to play beautiful tennis together as they secured their third straight ITF finals as a duo.
The top-seeded Alcantara and Rungkat faced their toughest battle the entire week but still prevailed over Sandro Kopp and David Pichler of Austria, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7, in the semifinals of the GNC-BR Adityan Memorial ITF Men’s Future.
On Saturday’s finals, Alcantara and Rungkat will be up against the giant-killing tandem of Bogdan Bobrov of Russia and Adil Kalyanpur of India, who pulled off an upset over second seeds Luca Castelnuovo of Switzerland and Eric Vanshelboim of Ukraine in the other semifinal pairing. – Rappler.com
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Lee bucks shooting woes as Magnolia closes in on ending finals drought
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delfin.dioquino editor
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26/01/2024 23:41
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CLUTCH. Paul Lee in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – You just can’t count Paul Lee out even when his shots are not falling.
Lee bucked his shooting woes and bailed Magnolia out in an 82-78 win over Phoenix that allowed the Hotshots to gain a 2-0 lead in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, January 26.
Making just one of his first eight shots, Lee connected from way beyond the arc for an 81-76 lead with a minute left as Magnolia moved on the verge of its first finals appearance since the 2021 Philippine Cup.
“That was the only open shot that I took the whole game,” said Lee in Filipino. “They were fronting me the entire time. There was no time left so I needed to shoot it. Luckily, it went in.”
Lee finished with just 6 points in nearly 28 minutes of action, but his deep three-pointer spelled the difference as it gave the Hotshots enough separation to fend off the gritty Fuel Masters.
Phoenix grabbed a 76-71 lead behind 6 straight points from Jason Perkins and import Johnathan Williams before Magnolia went on a 10-0 rally capped by that booming Lee trey.
“All I need is an open look and I just need to be ready because you’ll never know when that kind of opportunity will come,” said Lee.
Hotshots import Tyler Bey had no doubts when Lee released the ball.
“I knew it was going in. That’s just Paul. You already know when he gets a shot, he’s going to take it and he’s going to make it. That’s why I love him,” said Bey.
Bey showed the way in the win with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks, including a pair of crucial plays down the stretch as Magnolia beat the Fuel Masters for the ninth straight time dating back to the 2021 season.
Hounded by a double team, Bey found big man James Laput underneath the basket for a three-point play that knotted the score at 76-76 then scored the go-ahead basket on the next possession before Lee drained the dagger.
Jio Jalalon backstopped Bey with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, Rome dela Rosa put up 9 points, while Calvin Abueva tallied 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Mark Barroca chimed in 8 points and 5 assists in the win.
Williams paced Phoenix with 27 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, while Perkins posted 17 points and 13 rebounds.
The Hotshots will try to wrap up the best-of-five semifinals on Sunday, January 28, at the same venue, but Lee knows it is easier said than done.
“It’s hard to face a team that has its back against the well. We have to be prepared,” said Lee.
Magnolia 82 – Bey 25, Jalalon 17, Dela Rosa 9, Abueva 8, Barroca 8, Laput 7, Lee 6, Reavis 2, Sangalang 0, Dionisio 0, Mendoza 0.
Phoenix 78 – Williams 27, Perkins 17, Tuffin 10, Mocon 7, Jazul 6, Tio 5, Soyud 3, Rivero 2, Manganti 1, Lalata 0, Garcia 0, Alejandro 0, Daves 0, Verano 0, Camacho 0.
Quarters: 30-14, 43-34, 62-60, 82-78.
– Rappler.com
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More than just ‘Death Five’: San Miguel flaunts depth to zero in on finals return
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delfin.dioquino editor
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26/01/2024 21:02
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CELEBRATE. Bennie Boatwright (right) and Jeron Teng in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel is more than just its vaunted starting lineup.
Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent made that crystal clear as San Miguel moved on the cusp of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals with as 106-96 victory over Barangay Ginebra at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, January 26.
“Everybody’s good here. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t good,” said Gallent.
Import Bennie Boatwright erupted for 38 points to propel San Miguel to a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinals as he rediscovered his scoring ways after being limited to a conference-low 23 points in Game 1.
Game 1 hero CJ Perez delivered again with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, while reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo shone on both ends with a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double on top of a career-high 6 blocks plus 3 steals.
Marcio Lassiter also regained his touch, netting 16 points off four three-pointers as he scored in double figures for the first time in 10 games.
While the starters – or what Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone called the new version of the “Death Five” lineup – showed the way for the Beermen, their reserves also made key contributions.
For example, Jeron Teng tallied 7 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in just under nine minutes of action as he featured prominently in the third and fourth quarters to help San Miguel create some separation.
Back-to-back Teng buckets to start the fourth period gave the Beermen an 80-74 lead before Boatwright, Fajardo, Perez, and Lassiter took over the rest of the way.
“There’s no Death Five here. It’s Death Fifteen,” said Gallent.
Riding on an eight-game winning streak, San Miguel is just a victory away from returning to the Commissioner’s Cup finals for the first time since 2019.
“This is a very strong team we have. We have a really strong group and everyone can contribute,” said Lassiter.
“It can be anyone tonight for us. That’s the quality of our confidence in our team.”
Jamie Malonzo put up 27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the losing effort that has Ginebra teetering on the brink of being swept in a best-of-five series for the first time since the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Gin Kings badly missed the production of Christian Standhardinger, who got held to just 9 points with 14 rebounds and 3 assists.
Ginebra import Tony Bishop posted 25 points and 9 rebounds in the defeat.
San Miguel 106 – Boatwright 38, Perez 17, Fajardo 17, Lassiter 16, Teng 7, Trollano 5, Cruz 4, Tautuaa 2, Brondial 0, Ross 0, Enciso 0
Barangay Ginebra 96 – Malonzo 27, Bishop 25, Ahanmisi 13, Thompson 9, Standhardinger 9, Pringle 6, Pinto 5, J.Aguilar 2, Tenorio 0
Quarters: 23-21, 43-46, 76-74, 106-96.
– Rappler.com
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Quiambao already ‘too good’ for college hoops amid naturalization offer
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 21:48
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MVP. Kevin Quiambao in action for the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament.
UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – Amid a stellar performance in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics swingman Kevin Quiambao received a naturalization offer from the United Arab Emirates national basketball team.
And it didn’t surprise Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu at all.
“Kevin can really play. He’s got a great future ahead of him,” Tiu said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk.
“There would be way more opportunities for Kevin, even a higher level of basketball. That’s how good we think he is. And he’s been really impressive.”
Quiambao, the UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player has been leading the charge for a stacked squad filled with NBA talent such as Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
The 23-year-old Quiambao had been averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists with an immaculate 5-0 record thus far in the tournament.
Tiu confirmed Quiambao’s UAE naturalization offer in the television interview on Tuesday, January 23.
“That is true. They’ve actually met with him… They’ve shown a lot of interest in him,” said Tiu.
Quiambao – who is playing under La Salle head coach Topex Robinson, who’s also serving as deputy for Strong Group – has already committed to play for the Green Archers next year in a UAAP title-retention bid for Season 87.
However, if the champion forward suddenly makes a move to go professional, Tiu said he will be behind him.
“Whatever he decides to do, we fully support him. It’s exciting for Kevin,” said Tiu. “I hope he can continue his stellar play and he’s going to make waves. To me, he is too good for college basketball in the Philippines already.”
In a separate post, Tiu also shot down rumors of Quiambao possibly being pursued by the New York Knicks to play for their NBA Summer League roster in July.
“Can I just say, there is nothing about Kevin Quiambao and the Knicks right now. 0 (zero),” Tiu posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, January 25.
The online buzz floated when Strong Group’s public relations officer said in a now-deleted Instagram post that there were initial talks for a Knicks opportunity. — Rappler.com
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A race against the clock for charter change proponents as 2025 midterms loom
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Dwight de Leon
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26/01/2024 8:30
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PROTEST. Groups opposed to charter change picket the gates of the House of Representatives to protest the alleged use of public funds in collecting signatures for the people’s initiative on charter change, on January 22, 2024.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The clock is ticking for charter change advocates, and their biggest “enemy” is the 2025 elections.
Next year’s vote is a blunt reminder that they have little time left to make magic happen, as preparations for the midterm polls kick into high gear later this year.
The most straightforward deadline appears to be October 2024, a month where hundreds of thousands of aspirants for public office – from municipal councilor up to senator – file their certificates of candidacy.
Some lawmakers who have admitted pushing for charter change have recognized this cutoff.
“Remember that the [candidacy filing] is in October, so if we cannot have the plebiscite by July, then this charter change push would be over,” Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel told Rappler on January 10.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, in a separate conference with reporters on January 18, also doubled down on the target plebiscite in July.
“The enemy of that timeline is by October, we will be filing already and there is no talk about them going on parallel. Only 2025 will be on their mind because there will be an election,” said Salceda, chairman of the ways and means committee in the House of Representatives.
A referendum in relation to charter change stems from the route that advocates chose to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Beginning January, reports surfaced nationwide that voters were being requested to sign signature forms in support of the people’s initiative.
Specifically, people were being asked to back a proposal to amend a constitutional provision that is silent on whether the House and the Senate would vote jointly or separately should someone make a motion to form a constituent assembly.
If proponents get an enough number of authentic signatures, and if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) grants their petition, a plebiscite or referendum will be triggered to ratify the proposed amendment.
The push appears to have come from the House of Representatives, with Speaker Martin Romualdez unveiling the people’s initiative plan as early as December, although he has since distanced himself from the signature drive.
The proposed amendment – if ratified – would significantly diminish the power of the 24-member Senate, whose numbers will never size up to the 300-plus-member House of Representatives in a constituent assembly.
“We will highly recommend that we embark on a people-centered initiative to cure this impasse, so to speak, on how we vote,” Romualdez said in Iloilo last month.
Under a people’s initiative method to amend the Constitution, proponents must gather 12% of signatures nationwide, and every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of registered voters.
On paper, that is not an easy task to complete, especially in districts where lawmakers are lukewarm or outright against charter change. It is an open secret, after all, that a congressman’s support expedites projects of this nature.
In the Davao region, lawmakers Paolo Duterte, Isidro Ungab, and Pantaleon Alvarez have rejected the people’s initiative. In Bicol, Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman is the most vocal critic.
But if Salceda is to be believed, targets have been met. He said all districts have breached the 3% threshold, while 12.1% of signatures – accounting for eight million voters – have been gathered nationwide.
A January 24 report from the Comelec said only 192 out of 254 districts nationwide have received signature forms in relation to charter change.
Gathering the signatures is one thing, but shaking the Comelec’s 2024 calendar – which is heavy on preparatory activities for the 2025 elections – is another issue of its own.
“We have a timetable on everything, and our timetable has been disrupted because of the possibility [of a plebiscite this year],” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum on January 24.
He gave a bleak outlook on the possibility of a plebiscite, saying that a vote by August or September might be doable had the signature forms been submitted in the first week of January.
Opposition party-list group Kabataan, citing House sources, previously alleged that charter change proponents are hoping that the Comelec would finish verifying the signature forms by March, and would rule on their petition by April.
“We don’t have a period to make the determination [on the sufficiency of the petition]. It is possible that the determination would take a year,” Garcia said.
By October, all Comelec personnel nationwide – from the main office down to the field offices across the country – will be spread thin, focusing on receiving candidacy documents.
Other poll preparatory activities will spill over to the rest of the year and to the first few months of 2025, and those are expected to be doubly demanding than past elections as the Comelec attempts to recalibrate the 2025 automated election system.
Political observers know that the best time to push for divisive measures is during the early years of a president’s term in Malacañang. This is because after the midterm polls, Congress no longer becomes a conducive environment for controversial legislation.
Veteran political journalist Carmela Fonbuena took note of this when she summed up the decade-long journey that the reproductive health (RH) bill overcame before then-president Benigno Aquino III signed it into law in 2012.
Allies made a huge effort to rush the passage of the RH bill in the final month of 2012, to avoid pushing back its timeline to 2013, an election year.
The administration of Rodrigo Duterte also took a giant step to push for federalism in the first three years of his presidency, but abandoned his key campaign promise after the 2019 midterm polls. Analysts said Duterte lost political capital as his allies began positioning themselves for the 2022 presidential elections.
Congressman Salceda is aware that the political landscape is susceptible to change after the midterm polls conclude.
“I emphasize that the time to do constitutional reform is now, when we do not have to worry about this being a way to extend the President’s term. The window for reform will close after the 2025 midterms, and we may have to start anew from scratch. We need to do this now,” he said in a statement on January 14.
There is an understanding that many key legislations in the Philippines – where Congress is filled with allies of the President – moves forward if he gives his blessing.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has become more publicly eager about charter change, from completely dismissing the idea last year, to underscoring the need for economic amendments today.
Does he see a golden opportunity? Will he go all in? – Rappler.com
(All quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity.)
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Lee bucks shooting woes as Magnolia closes in on ending finals drought
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delfin.dioquino editor
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26/01/2024 23:41
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CLUTCH. Paul Lee in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – You just can’t count Paul Lee out even when his shots are not falling.
Lee bucked his shooting woes and bailed Magnolia out in an 82-78 win over Phoenix that allowed the Hotshots to gain a 2-0 lead in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, January 26.
Making just one of his first eight shots, Lee connected from way beyond the arc for an 81-76 lead with a minute left as Magnolia moved on the verge of its first finals appearance since the 2021 Philippine Cup.
“That was the only open shot that I took the whole game,” said Lee in Filipino. “They were fronting me the entire time. There was no time left so I needed to shoot it. Luckily, it went in.”
Lee finished with just 6 points in nearly 28 minutes of action, but his deep three-pointer spelled the difference as it gave the Hotshots enough separation to fend off the gritty Fuel Masters.
Phoenix grabbed a 76-71 lead behind 6 straight points from Jason Perkins and import Johnathan Williams before Magnolia went on a 10-0 rally capped by that booming Lee trey.
“All I need is an open look and I just need to be ready because you’ll never know when that kind of opportunity will come,” said Lee.
Hotshots import Tyler Bey had no doubts when Lee released the ball.
“I knew it was going in. That’s just Paul. You already know when he gets a shot, he’s going to take it and he’s going to make it. That’s why I love him,” said Bey.
Bey showed the way in the win with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks, including a pair of crucial plays down the stretch as Magnolia beat the Fuel Masters for the ninth straight time dating back to the 2021 season.
Hounded by a double team, Bey found big man James Laput underneath the basket for a three-point play that knotted the score at 76-76 then scored the go-ahead basket on the next possession before Lee drained the dagger.
Jio Jalalon backstopped Bey with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, Rome dela Rosa put up 9 points, while Calvin Abueva tallied 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Mark Barroca chimed in 8 points and 5 assists in the win.
Williams paced Phoenix with 27 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, while Perkins posted 17 points and 13 rebounds.
The Hotshots will try to wrap up the best-of-five semifinals on Sunday, January 28, at the same venue, but Lee knows it is easier said than done.
“It’s hard to face a team that has its back against the well. We have to be prepared,” said Lee.
Magnolia 82 – Bey 25, Jalalon 17, Dela Rosa 9, Abueva 8, Barroca 8, Laput 7, Lee 6, Reavis 2, Sangalang 0, Dionisio 0, Mendoza 0.
Phoenix 78 – Williams 27, Perkins 17, Tuffin 10, Mocon 7, Jazul 6, Tio 5, Soyud 3, Rivero 2, Manganti 1, Lalata 0, Garcia 0, Alejandro 0, Daves 0, Verano 0, Camacho 0.
Quarters: 30-14, 43-34, 62-60, 82-78.
– Rappler.com
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[The Slingshot] Paolo Duterte’s scandalous P51 billion
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Marguerite de Leon
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28/01/2024 18:43
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Guia Abogado/Rappler
The public’s message is clear. It is a request for accountability of public money that came from the sweat of their brows, entrusted to an elected official to steward that fund. It goes without saying that it is as well a request to manifest integrity of holding public office if it is answerable to public trust.
But the answers to that public request may not be forthcoming. And public opinion is now being swayed by the pattern they see – that the Dutertes love tons of public money and once they are caught running away with it, they turn their backs on how they spent it.
Instead of being forthright with the people they vowed to serve, Sara Duterte for example, in typical Duterte irascible action, instead threatened those who questioned her confidential funds as enemies of the state. Now comes her brother Paolo.
Let’s make the context clear. In the last three years of the Rodrigo Duterte presidency, Paolo sat in the House of Representatives for the first district of Davao City. The office endowed him with fiscal largesse that other congressmen who are no scions of the sitting president did not enjoy as favor – P51 billion in funds. Let’s make that simpler – the other congressmen did not receive P51 billion.
