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PH’s first 2024 resupply mission to Ayungin thwarted… by boat repairs
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Bea Cupin
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22/01/2024 20:05
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BRP SIERRA MADRE. The BRP Sierra Madre, a transport ship used as a military outpost of the Philippine Marines, marooned at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, on March 2014.
REUTERS
The humble Unaizah May 1 has been through the wringer, especially in 2023.
The Unaizah May 1 or UM1 is one of two boats the Philippine Navy uses in its regular rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, where the rusty BRP Sierra Madre serves as a military outpost.
But what would have been its first resupply mission over the weekend (January 20 and 21) was thwarted by a “technical difficulty” that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declined to elaborate on.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, January 22, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla said they had “identified that there was a technical difficulty” and that RORE would not take place until the AFP determined that the ship was “sea worthy.”
A source privy to the status of the Unaizah May 1 said minor repairs were being made and would be “completed soon.”
Meanwhile, on social media, accounts seemingly dedicated to spreading information on activities in the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, posted footage and stills showing a supposed air drop of supplies to soldiers stationed on the Sierra Madre.
Padilla told media air drops are typically only used in “emergency situations.”
Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, the AFP’s Public Affairs Office chief, said they could not “comment on operational details.”
“Again, such option (air drop) has been part of the operational mix that the AFP employs to support emergency supplies needed by our troops in LS57 given a short period of time,” he said in a messaging group for defense reporters. LS57 is the identifier of the BRP Sierra Madre.
The first RORE to Ayungin in 2024 has been long delayed. It was first scheduled in early January and then the week after, but both times it had to be postponed because of bad weather. The UM1 can only safely navigate through certain wave heights, those familiar with its structure told Rappler.
To be sure, the UM1 and boats like it have not had it easy.
Its sister boat, the Unaizah May 2, is still being repaired after colliding with a much larger and stronger China Coast Guard vessel during the October 2023 resupply mission. The ship that temporarily replaced the UM2, the ML Kalayaan, was also damaged after being subject to the CCG’s water cannons.
Ayungin Shoal is a low-tide elevation located over 100 nautical miles away from the coast of Palawan, which means it’s well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, where it should have sovereign rights. Yet China claims Ayungin Shoal and most of the South China Sea, and views resupply missions to the Sierra Madre as a violation of its territorial rights.
In a statement released over a week after supplies were reportedly airdropped, the China Coast Guard claimed it made “temporary special arrangements” to allow the delivery of goods.
Referring to the Sierra Madre as an “illegally beached warship,” the CCG said in a January 27 statement that it “followed up and monitored” the airdrop and “controlled and dealt with it in accordance with laws and regulations.”
This would not be the first time for the military to use air drops – if they’re admit to it in January 2024 – in Ayungin Shoal. Almost a decade ago, in May 2014, the Navy airdropped supplies following a tense rotation and resupply mission in March 2014.
While airdrops are, as the AFP puts it, “part of the operational mix” in bringing emergency supplies to the Sierra Madre, it’s not ideal.
For one, there’s a limit to what you can send troops through airdrops. There’s no way airdrops can include supplies for the rusting Sierra Madre, with its long list of things to repair and improve.
Second, RORE missions to Ayungin Shoal are also for the rotation of troops, who are stationed there for months at a time. It’s only through RORE missions that those done with their tour of duty in the rusty warship can finally go home.
UM1 is the same vessel that AFP General Romeo Brawner and Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos rode when they joined a RORE mission to see for themselves the condition of the BRP Sierra Madre.
The regular RORE missions made headlines in the latter part of 2023, after the government decided to routinely embed journalists in Philippine Coast Guard vessels that accompany the Navy-contracted boats. During those missions, the UM1, UM2, ML Kalayaan, as well as PCG vessels weave through and dodge a swath of CCG and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels trying to block their access to Ayungin Shoal.
The Philippines and China recently agreed to improve its communication mechanism to avoid untoward incidents in the West Philippine Sea. – Rappler.com
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[Episodes] Bakit mahirap maging media literate?
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Marguerite de Leon
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22/01/2024 18:57
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Guia Abogado/Rappler
Nitong nakaraang taon ay nagkaroon ng proyekto ang Department of Journalism sa UP katuwang ang Initiatives for Media Freedom ng Internews at USAID. Tinawag itong Media and Information Literacy (MIL) project at naglayon itong makatulong na punan ang ilang puwang sa pagtuturo ng MIL sa senior high school.
Ang MIL ay module na tinatalakay sa Grade 11 o Grade 12. Ayon sa curriculum na inilabas ng Department of Education noong Disyembre 2013, 80 oras dapat ang igugol sa MIL, na kukunin ng mga bata sa loob ng isang semestre.
Para sa proyekto, naglabas ang UP ng sampung maiiksing lecture videos sa YouTube at kaakibat na Teacher’s Module – pero hindi ko na layuning ikuwento ito rito. Madali namang hanapin ito sa internet. Sa halip, pagtutuunan ko ng pansin ang mga lumabas sa ginawa naming focus group discussion bago pa man gawin ang mga video. Ang FGD kasi ay ginawa para makasigurong hindi huhugutin sa ere ang mga ideya para sa mismong proyekto. Mabuting magkaroon ng matibay na basehan ang lahat ng gagawin. Siguradong ang mga isyung tutugunan ay mga suliraning tunay na naranasan ng guro o estudyante.
Tatlong FGD ang naganap: Isa, kasama ang sampung guro mula sa UP College of Education, na nagpulong nang face to face. Makalipas ang ilang araw, siyam na guro naman sa senior high school sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa ang tinipon namin sa isang Zoom meeting. Sa pangatlong FGD, mga BA Journalism students naman ng UP Diliman ang kasama: siniguro naming nasa una o ikalawang taon sila sa kolehiyo para sariwa pa sa kanilang alaala ang napagdaanan nila noong senior high.
Ayon sa DepEd, “The course introduces the learners to basic understanding of media and information as channels of communication and tools for the development of individuals and societies. It also aims to develop students to be creative and critical thinkers as well as responsible users and competent producers of media and information.” Pero katulad ng maraming bagay, malaki ang pagkakaiba ng layunin sa aktuwal na nangyayari.
Kasama ng mga puna sa FGD ay ang hindi pagiging updated ng curriculum na sinusunod. Noong 2013 naman kasi, hindi pa bukambibig ang katagang “fake news” (ipinaloob ko sa quotation marks dahil isa itong oxymoron; hindi naman talaga balita ang isang bagay kung ito ay peke). Teacher-centered rin daw ang pagtuturo, ibig sabihin, nakabatay sa pagtupad ng guro na sundin ang curriculum at ituro ang mga nakasaad dito kaysa sa makinig ng magkakaibang paraan ng pagkatuto ng mga estudyante. May pagdiin sa mga teorya na parang hindi natatapatan ng aplikasyon. Masyadong maraming learning competencies ang gustong maabot samantalang limitado ang panahon at isang semestre lang ito itinuturo.
Sabi naman ng mga guro sa senior high – ang ilan sa kanila ay nagtuturo ng MIL at ang iba ay ibang subject – hindi naabot ng MIL ang pag-iisip na kritikal at pagiging mapanuri ng mga estudyante. Maganda rin daw sanang maibahagi sa mga bata ang pagiging skeptical, o iyong hindi basta-basta naniniwala sa narinig o nabasa, at pagiging bukas ng isip at paggalang sa ibang may taglay na ibang opinyon.
Isa sa mga pinakalumutang sa FGD kasama ng mga guro sa senior high ay ang pagtuturo ng MIL ng mga gurong wala namang sapat na kasayan para dito – halimbawa, maaatasang magturo dahil lang kailangan nila ng dagdag na units para sa load, kahit pa PE o ibang larangan ang napag-aralan.
Sa kabila nito, sinabi ng mga gurong nagsisikap ang mga kasamahan nila sa pagtuturo ng MIL sa abot ng kanilang makakaya. Dito lumalabas ang pagiging dedikado nila sa kanilang bokasyon. Pero syempre, may hangganan ang mga magagandang intensiyon. Nagbibigay rin ng dagdag na training ang ilang pribadong paaralan, pero ang mga pampublikong eskuwela ay karaniwan nang salat sa pondo hindi lang para sa training kung hindi sa mga gamit sa pagtuturo. Malaki rin ang bilang ng mga estudyante kumpara sa bilang ng guro at silid-aralan. Alam na alam natin ito.
Hindi raw makarating sa antas ng critical thinking ang mga bata dahil kulang na sa basic literacy, comprehension, at writing skills. Ito rin ang naipipinta ng nailathalang resulta ng Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), kung saan pang-77 sa 81 na bansa ang Pilipinas noong 2022. Ang PISA ay sumusukat ng performance ng mga 15-taong-gulang sa tatlong larangan: matematika, pagbasa, at agham: mabababa ang puntos ng Pilipinas sa lahat ng ito, na para bang lima o anim na taon tayong napag-iiwanan.
Pinaigting pa ng pandemya ang learning gaps ng ating mga estudyante. May isa ring guro na nagsabing dahil sa polisiyang “no child left behind,” nagkakaroon ng pagkakataong umusad sa susunod na grado ang ilang bata kahit na hindi nila naabot ang mga kailangang matutunan.
Ito rin daw ang dahilan kung bakit madaling napapaniwala ang mga bata sa kung ano ang nakikita nila sa social media. Nahihilig sila sa mga pranks at mga isyu sa show business – wala namang masama dito pero hindi sana dito nagtatapos ang kanilang interes. Kung minsan daw, ang mga kapwa guro pa nila mismo ang nagkakalat ng disimpormasyon.
Ibinahagi naman ng mga estudyante ng peryodismo sa ikatlong FGD na hindi pare-pareho ang pagtuturo ng MIL sa iba-ibang paaralan. Sana rin daw ay naisama ang iba pang paksa tulad ng pagiging responsableng konsyumer at prodyuser ng impormasyon, ethics, online behavior, at iba pa. Tuloy, ang nangyayari, nagsusumite lang sila ng mga gawain para lang may maipasa at matapos na, kaysa para maipakita ang kanilang natutunan. Kinilala namin na itong mga estudyanteng kalahok sa FGD ay siyang mga nagtuloy ng kursong peryodismo, kaya’t baka sa simula pa ay iba na ang kanilang pagpapahalaga at hinahanap sa MIL.
Naalala kong nanlumo ako nang marinig ko ang mga sinabi sa tatlong FGD pero hindi naman nakakagulat ang resulta. Tunay ngang mas malalim at mas malawak ang suliranin kaysa isang kurso sa isang semestre.
Naipaalala ng mga FGD ang kalunos-lunos na estado ng edukasyon sa ating bansa, at naipakita kung bakit parang luxury o bonus na lang na magkaroon ng pag-iisip na kritikal ang marami nating kababayan. Sa mas pinagbabatayang pagkatuto pa lang kasi ay hirap na hirap na ang mga mag-aaral.
Patuloy ang paghahanap ng solusyong pangmatagalan.
Samantala, may kabuluhan sa pagtinging sa media and information literacy hindi bilang isang kurso sa senior high school, kundi isang pamamaraan ng pamumuhay. Magandang gawing layunin na marami sa atin ay tunay na maging media and information literate. Dahil laging may bago at pagbabago, walang sino mang magiging tunay na maalam. Bukod sa disinformation, nariyan na rin ang issue ng artificial intelligence – ano pa kaya ang susunod? Matutunan lang sana nating maging bukas sa mga bagong kaalaman at kaisipan habang nag-iisip para sa ating mga sarili, nang sa gayon ang mga desisyong ating gagawin at ang mga bagay na ating paniniwalaan ay tiyak na sa atin lang. – Rappler.com
Adelle Chua is assistant professor of journalism at the University of the Philippines. She was opinion editor and columnist for Manila Standard for 15 years before joining the academe. Email: adellechua@gmail.com
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Salamat kay Binibining Adele Chua sa kanyang nakakainspirasyon na artikulo. Malungkot kung iisipin na “parang luxury o bonus na lang na magkaroon ng pag-iisip na kritikal ang marami nating kababayan.” Talaga naman na isang luxury ang pagkakaroon ng pag-iisip na kritikal. Kaya nga laganap ang disinformation kasi kakaunti lang ang may pag-iisip na kritikal at karamihan pa sa kanila ay nabibili ng pera o madaling matakot sa may kapangyarihan.
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[Vantage Point] A posh NAIA at last? We need more airports
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Mia Gonzalez
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22/01/2024 13:00
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Alejandro Edoria
By February 15, we would already know which bidder won the right to rehabilitate the much-maligned Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). On March 15, if everything falls smoothly into place, that bidder would be signing the concession agreement.
I can only keep my fingers crossed. This project could still be held hostage by lawsuits filed by a losing bidder. This has been a major headache faced, time and again, by the government’s infrastructure projects put up for bidding. Everybody wants to win. In many cases, there are no losing bidders; just bidders who believe they were cheated.
The rehabilitation of the NAIA has been tossed around for years, it never got off the ground due to selfish reasons by those who benefit from keeping our international gateway to the world a decrepit airport, but that is an entirely different story.
Even this latest iteration of airport privatization went through the wringer. Fortunately, efforts to delay it have proved futile. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista stuck to a tight deadline to prevent any delays. His marching orders to his people: NAIA must be a better airport ASAP, keeping in focus the economic benefits that such an undertaking will bring to the country. For one, it will stoke tourism, which accounts for about 12% of our gross domestic product (GDP), which in turn will generate innumerable jobs across the archipelago.
Preferring to conduct a bidding, rather than accept a lone proponent/unsolicited proposal for the NAIA’s rehabilitation, has turned out to be a smart move. On January 15, four bidders hurdled the completion check for their technical proposals. They now have to wait for 20 days to see if they pass the third and final round of the whole exercise.
The DOTr has qualified the proposals submitted by four bidders – the Manila International Airport Consortium, (MIAC); Asian Airport Consortium (AAC); GMR Airports Consortium, and the San Miguel Corporation SAP & Co. Consortium. According to the project’s Pre-qualifications, Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC) chief, DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan, the agency will release on February 5 the results of the detailed evaluation of the technical proposals.
If a proponent passes the technical assessment, it will now be allowed to file its financial offer, a step seen as the crucial and deciding factor in the bidding. Since the DOTr is keen on awarding the contract to the bidder with the highest offer on income share, each bidder has to make a case of its financial capability and how much of its projected revenues it is willing to share with the government.
The winner among the four bidders of the P170.6-billion project is expected to double the airport’s yearly passenger capacity to 62 million. It will be given a minimum of 15 years to upgrade the airport’s gateway and its facilities, and an additional 10 years, if needed.
Of the four bidders, the financial capabilities of SMC SAP look puny. Two companies in the consortium, which were formed only on December 15, 2023, have only P6.25 million in capitalization. RMM Asian Logistics’ president is Raymond Miller Moreno, former owner of the defunct Liberty Telecom, while RLW Aviation Development is headed by a certain Robert Lee Wong. As newly registered companies which together supposedly control 57% of the SMC consortium, questions were raised on its technical and financial capability. It would appear that the two companies in the SMC SAP consortium have no track record, funds, and technical experience.
On January 18, Vantage Point texted SMC president and vice chairman Ramon S. Ang for clarification, but did not receive a response, while the SMC’s communication department said it will consult with the company’s airport division for explanation.
A PBAC source, however, sees no problem with the SMC SAP consortium’s financial standing since it could easily be backed up by its credit line. “We will conduct due diligence for each of the qualified bidders,” the source said. “We will ensure that this privatization exercise will not suffer the same fate as those of early attempts to rehabilitate it. Bidders who want to engage with government must have a clean record.”
The NAIA privatization is long overdue. The government must do everything to ensure its success. There are fears that the country might, in the future, be hosting multiple airports to its detriment. SMC is in the thick of building its Bulacan International Airport, while there are groups interested in expanding and sprucing up the Clark airport. Some argue that the country is better off hosting just one international airport because it will be uneconomical to have more than one. Competition, they say, could kill one of the two which could lead to economic losses for the country.
From my vantage point, however, the competition created among multiple airports encourages efficiency, innovation, and improved services. Airlines and airport authorities strive to attract passengers and businesses, resulting in the development of state-of-the-art facilities, enhanced connectivity, and cost-effective travel options. This competitive environment not only benefits consumers but also stimulates economic growth by attracting investments and promoting tourism.
Our country needs more than two airports. Most of the major cities in the world today have two, even three or more, major airports actively servicing its people. The development and maintenance of multiple airports within a country offers a myriad of advantages that extends beyond mere convenience for air travelers. These advantages encompass economic, logistical, and strategic benefits that contribute to the overall growth and resilience of a nation.
One of the primary advantages of having multiple airports is the positive economic impact they generate. Airports serve as crucial hubs for transportation, fostering trade, tourism, and business activities. With several airports distributed across a country, there is a decentralization of economic activities, leading to increased job opportunities and a more balanced regional development.
The strategic placement of multiple airports contributes to improved accessibility, reducing the burden on a single major airport. This decentralized approach makes air travel more convenient for a larger population, as people from various regions can access airports without enduring long journeys to a centralized location. Enhanced accessibility leads to increased air travel, fostering greater connectivity between cities and regions.
Furthermore, multiple airports cater to the diverse needs of passengers, with some focusing on domestic flights, others on international routes, and some serving as hubs for specific airlines. This specialization allows for optimized travel experiences, shorter travel times, and increased options for passengers, thereby contributing to a more efficient and user-friendly air transportation network.
The establishment of airports in different regions of a country promotes regional development by stimulating economic activities in previously underserved areas. Improved transportation infrastructure facilitates the movement of goods and people, encouraging investment, tourism, and business development in these regions. As a result, smaller towns and cities near airports experience increased economic opportunities, job creation, and a higher quality of life for their residents.
Moreover, airports often serve as catalysts for the development of surrounding areas, attracting businesses, hotels, and other amenities that contribute to the overall growth of the region. This decentralized development approach helps bridge the urban-rural divide and fosters a more equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.
From a strategic standpoint, having multiple airports enhances national security by reducing the vulnerability associated with a single major airport. In the event of emergencies, natural disasters, or security threats, having alternative airports allows for the continuity of air travel and ensures the resilience of the transportation network. Additionally, the dispersion of air traffic across multiple airports makes it more challenging for potential threats to target a single critical infrastructure, thus enhancing overall national security. – Rappler.com
Val A. Villanueva is a veteran business journalist. He was a former business editor of the Philippine Star and the Gokongwei-owned Manila Times. For comments, suggestions email him at mvala.v@gmail.com.
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Dela Rosa tells Marcos: Be man enough. Tell us if you allowed ICC to enter PH.
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Bonz Magsambol
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22/01/2024 17:09
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File photo of Senator Bato dela Rosa
Angie de Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has one appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in relation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war: be man enough.
“What I’m asking for this government is to be man enough to please tell us what is the real score. Sabihan lang. Walang problem diyan. Wala naman patalikod na transaksyon (Tell us. There’s no problem with that. Don’t do back-channeling transaction),” Dela Rosa told reporters on Monday, January 22, when asked about his reaction to the alleged presence of ICC personnel in the country in late 2023.
Dela Rosa’s latest remark is a different tune for him, as he, in the past, would say he was unbothered by the ICC probe. “Dedma lang. Dedma. Hayaan mo lang sila kung ano gusto nilang gawin (I just ignore it. Let them do what they want to do),” the senator said in July 2023.
“Kapag sinabihan mo ako noon na hindi sila puwede pumasok at ngayon nagbago ang ihip ng hangin, pumayag na kayo (If you told me before that they were not allowed to enter and now if you’ve changed your mind), please tell us. You are our President. You are our leader. Tell us, we know what to do,” Dela Rosa said.
But, in November 2023, Dela Rosa said that he felt reassured after his meeting with the President. Dela Rosa’s private conversation with Marcos came on the heels of House and Senate resolutions urging the Marcos government to cooperate with the ICC probe into Duterte’s notorious drug war that killed thousands.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes claimed on Sunday that ICC probers had visited the Philippines to gather evidence in relation to the Duterte drug war. He also alleged that an arrest warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte will be out soon, according to an Inquirer report. Trillanes cited “inside information,” adding that when the ICC comes back, it would be for the “for the purpose of obtaining enough evidence for the secondary level of accused or respondents.”
As the Duterte administration’s first chief of the Philippine National Police, Dela Rosa was regarded as the muscle of that infamous campaign. From July 2016 to October 2018 – a period that mostly covered Dela Rosa’s stint as PNP chief – the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said at least 4,999 were killed in police anti-drug operations. – Rappler.com
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According to Senator De La Rosa: “What I’m asking for this government is to be man enough to please tell us what is the real score.” But President Marcos Jr. is not stupid enough to be “man enough.” Telling Senator De La Rosa what “the real score” is helps Former President Digong Duterte, etc., to be prepared for their counter-action. Such counter-action may be in the form of a destabilization plot, flight to a faraway Island Country (like what former Rep. Arnulfo Teves had done), etc. At least President Marcos Jr. is not man enough and stupid enough to be fooled to divulge his plans.
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Bad trip! Even these international stars were victims of notorious Metro Manila traffic
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Ysa Abad
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22/01/2024 17:33
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Thanks to horrific traffic jams in and around Metro Manila, Filipino concertgoers know how important it is to iron out transportation methods and consider travel time on actual show dates. Case in point: not all ticket-holders were able to catch the finale set of Bruno Mars’ concert at the Philippine Arena in June 2023, as many of them were still stuck on the road.
Mobility has been an issue for millions of Filipinos for years. In fact, Metro Manila even topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time. According to their data, it takes 25 minutes and 30 seconds on average to travel 10 kilometers in Metro Manila, making it the slowest out of 387 cities across 55 countries worldwide.
And that’s on a regular day. For days with special events, like concerts, when thousands of people are expected to flock to a venue with restricted access points and limited transportation options (sorry, not everyone has the means to ride a chopper to attend a show), you can expect the traffic build-up to be a lot worse.
And what makes this terrible situation even more infuriating is that even the international celebrities headlining these concerts get affected by the gridlock. Here are just some instances:
During the recent concert of British rock band Coldplay at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, Chris Martin thanked the attendees for braving the infamous Philippine traffic just to see them perform live.
“We’ve seen some traffic. But I think you have the number one [traffic] in the world. Thank you for making the effort to come through all of that bullshit to be here,” he said during the Friday, January 19 show.
And it seemed like Martin really had enough of the congestion problems in the country as he even made an impromptu song about it during their Saturday, January 20 show.
“There is only really one thing that remains. The traffic here in Manila is completely insane. If you wanna drive somewhere, I’m warning you: a two-mile drive will take a week or two. If you wanna get back home in time for your bath, well you should allow yourself a year and a half. We can’t wait to play in Manila again but the traffic here is completely insane,” he sings.
“A 2-mile drive will take a week or 2…We can’t wait to play in Manila again but the traffic here is completely insane.”Coldplay lead vocalist Chris Martin makes fun of Manila traffic through an impromptu song last night. I wonder how the MMDA will take this.😅#ColdplayManila pic.twitter.com/9npRwKpzSU
During the Manila leg of his November 2022 The Journey is Everything concert tour, American rapper Russ had to delay the start of the show as many attendees were still stuck in traffic.
“Manila, the traffic is crazy so fans are late [getting] to the venue. My original time was 8:20 but [I’m going to] wait for everyone to show up and go around 8:45/9 [in the evening],” he said.
Manila the traffic is crazy so fans are late gettin to the venue. My original set time was 8:20 but imma wait for everyone to show up and go on around 8:45/9
He was only able to appear onstage past 10 pm, almost two hours from his initial scheduled time.
It was also the same story for South Korean-American rapper Jessi, who also had to delay the start of her September 2022 solo concert at the Mall of Asia Arena due to the heavy traffic on show day.
After starting the concert an hour from its original opening time, Jessi explained to the attendees why there was a delay.
“Thank you for waiting patiently. There was a delay, right? Because it was traffic and I wanted to make sure that all my fans were able to come,” she said.
South Korean-American R&B singer Eric Nam was in the Philippines in August 2023 for a series of promotional activities, and it seemed like the mobility situation in the country was too much for him.
“Manila, your traffic is unmatched,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
manila your traffic is unmatched
Even Songbird Supreme Mariah Carey wasn’t spared from the notorious Manila traffic.
While she was on her way to her concert at the Araneta Coliseum in October 2018, the singer posted a quick photo of the traffic jam on her Instagram stories with the caption: “Stuck in traffic in Manila.”
Another pop superstar who got affected by the traffic situation in the country was Madonna. During her February 2016 concert at the Mall of Asia Arena, the singer poked fun of it by singing: “Traffic in Manila every single fucking day.”
Stars! They’re just like us! – Rappler.com
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RUNNING LIST: President Marcos’ foreign trips in 2024
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Dwight de Leon
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22/01/2024 15:00
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TRAVEL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos fly to Malaysia for a state visit in July 2023.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has established himself as a frequent flyer, does not intend to slow down in 2024.
For this year, the Office of the President (OP) has been provided a budget of P1.4 billion for missions and state visits, as well as P1.1 billion for traveling expenses.
The amounts are a significant increase from what the OP had in its budget for traveling purposes in 2023.
Rappler tracks the countries that the President will visit in 2024.
Updated as of Apri 22, 2024
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) announced on January 24 that President Marcos will be the keynote speaker at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, dubbed as Asia’s premier defense summit, on May 31.
As per the IISS, he will join an esteemed list of heads of state who delivered a speech at the summit in the past, such as Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Malacañang has yet to confirm Marcos’ visits to the following countries. The list is based on international gatherings usually attended by the President, invitations that Malacañang received, and other statements that Philippine officials made in the past.
President Marcos and First Lazy Liza attended the royal wedding of Prince Abdul Mateen, the 10th child of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and businesswoman Yang Mulia Dayang Anisha Rosnah Binti Adam.
Marcos flew to Vietnam for a state visit upon the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Vo Van Thuong.
There, Marcos reiterated the agreements between Manila and Vietnam’s coast guards, and the two nation’s “cooperation and coordination” in the South China Sea. The two countries also inked an agreement on rice trade.
Marcos was in Canberra, Australia on February 28 to 29. As a guest of the government, he addressed the Australian Parliament, zeroing in on security issues. He also witnessed the signing of agreements on maritime domain, cyberspace, and antitrust between the Philippines and Australia.
The President returned to Australia on March 3, just a few days after his state visit to the country, to take part in the special summit in Melbourne between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia from March 4 to 6.
President Marcos was in Berlin in March for a working visit, meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The two countries signed agreements to strengthen cooperation on maritime issues and the upskilling of Filipino skilled workers.
After his trip to Germany, Marcos wrapped up his Central Europe tour with a state visit to the Czech Republic, where he met with President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, and President of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová.
President Marcos flew to Washington on April 10 to take part in the first-ever trilateral summit between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan on April 11. It was a meeting that ultimately zeroed in on the growing threat posed by China in the West Philippine Sea. – Rappler.com
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Dela Rosa tells Marcos: Be man enough. Tell us if you allowed ICC to enter PH.
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Bonz Magsambol
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22/01/2024 17:09
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File photo of Senator Bato dela Rosa
Angie de Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has one appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in relation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war: be man enough.
“What I’m asking for this government is to be man enough to please tell us what is the real score. Sabihan lang. Walang problem diyan. Wala naman patalikod na transaksyon (Tell us. There’s no problem with that. Don’t do back-channeling transaction),” Dela Rosa told reporters on Monday, January 22, when asked about his reaction to the alleged presence of ICC personnel in the country in late 2023.
Dela Rosa’s latest remark is a different tune for him, as he, in the past, would say he was unbothered by the ICC probe. “Dedma lang. Dedma. Hayaan mo lang sila kung ano gusto nilang gawin (I just ignore it. Let them do what they want to do),” the senator said in July 2023.
“Kapag sinabihan mo ako noon na hindi sila puwede pumasok at ngayon nagbago ang ihip ng hangin, pumayag na kayo (If you told me before that they were not allowed to enter and now if you’ve changed your mind), please tell us. You are our President. You are our leader. Tell us, we know what to do,” Dela Rosa said.
But, in November 2023, Dela Rosa said that he felt reassured after his meeting with the President. Dela Rosa’s private conversation with Marcos came on the heels of House and Senate resolutions urging the Marcos government to cooperate with the ICC probe into Duterte’s notorious drug war that killed thousands.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes claimed on Sunday that ICC probers had visited the Philippines to gather evidence in relation to the Duterte drug war. He also alleged that an arrest warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte will be out soon, according to an Inquirer report. Trillanes cited “inside information,” adding that when the ICC comes back, it would be for the “for the purpose of obtaining enough evidence for the secondary level of accused or respondents.”
As the Duterte administration’s first chief of the Philippine National Police, Dela Rosa was regarded as the muscle of that infamous campaign. From July 2016 to October 2018 – a period that mostly covered Dela Rosa’s stint as PNP chief – the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said at least 4,999 were killed in police anti-drug operations. – Rappler.com
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According to Senator De La Rosa: “What I’m asking for this government is to be man enough to please tell us what is the real score.” But President Marcos Jr. is not stupid enough to be “man enough.” Telling Senator De La Rosa what “the real score” is helps Former President Digong Duterte, etc., to be prepared for their counter-action. Such counter-action may be in the form of a destabilization plot, flight to a faraway Island Country (like what former Rep. Arnulfo Teves had done), etc. At least President Marcos Jr. is not man enough and stupid enough to be fooled to divulge his plans.
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Finance Secretary Ralph Recto completes Bangko Sentral’s Monetary Board
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lkyu0285
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22/01/2024 16:45
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OATH. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. leads Finance Secretary Ralph Recto's oath-taking ceremony as Monetary Board member.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Ralph Recto took his oath of office as the government sector representative to the Monetary Board (MB), the powerful seven-member group that steers the country’s monetary policy.
Recto took his oath on Monday, January 22, in a ceremony administered by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr.
The finance secretary, whose appointment to the Cabinet was announced on January 11, is the latest and final addition to the board. Benjamin Diokno, a former BSP governor and the finance secretary before Recto, also joined the MB days earlier on Tuesday, January 16.
From left to right in the image below, the Monetary Board now includes:
Before Monday’s official announcement, BSP officials were hesitant to confirm that Recto would sit as the government sector representative on the MB. Although a finance secretary often takes the seat of the government representative on the board, officials pointed out this wasn’t a hard rule. For instance, BSP officials said, secretaries from the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic and Development Authority have served as the board’s government representative in the past.
“For now, there’s an appointed secretary of finance but me personally, I’m not sure if the secretary of finance will sit as a member of the Monetary Board because the provision says representative from the government,” BSP Deputy Governor of the Corporate Services Sector Eduardo Bobier said during a media information session on Friday, January 19.
Recto’s own appointment as finance secretary was preceded by months of rumors that Diokno was on his way out of the Cabinet. (READ: LIST: Signs that Recto was replacing Diokno as finance chief)
Now, his current seat at the MB comes with the responsibility of helping steer the country’s monetary policy and supervising its financial institutions. This includes raising, lowering, or maintaining its key policy rate in a bid to limit inflation.
The position also comes with a fat purse. MB members are consistently among the highest-paid officials in the government every year. In 2022, the list of top paid officials was dominated by MB members, such as then-BSP governor Felipe Medalla (P34.172 million) and Diokno (P28.781 million), as well as Anita Aquino (P26.362 million), Bruce Tolentino (P25.679 million), Peter Favila (P24.389 million), and Antonio Abacan Jr. (P24.026 million). – Rappler.com
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Occidental Mindoro faces 14% childhood stunting prevalence
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Herbie G
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22/01/2024 16:21
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AID. The Abra de Ilog Municipal Health Office distributes garden tools and seedlings to Mangyans in Barangay Balao on March 9, 2023.
courtesy of Whenalin Alvarez
MANILA, Philippines – About one in seven children in Occidental Mindoro, from newborns to around five years old are stunted, with a 14% prevalence rate. Of this, 5.66% are children from the province’s indigenous communities.
Ada Sunuran, a 44-year-old mother from the Iraya Mangyan tribe in Abra de Ilog, faced the challenge of undernutrition with all five of her children.
Despite working irregular jobs for three to four days a week, Ada relies on her husband’s P300 income to feed their family. This financial constraint means they can only afford to eat twice a day.
To cope with these challenges, they mainly depend on their municipal health office’s “One Egg a Day” program.
Stunting, or pagkabansot, refers to being too short for one’s age and is an essential measure used by national agencies for nutrition planning, alongside wasting, a condition characterized by severe loss of body weight and muscle mass.
There are 1,760 stunted and severely stunted preschoolers in Abra de Ilog. With a 44% prevalence rate, the municipality topped the list of municipalities with the highest cases of stunting in the Mimaropa region, followed by its neighboring town, Paluan at 31.3%.
In 2022, both towns ranked second and third behind Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, for the municipalities with the highest prevalence of stunting among Filipino children, 59 months old and younger, based on the latest Electronic Operation Timbang (e-OPT) Plus results of the National Nutrition Council (NNC).
From 15.92% in 2021, the prevalence rate of stunting in Occidental Mindoro shrank to 14% in 2023, while the rate in the Mimaropa region also declined to 12.12% last year from 15.4% stunting prevalence in 2021.
For Abra de Ilog Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO) Erly Belen, poverty is the most dominant factor behind the town’s years-long strike in the NNC ranking.
Due to lack sources of income, many indigenous families have to limit their meals to only twice a day. Some depend on local government feeding programs and nutrition services, which often prove insufficient to provide daily meals for their families, especially those with many members.
As of December 2023, the IBON Foundation reported a family living wage of P1,196 in the Mimaropa region, while the minimum wage was P395. A P40 increase was approved last November.
Poverty led local nutrition offices to implement livelihood programs prioritizing the IPs, including the “Gulayan sa bakuran” (vegetable farm in the yard) program, which distributed garden tools and seedlings to the communities. A goat dispersal project was also given to 93 beneficiaries in Abra de Ilog last May.
Michelle Bernardo, Paluan’s MNAO, said challenges like geographical isolation and adverse weather conditions hinder the Mangyan communities’ ability to travel downhill and buy supplies on the mainland even if they have the funds to buy goods. This, she said, is especially true for Indigenous Peoples (IPs) living in mountainous and island barangays.
Bernardo pointed out that some Mangyan communities do not even have access to safe drinking water, making them vulnerable to water-related health risks.
Kayla Marie Espejo, a nutritionist-dietitian at the Occidental Mindoro Provincial Health Office, said there was a need to further strengthen the barangay nutrition functionality in the province.
Espejo, PHO nutritionist-dietitian, Glenda Cortuna, and Josielyn Manzano, acting provincial nutrition action officer, said funding and attention to the health sector, particularly nutrition programs, were lacking.
They said the deployment of full-time nutrition officers in some local governments also faced delays. These officers would have concentrated on improving nutrition in specific communities within the province.
Belen noted that there were instances when Mangyan families themselves sometimes showed less cooperation with their programs. She said some IP families have not even participated even when food was provided through a feeding program and the only thing needed was for them to collect them from the barangay health station (BHS).
NNC-Mimaropa Nutrition Program Coordinator Ma. Eileen Blanco, however, said some IPs were preserving their culture, and these cultural practices should be respected. Instead of changing their culture, the focus should be on teaching them basic healthcare activities, she said.
“Our goal is not to contradict cultures. We should converse on how to make our programs culture-sensitive. We are willing to cooperate but they have cultures that are not applicable to us and we have ones that are not to them,” Blanco said.
In July 2023, the NNC reported that only 13.8% of Filipino children aged six to 23 months are receiving a needed diet for optimal growth.
The Occidental Mindoro PHO is now planning to focus more on strengthening health programs for pregnant Mangyan women to ensure good nutrition for the first 1,000 days of indigenous children and prevent new cases of stunting in the province. – Rappler.com
Chris Burnet Ramos is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.