This is the breakdown of the funds – 2020 P13.7 billion, 2021 P25 billion, 2022 P13 billion. P51.7 billion is equivalent to about 102,000 low-cost housing units that could have benefitted his district (the Davao City glamorized by fake news has actually a high incidence of poverty). Take note, and this is important – each congressman receives on the average about P500 million to a maximum of P1 billion in so-called development funds. Notice the gargantuan leap of privilege only because he was the sitting president’s son.
The amount alone is exceedingly scandalous by any standards. A House stalwart bared the release of such funds to Paolo. Nothing is rumor here. Hence, it should merit a special audit by the Commission on Audit.
It is nothing short of an abuse of power. Listen to how this happened. In fact, it happened in a very surreptitiously political manner. Aside from the being the son of the sitting president, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations then in the 18th Congress was Paolo’s buddy Eric Go Yap of the ACT-CIS party list.
Despite not having a sterling record by co-authoring with Paolo the bill that proposed to rename the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Yap was chosen to head the powerful Appropriations Committee even if he was just a neophyte congressman at that time.
The appointment appeared to have been deliberate, which was to put a loyal Duterte ally to head the committee. His predecessor as chair was in fact another Duterte loyalist, Isidro Ungab of Davao City’s third district, from July 24, 2019 to March 2, 2020.
Now, understand the role of the Appropriations Committee, which is the determination of salaries, allowances, and benefits of government personnel. It also functions in determining payments to government’s debts, yet it ignored that essential need of debt servicing by awarding a political buddy with P51 billion in unprogrammed development funds.
So how did Paolo spend the funds? A rundown of his projects from his own website raises more questions. These were his projects from 2020-2022:
On October 15, 2020, his website announced that he donated construction materials to General Baptist Church in Barangay Gallera in Talomo District. How much amount was donated, the website was silent.
The next month on November 2020 he donated “cooking equipment” for the use of children in the Catotal Home for Child Therapy and Learning Center, Inc. Again, no amount was indicated.
At the end of 2020, his office released a “first year in office” accomplishment report. It said that Paolo “dealt with many projects,” not saying explicitly if it actually funded them: multipurpose buildings, flood control and drainage works, road widening and/or maintenance, construction and reconstruction of roads and bridges, and preventive maintenance.
Then on January 2021, he gave a press conference saying he was “planning” to donate tablets or cellular phones to students “in line with the ongoing distance learning amid the coronavirus disease 2019.” There were no subsequent reports if the “plan” was concretized.
In July 2021 he provided “much needed assistance to fire victims of Punta Dumalag 2 in Barangay Matina Aplaya.” Then on the same month he gave “rice packs and cash assistance” to fire victims in Barangay 38-D. Earlier in April, his office also gave cash aid and rice packs to “84 people affected by fire in Barangay 5-A Pag-asa in Bankerohan.” Why do fires habitually gut Davao City? The “progressive” city actually has dozens of shantytowns.
Moving forward to the succeeding year, on February 28, 2022, his congressional district office announced that he had sponsored a virtual job fair that immediately hired on the spot 27 applicants.
On March 18, 2022, his office released an information video titled “Davao City First Congressional District Accomplishment Report.” For COVID-19 responses, he distributed 150,000 face shields and masks to 54 barangays. It did not indicate the number of beneficiaries. There was also a “food pack distribution” to the same number of barangays; again no mention of how many individuals benefitted. The reports are very generalized.
During the pandemic’s Enhanced Community Quarantine period, his office sponsored the ECQ Cluster Games consisting of the Cluster Music Video War and Pulong Distance Duet Competition.
He also had a Barangay Caravan that consisted of free dental aid, medical check-up, and eye check-up with free reading glasses, livelihood programs, and legal services. His report does not indicate how much was spent for the caravan.
It also said he gave immediate relief assistance to “victims of man-made and natural calamities and other social disorganization to help alleviate the distressed condition of displaced families.”
Then his website reports on August 17, 2022 that Paolo distributed cash to various non-medical frontliners and tricycle operators and drivers as part of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). His office’s Communication and Information Office did not say how much was given each beneficiary. His office calls them “emergency grants.”
On November 25, 2022, it announced that he sponsored the 10th Pulong Duterte Taekwondo Championship, a yearly event by the various taekwondo clubs of the Davao region that he supports. How much money he donated for taekwondo, the report was silent.
On December 29, 2022, Paolo gave out cash assistance to indigent beneficiaries from 54 barangays in his district, again as part of the previously mentioned TUPAD.
Finally, I was eager to see the infrastructural side of his projects funded by his development fund, but the so-called accomplishment report immediately segued to say, “Daghang salamat sa padayon ninyong pagsuporta (Much thanks to your continued support).” There were no infrastructure projects on his last year in office after cumulatively receiving P51 billion.
So where did that huge stash of money go? It is a question that each Duterte in public service is unwilling to answer. – Rappler.com
Antonio J. Montalván II is a social anthropologist who advocates that keeping quiet when things go wrong is the mentality of a slave, not a good citizen.
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P 51 Billion with no detailed report? What is the COA doing? Are its officials bribed or threatened, or both? Thanks to Antonio J. Montalvan II for this “scandalous” report. I am eagerly waiting for developments on this “scandal.”
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Filipino imports shine in action-packed Japan B. League weekend
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Jasmine Payo
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28/01/2024 23:20
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TOP FORM. Yokohama's Kai Sotto goes for a shot in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – While many Filipino basketball fans were tuned in to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals and the Strong Group Athletics’ campaign in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, the Filipino imports in the Japan B. League silently delivered stellar performances for their respective teams this weekend.
On Saturday, January 27, Kai Sotto scored a season-high in points in the Yokohama B-Corsairs’ 98-86 loss to the Shimane Susanoo Magic.
Playing over 20 minutes for the first time this season, Sotto also breached the double-digit scoring territory for the first time in a Yokohama uniform, dropping 16 points on a very efficient 8-of-12 shooting, 5 rebounds, and 1 block.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto followed up his 16-point output on Saturday with 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist on Sunday, January 28, but Yokohama fell to Shimane anew, 94-73.
Meanwhile, Matthew Wright was on a mission for the Kyoto Hannaryz as they split their weekend assignment against the defending champion Ryukyu Golden Kings.
Wright led the Hannaryz in scoring in their two matches this weekend, putting up 20 points in their 94-85 win on Saturday, before seeing his 22-point, 9-rebound, and 8-assist explosion go down the drain in their 86-81 loss the next day.
Like Wright, Dwight Ramos and Thirdy Ravena scored in double figures twice for the Levanga Hokkaido and the San-En NeoPhoenix, respectively, this weekend.
Ramos had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in Hokkaido’s 79-73 loss to RJ Abarrientos and the Shinshu Brave Warriors on Saturday.
He then came up with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block in their 90-56 bounce-back win against the same opponents on Sunday.
Ramos’ Filipino counterpart Abarrientos had a quiet weekend for Shinshu as he was held to just 9 points in those two matches combined.
Thirdy, for his part, produced 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the NeoPhoenix’s 98-75 Saturday thrashing of Nagasaki, before tallying 15 markers, 8 boards, and 5 dimes in their 103-68 victory the day after.
With the weekend sweep of Nagasaki, San-En extended its winning streak further to 11 games for a 29-4 record. The NeoPhoenix remain tied with the Alvark Tokyo at the No. 1 spot.
Over in Division 2, Kiefer Ravena recorded the most points scored by a Filipino import this weekend.
After being limited to just 8 points in the Shiga Lakes’ 105-89 win versus the Fukushima Firebonds on Saturday, Kiefer erupted for a near double-double of 24 points and 8 assists on Sunday.
Kiefer and the rest of the Lakes, however, failed to make it two wins in a row as they suffered a 108-105 defeat to close out the weekend. – Rappler.com
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No systematic attack against press, Philippines tells UN expert
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Jairo Bolledo
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26/01/2024 18:42
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PRESS FREEDOM. Students and media practitioners hold a candle lighting gathering at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, to call for justice for journalists killed in Gaza and for the November 5 murder of broadcaster Juan Jumalon in Mindanao, on November 7, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government denied there was a systematic attack against the press on the first week of United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan‘s visit to the Philippines.
After arriving in the country on January 22, Khan met with Supreme Court magistrates and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials on January 24. After the meeting, DOJ Undersecretaries Raul Vasquez and Jesse Hermogenes Andres said among the matters they discussed with Khan was red-tagging.
“On the matter of red-tagging, diniscuss din namin (we also discussed it) because she asked whether it is a policy, and we said it’s not a policy,” Vasquez said.
“If there were individual cases that need to be addressed where red tagging happened, we ask that all of the complainants and the evidence be brought forth with the Department of Justice and we will pursue appropriate cases against those involved in red tagging because there is no policy,” Andres explained.
A special rapporteur before Khan raised concern over red-tagging during his visit last year. Ian Fry, the first UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, told the government after his visit in November 2023 to disband the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
In a statement on Friday, January 26, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said the government’s claim that red-tagging is not a state policy is “blatantly false.” The NUPL noted the Ombudsman’s decision finding former NTF-ELCAC officials Lorraine Badoy and Antonio Parlade Jr. guilty in an administrative case for red-tagging NUPL lawyers.
“During their meeting with Khan, NUPL lawyers recounted that they continue to be vilified as “communist terrorists” or subjected to arbitrary surveillance while killings of lawyers (three so far under President Marcos Jr.’s term) remain largely unresolved,” the NUPL said.
Human rights group Karapatan, in a statement on Friday, reiterated its call for the NTF-ELCAC’s abolition.
“The people remain in grave danger as the Marcos Jr. administration harnesses all available resources to surveil, profile, tag as terrorists, marginalize, persecute and inflict other human rights violations against the poor and other critical voices. The NTF-ELCAC cannot forever act as if it has nothing to answer for its notorious record of attacks and human rights violations. We reiterate our urgent call for its abolition,” Karapatan secretary general Tinay Palabay ended.
Especially under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, the NTF-ELCAC became the government’s main avenue to red-tag progressive individuals, including activists and human rights advocates. During and after her tenure at the NTF-ELCAC, Badoy gained notoriety for red-tagging. Various groups and individuals filed several complaints against her for her red-tagging.
Andres said Khan, during their meeting, also requested them to provide updates on certain cases such as Percy Lapid‘s, the broadcaster gunned down in October 2022, and Juan Jumalon, the latest case of a slain journalist in the country.
The DOJ undersecretary said the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) explained to Khan that not all media killings have a direct link to press freedom because some of these cases involve personal issues.
“What we have discovered is while they are media personalities, the reason behind their death [is] really personal vendetta or money controversies, money issues, or even, you know, love triangle. So it’s not really related to freedom of expression even if the victims were themselves media personalities,” Andres explained to reporters. “So that is the angle that we are presenting because those are the facts and evidence they are able to secure.”
But for National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) secretary general Len Olea, media killings, regardless of motives, indicate the culture of impunity in the country. Impunity means the people behind crimes walk free as if they’re exempt from punishments.
“Whether work-related or not, killings of journalists are not acceptable, and should not happen in a democratic society in the first place. The brazenness of the killings, such as in the cases of Percy Mabasa and Juan Jumalon, indicate that impunity is alive in this country,” Olea told Rappler on Friday.
“The killings underscore the failure of government to protect the right to life of its citizens. It’s pathetic how government officials attempt to brush aside these incidents for the sake of saving their reputation,” the NUJP secretary general added.
The Philippines remains a dangerous country for media practitioners. Based on the NUJP’s tally, at least 199 journalists have been killed since 1986. This number includes all journalists slain in relation to their job.
In the world ranking, the Philippines ranked 132nd out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index for 2023. The annual index shows the ranking of 180 countries based on political, legal, sociocultural, economic, and media safety factors.
In terms of conviction of suspects behind media killings, only 42 perpetrators were convicted out of 188, according to the NUJP Media Safety Office in 2020. The 188 reflected the number of journalists killed from 1986 to 2020. Twenty eight of this number were those involved in the infamous Maguindanao massacre, which took the lives of 32 journalists. – Rappler.com
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Antipolo Cathedral elevated as first international shrine in PH, Southeast Asia
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Chito de la Vega
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26/01/2024 22:05
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VIVA LA VIRGEN. The image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage is crowned in a symbolic rite of coronation as part of the solemn declaration of the Antipolo Cathedral as an international shrine on January 26.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo FB Page
ANTIPOLO, Philippines – As a renowned pilgrimage site for people seeking safety in their travels, the Antipolo Cathedral reached a historic peak in its own centuries-old journey, having been elevated as the first Catholic international shrine in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, and only the 11th worldwide.
The 450-year-old cathedral, home of the image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, was formally declared an international shrine in a solemn mass presided by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown on Friday, January 26.
Friday’s ceremony completed the Antipolo Cathedral’s elevation process which started with a 2023 Vatican decree.
The shrine’s grounds and the nearby Sumulong Park celebrated a one-of-a-kind feast as devotees of the Virgin of Antipolo and over 80 bishops across the country — led by Bishop Ruperto Santos and Auxiliary Bishop Nolly Buco of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo — took part in the event.
The celebration started with a procession of the image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in the cathedral grounds, followed by a symbolic rite of coronation for the image led by Brown and Santos.
A solemn mass then commenced, with Antipolo Bishop Emeritus Francis de Leon and Reverend Monsignor Bernardo Pantin, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), reading the Latin and English text of the Vatican decree.
First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos was among those who attended the mass, along with local officials, including Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares and Rizal Governor Nina Ynares. The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and Madrigal Singers also served as choir of the signficant rite.
In his homily, the Papal Nuncio highlighted the Antipolo Cathedral’s elevation as an international shrine as a testament of the “internationality of the Philippine Catholic Church,” pointing out the Virgin of Antipolo’s role for migrants praying for safety in their travels.
“You have been gifted to give and you’re giving that gift all over the world – and our Lady here in Antipolo is really the mother of that gift, because that gift is Jesus,” he said, linking the diaspora of Filipinos worldwide to the evangelization of the Roman Catholic faith.
The nuncio also emphasized the significance of the Virgin to the experience of millions of overseas Filipino workers coming to Antipolo to seek care and affection, as he called on bishops and officials present to uphold their dignity.
Meanwhile, Antipolo Bishop Santos expressed his gratitude for the solemn declaration of the international shrine as “the gift of the Philippine Church to the whole world,” where they are now called upon to lead the more than 3 million faithful in the diocese in accordance with Mary’s teachings.
“We discern this memorable and momentous day as an overflowing grace from God. It is now our calling to live the fiat (Mary’s response of “Let it be done”) of our Blessed Mother Mary, to lead our flock, our people to acclaim her magnificat (hymn of praise) and to learn to stand at the foot of the Cross,” he said.
Following the cathedral’s elevation, Santos further called on the clergy to make the shrine as Mary’s house for love, charity, and compassion as their primary mission moving forward.
The bishop said, “Let this be our house, and her house, her shrine of charity and compassion that for her children – especially the vulnerable and the voiceless, especially for migrants, fishers, and seafarers, especially for women – that here they can experience, the love of God, the charity of God, the compassion of God starting from us.”
To mark the historic occasion, the diocese unveiled the theme “Ave Regina Pacis” (in Latin, “Hail, Queen of Peace”), highlighting the celebration’s significance to the Virgin of Antipolo.
“As a ‘Pueblo amante de Maria’ – a people in love with Mary – we recognize the remarkable value of this celebration not only for the Diocese of Antipolo, but for the whole Church at large,” the diocese said in its celebration primer.
The church was first completely built in 1632, which was meant to serve as a shrine for the Virgin of Antipolo first brought by Governor General Juan Niño de Tabora from Acapulco, Mexico. A local tree called “tipulo” is located in its site, where the image is said to be usually found when it suddenly disappears, said the primer.
Despite suffering from several damage from earthquakes, the shrine became a popular pilgrimage site during the Spanish period, in which even the young Jose Rizal and his father, Francisco Mercado, were among its pilgrims according to the Antipolo Cathedral website.
The Antipolo church was then declared as a national shrine in 1954, following post-war efforts to rebuild its structure. It went on to become a cathedral in 1983, along with the establishment of the Diocese of Antipolo.
The cathedral further gained popularity as a pilgrimage site among devotees for its “Alay Lakad” tradition every Maundy Thursday and up until July, where devotees disembark upward – or what they call as “ahon” to pray and give thanks to the Virgin of Antipolo.
In 2021, the CBCP endorsed the diocese’s petition to raise the Antipolo Cathedral’s status to an international shrine. The Holy See approved the petition in June 2022, with a papal decree being issued in March 2023.
The CBCP endorsed the diocese’s petition in 2021 to elevate the status of the cathedral tto an international shrine. In June 2022, the Holy See accepted the petition, with a Papal decree issued in March 2023.
The Antipolo Cathedral was recognized as an international shrine starting March 26, 2023, coinciding with the commemoration of the Virgin’s journey from Mexico to the Philippines in 1626. – Rappler.com
Lance Arevada is an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow for 2023-2024.
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Online predators may be using these emojis to befriend your children
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Michelle Abad
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26/01/2024 19:16
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Shutterstock
Content warning: This article contains sensitive descriptions.
MANILA, Philippines – As the Philippines ramps up efforts to better fight online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) in the country, predators are getting more creative to get close to children to exploit. One way is through emojis, a nonprofit found.
Bahay Tuluyan, a children’s rights nongovernmental organization (NGO), flagged a “deeply concerning trend” in which the predators’ tool of choice to befriend children online is emojis.
Many smartphone users use emojis, or small icons depicting expressions, symbols, objects, or places, in their messaging tools regularly. Citing the United Nations Children’s Fund and International Criminal Police Organization, Bahay Tuluyan said hundreds of thousands of online predators use emojis to befriend children. The NGO’s estimate is 500,000.
“They pretend to be kids and use emojis as a way to get close [to] our children and abuse them, get images of their private parts, or even get them to perform sexual acts,” said Bahay Tuluyan executive director Catherine Scerri.
The NGO came up with a campaign to spread awareness of the tactic among parents. Part of the campaign is a video created in partnership with TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno.
The video features various emojis that may be used by predators to convey certain body parts or meanings.
While Bahay Tuluyan notes befriending through emojis as a trend, other reports have earlier noted how pedophiles use emojis to communicate. Meanwhile, a United Nations office reported in 2020 that children as young as 4 or 5 have “emoji conversations” with friends through parents’ or guardians’ phones.
In July 2022, a Philippine measure seeking to address online sexual exploitation of children lapsed into law.
In 2022, almost half a million Filipino children or roughly 1 in 100 children were trafficked to produce child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) for profit, according to the International Justice Mission (IJM).
The abuse was driven by foreign demand, particularly from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Europe.
CSEM for profit usually happens in the form of livestreamed abuse, where a local trafficker in the Philippines abuses a child in person, while an offender, “typically from a Western country,” watches the abuse via video call, IJM said. Local Philippine traffickers earn as little as $25 (P1,408) from their foreign clients to abuse children in front of cameras.
Meanwhile, in an April 2023 report, the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council found 92,200 OSEC-related suspicious transaction reports (STRs) by the end of 2022 – a dramatic increase from just 204 from 2015. During this time period, a whopping P1.56-billion ($27.70 million) aggregate amount was involved in over 182,700 OSEC-related STRs.
Yet the Philippines remains on Tier 1 of the US State Department’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report for the eighth consecutive year. Accounting for all forms of trafficking and not just child sexual exploitation, the report places a country on Tier 1 if it deems a government has made efforts to adequately address human trafficking.
In June 2023, a US State Department official said the US lauded the Philippines for investigating more trafficking victims, amending its anti-trafficking law, and increasing funding. However, the Philippines “did not vigorously investigate or prosecute labor trafficking crimes that occurred within the Philippines.” – Rappler.com
$1 = P56.32
To report cases of child sexual abuse, contact the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center at 0919 777 7377 or the 1343 Actionline hotline for human trafficking.
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Eala, Semenistaja turn foes to friends in ITF Pune doubles finals march
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 22:57
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FOCUSED. Alex Eala looks to return a shot in ITF action.
Alex Eala's Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Friend and foe all in one day.
Alex Eala found it better to have Darja Semenistaja on the same side of the court than across the net, falling to the Latvian in the singles quarterfinals but advancing with her to the doubles finals in the ITF W50 Pune on Friday, January 26, at the Deccan Gymkhana in India.
Eala bowed to Semenistaja, 7-6(6), 6-0, to end her singles run in the last eight, but the two rivals made good partners, tripping Saki Imamura and Naho Sato of Japan in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in the doubles semifinals.
The fifth-seeded Eala had her chances in the opening set of singles action against the top-ranked Semenistaja, who is coming off a title win in the ITF W50 Bengalaru a week ago.
Eala came back from a 2-4 deficit in a set where she and Semenistja broke each other three times each.
In the tiebreak, Eala came within a point of winning at 6-5. But the 21-year-old Semenistaja refused to give up and staged a furious rally that gave her the next 3 points to surge ahead by a set.
The opener was so tight that both Eala and Semenistaja each scored 55 points the entire set.
However, the long, drawn-out battle seemed to have zapped the energy out of Eala, who only managed to score 9 points the entire second set.
Semenistaja, on the other hand, remained sharp, breaking Eala three more times to turn the match into a lopsided affair in the second-set shutout.
It was all over after just an hour and 12 minutes with the Latvian advancing to the semifinals to keep alive her hopes for back-to-back singles titles.
In the doubles competition, fourth seeds Eala and Semenistaja may have finally found the right formula after dumping Imamura and Sato in straight sets in the women’s doubles semifinals.
Eala and Semenistaja previously struggled in their first two matches, getting dragged into the third set in the opening round and the quarterfinals before prevailing.
Semenistaja will also gun for a second straight doubles title after emerging champion the previous week with Camilla Rosatello of Italy.
Eala and Semenistaja, though, will have to bring their A-game in the finals as they will face top seeds Naiktha Bains of Great Britain and Danni Stollar of Hungary.
Bains and Stollar are both formerly ranked in the world top 100 in doubles, with Bains even reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023 and the main draw of the Australian Open five times.
Stollar also made the second round of the US Open twice and Wimbledon once.
Over in Chennai, Francis Casey Alcantara and Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia continued to play beautiful tennis together as they secured their third straight ITF finals as a duo.
The top-seeded Alcantara and Rungkat faced their toughest battle the entire week but still prevailed over Sandro Kopp and David Pichler of Austria, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7, in the semifinals of the GNC-BR Adityan Memorial ITF Men’s Future.
On Saturday’s finals, Alcantara and Rungkat will be up against the giant-killing tandem of Bogdan Bobrov of Russia and Adil Kalyanpur of India, who pulled off an upset over second seeds Luca Castelnuovo of Switzerland and Eric Vanshelboim of Ukraine in the other semifinal pairing. – Rappler.com
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Quiambao already ‘too good’ for college hoops amid naturalization offer
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 21:48
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MVP. Kevin Quiambao in action for the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament.
UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – Amid a stellar performance in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics swingman Kevin Quiambao received a naturalization offer from the United Arab Emirates national basketball team.
And it didn’t surprise Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu at all.
“Kevin can really play. He’s got a great future ahead of him,” Tiu said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk.
“There would be way more opportunities for Kevin, even a higher level of basketball. That’s how good we think he is. And he’s been really impressive.”
Quiambao, the UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player has been leading the charge for a stacked squad filled with NBA talent such as Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
The 23-year-old Quiambao had been averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists with an immaculate 5-0 record thus far in the tournament.
Tiu confirmed Quiambao’s UAE naturalization offer in the television interview on Tuesday, January 23.
“That is true. They’ve actually met with him… They’ve shown a lot of interest in him,” said Tiu.
Quiambao – who is playing under La Salle head coach Topex Robinson, who’s also serving as deputy for Strong Group – has already committed to play for the Green Archers next year in a UAAP title-retention bid for Season 87.
However, if the champion forward suddenly makes a move to go professional, Tiu said he will be behind him.
“Whatever he decides to do, we fully support him. It’s exciting for Kevin,” said Tiu. “I hope he can continue his stellar play and he’s going to make waves. To me, he is too good for college basketball in the Philippines already.”
In a separate post, Tiu also shot down rumors of Quiambao possibly being pursued by the New York Knicks to play for their NBA Summer League roster in July.
“Can I just say, there is nothing about Kevin Quiambao and the Knicks right now. 0 (zero),” Tiu posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, January 25.
The online buzz floated when Strong Group’s public relations officer said in a now-deleted Instagram post that there were initial talks for a Knicks opportunity. — Rappler.com
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Time to scrap foreign ownership limits, says Philippines’ chief economist
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lkyu0285
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26/01/2024 19:00
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SKYLINE. Buildings are seen behind houses in communities near the Makati Central Business District on April 23, 2022.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – With debates surrounding the latest push for charter change heating up, the country’s chief economist has also spoken up: it’s time to remove “unnecessary restrictions” on foreign investments.
“We need to make the country more competitive. We need to eliminate those unnecessary restrictions on foreign investments [so] that we have a better chance of attracting foreign investments,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
The NEDA secretary said the constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership are “impediments” that cause big investments to flow to neighboring Asian countries instead.
Balisacan also echoed the view of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who recently said that “the 1987 Constitution was not written for a globalized world…. We have to adjust so that we can increase the economic activity in the Philippines, we can attract more foreign investors.”
“Our President has mentioned that the Constitution was designed for a period that perhaps [was] not responsive to the current state of the world now. So, we need to address those, remove those,” the NEDA secretary said in a Palace briefing on Friday, January 26.
In particular, Balisacan believes that opening up education to full foreign ownership is “long overdue.”
“I think we have missed a major opportunity to have the country as a base for higher education of many countries that have looked for branch campuses outside of their country,” he said, pointing to how educational institutions from advanced economies have put up campuses in neighboring Southeast Asian countries instead of the Philippines.
“We would have been the best candidate, because our educational system is something very close to the US, very close to the western countries, and we get the language. But we missed it because we won’t allow ownership of foreigners in the area of education.”
The Constitution limits foreign ownership in industries following a 60% Filipino-40% foreign general rule. In recent years, a slew of new laws and regulations have circumvented this rule and opened up businesses in several industries – such as telecommunication, shipping, airlines, startups, and renewable energy – to full foreign ownership. (READ: How Philippine economy opened up to the world without charter change)
The latest push for charter change has hinged on the potential benefits of lifting these economic provisions, but there are fears that opening up the Constitution to changes could allow politicians to remove term limits and stay in power.
The national economist acknowledged these concerns, prompting him to wish that politicians can “come to a common position quickly” before the Philippines spooks domestic and foreign investors.
“I hope that they can agree very soon because we don’t also want those uncertainties because one of the factors that inhibit investments, whether it’s domestic or foreign, is the state of uncertainty,” he added.
To support economic development, Balisacan underscored that there are other actions the Philippines must take besides lifting foreign ownership restrictions.
For instance, he pointed to the issues surrounding the ease of doing business in the country, the high cost of energy, and the unpredictability of policies and regulations.
A 2021 study by economists in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas similarly concluded that “while reducing FDI (foreign direct investment) restrictions and the corporate tax rate could provide a boost to a country’s FDI performance, improving the way business is done in a country would most likely have a more positive impact in attracting and retaining FDI.”
In the meantime, NEDA targets gross domestic product growth in the Philippines to reach 6.5% to 7% in 2024 and to reach upper middle-income country status by 2025. Challenges to that growth target include geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and food inflation that could be worsened by the effects of El Ñino. – Rappler.com
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Prof. JC Punongbayan has just written, “Stop using the Philippine Economy as [an] Excuse for Charter Change,” here we have President Marcos Jr. and NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan doing the opposite. I believe President Marcos Jr. wants to have his legacy Philippine Constitution: the Marcos Jr. Philippine Constitution. That is why he is doing the opposite, no matter what.
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More than just ‘Death Five’: San Miguel flaunts depth to zero in on finals return
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delfin.dioquino editor
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26/01/2024 21:02
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CELEBRATE. Bennie Boatwright (right) and Jeron Teng in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel is more than just its vaunted starting lineup.
Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent made that crystal clear as San Miguel moved on the cusp of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals with as 106-96 victory over Barangay Ginebra at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, January 26.
“Everybody’s good here. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t good,” said Gallent.
Import Bennie Boatwright erupted for 38 points to propel San Miguel to a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinals as he rediscovered his scoring ways after being limited to a conference-low 23 points in Game 1.
Game 1 hero CJ Perez delivered again with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, while reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo shone on both ends with a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double on top of a career-high 6 blocks plus 3 steals.
Marcio Lassiter also regained his touch, netting 16 points off four three-pointers as he scored in double figures for the first time in 10 games.
While the starters – or what Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone called the new version of the “Death Five” lineup – showed the way for the Beermen, their reserves also made key contributions.
For example, Jeron Teng tallied 7 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in just under nine minutes of action as he featured prominently in the third and fourth quarters to help San Miguel create some separation.
Back-to-back Teng buckets to start the fourth period gave the Beermen an 80-74 lead before Boatwright, Fajardo, Perez, and Lassiter took over the rest of the way.
“There’s no Death Five here. It’s Death Fifteen,” said Gallent.
Riding on an eight-game winning streak, San Miguel is just a victory away from returning to the Commissioner’s Cup finals for the first time since 2019.
“This is a very strong team we have. We have a really strong group and everyone can contribute,” said Lassiter.
“It can be anyone tonight for us. That’s the quality of our confidence in our team.”
Jamie Malonzo put up 27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the losing effort that has Ginebra teetering on the brink of being swept in a best-of-five series for the first time since the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Gin Kings badly missed the production of Christian Standhardinger, who got held to just 9 points with 14 rebounds and 3 assists.
Ginebra import Tony Bishop posted 25 points and 9 rebounds in the defeat.
San Miguel 106 – Boatwright 38, Perez 17, Fajardo 17, Lassiter 16, Teng 7, Trollano 5, Cruz 4, Tautuaa 2, Brondial 0, Ross 0, Enciso 0
Barangay Ginebra 96 – Malonzo 27, Bishop 25, Ahanmisi 13, Thompson 9, Standhardinger 9, Pringle 6, Pinto 5, J.Aguilar 2, Tenorio 0
Quarters: 23-21, 43-46, 76-74, 106-96.
– Rappler.com
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[In This Economy] Stop using the PH economy as excuse for charter change
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Chay Hofilena
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26/01/2024 14:08
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We keep hearing in the news that charter change is meant to improve or boost the Philippine economy.
But is that even true? Let’s do a series of quick fact checks.
1) Did the 1987 Constitution stop progress?
Remember the revolting one-minute “EDSA-pwera” ad that ran on January 9, 2024? It claimed that because of the 1987 Constitution, progress stopped, the education system deteriorated, farmers were excluded, monopolies thrived, and inequality increased.
Basically, all ills of our society were blamed on the 1987 Constitution.
But I hope enough people remember or realize that the 1987 Constitution was precisely a reaction to the economic crisis and deterioration that happened during the Marcos dictatorship (1972-1986).
In my book False Nostalgia, I explained at length that the Philippine economy experienced its worst post-war recession in 1984 and 1985. Not only did progress stop, our economy even shrank!
More than half of Filipino families were poor. Meanwhile, the rich became richer, and the monopolies controlled by the Marcoses and their cronies also thrived.
Sure, growth was shaky after the 1986 People Power Revolution. But that was largely because of the political instability during the transition (recall the various coup d’etats) as well as the power crisis and natural disasters in the early 1990s.
Decades since then, it’s undeniable the economy grew under the 1987 Constitution. In fact, economic growth accelerated in recent decades. In 2022, the national income (adjusted for inflation) was 4.64 times its level in 1986. Meanwhile, the average Filipino’s income was 2.24 times higher in 2022 than in 1986.
Of course, it’s valid to say we could have grown faster. But the Marcos dictatorship pulled down our growth trajectory so much. Data show that if we had not experienced a severe economic crisis in the early to mid-1980s, we could be a lot more prosperous now.
Once a leader in ASEAN, the Philippines sorely lagged behind many of our regional peers. Vietnam surpassed our national income in 2020, and Lao PDR is not far behind.
In sum, the 1987 Constitution was a poor, if imperfect, attempt to fix the broken economy and society left behind by the Marcos dictatorship. The economy was way worse before EDSA than after it.
2) Is the 1987 Constitution not written for a globalized world?
In a rare and recent interview with GMA News’ Pia Arcangel on January 23, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sat down to talk about many issues.
One thing that stood out was Marcos’ statement that he’s now willing to give charter change a chance.
He said: “The 1987 Constitution was not written for a globalized world…. We have to adjust so that we can increase the economic activity in the Philippines, we can attract more foreign investors.” Recently, the new finance secretary, Ralph Recto, echoed the same view.
(Interestingly, just a year earlier, Marcos said things like: “For me, all these things being talked about, we can do without changing the Constitution.”)
There are two reasons why it feels inappropriate to invoke globalization as a reason for charter change.
First, if you look at the graph below, coming from the International Monetary Fund, the biggest increase in globalization happened from 1980 until 2008. Since the global financial crisis, we’ve been in an era of “slowbalization”: a distinct slowdown of trade and capital flows across the world.
In a way, then, the Philippines missed the almost three-decade wave of globalization since the 1980s. Partially because we were hampered by a severe debt crisis and economic downturn brought about by the Marcos dictatorship, partially because of the 1987 Constitution’s restrictions, and partially because of the economic and political uncertainties post-EDSA.
My colleagues at the UP School of Economics, for instance, have long lamented that we missed the wave of Japanese direct investments in the 1980s and 1990s.