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Samar group gears up for international street dancing competition in Singapore
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Herbie G
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22/01/2024 14:08
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DANCE. Members of the group Extreme Phenomena III show what they can do in one of their competitions in 2023.
courtesy of LGU Allen
SAMAR, Philippines – A dance group from Catarman, Northern Samar, has been selected as one of Philippine representatives to compete in the World Supremacy Battleground (WSB) Asia 2024 in Singapore from January 26 to 29.
The group, however, is at risk of being unable to compete in Singapore unless it can raise enough funds.
The 16-member group, Extreme Phenomena III, is mostly composed of students and was formed in 2021. It currently represents the third generation of young dancers in the group since its inception. They have been participating in school-based, local, and national competitions in different parts of the country.
Their participation in the Luzon Leg of the WSB Philippines in Bulacan in 2022 landed them a spot in the Top 4 finalists, earning them the chance to represent the Philippines in WSB Asia this year.
The group was supposed to participate in the WSB International Championship in Australia in October 2023 but was unable to compete due to financial constraints.
Now, they fear that they might have to resort to borrowing money just to participate in their upcoming competition.
“First time na merong dance group mula sa lugar namin na magpa-participate sa international competition… Kaya if di namin maabot yung need na money, baka mangutang na lang kami para lang makapunta doon,” said John Cris Tan, the group’s leader.
(It’s the first time that a dance group from our area will participate in an international competition… If we can’t raise the needed funds, we might have to resort to borrowing just to go there.)
The group has also been training and rehearsing constantly as they prepare for the competition, with most of their time being devoted to consolidating monetary donations to raise funds before their scheduled trip to Singapore on January 23.
Unfortunately, only 13 out of the 16 members will be able to compete in Singapore due to passport issues with the other three members.
Despite pooling earnings from competition prizes and fundraising efforts, the group still needs around P200,000 to cover their accommodation and transportation expenses in Singapore.
“Sana suportahan niyo po kami sa WSB sa Singapore. We will not only represent yung lugar namin, kundi buong Pilipinas. Salamat din sa lahat ng mga tumulong. Laban lang!” Tan added.
(We hope we can get support as we compete in the WSB in Singapore. We will not only represent our place but the entire Philippines. Thanks to everyone who helped. We will just keep fighting!)
Aside from Extreme Phenomena III, other Filipino groups are scheduled to compete in the open, monster, cell, and tertiary division in WSB in Singapore.
The World Supremacy Battleground stands as the Southern Hemisphere’s longest-running street dance competition, bringing together participants from six continents over its 16-year history. – Rappler.com
Jerry Yubal Jr. is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.
Those who want to support Extreme Phenomena III may get in touch with the group through 09451766221.
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Kris Aquino says health issue has become ‘more complex,’ bares onset of lupus
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Ysa Abad
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22/01/2024 11:29
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MANILA, Philippines – Kris Aquino promised her loved ones that she wouldn’t be a “wimp” during her treatment, given that an onset of lupus has made her health issues “more complex.”
On Sunday, January 21, the media personality shared her first health update in around two months, saying that she’s “felt very weak” since Thanksgiving 2023 in the United States.
“I lost my appetite, my headaches were on a daily basis, the cold weather didn’t bother me at all,” she recalled. In her three-part Instagram post, Kris also shared clips of her getting treatment, as well as photos of her with relatives and friends visiting her in the hospital.
She added that she was reluctant to share her pictures as she had lost some weight and her hemoglobin levels had also gone down.
“The doctors told me that unless I put serious effort into eating real food with high iron content…I would be endangering my heart’s health,” she said.
Kris said that because of this development, she had to get her blood drawn twice, partly for a thorough autoimmune blood panel.
“I cried nonstop when I got my blood panel results,” she wrote. “My Churg Strauss/EGPA is still being treated, but to add to it my crest syndrome is now in full active mode.”
Kris continued that she was also exhibiting many symptoms for another autoimmune disease, including high inflammatory numbers, anemia, constant elevated blood pressure at night, and the constant appearance of a “butterfly rash” on her face.
“It’s highly likely…that I’m at the initial stage of SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) or what’s commonly known as lupus,” she said.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, lupus “occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues. It causes inflammation, and in some cases permanent tissue damage, which can be widespread – affecting the skin, joints, heart, lung, kidneys, circulating blood cells, and brain.”
With this, she shared that her doctors had increased some of her medicine dosages. Despite her health journey taking a toll on her, however, Kris declared that her “faith is still strong.”
“My battle has become more complex. But I promised my sons and my sisters — I won’t be a wimp. And I’m promising all my friends plus all who continue to pray for me: bawal sumuko, tuloy pa rin ang laban (we won’t give up, we’ll continue to fight),” she said.
In her caption, she also expressed her gratitude for the support that she’s been receiving throughout this ordeal.
“My prayer for more tomorrows. Thank you for the love,” she said.
In a separate post, she wrote: “2024, please be kind.”
Since 2018, Kris has been battling a number of autoimmune diseases. She was first diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria and was additionally diagnosed with erosive gastritis and a gastric ulcer in March 2022.
She went to the US in June 2022 to receive treatment for her autoimmune diseases and has been there since.
In August 2023, the 52-year-old shared that she’s “finally on the path to remission.”
In November 2023, she shared positive news about her improving health, with her autoimmune markers slowly showing signs of improvement. – Rappler.com
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Kris Aquino says health issue has become ‘more complex,’ bares onset of lupus
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Ysa Abad
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22/01/2024 11:29
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MANILA, Philippines – Kris Aquino promised her loved ones that she wouldn’t be a “wimp” during her treatment, given that an onset of lupus has made her health issues “more complex.”
On Sunday, January 21, the media personality shared her first health update in around two months, saying that she’s “felt very weak” since Thanksgiving 2023 in the United States.
“I lost my appetite, my headaches were on a daily basis, the cold weather didn’t bother me at all,” she recalled. In her three-part Instagram post, Kris also shared clips of her getting treatment, as well as photos of her with relatives and friends visiting her in the hospital.
She added that she was reluctant to share her pictures as she had lost some weight and her hemoglobin levels had also gone down.
“The doctors told me that unless I put serious effort into eating real food with high iron content…I would be endangering my heart’s health,” she said.
Kris said that because of this development, she had to get her blood drawn twice, partly for a thorough autoimmune blood panel.
“I cried nonstop when I got my blood panel results,” she wrote. “My Churg Strauss/EGPA is still being treated, but to add to it my crest syndrome is now in full active mode.”
Kris continued that she was also exhibiting many symptoms for another autoimmune disease, including high inflammatory numbers, anemia, constant elevated blood pressure at night, and the constant appearance of a “butterfly rash” on her face.
“It’s highly likely…that I’m at the initial stage of SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) or what’s commonly known as lupus,” she said.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, lupus “occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues. It causes inflammation, and in some cases permanent tissue damage, which can be widespread – affecting the skin, joints, heart, lung, kidneys, circulating blood cells, and brain.”
With this, she shared that her doctors had increased some of her medicine dosages. Despite her health journey taking a toll on her, however, Kris declared that her “faith is still strong.”
“My battle has become more complex. But I promised my sons and my sisters — I won’t be a wimp. And I’m promising all my friends plus all who continue to pray for me: bawal sumuko, tuloy pa rin ang laban (we won’t give up, we’ll continue to fight),” she said.
In her caption, she also expressed her gratitude for the support that she’s been receiving throughout this ordeal.
“My prayer for more tomorrows. Thank you for the love,” she said.
In a separate post, she wrote: “2024, please be kind.”
Since 2018, Kris has been battling a number of autoimmune diseases. She was first diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria and was additionally diagnosed with erosive gastritis and a gastric ulcer in March 2022.
She went to the US in June 2022 to receive treatment for her autoimmune diseases and has been there since.
In August 2023, the 52-year-old shared that she’s “finally on the path to remission.”
In November 2023, she shared positive news about her improving health, with her autoimmune markers slowly showing signs of improvement. – Rappler.com
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Para-para-paradise: Which local celebs attended Coldplay’s concert in PH Arena?
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Ysa Abad
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22/01/2024 13:45
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MANILA, Philippines – Filipino celebrities were among the thousands of fans who flocked to the Philippine Arena on January 19 and 20 to watch Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres concert.
Among the songs they performed were “Something Like This,” “Sky Full of Stars,” “Yellow,” “Fix You,” “Paradise,” “My Universe,” and “Viva La Vida,” among others.
But one of the main highlights of the show was when Coldplay shared the stage with local acts — Lola Amour on the first night and Dilaw on the second night.
The “Raining in Manila” hitmakers described the whole experience as “surreal.”
“Still can’t believe this happened. Thank you Coldplay for this once in a lifetime experience,” band Lola Amour wrote.
Meanwhile, Dilaw perormed their hit single “Uhaw” alongside Coldplay. On social media, the band said that they still haven’t gotten over the experience.
“Umpisa palang ng taon parang season-ender feels na agad,” they added.
(The year has just started but it already feels like a season-ender.)
Celebrity couple Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos also shared clips of them singing along to Coldplay’s songs.
Julie Anne San Jose, who watched the concert with boyfriend Rayver Cruz, praised the band for still being “the best.”
“So grateful for this experience,” she added.
Isabelle Daza was also all-praises for the band, saying that she was even moved to tears during Coldplay’s performance of “Everglow.”
“Every song was performed with heart,” she wrote. “I forgot what live music can do for the soul.”
Sarah Lahbati was ecstatic to attend the concert with her eldest son, Zion.
“What a blessing to share this moment with you, my love,” she captioned their photos.
Sofia Andres also expressed her happiness in being able to see Coldplay perform live.
“Finally,” she wrote, alongside clips she took during the concert.
Alexa Ilacad shared that attending a Coldplay concert was part of her bucket list.
“Truly the best concert experience so far,” she added.
Marco Gallo went to the concert with loveteam partner Heaven Peralejo. The actor said that their first concert together was “one of the most magical nights with [her].”
Maine Mendoza said that she felt nothing but “happiness” during the concert, which she attended with husband Arjo Atayde.
Shaina Magdayao shared that she might not get over Coldplay’s concert any time soon. She also thanked the band for being “generous with [their] light.”
The two-night show served as the Grammy-winning British rock band’s return to the country after nearly seven years. – Rappler.com
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Ronaldo Valdez case: A grieving family’s pushback vs invasion of privacy
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Jairo Bolledo
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18/01/2024 18:33
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MANILA, Philippines – Veteran actor Ronaldo Valdez left an indelible mark on the Philippine entertainment industry due to his unforgettable performances in countless movies and television shows.
He passed away in December last year at age 76. Valdez’s death did not only crush his loved ones’ hearts, but also signaled the start of a painful battle.
Singer Janno Gibbs held a press conference on January 15 to air their sentiments about the unfortunate events that followed after his father’s passing. Gibbs, speaking to media, slammed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and demanded an apology from them due to the leak of his father’s video.
“Such reckless actions of certain individuals in leaking sensitive information are deeply alarming, not just for my family, but for society as a whole. We therefore demand that the PNP and the officers directly accountable for the lapses in the investigation make a public apology for the breach of trust and the trauma caused to my family,” the singer said.
On the same day, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) of the National Capital Region Police Office issued an apology.
“The QCPD extends its sincere apologies to the Gibbs family regarding the recent incident where a member of our police force inappropriately took a video of the late Mr. Ronaldo Valdez. We acknowledge the gravity of this lapse in judgment of some of our personnel, and we deeply regret any distress this may have caused,” it said.
A video showing the retrieval of Valdez’s bloodied body made the rounds on social media. Gibbs said the video went viral on the same day the incident happened. Not only that, their family address, as well as the confidential details behind his father’s passing, also circulated, the singer added.
“Ang sagot sa ‘kin, ‘Naku, sir. Hindi natin maiiwasan ‘yan kasi pinapasa talaga namin sa mga superiors sa iba-ibang ano. Hindi talaga maiiwasan ‘yan,‘” Gibbs said, narrating the police’s response to him about the leak. (Their response to me: “That’s inevitable, sir, because we send those information to our superiors and to others. That’s really inevitable.”)
What made things worse was the disinformation on Gibbs – some vloggers accused him of being involved in his father’s demise. During the presser, Gibbs mentioned the vloggers’ names and the misleading headlines they used.
“Ganito na ba kababa, kadesperado ang mga vloggers for likes and views at the expense of our lives, my father’s reputation, my family? Gano’n na ba talaga kadesperado?” Gibbs said.
“Sa kanilang lahat, ‘yong mga binanggit ko, at pati sa lahat ng netizens na nag-share, nagpasa ng video, I want to say shame on you, or better yet, fuck you. I think that’s the better statement,” he added.
(Is this how low, desperate vloggers are for likes and views, at the expense of our loves, my father’s reputation, my family. Is this how desperate you really are? To all those I’ve mentioned and to all the netizens who shared the video, I want to say shame on you, or better yet, fuck you. I think that’s the better statement.)
An article by Rappler also fact-checked a claim that Gibbs was involved in his father’s passing over an alleged inheritance feud. The Rappler’s fact-check team rated the claim as false.
In a report, the QCPD explained that the video in question was taken by personnel of QCPD station 11 (Galas) who first responded to the incident.
Citing the investigation of the Quezon City Anti-Cybercrime Team, the QCPD said another personnel of Galas police station posted Valdez’s video in a Viber group. The probe also disclosed that three Facebook accounts of civilians were identified as the first to upload the video and compilation of photos.
QCPD chief Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan ordered the relief of the Galas police station commander, citing command responsibility. The two police personnel who took and shared the video were also relieved from their assignments.
The commander and the two personnel were reassigned to the QCPD’s personnel holding administrative section, the QCPD said, pending the investigation.
Relief from posts is different from dismissal because the latter means the cops would no longer be part of the police force. Relief, meanwhile, means they would be removed from their current positions and would be reassigned to a different post.
The Valdez incident was high-profile not only because it involved a celebrity, but also because it revealed lapses in the police’s handling of a crime scene. It involved a breach of the family’s privacy.
Lawyer Lorna Kapunan, Gibbs’ counsel, reiterated that the Gibbs’ family has a right to privacy.
“For ongoing investigation, dapat walang leakage. Meron tayong privacy ng family, meron din tayong confidential data and information. So mishandling talaga (There should not be leakage for any ongoing investigation. The family should have privacy, and there’s also confidential data and information. So this is really mishandling,” the family’s counsel said.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun reiterated Kapunan’s point.
“Yes, you may take pics and videos to document. Definitely not to be carelessly released especially to the public,” Fortun said.
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers president Ephraim Cortez, meanwhile, also believes there is liability on the part of authorities: “As to the liability of the police officers who leaked the photo, they are administratively liable. While its publication, without consent of the relative, violates their right to privacy.”
Valdez is not the first celebrity death that involves privacy concerns.
When basketball superstar Kobe Bryant passed away due to a helicopter crash in January 2020, some photos of the incident were leaked. Vanessa Bryant, the basketball superstar’s wife, sued some agencies and employees of the Los Angeles County for sharing the said photos. The New York Times summarized Vanessa’s legal battle in a comprehensive report.
Bryant shared in her testimony the pain she went through after finding out about the leakage. She accused the Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and employees of the fire department of negligence and invasion of privacy, the US-based news agency reported.
During the court proceedings, Bryant’s lawyers noted that “close-up pictures” of the basketball superstar and his daughter “were passed around on at least 28 Sheriff’s Department devices and by at least a dozen firefighters.” Bryant’s arguments also mentioned that some social media users also saw the photos, the New York Times added.
In response, the Los Angeles County said the photos were shared, but argued they were deleted. Last year, on February 28, the New York Times reported that Bryant and the county had a settlement, where the latter agreed to pay the family $28.85 million over the leak.
Unlike the Bryant family, Gibbs said they have decided not to pursue a complaint against those involved in the leak.
“Naisip ko, no amount of damages, pera, no amount of that can erase ‘yong trauma. Nandiyan na eh, nangyari na…No amount of money or jail time can erase this,” the singer explained. (I thought, no amount of damages, money, no amount of that can erase the trauma. It’s there, it already happened.)
“I do not wish this on anybody else that’s why I’m doing this. Ayoko nang mangyari sa ibang tao itong nangyari sa amin (I don’t want others to experience what we went through),” he added.
Regardless, the cops involved in the leakage of Valdez’s video will face necessary sanctions. The QCPD said a total of five cops will face the following administrative charges, with dismissal from service as possible maximum penalty.
Three police officers will also face a charge for neglect of duty due to command responsibility. Aside from the cops, the QCPD said “legal actions” will also be initiated against civilians under data privacy and cybercrime prevention acts over the unauthorized dissemination of Valdez’s video. – Rappler.com
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Ebe Dancel celebrates 20th anniversary of landmark Sugarfree 2nd album ‘Dramachine’
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Marguerite de Leon
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22/01/2024 12:13
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Amplified Entertainment
The following is a press release from Amplified Entertainment.
Two decades ago, a collection of songs were released by a band that was steadily rising to the top, yet still unaware of the impact that the album would have on both music fans and the overall landscape of local music. Songs that simply were painfully honest, melodically soaring, and lyrically on-point in capturing the sentiments and emotions of a generation that was going through the very same aches of growing up its chief songwriter was going through.
The band was Sugarfree. At the helm was its chief songwriter Ebe Dancel, and that album was Dramachine.
Now an accomplished solo artist with a ton more OPM classics under his belt, Dancel is taking a trip down memory lane and will be treating fans to a night of nostalgia and bittersweet anthems that will surely have audiences singing-along (and maybe even shedding a few tears…) with his upcoming Dramachine: 20 Years show this January 26th at 123 Block Mandaluyong.
Featuring an impressive lineup of songs in Dancel’s extensive repertoire of hits and favorites, the celebrated album will definitely be performed in its entirety, including standout hit singles like “Prom,” and “Hari Ng Sablay,” fan faves like “Kwentuhan,” and tear jerking anthems like “Kandila,” “Tulog Na,” and “Kwarto,” among others. Dancel will be joined by an impressive cast of musicians, including former Sugarfree drummer Mitch Singson. Jam Quijano will be opening the evening as well.
Asked if he had any inkling during the album’s creation that those songs would forever resonate with listeners decades later, Dancel humbly states: “I don’t think I have an answer for that – they were just songs written by an average guy about everyday life…. I never thought of the songs to be arena songs or anthems – I just made sure it was something I could sing along to.”
When further asked how the creative process for Dramachine was, Dancel shares: “I remember we were touring almost every day for weeks – we’d be in the studio writing and recording, then rush to a gig in the evening and would come back to the studio after to see what we could finish. It was fun, and because we were young, we could bounce back from anything…and it was produced by Raymund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala, who gave us the freedom to do what we wanted.”
Truly, this is a show that no serious die-hard would want to miss. Presented by Balcony Entertainment, tickets for the show are now available online via event partner Backspacer Records, but they’re going fast – regular tickets are at P1,200 and special tickets which include the vinyl and official merchandise are still available at P3,300+.
“It’s a celebration of the album that introduced us to the whole country,” Dancel says, when asked what fans can expect of the show. “Come for the songs and the memories – eat, drink, and sing along; throughout the years, the fans are still what keeps me in the industry…. This show will also kick off my 25th year in the business: I am eternally grateful that there are a lot of reasons for all of us to celebrate.” – Rappler.com
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Carlos Yulo zeroes in on pet events in Olympic medal bid
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 18:03
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BALANCE. The Philippines' Carlos Edriel Yulo in action during the men's floor exercise final in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
Yves Herman/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – In order to win an Olympic medal, Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo knows he has to play to his strengths.
Putting more thought into his pet events, Yulo ramps up his preparation for the Paris Games this year by joining a string of international competitions in the coming months.
“I’m paying attention to the all-around but I’m focused on my three best apparatuses, which are parallel bars, floor exercise, and vault,” Yulo told Power and Play with Noli Eala in a mix of Filipino and English.
Yulo won all six of his world championship medals from those three events.
The pint-sized dynamo captured gold (2019) and bronze (2018) in floor exercise, gold (2021) and silver (2022) in vault, and silver (2021) and bronze (2022) in parallel bars in the global gymnastics showdown.
He is also the reigning titleholder in those three apparatuses in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
“I have a really strong chance of winning a medal in floor and vault. Those are the two events that I dedicate my time to. Every day, I plan what I’m going to do in floor and vault,” Yulo said.
Despite his success in the international scene, the end of last year proved to be a rough patch as he struggled in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Antwerp, Belgium from September to October.
Although Yulo ultimately qualified for Paris, his medal streak in the world championships got busted after reaching only the floor exercise final, where he finished fourth.
That ill-fated world championship run came months after Yulo parted ways with longtime Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, a split that also put a spotlight on his personal life involving his family and romantic relationship.
Yulo, though, is simply taking the good with the bad.
“I matured from the challenges that I faced. I accepted all of my mistakes. I’m super happy now because of the people who truly support me,” he said.
Yulo will see action in a pair of FIG World Cup Series tiffs in Baku, Azerbaijan in March and in Doha, Qatar in April before he competes in the Asian championships in Hong Kong in May.
Currently training in the Philippines under Filipino mentor Aldrin Castaneda, Yulo is set for a series of overseas camps in South Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, and Paris.
“I want my body to get used to different environments and time zones,” said Yulo. “I want to learn their styles and add them to my own.” – Rappler.com
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AFP’s first woman spox: Cyber expert with presidential security experience
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Bea Cupin
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21/01/2024 11:42
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NEW SPOKESPERSON. Colonel Francel Padilla is the AFP's first woman spokesperson.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – When Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla speaks of her 2023 achievements, she is quick to use the pronoun “we,” as if winning Global Security Woman Leader of the Year is an endeavor you can attribute to any and all Filipino.
Padilla, a military officer with a career spanning nearly three decades, is the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s new spokesperson – the first woman to hold the post in over 88 years of its existence.
“It underscores the thrust of the AFP to embrace diversity and promote inclusivity,” said Padilla in an interview with state-run PTV4’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
Padilla’s new role comes at a crucial time for the military. It’s just beginning to shift its focus from internal security to external threats, as a nation in the middle of “the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now,” according to its commander-in-chief, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Her previous experience will also come in handy, as the Philippines works to beef up its cyber and info-security infrastructure.
Technology is the throughline of Padilla’s career.
In 2023, she won Global Cybersecurity Woman Leader of the Year, besting nominees from 62 countries. Years prior, she was recognized as among the Top 30 Women in Security in ASEAN for 2021, having been among the Top 10 Women in Cyber Security in the Philippines in 2020.
She’ also been recognized as an “Epic Woman in Cyber” and a “Wonder Woman in Tech,” according to her official profile.
Speaking to PTV4, Padilla said it was during her time in the Presidential Security Group under the late Benigno Aquino III that she first dove deep into the world of cyber security.
“During the time of [Aquino], we greatly enhanced the digitization of the PSG,” recalled Padilla, who said they worked on setting up server farms and enhancing the cyber security wing of the group tasked to secure the President, top government officials, and visiting dignitaries.
Her PSG stint wasn’t her first interaction with the Philippines’ chief executive. During the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Padilla was among her uniformed aides.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Padilla was designated the information system officer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, according to a Philippine Information Agency report.
Padilla refers to herself as a “certified ethical hacker,” among other designations. She’s also conducted lectures abroad, and served as mentor to other cybersecurity-focused soldiers.
In a predominantly male organization, Padilla has other firsts under her belt.
She was the first woman battalion commander of the Philippine Army, when she was appointed commander of the 7th Signal Battalion in the Northern Luzon Area of Operations. As 7th Signal Battalion chief, Padilla oversaw the entire NOLCOM’s command, control, communications, and cyber systems.
The newly-minted spokesperson says her NOLCOM experience will be key in her new role as spokesperson. “I have first-hand connections to all these commanders,” she said. NOLCOM covers Northern and Central Luzon.
Her cybersecurity experience will come in handy, as the AFP reconfigures Horizon 3 – or its modernization plan for the coming years. Padilla said the details of Horizon 3 have yet to be finalized and approved, but it will definitely include ship and aircraft upgrades, as well as improvements in the military’s communications.
Padilla is a pistol expert, a VVIP or very, very important person protector, and a judoka.
In her profile, she puts a premium on her role as a “devoted mother of two wonderful sons.” Her two children are now adults, said Padilla, with at least one done with formal education.
Padilla is the widow of the late Felicisimo Esteban Taborlupa Jr., who was also her mistah from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2000. Taborlupa, who retired early from the military to join the Philippine Coast Guard, died in a helicopter crash in Batangas that also claimed the life of businessman Angelo King.
Asked how her late husband would have reacted to her pioneering post as the first woman spokesperson of the AFP, Padilla did not take long to consider. “Full support by the looks of it,” she said.
Padilla is concurrently the Group Commander of the Media and Civil Affairs Group of the Civil Relations Service of the AFP. – Rappler.com
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Congratulations to Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla. May you greatly contribute to the communications needs of our Armed Forces, especially in the newest battlefield: Cyberwarfare. Your contributions to this field will certainly benefit the Filipino People.
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Tim Cone philosophy on assembling PH teams unchanged: Get the best players
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 17:09
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MASTERMIND. Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone reacts during a game in the 19th Asian Games.
Marko Djurica/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – If Gilas Pilipinas intends to compete with the rest of the world, it needs the best players in the country to suit up.
That is the way Tim Cone sees it as he weighed in on the future of the national team after admitting he has been in talks with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to coach the squad.
Cone called the shots for one of the most stacked Philippine crews in history when he guided the 1998 Centennial Team that featured the likes of Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, and Johnny Abarrientos to an Asian Games bronze.
Nearly three decades later, his philosophy of putting together a national team remains unchanged.
“I’ve always firmly believed from back in 1998 when I coached there that you got to go out and get the best players in the country to represent you if you want to have a chance against the Europeans and the Americas or even teams like China, Lebanon, Iran, Australia,” said Cone.
“You can’t go with lesser teams and expect to beat those guys. Can you? Is that a fair expectation? Is that a reasonable expectation? You bring your 12 best players, that’s a reasonable expectation.”
Cone, though, knows it is easier said than done.
After all, national team players are scattered all over Asia, with a bunch of them signed to clubs in the Japan B. League and Korean Basketball League.
Others are still in college like reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao.
“You got to figure out a way to get the stakeholders to allow you to get the best players in the country, including the PBA, Japan, and Korea, and allow them to give you the time to work with these guys,” said the 66-year-old mentor.
“It’s not a simple thing.”
Cone said the SBP can also go a different route by assembling a squad of young players and allowing them to develop as a team for years.
But that option comes with considerable challenges.
“Two things with that in my mind, you’re not sending your best players, because they won’t be your best players. Number two, can you keep young guys together for a long time?” said Cone.
“We’ve proven over and over again that young guys want to grow and do other things. It’s hard to keep a team together for four, five years to get them to reach their full potential.”
Although he has his own way of thinking, Cone left it to the SBP to decide which path the national team will take.
“They are the ones making the decisions, not me.”
Cone, who holds a record 25 PBA championships, became a frontrunner for the coaching post after steering the Philippines last year to its first title in Asian Games basketball since 1962.
With him at the helm, the Philippines dethroned China with a miraculous win in the semifinals and overcame erstwhile unbeaten Jordan in the championship game in the continental games in Hangzhou, China.
Gilas Pilipinas returns to action next month for the opening window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, where the Nationals will face Hong Kong in an away game on February 22 and will host Chinese Taipei on February 25. – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: Romualdez not replaced as House Speaker
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Lorenz Pasion
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22/01/2024 11:54
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Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. removed House Speaker Martin Romualdez from office following the latest push for charter change among members of Congress.
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in several videos alleging Romualdez’s removal as House speaker.
A video from YouTube channel TAONG KALYE, posted on January 18, bore a thumbnail with the text: “PBBM napuno na kay Tambaloslos, Gloria ipapalit na Speaker, hindi nagustuhan ang galaw ni Martin (PBBM is fed up with Tambaloslos, Gloria will be next Speaker. He didn’t like Martin’s actions).” The thumbnail includes images of Marcos, Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Romualdez, referred to as “Tambaloslos” – a reference to Vice President Sara Duterte’s cryptic remarks in May 2023. As of writing, the video gained 23,359 views, 951 likes, and 142 comments.
A similar video uploaded by Showbiz Sports Fanatics on January 14 uses the thumbnail with the text, “Nag-desisyon na, PBBM at Imee tanggalin na si Tamba (Decision is made, PBBM and Imee will remove Tamba).” It has 67,397 views, 1,100 likes, and 153 comments.
The facts: Romualdez is still the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the current 19th Congress.
No news of his possible ouster has emerged recently, as Romualdez is currently in Davos, Switzerland to lead the Philippine delegation to the 2024 World Economic Forum.
Marcos has not made any statements calling for Romualdez’s replacement with Arroyo, who was removed as House deputy speaker in November.
No power: The authority to elect or replace a sitting House Speaker lies with the House of Representatives.
Article VI, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution clearly states that the House Speaker is elected “by a majority vote of all its respective Members.” The Rules of the 19th Congress also state the same provisions.
No resolution seeking to oust Romualdez from office has been filed in the House of Representatives in the past months.
Both Rappler and VERA Files have previously flagged similar claims on Romualdez’s removal as House speaker.
Charter change stance: Videos claiming that Romualdez has been replaced as House Speaker have been circulating recently amid the shake-up in the legislative branch over talks on amending the 1987 Constitution.
In December, Romualdez said charter change would be part of the House’s agenda for 2024. He also expressed support for the Senate’s initiative to file a resolution of both houses of Congress to amend the Constitution. The proposed amendments would ease economic restrictions that hinder the entry of foreign investors.
Several senators, including Romualdez’s cousin, Senator Imee Marcos, oppose charter change. She has also slammed Romualdez’s alleged involvement in the latest move for charter change through the people’s initiative. Romualdez’s allies in Congress, like ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo, came to his defense, saying that he did not give instructions for a nationwide signature campaign. – Lance Arevada/Rappler.com
Lance Arevada is an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow for 2023-2024.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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BIMP-EAGA trade leaders agree to reopen Palawan-Borneo sea route
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Herbie G
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22/01/2024 11:13
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AGREE. Representatives of BIMP-EAGA business groups meet in Puerto Princesa City on January 20-21, 2024, to facilitate the reopening of the Palawan-Borneo sea route.
Gerardo C. Reyes Jr./Rappler
PALAWAN, Philippines – Leaders and industry players from Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) countries convened in Palawan over the weekend to hasten the reopening of the Palawan-Borneo sea route. The effort aims to overcome barriers in their respective businesses, boost trading activities, and spur growth in the area.
BIMP-EAGA, established in the 1990s, is a subregional economic cooperation initiative promoting development in trade, investment, tourism, and socio-cultural exchanges among member countries.
The transport of products between Palawan and Borneo was disrupted over a decade ago when the sea route was suspended, affecting goods movement within the sub-region.
At present, industry players from neighboring Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and the Philippines, are making efforts to facilitate the resumption of the once-thriving sea route to stimulate economic growth in the BIMP-EAGA.
Officials and business leaders from the four countries met in Puerto Princesa from Friday to Sunday, January 19-21, and announced the long-awaited reopening of the Palawan to Sabah route. They anticipate this will soon materialize with commitments from investors to enhance cross-border mobility and trade.
The forum, organized by the business councils of the four countries within BIMP-EAGA, stressed the crucial role of maritime transport in enhancing linkages and trade in the sub-region.
BIMP-EAGA encompasses the entire sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; the provinces of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and West Papua of Indonesia; the state of Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia; Sabah, which is claimed by both the Philippines and Malaysia; and the island of Mindanao and the province of Palawan in the Philippines. These areas are geographically distant from their national capitals but strategically close to each other.
“We will make things happen in BIMP-EAGA. We are serious this time,” said Alex Paglumutan, BIMP-EAGA Business Council president and alternate country director in the Philippines.
One of the key industries expected to benefit from the sea route reopening is fisheries and aquaculture, driven by the demand for fisheries and marine products in Sabah, Northern Borneo.
Datuk Foo Ngee Kee, co-founder cum president of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Sabah and a Malaysian business owner engaged in the export of food products, said they are seeking Palawan’s fishery products to meet the demands in their country.
“We need seafood at reasonable prices from Palawan to supplement the supply of Sabah for mainland Chinese tourists, especially during peak times. Before the pandemic, there were shortages of quality fish and other sea products like lobsters, etcetera. But if the connectivity and logistics costs are too high, then this trading will not be feasible,” he said.
Their group is organizing trade missions to China and neighboring Southeast Asian countries through the BIMP-EAGA sub-region to explore the potential for exports of Sabah products.
Said Alih Sha, the president of Palawan Halal Ruminants Raisers Association, said he sees Halal livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats as potential exports to neighboring countries once the sea route reopens.
Raymundo Imaysay, a businessman based in Princess Urduja, Narra, Palawan, and the general manager of the Palawan Agrarian Reform Communities Federation (Parcofed), said agrarian reform community cooperatives under the federation can facilitate the consolidation of livestock such as goats, cattle, and sheep for the BIMP-EAGA market.
The Kudat ferry terminal in Sabah, Malaysia, is equipped with a customs, immigration, quarantine, and security (CIQS) complex as an international terminal. The business sector within the sub-region, particularly those engaged in the export and import of products, considers the Kudat, Malaysia, to Buliluyan, Palawan route as an entry route for tourists from both countries.
In Tawi-Tawi in the Bangsamoro region, an open sea route has been serviced by an international ferry since September 2023. The twice-weekly trip from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, to Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia, through the 300-seater M/V Prince Khalil fastcraft, costs P7,000 per passenger, and the trip takes merely three hours.
But in Palawan, despite an upgraded seaport in Buliluyan, Bataraza in 2017, the sea route has been dormant for more than 10 years.
The business sectors in the BIMP-EAGA said they were confident about the reopening of the sea route to spur growth in the area. – Rappler.com
Gerardo C. Reyes Jr. is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.
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Is someone gaming the PCSO lotto?
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gdecastro0289
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20/01/2024 8:00
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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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Andray Blatche clutch triple barrage in Strong Group win proves unmatchable NBA caliber
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jisaga0269
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22/01/2024 7:47
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STILL GOT IT. Strong Group Athletics-Philippines center Andray Blatche receives the ball in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship
Dubai Sports
MANILA, Philippines – NBA players automatically get lofty expectations whenever they play anywhere else in the world, and Strong Group Athletics (SGA) just got a close-up sample on why that is always the case in the ongoing Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Playing in its third game in as many days, the stacked Philippine squad leaned on an old hero in Gilas Pilipinas naturalized veteran Andray Blatche, who exploded for 15 fourth-quarter points – all off threes – in an eventual 104-95 win over Homenetmen-Lebanon on Sunday (Monday, January 22, Manila time).
Despite being hampered by conditioning issues, the 37-year-old big man still found ways to help SGA fend off its pesky foe, parlaying his old post moves that needed quick footwork for a silky-smooth jump shot and used it to great effect.
With Homenetmen still leading at the 7:07 mark of the fourth, 77-76, Blatche’s barrage from beyond the arc pushed Strong Group ahead to a comfortable 92-83 advantage off a pivotal 16-5 run with 3:23 left to play.
Reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, who continued to show his worth to the world with a team-high 24 points against Al Wahda-Syria, then put the finishing touches with a triple of his own at the 1:20 mark for the 99-91 separation.
He finished with 19 points on a 7-of-12 clip as SGA’s top two scorer of the night, barely edging Blatche’s 18 on 6-of-10 shooting from three.
Further proving that NBA-level skill sets are second to none is Blatche’s teammate Dwight Howard, who blew his Dubai tournament-best scoring mark of 14 out of the water with a 32-point masterclass on a near-perfect 12-of-13 clip to go with 7 rebounds and 5 blocks.
The eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, even at 38 years old, almost made it look too easy, powering down multiple dunks and short hook shots against other pro players mostly still in their athletic prime.