Fast forward to 2024, our Constitution is as liberalized as ever. Even former finance secretary Benjamin Diokno admitted in April 2023 that, “I think we have already opened up our economy.”
As early as the 1990s, we liberalized the financial sector. Former president Rodrigo Duterte also signed one law after another liberalizing trade and investments.
Yet investments are just trickling in, not inundating our country.
Why? As I said in my column last week, “foreign investors are looking at way more things than just the foreign participation rules.” There are other important barriers than what proponents of charter change are letting on.
This is not to say, of course, that it’s futile to try to attract investments now. We can still liberalize investments by relaxing the remaining restrictions in the 1987 Constitution.
But let’s be honest. What else is there to liberalize? I think even politicians are hard put to cite sectors that need liberalizing at this point.
The only remaining constitutional barriers to full foreign ownership are education, media, land, and natural resources. I don’t think any politician will want to let go of land and natural resources. At any rate, there are workarounds such as long-term leases, joint ventures, and service contracts.
As for education and media, the idea was to ensure that Filipinos won’t be too influenced by foreign ideas and opinions. Now this sounds totally anachronistic, given the internet age and social media. Also, can we really expect a tsunami of investments in education and media to come in and save our supposedly ailing economy? I think that’s a stretch.
3) Will charter change boost growth and reduce unemployment?
Finally, lawmakers are painting charter change as a magic bullet for various aspects of our economy.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President’s cousin, said on January 22 that the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions serve as “barriers that restrict potential growth.” He also said we need to open the economy so that foreign investments can come in to create new businesses, jobs, and livelihood for Filipinos.
Last year, Romualdez similarly said that constitutional change “would further stimulate economic activities, create job opportunities, reduce poverty, and lower prices of goods and services.”
Meanwhile, other House leaders are saying that charter change can even lower unemployment.
Statements such as these betray that some lawmakers are not keeping up with the latest statistics.
Data show that economic growth slowed down in 2023 largely because of the slowdown of consumption spending. This is possibly linked to the acceleration of prices since 2022, as well as the interest rate hikes of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas designed to combat inflation.
Now that inflation has gone down, maybe we can expect stronger economic growth in coming years. Resorting to charter change just to boost growth is like using a sledgehammer to crack open butong pakwan.
Also, for the information of lawmakers, the unemployment rate in November 2023 was already at 3.6%, an 18-year low. Did we need charter change to achieve that? No. (Although we can still do a lot to reduce the underemployment rate, arguably the bigger problem.)
Funnily, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Ace Barbers said that the lower unemployment rate should serve as an “impetus” for charter change. Huh?
All in all, beware of politicians using the Philippine economy (and spewing economic concepts) as an excuse to push for charter change. More likely than not, they do not know what they’re talking about. – Rappler.com
JC Punongbayan, PhD is an assistant professor at the UP School of Economics and the author of False Nostalgia: The Marcos “Golden Age” Myths and How to Debunk Them. JC’s views are independent of his affiliations. Follow him on Twitter (@jcpunongbayan) and Usapang Econ Podcast.
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I agree with Prof. JC Punongbayan: “All in all, beware of politicians using the Philippine economy (and spewing economic concepts) as an excuse to push for charter change. More likely than not, they do not know what they’re talking about.” And worse is when they know that they cannot use the Philippine economy and economic concepts to push for charter change but continue doing so by LYING to the Filipino People!
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 2 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 15:10
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San Miguel secured a 2-0 series lead against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a 106-96 victory.
Bennie Boatwright rediscovered his scoring touch after being held to a conference-low output in Game 1 as he unloaded 38 points for the Beermen in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com
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MTRCB junks SMNI appeal, stands by suspension of 2 shows
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Gaby Baizas
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26/01/2024 15:18
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Photo from Wikimedia Commons
MANILA, Philippines – The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) junked an appeal from the Apollo Quiboloy-owned Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), upholding its decision to suspend two of the network’s shows, the government agency said, Friday, January 26.
Back in December, the MTRCB imposed a 14-day preventive suspension on the SMNI shows Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa and Laban Kasama ang Bayan.
The former was flagged after former president Rodrigo Duterte threatened ACT Teachers Representative France Castro on the show, while the latter was suspended after hosts Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz and Lorraine Badoy allegedly reported without verification on House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s travel spending.
MTRCB then conducted a comprehensive review of the aforementioned cases, and “unanimously decided” to suspend the programs. The board found that the two shows had violated “established guidelines and standards set by Presidential Decree No. 1986 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations governing broadcasting content.”
On Thursday, January 11, SMNI appealed the board’s decision to suspend the two shows. MTRCB found SMNI’s assertions in its motions for reconsideration “unconvincing and lacking persuasiveness,” and consequently denied the appeal. MTRCB also moved to extend the shows’ suspension period to 28 days.
In a press release, MTRCB Chairperson Lala Sotto stressed the board’s dedication to “protect viewers from inappropriate content” and to “enforce accountability in media content regulation.”
The MTRCB decision comes after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered SMNI on Tuesday, January 23 to cease its radio and television operations, following findings by the NTC that SMNI allegedly failed to “strictly comply” with an initial 30-day suspension imposed in December. – Rappler.com
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I appreciate this action of the MTRCB. It found SMNI’s assertions in its motions for reconsideration “unconvincing and lacking persuasiveness.” Did the power of the appointed Son of God fail this time?
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 2 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 15:10
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San Miguel secured a 2-0 series lead against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a 106-96 victory.
Bennie Boatwright rediscovered his scoring touch after being held to a conference-low output in Game 1 as he unloaded 38 points for the Beermen in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com
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SCHEDULE: 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship
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jisaga0269
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16/01/2024 14:15
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STAR POWER. Former NBA star Dwight Howard in a practice session with Strong Group.
Strong Group Athletics
Strong Group looks to complete a tournament sweep after wrecking Beirut Sports Club, 94-72, in the knockout semifinals of 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
But the Philippine club team, bannered by the Dwight Howard-Kevin Quiambao tandem, needs to put together another formidable outing as Strong Group faces unbeaten defending champion Al Riyadi of Lebanon in the winner-take-all title match:
A victory will be sweet redemption for Strong Group after a quarterfinal exit last year.
It will also make the team the second Philippine club to rule the tournament after Mighty Sports pulled off the feat in 2020.
Strong Group secured its spot in the final four after outlasting Moroccan squad AS Sale, 92-80, in the knockout quarterfinals of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Led by Dwight Howard and Kevin Quiambao, the Philippine club team vies to stay unbeaten for a spot in the title round. Here’s their semifinal schedule:
Lebanon’s Al Riyadi, another unbeaten squad, battles Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli in the other semifinal match.
The winners will march to the winner-take-all championship showdown the next day.
Strong Group Athletics marched to the knockout round of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship after completing a 5-0 sweep of the eliminations behind the solid plays of former NBA star Dwight Howard, UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, and former Gilas Pilipinas sniper Jordan Heading.
Here’s the Philippine club team’s quarterfinal schedule:
The winner will advance to the knockout semifinal clash the next day.
Other quarterfinal duels pit the Emirates National Team versus the Beirut Club, the Al-Riyadi Club Beirut against Dubai’s Al Nasr Club, and Lebanon’s Homenetmen Club versus Dubai’s Al Wahda Club.
After weeks of high anticipation, former NBA champion and eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard is finally suiting up for the Philippines as part of Strong Group Athletics in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship tipping off on Friday, January 19.
Arguably the most decorated import in Philippine basketball history, the 38-year-old center is joined by fellow former NBA players Andray Blatche, who once suited up as Gilas Pilipinas’ former naturalized player, and defensive ace Andre Roberson, who played seven seasons for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Making up the local Filipino cast of Strong Group is another collection of stars, including reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, MPBL MVP Justine Baltazar, and UAAP champion JD Cagulangan.
Import McKenzie Moore rounds out the roster alongside locals Francis Escandor, Allen Liwag, Justine Sanchez, and Tony Ynot.
Here is the elimination round schedule for the one-week pocket tournament:
– Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 2 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 15:10
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San Miguel secured a 2-0 series lead against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a 106-96 victory.
Bennie Boatwright rediscovered his scoring touch after being held to a conference-low output in Game 1 as he unloaded 38 points for the Beermen in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 2 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 15:10
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San Miguel secured a 2-0 series lead against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a 106-96 victory.
Bennie Boatwright rediscovered his scoring touch after being held to a conference-low output in Game 1 as he unloaded 38 points for the Beermen in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com
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Why does PCSO’s pink lotto ticket fade?
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gdecastro0289
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26/01/2024 12:48
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LOTTO. In this file photo, bettors wait for their turn in a lotto outlet in Paco, Manila on October 2, 2022.
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Have you ever seen your Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) ticket slowly fade?
In a Senate Games and Amusement committee hearing on Thursday, January 25, Philippine Online Lottery Agents Association Incorporated (POLAAI) president Evelyn Javier brought up the poor quality paper used in lotto receipts.
She said the old, orange-colored PCSO ticket was better than the pink ones now being used. She said the pink tickets usually fade in six to seven months, depending on the “handling.”
Two senators pressed the state-run lottery corporation to address this, especially since a winning bettor has one year to collect his prize.
Arnel Casas, PCSO assistant general manager for gaming, product development and marketing, was asked what would happen if a jackpot winner presents a no-longer-readable ticket.
Casas said there would be no winner because the PCSO must be able to validate and recognize the winning numbers on the ticket.
This prompted senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and committee chair Raffy Tulfo to inquire why the lotto tickets fade.
Casas said this was because PCSO tickets use thermal paper, not the normal paper printed with ink.
According to websites of companies that sell thermal paper, this type of paper fades when exposed to direct sunlight. They also absorb moisture in areas with high levels of humidity. If the thermal paper gets wet, it reacts with the coating and discolors it.
It’s also not advisable to keep the ticket inside a car since it exposes the ticket to sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Heat inside kitchens could also make the colors fade, says Chinese thermal paper maker, PandaPaperRoll.
Frequent touching of the ticket degrades it, and dust also affects the “sheen” or the gloss on thermal paper rolls.
Casas said thermal paper does not use ink, so the problem is not with the quality of the ink.
According to the website pospaper.com, another thermal paper seller, “thermal receipt paper is coated in chemicals that allow images to be produced when heat is applied to the surface.”
“While this is an efficient way of printing receipts, it also leaves receipts susceptible to damage or degradation from a number of chemicals and heat sources,” the site says.
It recommends not touching it often since the oil on a person’s hands “[facilitates] chemical reactions that cause the printing on the receipt to fade.”
It also suggests not to store receipts in bright areas since ultraviolet light from sunlight would cause it to fade “incredibly fast.” Tape should also not be used on receipts as the chemicals used in the glue on tape react with the thermal paper.
PCSO officials said the old, orange-colored PCSO tickets were printed by the government printing facility Apo Production Unit, while the pink ones in use are based on thermal paper supplied by the winning bidder which they identified as DTM Philippines.
Casas said the PCSO has technical specifications that bidders have to follow, and that the materials used undergo “quality testing,” including an “aging test.”
He presented a December 2022 ticket to prove that it lasts over a year.
Tulfo said he would ask the thermal paper provider to testify in the next hearing since they want to make sure that the Philippines’ lottery system meets “general or global standards.”
PCSO officials said not all is lost on winners who may have no-longer-readable tickets, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling last September which ordered the PCSO to give winning bettor Antonio Mendoza his 6/42 jackpot prize of P12.3 million, after nine years of legal battle.
Mendoza won via a lucky pick, but his granddaughter had crumpled his winning ticket and ironed it with a piece of cloth covering it in an attempt to straighten the ticket. It ended up black instead. Read the story here: Give lotto winner with damaged ticket his P12-M prize, SC orders PCSO – Rappler.com
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‘Grand illegal scheme:’ License plate thefts hound LTO as 3 staff arrested
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lkyu0285
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26/01/2024 15:44
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STOLEN. Suspects arrested for stealing license plates from an LTO plate making plant stand with government officials on January 26, 2024.
Screenshot from LTO livestream
MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is investigating what it calls a “grand illegal scheme” that involves staff stealing license plates and selling them for P20,000 a pair.
So far, three suspects – embossers Jenard Arida and Arjay Anasco and warehouse staff Valeriano Labayno – have been arrested and charged with qualified theft and robbery after being caught in the act of stealing license plates.
After monitoring CCTV footage and being tipped off, the Philippine National Police (PNP) managed to arrest the three suspects while they were smuggling five license plate pieces out of a plate-making plant in Quezon City on Thursday noon, January 25.
The LTO has also ordered a “large-scale manhunt” for Allan Joker Abrigo, the suspected team leader and “boss” of the three suspects.
Sources close to the LTO told Rappler that Abrigo abruptly resigned days before the suspects were arrested. He has since not processed any off-boarding requirements related to his resignation, nor could he be found at home.
The investigation stemmed from information gathered by LTO in 2023 about the possible theft of license plates. Eventually, the three suspects, who allegedly threatened their co-wokers with harm if they ratted them out, were identified.
The suspects seemed to have been selling the stolen license plates for P10,000 each, or P20,000 for a vehicle’s back and front plate. LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said they’ve yet to determine how many plates have been stolen by their employees. He also said that they are still trying to determine whether the three suspects were part of any criminal syndicate.
“There is a syndicate behind these people involved in carnapping, smuggling, and other serious crimes. We will run after the mastermind and the buyers. It appears na matagal na itong embedded (they’ve been embedded for a long time) at the LTO. More employees will be investigated as part of our weeding out of scalawags,” Mendoza said.
The PNP and LTO are also still investigating how the stolen license plates tie in with a new car financing modus. Under the scheme, a “financier” would acquire a vehicle and illegally sell the car using “duplicated plates and fake OR/CR.”
Contacts from inside LTO would then give the duplicate plates for P20,000 per pair.
Mendoza said that the modus could be classified as “technical carnapping” given that the criminal is misrepresenting themself as a registered car owner while selling the vehicle. – Rappler.com
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Select McDonald’s branches are getting greener with Meralco
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Julian Cirineo
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23/01/2024 18:47
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Meralco, the largest power distributor equipped with expertise in green initiatives, joined forces with McDonald’s to power the implementation of eco-friendly practices within its restaurant operations.
This collaboration between One Meralco and Golden Arches Development Corporation (GADC), the company behind McDonald’s, began in January 2021. The fast-food giant aimed to integrate custom solutions into its operations, including solar rooftop installations, solar lamp posts, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
“Together with Meralco, we’re planting the seeds for a Greener future for the Good of the planet,” said Kenneth S. Yang, president & CEO of McDonald’s Philippines.
In a significant stride towards sustainability, select McDonald’s branches including Green and Good flagship stores now offer EV users the facility to charge their e-bikes and e-scooters at minimal fees through coin-operated charging stations. This initiative, enabled by Meralco’s electric mobility solutions subsidiary, Movem Electric, Inc., aligns with the government’s push to promote EV use and expedite the country’s transition towards green mobility.
The partnership evolved as GADC leveraged Meralco’s Peak / Off-Peak (POP) solution, optimizing electricity usage to take advantage of lower rates during off-peak hours. This measure proved instrumental in helping McDonald’s save on electricity costs for its 24/7 branches, vital for fulfilling their all-day McDelivery services.
Furthering their commitment, solar panel installations are underway at McDonald’s Petron KM44 and McDonald’s Pagsanjan branches. Once fully operational with the support of Meralco’s subsidiary, MSpectrum, Inc. these branches are estimated to yield annual savings of approximately P450K and P880K, respectively.
In a bid to advance GADC’s goals towards sustainability, Meralco integrated its solutions by combining solar installations and POP with energy-efficient technologies such as inverter appliances and LED lighting, fostering overall operational efficiency.
“Meralco is always top of mind when it comes to energy solutions. Our relationship with the Meralco group has been long-standing and I look forward to many more years with them as partners as we work towards a greener and brighter future,” Yang added.
Meralco Enterprise, the service arm catering to public and private sectors with a contracted capacity of at least 500kW per month, provides tailor-made solutions. Leveraging insights into energy consumption behaviors and strategic partnerships with technology leaders, Meralco Enterprise offers custom-fit solutions for industrial, commercial, and residential customers.
This partnership, marked by a mutual commitment to sustainability and innovation, not only reduced operational costs for McDonald’s but also exemplified the power of Meralco’s tailored strategies and collaborative efforts in fostering a greener future. With a shared vision and ongoing dedication, this alliance stands as a testament to the potential for impactful change and sets the stage for further advancements in sustainable practices within the energy and food industries.
Watch how Kenneth S. Yang shares the full scale of McDonald’s successful partnership with Meralco in this video.
For those interested in partnering with Meralco Enterprise, get in touch with a Meralco Enterprise Relationship Manager, email enterprise@meralco.com.ph, or call the hotline at 16210. – Rappler.com
PRESS RELEASE
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Farmers work together to supply Palawan town with cheaper rice, other produce
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Herbie G
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26/01/2024 15:23
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CHEAP RICE. Residents of Narra in Palawan flock to a public facility to buy rice at P20 a kilogram.
courtesy of Raymundo Imaysay
PALAWAN, Philippines – For the second week this month, residents of Narra town in Palawan flocked to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the province to buy food supplies, including rice, seafood, vegetables, eggs, and other produce.
But what most buyers were after was the rice which cost only P20 per kilogram.
The prices of rice available from local retailers range from P50 per kilo to P 65 per kilo, which is P30 to P45 higher than what is available at a “Kadiwa” organized by Palawan rice farmers themselves.
Kadiwa is a market system that sells major agricultural goods at reasonably low prices to help poor Filipino households and consumers.
It started in the province on January 18, and until this week, people kept on coming back to the covered court to buy fresh farm produce and even seafood.
Their initial success was made possible by farmer-members of 16 associations in Narra town under the Batang-Batang River Irrigation System (RIS) Irrigators’ Association.
They came from Antipuluan, Cabages Sunriser, Caguisn Linamen, Central Malinao, Delta Falls Upper Lapu-Lapu, Samahang Magpapatubig ng Kanayon, Luntiang Kabundukan, Magsasaka ng Caraniogan at Guminubat, Malinao Tugbuan, Nagkakaisang Lahi, Princess Urduja Maharlika, Sagisag ng Pagsasaka, Tugbuan Caguisan, Upper Malinao, Upstream Farmers of Princess Urduja, and Ugnayang Magsasaka ng Urcatugma.
Narra is known as the rice granary of Palawan, a municipality that dedicates much of its vast land to rice farming, distinguishing it from other towns in the island province.
Philipps Rasco from Narra town said that when the Kadiwa opened, many people went to the NIA compound to buy vegetables like Chinese cabbage, banana, and squash, but most were there for cheap rice.
The organizers limited the rice up to three kilos per buyer so that others could still avail of cheaply priced rice. A total of 16 sacks of rice at that price was made available during the event.
Ann Belandres said she informed her friends about the availability of Kadiwa rice so that they could also buy it.
The residents, who were visibly pleased with the Kadiwa, said they wished that the program would be sustained so that they could continue buying food supplies at much cheaper prices.
Raymundo Imaysay, president of Ugnayang Magsasaka ng Urcatugma, said it was their way of supporting the government by offering food products at affordable prices, much cheaper than those in public markets and smaller marketplaces.
“Ito ay aming pasasalamat sa pamahalaan sa mga interventions na itinulong nila sa aming mga farmers. Kaya kami naman ay gumagawa ng ganito upang makatulong din sa mga kapwa natin Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng pagtitinda ng mga produkto sa mas mababang presyo, lalong lalo na ang mga mahihirap,” said Imaysay, a rice farmer based in Princess Urduja, Narra town.
(This is our way of expressing gratitude to the government, especially for its interventions and programs provided to the farmers. We are doing this to help our fellow Filipinos, especially the poor and needy, by selling products at lower prices.)
Due to the steep prices of essential goods, people opted to buy from the Kadiwa to access fresh and high-quality farm and fishery products at more affordable rates, he said.
“Kung ganito rin ang gagawin ng mga kooperatiba sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa. nakakatulong tayong maibsan ang kahirapan. Kung sa mababang halaga, mabibili na nila, bigas man o gulay, o isda, napakalaking tulong. Sana itong pinapakita naming ay makabigay din ng inspirasyon upang gawin din ng ibang farmers’ cooperative,” he said.
(If cooperatives from different parts of the country do the same thing, it can cushion the impact of poverty. If they can buy things at lower prices, especially products like rice, vegetables, or fish, it would be a big help. I hope these examples inspire other farmers’ cooperatives.)
Imaysay, incidentally, is also the general manager of the Palawan Agrarian Reform Communities Federation (PARCOFED), an association of farmers’ cooperatives in the island province.
The PARCOFED in Narra town offers farm products daily, while the Batang-Batang RIS Irrigators Association, comprising smaller farmers’ groups, aims to maintain a Kadiwa monthly. The approach allows them to help as many people as possible in the town, particularly those in need. – Rappler.com
Gerardo C. Reyes Jr. is an Aries Rufo fellow.
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Oops! State university mistakenly names Pampanga sports venue after Lito Lapid
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Joann Manabat - CMS
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26/01/2024 13:35
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OOPS! Senator Lito Lapid's son, Mark, speaks before an audience on stage at the inauguration of the sports venue of the Pampanga State Agricultural University on Monday, January 22.
Magalang LGU
PAMPANGA, Philippines – The Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) on Monday, January 22, faced criticism for mistakenly naming its new sports venue after Senator Lito Lapid, an act prohibited by law.
Led by PSAU President Anita David, the state-owned university in Magalang town, Pampanga, inaugurated the covered court, an event graced by the senator together with his son, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid, and Magalang Mayor Malou Lacson.
Based on Republic Act 1059, naming public places, schools, buildings, parks, plazas, thoroughfares, government-owned aircraft, and vessels after living persons is generally not allowed, except when the property is donated to the government.
Journalist and heritage conservation advocate Tonette Orejas called out Lapid in a Facebook post for violating the law. Orejas immediately sent a letter to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to bring to its attention the violation.
The state university acknowledged the oversight, and said it promptly removed the name of the senator from the building to correct the mistake.
PSAU added that the project was initiated by the university’s previous administration. However, it was built through the initiative of Lapid.
“There was indeed an oversight. But we are certain that there (are) no immoral or political motives behind naming the covered court after Senator Lito Lapid,” said Grace Viray, PSAU public information officer.
She added, “While we are sure that the current [PSAU] administration is grateful for the initiatives of Senator Lapid, it will not be deterred from taking immediate steps to address and rectify the oversight. PSAU will remain committed to transparency and accountability.”
The university’s sports venue will now be named simply as University Covered Court.
In a statement sent to Rappler on Saturday, January 27, Lapid said they were the ones who called out the state university about the violation during the inauguration.
“When we went to PSAU to inaugurate their new building, we immediately mentioned to the university administration that it is forbidden by law to name it after me. It was quickly acted upon by the person in charge,” Lapid said.
Lapid added, “Our goal is to build a facility for the university to be used by their students and the youth. This is from the people’s money, so it was used for their welfare.” – Rappler.com
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‘Grand illegal scheme:’ License plate thefts hound LTO as 3 staff arrested
|
lkyu0285
|
26/01/2024 15:44
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STOLEN. Suspects arrested for stealing license plates from an LTO plate making plant stand with government officials on January 26, 2024.
Screenshot from LTO livestream
MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is investigating what it calls a “grand illegal scheme” that involves staff stealing license plates and selling them for P20,000 a pair.
So far, three suspects – embossers Jenard Arida and Arjay Anasco and warehouse staff Valeriano Labayno – have been arrested and charged with qualified theft and robbery after being caught in the act of stealing license plates.
After monitoring CCTV footage and being tipped off, the Philippine National Police (PNP) managed to arrest the three suspects while they were smuggling five license plate pieces out of a plate-making plant in Quezon City on Thursday noon, January 25.
The LTO has also ordered a “large-scale manhunt” for Allan Joker Abrigo, the suspected team leader and “boss” of the three suspects.
Sources close to the LTO told Rappler that Abrigo abruptly resigned days before the suspects were arrested. He has since not processed any off-boarding requirements related to his resignation, nor could he be found at home.
The investigation stemmed from information gathered by LTO in 2023 about the possible theft of license plates. Eventually, the three suspects, who allegedly threatened their co-wokers with harm if they ratted them out, were identified.
The suspects seemed to have been selling the stolen license plates for P10,000 each, or P20,000 for a vehicle’s back and front plate. LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said they’ve yet to determine how many plates have been stolen by their employees. He also said that they are still trying to determine whether the three suspects were part of any criminal syndicate.
“There is a syndicate behind these people involved in carnapping, smuggling, and other serious crimes. We will run after the mastermind and the buyers. It appears na matagal na itong embedded (they’ve been embedded for a long time) at the LTO. More employees will be investigated as part of our weeding out of scalawags,” Mendoza said.
The PNP and LTO are also still investigating how the stolen license plates tie in with a new car financing modus. Under the scheme, a “financier” would acquire a vehicle and illegally sell the car using “duplicated plates and fake OR/CR.”
Contacts from inside LTO would then give the duplicate plates for P20,000 per pair.
Mendoza said that the modus could be classified as “technical carnapping” given that the criminal is misrepresenting themself as a registered car owner while selling the vehicle. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 2 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 15:10
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San Miguel secured a 2-0 series lead against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a 106-96 victory.
Bennie Boatwright rediscovered his scoring touch after being held to a conference-low output in Game 1 as he unloaded 38 points for the Beermen in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Ginebra, Game 2 – PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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26/01/2024 15:10
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San Miguel secured a 2-0 series lead against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a 106-96 victory.
Bennie Boatwright rediscovered his scoring touch after being held to a conference-low output in Game 1 as he unloaded 38 points for the Beermen in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com
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Siargao champ dominates La Union international surfing
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Herbie G
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26/01/2024 11:49
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VICTORY. Siargao surfer John Mark Takong wins in the short board men's category at the 2024 La Union International Pro World Surf League, on January 25, 2024.
Angie de Silva/Rappler
BUTUAN, Philippines – Just three months after dominating his home turf in Siargao, securing back-to-back victories at the 2023 Siargao International Surfing, John Mark “Marama” Tokong triumphed once more, conquering the waves at the 2024 La Union International Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3000 in shortboard for men’s heat at Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, La Union, on Thursday, January 25.
Tokong, a native and surfing sensation of Siargao, bested Sweden’s Kian Martin by scoring 17.90 total points, with a margin of 4.65 points.
The WSL said that after opening with a 7.25 (out of a possible 10), Tokong immediately built his scoreline with an 8.50, leaving Kian Martin needing a combination of two scores totaling 15.76 (out of a possible 20).
Martin was able to break the combination almost as soon as it landed with an 8.00 of his own, as he also delivered dynamic above-the-lip surfing., according to the WSL.
The WSL said it didn’t take long for Tokong to raise the level once again, posting the highest single wave score of the event, a 9.40, to bring his heat total to an event-high 17.90. Martin was unable to come close to cracking.
Tokong competed against Martin in the Siargao International Surfing event in late October 2023. They both participated in the same heat during Round 16 and advanced to the quarterfinals. However, Martin’s tournament ended in the quarterfinals after losing to a Japanese surfer.
Tokong’s victory in La Union was his sixth win in QS, the fifth held in the Philippines, and the first outside of his home break of Siargao.
“To be honest, I didn’t really expect that I’m gonna win because all the athletes are from Japan, Indonesia, like around the world… I’m so happy, I’m so stoked right now because everyone here is supporting me. I’m not just doing this for myself, I’m doing this for my family, for the Philippines,” Tokong told reporters.
According to WSL, the result, which has earned him an additional 3,000 points, has rocketed him eight places up the rankings into No. 6. He aims to qualify for the Challenger Series this year.
In 2023, Tokong achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Filipino surfer to earn qualification for the 2023 WSL Challenger Series.
The Challenger Series comprises top-tier QS events designed to offer athletes increased opportunities at the highest level for securing qualification to the Championship Tour of WSL.
Organized by the United Philippine Surfing Association (UPSA) and sanctioned by WSL, the La Union International Pro features QS 3000 and Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) events, running until Sunday, January 28.
The competition plays a role in determining the WSL-Asia Region’s representatives for the 2024 Challenger Series and Longboard Tour.
After the conclusion of the QS 3000 Finals, the focus shifted to the continuation of the LQS event.
“It’s always great to have WSL back here in La Union as we are pushing more of our Pinoy surfers to get enough points to qualify, just like how JR Esquivel and Marama Tokong have done it,” said Luke Landrigan, UPSA national coach.
More than 100 participants from different countries took part, with 41 Filipinos, including 28 from La Union, seven from Siargao, four from Baler, and two from Zambales.
Bonnie Elaine Macleod of WSL-Asia Pacific said that following the La Union International Pro, the event will shift to Baler, Aurora, for the inaugural Baler International Pro from February 1 to 7.
“We are lucky to have two events back-to-back in the Philippines. The competition is moving to Baler so another opportunity to showcase what the Philippines has to offer and a big chance for points to our surfer,” she said.
Kana Nakashio of Japan claimed the victory over Sara Wakita from the same country in the women’s heat. – Rappler.com
Ivy Marie Mangadlao is an Aries Rufo fellow.
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FACT CHECK: Improved PH passport ranking not due to Duterte’s extension of validity period
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Lorenz Pasion
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26/01/2024 14:21
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Claim: The Philippines’ improved ranking in the 2024 Henley Passport Index is due to the extension of the passport validity period to 10 years, which was introduced under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a January 13 post on X (formerly Twitter) by an account with almost 7,000 followers. As of writing, the post has received 258 likes, 67 reposts, and 206 replies.
The post included a screenshot of a news report headline along with the caption: “This happened because of the 10-year validity period of the PH passport implemented during the Duterte administration. Ito ang totoong gawa hindi lang salita. Tatak Duterte kasi (This is real action, not all talk. Duterte’s legacy indeed).”
The facts: A passport’s validity period is not among the criteria used by global residence and investment firm Henley & Partners to determine a country’s ranking in its Passport Index, its senior consultant Gregory James Dy confirmed to Rappler.
According to its official website, the Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the total number of destinations its holders can access visa-free. For each destination, a score of 1 is given to a certain passport if no visa is required for its holders. The same score is given if passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority when entering a destination.
Meanwhile, a score of 0 is assigned to a passport if a visa is required or a government-approved electronic visa is needed before departure. The same applies “if passport holders need pre-departure government approval for a visa on arrival.”
Passport ranking improvement: The Philippine passport was ranked 73rd in the 2024 index released on January 11, climbing five spots from the previous year. According to the index, Philippine passport holders can visit 69 destinations visa-free. Tied with the Philippines are Cape Verde Islands and Uganda.
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain were ranked the most powerful passports with 194 visa-free destinations, while Afghanistan placed last with 28 destinations.
The Philippines’ best performance in the ranking was from 2007 to 2009 when it ranked 62nd.
The Henley Passport Index uses data from the International Air Transport Authority to rank 199 passports against 227 possible travel destinations.
10-year validity: On August 2, 2017, Duterte signed into law Republic Act 10928 extending for 10 years the validity of regular passports for citizens who are at least 18 years old. (READ: 10-year passport validity begins January 2018)
Before the passage of the law, passports were valid for only five years. – Larry Chavez/Rappler.com
Larry Chavez is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program.
This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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[In This Economy] Stop using the PH economy as excuse for charter change
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Chay Hofilena
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26/01/2024 14:08
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We keep hearing in the news that charter change is meant to improve or boost the Philippine economy.
But is that even true? Let’s do a series of quick fact checks.
1) Did the 1987 Constitution stop progress?
Remember the revolting one-minute “EDSA-pwera” ad that ran on January 9, 2024? It claimed that because of the 1987 Constitution, progress stopped, the education system deteriorated, farmers were excluded, monopolies thrived, and inequality increased.
Basically, all ills of our society were blamed on the 1987 Constitution.
But I hope enough people remember or realize that the 1987 Constitution was precisely a reaction to the economic crisis and deterioration that happened during the Marcos dictatorship (1972-1986).
In my book False Nostalgia, I explained at length that the Philippine economy experienced its worst post-war recession in 1984 and 1985. Not only did progress stop, our economy even shrank!
More than half of Filipino families were poor. Meanwhile, the rich became richer, and the monopolies controlled by the Marcoses and their cronies also thrived.
Sure, growth was shaky after the 1986 People Power Revolution. But that was largely because of the political instability during the transition (recall the various coup d’etats) as well as the power crisis and natural disasters in the early 1990s.
Decades since then, it’s undeniable the economy grew under the 1987 Constitution. In fact, economic growth accelerated in recent decades. In 2022, the national income (adjusted for inflation) was 4.64 times its level in 1986. Meanwhile, the average Filipino’s income was 2.24 times higher in 2022 than in 1986.
Of course, it’s valid to say we could have grown faster. But the Marcos dictatorship pulled down our growth trajectory so much. Data show that if we had not experienced a severe economic crisis in the early to mid-1980s, we could be a lot more prosperous now.
Once a leader in ASEAN, the Philippines sorely lagged behind many of our regional peers. Vietnam surpassed our national income in 2020, and Lao PDR is not far behind.
In sum, the 1987 Constitution was a poor, if imperfect, attempt to fix the broken economy and society left behind by the Marcos dictatorship. The economy was way worse before EDSA than after it.
2) Is the 1987 Constitution not written for a globalized world?
In a rare and recent interview with GMA News’ Pia Arcangel on January 23, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sat down to talk about many issues.