Homenetmen likewise had its own proof of NBA-level excellence as Zach Lofton, a former benchwarmer who only played a single game in the big league, played like a superstar in the losing effort with a game-high 37 points on a 12-of-26 clip, to go with 8 boards and 7 assists.
The 31-year-old guard also made a big splash in his brief PBA stint, exploding for 54 points in his Meralco Bolts debut – also his first game in the Philippines.
Now boasting a 3-0 record in the annual pocket tournament, Strong Group has so far proven that both its NBA-caliber stars and Filipino supporting cast are capable of pulling their own weight when it matters most.
The team now gets a much-needed break before its next game against Beirut Sports Club – Lebanon’s other representative – on Tuesday night (Wednesday, January 24, 1:15 am, Manila time).
Strong Group-Philippines 104 – Howard 32, Quiambao 19, Blatche 18, Roberson 13, Moore 12, Baltazar 8, Heading 2, Sanchez 0, Cagulangan 0, Escandor 0.
Homenetmen-Lebanon 95 – Lofton 37, Hadidan 21, Holman 18, Jackson 16, Khalil 2, Salem 1, Akiki 0, Ajemian 0, Chivichyan 0.
Quarters: 17-24, 42-48, 71-67, 104-95.
– Rappler.com
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‘Still your kapatid’: Marck Espejo parts ways with longtime club Cignal
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 23:10
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STARRING. Cignal star spiker Marck Espejo at the 2023 Spikers' Turf Open Conference finals Game 1
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines — Marck Espejo will be moving to another Spikers’ Turf squad after announcing his exit from longtime club Cignal HD Spikers on Sunday, January 21.
In an Instagram post, Espejo bid farewell from his team of five years, helping power the HD Spikers to three championships.
“More than 5 years with this AWESOME team. I’m so grateful for all the love and support. Thank you Cignal HD Spikers and Awesome nation for being part of my journey. Still your kapatid (brother) outside the court! Mahal ko kayo (I love you all),” Espejo captioned.
Espejo is reportedly set to play for new team Rebisco in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf season.
The decorated spiker currently plays as an import in Korea for KOVO defending champion Incheon Korean Air Jumbos.
Prior to the move, Espejo served as a key cog in Cignal’s perfect run to the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference title, and was subsequently awarded Finals Most Valuable Player.
A post shared by Marck Espejo (@marckespejooo)
Espejo’s other accomplishments with Cignal include a Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League diadem in 2022.
In his consistently stellar career, Espejo has already trotted the globe to play professionally, having played in Japan, Thailand, and Bahrain before his Korea stint.
He also was one of the lead players in the silver-medal run of the Philippine men’s national volleyball team in the 30th Southeast Asian Games hosted by Manila in 2019.
During his five-year collegiate run with Ateneo, Espejo copped all possible MVP awards, on top of three consecutive championships from UAAP Seasons 77 to 79, and a record 55-point explosion in the UAAP Season 80 Final Four against FEU. — Rappler.com
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In southern Cebu, devotees still sing old version of Santo Niño gozos
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Herbie G
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22/01/2024 9:30
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Order of Saint Augustine-Province of Santo Niño de Cebu
CEBU, Philippines – Growing up in Boljoon, Joseph Jules Rendon Derama always wondered why the gozos or devotional song to the Santo Niño at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño was different from the one sung at their parish church.
The one they have sung and continue to sing to this day in the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima, the parish church in Boljoon, is longer. Derama, a 25-year-old licensed physical therapist, said it was only later that he learned that theirs was the old version of the gozos, more known as Batobalani sa Gugma (Magnet of Love.)
The gozos in Boljoon still contains the words printed in the old novena booklets published in 1908 and even as far back as 1858 and accessible in the archives of the National Library of Spain. It also has a different tune. It is sung when the town celebrates the feast of the Santo Niño on the 1st Sunday of January. The traditional feast day of the Santo Niño de Cebu is the 3rd Sunday of January, which is called the Sinulog Festival.
The old gozos being sung in Boljoon has a reference to the old practice of Cebuanos of bringing the image of the Santo Niño to the sea and submerging it in water to ask for rain.
“Cun ulan ang pangayoon ug imong pagadugayon, dadadon ca sa baybayon ug sa dagat pasalomon, ug dayon nila macuha ang ulan nga guitinguha.” (If people ask for rain and you delay granting them their wish, they bring you to the shores and submerge you in seawater until they get their rain.)
The more popular gozos that each Santo Niño devotee knows by heart is “a product of its simplification around (the) 1980s,” according to the Reverend Father Ric Anthony Reyes on their official website.
Reyes’ Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) or the Augustinians have custody of the image of the Santo Niño. It is this gozos that is sung during those moving videos and photos of hundreds of devotees waving their hands in unison and holding their Santo Niño images.
Reyes said in his article that the old gozos is still being sung in Dalaguete. Derama said it is also the same gozos in Oslob and Argao, which he has been able to record on video.
Derama said he records gozos and litanyas because he is fascinated by how lyrical the Cebuano language is. He said that it would have been good for the Augustinians to continue singing the old gozos even if there was a new one so that it would not be forgotten.
The old gozos tells the story of the Santo Niño and his miracles, including when Cebuanos encountered drought, and this should not be forgotten, Derama said.
He said that he grew up seeing his lola singing in church choirs. Boljoon is a town known for its devotion as well as music.
“Matingala ko kay siya ug iyang churchmates nindot kaayo og tingog (I was amazed that my grandmother and her churchmates all had beautiful voices),” Derama said in an interview.
Boljoon Budget Officer Ronald Villanueva, who is also involved in the town’s tourism and culture, said the Augustinian, Leandro Moran, their last Spanish parish priest, had a role in the changing of the gozos in the Basilica.
Father Moran served until 1948, the last Augustinian parish priest before Boljoon was turned over to the secular clergy, according to the official historical marker.
But the parish that Moran left, said Villanueva, stuck to the old gozos. – Rappler.com
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Over 2 dozen schools compete in Dipolog games, defying Mindanao stereotypes
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Herbie G
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22/01/2024 9:33
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FACE OFF. La Salle-Ozamiz City women's volleyball team facing off against University of San Agustine-Iloilo City.
Gualberto Laput/Rappler
DIPOLOG, Philippines – The Philippine University Games (UniGames) kicked off its week-long sports competitions in Dipolog City on Sunday, January 21, with organizers calling the event as a means of showing that Mindanao is more than just a battlefront.
With many areas in Mindanao still facing the stigma of deeply-rooted peace and order problems, Roger Banzuela, UniGames co-founder and president, said he found Dipolog, along with many other places in Mindanao, to be peaceful and lovable.
More than 1,000 athletes, coaches, and their assistants from 31 universities and colleges across the country are participating in the UniGames, which is also celebrating its silver anniversary.
Banzuela said many parents were initially apprehensive about sending their children to Mindanao, citing safety concerns. However, most of them were eventually convinced, he said.
“That is the beauty of sports; it is about peace, friendship, fair play, and goes beyond politics,” Banzuela said.
In 1996, UniGames was initiated by Banzuela and the late Brother Rolando Dizon, then-president of the University of Saint La Salle-Bacolod City and former chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The first UniGames was held at the University of Saint Lasalle-Bacolod, attended by 17 universities and colleges.
After holding 24 competitions in Luzon and Visayas, UniGames stopped from 2020 up to 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UniGames returned this year and this time it was held in Mindanao to promote peace.
This year, the UniGames is being hosted by the city government of Dipolog and co-hosted by the provincial government of Zamboanga del Norte and the Jose Rizal Memorial State University.
Games include badminton, basketball, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, beach volleyball, and futsal.
“UniGames is intended for provincial schools. We look for players and develop world-class athletes from the grassroots. In fact, 95% of our participants are first-timers,” Banzuela said.
He said he considered the provincial-based coaches, who identify prospective athletes, train, and expose them in competitions, as “heroes.”
“But sadly, many were pirated by Manila-based big teams,” he said.
Banzuela lauded the local government of Dipolog for having a year-round sports training program.
“Like what the Dipolog government is doing, we are developing athletes from the grassroots, and the training should be continuous, unlike the Department of Education, which usually provides only a couple of weeks of training before competitions,” Banzuela said.
The city government launched “Sporty Dipolog” a decade ago, aiming to make the city the sports events center in the region.
Dipolog Mayor Darel Dexter Uy said the city government paid a P300,000 hosting fee, and it has also been shouldering the expenses for the preparation of the venues since last year.
Banzuela said UniGames has an average spending of P2.3 million per competition.
“We are not a commercial sports event; we are just helping athletes from the provinces,” he said.
The organizers said the host city will also benefit from the sports event in terms of economy and tourism.
“In about four days, 80% of the athletes, those eliminated, would become local tourists,” Banzuela continued. “They can be invited for exhibition games, and I’m sure they will bring their experiences in Dipolog back to their homes.” – Rappler.com
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Greg Slaughter finds Japan stint ‘very peaceful’ after messy PBA exit
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 13:12
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HIGH SPIRITS. Greg Slaughter high-fives a young fan before a Japan B. League game.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
OKINAWA, Japan – Greg Slaughter may not have had the PBA exit he wanted, but it’s all good now for the former Ginebra star.
Slaughter, now playing for Division 2 team Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in Japan, raved about the much more “peaceful” working environment in the B. League.
“It’s great. It’s all we do – just play,” Slaughter told Rappler during an interview opportunity in the recent Japan B. League All-Stars.
“It’s a long season… we’ve got about 60 games, practices [take] a long time, [there are] back-to-back games, at that. To me, it’s every basketball player’s dream.”
Slaughter took a hiatus from the PBA in February 2020, less than a month after winning the Governors’ Cup championship with Ginebra.
By then, Slaughter’s contract had expired and the 7-foot slotman decided to train in the United States instead.
Slaughter eventually returned to the Philippines, signed a new contract with Ginebra in February 2021, but got immediately traded to NorthPort for Christian Standhardinger.
The former PBA Rookie of the Year claimed he even asked the Ginebra camp “if the trade rumors were true and was told they were not.”
In July 2022, Slaughter passed up on NorthPort’s contract extension offer to join the B. League.
Slaughter played only four games In his final conference with NorthPort, norming 14.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks.
“Well yeah, very peaceful. Especially just having my family here now,” he said of his new Japan life.
“[It’s] probably a big difference for me – my playing years now, compared to a few years ago,” added Slaughter, who won four titles with Ginebra, a First Mythical Team selection in 2015, and a Best Player of the Conference award in 2017.
Slaughter thinks the move did him good.
“A lot [more] comfortable with the environment, knowing things, and just being used to the travel,” he said.
After a woeful 20-40 record last season, Slaughter and the Rizing Zephyr continued to climb the standings this year, enjoying a third-best record with a 21-10 card.
Slaughter credited the improvement to a roster overhaul as Fukuoka aims to move up to Division 1 next year by reaching the championship round.
“It’s big… just changing countries and settling in… having my family settled,” said Slaughter. – Rappler.com
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PCC approves Sky Cable sale to PLDT
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Ralf Rivas
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22/01/2024 10:21
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MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pangilinan’s bid to acquire the Lopezes’ broadband business inches closer to being realized, as the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) allowed PLDT to buy Sky Cable.
ABS-CBN, Sky Cable’s parent company, said they got the regulator’s nod last January 19, Friday.
Note, however, that while the PCC has allowed the sale, the deal is still subject to a number of closing conditions.
PLDT said last Wednesday, January 17, that “Once the approval of the PCC is obtained, the sellers will continue to work on the other closing conditions which include, among others, the termination or cessation of Sky’s pay TV and cable businesses, obtaining all other applicable government approvals and clearances, and obtaining all required consents and corporate actions.”
PLDT has Cignal TV, which is also in the business of providing paid television.
“Obtaining the closing conditions is necessary for the implementation of the Proposed Transaction,” the telco giant said.
Both parties earlier told regulators that PLDT will acquire 100% of Sky Cable’s total issued and outstanding capital stock consisting of 1.3 billion common shares for a total of P6.75 billion or P4.90 per share.
PLDT tried to acquire Sky Cable in 2020 and 2022, but these bids were rescinded due to antitrust concerns.
In 2022, Cignal TV attempted to buy 38.9% of Sky Cable for P2.86 billion. This was scrapped due to political pressure, alongside the canceled landmark deal that was supposed to consolidate the media resources of ABS-CBN and TV5.
PLDT earlier said that the acquisition will “narrow the digital divide” by expanding its broadband connectivity.
ABS-CBN previously said the sale was a “strategic decision” to maintain competitiveness, as well as settle and fund its retirement obligations to employees. It will also allow ABS-CBN to focus its resources on content creation.
Shares of ABS-CBN jumped 3.8% at the open, while PLDT traded flat. – Rappler.com
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Andray Blatche clutch triple barrage in Strong Group win proves unmatchable NBA caliber
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jisaga0269
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22/01/2024 7:47
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STILL GOT IT. Strong Group Athletics-Philippines center Andray Blatche receives the ball in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship
Dubai Sports
MANILA, Philippines – NBA players automatically get lofty expectations whenever they play anywhere else in the world, and Strong Group Athletics (SGA) just got a close-up sample on why that is always the case in the ongoing Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Playing in its third game in as many days, the stacked Philippine squad leaned on an old hero in Gilas Pilipinas naturalized veteran Andray Blatche, who exploded for 15 fourth-quarter points – all off threes – in an eventual 104-95 win over Homenetmen-Lebanon on Sunday (Monday, January 22, Manila time).
Despite being hampered by conditioning issues, the 37-year-old big man still found ways to help SGA fend off its pesky foe, parlaying his old post moves that needed quick footwork for a silky-smooth jump shot and used it to great effect.
With Homenetmen still leading at the 7:07 mark of the fourth, 77-76, Blatche’s barrage from beyond the arc pushed Strong Group ahead to a comfortable 92-83 advantage off a pivotal 16-5 run with 3:23 left to play.
Reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, who continued to show his worth to the world with a team-high 24 points against Al Wahda-Syria, then put the finishing touches with a triple of his own at the 1:20 mark for the 99-91 separation.
He finished with 19 points on a 7-of-12 clip as SGA’s top two scorer of the night, barely edging Blatche’s 18 on 6-of-10 shooting from three.
Further proving that NBA-level skill sets are second to none is Blatche’s teammate Dwight Howard, who blew his Dubai tournament-best scoring mark of 14 out of the water with a 32-point masterclass on a near-perfect 12-of-13 clip to go with 7 rebounds and 5 blocks.
The eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, even at 38 years old, almost made it look too easy, powering down multiple dunks and short hook shots against other pro players mostly still in their athletic prime.
Homenetmen likewise had its own proof of NBA-level excellence as Zach Lofton, a former benchwarmer who only played a single game in the big league, played like a superstar in the losing effort with a game-high 37 points on a 12-of-26 clip, to go with 8 boards and 7 assists.
The 31-year-old guard also made a big splash in his brief PBA stint, exploding for 54 points in his Meralco Bolts debut – also his first game in the Philippines.
Now boasting a 3-0 record in the annual pocket tournament, Strong Group has so far proven that both its NBA-caliber stars and Filipino supporting cast are capable of pulling their own weight when it matters most.
The team now gets a much-needed break before its next game against Beirut Sports Club – Lebanon’s other representative – on Tuesday night (Wednesday, January 24, 1:15 am, Manila time).
Strong Group-Philippines 104 – Howard 32, Quiambao 19, Blatche 18, Roberson 13, Moore 12, Baltazar 8, Heading 2, Sanchez 0, Cagulangan 0, Escandor 0.
Homenetmen-Lebanon 95 – Lofton 37, Hadidan 21, Holman 18, Jackson 16, Khalil 2, Salem 1, Akiki 0, Ajemian 0, Chivichyan 0.
Quarters: 17-24, 42-48, 71-67, 104-95.
– Rappler.com
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Balanced team basketball carries Adamson HS to first twice-to-beat UAAP Final 4 berth
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jisaga0269
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21/01/2024 21:01
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RISE AS ONE. Members of the Adamson Baby Falcons in the UAAP Season 86 boys basketball tournament
MANILA, Philippines – Good old team basketball is alive and well in the UAAP Season 86 boys basketball tournament.
Amid a promising field populated with high school standouts like La Salle-Zobel’s Kieffer Alas, Ateneo’s Kristian Porter, and Nazareth-NU’s runaway MVP candidate Collins Akowe, it is the star-less Adamson Baby Falcons who are dominating their way to the Final Four with no signs of slowing down.
Now armed with the first of two twice-to-beat advantages after a 74-59 rout of La Salle on Sunday, January 21, the San Marcelino prospects have bullied their way to the top, currently with an 11-1 record, without a single player in the league’s top 10 scoring list.
Justine Garcia leads the Falcons’ way with modest team-high averages of 12.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in head coach Mike Fermin’s impressively balanced rotation.
Only third-leading scorer Earl Medina is averaging more than 24 minutes per game, and 10 of Adamson’s 16 talented young men are clocking in at least 10 minutes per contest.
For Fermin, staying within the team concept of playing is key to both executing their game plans and preparing for their foes, as evidenced with how he prepared for their most recent game.
“Actually, we prepared for La Salle-Zobel, not Alas,” Fermin said after Alas sat out Sunday’s game against Adamson. “I said it’s going to be harder to defeat Zobel because we don’t know who will take the shots.”
“At least the boys quickly adjusted defensively, and we’re glad we got the twice-to-beat.”
Other teams with their own wealth of talent are also on the inside track to the Final Four, namely Akowe’s NU (10-2), UST (7-5), and defending champion FEU-Diliman (7-5).
With the elimination round winding down only UE (5-7) has a slim chance of booking one of the latter two seeds as it can still finish with a 7-7 record while hoping that UST and FEU lose all their remaining games to force a three-way standings tie.
Porter’s Ateneo (4-8), Alas’ La Salle (3-9), and top-heavy UP (1-11) are already out of the running. – Rappler.com
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What do PH concert fans want? Decent ticket prices, accessible venues, security, and more
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Ysa Abad
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21/01/2024 13:37
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Whether you’re a casual listener or a die-hard fan, you probably have an artist you’d like to see perform live. Thankfully, though, the Philippines is a hotspot for music enthusiasts, and passionate fans have gotten more and more chances recently to catch their favorite artists in the flesh.
But with a loaded lineup of acts holding live music events in the country, keeping up with these shows can be overwhelming. Which is why even the most seasoned concert-goers or multi-stans have several other factors they keep in mind before deciding to attend a concert.
We asked Rappler’s readers about the factors they consider before buying a concert ticket. Here’s what they had to say:
As demands for some artists get bigger, it’s understandable for them to opt for venues that could cater to larger audiences. And in the Philippines’ case, it would mean holding concerts outside Metro Manila, such as at the Philippine Arena and Sports Stadium in Bulacan and the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac.
While many fans are still willing to attend concerts of their favorite artists no matter where they’ll be held, some fans have raised concerns about the accessibility of these show venues.
Some Rappler readers noted that locations should be accessible by public transportation and have commercial establishments nearby, including hotels and restaurants.
“I don’t mind the venue – a dome, open field, or small auditorium – as long as it is accessible and [there are] options for different routes going in and out,” one comment read.
Compared to the usual concert venues in Metro Manila such as the Mall of Asia Arena and Araneta Coliseum, fans don’t have access to mass public transportation such as trains, jeepneys, Grab, or Angkas for venues outside Metro Manila. Usually, attendees would have to drive for hours using their private car, or avail of shuttle, bus, or carpooling services. Some also look for nearby accommodations to avoid the pre- and post- concert traffic gridlock.
Given the distance of these venues, attendees also have to adjust their travel time to ensure that they won’t be affected by traffic. Some of these venues also have limited entrance and exit points, and given the expected turnout of attendees, it could lead to huge vehicle build-ups both before and after the concert.
In terms of venues, fans also prefer that the location be well-ventilated, that its facilities are of pristine condition (e.g. no broken seats or leaking roof), and that its amenities are easily accessible — meaning, fans won’t have a hard time locating medic stalls, baggage counters, restrooms, ticket and merchandise booths, and parking spots.
For some, the thought of making additional preparations just to go to these concert venues can be so off-putting that they’d rather miss out on the show.
Rappler readers also pointed out that their decision to attend a concert also depends on the organizers in charge of the show. According to their comments, if they’ve had a previous bad experience with a certain organizer, they’d be hesitant to attend another show under that company.
Fans also raised the issue of security and safety during shows. Fans noted that a concert isn’t limited to the actual show only, but also involves their pre- and post- concert experiences. This is why they greatly prefer event organizers that can give them excellent customer service.
These fans prefer to see plenty of marshalls and security personnel and experience properly facilitated queuing. Attendees also hope that organizers are proactive in handling technical issues like light and sound system glitches during the show.
For a fan attending a concert for the first time, a hands-on organizer could be the key to making their first concert memorable. If they have questions or concerns about the show, it should easily be addressed by these organizers.
It would also be helpful if organizers were open to feedback and evaluations after their events so that they could improve on their services for their next shows.
Perhaps one of the biggest factors that concert attendees consider is the ticket price. Although many fans would want to see their favorite artists live, not everyone has the means to purchase a concert ticket.
Some Rappler readers also pointed out that aside from concert tickets being costly, selling dates also impact their decision. In some cases, ticket selling happens just two weeks after the announcement of the show, not giving fans enough time to save up for a ticket.
Other fans also noted that some shows could get far too expensive — which often results in these shows not selling out. During instances like this, organizers usually announce a change in ticket prices or add more fan perks to make it worth it for the attendees.
Several readers also griped over current ticketing systems, wherein most of the good seats are secured by scalpers. Some fans who really want to attend these shows end up buying tickets from these scalpers at double or triple the original price.
While you could have hundreds of artists rotating on your Spotify playlists, there might only be a handful that you’d like to see perform in person.
One Rappler reader noted that they’d consider the artist’s stage presence before choosing to attend their concert.
“Most of the concerts I attended, they didn’t have that [performance] factor masyado (much). They just sing. Although that’s nice too and ‘yun ang pinunta mo, pero iba ‘yung feels (and that’s what you go for, it still feels different) if they actually interact with the fans somehow. [It’s a characteristic that] I think most artists lack? [It’s at concerts] where I was able to really experience the difference between artist and performer,” their comment read.
Some comments also echoed the sentiment, adding that they’d want to be very familiar first with the group that’s performing.
“I should know at least half of their discography before deciding to go,” another comment read.
How about you? What do you consider when deciding to attend a concert? – Rappler.com
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BARMM marks 5th year under transitional regional government
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Herbie G
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22/01/2024 8:00
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BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim opens the celebration of the region's fifth anniversary on Sunday, January 21, 2024.
courtesy of Kutangbato News
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is marking its fifth year with its transitional government reflecting on the region’s progress since 2019.
BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim banged a ceremonial gong on Sunday, January 21, signaling the start of the weeklong celebration of the 5th founding anniversary of the special autonomous region at the Bangsamoro Government Center grounds in Cotabato City. He also led the ceremonial lights switch-on at the regional center.
This took place after a parade participated in by the regional and Cotabato City government workers in Cotabato City. The parade started from Governor Gutierrez Avenue and proceeded to the Bangsamoro Government Center, just outside and in front of the government complex compound.
In his anniversary message, Ebrahim emphasized the importance of fostering mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, and envisioning a shared future in the Bangsamoro.
“Let this day serve as a reminder to all of us that the path to peace and autonomy demanded several decades of persistent struggle and sacrifices, especially of the Bangsamoro mujahideen and those who devoted themselves to ensuring the necessary conditions for enduring peace and socio-economic development in the Autonomous Region,” Ebrahim said.
Ebrahim said BARMM is celebrating five years of vibrant progress and unity, and laying the foundation for a brighter future for the Bangsamoro homeland.
This year’s BARMM celebration centers on the theme, “A journey towards mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, and a shared future in the Bangsamoro.”
From January 21 to 26, a series of anniversary activities have been organized by different BARMM ministries for the weeklong celebration, which includes free legal assistance and medical outreaches, tree plantings, and clean-up activities, among others.
The BARMM is the lone region in the country with a regional government, and it adopts a parliamentary form at that.
The special region was created after a plebiscite on January 21, 2019. This was followed by a turnover, replacing the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on February 26, 2019.
Ebrahim served as the first leader of the BARMM, and he will be serving as the region’s interim chief minister until 2025, the year the predominantly Bangsamoro territory holds its first regional elections.
During the region’s first five years, the Embrahim-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has already passed important pieces of legislation, including BARMM’s administrative, civil service, education, electoral, and local governance codes.
Still pending in its fifth year are the revenue and indigenous peoples’ rights codes.
This year alone, BARMM has a budget of P98.4 billion from a block grant that has been incorporated in its Bangsamoro Expenditure Program (BEP). – Rappler.com
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Q&A: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on deepening ties with PH
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Bea Cupin
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22/01/2024 8:00
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GERMAN MINISTER. Annalena Baerbock, Germany's Foreign Minister, meets Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo during a visit to Manila on January 11, 2024.
Department of Foreign Affairs
MANILA, Philippines – Manila was the first in a whirlwind three-city trip by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to different cities in Southeast Asia.
Her visit to the region, according to the German Information Center Southeast Asia’s video wrap, was meant to “reaffirm the deep and longstanding bilateral ties” between the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.
While in Manila, Baerbock met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.
The German minister also spoke to members of Philippine political and civic society, including Rappler founder and CEO Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, and chief Rodrigo Duterte critic former senator Leila de Lima, who was detained for over six years.
In this interview, Baerbock answers questions touching on the South China Sea, international law, trade ties between Germany and the Philippines, as well as the state of human rights in the Philippines under the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
(Editor’s Note: This interview was made on the occasion of Bearbock’s visit to the Philippines on January 11, 2023. We have published all of the Minister’s answers in full.)
The situation in the South China Sea, especially within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), seems to be getting more tense. A month ago was, perhaps, the most tense weekend out in the West Philippine Sea yet, with China Coast Guard ships using water cannons in two Philippine missions to Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal. What does Germany make of the situation in our waters? Is there a sense that this could escalate into a full-blown conflict?
Rough winds literally blow over the South China Sea – rough to a degree that they regularly reach the news pages in Europe, too. Recent incidents in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone due to unsafe Chinese maneuvers are not only a risk to the freedom and safety of navigation in the South China Sea. An escalation in one of the main arteries of international trade would have massive consequences, also for Germany. Our position is very clear: all actions that are not in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and that could lead to increased tensions, unintended escalations, or miscalculations must end immediately.
Germany regularly calls for the respect of international law, including UNCLOS and the 2016 arbitral award. What does this mean, in practical terms, in the Philippines’ EEZ in the South China Sea/the West Philippine Sea?
Germany has been vocal about this for a long time, because it is a question of credibility and trust not to look away when international law is at stake. The UN Charter and international law are holding our world together – something the law of the strongest will never do. This is what UNCLOS stands for as the universal legal framework for all activities in the oceans and the seas. Its arbitral award from July 2016 is not only very clear and unambiguous but also legally binding. Historical maritime claims in the area, for instance concerning maritime areas around Second Thomas Shoal, are unfounded.
But it is not just words. Germany is increasing its presence in the Indo-Pacific and contributing to strengthening maritime security and resilience. In the Philippines, for example, we are supporting the coast guard with reconnaissance drones and training.
In the last quarter of 2023, the world saw for itself the carnage caused by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and then it saw, in real time, the suffering of Palestinians have had to suffer following Israel’s fight in Gaza. I bring this up because, several times, calls from experts and amateurs alike to uphold international law and respect human rights have been louder than ever. There is, understandably, a sense of cynicism now, too, over the faith we place in international law and a rules-based order. What can you say to those who see these rules and these laws as futile in light of the suffering we see in Gaza and, to a much lesser degree, the continued aggressive actions of the PRC in the West Philippine Sea?
I would say: Don’t fall for easy answers or for the cynics. In a complex world, a wider perspective is more important than ever. There is incredible suffering on both sides. I have just been on my fourth visit to the region since October 7th. Hamas humiliated, tortured, abducted and murdered innocent people in Israel with breathtaking brutality on October 7th. Four individuals from the Philippines also fell victim to the terrorists. My sincere condolences go out to their relatives.
Constant attacks on Israel, coming from at least three directions – Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis – are still ongoing. And there are still more than 100 innocent people abducted from their homes and held hostage in Gaza.
Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, in accordance with international law, like any other country in the world would do in the face of such horrendous terrorism. Acknowledging this does not at all mean exempting Israel from its obligation under international law to avoid human suffering as much as possible. Together with our partners, we are putting all our efforts into ending the suffering – for both Israelis and Palestinians – by calling on Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, by calling on Hamas to release all hostages and to lay down its weapons, so that we can come to a sustainable ceasefire.
A very different topic, but very important for the Philippines and for Germany: The Triple Win program, of course, is well in place. What opportunities await skilled Filipinos – nurses, especially – in Germany?
It is no secret: There is an acute shortage of skilled workers in Germany, particularly in the healthcare sector. Thousands of trainees and professionals from the Philippines are already doing fantastic work, caring for elderly and sick people from Berlin to Munich. We are very grateful to these women and men for doing this important work far away from their families. Like Lolita Echaluse, a young woman from the Philippines whom I met during a roundtable organized by the Technical Education Skills Development Authority of the Philippines. She has already been living in Southern Germany for seven years and told me that the beginning was quite tough: not only because of the German language, but also because of bureaucracy. She would have liked to have been better prepared. Now, she calls Germany her home.
Such positive experiences could clearly inspire many more Filipinos to come to Germany – and us to welcome many more Filipinos. By the way, in technical professions too.
Our benchmark for the recruitment of skilled workers is fairness and sustainability. It guarantees a fair and transparent placement process and safe jobs so that people can build their lives in Germany. Furthermore, the German law makes sure that foreign nursing staff are granted the same rights and conditions as German nursing staff. We have also learned our lessons regarding better preparation for those who want to come to Germany.
On the flip side, a huge concern for the Philippines is the shortage of healthcare professionals here. President Marcos has said we’re the victims of our own success. Would it be fruitful for countries like Germany to assist the Philippines there, too? As in, aside from looking for talent here to bring overseas, make sure that skilled Filipinos have employment opportunities here, too.
As you mention the “Triple Win” program, I should point out that it benefits three sides: employers, both countries involved, and individual professionals. We are doing everything we can to make sure that our cooperation does not lead to a brain drain, but rather becomes a benefit for the labor market and education system in the Philippines as well. With the federal government’s “Global Skills Partnerships” project, Filipino nursing students receive linguistic and professional preparation. Partner universities from both countries work together to exchange teaching and learning methods. This also strengthens the training of skilled workers for the domestic labor market in the Philippines. And we are increasingly focusing on circular migration – that means people are trained, could stay a few years in Germany, and after gaining some experience can go back and share their knowledge to strengthen their own national health care system.
In addition, German companies have been actively involved in dual vocational training schemes for decades – for example training mechatronics engineers for the Philippine labor market.
COP28 just concluded – the perception of its outcomes has been mixed. Some would point out that in an attempt to please all sides, the outcomes satisfied neither. In particular, there was some disappointment in merely promising to “transition away” from fossil fuels instead of phasing them out. Germany has seen success in its move to transition to more renewable sources of energy, what role does it intend to play in helping developing countries – the Philippines included – achieve the same success?
For the very first time the world has agreed at COP28 to put an end to fossil energy and to push for renewable energies. From our own experience we know that it cannot be done overnight and you have to make sure to provide social security and support schemes to the most affected regions and countries in the transition phase.
With its ambitious climate targets, the Philippines can lead the way. Ramping up renewables will help to bring down energy prices in the Philippines, which are currently the second highest in Asia. And Germany stands ready to contribute, for example through funding provided by our International Climate Initiative.
But I know that, especially for vulnerable low-lying island states or an archipelago like the Philippines – a country that contributes so little to global emissions – the COP28 consensus doesn’t go far enough. In Dubai I saw the tears of disappointment of representatives of some of the most vulnerable states. We owe it to them to keep up the momentum and to deliver results. The loss and damage fund we’ve created for the most vulnerable countries will contribute to this. This, too, was an important symbol of solidarity from COP28.
The Philippines intends to be a hub for critical mineral and even renewable energy system production in anticipation of the world’s shift to renewable forms of energy. Does Germany intend to be a partner in that push, too? How?
Yes, of course. The EU has passed a Critical Raw Materials Act, which is to enter into force in the coming weeks. It will help create more strategic partnerships: Our aim is to achieve a model of cooperation that benefits both sides equally and creates value chains for local development in our partner countries.
Since the war on drugs was launched under former President Rodrigo Duterte, much attention has been placed on the state of human rights in the Philippines. Marcos promised a more rehabilitative approach. What do you make of the state of human rights now?
Obviously the change of course on the war on drugs was highly needed. I was very honored to meet Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and former Senator de Lima. When I travel around the world as a female Foreign Minister I see what autocrats fear the most: the voices of strong women, and freedom of the press. These women’s full rehabilitation will be a strong message not only for the Philippines, but also for women around the world and human rights in general. – Rappler.com
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IN PHOTOS: Celebrities spotted at Sinulog 2024 in Cebu
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clescudero0258
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21/01/2024 18:15
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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The annual Sinulog Festival in Cebu is associated with many things: thousands of devotees, locals, and tourists flocking the streets and landmarks of Cebu City; street dance performers in vibrant costumes and props; creatively designed floats and higantes (giant puppets); and of course, guest celebrities.
Here are some of the celebrities spotted joining the festivities this year.
Public officials like Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco; senators Bato dela Rosa, Bong Go, Bong Revilla, and Risa Hontiveros; and former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino also graced the event. – Rappler.com
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Matthew Wright explosion not enough as Kyoto falls to Gunma anew
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 22:07
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ON FIRE. Kyoto's Matthew Wright brings the ball down in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Still not enough.
For the second time this weekend, Matthew Wright’s high-scoring output for the Kyoto Hannaryz went down the drain as they fell to the Gunma Crane Thunders once again, 100-93, in the Japan B. League on Sunday, January 21.
After carrying Kyoto’s scoring cudgels with a team-best 17 points in their 84-66 loss to the same opponents on Saturday, January 20, Wright showed no signs of slowing down, exploding for another team-high 23 points this time around.
Wright, who shot 5-of-11 from long range on Saturday, picked up where he left off and sank 5 of his 12 three-point attempts on the way to his 23-point explosion. He also posted 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the loss.
In 27 games played this season, the former Phoenix Fuel Masters star has been averaging 12.2 points on 35.6% shooting from beyond the arc for Kyoto, which suffered its 22nd loss in 31 matches.
Like Wright, RJ Abarrientos and Dwight Ramos also saw their solid performances wasted as their respective teams absorbed contrasting losses on Sunday.
After going 0-of-5 from three-point land on Saturday, Abarrientos regained his shooting touch and topscored for the Shinshu Brave Warriors in their 81-63 loss to the Alvark Tokyo.
Abarrientos connected on 5 of his 10 shots from downtown to wind up with 19 points, together with 6 assists and 2 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Ramos bounced back big from his scoreless showing on Saturday as he likewise produced 19 points in the Levanga Hokkaido’s 89-82 loss to the Chiba Jets.
The Gilas Pilipinas sensation also came up with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and a plus-minus of +10 in the losing cause.
Abarrientos’ Shinshu skidded to a 5-26 record, while Ramos’ Hokkaido slipped to 9-22.
Elsewhere, Kai Sotto and the Yokohama B-Corsairs (14-17) exacted revenge on the Osaka Evessa with a 97-91 win.
Sotto made the most of his 11-minute playing time, racking up 7 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
The 7-foot-3 center redeemed himself from his forgettable showing on Saturday, where he played a season-low 6 minutes and 37 seconds due to early foul trouble.
Still in Division 1, Thirdy Ravena and the San-En NeoPhoenix made it nine wins in a row after completing the weekend sweep of the Fighting Eagles Nagoya with a 90-62 Sunday beating.