One thing that stood out was Marcos’ statement that he’s now willing to give charter change a chance.
He said: “The 1987 Constitution was not written for a globalized world…. We have to adjust so that we can increase the economic activity in the Philippines, we can attract more foreign investors.” Recently, the new finance secretary, Ralph Recto, echoed the same view.
(Interestingly, just a year earlier, Marcos said things like: “For me, all these things being talked about, we can do without changing the Constitution.”)
There are two reasons why it feels inappropriate to invoke globalization as a reason for charter change.
First, if you look at the graph below, coming from the International Monetary Fund, the biggest increase in globalization happened from 1980 until 2008. Since the global financial crisis, we’ve been in an era of “slowbalization”: a distinct slowdown of trade and capital flows across the world.
In a way, then, the Philippines missed the almost three-decade wave of globalization since the 1980s. Partially because we were hampered by a severe debt crisis and economic downturn brought about by the Marcos dictatorship, partially because of the 1987 Constitution’s restrictions, and partially because of the economic and political uncertainties post-EDSA.
My colleagues at the UP School of Economics, for instance, have long lamented that we missed the wave of Japanese direct investments in the 1980s and 1990s.
Fast forward to 2024, our Constitution is as liberalized as ever. Even former finance secretary Benjamin Diokno admitted in April 2023 that, “I think we have already opened up our economy.”
As early as the 1990s, we liberalized the financial sector. Former president Rodrigo Duterte also signed one law after another liberalizing trade and investments.
Yet investments are just trickling in, not inundating our country.
Why? As I said in my column last week, “foreign investors are looking at way more things than just the foreign participation rules.” There are other important barriers than what proponents of charter change are letting on.
This is not to say, of course, that it’s futile to try to attract investments now. We can still liberalize investments by relaxing the remaining restrictions in the 1987 Constitution.
But let’s be honest. What else is there to liberalize? I think even politicians are hard put to cite sectors that need liberalizing at this point.
The only remaining constitutional barriers to full foreign ownership are education, media, land, and natural resources. I don’t think any politician will want to let go of land and natural resources. At any rate, there are workarounds such as long-term leases, joint ventures, and service contracts.
As for education and media, the idea was to ensure that Filipinos won’t be too influenced by foreign ideas and opinions. Now this sounds totally anachronistic, given the internet age and social media. Also, can we really expect a tsunami of investments in education and media to come in and save our supposedly ailing economy? I think that’s a stretch.
3) Will charter change boost growth and reduce unemployment?
Finally, lawmakers are painting charter change as a magic bullet for various aspects of our economy.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President’s cousin, said on January 22 that the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions serve as “barriers that restrict potential growth.” He also said we need to open the economy so that foreign investments can come in to create new businesses, jobs, and livelihood for Filipinos.
Last year, Romualdez similarly said that constitutional change “would further stimulate economic activities, create job opportunities, reduce poverty, and lower prices of goods and services.”
Meanwhile, other House leaders are saying that charter change can even lower unemployment.
Statements such as these betray that some lawmakers are not keeping up with the latest statistics.
Data show that economic growth slowed down in 2023 largely because of the slowdown of consumption spending. This is possibly linked to the acceleration of prices since 2022, as well as the interest rate hikes of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas designed to combat inflation.
Now that inflation has gone down, maybe we can expect stronger economic growth in coming years. Resorting to charter change just to boost growth is like using a sledgehammer to crack open butong pakwan.
Also, for the information of lawmakers, the unemployment rate in November 2023 was already at 3.6%, an 18-year low. Did we need charter change to achieve that? No. (Although we can still do a lot to reduce the underemployment rate, arguably the bigger problem.)
Funnily, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Ace Barbers said that the lower unemployment rate should serve as an “impetus” for charter change. Huh?
All in all, beware of politicians using the Philippine economy (and spewing economic concepts) as an excuse to push for charter change. More likely than not, they do not know what they’re talking about. – Rappler.com
JC Punongbayan, PhD is an assistant professor at the UP School of Economics and the author of False Nostalgia: The Marcos “Golden Age” Myths and How to Debunk Them. JC’s views are independent of his affiliations. Follow him on Twitter (@jcpunongbayan) and Usapang Econ Podcast.
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I agree with Prof. JC Punongbayan: “All in all, beware of politicians using the Philippine economy (and spewing economic concepts) as an excuse to push for charter change. More likely than not, they do not know what they’re talking about.” And worse is when they know that they cannot use the Philippine economy and economic concepts to push for charter change but continue doing so by LYING to the Filipino People!
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Check the consolidation status of your jeepney, UV Express route
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lkyu0285
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23/01/2024 18:20
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CONSOLIDATION. Jeepneys ply Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on December 12, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Caving in to pressure, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted a “final extension” for operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to consolidate.
Prior to the new April 30 deadline, more than 1,900 jeepney and UV Express routes risked being wiped out nationwide by February 1. Under a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) memorandum circular, jeepneys that failed to consolidate before the deadline of December 31, 2023, had only until January 31 to ply certain routes, including those with low consolidation rates.
But there were also some routes where none of the jeepneys or UV Express units plying them formed a cooperative or corporation. Based on LTFRB data, 395 jeepney routes in Metro Manila have no consolidated entities, along with 108 routes for UV Express. Nationwide, the number of PUV routes without consolidated entities reaches 1,948. What happens to these routes?
Before the extension, this meant that legally, those routes were supposed to have no more trips by February 1 unless other consolidated PUVs were pulled in to serve them, or the PUVs originally under that route continued to ply them as “colorum” vehicles.
However, the government clarified now that unconsolidated PUVs will still be allowed to ply their routes by February in light of the extended deadline. The LTFRB, however, has yet to release an updated memorandum on how it will implement the extension.
Even with the new deadline granted, transportation officials were firm that operators must consolidate if they want to keep their routes. This extension will serve as a last chance for operators to consolidate into a cooperative or corporation.
Search this table below to see the consolidation status of your route as of December 31, 2023, if your route will still be in service by February 1. Take note that only routes labeled as having no consolidated entities are in danger of being wiped out.
Before the extension was announced, left-leaning critics of the PUV Modernization Program warned that the consolidation requirement will soon bring job losses and messy commutes.
“This reaffirms our fears of massive job losses and disruption of public transport after January 31 when unconsolidated jeeps and UVE will no longer be allowed to operate,” said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes in a statement on Saturday, January 20.
Transport group PISTON, which has co-led a series of protests against the program, also said a “mass transport disaster” awaited as “thousands” of drivers and operators could be displaced.
Using the data provided by the LTFRB, Rappler created a map visualizing the status of consolidation nationwide. Regions are shaded based on the number of jeepney or UV Express routes that failed to consolidate before December 31, 2023.
Looking closely at the data, Bicol is the region that has the most number of unconsolidated jeepney routes. Nearly 68% of all routes in Bicol, or 451 routes, have no consolidated jeepneys. In Metro Manila, more than 35% of jeepney routes have no consolidated jeepneys. Central Visayas, Caraga, and Soccsksargen are the only regions that do not have routes that failed to consolidate.
Still, the government insists that there will be no transportation crisis. According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), consolidated cooperatives will be asked to operate on routes with unconsolidated jeepneys. In relation to this, drivers who will be displaced by consolidation could be absorbed by other cooperatives or corporations that will “badly need” them as they expand routes.
“We were assured by the cooperatives na sila po ay tatanggap ng mga drivers doon sa operators na hindi po nag-consolidate (that they will accept drivers from operators who were unable to consolidate),” said Office of Transportation Cooperatives Chairman Jesus Ferdinand Ortega on January 5.
The DOTr also views consolidation as an opportunity to “rationalize” routes, which means that it really doesn’t expect to keep all routes. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that based on the government’s study, achieving a 65% consolidation rate nationwide will be “sufficient” to carry the program forward. He explained that some routes are redundant, with shorter routes overlapping with longer ones.
“‘Yung mga naiwan, sa tingin namin, will be enough. And we will, siyempre, rationalize na ‘yung mga ruta. For example, merong isang ruta 'nyo na mahaba. May mga ruta in between. ‘Yun ‘yung mga unconsolidated, ‘yung in between, baka hindi na. Kaya, ‘yun ang mga tinitignan natin,” he said in an interview on January 5.
(Those that were left, in our view, will be enough. We will, of course, rationalize the routes. For example, there's one long route. There are routes in between. Those routes in between that were unconsolidated may be dropped. That's what we're looking at.)
In the meantime, the LTFRB also advised the public to turn to other modes of public transportation for their daily commute.
“There are still other modes of public transport in Metro Manila. We are talking of buses, other modes like taxis, TNVS (transport network vehicle services) that could also accommodate public demand,” said LTFRB NCR Regional Director Zona Tamayo in a press briefing last December 29.
The government has also gone on record numerous times to defend its controversial PUV Modernization Program, holding three press conferences about it in a week. In each one, officials underscored how the program will uplift drivers and operators and how consolidation is a necessary first step to upgrading to modern jeepneys. (READ: Anti-poor? How gov’t defends PUV modernization, why jeepney stakeholders oppose it) – Rappler.com
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Former rebel stronghold in Negros Occidental transforms with tikog-weaving
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Herbie G
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26/01/2024 10:46
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TIKOG MATS. Women weavers show their tikog-made products featuring various designs and sizes.
Reymund Titong/Rappler
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – In a rural community in southern Negros Occidental, once a stronghold of communist rebels, residents faced fear and difficulties due to the area’s remote location. This made it challenging for them to access crucial government social services and aid.
Welmie Garlet, 43, recalled the hardships their community in Sitio Madaja, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, faced because of fierce clashes between state forces and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
He said there was a time when villagers had to move from one place to another several times to avoid getting caught in the crossfires.
Garlet said that aside from dealing with conflict, the distance of the nearest market posed a challenge, particularly in transporting their agricultural produce. Instead of selling their goods in the lowlands, many chose to just use their harvest for their own needs.
He said the absence of educational infrastructure added an extra burden to the local community, compelling children to confront daily challenges such as long treks, uphill climbs, and brook crossings, even in harsh weather conditions. Their estimated walking time is nearly two hours.
Sitio Madaja is located in the northernmost area of Barangay Buenavista, approximately 15 kilometers from the Himamaylan city proper.
Garlet is now one of the male weavers in the community, a skill passed down from their ancestors who had lived there since the early days.
Since the community has an abundant source of tikog (reed grass), they are maximizing it in making mats, hats, and other products.
Tikog is a type of grass that grows in a swampy area and is characterized by a solid, jointless, and triangular stem.
The Mahawa products were featured and sold out for two consecutive years at the Negros Trade Fair in Makati City, starting in 2022. The fair holds the distinction of being the longest-running provincial trade fair in the country.
Soon, orders from around the world began pouring in after the trade exhibit, attracted by the uniqueness of their product and the narrative of the community woven into each tikog they offer for sale.
With its potential to help the community alleviate its economic status, the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) came in to assist the community in diversifying their livelihoods with the help of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion’s Community Support Program (CSP).
ANP is a non-government organization in Negros Island born from the sugar crisis of the 1980s. It has been helping families in rural areas in a mono-crop economy to diversify their livelihood activities.
The organization helped organize the weavers into the Madaja Handweavers Association (Mahawa), and in 2023, they were registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
After their registration, Garlet was elected as the president of the association, and tasked with overseeing and conducting quality checks on the products of other weavers.
Today, the association has 35 weavers, comprising young and elderly members, who have caught the attention of people from neighboring communities to learn and love the craft as well, Garlet said.
The military declared the community as conflict-cleared in 2021, which meant that there was no longer any rebel in the area.
“Kun wala ang ANP kag iban nga mga tawo kag organisasyon nag kadto diri, wala gid kami natalupandan ang amon mga produkto,” Garlet said.
(Our community products would never have been discovered if it weren’t for the ANP and the other individuals and organizations that came here.)
“Nabudlayan kami sang una pati na sa pagtakos sang sizes sang banig pero tungod gusto namon, amat-amat man nga nag maayo amon mga ubra,” he added.
(We initially had trouble following the standard measurements of the mats, but because we love what we do, we managed to figure it out.)
The products have made an impact on the community’s well-being, and the weavers can now provide their children with more necessities and put food on the table, Garlet said.
Mats and other tikog items command prices between P200 to P1,000, depending on the type and size of the product.
Sybel Nobleza, ANP’s external affairs manager, said the weaving project falls under the Provincial Peace and Order Council of Negros Occidental. They are actively working to guarantee work standards and market access for Mahawa and other supported communities in the province.
ANP has continued to provide more training for weavers to further develop their skills despite obstacles, such as logistical issues in transporting their woven items.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte, commander of the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion, said their commitment to fostering positive change goes beyond traditional roles, and the collaborative effort shows a shared vision for a brighter and more resilient future for Sitio Madaja. – Rappler.com
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Why does PCSO’s pink lotto ticket fade?
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gdecastro0289
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26/01/2024 12:48
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LOTTO. In this file photo, bettors wait for their turn in a lotto outlet in Paco, Manila on October 2, 2022.
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Have you ever seen your Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) ticket slowly fade?
In a Senate Games and Amusement committee hearing on Thursday, January 25, Philippine Online Lottery Agents Association Incorporated (POLAAI) president Evelyn Javier brought up the poor quality paper used in lotto receipts.
She said the old, orange-colored PCSO ticket was better than the pink ones now being used. She said the pink tickets usually fade in six to seven months, depending on the “handling.”
Two senators pressed the state-run lottery corporation to address this, especially since a winning bettor has one year to collect his prize.
Arnel Casas, PCSO assistant general manager for gaming, product development and marketing, was asked what would happen if a jackpot winner presents a no-longer-readable ticket.
Casas said there would be no winner because the PCSO must be able to validate and recognize the winning numbers on the ticket.
This prompted senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and committee chair Raffy Tulfo to inquire why the lotto tickets fade.
Casas said this was because PCSO tickets use thermal paper, not the normal paper printed with ink.
According to websites of companies that sell thermal paper, this type of paper fades when exposed to direct sunlight. They also absorb moisture in areas with high levels of humidity. If the thermal paper gets wet, it reacts with the coating and discolors it.
It’s also not advisable to keep the ticket inside a car since it exposes the ticket to sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Heat inside kitchens could also make the colors fade, says Chinese thermal paper maker, PandaPaperRoll.
Frequent touching of the ticket degrades it, and dust also affects the “sheen” or the gloss on thermal paper rolls.
Casas said thermal paper does not use ink, so the problem is not with the quality of the ink.
According to the website pospaper.com, another thermal paper seller, “thermal receipt paper is coated in chemicals that allow images to be produced when heat is applied to the surface.”
“While this is an efficient way of printing receipts, it also leaves receipts susceptible to damage or degradation from a number of chemicals and heat sources,” the site says.
It recommends not touching it often since the oil on a person’s hands “[facilitates] chemical reactions that cause the printing on the receipt to fade.”
It also suggests not to store receipts in bright areas since ultraviolet light from sunlight would cause it to fade “incredibly fast.” Tape should also not be used on receipts as the chemicals used in the glue on tape react with the thermal paper.
PCSO officials said the old, orange-colored PCSO tickets were printed by the government printing facility Apo Production Unit, while the pink ones in use are based on thermal paper supplied by the winning bidder which they identified as DTM Philippines.
Casas said the PCSO has technical specifications that bidders have to follow, and that the materials used undergo “quality testing,” including an “aging test.”
He presented a December 2022 ticket to prove that it lasts over a year.
Tulfo said he would ask the thermal paper provider to testify in the next hearing since they want to make sure that the Philippines’ lottery system meets “general or global standards.”
PCSO officials said not all is lost on winners who may have no-longer-readable tickets, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling last September which ordered the PCSO to give winning bettor Antonio Mendoza his 6/42 jackpot prize of P12.3 million, after nine years of legal battle.
Mendoza won via a lucky pick, but his granddaughter had crumpled his winning ticket and ironed it with a piece of cloth covering it in an attempt to straighten the ticket. It ended up black instead. Read the story here: Give lotto winner with damaged ticket his P12-M prize, SC orders PCSO – Rappler.com
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A race against the clock for charter change proponents as 2025 midterms loom
|
Dwight de Leon
|
26/01/2024 8:30
|
PROTEST. Groups opposed to charter change picket the gates of the House of Representatives to protest the alleged use of public funds in collecting signatures for the people’s initiative on charter change, on January 22, 2024.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The clock is ticking for charter change advocates, and their biggest “enemy” is the 2025 elections.
Next year’s vote is a blunt reminder that they have little time left to make magic happen, as preparations for the midterm polls kick into high gear later this year.
The most straightforward deadline appears to be October 2024, a month where hundreds of thousands of aspirants for public office – from municipal councilor up to senator – file their certificates of candidacy.
Some lawmakers who have admitted pushing for charter change have recognized this cutoff.