Thirdy finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals for San-En, which remains knotted with Tokyo at the top of the standings with a 27-4 record.
Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (18-13) also emerged victorious on Sunday, defeating the Seahorses Mikawa, 94-82.
Parks recorded 3 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 steal in the win.
Over in Division 2, Greg Slaughter tied his season-high in scoring in the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka’s 88-59 loss to the Altiri Chiba.
Slaughter dropped 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Meanwhile, Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes’ nine-game winning streak came to an end following a 92-81 defeat to the Niigata Albirex BB.
Kiefer, who sizzled for 22 points on Saturday, had a double-double of 11 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Similarly, Roosevelt Adams and the Yamagata Wyvern’s 10-game winning streak ended on Sunday as they bowed to the Aomori Wat’s, 91-81.
After scoring a season-high 17 points on Saturday, Adams was limited to just 3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. – Rappler.com
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Precolonial faith: Why Nazareno, Sinulog are here to stay
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Paterno Esmaquel II
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21/01/2024 9:00
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VIVA! Catholic devotees join the 'Walk with Jesus’ or the penitential foot procession from Fuente Osmeña to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on January 11, 2024, officially kicking off the 459th Fiesta Señor celebration in Cebu.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – I pretended I was wiping off sweat, when in fact I was drying my tears, as I watched thousands of Filipinos squeezing their way and scrambling to get as close as possible to the Nazareno.
Our videographer Franz Lopez and I positioned ourselves on a walled and elevated vantage point at Manila’s historic San Sebastian Basilica on January 9, the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
On this day each year, except during the pandemic, millions of devotees join one of the world’s biggest and longest religious processions to honor a 17th-century image of a dark-skinned suffering Christ. Many of them participate in the ritual, called the Traslacion, to thank God for blessings received and to seek more graces for their families in the coming year.
Even as I held my smartphone to take vertical videos, I could not help but cry as devotees raised both hands, in an act of surrender, while singing a popular Filipino version of the Lord’s Prayer. Perhaps, I thought, one of them had a terminal illness, or was praying for a sick relative; perhaps another was laid off from her job, while another was praying for a baby.
“Literally the heat of their devotion (and their bodies) – I felt it,” I wrote on the #faith channel of the Rappler Communities app right after our experience at San Sebastian.
“That’s part of what sociologists call ‘collective effervescence,’” replied Jayeel Cornelio, a sociologist of religion, during our live chat session.
“What does it mean?” I asked.
“What you describe as ‘electricity.’ A religious ritual is powerful in bringing people together and making us feel that we are part of the community. The chants, the bodily movements, the songs – they’re all done in unison. They deepen people’s collective identity and their faith at the same time. This is why being there to experience it can be transformative for devotees,” Cornelio said.
But why, in the first place, is the Nazareno procession “electric”? The same question applies to Cebu’s twin celebrations in honor of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) every third Sunday of January – the so-called “cultural” Sinulog and the “religious” Fiesta Señor.
Where do such devotions draw their staying power?
To gain deeper understanding, one needs to transport oneself back by centuries, when ancient Filipinos worshiped nature spirits called anitos, and women religious leaders known as the babaylan displayed their faith in “ecstatic” ways.
It is true, in the 16th century, the Spaniards arrived and planted the cross – and introduced the Santo Niño to replace anitos.
But the ways of our forebears lived on, still deeply rooted in our nation’s soul.
Cultural anthropologist Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, in a January 2022 webinar titled, “The Indigenous Thrives In Us,” noted an “interplay between the indigenous and the foreign” in Filipino religious traditions to this day.
Zialcita first described elements of “pre-Christian, pre-Islamic religion” in the Philippines. He mentioned “reverence towards the spirits of the ancestors and nature spirits,” which meant that “unusual rocks, strange trees like the balete, or mysterious animals like the crocodile were revered.” The concern of the natives “was really fertility, health, and prosperity.”
The goal of life, he said, “was to enter the afterworld with high status, to be buried with all of your possessions such as porcelain, gold, and slaves.” This was because one’s position in the afterlife depended on one’s status in this life.
“Ecstasy,” he added, “was very important in indigenous religion.”
“This comes out clearly in our Catholic processions, such as Ati-Atihan or Sinulog or Obando or Turumba. There’s a lot of dancing,” Zialcita said in this webinar uploaded by De La Salle University.
He noted that while Spanish friars allowed them, “these dances are definitely not of Spanish Catholic origin.” They are now considered “Catholic,” however, “because generally the priest presides over these processions with special mention of Jesus and his mother.”
“A second way in which our indigenous religion continues to influence Catholicism today, is the concern of many, not with spiritual salvation, but with physical salvation,” said Zialcita. Forms of physical salvation include “safety from harm, illness, and material want.”
In his analysis of the Nazareno devotion, Zialcita said that for “the millions of men who compete with each other to be able to draw near this sacred icon and touch it with a towel,” the primary concern “is not really liberation from sin.” Rather, it is “the desire to ensure their family’s well-being.”
“When we interview the devotees, we find out consistently that they participate despite the hardship because of a panata (vow), because of a crisis in family, like for instance, a loved one is seriously ill. So the clergy may insist on kaligtasan (salvation) as freedom from sin, but many Filipinos find the physical meaning more relevant to their lives,” Zialcita said.
Zialcita later zoomed out to the bigger picture: how one can conceptualize “the relationship between the indigenous and the foreign.”
“The indigenous tradition, I would say, localizes Christianity by rooting it in people’s deepest concerns. At the same time, Christianity universalizes the indigenous by connecting it to a worldwide organization and to super-local morality,”
According to Zialcita, this means that Christianity “invites us to think beyond our family, to think of a wider community beyond the family.” In this way, “our morality is not focused on the family but on the larger community, the good of the town, the city, the country, mankind.”
“Christianity also asks us to think even of people to whom we have no kin ties. So in that sense, it universalizes the indigenous,” he said.
Social anthropologist Melba Padilla Maggay, president of the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture (ISACC), also explained these phenomena in a recent episode of ISACC’s video series ISIP-ISAK.
In this ISIP-ISAK episode on January 4 titled, “Panata at Pananampalataya,” Maggay said the Traslacion is part of the “deep structures” of Filipino culture. This involves “the issue of consciousness, the issue of the heart, the depths of a people’s soul” that cannot easily be changed. She contrasted this with “surface structures” that can easily be altered.
To illustrate the difference, she cited the dark, wooden statues of anitos or nature spirits whom ancient Filipinos worshiped before the Spaniards came.
“We exchanged them easily with saints with Caucasian features. So we had an exchange of statues. That was only a surface structure, so it was easy to change. What was difficult to change was the truly innate – the disposition of a race, their consciousness,” Maggay said in Filipino.
The Traslacion is “very durable” because it is part of these “deep structures,” she said.
When asked what the Traslacion “represents” about Filipino faith, Maggay mentioned two aspects. First, being black – instead of the usual white or Caucasian-looking – makes the Nazareno a “very powerful” image for Filipinos. “Many races, including ours, can identify with that,” she said.
Second, “it makes God close to us – touchable.” She cited Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio, former rector of Quiapo Church, who called it an “incarnational spirituality” – related to the “incarnation” or God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.
“It means we have a very deep longing as a people to touch, to make tangible, the things that are usually just in the consciousness or just in words. We need symbols, we need visuals,” said Maggay.
Maggay, a Christian, was speaking from experience. Recalling how she was raised as a Catholic, she said her mother often brought her to Quiapo Church in her youth, so that she could wipe her handkerchief on the Black Nazarene image because her mother believed it can heal her from asthma.
She herself has intervieweed Nazareno devotees, discovering for herself that she had her own misconceptions. One of these was the notion that Nazareno devotees join the Traslacion to atone for their sins – something criticized by Evangelical Christians because “Christ has died for all of us, once and for all.”
“Most of them said this is our panata (vow). And panata because of gratitude,” she said, citing the experience of devotees whose children, for example, had been healed from illness.
Maggay said that based on Scriptures, which is full of visual symbols, “God is not averse to images.”
“The problem is that these visual representations can become idols,” Maggay said. She called it “extension transference,” when “we transfer to the things of God our allegiance.”
The challenge, according to Maggay, is to be “careful how we read these practices.”
She then turned to her fellow Protestants, after the interviewer asked how Evangelical Christians can “make sense” of the Nazareno devotion. “How should we understand this?” the interviewer asked.
“First of all,” Maggay said, “if you are Evangelical, join the Traslacion and listen carefully to what the people are saying.”
In the #faith channel of the Rappler Communities app, several participants in our January 9 live chat session made a similar appeal: listen to devotees.
One of them was Father Franz Dizon, parochial vicar of the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, who was one of the most active commenters in our chat room that day.
“We really cannot understand what the devotion means to the devotees if we will not ask them,” said Dizon in Filipino. “For me, a person who judges based only on his knowledge or point of view is also a fanatic. He is a fanatic of his own beliefs.”
Having studied in Catholic schools all my life, and having taken theology courses in college, I myself had my own preconceived notions of Nazareno devotees in the past – until I started covering the Traslacion and seeing believers up close.
On January 9 this year, around 25 minutes after the Nazareno carriage left the vicinity of San Sebastian Basilica, our coverage team exited the church compound to shoot a video report at Plaza del Carmen. Many devotees in red Nazareno shirts were still lingering in the area at that time.
When we were about to start shooting, suddenly, a dozen devotees congregated around me. I smiled at them briefly, looked straight into the camera lens, and tried my best not to be distracted. Then the camera rolled, and I started to narrate the afternoon’s event. Toward the end of the video, I attempted to give viewers the big picture – ironically with the words, “I cannot explain it.”
I told our viewers, “If you are asking, ‘Why are people this devoted to the Black Nazarene?’ I think no academic discussion can substitute for seeing in person, eye to eye, the things that happen in Quiapo.”
Looking back, I think the best way to explain it was the sight of the people behind me: real flesh and blood who came with their deepest hopes, persons to be respected and not ideas to be debated.
The only sound that mattered, at that moment, was the loud cheer of the devotees who smiled, waved, and jumped before our camera: “Viva! Viva! Viva! Viva!” – Rappler.com
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‘Grave insult to commuters’: Marcos draws flak for chopper ride to Coldplay concert in Bulacan
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Russell Ku
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20/01/2024 15:15
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MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has drawn flak after he was spotted taking a chopper ride for Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” concert in Bulacan on Friday, January 19.
Eagle-eyed social media users who attended the Coldplay concert on Friday, January 19, recorded Marcos arriving via a presidential helicopter to watch the famous British rock band.
Videos of the scene shared online drew comparisons to the experience of regular concertgoers and even ordinary taxpayers who have to endure daily traffic in Metro Manila.
In a statement on Saturday, January 20, Presidential Security Group chief Major General Nelson Morales explained that due to “an unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals” who attended the concert, as well as the “unforeseen traffic complications,” they decided to use the presidential chopper for Marcos.
“Recognizing that this traffic situation posed a potential threat to the security of our President, the PSG took decisive action by opting for the presidential chopper,” Morales explained.
“This decision not only ensured the safety of our leader but also exemplified our commitment to prioritizing security in the face of unexpected challenges,” he added.
At naka-helicopter. Umay pic.twitter.com/qugost480P
Metro Manila recently topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time, taking an average time of 25 minutes and 30 seconds to travel 10 kilometers in the region.
I, a regular Filipino taxpayer in the Philippines, go through heavy traffic as I ride a shuttle, a rela, a jeep, and sometimes a taxi in my daily commute while our country's president BBM rides a helicopter using my tax money to easily get to where he wants/needs to be. https://t.co/y0BMpEnCc7 pic.twitter.com/v7sGJqBvYJ
While fans struggle to find ways to get to the PH Arena in Bulacan due to horrible public transportation system, the nepo baby President that came from a corrupt family of murderers which made the PH drown in generations of debt arrives in a helicopter funded by tax payers 😀 https://t.co/pEH3hFpqd8
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes called Marcos’ actions a “grave insult to millions of Filipino commuters” amid the lack of a “progressive and pro-people” mass transportation system in the country.
“A president who takes a chopper to watch a concert amid terrible traffic and a mass transport crisis, will not sympathize with jeepney drivers, operators and commuters. This is the state of transportation in the Philippines today,” he added.
Other users questioned the use of the helicopter as the trip would come from the pockets of ordinary taxpayers.
Sana all naka-helicopter papuntang Ph Arena para manuod ng concert tapos tayong mga tax payer ang nagbabayad🥲 https://t.co/aiW8wzVacK
we've been SO LOUD and SO TIRED about the transportation issues in the philippines but these people wont care because they ride helicopters using OUR tax money https://t.co/Yab9nGlaHG
Filipinos online also pointed out the irony of the move as Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” world tour hopes to promote environmental sustainability through measures such as reusable LED wristbands and installation of electricity-generating power bikes and kinetic floors, among others.
all the effort of coldplay and their team in promoting sustainability while on tour, finding a way to make that work here in the philippines, only for this asshole to fly in a chopper probably funded by… take a wild guess! https://t.co/AEZuxsZ2ky
coldplay literally advocates for sustainability and this guy literally pulls up on taxpayer’s chopper kapal talaga ng mukha ng pamilyang to https://t.co/1xgwAwJIJA
Even Coldplay’s front man Chris Martin had something to say about the infamous Philippine traffic, thanking fans for braving it to see the band live.
“We’ve seen some traffic. But I think you have the number one [traffic] in the world. Thank you for making the effort to come through all of that bullshit to be here,” he said.
One concertgoer posted a video of Marcos’ reaction to Martin’s words. He was seen smiling and laughing as Martin spoke.
– Rappler.com
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The Civil Service will sanction lower-ranked Philippine government officials who will use Official Vehicles for Private Events, except for President Marcos Jr. What an injustice? Or at least a partial or biased application of a rule.
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TNT fends off 2 tournament ousters in a week as KBL’s Anyang visits PH for EASL
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jisaga0269
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21/01/2024 15:44
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SCORING LEADER. Roger Pogoy topscores for TNT in its Game 1 win over San Miguel.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The TNT Tropang Giga are not playing winning basketball as of late.
Plagued by import woes and general inconsistency throughout the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Manny V. Pangilinan’s flagship franchise limped to the quarterfinals with a 5-6 record as the eighth and final seed before promptly bowing out to top-ranked Magnolia off a 94-109 blowout last Wednesday, January 17.
TNT, however, still has somewhat of a redemption chance lined up just seven days from that ouster on January 24 as the East Asia Super League (EASL) resumes with the Korean Basketball League’s (KBL) Anyang Jung Kwan Jang taking on the Tropang Giga on their home turf at the PhilSports Arena.
With the Red Boosters’ import Rhenz Abando still out of commission due to a harrowing spinal injury, TNT will likely have a better fighting chance as the Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer’s 9.5 points per game average and intangible energy will definitely be missed by Anyang at some point in its next encounter.
The Tropang Giga will definitely need every advantage they can get as they are facing elimination at the Red Boosters’ hands.
Anyang, in turn, is also keen on evading a lower-rank logjam and clinching an outright Final Four berth as it only holds a 2-2 record.
“We’re preparing for all scenarios and making sure we respect the talent that Anyang brings to the court,” said TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa, who has also noted that reinstated head coach Chot Reyes will not yet be making his sideline return.
TNT will once again rely on import Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson as his brother Rondae, although allowed to play under EASL’s two-import limit, is still on the mend from a neck injury he suffered against Taiwan P.League+ squad Taipei Fubon last December 20.
The Tropang Giga will also have the likes of Calvin Oftana, returning star Roger Pogoy, surging rookie Kim Aurin, and other young and old standouts shoring up their local cast.
Meanwhile, Anyang, in Abando’s absence, will lean on imports Omari Spellman and Darryl Monroe, while locals such as Ji Hoon Park and Sung-Won Choi are also on top of opponents’ scouting reports.
“We expect them (Red Boosters) to come out aggressively as they also have a lot at stake in this match,” added Lastimosa, who is giving up the head coaching reins for now to deputy Josh Reyes.
With a win, TNT will still not have its fate back in its hands as it also needs Anyang to lose its final regular season assignment against Taipei Fubon to forge a three-way tie at second place and trigger tiebreaker rules. – Rappler.com
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AFP’s first woman spox: Cyber expert with presidential security experience
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Bea Cupin
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21/01/2024 11:42
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NEW SPOKESPERSON. Colonel Francel Padilla is the AFP's first woman spokesperson.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – When Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla speaks of her 2023 achievements, she is quick to use the pronoun “we,” as if winning Global Security Woman Leader of the Year is an endeavor you can attribute to any and all Filipino.
Padilla, a military officer with a career spanning nearly three decades, is the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s new spokesperson – the first woman to hold the post in over 88 years of its existence.
“It underscores the thrust of the AFP to embrace diversity and promote inclusivity,” said Padilla in an interview with state-run PTV4’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
Padilla’s new role comes at a crucial time for the military. It’s just beginning to shift its focus from internal security to external threats, as a nation in the middle of “the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now,” according to its commander-in-chief, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Her previous experience will also come in handy, as the Philippines works to beef up its cyber and info-security infrastructure.
Technology is the throughline of Padilla’s career.
In 2023, she won Global Cybersecurity Woman Leader of the Year, besting nominees from 62 countries. Years prior, she was recognized as among the Top 30 Women in Security in ASEAN for 2021, having been among the Top 10 Women in Cyber Security in the Philippines in 2020.
She’ also been recognized as an “Epic Woman in Cyber” and a “Wonder Woman in Tech,” according to her official profile.
Speaking to PTV4, Padilla said it was during her time in the Presidential Security Group under the late Benigno Aquino III that she first dove deep into the world of cyber security.
“During the time of [Aquino], we greatly enhanced the digitization of the PSG,” recalled Padilla, who said they worked on setting up server farms and enhancing the cyber security wing of the group tasked to secure the President, top government officials, and visiting dignitaries.
Her PSG stint wasn’t her first interaction with the Philippines’ chief executive. During the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Padilla was among her uniformed aides.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Padilla was designated the information system officer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, according to a Philippine Information Agency report.
Padilla refers to herself as a “certified ethical hacker,” among other designations. She’s also conducted lectures abroad, and served as mentor to other cybersecurity-focused soldiers.
In a predominantly male organization, Padilla has other firsts under her belt.
She was the first woman battalion commander of the Philippine Army, when she was appointed commander of the 7th Signal Battalion in the Northern Luzon Area of Operations. As 7th Signal Battalion chief, Padilla oversaw the entire NOLCOM’s command, control, communications, and cyber systems.
The newly-minted spokesperson says her NOLCOM experience will be key in her new role as spokesperson. “I have first-hand connections to all these commanders,” she said. NOLCOM covers Northern and Central Luzon.
Her cybersecurity experience will come in handy, as the AFP reconfigures Horizon 3 – or its modernization plan for the coming years. Padilla said the details of Horizon 3 have yet to be finalized and approved, but it will definitely include ship and aircraft upgrades, as well as improvements in the military’s communications.
Padilla is a pistol expert, a VVIP or very, very important person protector, and a judoka.
In her profile, she puts a premium on her role as a “devoted mother of two wonderful sons.” Her two children are now adults, said Padilla, with at least one done with formal education.
Padilla is the widow of the late Felicisimo Esteban Taborlupa Jr., who was also her mistah from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2000. Taborlupa, who retired early from the military to join the Philippine Coast Guard, died in a helicopter crash in Batangas that also claimed the life of businessman Angelo King.
Asked how her late husband would have reacted to her pioneering post as the first woman spokesperson of the AFP, Padilla did not take long to consider. “Full support by the looks of it,” she said.
Padilla is concurrently the Group Commander of the Media and Civil Affairs Group of the Civil Relations Service of the AFP. – Rappler.com
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Congratulations to Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla. May you greatly contribute to the communications needs of our Armed Forces, especially in the newest battlefield: Cyberwarfare. Your contributions to this field will certainly benefit the Filipino People.
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[OPINION] Dark times ahead if NGCP doesn’t shape up
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Marguerite de Leon
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21/01/2024 15:02
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Raffy de Guzman/Rappler
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) opened the year with a bang – a four-day brownout that crippled the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and parts of Negros Occidental and caused losses in billions of pesos. Instead of welcoming the year with joy and hope, people in these provinces had to face literal dark and hot days because of NGCP’s failure to secure reliable power for the province. Schools closed, businesses shut down, lives were put on hold, simply because of NGCP’s negligence in fulfilling its mandate to serve the Filipino people.
During the summer of 2023, the NGCP warned of possible power outages and an unexpected red and yellow alert in Luzon was declared, similar to the power outages also in Panay a few weeks earlier, and to the massive power blackout in Mindanao in 2015. Rotating brownouts have become the norm for several parts of Luzon, a recurring problem that NGCP has miserably failed to address.
It’s time to call a spade a spade. NGCP has been negligent in fulfilling its obligation to timely secure a reliable ancillary power service agreement. Sadly, the corporation can’t live up to its responsibility to secure a reliable electricity infrastructure to the consuming public. The NGCP continues to fail to ensure a dependable and safe transmission backbone for the country. Yet it has continued to charge all of consumers transmission charges for the service it has failed to deliver, for ancillary charges it has failed to contract, and electricity infrastructure it has not yet built.
Here’s what we have to say: NGCP must fulfill its responsibility and be held accountable for its failure and negligence.
Despite billions in profit, NGCP has been slow in linking the three main island grids to ensure a stable electricity supply nor has it fully upgraded all the transmission assets, causing unexpected tripping and outages.
And who can forget Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ expose that the NGCP is passing on its janitorial and security services amounting to P8.7 billion from 2009 to 2022 to consumers as transmission charge?
Filipino consumers are carrying the burden of NGCP’s shameless greed. They must be held accountable for their shortcomings – NGCP’s executives enjoy windfall profit while short-changing the public.
The power outages in Panay and in many parts of the Philippines are not accidents but a result of NGCP’s failure as a private corporation responsible for operating, managing, and ensuring that the country’s grid provides reliable, sufficient, and safe electricity. Without a sustainable and affordable electricity supply our road to economic growth and development will be at naught.
In the country’s roadmap for energy and electricity security, it must lay down the current government’s thrust to ensure electricity consumers especially household consumers with an affordable electricity price. Part of that is to ensure that the NGCP works and accomplishes its mandate and be of true service to the Filipino people.
The current hearing at the Senate for the four-day nightmare in Panay must get things done and we urge the Congress to convene the Joint Congressional Energy Commission (JCEC) to review NGCP’s franchise. Are they a corporate entity or a public utility? Is it time to review the return of system operation to government control while keeping the NGCP – the money-making corporate machines as transmission operator?
Further, we need to review NGCP’s rate mechanism if it has indeed built what it has committed under its Transmission Development Plan. More importantly, have they built the assets that the consumers have already paid for?
The Marcos administration must reprimand and revisit the franchise of the NGCP for its repeated failure to secure reliable electricity for the public. The ERC must also set a non-extendable deadline and establish penalties for further delays in the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay Interconnection Lines, including the substation in Panay that they promised to build by December 31, 2024. The Department of Energy must stop its kid-glove approach to NGCP and administratively reprimand it for its failure to fulfill its duties. These must be done before things get worse. – Rappler.com
Bas Umali is the national coordinator of Kuryente.org, an energy consumer welfare group.
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The story fails to mention who the people are behind what you termed the “shamless greed.”
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6 questions you should be ready to answer to smash that job interview
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Marguerite de Leon
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21/01/2024 16:01
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High school graduates, college level, college and tech/voc graduates, take advantage of the 15,000 job vacancies from 100 employers, during the MANILabor Day Job Fair, at the San Andres Sports Complex on May 1, 2023.
Rappler
With the new year underway employers are beginning to resume normal business activities and restart their hiring process. Similarly, many school and university graduates are beginning their job search after a well-earned break.
While some employers are using increasingly sophisticated approaches to recruiting such as psychometric testing and artificial intelligence, interviews remain one of the most common selection methods.
If you have been invited to a job interview, congratulations, as it likely means you have been shortlisted for the role. However, for many people, interviews can be an unnerving process. Not only do they require candidates to think on their feet, but also to create a positive impression of themselves as a potential co-worker.
With that in mind, it always pays to prepare by anticipating what will be discussed and practicing your answers. Here are six types of questions you may be asked:
An interview will often start with broad questions about your background and interest in a job. These may include questions such as: “What motivated you to apply for this role?” or “Tell me about your long-term career aspirations.”
For these types of questions, a convincing answer will highlight relevant skills you can bring to the role. These professional experiences do not have to come from the same type of position. For instance, if you were applying for a customer service job, you might cite communication and problem-solving methods you used on a student team project.
A convincing answer will focus on intrinsic motivation: specifically, the aspects of the job you find interesting, enjoyable, or otherwise rewarding. These could involve working with people, solving tricky business problems, or making a social impact. Avoid negative remarks about your current employer and sources of extrinsic motivation – such as money or benefits – unless part of a salary negotiation.
Your answer will also show how the role aligns with your own values. For instance, if you are applying for a teaching position, you could highlight your belief in the importance of education, as well as anything about the school you admire, such as its program of extracurricular activities.
Behavioral questions require candidates to provide examples of the past actions they took to manage situations. For instance: “Tell me about a time when you received a customer complaint. What actions did you take, and what was the outcome?” Their objective is to predict how candidates will behave in similar situations.
You can prepare for these questions by studying the job selection criteria and anticipating the questions the interviewer may ask.
If you do not have the relevant experience for one of the questions, you can say that you can’t recall a specific example, but you could outline how you would deal with the situation described in the question.
Interviewers will often ask about what you see as your greatest strengths and weaknesses.
The strengths part of this question enables you to highlight your knowledge and skills most relevant for the role. In general, it is a good idea to provide examples of specific accomplishments that illustrate these capabilities.
The weaknesses can be addressed by framing “weaknesses” as professional aspirations. In general, it is a good idea to focus on a capability that is non-essential for the role, in which you would like to gain experience. For instance, if you are not a confident public speaker but recognize it as a necessary for your long-term career, you could say it is a skill you would like to work on.
By expressing willingness to receive further training and development, you can leave a much more positive impression than simply listing your current shortcomings.
Usually, pay negotiations will occur after an offer has been made, but sometimes the topic will come up during the interview.
Before stating your expectation, it is wise to find out the salary and other benefits associated with the role. If the salary has not been listed in the job description, you should ask the employer what the budgeted salary range for the position is.
Ahead of the interview, do some research and find out what is typical for the role you are applying for based on your level of experience.
Be careful about disclosing your current salary; this information can provide a baseline that can make it difficult to negotiate a higher salary. If you are asked this question, you can politely decline to answer or indicate the information is between yourself and your current employer.
Unfortunately, some employers may ask inappropriate or illegal questions. These may relate to relationship status, career responsibilities, childhood planning, physical or mental health, cultural or ethnic background, and union activity.
If you are asked an inappropriate question, you can politely ask the interviewer how that information would be relevant to your ability to perform the job.
Ultimately, job candidates have a right to refuse to answer such questions.
Often, the interviewer will invite the candidate to ask their own questions. Thoughtfully selected questions can leave a positive lasting impression.
In this part of the interview, you can clarify any aspect of the role you feel unsure about, such as the working hours. It can also be good to do some research on the organization and to ask some more specific questions about its clients, projects, or long-term plans.
Beyond the specific requirements of the role, a good topic to ask about is the team and organizational culture. You could, for example, ask what a typical day in the life of a team member would look like.
At the end of the interview, you should ask about the next steps including when you should expect to hear back from them.
One final thing to consider about an interview is that it is a two-way process; you are also interviewing the employer to see if the job would be a good fit for you personally and professionally. If the role, organization, or people seem unappealing after the interview process, then it is wise to look elsewhere. – The Conversation|Rappler.com
Timothy Colin Bednall is an Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology.
This piece was originally published in The Conversation.
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AFP’s first woman spox: Cyber expert with presidential security experience
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Bea Cupin
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21/01/2024 11:42
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NEW SPOKESPERSON. Colonel Francel Padilla is the AFP's first woman spokesperson.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – When Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla speaks of her 2023 achievements, she is quick to use the pronoun “we,” as if winning Global Security Woman Leader of the Year is an endeavor you can attribute to any and all Filipino.
Padilla, a military officer with a career spanning nearly three decades, is the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s new spokesperson – the first woman to hold the post in over 88 years of its existence.
“It underscores the thrust of the AFP to embrace diversity and promote inclusivity,” said Padilla in an interview with state-run PTV4’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
Padilla’s new role comes at a crucial time for the military. It’s just beginning to shift its focus from internal security to external threats, as a nation in the middle of “the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now,” according to its commander-in-chief, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Her previous experience will also come in handy, as the Philippines works to beef up its cyber and info-security infrastructure.
Technology is the throughline of Padilla’s career.
In 2023, she won Global Cybersecurity Woman Leader of the Year, besting nominees from 62 countries. Years prior, she was recognized as among the Top 30 Women in Security in ASEAN for 2021, having been among the Top 10 Women in Cyber Security in the Philippines in 2020.
She’ also been recognized as an “Epic Woman in Cyber” and a “Wonder Woman in Tech,” according to her official profile.
Speaking to PTV4, Padilla said it was during her time in the Presidential Security Group under the late Benigno Aquino III that she first dove deep into the world of cyber security.
“During the time of [Aquino], we greatly enhanced the digitization of the PSG,” recalled Padilla, who said they worked on setting up server farms and enhancing the cyber security wing of the group tasked to secure the President, top government officials, and visiting dignitaries.
Her PSG stint wasn’t her first interaction with the Philippines’ chief executive. During the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Padilla was among her uniformed aides.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Padilla was designated the information system officer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, according to a Philippine Information Agency report.
Padilla refers to herself as a “certified ethical hacker,” among other designations. She’s also conducted lectures abroad, and served as mentor to other cybersecurity-focused soldiers.
In a predominantly male organization, Padilla has other firsts under her belt.
She was the first woman battalion commander of the Philippine Army, when she was appointed commander of the 7th Signal Battalion in the Northern Luzon Area of Operations. As 7th Signal Battalion chief, Padilla oversaw the entire NOLCOM’s command, control, communications, and cyber systems.
The newly-minted spokesperson says her NOLCOM experience will be key in her new role as spokesperson. “I have first-hand connections to all these commanders,” she said. NOLCOM covers Northern and Central Luzon.
Her cybersecurity experience will come in handy, as the AFP reconfigures Horizon 3 – or its modernization plan for the coming years. Padilla said the details of Horizon 3 have yet to be finalized and approved, but it will definitely include ship and aircraft upgrades, as well as improvements in the military’s communications.
Padilla is a pistol expert, a VVIP or very, very important person protector, and a judoka.
In her profile, she puts a premium on her role as a “devoted mother of two wonderful sons.” Her two children are now adults, said Padilla, with at least one done with formal education.
Padilla is the widow of the late Felicisimo Esteban Taborlupa Jr., who was also her mistah from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2000. Taborlupa, who retired early from the military to join the Philippine Coast Guard, died in a helicopter crash in Batangas that also claimed the life of businessman Angelo King.
Asked how her late husband would have reacted to her pioneering post as the first woman spokesperson of the AFP, Padilla did not take long to consider. “Full support by the looks of it,” she said.
Padilla is concurrently the Group Commander of the Media and Civil Affairs Group of the Civil Relations Service of the AFP. – Rappler.com
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Congratulations to Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla. May you greatly contribute to the communications needs of our Armed Forces, especially in the newest battlefield: Cyberwarfare. Your contributions to this field will certainly benefit the Filipino People.
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Precolonial faith: Why Nazareno, Sinulog are here to stay
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Paterno Esmaquel II
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21/01/2024 9:00
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VIVA! Catholic devotees join the 'Walk with Jesus’ or the penitential foot procession from Fuente Osmeña to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on January 11, 2024, officially kicking off the 459th Fiesta Señor celebration in Cebu.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – I pretended I was wiping off sweat, when in fact I was drying my tears, as I watched thousands of Filipinos squeezing their way and scrambling to get as close as possible to the Nazareno.
Our videographer Franz Lopez and I positioned ourselves on a walled and elevated vantage point at Manila’s historic San Sebastian Basilica on January 9, the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
On this day each year, except during the pandemic, millions of devotees join one of the world’s biggest and longest religious processions to honor a 17th-century image of a dark-skinned suffering Christ. Many of them participate in the ritual, called the Traslacion, to thank God for blessings received and to seek more graces for their families in the coming year.
Even as I held my smartphone to take vertical videos, I could not help but cry as devotees raised both hands, in an act of surrender, while singing a popular Filipino version of the Lord’s Prayer. Perhaps, I thought, one of them had a terminal illness, or was praying for a sick relative; perhaps another was laid off from her job, while another was praying for a baby.
“Literally the heat of their devotion (and their bodies) – I felt it,” I wrote on the #faith channel of the Rappler Communities app right after our experience at San Sebastian.
“That’s part of what sociologists call ‘collective effervescence,’” replied Jayeel Cornelio, a sociologist of religion, during our live chat session.
“What does it mean?” I asked.
“What you describe as ‘electricity.’ A religious ritual is powerful in bringing people together and making us feel that we are part of the community. The chants, the bodily movements, the songs – they’re all done in unison. They deepen people’s collective identity and their faith at the same time. This is why being there to experience it can be transformative for devotees,” Cornelio said.
But why, in the first place, is the Nazareno procession “electric”? The same question applies to Cebu’s twin celebrations in honor of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) every third Sunday of January – the so-called “cultural” Sinulog and the “religious” Fiesta Señor.
Where do such devotions draw their staying power?
To gain deeper understanding, one needs to transport oneself back by centuries, when ancient Filipinos worshiped nature spirits called anitos, and women religious leaders known as the babaylan displayed their faith in “ecstatic” ways.
It is true, in the 16th century, the Spaniards arrived and planted the cross – and introduced the Santo Niño to replace anitos.
But the ways of our forebears lived on, still deeply rooted in our nation’s soul.
Cultural anthropologist Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, in a January 2022 webinar titled, “The Indigenous Thrives In Us,” noted an “interplay between the indigenous and the foreign” in Filipino religious traditions to this day.
Zialcita first described elements of “pre-Christian, pre-Islamic religion” in the Philippines. He mentioned “reverence towards the spirits of the ancestors and nature spirits,” which meant that “unusual rocks, strange trees like the balete, or mysterious animals like the crocodile were revered.” The concern of the natives “was really fertility, health, and prosperity.”
The goal of life, he said, “was to enter the afterworld with high status, to be buried with all of your possessions such as porcelain, gold, and slaves.” This was because one’s position in the afterlife depended on one’s status in this life.
“Ecstasy,” he added, “was very important in indigenous religion.”
“This comes out clearly in our Catholic processions, such as Ati-Atihan or Sinulog or Obando or Turumba. There’s a lot of dancing,” Zialcita said in this webinar uploaded by De La Salle University.
He noted that while Spanish friars allowed them, “these dances are definitely not of Spanish Catholic origin.” They are now considered “Catholic,” however, “because generally the priest presides over these processions with special mention of Jesus and his mother.”
“A second way in which our indigenous religion continues to influence Catholicism today, is the concern of many, not with spiritual salvation, but with physical salvation,” said Zialcita. Forms of physical salvation include “safety from harm, illness, and material want.”
In his analysis of the Nazareno devotion, Zialcita said that for “the millions of men who compete with each other to be able to draw near this sacred icon and touch it with a towel,” the primary concern “is not really liberation from sin.” Rather, it is “the desire to ensure their family’s well-being.”
“When we interview the devotees, we find out consistently that they participate despite the hardship because of a panata (vow), because of a crisis in family, like for instance, a loved one is seriously ill. So the clergy may insist on kaligtasan (salvation) as freedom from sin, but many Filipinos find the physical meaning more relevant to their lives,” Zialcita said.