“Remember that the [candidacy filing] is in October, so if we cannot have the plebiscite by July, then this charter change push would be over,” Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel told Rappler on January 10.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, in a separate conference with reporters on January 18, also doubled down on the target plebiscite in July.
“The enemy of that timeline is by October, we will be filing already and there is no talk about them going on parallel. Only 2025 will be on their mind because there will be an election,” said Salceda, chairman of the ways and means committee in the House of Representatives.
A referendum in relation to charter change stems from the route that advocates chose to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Beginning January, reports surfaced nationwide that voters were being requested to sign signature forms in support of the people’s initiative.
Specifically, people were being asked to back a proposal to amend a constitutional provision that is silent on whether the House and the Senate would vote jointly or separately should someone make a motion to form a constituent assembly.
If proponents get an enough number of authentic signatures, and if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) grants their petition, a plebiscite or referendum will be triggered to ratify the proposed amendment.
The push appears to have come from the House of Representatives, with Speaker Martin Romualdez unveiling the people’s initiative plan as early as December, although he has since distanced himself from the signature drive.
The proposed amendment – if ratified – would significantly diminish the power of the 24-member Senate, whose numbers will never size up to the 300-plus-member House of Representatives in a constituent assembly.
“We will highly recommend that we embark on a people-centered initiative to cure this impasse, so to speak, on how we vote,” Romualdez said in Iloilo last month.
Under a people’s initiative method to amend the Constitution, proponents must gather 12% of signatures nationwide, and every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of registered voters.
On paper, that is not an easy task to complete, especially in districts where lawmakers are lukewarm or outright against charter change. It is an open secret, after all, that a congressman’s support expedites projects of this nature.
In the Davao region, lawmakers Paolo Duterte, Isidro Ungab, and Pantaleon Alvarez have rejected the people’s initiative. In Bicol, Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman is the most vocal critic.
But if Salceda is to be believed, targets have been met. He said all districts have breached the 3% threshold, while 12.1% of signatures – accounting for eight million voters – have been gathered nationwide.
A January 24 report from the Comelec said only 192 out of 254 districts nationwide have received signature forms in relation to charter change.
Gathering the signatures is one thing, but shaking the Comelec’s 2024 calendar – which is heavy on preparatory activities for the 2025 elections – is another issue of its own.
“We have a timetable on everything, and our timetable has been disrupted because of the possibility [of a plebiscite this year],” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum on January 24.
He gave a bleak outlook on the possibility of a plebiscite, saying that a vote by August or September might be doable had the signature forms been submitted in the first week of January.
Opposition party-list group Kabataan, citing House sources, previously alleged that charter change proponents are hoping that the Comelec would finish verifying the signature forms by March, and would rule on their petition by April.
“We don’t have a period to make the determination [on the sufficiency of the petition]. It is possible that the determination would take a year,” Garcia said.
By October, all Comelec personnel nationwide – from the main office down to the field offices across the country – will be spread thin, focusing on receiving candidacy documents.
Other poll preparatory activities will spill over to the rest of the year and to the first few months of 2025, and those are expected to be doubly demanding than past elections as the Comelec attempts to recalibrate the 2025 automated election system.
Political observers know that the best time to push for divisive measures is during the early years of a president’s term in Malacañang. This is because after the midterm polls, Congress no longer becomes a conducive environment for controversial legislation.
Veteran political journalist Carmela Fonbuena took note of this when she summed up the decade-long journey that the reproductive health (RH) bill overcame before then-president Benigno Aquino III signed it into law in 2012.
Allies made a huge effort to rush the passage of the RH bill in the final month of 2012, to avoid pushing back its timeline to 2013, an election year.
The administration of Rodrigo Duterte also took a giant step to push for federalism in the first three years of his presidency, but abandoned his key campaign promise after the 2019 midterm polls. Analysts said Duterte lost political capital as his allies began positioning themselves for the 2022 presidential elections.
Congressman Salceda is aware that the political landscape is susceptible to change after the midterm polls conclude.
“I emphasize that the time to do constitutional reform is now, when we do not have to worry about this being a way to extend the President’s term. The window for reform will close after the 2025 midterms, and we may have to start anew from scratch. We need to do this now,” he said in a statement on January 14.
There is an understanding that many key legislations in the Philippines – where Congress is filled with allies of the President – moves forward if he gives his blessing.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has become more publicly eager about charter change, from completely dismissing the idea last year, to underscoring the need for economic amendments today.
Does he see a golden opportunity? Will he go all in? – Rappler.com
(All quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity.)
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1
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Is someone gaming the PCSO lotto?
|
gdecastro0289
|
20/01/2024 8:00
|
BETS. A lotto kiosk in Manila.
Pacific Online
That’s what Senator Raffy Tulfo wants to know after several major lotto draws produced winners of over P500-million each in a span of three weeks.
On his radio show Tulfo in Action on Friday, January 19, the first-term senator said he wants to dig deeper into why the PCSO raised the jackpot by huge amounts for each for its major lotto games in December and early January instead of letting the pot grow from the lotto bets.
The PCSO raised on December 16, 2023 the minimum guaranteed jackpot for the Grand Lotto 6/55, Ultra Lotto 6/58, Super Lotto 6/49 by P500 million each, and P100 million each for Lotto 6/42 and MegaLotto 6/45 as part of its Christmas and New Year draws.
On December 29, 2023, a lone bettor won P571 million in the Ultra Lotto 6/58, the biggest jackpot in 2023.
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, a bettor won P640 million with the combination 26-33-14-48-06-42 in the Super Lotto 6/49 draw.
On Wednesday, January 17, another lone bettor hit the Grand Lotto 6/55 with the correct combination of 24-50-52-09-51-03 through PCSO’s new E-Lotto platform.
Three bettors, meantime, won in the Lotto 6/42 jackpot on January 2 with a prize of P108 million.
Two people split the Megalotto 6/45 jackpot of P121 million on January 8.
Tulfo said boosting the jackpot allows wealthy bettors to win the big lotto prizes.
“Ang purpose nila, kaya nila dinagdagan, para magkaroon ng excitement at maraming tataya. Na usually, dapat, hayaan mo lang tumaas ‘yung pot base dun sa mga tumataya. Habang tumatagal, tumataas ‘yung pot. Ang ginawa nung December, pinalobo ‘yung pot, especially ‘yung 6/49. Dinagdagan ng P500 million – boom. ‘Pag dagdag ng P500 million, may nanalo,” he said.
(Their purpose in boosting the pot is to have excitement so that many will bet. Usually, they should just let the pot grow big from the bets. As the betting goes on, the pot expands. What they did last December, they ballooned the pot, especially the 6/49. They added P500 million, boom. When they added P500 million, someone won.)
Tulfo, who admitted that he used to play lotto and had once won around P500,000 around a decade ago, said a bettor can place bets on all 14 million combinations in the 6/49. At P20 per combination, a rich bettor would need P280 million to win. If he is the sole winner of P640 million, he or she takes home a whopping P360 million before tax (20%).
“Kung ‘di nagdagdag ng P500 million, ang pot lang dapat was only P130 million-something. So kung P120 million or something ang pot, tumaya ka ng P280 million, lugi ka pa. Kaya ang ginawa, nagdagdag ng P500 million para may ganansiya,” he said.
(If they did not add P500 million, the pot would have been just P130 million-something, So if it’s just P120 million and you spend P280 million, you lose. So, what they did, they added P500 million to generate interest.)
PCSO General Manager Mel Robles, in an interview on GMA’s Unang Hirit on Thursday, said betting on all combinations to win is allowed, but it carries a big risk because if there’s more than one winner, the wealthy bettor stands to lose big.
“In the case of 6/49, interesting ito, 14 million ang odds. At P20, that’s only P280 million, eh ang pot mo ay P600 million. Kaya po talaga theoretically [to bet on all combinations and win]. Kaya lang, ‘pag may nakahati ka, dalawa o tatlo, lugi ka na, so talagang chance pa rin,” he said. (In the case of 6/49, this is interesting, the odds are 14 million. At P20, that’s only P280 million, but your pot is P600 million. That’s why theoretically, it’s really possible [to bet on all combinations and win]. But if you have to share it with two, or three, you already lose, so it’s really still chance.)
Robles told Radyo5 on Friday that the PCSO used its prize reserve fund to jack up the pot last December to generate interest in the games. He said this strategy was also done by his predecessors, and he expects the PCSO to generate a billion in revenues in December alone and possibly in January too as more people joined the games. For instance, the PCSO recorded P265 million in one-day sales on Tuesday, the state-owned gaming firm said.
Robles denied that someone was rigging the system, and lamented that not an “iota of evidence” has been presented.
“Having frequent winners is not an indication na may nangyayaring masama. Meron din naman time na ang tagal-tagal walang nananalo eh what do you call that?” Robles said.
(Having frequent winners is not an indication that something bad is happening. There are times when it takes a long time to have winners, so what do you call that?)
Tulfo, however, wants to stop PCSO from using this strategy of boosting the pot since it’s helping wealthy bettors get rich. He suggested using PCSO’s reserve fund to help those in need.
“Ang tanong: legal ba ‘yun base sa charter ng PCSO? Patatanggal ko po ‘yan, na ‘wag ka nang magdagdag sa prize fund. Bigay mo na lang sa mahirap, sa charity, ospital, nangangailangan ng gamot, dialysis, imbes na isa lang ang manalo,” he said.
(Question is: is it legal to do that based on the PCSO charter? I will have that removed, they should not add to the prize fund. Just give it to the poor, to charity, hospitals, those who need medicines, dialysis, instead of having just one winner.)
A Senate hearing will be held on this on Thursday, January 25, Tulfo said.
Meantime, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel said they will also probe whether PCSO’s e-lotto platform can be used to bet on all combinations.
“Iniimbestiga na natin yan. Nagiging mas madali ba sa bettor na magtaya nga ng ganyan na all combinations? Yan ang magandang tanong….,” Pimentel told Radyo5 on Monday, January 22. “That is one of the angles na dapat tingnan.”
(We’re investigating that. Is it now easier for a bettor to bet on all combinations? That’s a good question…That’s one of the angles that should be looked into.)
It’s also possible, he said, that it’s not just one person placing a bet on all combinations in order to win but that it could be a group.
“Ang sabi ko nga, ‘wag lang magisip na isang tao lang s’ya, what if you’re a group? Let us say wala yung feature [in e-lotto] na you can place your bets on all combinations pero if you’re a group, nagtutulungan ba kayo para cover n’yo all bets, all possible combinations?” Pimentel said.
(As I said, don’t think that it’s just one person, what if you’re a group? Let us say there’s no feature [in e-lotto] that you can place your bets on all combinations but if you’re a group, are you helping each other in order to cover all bets, all possible combinations?) – Rappler.com
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SCHEDULE: 2023-24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals
|
delfin.dioquino editor
|
22/01/2024 22:48
|
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Four teams remain to dispute the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown.
The top four in the elimination round, Magnolia, San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, and Phoenix all advanced to the semifinals after disposing of their lower-seeded opponents to start the playoffs.
No. 1 Magnolia returned to the final four after missing it last conference. It battles No. 8 Phoenix, which reached the semifinals for the first time since the 2020 Philippine Cup.
Meanwhile, No. 2 San Miguel and No. 3 Ginebra duke it out in the semifinals for the second straight conference after the Gin Kings swept the Beermen, 3-0, in the Governors’ Cup last season.
Both series are best-of-five affairs.
Here is the schedule:
– Rappler.com
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1
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A race against the clock for charter change proponents as 2025 midterms loom
|
Dwight de Leon
|
26/01/2024 8:30
|
PROTEST. Groups opposed to charter change picket the gates of the House of Representatives to protest the alleged use of public funds in collecting signatures for the people’s initiative on charter change, on January 22, 2024.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The clock is ticking for charter change advocates, and their biggest “enemy” is the 2025 elections.
Next year’s vote is a blunt reminder that they have little time left to make magic happen, as preparations for the midterm polls kick into high gear later this year.
The most straightforward deadline appears to be October 2024, a month where hundreds of thousands of aspirants for public office – from municipal councilor up to senator – file their certificates of candidacy.
Some lawmakers who have admitted pushing for charter change have recognized this cutoff.
“Remember that the [candidacy filing] is in October, so if we cannot have the plebiscite by July, then this charter change push would be over,” Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel told Rappler on January 10.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, in a separate conference with reporters on January 18, also doubled down on the target plebiscite in July.
“The enemy of that timeline is by October, we will be filing already and there is no talk about them going on parallel. Only 2025 will be on their mind because there will be an election,” said Salceda, chairman of the ways and means committee in the House of Representatives.
A referendum in relation to charter change stems from the route that advocates chose to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Beginning January, reports surfaced nationwide that voters were being requested to sign signature forms in support of the people’s initiative.
Specifically, people were being asked to back a proposal to amend a constitutional provision that is silent on whether the House and the Senate would vote jointly or separately should someone make a motion to form a constituent assembly.
If proponents get an enough number of authentic signatures, and if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) grants their petition, a plebiscite or referendum will be triggered to ratify the proposed amendment.
The push appears to have come from the House of Representatives, with Speaker Martin Romualdez unveiling the people’s initiative plan as early as December, although he has since distanced himself from the signature drive.
The proposed amendment – if ratified – would significantly diminish the power of the 24-member Senate, whose numbers will never size up to the 300-plus-member House of Representatives in a constituent assembly.
“We will highly recommend that we embark on a people-centered initiative to cure this impasse, so to speak, on how we vote,” Romualdez said in Iloilo last month.
Under a people’s initiative method to amend the Constitution, proponents must gather 12% of signatures nationwide, and every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of registered voters.
On paper, that is not an easy task to complete, especially in districts where lawmakers are lukewarm or outright against charter change. It is an open secret, after all, that a congressman’s support expedites projects of this nature.
In the Davao region, lawmakers Paolo Duterte, Isidro Ungab, and Pantaleon Alvarez have rejected the people’s initiative. In Bicol, Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman is the most vocal critic.
But if Salceda is to be believed, targets have been met. He said all districts have breached the 3% threshold, while 12.1% of signatures – accounting for eight million voters – have been gathered nationwide.
A January 24 report from the Comelec said only 192 out of 254 districts nationwide have received signature forms in relation to charter change.
Gathering the signatures is one thing, but shaking the Comelec’s 2024 calendar – which is heavy on preparatory activities for the 2025 elections – is another issue of its own.
“We have a timetable on everything, and our timetable has been disrupted because of the possibility [of a plebiscite this year],” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum on January 24.
He gave a bleak outlook on the possibility of a plebiscite, saying that a vote by August or September might be doable had the signature forms been submitted in the first week of January.
Opposition party-list group Kabataan, citing House sources, previously alleged that charter change proponents are hoping that the Comelec would finish verifying the signature forms by March, and would rule on their petition by April.
“We don’t have a period to make the determination [on the sufficiency of the petition]. It is possible that the determination would take a year,” Garcia said.
By October, all Comelec personnel nationwide – from the main office down to the field offices across the country – will be spread thin, focusing on receiving candidacy documents.
Other poll preparatory activities will spill over to the rest of the year and to the first few months of 2025, and those are expected to be doubly demanding than past elections as the Comelec attempts to recalibrate the 2025 automated election system.
Political observers know that the best time to push for divisive measures is during the early years of a president’s term in Malacañang. This is because after the midterm polls, Congress no longer becomes a conducive environment for controversial legislation.
Veteran political journalist Carmela Fonbuena took note of this when she summed up the decade-long journey that the reproductive health (RH) bill overcame before then-president Benigno Aquino III signed it into law in 2012.
Allies made a huge effort to rush the passage of the RH bill in the final month of 2012, to avoid pushing back its timeline to 2013, an election year.
The administration of Rodrigo Duterte also took a giant step to push for federalism in the first three years of his presidency, but abandoned his key campaign promise after the 2019 midterm polls. Analysts said Duterte lost political capital as his allies began positioning themselves for the 2022 presidential elections.
Congressman Salceda is aware that the political landscape is susceptible to change after the midterm polls conclude.
“I emphasize that the time to do constitutional reform is now, when we do not have to worry about this being a way to extend the President’s term. The window for reform will close after the 2025 midterms, and we may have to start anew from scratch. We need to do this now,” he said in a statement on January 14.
There is an understanding that many key legislations in the Philippines – where Congress is filled with allies of the President – moves forward if he gives his blessing.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has become more publicly eager about charter change, from completely dismissing the idea last year, to underscoring the need for economic amendments today.
Does he see a golden opportunity? Will he go all in? – Rappler.com
(All quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity.)
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https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/charter-change-proponents-race-against-clock-2025-midterms-loom/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3bMvZ44QXAmDtHWeZcsJqUfaoAybAtO9SIpMknd3P2-N5tDsPNSveQZFc_aem_sP6FaiYUpekuexlYjQNi1w
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Sara Duterte says she will run in next election
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jsitchon0312
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23/01/2024 14:59
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BUDGET. Vice President Sara Duterte attends the House of Representatives' deliberations on the proposed 2024 budget of the Office of the Vice President, on September 27, 2023.
Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte announced her campaign bid for the next election on Monday, January 22, but did not specify for which post.
Duterte said in her speech at Barangay Bago Gallera, Davao City, that she heard her brothers Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Congressman Paolo Duterte say they will not be seeking another term.
“Basin dili sila mudagan sa sunod nga eleksyon so mao na naa ko dinhi sa inyoha para mangampanya kay mudagan ko sa sunod nga eleksyon,” Duterte said.
(They might not run in the next election so that’s why I’m here to campaign because I will be running for the next election.)
The Vice President, however, has not yet confirmed which particular position she will be running for.
The next election is the senatorial race in 2025. If she chooses to run in 2025, she will be cutting short her term, which is supposed to end in 2028.
Rappler has reached out to the Office of the Vice President for clarification on the matter but has yet to receive any reply. We will update this story once we get a response.
Her pronouncement calls to mind past declarations made by her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, about running for president in 2016. After repeated denials and even filing a certificate of candidacy for Davao City mayor, he withdrew that COC on November 27, 2015, and filed his candidacy for president on the same day. Sara Duterte then ran for mayor as substitute candidate of her father.
Based on the results of the Pulse Asia survey released on January 8, Duterte’s trust rating stood at 78% between September 2023 and December 2023, maintaining the seat of the “most trusted government official”.
Recently, the Vice President either expressed reservations or spoke against moves associated with the administration, such as the reboot of peace talks with communist rebels, and the people’s initiative route to amend the 1987 Constitution.
She also eventually withdrew her bid for P650 million in confidential funds in 2024 after Congress denied her request.
In an exclusive interview with GMA News anchor Pia Arcangel on Tuesday, January 23, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he hasn’t talked to his veep about her plans for 2025.
“I think she’s also testing the waters to see what the reaction will be,” he added. – with reports from Dwight de Leon/Rappler.com
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Is it true that the Duterte brothers will no longer run in the coming elections? Can VP Sara Duterte be trusted? It has to be proven after the deadline for filing of candidacy. The Duterte Political Dynasty is known for flip-flopping, especially former President Digong Duterte.
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New ride-hailing app inDrive suspended due to fare-haggling system
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lkyu0285
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23/01/2024 20:45
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inDrive
MANILA, Philippines – inDrive, a potential newcomer to the ride-hailing industry, was suspended by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for violating the agency’s established fare matrix by allowing passengers to haggle rates.
About a month after officially accrediting the new ride-hailing app as a transport network company, the LTFRB has now halted inDrive’s operations.
“The suspension comes in response to alleged violations concerning the haggling of fares, a clear breach of the terms and conditions outlined in its accreditation as a transportation network company,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said in a statement on Tuesday, January 23.
The LTFRB ordered inDrive to stop its operations starting Tuesday until it can present proof of compliance. The company has 15 days to comply.
The LTFRB issued the suspension order against inDrive after a hearing on Tuesday. It previously issued a show cause order against inDrive regarding the company’s fare-haggling system.
“Haggling of fares not only goes against the principles of transparency but also jeopardizes the welfare of both passengers and drivers. We take these allegations seriously and are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the extent of the violation,” Guadiz added.
Two days after the LTFRB suspended inDrive, the company released a statement acknowledging the order.
“During our recent engagement with the LTFRB, productive discussions transpired and we are now in the process of further developing our application to ensure that there is no confusion amongst our users and that they experience the best possible service,” inDrive said in its statement on Thursday, January 25.
“As part of these ongoing improvements, we will be temporarily pausing our service operations. This is a necessary step to ensure that our enhancements are implemented effectively and align with both our users’ needs and regulatory standards.”
Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection president Ariel Inton, who was present in Tuesday’s hearing as the counsel of the complainants, told Rappler that the LTFRB “was not satisfied” with the explanation of inDrive when asked about the allegations of fare haggling.
“Sa kanilang paliwanag, lumalabas na they admitted na talagang meron silang fare haggling (In their explanation, it appeared they admitted that there really is fare haggling),” Inton told Rappler.
“There is nothing in the memorandum circular of the fare matrix of the LTFRB na puwede kang mag-haggle ng [fares] (that you can haggle fares). The fares for TNVS (transport network vehicle services) are provided for in the fare matrix.”
Prior to the suspension order, inDrive was positioning itself to make a splash as a competitor to Grab. In December 2023, the company sent out a press release announcing that it had been accredited by the LTFRB and that it would start operations soon.
inDrive did not give a specific date for its official launch, but a company representative told Rappler that they were focusing on recruiting drivers before piloting services in the cities of Baguio, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and Bacolod. In a new press release sent out just hours before the LTFRB decision came out, inDrive said it would soon “activate its services in Metro Manila this first quarter of 2024.”
However, Inton told Rappler that inDrive has already been offering its services in Metro Manila. He cited instances where complainants used the inDrive app to book a ride in Metro Manila, only to be surprised that a taxi – and not a TNVS vehicle – was the one that arrived.
“’Yung complainant ko, pinakita doon na when he booked a ride, taxi dumating. He was surprised. ‘Di naman taxi ‘yung binook niya,” Inton said. “So ‘yung sinasabi ng inDrive na nagre-recruit pa lang sila is a total lie. Nakaka-book na sila sa Metro Manila.”
(My complainant showed that when he booked a ride, a taxi came. He was surprised. He didn’t book a taxi. So what inDrive is saying, that they’re just recruiting, is a total lie. You can already book in Metro Manila.)
inDrive also ended up in hot water in January 2023, which was around the time that it first filed its application for accreditation with the LTFRB. Back then, the LTFRB slammed what it called two unaccredited “Russian ride-hailing services” – which were inDrive and Maxim – for operating in the Philippines illegally. – Rappler.com
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It’s budol time! Here are the dates for Manila International Book Fair 2024
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Ysa Abad
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25/01/2024 11:31
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Manila International Book Fair's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Book lovers, mark your calendars for your highly-anticipated budol of the year as the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) announced on Wednesday, January 24, the schedule for its 2024 run.
This year’s book affair is set to take place on September 14 to 17 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.
Other details, such as the fair’s hours, list of exhibitors and publishers, schedule of activities, and ticket prices, have yet to be announced.
Usually, over 100 exhibitors participate in the MIBF — ranging from mainstream to indie publishers, university presses, and academic and international distributors, among others.
Aside from the wide range of titles, the MIBF also holds several activities, such as book launches, webinars, storytellings, workshops, and panel discussions.
The MIBF is one of the biggest and longest-running book fairs in the Philippines, having showcased various publishers for over 40 years now. – Rappler.com
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Quiboloy calls Senate inquiry into abuse allegations ‘bogus’
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Victor Barreiro Jr.
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25/01/2024 7:44
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PREACHER. Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church and a friend of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Quiboloy's Facebook page
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – A defiant Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the embattled leader of the Davao-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), accused Senator Risa Hontiveros of violating his constitutional rights even as he refused to attend her committee’s hearing on the alleged abuses done against his former followers.
In an audio recording posted on the Facebook page Buhay Kingdom 2024 on Wednesday, January 24, Quiboloy called the former workers, who testified about the alleged abuses they suffered at the hands of the preacher when they served the KOJC, as “bogus witnesses.”
Quiboloy also called Tuesday’s public inquiry by Hontiveros’ Senate committee “bogus,” and that it “turned a monster out of me.”
Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, has issued a subpoena to Quiboloy after the preacher ignored the initial hearing in an expected series of committee sessions addressing alleged sexual and other abuses within the Davao-based group.
But Quiboloy remained firm in his decision to defy the Senate committee’s order.
“I will not subject myself to a bogus hearing and to bogus witnesses if they cannot stand (by) their word… I will not subject myself to injustices done (under) the cloak of a Senate hearing,” Quiboloy said.
He questioned one of the witnesses, “Amanda,” who testified during Tuesday’s proceedings at the Senate, claiming that his group had identified her as the same woman who brought him to “court” a few years back.
He said Amanda’s accusations were all “proven lies.”
Quiboloy asserted that the “case” has been appealed by the former KOJC member before the Department of Justice (DOJ), and discussing her allegations before the Senate committee was sub judice.
Rappler, however, learned that Amanda’s complaint, filed before the Davao prosecutor’s office in 2019, which included charges of rape, qualified trafficking in person, and child abuse against Quiboloy, never reached a court.
In legal terms, sub judice means that a matter is currently under consideration by a court. This restricts public discussions or comments on the case to avoid prejudicing the legal proceedings and ensuring a fair trial.
During the hearing, Amanda testified that she was a minor when Quiboloy allegedly first sexually abused her, under the belief that it was a form of body sacrifice and that it was God’s will. At the time, she was serving as one of Quiboloy’s “pastorals,” female workers who run errands for the KOJC leader, and some of whom allegedly engage in sexual relations with the preacher.
Quiboloy dismissed the accusations leveled against him during the Senate committee hearing as “criminal.” He said that while Hontiveros enjoyed parliamentary immunity, the witnesses were susceptible to libel charges.
“Pambababoy ang ginawa ninyo sa reputasyon ko (You have tarnished my reputation),” said Quiboloy, daring Hontiveros to assist the witnesses in bringing him to court.
He said, “Kahit ako’y anak ng Diyos, ako’y under sa batas ng lupa, at doon ko kayo sasagutin sapagkat doon merong fair play (Even though I am a son of God, I am under the laws of the land, and there [court] I will respond to you because there is fair play).”
Quiboloy added, “In the law, the guilt and the innocence of any person is not determined by a Senate hearing but it is only determined by a competent court of law. Doon po kami patas ang laban; doon po kami puedeng sumagot sa inyo (There, we can have a fair fight; there, we can answer you).”
He said Hontiveros “convicted” him during the hearing by entertaining “innuendoes” meant to smear his “international reputation” as the leader of the KOJC.
Addressing Hontiveros, Quiboloy said, “If you cannot do that (go to court)… then you don’t deserve my respect. Because you don’t respect my constitutional rights, then I will not also respect your office as a senator.”
Quiboloy also denied ever using his political connections to evade his impending trial in the United States where he and several of his associates were indicted in late 2021 for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; marriage fraud; fraud and misuse of visas; bulk cash smuggling; promotional money laundering; concealment of money laundering; and international promotional money laundering.
Not once, he asserted, did he ask former president Rodrigo Duterte to help him out.
Quiboloy, who is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is a known close friend of Duterte, whom he also served as a “spiritual adviser.” – Rappler.com
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Cebu star Jared Bahay moves to Ateneo after spurning UP
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Jasmine Payo
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25/01/2024 18:03
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BLUE CHIP. Cebuano point guard Jared Bahay in action for Gilas Pilipinas Youth.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Jared Bahay found a new home for college.
The Cebuano juniors basketball standout made his transfer to the Ateneo Blue Eagles official on Thursday, January 25, weeks after spurning the UP Fighting Maroons.
Bahay, a standout with the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-ADC) Magis Eagles in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Incorporated (CESAFI), had reneged on his UP commitment due to what the Maroons called an intervention by “outside forces” early January.
Bahay said he decided to stay as a homegrown Ateneo player after studying grade school and high school at SHS-ADC, winning championships at each level.
“I have decided to continue my studies at Ateneo de Manila and play for the Ateneo men’s basketball team. I believe that sustaining my Jesuit education will help unlock and sharpen my potential to the fullest, both on and off the court,” Bahay said in a released statement.
“Growing up and experiencing cura personalis (care for the whole person) at SHS-ADC, I am confident that their vision and holistic approach will contribute to my growth and maturity as a student, athlete, and person.”
The 5-foot-9 point guard recently led the Magis Eagles to the CESAFI juniors crown and was named Finals Most Valuable Player.
“We’re really happy that Jared opted to come to Ateneo,” said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin, who flew to Cebu with team manager Epok Quimpo early January after Bahay’s decision to stay in the Eagles’ nest.
“We’re very excited, knowing that he will be a significant part of our program moving forward.”
In 2023, Ateneo also recruited Bahay’s high school teammates Raffy Celis and Michael Asoro.
Bahay, a pint-sized scoring playmaker, committed to UP in a well-publicized move in March 2023 where he was welcomed at UP Cebu by team officials led by head coach Goldwin Monteverde and UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development director Bo Perasol.
But last January 5, the Maroons announced Bahay decommitted from the State U, saying “outside forces have intervened for him to have a change of heart.” – Rappler.com
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Why mounting a 2024 plebiscite on charter change will be a daunting task for Comelec
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Dwight de Leon
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25/01/2024 18:30
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CHARTER CHANGE. Progressive groups opposed to charter change picket the gates of the House of Representatives to protest the alleged use of public funds for collecting signatures for the people’s initiative on Charter Change, on January 22, 2024.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The coordinated push to gather signatures nationwide in support of charter change may have signaled confidence from its advocates, but the Philippines’ election body is not as optimistic about the chances of a referendum pushing through this year.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be the one tasked to oversee a plebiscite should the agency enable and recognize as valid the people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.
A plebiscite will ultimately ratify the amendment being proposed – that the House and the Senate vote jointly, not separately, in the event that a motion to form a constituent assembly is called.
Mounting a plebiscite is easier said than done. It requires a lot of logistical considerations, which can burden the Comelec at a time when it begins prioritizing the 2025 midterm elections.
A January 24 report from the Comelec indicated that their offices in 75% of legislative districts nationwide have received signature forms for the people’s initiative.
That, however, is just the first step.
After the signature drive is finished, the brains behind the people’s initiative campaign will have to submit a formal petition to the Comelec, which in turn, will evaluate whether it is sufficient in form and substance.
“We will only verify the signatures after the sufficiency in form and substance requirement is met,” Comelec spokesman Rex Laudiangco said in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo on January 19.
As the process could take months, the possibility of a mid-year plebiscite further shrinks.
“If they were able to file [the signatures] by the first week of January, maybe we could have conducted the plebiscite by August,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia explained in the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum on January 24.
The poll body laid out the numerous challenges that would emerge once signature verification is underway.
“We will check if the signature is from an actual person, if they are a registered voter, if their record is not deactivated, if they are not delisted, and if their signature is the same as the one in our records,” Laudiangco said. “For the last step, we will certify how many verified signatures remain.”
The signature verification process itself is already tedious, but it is aggravated further by the fact that local Comelec offices across the country have a lean staff.
The poll body even floated the possibility of putting voter registration on pause to validate the signatures.
“We only have one election officer per municipality and city, and they cannot do voter registration and signature verification at the same time,” Laudiangco added.
Congress gave Comelec a budget of P14 billion for the conduct of plebiscites in 2024, a 600% increase from the P2 billion it was given the previous year. That’s even though there are only two plebiscites scheduled so far this year, compared to at least six that were held in 2023.
The surge in funding alarmed opposition lawmakers who believe that the extra funds were inserted to mount the charter change-related plebiscite.
For the record, the Comelec initially requested an agency-wide budget of P43 billion for 2024, but the executive branch asked Congress for only P27 billion.
The poll body told lawmakers that it needed the slashed funds for midterm election preparations, but when Congress restored most of the budget that the Comelec originally asked for, it inserted the funds into the line item on plebiscites, instead of the line item on election preparatory activities.
Nonetheless, the Comelec believes the budget given to them is not enough to squeeze into their calendar a plebiscite on the people’s initiative this year, saying it needs an additional P12 billion to P13 billion.
“If a plebiscite would push through maybe in August or September, we will be short of funds. Because the extra budget given to us is for the preparations for the national and local elections, special elections, and recall. The Comelec will have a financial crisis just in case a national plebiscite materializes this year,” Comelec executive director Teopisto Elnas Jr. told House lawmakers during a suffrage committee hearing on January 23.
By October, the Comelec will be focused on accepting certificates of candidacy from hundreds of thousands of elective aspirants nationwide.
This could likely put the charter change agenda on the back burner, given that the events that will follow are just as laborious for the poll body.
“We will start [focusing] on the technical side of our preparations – customization, loading of machines, mock elections, field tests,” Elnas said.
Chairman Garcia also thumbed down the possibility of holding the polls simultaneously with Election Day on May 12, 2025, citing a 1981 Supreme Court ruling.
“If the ballot is about changing the Constitution, that should be the only agenda so that the public can absorb better the implications of their vote,” he said on January 19. “In my opinion, the public will be confused.”
On January 24, he also raised other impediments that would complicate a charter change-related plebiscite after the May vote in 2025: resumption of voter registration for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and the actual Election Day for the village-based polls in October.
Ultimately, Garcia mentioned a date that appears to be the most convenient time for the Comelec to hold a plebiscite: 2026.
But can the proponents of charter change wait that much longer? – Rappler.com
(All quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity.)
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