Zialcita later zoomed out to the bigger picture: how one can conceptualize “the relationship between the indigenous and the foreign.”
“The indigenous tradition, I would say, localizes Christianity by rooting it in people’s deepest concerns. At the same time, Christianity universalizes the indigenous by connecting it to a worldwide organization and to super-local morality,”
According to Zialcita, this means that Christianity “invites us to think beyond our family, to think of a wider community beyond the family.” In this way, “our morality is not focused on the family but on the larger community, the good of the town, the city, the country, mankind.”
“Christianity also asks us to think even of people to whom we have no kin ties. So in that sense, it universalizes the indigenous,” he said.
Social anthropologist Melba Padilla Maggay, president of the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture (ISACC), also explained these phenomena in a recent episode of ISACC’s video series ISIP-ISAK.
In this ISIP-ISAK episode on January 4 titled, “Panata at Pananampalataya,” Maggay said the Traslacion is part of the “deep structures” of Filipino culture. This involves “the issue of consciousness, the issue of the heart, the depths of a people’s soul” that cannot easily be changed. She contrasted this with “surface structures” that can easily be altered.
To illustrate the difference, she cited the dark, wooden statues of anitos or nature spirits whom ancient Filipinos worshiped before the Spaniards came.
“We exchanged them easily with saints with Caucasian features. So we had an exchange of statues. That was only a surface structure, so it was easy to change. What was difficult to change was the truly innate – the disposition of a race, their consciousness,” Maggay said in Filipino.
The Traslacion is “very durable” because it is part of these “deep structures,” she said.
When asked what the Traslacion “represents” about Filipino faith, Maggay mentioned two aspects. First, being black – instead of the usual white or Caucasian-looking – makes the Nazareno a “very powerful” image for Filipinos. “Many races, including ours, can identify with that,” she said.
Second, “it makes God close to us – touchable.” She cited Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio, former rector of Quiapo Church, who called it an “incarnational spirituality” – related to the “incarnation” or God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.
“It means we have a very deep longing as a people to touch, to make tangible, the things that are usually just in the consciousness or just in words. We need symbols, we need visuals,” said Maggay.
Maggay, a Christian, was speaking from experience. Recalling how she was raised as a Catholic, she said her mother often brought her to Quiapo Church in her youth, so that she could wipe her handkerchief on the Black Nazarene image because her mother believed it can heal her from asthma.
She herself has intervieweed Nazareno devotees, discovering for herself that she had her own misconceptions. One of these was the notion that Nazareno devotees join the Traslacion to atone for their sins – something criticized by Evangelical Christians because “Christ has died for all of us, once and for all.”
“Most of them said this is our panata (vow). And panata because of gratitude,” she said, citing the experience of devotees whose children, for example, had been healed from illness.
Maggay said that based on Scriptures, which is full of visual symbols, “God is not averse to images.”
“The problem is that these visual representations can become idols,” Maggay said. She called it “extension transference,” when “we transfer to the things of God our allegiance.”
The challenge, according to Maggay, is to be “careful how we read these practices.”
She then turned to her fellow Protestants, after the interviewer asked how Evangelical Christians can “make sense” of the Nazareno devotion. “How should we understand this?” the interviewer asked.
“First of all,” Maggay said, “if you are Evangelical, join the Traslacion and listen carefully to what the people are saying.”
In the #faith channel of the Rappler Communities app, several participants in our January 9 live chat session made a similar appeal: listen to devotees.
One of them was Father Franz Dizon, parochial vicar of the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, who was one of the most active commenters in our chat room that day.
“We really cannot understand what the devotion means to the devotees if we will not ask them,” said Dizon in Filipino. “For me, a person who judges based only on his knowledge or point of view is also a fanatic. He is a fanatic of his own beliefs.”
Having studied in Catholic schools all my life, and having taken theology courses in college, I myself had my own preconceived notions of Nazareno devotees in the past – until I started covering the Traslacion and seeing believers up close.
On January 9 this year, around 25 minutes after the Nazareno carriage left the vicinity of San Sebastian Basilica, our coverage team exited the church compound to shoot a video report at Plaza del Carmen. Many devotees in red Nazareno shirts were still lingering in the area at that time.
When we were about to start shooting, suddenly, a dozen devotees congregated around me. I smiled at them briefly, looked straight into the camera lens, and tried my best not to be distracted. Then the camera rolled, and I started to narrate the afternoon’s event. Toward the end of the video, I attempted to give viewers the big picture – ironically with the words, “I cannot explain it.”
I told our viewers, “If you are asking, ‘Why are people this devoted to the Black Nazarene?’ I think no academic discussion can substitute for seeing in person, eye to eye, the things that happen in Quiapo.”
Looking back, I think the best way to explain it was the sight of the people behind me: real flesh and blood who came with their deepest hopes, persons to be respected and not ideas to be debated.
The only sound that mattered, at that moment, was the loud cheer of the devotees who smiled, waved, and jumped before our camera: “Viva! Viva! Viva! Viva!” – Rappler.com
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Meltdown averted as Phoenix scores semis berth for franchise milestone
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 22:36
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TOUGH SHOT. Jason Perkins in action for the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – As Phoenix head coach Jamike Jarin put it, “one is enough, two is too much.”
The Fuel Masters avoided another meltdown and completed the semifinal cast of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup after eking out an 88-84 win over Meralco in a do-or-die clash at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, January 21.
Jason Perkins hit key buckets late as twice-to-beat Phoenix got its act together this time, having learned the hard way after frittering away a 15-point lead in its triple-overtime loss to the Bolts in their first quarterfinal encounter.
“These are the games that make you mature and these are the experiences that you will gain in these type of games. Experience is the best teacher,” said Jarin.
Perkins delivered 19 points and 13 rebounds, including 6 of the Fuel Masters’ 11 fourth-quarter points, as the team reached the semifinals of an import conference for the first time in franchise history.
Trailing 62-77 through the first three periods, Meralco went on a tear and opened the final frame on an 11-0 run capped by a three-point play by courageous forward Cliff Hodge, who played despite nursing an ankle injury.
Although Perkins ended the scoring drought for Phoenix, the Bolts continued to pounce and got within 81-85 with under 40 seconds left off another Hodge bucket.
But Perkins and Johnathan Williams sank crucial free throws down the stretch to send Phoenix – a young team that few people expected to go this far – to just its third final four appearance and first since the 2020 Philippine Cup.
“We’re not supposed to be here. Nobody predicted that we’ll be in the top four. We’re just happy to make it to the semifinals and we’ll continue to work harder, and hopefully, things will continue to fall our way,” said Jarin.
Dependable import Williams paced the Fuel Masters with 21 points and 16 rebounds, while RJ Jazul and rookie Kenneth Tuffin supplied 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Javee Mocon added 9 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals for Phoenix.
It is only bound to get tougher for the Fuel Masters, though.
Awaiting Phoenix in the best-of-five semifinals is top seed Magnolia, which has won 10 of its 12 games this conference.
“They are the favorites even before the start of the conference. We have our hands full,” said Jarin of the Hotshots.
Hodge showed the way for Meralco with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks in an admirable performance for a man who practically played on one foot.
Chris Newsome and Allein Maliksi fired 15 points each and combined for 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss that denied the Bolts a second straight semifinal stint.
The semifinals kick off on Wednesday, January 24, at the Araneta Coliseum, with sister teams Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel locking horns in the other final four pairing.
Phoenix 88 – Williams 21, Perkins 19, Jazul 13, Tuffin 10, Mocon 9, Tio 6, Alejandro 4, Rivero 4, Garcia 2, Muyang 0, Manganti 0, Lalata 0, Daves 0, Verano 0, Camacho 0.
Meralco 84 – Newsome 15, Hodge 15, Maliksi 15, Miller 12, Quinto 11, Black 7, Banchero 7, Almazan 2, Rios 0, Pascual 0.
Quarters: 30-22, 55-43, 77-62, 88-84.
– Rappler.com
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‘Still your kapatid’: Marck Espejo parts ways with longtime club Cignal
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 23:10
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STARRING. Cignal star spiker Marck Espejo at the 2023 Spikers' Turf Open Conference finals Game 1
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines — Marck Espejo will be moving to another Spikers’ Turf squad after announcing his exit from longtime club Cignal HD Spikers on Sunday, January 21.
In an Instagram post, Espejo bid farewell from his team of five years, helping power the HD Spikers to three championships.
“More than 5 years with this AWESOME team. I’m so grateful for all the love and support. Thank you Cignal HD Spikers and Awesome nation for being part of my journey. Still your kapatid (brother) outside the court! Mahal ko kayo (I love you all),” Espejo captioned.
Espejo is reportedly set to play for new team Rebisco in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf season.
The decorated spiker currently plays as an import in Korea for KOVO defending champion Incheon Korean Air Jumbos.
Prior to the move, Espejo served as a key cog in Cignal’s perfect run to the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference title, and was subsequently awarded Finals Most Valuable Player.
A post shared by Marck Espejo (@marckespejooo)
Espejo’s other accomplishments with Cignal include a Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League diadem in 2022.
In his consistently stellar career, Espejo has already trotted the globe to play professionally, having played in Japan, Thailand, and Bahrain before his Korea stint.
He also was one of the lead players in the silver-medal run of the Philippine men’s national volleyball team in the 30th Southeast Asian Games hosted by Manila in 2019.
During his five-year collegiate run with Ateneo, Espejo copped all possible MVP awards, on top of three consecutive championships from UAAP Seasons 77 to 79, and a record 55-point explosion in the UAAP Season 80 Final Four against FEU. — Rappler.com
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Balanced team basketball carries Adamson HS to first twice-to-beat UAAP Final 4 berth
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jisaga0269
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21/01/2024 21:01
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RISE AS ONE. Members of the Adamson Baby Falcons in the UAAP Season 86 boys basketball tournament
MANILA, Philippines – Good old team basketball is alive and well in the UAAP Season 86 boys basketball tournament.
Amid a promising field populated with high school standouts like La Salle-Zobel’s Kieffer Alas, Ateneo’s Kristian Porter, and Nazareth-NU’s runaway MVP candidate Collins Akowe, it is the star-less Adamson Baby Falcons who are dominating their way to the Final Four with no signs of slowing down.
Now armed with the first of two twice-to-beat advantages after a 74-59 rout of La Salle on Sunday, January 21, the San Marcelino prospects have bullied their way to the top, currently with an 11-1 record, without a single player in the league’s top 10 scoring list.
Justine Garcia leads the Falcons’ way with modest team-high averages of 12.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in head coach Mike Fermin’s impressively balanced rotation.
Only third-leading scorer Earl Medina is averaging more than 24 minutes per game, and 10 of Adamson’s 16 talented young men are clocking in at least 10 minutes per contest.
For Fermin, staying within the team concept of playing is key to both executing their game plans and preparing for their foes, as evidenced with how he prepared for their most recent game.
“Actually, we prepared for La Salle-Zobel, not Alas,” Fermin said after Alas sat out Sunday’s game against Adamson. “I said it’s going to be harder to defeat Zobel because we don’t know who will take the shots.”
“At least the boys quickly adjusted defensively, and we’re glad we got the twice-to-beat.”
Other teams with their own wealth of talent are also on the inside track to the Final Four, namely Akowe’s NU (10-2), UST (7-5), and defending champion FEU-Diliman (7-5).
With the elimination round winding down only UE (5-7) has a slim chance of booking one of the latter two seeds as it can still finish with a 7-7 record while hoping that UST and FEU lose all their remaining games to force a three-way standings tie.
Porter’s Ateneo (4-8), Alas’ La Salle (3-9), and top-heavy UP (1-11) are already out of the running. – Rappler.com
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Tough-as-nails Hodge plays through injury as Meralco nearly pulls off playoff coup
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 23:41
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VETERAN. Cliff Hodge in action for the Meralco Bolts in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Cliff Hodge of the Meralco Bolts – 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup
MANILA, Philippines – Injuries have slowed down Cliff Hodge, but they hardly stop him from playing.
The veteran forward powered through a sprained ankle and suited for Meralco in a sudden death quarterfinal duel against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday, January 21.
A game-time decision, Hodge finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks in nearly 38 minutes of action, although the Bolts ultimately got the boot as the Fuel Masters escaped with an 88-84 victory.
“Cliff has always been the cornerstone, the backbone of our defense. Nobody epitomizes that,” said Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo.
“He could not walk on it two days ago. We were saying we’ll see if he’ll play, that we’ll feel him out. He played through it.”
Although one of the oldest in the team at 35 years old, Hodge has been tough as nails.
In fact, out of the 104 matches the Bolts played over the last six conferences, Hodge sat out just three games.
He was not going to miss another one with their campaign on the line even after spraining his ankle in their 116-109 triple-overtime win over the twice-to-beat Fuel Masters last Wednesday that allowed Meralco to stay alive.
The Bolts almost pulled it off on Sunday, with Hodge hitting big shots in their fourth-quarter comeback before Phoenix held its nerve to advance to the semifinals.
“I’m proud of him. He played on one leg,” said Trillo.
Trillo plans to give Hodge a well-deserved rest before Meralco plunges back to action for the Philippine Cup in March. – Rappler.com
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Matthew Wright explosion not enough as Kyoto falls to Gunma anew
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 22:07
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ON FIRE. Kyoto's Matthew Wright brings the ball down in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Still not enough.
For the second time this weekend, Matthew Wright’s high-scoring output for the Kyoto Hannaryz went down the drain as they fell to the Gunma Crane Thunders once again, 100-93, in the Japan B. League on Sunday, January 21.
After carrying Kyoto’s scoring cudgels with a team-best 17 points in their 84-66 loss to the same opponents on Saturday, January 20, Wright showed no signs of slowing down, exploding for another team-high 23 points this time around.
Wright, who shot 5-of-11 from long range on Saturday, picked up where he left off and sank 5 of his 12 three-point attempts on the way to his 23-point explosion. He also posted 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the loss.
In 27 games played this season, the former Phoenix Fuel Masters star has been averaging 12.2 points on 35.6% shooting from beyond the arc for Kyoto, which suffered its 22nd loss in 31 matches.
Like Wright, RJ Abarrientos and Dwight Ramos also saw their solid performances wasted as their respective teams absorbed contrasting losses on Sunday.
After going 0-of-5 from three-point land on Saturday, Abarrientos regained his shooting touch and topscored for the Shinshu Brave Warriors in their 81-63 loss to the Alvark Tokyo.
Abarrientos connected on 5 of his 10 shots from downtown to wind up with 19 points, together with 6 assists and 2 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Ramos bounced back big from his scoreless showing on Saturday as he likewise produced 19 points in the Levanga Hokkaido’s 89-82 loss to the Chiba Jets.
The Gilas Pilipinas sensation also came up with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and a plus-minus of +10 in the losing cause.
Abarrientos’ Shinshu skidded to a 5-26 record, while Ramos’ Hokkaido slipped to 9-22.
Elsewhere, Kai Sotto and the Yokohama B-Corsairs (14-17) exacted revenge on the Osaka Evessa with a 97-91 win.
Sotto made the most of his 11-minute playing time, racking up 7 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
The 7-foot-3 center redeemed himself from his forgettable showing on Saturday, where he played a season-low 6 minutes and 37 seconds due to early foul trouble.
Still in Division 1, Thirdy Ravena and the San-En NeoPhoenix made it nine wins in a row after completing the weekend sweep of the Fighting Eagles Nagoya with a 90-62 Sunday beating.
Thirdy finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals for San-En, which remains knotted with Tokyo at the top of the standings with a 27-4 record.
Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (18-13) also emerged victorious on Sunday, defeating the Seahorses Mikawa, 94-82.
Parks recorded 3 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 steal in the win.
Over in Division 2, Greg Slaughter tied his season-high in scoring in the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka’s 88-59 loss to the Altiri Chiba.
Slaughter dropped 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Meanwhile, Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes’ nine-game winning streak came to an end following a 92-81 defeat to the Niigata Albirex BB.
Kiefer, who sizzled for 22 points on Saturday, had a double-double of 11 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Similarly, Roosevelt Adams and the Yamagata Wyvern’s 10-game winning streak ended on Sunday as they bowed to the Aomori Wat’s, 91-81.
After scoring a season-high 17 points on Saturday, Adams was limited to just 3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. – Rappler.com
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‘Still your kapatid’: Marck Espejo parts ways with longtime club Cignal
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 23:10
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STARRING. Cignal star spiker Marck Espejo at the 2023 Spikers' Turf Open Conference finals Game 1
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines — Marck Espejo will be moving to another Spikers’ Turf squad after announcing his exit from longtime club Cignal HD Spikers on Sunday, January 21.
In an Instagram post, Espejo bid farewell from his team of five years, helping power the HD Spikers to three championships.
“More than 5 years with this AWESOME team. I’m so grateful for all the love and support. Thank you Cignal HD Spikers and Awesome nation for being part of my journey. Still your kapatid (brother) outside the court! Mahal ko kayo (I love you all),” Espejo captioned.
Espejo is reportedly set to play for new team Rebisco in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf season.
The decorated spiker currently plays as an import in Korea for KOVO defending champion Incheon Korean Air Jumbos.
Prior to the move, Espejo served as a key cog in Cignal’s perfect run to the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference title, and was subsequently awarded Finals Most Valuable Player.
A post shared by Marck Espejo (@marckespejooo)
Espejo’s other accomplishments with Cignal include a Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League diadem in 2022.
In his consistently stellar career, Espejo has already trotted the globe to play professionally, having played in Japan, Thailand, and Bahrain before his Korea stint.
He also was one of the lead players in the silver-medal run of the Philippine men’s national volleyball team in the 30th Southeast Asian Games hosted by Manila in 2019.
During his five-year collegiate run with Ateneo, Espejo copped all possible MVP awards, on top of three consecutive championships from UAAP Seasons 77 to 79, and a record 55-point explosion in the UAAP Season 80 Final Four against FEU. — Rappler.com
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Thinking of joining Miss Philippines Earth 2024? Here’s what you should know
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Ysa Abad
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21/01/2024 11:46
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YLLANA MARIE ADUANA. The beauty queen from Laguna is Miss Philippines Earth 2023.
Yllana Aduana's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Heads up, beauty queen hopefuls! Applications for the 2024 edition of Miss Philippines Earth are now open.
“The search is on for the next Environmental Ambassador who will uplift the Eco Tourism of the Philippines and its Heritage,” the Miss Philippines Earth organization announced on Friday, January 19.
Interested applicants must be female, aged between 18 to 26 years old, single, of Filipino heritage, never been married and given birth, and at least a high school graduate and of good moral standing.
The organization also noted that the applicants should have “outstanding looks and personality,” with “above-average communication skills,” and “knowledge on and concern for the environment.”
Application forms can be downloaded via the Miss Philippines Earth’s social media pages. A deadline for submission has yet to be announced.
Aside from the completely filled up and signed application form, aspiring candidates should also submit a clear image or scanned copy of their birth certificate, and high school or college diploma. They should also submit digital photos of their headshot, as well as photos of them wearing a long gown and swimsuit.
The Miss Philippines Earth title is currently held by Yllana Marie Aduana of Laguna, who was crowned as Miss Earth-Air in the pageant’s international edition.
The Philippines has won Miss Earth titles through Karla Henry (2008), Jamie Herrell (2014), Angelia Ong (2015), and Karen Ibasco (2017). – Rappler.com
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Tough-as-nails Hodge plays through injury as Meralco nearly pulls off playoff coup
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 23:41
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VETERAN. Cliff Hodge in action for the Meralco Bolts in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Cliff Hodge of the Meralco Bolts – 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup
MANILA, Philippines – Injuries have slowed down Cliff Hodge, but they hardly stop him from playing.
The veteran forward powered through a sprained ankle and suited for Meralco in a sudden death quarterfinal duel against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday, January 21.
A game-time decision, Hodge finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks in nearly 38 minutes of action, although the Bolts ultimately got the boot as the Fuel Masters escaped with an 88-84 victory.
“Cliff has always been the cornerstone, the backbone of our defense. Nobody epitomizes that,” said Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo.
“He could not walk on it two days ago. We were saying we’ll see if he’ll play, that we’ll feel him out. He played through it.”
Although one of the oldest in the team at 35 years old, Hodge has been tough as nails.
In fact, out of the 104 matches the Bolts played over the last six conferences, Hodge sat out just three games.
He was not going to miss another one with their campaign on the line even after spraining his ankle in their 116-109 triple-overtime win over the twice-to-beat Fuel Masters last Wednesday that allowed Meralco to stay alive.
The Bolts almost pulled it off on Sunday, with Hodge hitting big shots in their fourth-quarter comeback before Phoenix held its nerve to advance to the semifinals.
“I’m proud of him. He played on one leg,” said Trillo.
Trillo plans to give Hodge a well-deserved rest before Meralco plunges back to action for the Philippine Cup in March. – Rappler.com
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WATCH: Chinese Coast Guard forces Filipino fishermen to return shells, drives them away – PCG
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Jodesz Gavilan
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21/01/2024 20:09
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MANILA, Philippines – Filipino fishermen collecting sea shells near Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea were reportedly harassed and driven away by Chinese Coast Guard, according to videos posted on Facebook.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela on Sunday, January 21 said that they are able to identify the origin of the videos posted on January 19, and are in the process of taking statements from those involved.
Tarriela cited a statement from a certain Jack Tabat from Zambales in which he said that the incident happened on January 12 while Filipino fishermen were on board FB Legendary Jo and near the south entrance of Bajo de Masinloc.
“The fishermen were instructed to return the shells they had gathered to the sea and were subsequently driven away,” Tariella said on X, formerly Twitter. “[Tabat] also documented one Chinese Coast Guard personnel grabbing the fishing boat and preventing it from departing unless the fishermen threw back their gathered sea shells into the sea.”
Regarding the circulating videos depicting the harassment of Filipino fishermen by the China Coast Guard in BDM, the PCG have successfully identified the origin of the videos and have taken steps to gather sworn statements from the individuals involved.Mr. Jack Tabat from…
At least five CCG personnel on board a rubber boat approached the Filipino fishermen, with four disembarking to chase them away.
This is the latest incident of harassment faced by Filipino fishermen at the hands of the CCG, as tensions between the Philippines and China have risen in recent months.
Tarriela said the the PCG is waiting for the involved Filipino boat to arrive and that they “intend to gather testimonies from these fishermen as well.” – Rappler.com
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Rappler Recap: The 2024 Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival in Cebu
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clescudero0258
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21/01/2024 21:24
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All roads lead to Cebu City as this year’s Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival come to an end on Sunday, January 21.
Thousands of devotees sing and wave to the “Gozos” or the “Batobalani sa Gugma” (Magnet of Love) during the Novena Masses, leading to a solemn Pontifical Mass presided over by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, locals and tourists from all over the world fill the city’s streets, witnessing ritual dance performances showcasing the heritage and culture of different municipalities and cities in Cebu.
All these culminate in a grand celebration on the South Road Properties, adorned with large festival floats and costumed higantes (giant puppets), and attended by famous celebrities like Benjie Paras and his sons Andre and Kobe, Jak Roberto and Paul Salas.
This year’s festivities were not devoid of controversies, however.
In the previous weekend, members of the Muslim community called out a Sinulog performance for being culturally “insensitive,” leading to Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama apologizing on behalf of the performers and the Sinulog organizing committee.
Some Cebuanos on TikTok also took to “spice up” the famous Sinulog ritual dance, drawing ire from other netizens who called it disrespectful to the tradition.
In this Rappler Recap, Visayas reporter John Sitchon discusses the highlights of this year’s Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival. Watch the video here. – Rappler.com
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Meltdown averted as Phoenix scores semis berth for franchise milestone
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 22:36
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TOUGH SHOT. Jason Perkins in action for the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – As Phoenix head coach Jamike Jarin put it, “one is enough, two is too much.”
The Fuel Masters avoided another meltdown and completed the semifinal cast of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup after eking out an 88-84 win over Meralco in a do-or-die clash at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, January 21.
Jason Perkins hit key buckets late as twice-to-beat Phoenix got its act together this time, having learned the hard way after frittering away a 15-point lead in its triple-overtime loss to the Bolts in their first quarterfinal encounter.
“These are the games that make you mature and these are the experiences that you will gain in these type of games. Experience is the best teacher,” said Jarin.
Perkins delivered 19 points and 13 rebounds, including 6 of the Fuel Masters’ 11 fourth-quarter points, as the team reached the semifinals of an import conference for the first time in franchise history.
Trailing 62-77 through the first three periods, Meralco went on a tear and opened the final frame on an 11-0 run capped by a three-point play by courageous forward Cliff Hodge, who played despite nursing an ankle injury.
Although Perkins ended the scoring drought for Phoenix, the Bolts continued to pounce and got within 81-85 with under 40 seconds left off another Hodge bucket.
But Perkins and Johnathan Williams sank crucial free throws down the stretch to send Phoenix – a young team that few people expected to go this far – to just its third final four appearance and first since the 2020 Philippine Cup.
“We’re not supposed to be here. Nobody predicted that we’ll be in the top four. We’re just happy to make it to the semifinals and we’ll continue to work harder, and hopefully, things will continue to fall our way,” said Jarin.
Dependable import Williams paced the Fuel Masters with 21 points and 16 rebounds, while RJ Jazul and rookie Kenneth Tuffin supplied 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Javee Mocon added 9 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals for Phoenix.
It is only bound to get tougher for the Fuel Masters, though.
Awaiting Phoenix in the best-of-five semifinals is top seed Magnolia, which has won 10 of its 12 games this conference.
“They are the favorites even before the start of the conference. We have our hands full,” said Jarin of the Hotshots.
Hodge showed the way for Meralco with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks in an admirable performance for a man who practically played on one foot.
Chris Newsome and Allein Maliksi fired 15 points each and combined for 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss that denied the Bolts a second straight semifinal stint.
The semifinals kick off on Wednesday, January 24, at the Araneta Coliseum, with sister teams Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel locking horns in the other final four pairing.
Phoenix 88 – Williams 21, Perkins 19, Jazul 13, Tuffin 10, Mocon 9, Tio 6, Alejandro 4, Rivero 4, Garcia 2, Muyang 0, Manganti 0, Lalata 0, Daves 0, Verano 0, Camacho 0.
Meralco 84 – Newsome 15, Hodge 15, Maliksi 15, Miller 12, Quinto 11, Black 7, Banchero 7, Almazan 2, Rios 0, Pascual 0.
Quarters: 30-22, 55-43, 77-62, 88-84.
– Rappler.com
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Matthew Wright explosion not enough as Kyoto falls to Gunma anew
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Jasmine Payo
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21/01/2024 22:07
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ON FIRE. Kyoto's Matthew Wright brings the ball down in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Still not enough.
For the second time this weekend, Matthew Wright’s high-scoring output for the Kyoto Hannaryz went down the drain as they fell to the Gunma Crane Thunders once again, 100-93, in the Japan B. League on Sunday, January 21.
After carrying Kyoto’s scoring cudgels with a team-best 17 points in their 84-66 loss to the same opponents on Saturday, January 20, Wright showed no signs of slowing down, exploding for another team-high 23 points this time around.
Wright, who shot 5-of-11 from long range on Saturday, picked up where he left off and sank 5 of his 12 three-point attempts on the way to his 23-point explosion. He also posted 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the loss.
In 27 games played this season, the former Phoenix Fuel Masters star has been averaging 12.2 points on 35.6% shooting from beyond the arc for Kyoto, which suffered its 22nd loss in 31 matches.
Like Wright, RJ Abarrientos and Dwight Ramos also saw their solid performances wasted as their respective teams absorbed contrasting losses on Sunday.
After going 0-of-5 from three-point land on Saturday, Abarrientos regained his shooting touch and topscored for the Shinshu Brave Warriors in their 81-63 loss to the Alvark Tokyo.
Abarrientos connected on 5 of his 10 shots from downtown to wind up with 19 points, together with 6 assists and 2 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Ramos bounced back big from his scoreless showing on Saturday as he likewise produced 19 points in the Levanga Hokkaido’s 89-82 loss to the Chiba Jets.
The Gilas Pilipinas sensation also came up with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and a plus-minus of +10 in the losing cause.
Abarrientos’ Shinshu skidded to a 5-26 record, while Ramos’ Hokkaido slipped to 9-22.
Elsewhere, Kai Sotto and the Yokohama B-Corsairs (14-17) exacted revenge on the Osaka Evessa with a 97-91 win.
Sotto made the most of his 11-minute playing time, racking up 7 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
The 7-foot-3 center redeemed himself from his forgettable showing on Saturday, where he played a season-low 6 minutes and 37 seconds due to early foul trouble.
Still in Division 1, Thirdy Ravena and the San-En NeoPhoenix made it nine wins in a row after completing the weekend sweep of the Fighting Eagles Nagoya with a 90-62 Sunday beating.
Thirdy finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals for San-En, which remains knotted with Tokyo at the top of the standings with a 27-4 record.
Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (18-13) also emerged victorious on Sunday, defeating the Seahorses Mikawa, 94-82.
Parks recorded 3 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 steal in the win.
Over in Division 2, Greg Slaughter tied his season-high in scoring in the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka’s 88-59 loss to the Altiri Chiba.
Slaughter dropped 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Meanwhile, Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes’ nine-game winning streak came to an end following a 92-81 defeat to the Niigata Albirex BB.
Kiefer, who sizzled for 22 points on Saturday, had a double-double of 11 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Similarly, Roosevelt Adams and the Yamagata Wyvern’s 10-game winning streak ended on Sunday as they bowed to the Aomori Wat’s, 91-81.
After scoring a season-high 17 points on Saturday, Adams was limited to just 3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. – Rappler.com
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Balanced team basketball carries Adamson HS to first twice-to-beat UAAP Final 4 berth
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jisaga0269
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21/01/2024 21:01
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RISE AS ONE. Members of the Adamson Baby Falcons in the UAAP Season 86 boys basketball tournament
MANILA, Philippines – Good old team basketball is alive and well in the UAAP Season 86 boys basketball tournament.
Amid a promising field populated with high school standouts like La Salle-Zobel’s Kieffer Alas, Ateneo’s Kristian Porter, and Nazareth-NU’s runaway MVP candidate Collins Akowe, it is the star-less Adamson Baby Falcons who are dominating their way to the Final Four with no signs of slowing down.
Now armed with the first of two twice-to-beat advantages after a 74-59 rout of La Salle on Sunday, January 21, the San Marcelino prospects have bullied their way to the top, currently with an 11-1 record, without a single player in the league’s top 10 scoring list.
Justine Garcia leads the Falcons’ way with modest team-high averages of 12.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in head coach Mike Fermin’s impressively balanced rotation.
Only third-leading scorer Earl Medina is averaging more than 24 minutes per game, and 10 of Adamson’s 16 talented young men are clocking in at least 10 minutes per contest.
For Fermin, staying within the team concept of playing is key to both executing their game plans and preparing for their foes, as evidenced with how he prepared for their most recent game.
“Actually, we prepared for La Salle-Zobel, not Alas,” Fermin said after Alas sat out Sunday’s game against Adamson. “I said it’s going to be harder to defeat Zobel because we don’t know who will take the shots.”
“At least the boys quickly adjusted defensively, and we’re glad we got the twice-to-beat.”
Other teams with their own wealth of talent are also on the inside track to the Final Four, namely Akowe’s NU (10-2), UST (7-5), and defending champion FEU-Diliman (7-5).
With the elimination round winding down only UE (5-7) has a slim chance of booking one of the latter two seeds as it can still finish with a 7-7 record while hoping that UST and FEU lose all their remaining games to force a three-way standings tie.
Porter’s Ateneo (4-8), Alas’ La Salle (3-9), and top-heavy UP (1-11) are already out of the running. – Rappler.com
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PH’s Groseclose eyes best race to wrap up Winter Youth Olympics bid
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 20:13
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REPRESENT. Peter Groseclose (left) in action for the Philippines in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Champion Ice Skating
MANILA, Philippines – It is not the end of the road – or the rink – for Filipino-American short track speed skater Peter Groseclose.
The 16-year-old looks to wrap up his Winter Youth Olympics campaign in Gangwon, South Korea on a high note as he competes in his favored event after failing to reach the semifinals of his first two races.
Groseclose sees action in the men’s 500m category, where he’s most adept, on Monday, January 22, with hopes of redeeming himself from a pair of quarterfinal exits in the 1500m and 1000m divisions.
“It’s a less strategic race, it’s a 500, so it’s a sprint,” said two-time Olympic medalist John-Henry Krueger, who coaches Groseclose in Gangwon. “It’s definitely more of a physical race because you’re using your raw power.”
“That’s his best distance.”
Groseclose clocked 1:30.243 in the opening heats of the 1000m class on Sunday, January 21, to advance to the quarterfinals only to fall short once again just like he did in the 1500m category on Saturday, January 20.
Although Groseclose recorded a faster time in the quarterfinals with 1:28.899, he wound up fourth out of five skaters in his group as he narrowly missed the semifinals.
China’s Zhang Xinzhe, USA’s Sean Boxiong Shuai, and Great Britain’s Willem Murray, who all finished ahead of Groseclose, advanced.
Zhang struck gold with a time of 1:26.257 in the final as Turkey’s Muhammed Bozdag (1:26.349) and Japan’s Raito Kida (1:26.478) settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
“Peter was just on the outside of the pack for a little too long,” Krueger said.
“In short track, you want to minimize your stay outside the pack because you’re skipping the longer distance and putting more effort just to stay with the group. That led to the result.”
Krueger, though, believes Groseclose has made promising progress.
“Today was a move going to the right direction. However, I think it could have been a much larger gap between what happened yesterday, so we just have to prepare and talk about tomorrow’s event,” said Krueger. – Rappler.com
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Tim Cone philosophy on assembling PH teams unchanged: Get the best players
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 17:09
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MASTERMIND. Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone reacts during a game in the 19th Asian Games.
Marko Djurica/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – If Gilas Pilipinas intends to compete with the rest of the world, it needs the best players in the country to suit up.
That is the way Tim Cone sees it as he weighed in on the future of the national team after admitting he has been in talks with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to coach the squad.
Cone called the shots for one of the most stacked Philippine crews in history when he guided the 1998 Centennial Team that featured the likes of Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, and Johnny Abarrientos to an Asian Games bronze.
Nearly three decades later, his philosophy of putting together a national team remains unchanged.
“I’ve always firmly believed from back in 1998 when I coached there that you got to go out and get the best players in the country to represent you if you want to have a chance against the Europeans and the Americas or even teams like China, Lebanon, Iran, Australia,” said Cone.
“You can’t go with lesser teams and expect to beat those guys. Can you? Is that a fair expectation? Is that a reasonable expectation? You bring your 12 best players, that’s a reasonable expectation.”
Cone, though, knows it is easier said than done.
After all, national team players are scattered all over Asia, with a bunch of them signed to clubs in the Japan B. League and Korean Basketball League.
Others are still in college like reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao.
“You got to figure out a way to get the stakeholders to allow you to get the best players in the country, including the PBA, Japan, and Korea, and allow them to give you the time to work with these guys,” said the 66-year-old mentor.
“It’s not a simple thing.”
Cone said the SBP can also go a different route by assembling a squad of young players and allowing them to develop as a team for years.
But that option comes with considerable challenges.
“Two things with that in my mind, you’re not sending your best players, because they won’t be your best players. Number two, can you keep young guys together for a long time?” said Cone.
“We’ve proven over and over again that young guys want to grow and do other things. It’s hard to keep a team together for four, five years to get them to reach their full potential.”
Although he has his own way of thinking, Cone left it to the SBP to decide which path the national team will take.
“They are the ones making the decisions, not me.”
Cone, who holds a record 25 PBA championships, became a frontrunner for the coaching post after steering the Philippines last year to its first title in Asian Games basketball since 1962.
With him at the helm, the Philippines dethroned China with a miraculous win in the semifinals and overcame erstwhile unbeaten Jordan in the championship game in the continental games in Hangzhou, China.
Gilas Pilipinas returns to action next month for the opening window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, where the Nationals will face Hong Kong in an away game on February 22 and will host Chinese Taipei on February 25. – Rappler.com
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TNT fends off 2 tournament ousters in a week as KBL’s Anyang visits PH for EASL
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jisaga0269
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21/01/2024 15:44
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SCORING LEADER. Roger Pogoy topscores for TNT in its Game 1 win over San Miguel.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The TNT Tropang Giga are not playing winning basketball as of late.
Plagued by import woes and general inconsistency throughout the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Manny V. Pangilinan’s flagship franchise limped to the quarterfinals with a 5-6 record as the eighth and final seed before promptly bowing out to top-ranked Magnolia off a 94-109 blowout last Wednesday, January 17.
TNT, however, still has somewhat of a redemption chance lined up just seven days from that ouster on January 24 as the East Asia Super League (EASL) resumes with the Korean Basketball League’s (KBL) Anyang Jung Kwan Jang taking on the Tropang Giga on their home turf at the PhilSports Arena.
With the Red Boosters’ import Rhenz Abando still out of commission due to a harrowing spinal injury, TNT will likely have a better fighting chance as the Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer’s 9.5 points per game average and intangible energy will definitely be missed by Anyang at some point in its next encounter.
The Tropang Giga will definitely need every advantage they can get as they are facing elimination at the Red Boosters’ hands.
Anyang, in turn, is also keen on evading a lower-rank logjam and clinching an outright Final Four berth as it only holds a 2-2 record.
“We’re preparing for all scenarios and making sure we respect the talent that Anyang brings to the court,” said TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa, who has also noted that reinstated head coach Chot Reyes will not yet be making his sideline return.
TNT will once again rely on import Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson as his brother Rondae, although allowed to play under EASL’s two-import limit, is still on the mend from a neck injury he suffered against Taiwan P.League+ squad Taipei Fubon last December 20.
The Tropang Giga will also have the likes of Calvin Oftana, returning star Roger Pogoy, surging rookie Kim Aurin, and other young and old standouts shoring up their local cast.
Meanwhile, Anyang, in Abando’s absence, will lean on imports Omari Spellman and Darryl Monroe, while locals such as Ji Hoon Park and Sung-Won Choi are also on top of opponents’ scouting reports.
“We expect them (Red Boosters) to come out aggressively as they also have a lot at stake in this match,” added Lastimosa, who is giving up the head coaching reins for now to deputy Josh Reyes.
With a win, TNT will still not have its fate back in its hands as it also needs Anyang to lose its final regular season assignment against Taipei Fubon to forge a three-way tie at second place and trigger tiebreaker rules. – Rappler.com
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FOMO for Sinulog 2024? We got you with these photos.
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Jodesz Gavilan
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21/01/2024 17:29
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SINULOG. Contingents from different barangays in Cebu City and four guest contingents show their dancing skills and colorful costumes as they perform during the Sinulog Festival 2024 in Cebu South Road Properties on Sunday, January 21.
All photos by Carlo de Vela/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The spiritual and festive take center stage as the Queen City of the South – Cebu City – hosts the 459th Fiesta Señor and Sinulog 2024.
More than a million people – including tourists and locals – join the festivities and other activities celebrating Senior Santo Niño (Child Jesus).
On Sunday, January 21, attendees flock the Sinulog sa Sugbo Philippines 2024, to witness the grand parade as well as grand ritual showdown where groups representing different parts of Cebu perform the traditional Sinulog ritual dance prayer.
Here are some of the photos so far.
Different groups showcase their street dance performances during the Sinulog Festival 2024 at the Cebu South Road Properties on Sunday, January 21. 📸: Cebu City – News and Information/FB #Sinulog2024 https://t.co/yZmtdnKOxo pic.twitter.com/8Fs1uRtP5K
PIT SENYOR! 💃🏻 Various performers grace the stage during the #Sinulog2024 Grand Parade at the Cebu South Road Properties on Sunday, January 21. 📸: Sinulog Foundation Inc/FB https://t.co/GiKJKjpTDT pic.twitter.com/fbyynZIjG1
– Rappler.com
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PH’s Groseclose eyes best race to wrap up Winter Youth Olympics bid
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 20:13
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REPRESENT. Peter Groseclose (left) in action for the Philippines in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Champion Ice Skating
MANILA, Philippines – It is not the end of the road – or the rink – for Filipino-American short track speed skater Peter Groseclose.
The 16-year-old looks to wrap up his Winter Youth Olympics campaign in Gangwon, South Korea on a high note as he competes in his favored event after failing to reach the semifinals of his first two races.
Groseclose sees action in the men’s 500m category, where he’s most adept, on Monday, January 22, with hopes of redeeming himself from a pair of quarterfinal exits in the 1500m and 1000m divisions.
“It’s a less strategic race, it’s a 500, so it’s a sprint,” said two-time Olympic medalist John-Henry Krueger, who coaches Groseclose in Gangwon. “It’s definitely more of a physical race because you’re using your raw power.”
“That’s his best distance.”
Groseclose clocked 1:30.243 in the opening heats of the 1000m class on Sunday, January 21, to advance to the quarterfinals only to fall short once again just like he did in the 1500m category on Saturday, January 20.
Although Groseclose recorded a faster time in the quarterfinals with 1:28.899, he wound up fourth out of five skaters in his group as he narrowly missed the semifinals.
China’s Zhang Xinzhe, USA’s Sean Boxiong Shuai, and Great Britain’s Willem Murray, who all finished ahead of Groseclose, advanced.
Zhang struck gold with a time of 1:26.257 in the final as Turkey’s Muhammed Bozdag (1:26.349) and Japan’s Raito Kida (1:26.478) settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
“Peter was just on the outside of the pack for a little too long,” Krueger said.
“In short track, you want to minimize your stay outside the pack because you’re skipping the longer distance and putting more effort just to stay with the group. That led to the result.”
Krueger, though, believes Groseclose has made promising progress.
“Today was a move going to the right direction. However, I think it could have been a much larger gap between what happened yesterday, so we just have to prepare and talk about tomorrow’s event,” said Krueger. – Rappler.com
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PH esports team AP.Bren crowned as M Series World Champions
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Saab Lariosa
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11/01/2024 15:50
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Midnight struck as the Land of Dawn opened once again for Game 7 last December 17, 2023, at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
By 2:03 pm, after a grueling battle between Philippines’ AP.Bren and Indonesia’s Onic Esports, the Hive stood victorious as they completed their road to a 2nd MLBB World Championship.
The strategic decision-making of Coach Francis “Ducky” Glindro and Coach Vrendon “Vren” Pesebre led to the Hive’s masterful macro play to box out Filipino-import player Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol from Onic’s own jungle during that seventh winner-take-all game. The M5 trophy would then stay in the host country’s territory and be lifted by the MPL Philippines Season 12 champions, with David Charles “FlapTzy” Canon crowned as the Finals MVP.
The era of the Philippines’ dominance is far from over. The win in the M5 World Championship marks the fourth time an all-Filipino team has won a World title.
PH domination began in M2, with a Bren Esports win. Afterwards, M3 belonged to Blacklist International, which brought the iconic “VeeWise” combo and Ultimate Bonding Experience or “UBE” strategy to international fame. Finally, ECHO won in M4.
This historic win means that it is the first-ever MLBB team to win the M Series World Championship tournament on their home court. As a cherry on top, the thrilling Grand Finals stream broke viewership records, gained over five million in peak viewership, and surpassed all their views in all M-series history.
AP.Bren is only one of the teams to watch throughout the MLBB world, with more young Filipino players gaining recognition and showing gradual improvement. As the saying goes, “Pinas Lang Malakas” and for FlapTzy, this means more than just a phrase.
“Pinas Lang Malakas means that Filipinos don’t give up. Even when Filipinos are at a disadvantage, they still won’t give up. That’s why it’s ‘Pinas Lang Malakas’,” FlapTzy said during the post-match interview.
Before AP.Bren faced Indonesia for a Grand Finals showdown, it was the MPL Indonesia Season 12 champions that had the upper hand against the Hive. AP.Bren was forced down to the lower brackets to fight for survival after Kiboy and Kairi’s dominating combinations.
Fate had it that the opponents they had to face in the Lower Bracket Finals were their fellow Filipino representatives, Blacklist International.
The Season 12 Grand Finals rematch in the M5 stage was set, but the same strategies were in place. AP.Bren targeted Sensui once more as they pulled him away from his comfort zone by banning the Utility Heroes he was seen prioritizing.
The Sensui Instincts couldn’t activate as Bren knew exactly what to do to zone out the veteran jungler. After a 4-0 sweep, Angelo Kyle “Pheww” Arcangel, Marco “Super Marco” Requitano, FlapTzy, Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson, and Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo took the Lower Bracket Finals win, which landed them a spot for a rematch against Onic Esports in the Grand Finals.
In an email interview with the team after the match, Vincent “Pandora” Unigo mentioned that the team had a talk before their Grand Finals berth. “Bago mag Grand Finals, nag usap kaming lahat na eto na yung last series for the year kaya ibigay na namin ang lahat at maging excited kasi maraming tao ang pumunta para suportahan kami.” He added.
Predictions swarmed the internet with Facebook comments, TikTok videos, and tweets revolving around the Upper Bracket Finals results. Numbers were leaning towards a possible Indonesia’s Onic Esports win, but the Filipino audience remained hopeful and confident.
The fully packed Rizal Memorial Coliseum screamed the name of the Pinoy representatives, clamoring for a win in their home country. As the record showed that no team from the host country has ever won a World Championship title, pressure and expectations were high.
Game 1 began at 7:00 P.M. Both teams brought out their signature META picks to start the Grand Finals strong. But within minutes, AP.Bren took the first win as the crowd roared in excitement.
Game 2 continued at a similar pace, as both teams prioritized their comfort heroes for this match-up while targeting each other’s strongest players. However, in the close 14-13 kill difference, it was Onic who took the match within the 22:49 minute mark behind Sanz’s explosive performance.
After that 1-1 standing, AP.Bren went on a rampage in Games 3 and 4, taking both matches that led them to matchpoint. It was Pheww and KyleTzy who led both games, earning them their respective match MVPs.
The crowd went wild as the nation believed that Bren could win it all. But after turning things around late in a sterling Game 5 and 6 run, Sanz, Kiboy, and Kairi led the Indonesian squad for another fighting chance.
“Even at matchpoint, we didn’t see Onic change their playstyle. You could still see their chemistry, so they were still able to punish our mistakes in Game 5, especially in Game 6,” Pheww recalled.
During the huddle before the last showdown of the night, Coach Ducky assured his teammates that no matter the result, he’ll remain proud of the young squad. “Win or Lose, I’m really proud of you. Kung ano marating natin today, just make sure na alam niyo, I’m really proud of you.”
Finally, when the clock struck midnight, Game 7 began, and the rest of the events cemented MLBB history.
After a long period of rest, the Hive is seeking to compete in more tournaments in the coming year. “Elevating the team performance further. Compete in as many tournaments as possible,” said Coach Ducky.
Pheww and KyleTzy repeated the sentiments, with KyleTzy looking forward to the re-branded Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-Season Cup (MSC).
The M5 World Championship is powered by Smart Communications Inc. as its official telco partner. Smart enables Filipinos to enjoy the best mobile gaming experience powered by the Philippines’ Fastest and Best Mobile Network, as recognized by Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband network intelligence.
Learn how Smart empowers subscribers to elevate their gameplay and embark on their esports journey by exploring GIGA Arena. Smart and TNT subscribers can effortlessly participate in any GIGA Arena tournament with Giga Arena 20, offering two GIGA Arena tickets and 100MB for all apps, valid for one day at just Php20. To find out more, visit http://gigaarena.smart. – Rappler.com
PRESS RELEASE
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[OPINION] Dark times ahead if NGCP doesn’t shape up
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Marguerite de Leon
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21/01/2024 15:02
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Raffy de Guzman/Rappler
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) opened the year with a bang – a four-day brownout that crippled the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and parts of Negros Occidental and caused losses in billions of pesos. Instead of welcoming the year with joy and hope, people in these provinces had to face literal dark and hot days because of NGCP’s failure to secure reliable power for the province. Schools closed, businesses shut down, lives were put on hold, simply because of NGCP’s negligence in fulfilling its mandate to serve the Filipino people.
During the summer of 2023, the NGCP warned of possible power outages and an unexpected red and yellow alert in Luzon was declared, similar to the power outages also in Panay a few weeks earlier, and to the massive power blackout in Mindanao in 2015. Rotating brownouts have become the norm for several parts of Luzon, a recurring problem that NGCP has miserably failed to address.
It’s time to call a spade a spade. NGCP has been negligent in fulfilling its obligation to timely secure a reliable ancillary power service agreement. Sadly, the corporation can’t live up to its responsibility to secure a reliable electricity infrastructure to the consuming public. The NGCP continues to fail to ensure a dependable and safe transmission backbone for the country. Yet it has continued to charge all of consumers transmission charges for the service it has failed to deliver, for ancillary charges it has failed to contract, and electricity infrastructure it has not yet built.
Here’s what we have to say: NGCP must fulfill its responsibility and be held accountable for its failure and negligence.
Despite billions in profit, NGCP has been slow in linking the three main island grids to ensure a stable electricity supply nor has it fully upgraded all the transmission assets, causing unexpected tripping and outages.
And who can forget Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ expose that the NGCP is passing on its janitorial and security services amounting to P8.7 billion from 2009 to 2022 to consumers as transmission charge?
Filipino consumers are carrying the burden of NGCP’s shameless greed. They must be held accountable for their shortcomings – NGCP’s executives enjoy windfall profit while short-changing the public.
The power outages in Panay and in many parts of the Philippines are not accidents but a result of NGCP’s failure as a private corporation responsible for operating, managing, and ensuring that the country’s grid provides reliable, sufficient, and safe electricity. Without a sustainable and affordable electricity supply our road to economic growth and development will be at naught.
In the country’s roadmap for energy and electricity security, it must lay down the current government’s thrust to ensure electricity consumers especially household consumers with an affordable electricity price. Part of that is to ensure that the NGCP works and accomplishes its mandate and be of true service to the Filipino people.
The current hearing at the Senate for the four-day nightmare in Panay must get things done and we urge the Congress to convene the Joint Congressional Energy Commission (JCEC) to review NGCP’s franchise. Are they a corporate entity or a public utility? Is it time to review the return of system operation to government control while keeping the NGCP – the money-making corporate machines as transmission operator?
Further, we need to review NGCP’s rate mechanism if it has indeed built what it has committed under its Transmission Development Plan. More importantly, have they built the assets that the consumers have already paid for?
The Marcos administration must reprimand and revisit the franchise of the NGCP for its repeated failure to secure reliable electricity for the public. The ERC must also set a non-extendable deadline and establish penalties for further delays in the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay Interconnection Lines, including the substation in Panay that they promised to build by December 31, 2024. The Department of Energy must stop its kid-glove approach to NGCP and administratively reprimand it for its failure to fulfill its duties. These must be done before things get worse. – Rappler.com
Bas Umali is the national coordinator of Kuryente.org, an energy consumer welfare group.
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The story fails to mention who the people are behind what you termed the “shamless greed.”
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Tim Cone philosophy on assembling PH teams unchanged: Get the best players
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delfin.dioquino editor
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21/01/2024 17:09
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MASTERMIND. Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone reacts during a game in the 19th Asian Games.
Marko Djurica/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – If Gilas Pilipinas intends to compete with the rest of the world, it needs the best players in the country to suit up.
That is the way Tim Cone sees it as he weighed in on the future of the national team after admitting he has been in talks with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to coach the squad.
Cone called the shots for one of the most stacked Philippine crews in history when he guided the 1998 Centennial Team that featured the likes of Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, and Johnny Abarrientos to an Asian Games bronze.
Nearly three decades later, his philosophy of putting together a national team remains unchanged.
“I’ve always firmly believed from back in 1998 when I coached there that you got to go out and get the best players in the country to represent you if you want to have a chance against the Europeans and the Americas or even teams like China, Lebanon, Iran, Australia,” said Cone.
“You can’t go with lesser teams and expect to beat those guys. Can you? Is that a fair expectation? Is that a reasonable expectation? You bring your 12 best players, that’s a reasonable expectation.”
Cone, though, knows it is easier said than done.
After all, national team players are scattered all over Asia, with a bunch of them signed to clubs in the Japan B. League and Korean Basketball League.
Others are still in college like reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao.
“You got to figure out a way to get the stakeholders to allow you to get the best players in the country, including the PBA, Japan, and Korea, and allow them to give you the time to work with these guys,” said the 66-year-old mentor.
“It’s not a simple thing.”
Cone said the SBP can also go a different route by assembling a squad of young players and allowing them to develop as a team for years.
But that option comes with considerable challenges.
“Two things with that in my mind, you’re not sending your best players, because they won’t be your best players. Number two, can you keep young guys together for a long time?” said Cone.
“We’ve proven over and over again that young guys want to grow and do other things. It’s hard to keep a team together for four, five years to get them to reach their full potential.”
Although he has his own way of thinking, Cone left it to the SBP to decide which path the national team will take.
“They are the ones making the decisions, not me.”
Cone, who holds a record 25 PBA championships, became a frontrunner for the coaching post after steering the Philippines last year to its first title in Asian Games basketball since 1962.
With him at the helm, the Philippines dethroned China with a miraculous win in the semifinals and overcame erstwhile unbeaten Jordan in the championship game in the continental games in Hangzhou, China.
Gilas Pilipinas returns to action next month for the opening window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, where the Nationals will face Hong Kong in an away game on February 22 and will host Chinese Taipei on February 25. – Rappler.com
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TNT fends off 2 tournament ousters in a week as KBL’s Anyang visits PH for EASL
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jisaga0269
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21/01/2024 15:44
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SCORING LEADER. Roger Pogoy topscores for TNT in its Game 1 win over San Miguel.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The TNT Tropang Giga are not playing winning basketball as of late.
Plagued by import woes and general inconsistency throughout the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Manny V. Pangilinan’s flagship franchise limped to the quarterfinals with a 5-6 record as the eighth and final seed before promptly bowing out to top-ranked Magnolia off a 94-109 blowout last Wednesday, January 17.
TNT, however, still has somewhat of a redemption chance lined up just seven days from that ouster on January 24 as the East Asia Super League (EASL) resumes with the Korean Basketball League’s (KBL) Anyang Jung Kwan Jang taking on the Tropang Giga on their home turf at the PhilSports Arena.
With the Red Boosters’ import Rhenz Abando still out of commission due to a harrowing spinal injury, TNT will likely have a better fighting chance as the Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer’s 9.5 points per game average and intangible energy will definitely be missed by Anyang at some point in its next encounter.
The Tropang Giga will definitely need every advantage they can get as they are facing elimination at the Red Boosters’ hands.
Anyang, in turn, is also keen on evading a lower-rank logjam and clinching an outright Final Four berth as it only holds a 2-2 record.
“We’re preparing for all scenarios and making sure we respect the talent that Anyang brings to the court,” said TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa, who has also noted that reinstated head coach Chot Reyes will not yet be making his sideline return.
TNT will once again rely on import Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson as his brother Rondae, although allowed to play under EASL’s two-import limit, is still on the mend from a neck injury he suffered against Taiwan P.League+ squad Taipei Fubon last December 20.
The Tropang Giga will also have the likes of Calvin Oftana, returning star Roger Pogoy, surging rookie Kim Aurin, and other young and old standouts shoring up their local cast.
Meanwhile, Anyang, in Abando’s absence, will lean on imports Omari Spellman and Darryl Monroe, while locals such as Ji Hoon Park and Sung-Won Choi are also on top of opponents’ scouting reports.
“We expect them (Red Boosters) to come out aggressively as they also have a lot at stake in this match,” added Lastimosa, who is giving up the head coaching reins for now to deputy Josh Reyes.
With a win, TNT will still not have its fate back in its hands as it also needs Anyang to lose its final regular season assignment against Taipei Fubon to forge a three-way tie at second place and trigger tiebreaker rules. – 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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WATCH: Sinulog sa Sugbo Philippines 2024 opens at Cebu’s South Road Properties
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jsitchon0312
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21/01/2024 11:01
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CEBU, Philippines – The sound of beating drums, masterfully-decorated parade floats, festival queens and cheering crowds fill the atmosphere of the Cebu’s South Road Properties (SRP) as the Sinulog sa Sugbo Philippines 2024 begins on Sunday, January 21.
Locals and tourists converged at the SRP World Tent City on the City de Mare grounds to witness the spectacle prepared by the Sinulog Foundation Incorporated in cooperation with the local government units.
Devotees traveling from the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu for the Fiesta Señor also joined in on the fun at the venue.
Over a hundred dancers dressed in traditional and historical costumes performed different versions of the Sinulog ritual dance prayer, and even showcased movements from festivals belonging to their hometowns in different parts of the island of Cebu.
They will be competing for the title of champion in the free interpretation and Sinulog-based categories of the Sinulog Grand Ritual Showdown.
The grand prize for this year’s grand ritual showdown champion is P3 million.
A total of 14 contingents are registered for the Sinulog Grand Parade and Grand ritual showdown, two of which are from Canlaon City in Negros Oriental and San Jose town in Dinagat Islands.
There will also be guest participants from Bacolod City’s Masskara Festival and the Chunchun Nongak Preservation Association of the Republic of Korea.
Watch Rappler Visayas reporter John Sitchon and Digital Communications Specialist Christa Escudero report live in Cebu City on the momentous celebration here. – Rappler.com
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AFP’s first woman spox: Cyber expert with presidential security experience
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Bea Cupin
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21/01/2024 11:42
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NEW SPOKESPERSON. Colonel Francel Padilla is the AFP's first woman spokesperson.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – When Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla speaks of her 2023 achievements, she is quick to use the pronoun “we,” as if winning Global Security Woman Leader of the Year is an endeavor you can attribute to any and all Filipino.
Padilla, a military officer with a career spanning nearly three decades, is the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s new spokesperson – the first woman to hold the post in over 88 years of its existence.
“It underscores the thrust of the AFP to embrace diversity and promote inclusivity,” said Padilla in an interview with state-run PTV4’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
Padilla’s new role comes at a crucial time for the military. It’s just beginning to shift its focus from internal security to external threats, as a nation in the middle of “the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now,” according to its commander-in-chief, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Her previous experience will also come in handy, as the Philippines works to beef up its cyber and info-security infrastructure.
Technology is the throughline of Padilla’s career.
In 2023, she won Global Cybersecurity Woman Leader of the Year, besting nominees from 62 countries. Years prior, she was recognized as among the Top 30 Women in Security in ASEAN for 2021, having been among the Top 10 Women in Cyber Security in the Philippines in 2020.
She’ also been recognized as an “Epic Woman in Cyber” and a “Wonder Woman in Tech,” according to her official profile.
Speaking to PTV4, Padilla said it was during her time in the Presidential Security Group under the late Benigno Aquino III that she first dove deep into the world of cyber security.
“During the time of [Aquino], we greatly enhanced the digitization of the PSG,” recalled Padilla, who said they worked on setting up server farms and enhancing the cyber security wing of the group tasked to secure the President, top government officials, and visiting dignitaries.
Her PSG stint wasn’t her first interaction with the Philippines’ chief executive. During the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Padilla was among her uniformed aides.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Padilla was designated the information system officer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, according to a Philippine Information Agency report.
Padilla refers to herself as a “certified ethical hacker,” among other designations. She’s also conducted lectures abroad, and served as mentor to other cybersecurity-focused soldiers.
In a predominantly male organization, Padilla has other firsts under her belt.
She was the first woman battalion commander of the Philippine Army, when she was appointed commander of the 7th Signal Battalion in the Northern Luzon Area of Operations. As 7th Signal Battalion chief, Padilla oversaw the entire NOLCOM’s command, control, communications, and cyber systems.
The newly-minted spokesperson says her NOLCOM experience will be key in her new role as spokesperson. “I have first-hand connections to all these commanders,” she said. NOLCOM covers Northern and Central Luzon.
Her cybersecurity experience will come in handy, as the AFP reconfigures Horizon 3 – or its modernization plan for the coming years. Padilla said the details of Horizon 3 have yet to be finalized and approved, but it will definitely include ship and aircraft upgrades, as well as improvements in the military’s communications.
Padilla is a pistol expert, a VVIP or very, very important person protector, and a judoka.
In her profile, she puts a premium on her role as a “devoted mother of two wonderful sons.” Her two children are now adults, said Padilla, with at least one done with formal education.
Padilla is the widow of the late Felicisimo Esteban Taborlupa Jr., who was also her mistah from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2000. Taborlupa, who retired early from the military to join the Philippine Coast Guard, died in a helicopter crash in Batangas that also claimed the life of businessman Angelo King.
Asked how her late husband would have reacted to her pioneering post as the first woman spokesperson of the AFP, Padilla did not take long to consider. “Full support by the looks of it,” she said.
Padilla is concurrently the Group Commander of the Media and Civil Affairs Group of the Civil Relations Service of the AFP. – Rappler.com
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Congratulations to Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla. May you greatly contribute to the communications needs of our Armed Forces, especially in the newest battlefield: Cyberwarfare. Your contributions to this field will certainly benefit the Filipino People.
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More than a Dwight Howard team: Strong Group locals torch Al Wahda for 2nd Dubai win
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jisaga0269
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20/01/2024 23:53
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WORLD-CLASS. Strong Group forward Kevin Quiambao reacts in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship
Dubai Sports
MANILA, Philippines – In just the second game of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics-Philippines proved it is a team so much more than just a Dwight Howard convoy, dropping 17 threes on the way to an 89-67 rout of Al Wahda-Syria on Saturday, January 20.
La Salle teammates Kevin Quiambao and Francis Escandor, fresh off a UAAP Season 86 title win, led the local crew with 24 and 18 points, respectively. Quiambao, also the new UAAP MVP, sank all 6 of his three-point attempts, while Escandor was no slouch from downtown with a 5-of-6 clip.
Somewhat buried in the avalanche of triples, meanwhile, is Andray Blatche’s much-needed comeback effort, as the former Gilas Pilipinas naturalized anchor silenced his critics with a decent 12-point outing in just 19 minutes, including an 8-point first-quarter effort that set the tone for the rest.
Blatche, who is noticeably far from game shape in his current Dubai stint, stunk up his 2024 debut game with 0 points on 0-of-10 shooting in Strong Group’s first win against the UAE national team.
With Howard manning the boards and interior defense as expected, it was Quiambao and Escandor who ran the offensive show, transforming a small 5-point, second quarter lead, 23-18, to a 16-point separation, 34-18, off an 11-0 spurt that Al Wahda never really recovered from.
After scoring just 6 first-half points, Escandor ended the night adding 12 more in the latter two frames, while Quiambao all but sealed the deal at the 4-minute mark of the fourth quarter with one last jumper to peak with a 27-point separation, 82-55.
Known prolific sniper Jordan Heading joined the fun with 12 points on 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc, as Strong Group even got one triple from Howard, who cruised to a line of 5 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks in just 22 minutes.
Myron Jordan paced the losing cause with 19 points, as Jomaru Hohadbrown led the bench mob with 17.
There will be no rest for the weary victors, meanwhile, as Strong Group now turns its focus to Homenetmen – its third assignment in as many days – on Sunday, January 21, 11:15 pm (Manila time).
Strong Group-Philippines 89 – Quiambao 24, Escandor 18, Heading 12, Blatche 12, Moore 8, Roberson 5, Howard 5, Baltazar 3, Ynot 2, Cagulangan 0, Sanchez 0, Liwag 0.
Al Wahda-Syria 67 – Jordan 19, Hohadbrown 17, Alhamwi 10, Banks 8, Arbasha 5, Jlelati 4, Otabachi 2, Kassabali 2, Ghaith 0, Alhalabi 0, Aljabi 0, Al Osh 0.
Quarters: 24-13, 43-30, 64-48, 89-67.
– Rappler.com
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Precolonial faith: Why Nazareno, Sinulog are here to stay
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Paterno Esmaquel II
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21/01/2024 9:00
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VIVA! Catholic devotees join the 'Walk with Jesus’ or the penitential foot procession from Fuente Osmeña to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on January 11, 2024, officially kicking off the 459th Fiesta Señor celebration in Cebu.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – I pretended I was wiping off sweat, when in fact I was drying my tears, as I watched thousands of Filipinos squeezing their way and scrambling to get as close as possible to the Nazareno.
Our videographer Franz Lopez and I positioned ourselves on a walled and elevated vantage point at Manila’s historic San Sebastian Basilica on January 9, the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
On this day each year, except during the pandemic, millions of devotees join one of the world’s biggest and longest religious processions to honor a 17th-century image of a dark-skinned suffering Christ. Many of them participate in the ritual, called the Traslacion, to thank God for blessings received and to seek more graces for their families in the coming year.
Even as I held my smartphone to take vertical videos, I could not help but cry as devotees raised both hands, in an act of surrender, while singing a popular Filipino version of the Lord’s Prayer. Perhaps, I thought, one of them had a terminal illness, or was praying for a sick relative; perhaps another was laid off from her job, while another was praying for a baby.
“Literally the heat of their devotion (and their bodies) – I felt it,” I wrote on the #faith channel of the Rappler Communities app right after our experience at San Sebastian.
“That’s part of what sociologists call ‘collective effervescence,’” replied Jayeel Cornelio, a sociologist of religion, during our live chat session.
“What does it mean?” I asked.
“What you describe as ‘electricity.’ A religious ritual is powerful in bringing people together and making us feel that we are part of the community. The chants, the bodily movements, the songs – they’re all done in unison. They deepen people’s collective identity and their faith at the same time. This is why being there to experience it can be transformative for devotees,” Cornelio said.
But why, in the first place, is the Nazareno procession “electric”? The same question applies to Cebu’s twin celebrations in honor of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) every third Sunday of January – the so-called “cultural” Sinulog and the “religious” Fiesta Señor.
Where do such devotions draw their staying power?
To gain deeper understanding, one needs to transport oneself back by centuries, when ancient Filipinos worshiped nature spirits called anitos, and women religious leaders known as the babaylan displayed their faith in “ecstatic” ways.
It is true, in the 16th century, the Spaniards arrived and planted the cross – and introduced the Santo Niño to replace anitos.
But the ways of our forebears lived on, still deeply rooted in our nation’s soul.
Cultural anthropologist Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, in a January 2022 webinar titled, “The Indigenous Thrives In Us,” noted an “interplay between the indigenous and the foreign” in Filipino religious traditions to this day.
Zialcita first described elements of “pre-Christian, pre-Islamic religion” in the Philippines. He mentioned “reverence towards the spirits of the ancestors and nature spirits,” which meant that “unusual rocks, strange trees like the balete, or mysterious animals like the crocodile were revered.” The concern of the natives “was really fertility, health, and prosperity.”
The goal of life, he said, “was to enter the afterworld with high status, to be buried with all of your possessions such as porcelain, gold, and slaves.” This was because one’s position in the afterlife depended on one’s status in this life.
“Ecstasy,” he added, “was very important in indigenous religion.”
“This comes out clearly in our Catholic processions, such as Ati-Atihan or Sinulog or Obando or Turumba. There’s a lot of dancing,” Zialcita said in this webinar uploaded by De La Salle University.
He noted that while Spanish friars allowed them, “these dances are definitely not of Spanish Catholic origin.” They are now considered “Catholic,” however, “because generally the priest presides over these processions with special mention of Jesus and his mother.”
“A second way in which our indigenous religion continues to influence Catholicism today, is the concern of many, not with spiritual salvation, but with physical salvation,” said Zialcita. Forms of physical salvation include “safety from harm, illness, and material want.”
In his analysis of the Nazareno devotion, Zialcita said that for “the millions of men who compete with each other to be able to draw near this sacred icon and touch it with a towel,” the primary concern “is not really liberation from sin.” Rather, it is “the desire to ensure their family’s well-being.”
“When we interview the devotees, we find out consistently that they participate despite the hardship because of a panata (vow), because of a crisis in family, like for instance, a loved one is seriously ill. So the clergy may insist on kaligtasan (salvation) as freedom from sin, but many Filipinos find the physical meaning more relevant to their lives,” Zialcita said.
Zialcita later zoomed out to the bigger picture: how one can conceptualize “the relationship between the indigenous and the foreign.”
“The indigenous tradition, I would say, localizes Christianity by rooting it in people’s deepest concerns. At the same time, Christianity universalizes the indigenous by connecting it to a worldwide organization and to super-local morality,”
According to Zialcita, this means that Christianity “invites us to think beyond our family, to think of a wider community beyond the family.” In this way, “our morality is not focused on the family but on the larger community, the good of the town, the city, the country, mankind.”
“Christianity also asks us to think even of people to whom we have no kin ties. So in that sense, it universalizes the indigenous,” he said.
Social anthropologist Melba Padilla Maggay, president of the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture (ISACC), also explained these phenomena in a recent episode of ISACC’s video series ISIP-ISAK.
In this ISIP-ISAK episode on January 4 titled, “Panata at Pananampalataya,” Maggay said the Traslacion is part of the “deep structures” of Filipino culture. This involves “the issue of consciousness, the issue of the heart, the depths of a people’s soul” that cannot easily be changed. She contrasted this with “surface structures” that can easily be altered.
To illustrate the difference, she cited the dark, wooden statues of anitos or nature spirits whom ancient Filipinos worshiped before the Spaniards came.
“We exchanged them easily with saints with Caucasian features. So we had an exchange of statues. That was only a surface structure, so it was easy to change. What was difficult to change was the truly innate – the disposition of a race, their consciousness,” Maggay said in Filipino.
The Traslacion is “very durable” because it is part of these “deep structures,” she said.
When asked what the Traslacion “represents” about Filipino faith, Maggay mentioned two aspects. First, being black – instead of the usual white or Caucasian-looking – makes the Nazareno a “very powerful” image for Filipinos. “Many races, including ours, can identify with that,” she said.
Second, “it makes God close to us – touchable.” She cited Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio, former rector of Quiapo Church, who called it an “incarnational spirituality” – related to the “incarnation” or God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.
“It means we have a very deep longing as a people to touch, to make tangible, the things that are usually just in the consciousness or just in words. We need symbols, we need visuals,” said Maggay.
Maggay, a Christian, was speaking from experience. Recalling how she was raised as a Catholic, she said her mother often brought her to Quiapo Church in her youth, so that she could wipe her handkerchief on the Black Nazarene image because her mother believed it can heal her from asthma.
She herself has intervieweed Nazareno devotees, discovering for herself that she had her own misconceptions. One of these was the notion that Nazareno devotees join the Traslacion to atone for their sins – something criticized by Evangelical Christians because “Christ has died for all of us, once and for all.”
“Most of them said this is our panata (vow). And panata because of gratitude,” she said, citing the experience of devotees whose children, for example, had been healed from illness.
Maggay said that based on Scriptures, which is full of visual symbols, “God is not averse to images.”
“The problem is that these visual representations can become idols,” Maggay said. She called it “extension transference,” when “we transfer to the things of God our allegiance.”
The challenge, according to Maggay, is to be “careful how we read these practices.”
She then turned to her fellow Protestants, after the interviewer asked how Evangelical Christians can “make sense” of the Nazareno devotion. “How should we understand this?” the interviewer asked.
“First of all,” Maggay said, “if you are Evangelical, join the Traslacion and listen carefully to what the people are saying.”
In the #faith channel of the Rappler Communities app, several participants in our January 9 live chat session made a similar appeal: listen to devotees.
One of them was Father Franz Dizon, parochial vicar of the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, who was one of the most active commenters in our chat room that day.
“We really cannot understand what the devotion means to the devotees if we will not ask them,” said Dizon in Filipino. “For me, a person who judges based only on his knowledge or point of view is also a fanatic. He is a fanatic of his own beliefs.”
Having studied in Catholic schools all my life, and having taken theology courses in college, I myself had my own preconceived notions of Nazareno devotees in the past – until I started covering the Traslacion and seeing believers up close.
On January 9 this year, around 25 minutes after the Nazareno carriage left the vicinity of San Sebastian Basilica, our coverage team exited the church compound to shoot a video report at Plaza del Carmen. Many devotees in red Nazareno shirts were still lingering in the area at that time.
When we were about to start shooting, suddenly, a dozen devotees congregated around me. I smiled at them briefly, looked straight into the camera lens, and tried my best not to be distracted. Then the camera rolled, and I started to narrate the afternoon’s event. Toward the end of the video, I attempted to give viewers the big picture – ironically with the words, “I cannot explain it.”
I told our viewers, “If you are asking, ‘Why are people this devoted to the Black Nazarene?’ I think no academic discussion can substitute for seeing in person, eye to eye, the things that happen in Quiapo.”
Looking back, I think the best way to explain it was the sight of the people behind me: real flesh and blood who came with their deepest hopes, persons to be respected and not ideas to be debated.
The only sound that mattered, at that moment, was the loud cheer of the devotees who smiled, waved, and jumped before our camera: “Viva! Viva! Viva! Viva!” – Rappler.com
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EXPLAINER: Supreme Court’s clarifications on cyber libel
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Jairo Bolledo
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21/01/2024 9:30
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MANILA, Philippines – The latest ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) clarified rules on cyber libel cases.
The High Court said:
The clarifications were part of an October 11, 2023 decision that was uploaded only on January 19. This was in relation to a petition filed by lawyer Berteni “Toto” Causing which was dismissed by the High Court. Causing was spokesperson of the family of Percy Lapid, the radio broadcaster who was gunned down in 2022.
Causing filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court – a remedy used to review grave abuse of discretion – to assail the 2021 decision of Quezon City RTC Branch 93 in a cyber libel case filed against him in 2020.
Then-lawmaker Ferdinand Hernandez filed a complaint against Causing with the Quezon City prosecutor’s office for cyber libel, under section 4(c)(4) of RA No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The complaint was filed in relation to Articles 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code.
Hernandez, the complainant in Causing’s case, said that on February 4 and April 29, 2019, Causing uploaded posts on Facebook “which made it appear that he stole public funds intended for Marawi siege victims.” Later, the prosecutors filed two separate cases on May 10, 2021, against Causing.
Causing filed a motion to quash, arguing that the posts in question were uploaded on February 4 and April 29, 2019, while the complaint was filed only on December 16, 2020. He pointed out that the cyber libel cases against him had prescribed or lapsed because the filing was only done over a year after the posts were put up.
In 2021, the RTC denied Causing’s petition for lack of merit, maintaining that the two cyber libel cases had not prescribed. The court explained that Hernandez filed his complaint on December 17, 2020 – “two weeks from the discovery of the purported crimes.” Causing then brought the case to the SC.
In 2019, the Department of Justice said the prescription for cyber libel was within 12 years. This means that one can be sued for an alleged libelous post within 12 years of its publication.
When a Manila court upheld the cyber libel case of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa cited Tolentino v. People – a ruling that said the cyber libel prescription is 15 years.
In this latest ruling, the High Court said Causing had argued that Tolentino v. People was not a “binding precedent” since it was not signed. But the High Court said this was wrong because an unsigned resolution can be a binding precedent “if it states clearly and distinctly the facts and law on which it is based and is not a mere dismissal of a petition for failure to comply with formal and substantive requirements.”
Although the SC did not rule in favor of Causing’s certiorari petition, it ruled favorably on the prescription period. The High Court said the prescription period for cyber libel should be based on the Revised Penal Code, which sets prescription at one year, and not RA 3326, which sets it at 12 years.
“As between the two, the law that sets the shorter period for prescription and the more favorable to the accused must be applied,” the ruling said. “Considering that Article 90 of the RPC provides the shorter prescriptive period at only one year and is therefore more favorable to the accused, it should prevail over the application of [Republic] Act No. 3326, which would make Cyber Libel prescribe in 12 years.”
Aside from the prescription period, the SC also clarified when the period starts – it should be from the time the offended party discovered the allegedly libelous remarks.
“The Court affirms its ruling in Alcantara that prescription is counted from discovery of the published libelous matter by the offended party, the authorities, or their agents, because they could hardly be expected to institute criminal proceedings for Libel without prior knowledge of the same,” the High Court said.
The SC added that the prescription period “may be reckoned from the publication ofthe libelous matter” only when it coincides with the day the offended party discovered the remarks.
The ruling on Causing’s case read: “WHEREFORE, the Petition is DENIED. The Order dated October 5, 2021, and Order dated November 15, 2021, of Branch 93, Regional Trial Court (RTC), Quezon City in Criminal Cases Nos. R-QZN-21-04099 and R-QZN-21-04100 are hereby AFFIRMED.”
Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting wrote the decision with concurrences from Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, the division chairperson, along with Associate Justices Samuel Gaerlan, Japar Dimaampao, and Maria Filomena Singh. – Rappler.com
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Thirdy Ravena impresses anew as San-En keeps hot streak going
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Jasmine Payo
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20/01/2024 21:02
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STALWART. San-En's Thirdy Ravena in action in the Japan B. League.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Thirdy Ravena continued to impress for the San-En NeoPhoenix as they extended their winning streak to eight games with a 79-66 drubbing of the Fighting Eagles Nagoya in Division 1 of the Japan B. League on Saturday, January 20, at the Toyohashi City Gymnasium.
After falling one point short of a triple-double last Wednesday, January 17, Thirdy was one of six San-En players to score in double-digits with 13 points on an efficient 5-of-9 shooting.
Thirdy, who set career-highs of 13 rebounds and 12 assists in their last match, also recorded 4 boards, 4 dimes, 2 steals, and a plus-minus of +13 in a team-best 36 minutes of playing time.
David Dudzinski paced the NeoPhoenix’s balanced attack with 14 points, while Sota Oura added 11.
Kenny Asano, Coty Clarke, and Yante Maten all chipped in 10 markers as San-En remained neck-and-neck with the Alvark Tokyo at the No. 1 spot with a 26-4 record.
Over at the Kataoka Arena Kyoto, Matthew Wright once again led the Kyoto Hannaryz in scoring, but his output wasn’t enough as they suffered an 84-66 beating at the hands of the Gunma Crane Thunders.
Coming off a 24-point explosion in their previous outing, Wright caught fire anew from long distance and knocked down 5 of his 11 three-point attempts to finish with 17 points.
He also tallied 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal for Kyoto.
Unlike Thirdy and Wright, the rest of the Filipino imports in Division 1 hardly made their presence felt for their respective teams on Saturday.
Ray Parks produced just 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins’ 91-85 loss to the Seahorses Mikawa at the Okazaki Central Park General Gymnasium.
Kai Sotto, meanwhile, finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in their 100-89 defeat to the Osaka Evessa at the Ookini Arena Maishima.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto played just a total of 6 minutes and 37 seconds as he was hounded by foul trouble, picking up his third foul as early as the halfway mark of the second quarter.
Similar to Sotto, RJ Abarrientos also came up with only 2 points, along with 4 assists, in the Shinshu Brave Warriors’ 87-57 loss to Tokyo at the Matsumoto City Gymnasium.
Abarrientos fired blanks in the 30-point demolition, shooting just 1-of-8 from the field, including a 0-of-5 clip from beyond the arc.
Dwight Ramos, for his part, was a non-factor for the Levanga Hokkaido as they fell prey to the Chiba Jets, 98-79, at the Funabashi Arena.
He tallied just 1 block in close to 10 minutes of action.
Moving on to Division 2, Kiefer Ravena and Roosevelt Adams put up solid performances as their respective squads emerged triumphant on Saturday.
Kiefer formed a one-two punch with big man Brock Motum to lead the Shiga Lakes past the Niigata Albirex BB, 89-80, at the City Hall Plaza Ao-re Nagaoka.
Kiefer racked up 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, backstopping Motum’s double-double of 26 markers and 10 boards.
Adams, on the other hand, poured in 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal to help the Yamagata Wyverns turn back the Aomori Wat’s, 93-85, at the Sanyu Engineer Sports and Culture Center.
Finally, Greg Slaughter and the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka bowed to the Altiri Chiba, 79-63, at the Chiba Port Arena.
The former Barangay Ginebra star had 2 points in the loss. – Rappler.com
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Carlos Yulo zeroes in on pet events in Olympic medal bid
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 18:03
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BALANCE. The Philippines' Carlos Edriel Yulo in action during the men's floor exercise final in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
Yves Herman/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – In order to win an Olympic medal, Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo knows he has to play to his strengths.
Putting more thought into his pet events, Yulo ramps up his preparation for the Paris Games this year by joining a string of international competitions in the coming months.
“I’m paying attention to the all-around but I’m focused on my three best apparatuses, which are parallel bars, floor exercise, and vault,” Yulo told Power and Play with Noli Eala in a mix of Filipino and English.
Yulo won all six of his world championship medals from those three events.
The pint-sized dynamo captured gold (2019) and bronze (2018) in floor exercise, gold (2021) and silver (2022) in vault, and silver (2021) and bronze (2022) in parallel bars in the global gymnastics showdown.
He is also the reigning titleholder in those three apparatuses in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
“I have a really strong chance of winning a medal in floor and vault. Those are the two events that I dedicate my time to. Every day, I plan what I’m going to do in floor and vault,” Yulo said.
Despite his success in the international scene, the end of last year proved to be a rough patch as he struggled in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Antwerp, Belgium from September to October.
Although Yulo ultimately qualified for Paris, his medal streak in the world championships got busted after reaching only the floor exercise final, where he finished fourth.
That ill-fated world championship run came months after Yulo parted ways with longtime Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, a split that also put a spotlight on his personal life involving his family and romantic relationship.
Yulo, though, is simply taking the good with the bad.
“I matured from the challenges that I faced. I accepted all of my mistakes. I’m super happy now because of the people who truly support me,” he said.
Yulo will see action in a pair of FIG World Cup Series tiffs in Baku, Azerbaijan in March and in Doha, Qatar in April before he competes in the Asian championships in Hong Kong in May.
Currently training in the Philippines under Filipino mentor Aldrin Castaneda, Yulo is set for a series of overseas camps in South Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, and Paris.
“I want my body to get used to different environments and time zones,” said Yulo. “I want to learn their styles and add them to my own.” – Rappler.com
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Chot Reyes back as TNT head coach, Jojo Lastimosa resumes role as team manager
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 14:16
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HEATED. Head coach Chot Reyes of the TNT Tropang Giga.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Things are back where they used to be at TNT.
Chot Reyes returns to his post as Tropang Giga head coach, while Jojo Lastimosa resumes his role as team manager, the team announced on Saturday, January 20.
Reyes will once again call the shots for TNT after missing the last two conferences, a period that saw Lastimosa do double duty as team manager and head coach.
The Tropang Giga rewarded Lastimosa for his work by extending his contract as team manager.
“I feel good about getting my old job back and I was humbled that management gave me the opportunity to hold the fort while Chot was resting,” Lastimosa said. “It was an experience I’d never been a part of.”
Reyes temporarily vacated his post as TNT head coach to focus on Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the FIBA World Cup, which the country co-hosted from August to September last year.
The Philippines notched its first World Cup win since 2014 by beating Asian rival China, but Reyes stepped aside from his post immediately after, admitting he failed to deliver the result he promised.
Reyes then took a break from basketball, allowing Lastimosa to continue coaching the Tropang Giga after the PBA great steered the franchise to its first Governors’ Cup crown last season.
Lastimosa managed to guide TNT to the quarterfinals of the Commissioner’s Cup this year, but injuries to key players ultimately doomed the team as it got the boot from top seed Magnolia last Wednesday, January 17.
“I knew that my being a head coach was on a temporary basis so I’m good,” said Lastimosa. “Chot is rejuvenated and ready to get at it.”
As they gear up for the Philippine Cup in March, the Tropang Giga also hope to stay alive in the East Asia Super League as they host Korean squad Anyang Jung Kwan Kang Red Boosters on Wednesday, January 24. – Rappler.com
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Why did the Philippines reactivate its military counterintelligence group?
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Bea Cupin
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20/01/2024 21:18
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COUNTERINTELLIGENCE. Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Major General Ferdinand Barandon, unfurl the AFP Counterintelligence Group banner during the Reactivation Ceremony of the AFPCIG on January 18, 2024, in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – Some three decades ago, the Philippines’ then commander-in-chief, the late Fidel V. Ramos, concluded that the military’s counterintelligence unit was successful in the “neutralization and prosecution of scalawags” in its ranks.
So on October 16, 1995, Ramos ordered the creation of a “Presidential Task Force on Intelligence and Counterintelligence Against Scalawags.”
The task force then had the power to “conduct intelligence and counterintelligence operations to detect and identify active and former military and police personnel and their cohorts involved in criminal activities,” according to Executive Order No. 280, issued in 1995 and signed by Ramos.
Ramos had also disbanded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’ Counterintelligence Group, according to AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla.
Yet 34 years after it was first organized on December 29, 1989, 28 years after its replacement task force was created, and almost two decades after its revival under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the AFP has again reinstated the Counterintelligence Group (CIG).
AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. himself led the reactivation ceremony of the AFP-CIG in ceremonies held on January 18. The unit was officially reactivated on January 11.
It is headed by Colonel Jonathan Manio, under the supervision of AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence Major General Ferdinand Barandon. Rappler has asked the AFP for general staffing details of the AFP-CIG and its structure, but has yet to receive a reply as of this posting
In a release to media, Padilla explained that the CIG was reactivated “with the mission to conduct counterintelligence support nationwide in line with the AFP’s mission.”
Padilla added, “Upon its reactivation, AFPCIG’s mission has been expanded from just counter-destabilization to performing counter-infiltration, counter-espionage, and counter-sabotage.”
The United States’ Central Intelligence Agency, in a 1957 secret memorandum that’s since been made public, defines counterintelligence as “intelligence activity, with resultant information product, which is undertaken to protect the security of the nation, and its personnel and installations abroad, against espionage, counterespionage, sabotage as subversion.”
The note further reads, “As an activity, counterintelligence is the process of procuring, developing, recording, and disseminating information concerning espionage, counterespionage, sabotage, and subversion directed against the national security, and of penetrating, manipulating, or repressing individuals, groups, or organizations conducting or capable of conducting such acts.”
Under the late president Cory Aquino, the AFPCIG worked on chasing after rebel soldiers who had resorted to crime in the aftermath of failed coup attempts, the office of now-Senator Win Gatchalian noted in a release during his time in the House of Representatives.
A member of the Lower House then, Gatchalian was calling for the creation of a counterintelligence task force for the police.
Under Ramos, the group was disbanded and a presidential task force was created to go after the same “scalawags.” Its responsibilities concerned the illegal activities of soldiers and other uniformed personnel.
Then, in 2005 – according to a book by the Philippine Center of Excellence in Defense, Development and Security, the National Defense College of the Philippines, and the Security Reform Initiative Inc. – Arroyo revived the AFPCIG “to monitor any allegation of destabilization plots and corruption inside the military” after the uprising known as EDSA Tres.
Padilla, in an interview with state-run PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, said the AFP routinely recalibrates its makeup depending on its goals.
“Our units will also adjust to the pressing situation…we marry the different units according to the threats we are facing,” she explained.
“[It was reactivated] based on the pronouncement that we will enhance our intelligence-gathering measures,” Padilla added.
The AFP itself has not gone into details about the newly-reinstated CIG, including how big the unit would be and what its specific tasks will be. The group exists alongside the Intelligence Service of the AFP as separate units of the military.
Its reactivation in the beginning of 2024 comes amid persistent rumors and speculation of misgivings and unrest among the military – retired soldiers, as well as those in active service.
No less than Brawner had confirmed in November 2023 that he had spoken to retired military officials behind a supposed plot to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The AFP would try to walk back Brawner’s statements, with then-AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar claiming that the AFP chief was “misquoted.”
Months later, on January 4, 2024, Brawner would issue a statement “on the emerging challenges of 2024.”
The AFP chief, seemingly unprompted – not by the defense media, at least – said: “The Armed Forces of the Philippines stands firm in its unwavering loyalty to the Constitution and its solemn commitment to fulfill its mandate. The men and women of the AFP remain steadfast in their role as the guardians of our nation’s sovereignty and defender of democratic principles.”
The New Year statement was preceded by a little-known retired military officer claiming loyalty to Vice President Sara Duterte, whom he said was “president now.”
Several Marcos policies have, perhaps, contributed to unease in the military – or at least the perception of unrest. Marcos’ former finance chief, in a surprise press conference in March 2023, announced that the President had given the green light for a dramatic change to the military’s generous and expensive pension system.
Benjamin Diokno, who has since been replaced as economic team head, said then that Marcos was “willing to spend his political capital” to introduce military pension reform.
The Philippine government had also announced its intention to resume peace talks with the communists. Rappler executive editor Glenda Gloria also noted Marcos’ “distance” from military generals as another issue hounding the commander-in-chief.
In May 2023, in response to complaints from military generals, Marcos approved tweaks to a Rodrigo Duterte-era law that introduced fixed terms for the AFP’s top officials.
During the 2024 New Year’s call, Marcos said he had approved funds for rice subsidies and better medical service for the military. – Rappler.com
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Meet Healy After Dark, the band behind the soundtrack of your romantic woes
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jreyes0314
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20/01/2024 20:12
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MANILA, Philippines – When Oyo Velasco uploaded his first single “You” on Spotify in 2020 under the stage name Healy After Dark, it had gotten 300,000 streams worldwide in just a few months’ time.
From then on, the one-man act had gotten invites to play at numerous small gigs in local cafes and events in Pampanga. Come 2022, Oyo had landed an opening act performance at an event singer-songwriter Arthur Nery would be headlining. While Oyo had been managing as a soloist at that point, he knew it would be difficult to successfully play for a large crowd alone.
But Oyo had always been fascinated at the thought of playing in a full-fledged band. After he set out to find sessionists for that Arthur Nery gig, the four-piece collective Healy After Dark was born.
Now composed of Oyo Velasco on vocals, Daniel Lozano on lead guitars, Alvin Santiago on bass, and Zach Gonzales on drums, Healy After Dark is here to play you the tunes of your dreams.
A post shared by Oyo Velasco (@healyafterdark)
“Doon pa lang, kahit wala pa kaming fans, I had this vision na lalaki ‘yung Healy After Dark talaga. Nasabi ko sa kanila habang nagre-rehearse kami, ‘If ever na lumaki, g ba kayo na ituloy natin ‘to na tayo ang lineup?'” said Oyo.
(From there, even though we didn’t have fans yet, I had this vision that Healy After Dark would make it big. I told the boys while we were rehearsing, “If we do make it big, are you down to continue this band with us four as the lineup?”)
As aspiring musicians who all share the same dream of one day playing on the big stage, it was a no-brainer for Daniel, Zach, and Alvin to join Oyo for the long journey Healy After Dark would be embarking on from then on.
It’s been a long-running joke that once the clock strikes 10 pm, it’s time to “relapse” or go back to your hopeless romantic ways with Healy After Dark’s “Isip” playing in the background.
The four-minute song is arguably the dreamiest anthem for unrequited love. It has even established itself as one of the go-to mood-setters for K-pop alternate universe or AU fan fiction on TikTok.
“Isip” is the masterful translation of complicated feelings into a culmination of captivating lyrics and nostalgic instrumentals that has allowed it to remain at the top of many Filipinos’ playlists for months on end – especially after dark.
And that’s exactly what makes Healy After Dark’s music so special.
“The best part [of our music] is that it’s very relatable. ‘Yung mga everyday na pinagdadaanan ‘nyo, pinagdadaanan din namin (We also go through your everyday woes). Same stuff sa heartbreak, love, betrayal…so ‘yung mga thoughts ‘nyo (your thoughts), napu-put ni Oyo (Oyo puts) into songs to comfort you or relate to you,” Zach shared.
“It’s very relatable hindi lang (not only) when it comes to lyrics, pati kung paano nakaayos ‘yung music (but also how the music is arranged),” Alvin added, emphasizing the important role the instrumentals play in hooking listeners.
Over time, Healy After Dark has even built a solid following on TikTok, often creating videos that bank on their music’s relatability.
On a random day in February 2023, Oyo posted a video of himself lip-syncing to “Isip,” telling fans they could use the short clip as a free pass to their future concerts.
He randomly thought to tag the Kean Cipriano-helmed label O/C Records in the caption, not knowing that Cipriano himself would end up liking the song and later signing the band in June 2023.
Since then, the only way has been forward for Healy After Dark.
Just recently, the band played its first-ever set at a big music festival, and the experience was nothing short of remarkable for all four of them.
It was at that moment when Healy After Dark’s members realized that they were finally on the big stage, living the reality they had only once dreamt of as kids.
A post shared by Oyo Velasco (@healyafterdark)
“Laking pasasalamat kasi nung time na sobrang dami nang tao, I remembered nung bata pa ‘ko, ako ‘yung mga nakikipagsiksikan doon…. Laking realization na although malayo pa kami, the fact na may step forward na kami doon, sobrang thankful ko and we’re lucky and we’re enjoying it,” Alvin expressed.
(I’m so thankful because when there were a lot of people already at the festival, I remembered the time I was squeezing my way through the large crowd when I was a kid. It was a big realization that although we’re still far from achieving our goals, I’m thankful of the fact that we already have a step forward and that we’re lucky and we’re enjoying it.)
“Every time we have a gig, whether small or big, it’s kind of surreal that there are people who admire us. ‘Di ako makapaniwala (I can’t believe) that there are people that are actually impressed by you and look up to you. I think that’s a very rewarding experience,” Daniel said.
But the ride hasn’t been easy for the Pampanga-based ensemble. With Manila still serving as the center of the local music scene, every gig is essentially a road trip for the band as they often endure four hours of back-and-forth travel from Pampanga to Manila and vice versa each time.
As individuals who have day jobs and other commitments outside of making music, juggling all these responsibilities is a taxing endeavor in itself.
“Minsan nga, hindi na ako umuuwi sa bahay ‘pag sunod-sunod ‘yung gigs namin. Last time, one week akong hindi umuuwi ng bahay. Natutulog ako sa [office]. ‘Yun lang ‘yung mga sacrifices na I’m pretty sure they’re also willing to take. Kasi kaming apat, passion talaga namin ‘yung music,” admitted Oyo, who works as an electrical engineer.
(There are times when I wouldn’t come home anymore when we play at consecutive gigs. Last time, I didn’t come home for a week. I slept at my office. Those are just some of the sacrifices I’m pretty sure they’re also willing to take because the four of us are really passionate about music.)
Zach had also put taking his civil engineering licensure exam on hold to keep up with the demands of playing in a band. He had been scheduled to take the exam in November 2023 but opted to first act on the overflowing opportunities his passion for music had begun to hand to him.
While it’s apparent that pursuing their dream of making music is a balancing act, the one thing that makes it all worthwhile for Healy After Dark’s members is getting to share the stage with each other.
“‘Yung dynamic namin ‘pag nagkakasama, parang nagto-tropahan lang…. If hindi kami banda, we’d still get along as friends (When we’re together, our dynamic is similar to that of a group of close friends…. If we weren’t a band, we’d still get along as friends),” Oyo attested.
In fact, their music video for “Ikaw” is a testament to this. In the retro-style montage, the three other band members are seen encouraging Oyo to approach the girl at the bowling alley.
“Yes. Absolutely, yes,” Zach and Daniel said in unison, nodding vigorously when asked if the scene being depicted here was similar to their dynamic in real life.
At the end of the day, it’s clear that Healy After Dark is a group of good friends who just happen to be making good music together, and it doesn’t seem like this is changing anytime soon.
With the crazy past few months the band has had following their steady rise in the OPM scene, they are also set to drop new music soon: a single titled “Pwede Bang Dito Ka Muna,” along with an EP.
While the band couldn’t provide an exact date of release, listeners, both new and old, can expect to sing their hearts out to the band’s music again sometime this year. – Rappler.com
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‘Grave insult to commuters’: Marcos draws flak for chopper ride to Coldplay concert in Bulacan
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Russell Ku
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20/01/2024 15:15
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MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has drawn flak after he was spotted taking a chopper ride for Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” concert in Bulacan on Friday, January 19.
Eagle-eyed social media users who attended the Coldplay concert on Friday, January 19, recorded Marcos arriving via a presidential helicopter to watch the famous British rock band.
Videos of the scene shared online drew comparisons to the experience of regular concertgoers and even ordinary taxpayers who have to endure daily traffic in Metro Manila.
In a statement on Saturday, January 20, Presidential Security Group chief Major General Nelson Morales explained that due to “an unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals” who attended the concert, as well as the “unforeseen traffic complications,” they decided to use the presidential chopper for Marcos.
“Recognizing that this traffic situation posed a potential threat to the security of our President, the PSG took decisive action by opting for the presidential chopper,” Morales explained.
“This decision not only ensured the safety of our leader but also exemplified our commitment to prioritizing security in the face of unexpected challenges,” he added.
At naka-helicopter. Umay pic.twitter.com/qugost480P
Metro Manila recently topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time, taking an average time of 25 minutes and 30 seconds to travel 10 kilometers in the region.
I, a regular Filipino taxpayer in the Philippines, go through heavy traffic as I ride a shuttle, a rela, a jeep, and sometimes a taxi in my daily commute while our country's president BBM rides a helicopter using my tax money to easily get to where he wants/needs to be. https://t.co/y0BMpEnCc7 pic.twitter.com/v7sGJqBvYJ
While fans struggle to find ways to get to the PH Arena in Bulacan due to horrible public transportation system, the nepo baby President that came from a corrupt family of murderers which made the PH drown in generations of debt arrives in a helicopter funded by tax payers 😀 https://t.co/pEH3hFpqd8
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes called Marcos’ actions a “grave insult to millions of Filipino commuters” amid the lack of a “progressive and pro-people” mass transportation system in the country.
“A president who takes a chopper to watch a concert amid terrible traffic and a mass transport crisis, will not sympathize with jeepney drivers, operators and commuters. This is the state of transportation in the Philippines today,” he added.
Other users questioned the use of the helicopter as the trip would come from the pockets of ordinary taxpayers.
Sana all naka-helicopter papuntang Ph Arena para manuod ng concert tapos tayong mga tax payer ang nagbabayad🥲 https://t.co/aiW8wzVacK
we've been SO LOUD and SO TIRED about the transportation issues in the philippines but these people wont care because they ride helicopters using OUR tax money https://t.co/Yab9nGlaHG
Filipinos online also pointed out the irony of the move as Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” world tour hopes to promote environmental sustainability through measures such as reusable LED wristbands and installation of electricity-generating power bikes and kinetic floors, among others.
all the effort of coldplay and their team in promoting sustainability while on tour, finding a way to make that work here in the philippines, only for this asshole to fly in a chopper probably funded by… take a wild guess! https://t.co/AEZuxsZ2ky
coldplay literally advocates for sustainability and this guy literally pulls up on taxpayer’s chopper kapal talaga ng mukha ng pamilyang to https://t.co/1xgwAwJIJA
Even Coldplay’s front man Chris Martin had something to say about the infamous Philippine traffic, thanking fans for braving it to see the band live.
“We’ve seen some traffic. But I think you have the number one [traffic] in the world. Thank you for making the effort to come through all of that bullshit to be here,” he said.
One concertgoer posted a video of Marcos’ reaction to Martin’s words. He was seen smiling and laughing as Martin spoke.
– Rappler.com
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The Civil Service will sanction lower-ranked Philippine government officials who will use Official Vehicles for Private Events, except for President Marcos Jr. What an injustice? Or at least a partial or biased application of a rule.
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FAST FACTS: Who is Romy Vitug, Filipino master cinematographer?
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Steph Arnaldo
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20/01/2024 13:04
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Dana Vitug-Taylor's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Celebrated Filipino cinematographer Romeo “Romy” Vitug – known for being a master in his craft – has died, his daughter Dana Vitug-Taylor confirmed on Friday, January 19. He suffered from health complications, and died in a hospital in General Trias, Cavite , according to an ABS-CBN News report.
Many fans and local celebrities mourned the loss of Vitug, an icon in the Philippine movie industry who leaves a legacy of exceptional cinematography in several TV series and films.
Vitug had been in the industry since 1969, boasting a stellar career spanning over 50 years working with some of the industry’s best directors, actors, and actresses. According to IMBD, his first recorded cinematography work was for documentary Recuerdo of Two Sundays and Two Roads That Lead to the Sea, directed by Bibsy Carballo.
His last recorded work as cinematographer was for the series The Good Son from 2017 to 2018. According to PEP.ph, Hellow Soldier (the second film in the Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa trilogy in 1974, starring Lino Brocka) was Vitug’s first official film project.
There are over 100 titles to his name, with some of his notable works including 2010’s Tanging Yaman, Saan Nagtatago Ang Pag-ibig (1987), Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (1991), Ikaw Pa Lang Ang Minahal (1992), Mga Bilanggong Birhen (1977), Atsay (1978), Rizal in Dapitan (1997), Kung Mahawi Man Ang Ulap (1984), Paradise Inn (1985), Saan Ka Man Naroroon (1999), Kapag Langit ang Humatol (1990), Sana Maulit Muli (1995), Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (1991), Pagputi ng Uwak Pag-itim ng Tagak (1978), Alamat ni Juan Makabayan (1979), Salome (1981), Haplos (1982), and many more.
Vitug – who was an avid supporter of Sagip Pelikula – carries several awards and nominations to his name.
He was inducted into the Metro Manila Film Festival Hall of Fame in 2019 for Best Cinematography. Years earlier, he received the Gawad Urian Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and the Cinemanila International Film Fest Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Under the FAP Awards, he was the 2011 winner of the Manuel de Leon Award. He won Best Cinematography for his work on 1996’s Sana Maulit Muli, 1995’s Maalala Mo Kaya: The Movie, 1991’s Kapag Langit ang Humatol, and 1988’s Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig?, among others.
He won the Famas Award for Best Cinematography for Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig? in 1988 and for Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak in 1979.
Vitug also has several Gawad Urian awards and nominations for his films from 1978 to 1999, including Bakit May Kahapon Pa?, Ikaw Pa Lang ang Minahal, Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit, and many more.
He won the MMFF Award for Best Cinematography for Rizal in Dapitan in 1997, for Kung Mawawala Ka Pa in 1993, for Magkano ang Iyong Dangal? In 1988, for Payaso in 1986, Paradise Inn in 1985, Atsay in 1978, and Mga Bilanggong Birhen in 1977.
Vitug also won the Young Critics Circle Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Design for The Flor Contemplacion Story (1996).
Vitug’s daughter Dana announced in a Facebook post on Saturday, January 20, that the wake for her father was at the 2nd Floor San Antonio de Padua Holy Trinity Chapel in Sucat, Parañaque City. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, January 24, after which he would be laid to rest. – Rappler.com
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Is the Philippines prepared for El Niño?
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Iya Gozum
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20/01/2024 11:30
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MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos may be enjoying the cool weather brought by the amihan in the early weeks of the new year, and water supply is at the moment showing no signs of decline that could alarm the majority of the population.
Because of these, it could easily slip people’s minds that a strong El Niño is ongoing.
El Niño has been underway since July 2023. In its latest advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reminded the public that a strong El Niño would likely persist until February, and that global climate models predict it would continue until May.
El Niño has historically impacted livelihood and health by causing extreme droughts and severe flooding in parts of the world. In an agricultural country like the Philippines, where dry spells and droughts are expected, this could mean crop failures affecting food production.
Last December, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a media interview in Nueva Ecija that securing water for farmers is the administration’s top priority during the 2023-2024 El Niño.
“We’re making sure that our farmers have water, first and foremost, so we will have food supply that’s good and will continue to increase our production of agricultural products,” Marcos said in Filipino.
That the weather is cool and water supply stable are beside the point. The trend in the last months showed less rainfall and warmer temperatures across the country.
By the end of January, PAGASA’s outlook shows potential drought in the Ilocos Region, parts of Cordillera and Central Luzon, and other places in Luzon. Metro Manila, Rizal, and Aurora, among others, are expecting dry spells.
This trend will culminate in April. By then, 56 areas from Luzon and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao may face potential drought. Mindanao is expecting mostly dry spells.
El Niño is a weather phenomenon that occurs when the ocean surface temperatures unusually warm in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Normally, trade winds bring warm waters from east to west. But during El Niño, winds weaken and warm waters are pushed back east. This increases storms and flooding in the Americas.
The opposite happens in Southeast Asia and Australia. Because of colder ocean temperatures, the chances of a low pressure area forming goes down. Thus, less rainfall and drier conditions.
The last time this happened was in 2018 and 2019. El Niño is estimated to happen every two to seven years. In 2019, the total agricultural losses from typhoons and El Niño amounted to P16 billion.
With the El Niño expected to persist until May, how is the country preparing for it?
In December, the President ordered the creation of Task Force El Niño, led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The key priority issues in the El Niño national action plan are water, food, power, health, and public safety. These had been delegated to concerned agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Overall, the plan seeks to “increase resiliency of communities.”
“What the El Niño action plan team is now doing is to minimize any impact on water, electricity, food, and health,” DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David, who also heads the Water Resources Management Office, told Rappler.
“These indirectly relate to jobs and commodity prices.”
Last December, Congress approved the proposed P5.768-trillion budget for 2024, which is 9.5% higher than the 2023 budget. Concerned agencies got additional budget supposedly to weather El Niño. The budget for the National Rice Program was increased to P30.8 billion, while the government also allotted P31.18 billion for irrigation projects.
More irrigated lands would mean better food production, said House Speaker Martin Romualdez in a statement last December. Romualdez was urging the National Irrigation Administration “to build more dams, water reservoirs and solar irrigation systems,” in preparation for El Niño.
Unfortunately, the government still doesn’t have the data on how much damage to agriculture and fisheries has been incurred due to the current El Niño, according to DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Laurel, in a Malacañang briefing on January 16, said that based on their meetings at the Palace in 2023, the DA is set to create more water impounding projects and explore building solar-powered irrigation in certain areas.
Of course, when Filipinos talk about food, rice immediately comes to mind.
While Laurel assured the media that the country still has healthy stocks of rice as of January, the DA would still have to “manage the situation” and look at it “on a day-to-day basis.”
“But as far as the price is concerned, it’s hard to predict,” Laurel said in a mix of Filipino and English. “The problem is that the world price is going up because of the El Niño.”
For the short term, the DA is looking at buffer stocking seeds of rice, corn, and other high-value crops. In the immediate future, the DA wants to lessen grain imports by investing in post-harvest facilities that could supposedly recover 23 days of rice for the whole nation.
These facilities are part of the agriculture department’s three-year plan estimated to cost P93 billion.
Because of warmer ocean temperatures during El Niño, fisherfolk may anticipate occurrences of red tide. This could contaminate shellfish, cause fish kills, and affect people’s health.
According to the national plan, the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will “continue their fish disease surveillance and red tide monitoring activities, and provide technical assistance to [fisherfolk] on fish disease detection and treatments.”
As of Friday, January 19, Angat Dam, which provides water to Metro Manila, is at 212.71 meters – considered the normal high-level elevation.
“For Metro Manila, since we’ve made sure that Angat is full at the end of the year, we have enough water until May,” David told Rappler. “Other cities have sources that are less stable.”
In 2023, only 11 tropical cyclones entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility – half the usual number that the country is used to.
David said that despite the less than normal number of typhoons, the country had been fortunate to have an active northeast monsoon from last December to the present, which filled the dams. La Mesa Dam is at 79.62 meters, considered within normal operating levels, while Ipo Dam is at 98.34 meters – slightly below the normal threshold of 101 meters.
But it’s a different story in other areas.
In Bukidnon, for example, deep wells and communal faucets are already drying up due to El Niño, and water rationing has started. Based on PAGASA’s outlook, Bukidnon was supposed to experience dry conditions a bit later, by the end of February.
Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said in a radio interview on January 16 that a whole-of-nation approach would work best, given some realities on the ground that stick out of the projections.
“Ang magandang attitude, isipin na lang natin siguro dapat buong Pilipinas na eh,” Nepomuceno said. “Kasi ‘yung Bukidnon nga po wala nga ngayon sa projection ng January ‘yan.“
(The best attitude is to already take into consideration the entire Philippines. Bukidnon is not even within the projection for January.)
Moreover, aside from short-term solutions such as utilizing standby deep wells and conducting rotational water delivery every time dry spells are predicted, Nepomuceno said it’s time the country gets serious in planning ahead for such circumstances.
The national action plan of the El Niño team, for one, can be used to demand accountability if plans are being implemented, he said.
Some of these action points are:
“While we’re being pressured to implement short-term solutions…let’s not neglect medium to long-term solutions because this will just repeat and we’ll be like sitting ducks if we don’t address this,” Nepomuceno said in Filipino. – Rappler.com
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DA Secretary’s highly noted statement, “But as far as the price is concerned, it’s hard to predict,” Laurel said in a mix of Filipino and English. “The problem is that the world price is going up because of the El Niño.” Given all the data and the expertise of statisticians in both the DA and PSA, he could not predict. It is time for DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to ask for help from the experts.
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Marcos taps agencies to help carry out DSWD project for street-dwellers
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Michelle Abad
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20/01/2024 11:08
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LeAnne Jazul
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) institutionalizing and enhancing the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Oplan Pag-abot Project, which seeks to assist individuals and families on the streets.
The EO, dated January 18, created an inter-agency committee to implement the program, with the DSWD and the Department of the Interior and Local Government secretaries leading as chair and vice chair, respectively. Other agencies tapped as members include the departments of agriculture, trade, labor, health, budget, and education.
Pag-abot, which translates to “reach,” was institutionalized as a platform for “enhanced and unified” service delivery for vulnerable and disadvantaged children, individuals, and families in street situations, according to Executive Order No. 52.
“The Pag-abot Program is hereby institutionalized as a platform for an enhanced and unified delivery of services to vulnerable and disadvantaged children, individuals, and families in street situations, through provision of social safety nets and protection against risks brought about by poverty,” said Marcos in issuing the EO.
According to program guidelines issued in June 2023, the intended beneficiaries include children in street situations – whether they are working or living there, or found there due to abandonment, neglect, or orphanhood – “unattached” adults on the streets, and homeless street families.
Forms of assistance include financial aid, transportation and relocation, transitory shelter, livelihood and employment training, psychosocial support, community capability building, capacity building for local governments, and community assistance.
The EO allows for other related forms of assistance, as long as they are “consistent with the mandates of concerned government agencies,” as well as relevant laws and rules.
In providing assistance under Pag-abot, following ocular visits, profiling of beneficiaries, and service delivery, the final step is monitoring and follow-up. Marcos assigned the inter-agency committee to develop a monitoring framework, including a digital monitoring system containing a database of individual, family, and community beneficiaries.
The DSWD is in charge of determining needs for additional manpower and funds for the program.
Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), a May 2023 BusinessMirror report said 12,615 Filipinos were considered homeless, as they lived on streets and public spaces, such as parks and sidewalks. Majority of the homeless were in Metro Manila.
But the number could be much grimmer, as the DSWD guidelines for the project include a note on how there are 4.5 million homeless Filipinos in the country, citing reports that lead back to the PSA.
Around 16.4% or 4.51 million Filipino families are below the poverty threshold of P13,797 per month, the PSA reported in December 2023. – Rappler.com
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Why did the Philippines reactivate its military counterintelligence group?
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Bea Cupin
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20/01/2024 21:18
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COUNTERINTELLIGENCE. Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Major General Ferdinand Barandon, unfurl the AFP Counterintelligence Group banner during the Reactivation Ceremony of the AFPCIG on January 18, 2024, in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – Some three decades ago, the Philippines’ then commander-in-chief, the late Fidel V. Ramos, concluded that the military’s counterintelligence unit was successful in the “neutralization and prosecution of scalawags” in its ranks.
So on October 16, 1995, Ramos ordered the creation of a “Presidential Task Force on Intelligence and Counterintelligence Against Scalawags.”
The task force then had the power to “conduct intelligence and counterintelligence operations to detect and identify active and former military and police personnel and their cohorts involved in criminal activities,” according to Executive Order No. 280, issued in 1995 and signed by Ramos.
Ramos had also disbanded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’ Counterintelligence Group, according to AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla.
Yet 34 years after it was first organized on December 29, 1989, 28 years after its replacement task force was created, and almost two decades after its revival under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the AFP has again reinstated the Counterintelligence Group (CIG).
AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. himself led the reactivation ceremony of the AFP-CIG in ceremonies held on January 18. The unit was officially reactivated on January 11.
It is headed by Colonel Jonathan Manio, under the supervision of AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence Major General Ferdinand Barandon. Rappler has asked the AFP for general staffing details of the AFP-CIG and its structure, but has yet to receive a reply as of this posting
In a release to media, Padilla explained that the CIG was reactivated “with the mission to conduct counterintelligence support nationwide in line with the AFP’s mission.”
Padilla added, “Upon its reactivation, AFPCIG’s mission has been expanded from just counter-destabilization to performing counter-infiltration, counter-espionage, and counter-sabotage.”
The United States’ Central Intelligence Agency, in a 1957 secret memorandum that’s since been made public, defines counterintelligence as “intelligence activity, with resultant information product, which is undertaken to protect the security of the nation, and its personnel and installations abroad, against espionage, counterespionage, sabotage as subversion.”
The note further reads, “As an activity, counterintelligence is the process of procuring, developing, recording, and disseminating information concerning espionage, counterespionage, sabotage, and subversion directed against the national security, and of penetrating, manipulating, or repressing individuals, groups, or organizations conducting or capable of conducting such acts.”
Under the late president Cory Aquino, the AFPCIG worked on chasing after rebel soldiers who had resorted to crime in the aftermath of failed coup attempts, the office of now-Senator Win Gatchalian noted in a release during his time in the House of Representatives.
A member of the Lower House then, Gatchalian was calling for the creation of a counterintelligence task force for the police.
Under Ramos, the group was disbanded and a presidential task force was created to go after the same “scalawags.” Its responsibilities concerned the illegal activities of soldiers and other uniformed personnel.
Then, in 2005 – according to a book by the Philippine Center of Excellence in Defense, Development and Security, the National Defense College of the Philippines, and the Security Reform Initiative Inc. – Arroyo revived the AFPCIG “to monitor any allegation of destabilization plots and corruption inside the military” after the uprising known as EDSA Tres.
Padilla, in an interview with state-run PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, said the AFP routinely recalibrates its makeup depending on its goals.
“Our units will also adjust to the pressing situation…we marry the different units according to the threats we are facing,” she explained.
“[It was reactivated] based on the pronouncement that we will enhance our intelligence-gathering measures,” Padilla added.
The AFP itself has not gone into details about the newly-reinstated CIG, including how big the unit would be and what its specific tasks will be. The group exists alongside the Intelligence Service of the AFP as separate units of the military.
Its reactivation in the beginning of 2024 comes amid persistent rumors and speculation of misgivings and unrest among the military – retired soldiers, as well as those in active service.
No less than Brawner had confirmed in November 2023 that he had spoken to retired military officials behind a supposed plot to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The AFP would try to walk back Brawner’s statements, with then-AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar claiming that the AFP chief was “misquoted.”
Months later, on January 4, 2024, Brawner would issue a statement “on the emerging challenges of 2024.”
The AFP chief, seemingly unprompted – not by the defense media, at least – said: “The Armed Forces of the Philippines stands firm in its unwavering loyalty to the Constitution and its solemn commitment to fulfill its mandate. The men and women of the AFP remain steadfast in their role as the guardians of our nation’s sovereignty and defender of democratic principles.”
The New Year statement was preceded by a little-known retired military officer claiming loyalty to Vice President Sara Duterte, whom he said was “president now.”
Several Marcos policies have, perhaps, contributed to unease in the military – or at least the perception of unrest. Marcos’ former finance chief, in a surprise press conference in March 2023, announced that the President had given the green light for a dramatic change to the military’s generous and expensive pension system.
Benjamin Diokno, who has since been replaced as economic team head, said then that Marcos was “willing to spend his political capital” to introduce military pension reform.
The Philippine government had also announced its intention to resume peace talks with the communists. Rappler executive editor Glenda Gloria also noted Marcos’ “distance” from military generals as another issue hounding the commander-in-chief.
In May 2023, in response to complaints from military generals, Marcos approved tweaks to a Rodrigo Duterte-era law that introduced fixed terms for the AFP’s top officials.
During the 2024 New Year’s call, Marcos said he had approved funds for rice subsidies and better medical service for the military. – Rappler.com
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More than a Dwight Howard team: Strong Group locals torch Al Wahda for 2nd Dubai win
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jisaga0269
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20/01/2024 23:53
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WORLD-CLASS. Strong Group forward Kevin Quiambao reacts in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship
Dubai Sports
MANILA, Philippines – In just the second game of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics-Philippines proved it is a team so much more than just a Dwight Howard convoy, dropping 17 threes on the way to an 89-67 rout of Al Wahda-Syria on Saturday, January 20.
La Salle teammates Kevin Quiambao and Francis Escandor, fresh off a UAAP Season 86 title win, led the local crew with 24 and 18 points, respectively. Quiambao, also the new UAAP MVP, sank all 6 of his three-point attempts, while Escandor was no slouch from downtown with a 5-of-6 clip.
Somewhat buried in the avalanche of triples, meanwhile, is Andray Blatche’s much-needed comeback effort, as the former Gilas Pilipinas naturalized anchor silenced his critics with a decent 12-point outing in just 19 minutes, including an 8-point first-quarter effort that set the tone for the rest.
Blatche, who is noticeably far from game shape in his current Dubai stint, stunk up his 2024 debut game with 0 points on 0-of-10 shooting in Strong Group’s first win against the UAE national team.
With Howard manning the boards and interior defense as expected, it was Quiambao and Escandor who ran the offensive show, transforming a small 5-point, second quarter lead, 23-18, to a 16-point separation, 34-18, off an 11-0 spurt that Al Wahda never really recovered from.
After scoring just 6 first-half points, Escandor ended the night adding 12 more in the latter two frames, while Quiambao all but sealed the deal at the 4-minute mark of the fourth quarter with one last jumper to peak with a 27-point separation, 82-55.
Known prolific sniper Jordan Heading joined the fun with 12 points on 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc, as Strong Group even got one triple from Howard, who cruised to a line of 5 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks in just 22 minutes.
Myron Jordan paced the losing cause with 19 points, as Jomaru Hohadbrown led the bench mob with 17.
There will be no rest for the weary victors, meanwhile, as Strong Group now turns its focus to Homenetmen – its third assignment in as many days – on Sunday, January 21, 11:15 pm (Manila time).
Strong Group-Philippines 89 – Quiambao 24, Escandor 18, Heading 12, Blatche 12, Moore 8, Roberson 5, Howard 5, Baltazar 3, Ynot 2, Cagulangan 0, Sanchez 0, Liwag 0.
Al Wahda-Syria 67 – Jordan 19, Hohadbrown 17, Alhamwi 10, Banks 8, Arbasha 5, Jlelati 4, Otabachi 2, Kassabali 2, Ghaith 0, Alhalabi 0, Aljabi 0, Al Osh 0.
Quarters: 24-13, 43-30, 64-48, 89-67.
– Rappler.com
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Thirdy Ravena impresses anew as San-En keeps hot streak going
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Jasmine Payo
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20/01/2024 21:02
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STALWART. San-En's Thirdy Ravena in action in the Japan B. League.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Thirdy Ravena continued to impress for the San-En NeoPhoenix as they extended their winning streak to eight games with a 79-66 drubbing of the Fighting Eagles Nagoya in Division 1 of the Japan B. League on Saturday, January 20, at the Toyohashi City Gymnasium.
After falling one point short of a triple-double last Wednesday, January 17, Thirdy was one of six San-En players to score in double-digits with 13 points on an efficient 5-of-9 shooting.
Thirdy, who set career-highs of 13 rebounds and 12 assists in their last match, also recorded 4 boards, 4 dimes, 2 steals, and a plus-minus of +13 in a team-best 36 minutes of playing time.
David Dudzinski paced the NeoPhoenix’s balanced attack with 14 points, while Sota Oura added 11.
Kenny Asano, Coty Clarke, and Yante Maten all chipped in 10 markers as San-En remained neck-and-neck with the Alvark Tokyo at the No. 1 spot with a 26-4 record.
Over at the Kataoka Arena Kyoto, Matthew Wright once again led the Kyoto Hannaryz in scoring, but his output wasn’t enough as they suffered an 84-66 beating at the hands of the Gunma Crane Thunders.
Coming off a 24-point explosion in their previous outing, Wright caught fire anew from long distance and knocked down 5 of his 11 three-point attempts to finish with 17 points.
He also tallied 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal for Kyoto.
Unlike Thirdy and Wright, the rest of the Filipino imports in Division 1 hardly made their presence felt for their respective teams on Saturday.
Ray Parks produced just 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins’ 91-85 loss to the Seahorses Mikawa at the Okazaki Central Park General Gymnasium.
Kai Sotto, meanwhile, finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in their 100-89 defeat to the Osaka Evessa at the Ookini Arena Maishima.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto played just a total of 6 minutes and 37 seconds as he was hounded by foul trouble, picking up his third foul as early as the halfway mark of the second quarter.
Similar to Sotto, RJ Abarrientos also came up with only 2 points, along with 4 assists, in the Shinshu Brave Warriors’ 87-57 loss to Tokyo at the Matsumoto City Gymnasium.
Abarrientos fired blanks in the 30-point demolition, shooting just 1-of-8 from the field, including a 0-of-5 clip from beyond the arc.
Dwight Ramos, for his part, was a non-factor for the Levanga Hokkaido as they fell prey to the Chiba Jets, 98-79, at the Funabashi Arena.
He tallied just 1 block in close to 10 minutes of action.
Moving on to Division 2, Kiefer Ravena and Roosevelt Adams put up solid performances as their respective squads emerged triumphant on Saturday.
Kiefer formed a one-two punch with big man Brock Motum to lead the Shiga Lakes past the Niigata Albirex BB, 89-80, at the City Hall Plaza Ao-re Nagaoka.
Kiefer racked up 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, backstopping Motum’s double-double of 26 markers and 10 boards.
Adams, on the other hand, poured in 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal to help the Yamagata Wyverns turn back the Aomori Wat’s, 93-85, at the Sanyu Engineer Sports and Culture Center.
Finally, Greg Slaughter and the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka bowed to the Altiri Chiba, 79-63, at the Chiba Port Arena.
The former Barangay Ginebra star had 2 points in the loss. – Rappler.com
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PH’s Groseclose disappointed but motivated as more races await in Winter Youth Olympics
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 20:26
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GLIDE. Peter Groseclose in action for the Philippines in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Champion Ice Skating
MANILA, Philippines – Although disappointed in his debut performance, Peter Groseclose has no time to be downcast as there is more work to do in the Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea.
The Filipino-American short track speed skater suffered an early exit in the men’s 1500m category at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Saturday, January 20.
Groseclose, 16, failed to reach the semifinals as he finished fifth out of six skaters in his quarterfinal heat topped by eventual gold winner Joo Jae-hee of host South Korea.
But Groseclose has a pair of chances to redeem himself as he sees action in the 1000m and 500m events on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
“It’s a disappointing result but we’re going to keep looking forward until the next race,” said two-time Olympic medalist John-Henry Krueger, who coaches Groseclose in Gangwon.
“Peter is still motivated although he is not happy with the result. I understand because he holds himself to a high standard, so we have to be positive.”
Clocking 2:20.575, Groseclose ran third early in the race before being overtaken by Great Britain’s Willem Murray and Belgium’s Lowie Dekens, who both advanced to the semifinals.
Joo delivered as expected, bagging the top prize with a time of 2:21.906 in the final as he edged China’s Zhang Xinzhe (2:22.095) and compatriot Kim You-sung (2:22.148) for the gold.
“It was a difficult first race and was one of the fastest races for the day,” said Krueger.
“Peter was aggressive in his passing but some of the bumps and normal stuff that goes on in the short track, I think it didn’t go through his way until the end.”
Meanwhile, freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe has started training ahead of her events on January 24 and 28, while cross-country skier Avery Balbanida will arrive in Gangwon on January 25. – Rappler.com
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LIST: Philippine holidays in 2024
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clescudero0258
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06/06/2024 13:05
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Editor’s Note: This page was first published on October 13, 2023, and subsequently republished with updates.
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has released the list of regular holidays and special non-working days in the Philippines in 2024.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Proclamation No. 368 on Wednesday, October 11. The proclamation was made public on Friday, October 13.
Here are the 2024 holidays in the country:
– Rappler.com
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Lessons from MMFF’s big winner ‘Rewind’: ‘Story is king, good word of mouth’
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gdecastro0289
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15/01/2024 17:48
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REWIND. Husband-and-wife team Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera reunite in top-grossing comeback film Rewind.
Marian Rivera's Facebook
The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), the Philippines’ biggest film fest, is set to announce this week its record-breaking box office. As of January 14, Sunday, the festival’s gross earnings had climbed to P1.2 billion from P1.069 billion in January 7 or a week before the one-week extension of the MMFF, topping the 2018 MMFF record.
If last year’s edition is any indication, organizers of the MMFF will likely just announce the top four highest in “alphabetical order” to avoid favoring one over another. Last year, the top 4 films were: Mikhail Red’s psychological thriller Deleter starring Nadine Lustre, drama film Family Matters starring Noel Trinidad and Liza Lorena, Coco Martin and Jodi Sta. Maria’s rom-com Labyu with an Accent, and Vice Ganda’s comedy film Partners in Crime with sexy star Ivana Alawi.
Deleter, produced by Viva Films, dominated the 2022 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal, winning a total of seven awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and the Best Actress award for Nadine Lustre. In the 2023 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal, GMA Pictures and GMA Current Affairs’ Firefly won Best Picture and Best Screenplay while Pepe Diokno’s historical film GomBurZa produced by Jesuit Communications and two others, took home seven awards.
But it’s clear from how the three-week festival went that the biggest winner is the tearjerker film Rewind, produced by ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema, Dingdong Dantes’ Agostodos Pictures, and Tony Tuviera’s APT Entertainment.
“Of late, movies like Deleter [in MMFF 2022], GomBurZa, and Firefly [in MMFF 2023] gained more viewers after the Gabi ng Parangal [Awards Night]. But the Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes movie Rewind would go on earning more hundreds of millions because of good word of mouth,” wrote MMFF spokesperson Noel Ferrer, in his blog on posted on his Instagram last Thursday.
The lines in cinemas were often the longest for the comeback reunion movie of Kapuso stars Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, forcing cinema owners to add screen times for Rewind to accommodate demand. Among the 10 films, its official trailers (excluding reposts) have the highest views with 9.8 million on Facebook and 1.9 million on YouTube.
Rewind has reportedly raked in more than half of the MMFF 2023 box office. Kapamilya Kingdom, a blog that reports extensively on ABS-CBN and Kapamilya celebrities, claimed that the movie made P600 million as of January 7. ABS-CBN refuses to comment on this figure, preferring instead to let the MMFF organizers disclose ticket sales. Whether the MMFF organizers will do this for each movie remains to be seen.
The movie’s success is great news to start 2024, both for ABS-CBN and its creditors since the Lopez-led media firm continues to bleed financially (P3.2 billion net loss as of third quarter of 2023). ABS-CBN pivoted into becoming a content provider to various broadcast channels and streaming platforms after losing its franchise in 2020, no thanks to the Duterte administration.
ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak has said on several occasions that the company is now focused on its core strength, which is “in storytelling.”
But as with most successful films, the problem of piracy comes up. It’s the biggest bane of the movie industry.
Star Cinema, with co-producers Agostodos Pictures, and APT Entertainment, thus issued a joint statement last Thursday warning film pirates that they could face nine years in prison and a P1.5-million penalty if caught.
“Our team is constantly monitoring and taking down illegal copies and downloads of our film,” they said, adding that they “are in the process of pursuing legal action against people who have been selling, posting, and sharing the film.”
A good story and word of mouth were also the key reasons for the success of the romance drama Kita Kita, starring Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez. The movie earned over P300 million in 2017 and is still the Philippines’ highest grossing indie movie.
MMFF 2023 organizers said a strong marketing campaign, an industry-wide effort, and better quality films were the key factors for the success of the 49th edition of the festival. With cinema ticket prices no longer affordable to the Filipino masses, the new cinema audience wants movies that are worth the price.
“Content is of primary importance. Story is king. They drive the audience to cinemas and back; not just the stars and popular celebrities,” wrote MMFF’s Ferrer.
Valuable food for thought for the Philippine movie industry, as millions around the world binge on K-dramas. – Rappler.com
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SCHEDULE: Fiesta Señor and Sinulog 2024 in Cebu
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jsitchon0312
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19/01/2024 19:45
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SINULOG. Performers from different contingents perform during the Sinulog 2023 grand parade along South Road Properties in Cebu City on January 15, 2023.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – More than a million tourists, locals and devotees of the Senior Santo Niño (Child Jesus) are expected to converge in the Queen City of the South or Cebu City for the 459th Fiesta Señor and Sinulog 2024—a long weekend full of praise and revelry.
This year, Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, the overall chairman of the Sinulog activities, named the festival as Sinulog sa Sugbo Philippines 2024, a nod to the celebration’s fame and popularity all over the country and the world.
Meanwhile, the religious and spiritual Fiesta Señor’s theme is “Santo Niño: Magnet of Love in the Synodal Church.”
See the full Sinulog and Fiesta Señor schedule below.
12 am – Traslacion to Lapu-Lapu City
4 am – Send-off Mass at Nuestra Señora Virgen de Regla
5:30 am – Grand Fluvial Parade below CCLEX
7 am – Balik Baroto Regatta at South Road Property
8 am – Short foot procession (Pier 1 to Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu)
9 am – Reenactment of the first Mass, baptism and wedding in Cebu at Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu
1 pm – Solemn foot procession at Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu
6 pm – Solemn Visperas Mass at Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu
8 pm – “Party at the Parks” in Plaza Independencia
4 am – Mañanita Mass at Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
6 am – Pontifical Mass at Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
8 am – Sinulog Fiesta day opening at South Road Properties
9 am – Sinulog Grand Parade at South Road Properties
7 pm – Grand Finale and Grand Fireworks at South Road Properties
8 pm – Street Party Band at Plaza Independencia and other venues
9 pm – Pyrospectacular Show – Pyro Musical (venue to be announced)
Whole day – Awarding Ceremony at South Road Properties and Thanksgiving at Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
See detailed Fiesta Señor Mass and novena schedules at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu here, and the Sinulog events via the Sinulog Foundation Inc’s website here. – Rappler.com
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More than just a cuppa: 10 Metro Manila cafes that serve fun activities alongside great coffee
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jreyes0314
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18/01/2024 14:29
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MANILA, Philippines – Great coffee also calls for a great time.
Luckily, there are plenty of cafes around Metro Manila that make sure to pair their coffee offerings with different activities and forms of entertainment like live music, board games, and even a photo booth.
Add some spice to your next coffee fix by visiting these cafes that offer more than just a dose of caffeine!
A post shared by Wabi Cafe (@wabi.cafe)
Have you ever seen those unique mugs with faces on them while scrolling through Instagram? Those ceramics actually belong to Wabi Cafe, connected to the well-loved pottery studio Wabi Sabi! Wabi Cafe serves espresso-based beverages, tea, non-coffee drinks, and baked goods, so the next time you suddenly feel like getting a caffeine boost and creating your very own ceramics all at once, this is the place to be.
Wabi Cafe is on the fourth floor of Hallare Building, 10 East Capitol Drive, Pasig City. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm.
Studio x Coffee is a self-shoot studio and cafe in one. With packages ranging from P499 to P1,499, customers can take high-quality photos while sipping on coffee and indulging in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.
Studio x Coffee is located at 2011 Milagrosa St., Sta Ana, Manila. It is open daily from 8 am to 12 am.
A post shared by Whistle Toys Café (@whistletoyscafe)
Board games, collectibles, food, and coffee all in one shop? Say less! Whistle Toys is the Philippines’ first-ever toy store-slash-coffee shop. Here, you can get your fill of their hot meals and coffee while splurging on your favorite collectibles like Funko Pops and trading cards.
Whistle Toys also has a variety of free-to-use board games and card games in-store if you’d like to enjoy your refreshments over a few rounds with friends.
Whistle Toys currently has three branches: Estancia Mall, Pasig City; San Juan Del Monte, Quezon City; and Shoppesville in Greenhills, San Juan City.
A post shared by Kilograms Cafe (@kilogramscafe)
Kilograms Cafe is located inside RunIt Decks, a playing cards store that boasts an entire wall of card decks in various designs, as well as a selection of elaborate wooden puzzles. The cafe itself serves numerous espresso-based beverages and sweet pastries.
Kilograms Cafe is located on the Upper Level of Promenade Mall 2, Greenhills, San Juan City.
A post shared by Humble Beginnings Café & Giftshop (@humblebeginningscafe.giftshop)
You can never go wrong with a gift shop-cafe hybrid. Humble Beginnings Cafe & Gift Shop serves home-cooked food, coffee, and non-coffee beverages for a taste of home away from home.
Meanwhile, its gift shop component carries products from local brands that champion causes like financial literacy and cancer awareness. The cafe also occasionally hosts open mic sessions and live music performances, so be sure to check their Instagram page for updates.
Humble Beginnings is located at Topaz Building, Kamias Road, Quezon City. it is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm.
Looking for a place to get your K-pop and caffeine fix in one go? Look no further, as Chingu Dachi Cafe+ is here! Aside from its extensive menu that includes coffee, milk tea, and fruit tea, among others, Chingu Dachi Cafe+ has a wide selection of K-pop albums and merchandise perfect for any Hallyu fan. The cafe also houses a newly opened photo booth that lets you take those trendy high-angle photos.
Chingu Dachi Cafe+ is located on the second floor of 1655 Piy Margal cor. Don Quijote St., Sampaloc, Manila. It is open daily from 12 pm to 9 pm except Tuesdays.
A post shared by Cafe Artienda (@cafeartienda)
Cafe Artienda is a newly renovated cafe situated just below Artienda Art Gallery. The cafe is decorated with intricate sculptures to complement the interiors’ cozy vibe. Their menu includes frappes, classic espresso-based drinks, non-coffee beverages, rice meals, pasta, sandwiches, and shaved ice.
If you can’t get enough of the art in the cafe itself, you can head up to the Artienda Art Gallery, which holds even more paintings and sculptures! Staying true to its slogan, Cafe Artienda is definitely “where coffee, culture, and creativity converge.”
Cafe Artienda is located at 100 A. De Legaspi Street, Project 4, Quezon City. It is open daily from 10 am to 11 pm.
A post shared by 11th Cafe (@11thcafe)
11th Cafe is a cozy coffee shop that serves cold brew coffee, frappes, pour-over beverages, and hot meals. The best part is that it is connected to an art gallery filled with a variety of carefully painted and sculpted art pieces, so if you’ve got a penchant for art and coffee, this cafe is for you!
In the dining area, 11th Cafe also has a small selection of tabletop games to choose from if you’d like to play a quick round after strolling through the art gallery.
11th Cafe is located at No. 8 11th Jamboree, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Diliman, Quezon City. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm.
A post shared by Work of Love Cafe (@workoflovecafeph)
Work of Love Cafe is a pet-friendly establishment that serves a variety of coffee, hot meals, and desserts made in-house. It is home to various tabletop games that you can play with during your visit, as well as a whole shelf of books to flip through.
Work of Love also holds acoustic nights from to time, perfect for the cafe-goers who prefer to enjoy their coffee over some live music!
The cafe is located at Tri-ax Two Center, San Guillermo, Buting, Pasig City. It is open from Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, and Friday to Sunday from 11 am to 11 pm.
A post shared by ＰＯＳＴＣＥＲＥＭＯＮＹ (@post.ceremony)
Photography and mid-century furniture enthusiasts, this one is for you. Post Ceremony is adorned with eye-catching mid-century furniture and art pieces. As you enjoy your coffee, mocktails, and pastries, you can also take photos for the ‘gram as the cafe doubles as a design studio.
Post Ceremony is located at the Victoria de Morato condominium complex in Quezon City. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 2 pm to 10 pm. – Rappler.com
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[OPINION] On Sinulog, Singkil, and religious insensitivity
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Marguerite de Leon
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17/01/2024 14:26
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Marian Hukom/Rappler
Great has been the harm done in the name of religion.
Religion of course has done much good. But we cannot deny that religion has brought much harm as well. We all have stories to tell.
And yet religious harm can be more forceful, if not equally so, if it comes in another form — whenever those who inflict it do not even realize what they’re doing.
For this we have many stories to tell as well.
Think, for example, of the evangelicals who distributed Bibles in Marawi in 2017. In their eyes, there was nothing wrong in inserting Bibles in their hygiene kits. As one of them reasoned out, they simply wanted to “help.” And yet the Maranao were offended.
Another example is from the recent Sinulog. Dancers from Cebu Technological University (CTU) performed the Singkil in honor of the Santo Niño. This was a big no-no for the Maranao, a Moro ethnologuistic group. Singkil is a traditional dance widely recognized to have originated among them. It was not meant to be a Christian performance.
No less than the Bangsamoro government decried the act as “grossly inappropriate and culturally insensitive.”
In social science research, religiously sensitive individuals are those who can acknowledge religious differences. They accept these differences and may even be willing to adapt and integrate.
By contrast, the religiously insensitive ones minimize these differences. Some of them reject it wholesale. Religious sensitivity (or otherwise) can thus be placed on a spectrum.
I submit that in many cases religious insensitivity is not intentional.
When Cebu Technological University (CTU) made a public apology over its controversial dance, it reiterated that offending the Muslim community was not its intention.
Indeed, none of us would admit that we are intentionally insensitive. But that, I think, is where the problem may also lie.
Many Filipinos do not have the ability to see beyond the religious rubrics of the majority.
This is to be expected. After all, much of Filipinoness is associated with many things Catholic — from the Christian names we carry to the town fiestas around the country.
With this mindset, we assume that others would simply take it for granted too that ours is a thoroughly Catholic society, with all the norms and values that come with it. This leads some of us to conclude that the minority should know their place.
Consider opening prayers at public events. I know that ecumenical prayers are increasingly the practice now. And yet many government-sponsored activities still invoke only Catholic prayers, if not worship songs played from YouTube.
Every time I catch these moments I look around if there are non-Catholics (or non-Christians for that matter) and wonder how they might feel as Filipino citizens in a supposedly secular event.
This is but one example of how we end up insensitive to other religious sensibilities in our own communities.
To be fair, some of us might consider these examples to be rather shallow to even be taken seriously. But from a sociological perspective, we’re only beginning to scratch the surface.
That many of us cannot appreciate realities — or what sociologists call lifeworlds — beyond our narrow religious rubrics is why our society remains unable to accept the valid concerns of the rest of us. Consider the place of the LGBTQ+ in our society. Consider too the necessity of divorce in violent households.
The resistance, as I have pointed out in my recent piece on divorce, derives largely from a narrow religious worldview.
Where then do we start?
It’s always wise to begin within our own spheres of influence.
Some ideas from Do No Harm (DNH) might be useful. DNH is a conflict sensitivity tool adopted by many development agencies around the world. I, for one, have been working with colleagues from World Vision Philippines and religious leaders in Mindanao.
Based on DNH, one of our tasks is to identify activities and behaviors that aggravate conflict and build on those that enhance relationships. In your own context, consider this task as a starting point. It will help you assess the potential impact of what you’re doing in your own spheres of influence.
(A simple DNH conversation among its stakeholders would have avoided that insensitive Sinulog act.)
But we can also be more ambitious. Peace-building, for example, is an ongoing effort that involves a variety of actions including humanitarian work, interfaith dialogues, and conflict resolution.
Those of us in schools, churches, and other faith-based communities have a big role to play in this regard. If we do peace-building right, we can help fellow Filipinos to recognize religious differences and the worldviews of people who belong to other convictions.
I have to admit that it’s not easy though. Most of the time these spaces tend to frown upon dissent or differences.
The big lesson here is that religious insensitivity is consequential. Intentions (or the lack thereof) are not enough.
Robert Alonto, the head of the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, has spoken for many in his community: “Unity and reconciliation cannot be achieved by cultural theft, misappropriation, or imposition but by acknowledging cultural diversity through mutual respect and tolerance.”
For this there are no shortcuts. As a sociologist and an educator, I long to see our society become more appreciative of what truly makes us beautiful: our diversity. – Rappler.com
Jayeel Cornelio, PhD (TOYM 2021) is Professor of Development Studies at the Ateneo de Manila University. A sociologist of religion, he will soon be Visiting Professor at the Center for Asian Democracy at the University of Louisville. Funded by the British Academy, he is currently working with colleagues from Sri Lanka, Burundi, and the Philippines on a project on faith and peace-building. Follow him on X @jayeel_cornelio.
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How Philippine economy opened up to the world without charter change
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Lian Buan
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16/01/2024 8:49
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Alejandro Edoria
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines must keep up with the “increasingly globalized age,” reads Resolution No. 6 filed by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri on Monday, January 15, cementing the Marcos government’s push to propose amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution.
Past attempts at economic charter change (Cha-Cha) have always been based on the argument that the Philippines must relax its rules on foreign ownership to be able to enjoy the benefits of a globalized world.
The Constitution limits foreign ownership in industries, 60% Filipino-40% foreign as a general rule, and absolutely no foreign ownership in mass media.
But several laws and regulations have been passed in recent years that already opened up the Philippine economy to the world without having to amend the Constitution.
There remain oppositions that some of these laws and regulations are unconstitutional for circumventing the limits. Still, the fact that they were passed, and without any Supreme Court decision to the contrary, they stand to be valid.
What are these?
Proposed amendments in Zubiri’s Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 seem to back the Public Service Act (PSA). Remember that groups opposing the PSA said a law cannot allow what the Constitution does not permit. But under the proposed amendments, Section 11 of Article XII on public utilities will insert the clause “unless otherwise provided by law.” This will then give the constitutional greenlight, saying that if a law is passed to allow it, it will be valid.
The resolution also proposes the same clauses to the provisions on basic educational institutions and the advertising industry, so that there is also an opportunity to enact laws to lift or ease the cap on the 60-40% foreign restriction on the former, and the 70-30% on the latter.
If these laws and regulations were passed without Cha-Cha, the question is: what is the need for Cha-Cha at this point? – Rappler.com
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A serene getaway at Negros Occidental’s historic The Ruins
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Nina Liu
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20/01/2024 21:09
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When in Negros Occidental, one of the can’t-miss attractions is Talisay’s historic The Ruins.
Known as the “Taj Mahal of Negros,” The Ruins is a beautiful structure born out of love. It was built in the 1920s by Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, who constructed the mansion to honor his deceased wife. Embedded within the details of the mansion’s architecture and design are mementos of Don Mariano and his wife Maria Braga Lacson’s love.
But during World War II, American troops burned down the mansion to prevent Japanese forces from using the residence as headquarters. In 1942, the mansion burned for three days, leaving behind only the mansion’s concrete structure.
Today, from its lush gardens to the building’s concrete detailing, thousands of visitors come to see The Ruins thatcontinues to proudly stand tall.
Don’t forget to include this landmark to your Negros Occidental bucket list, and for a worry-free experience, make sure to book through Klook! – Rappler.com
Note: This post contains an affiliate link. We earn a small commission every time you shop through this link.
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Young Filipino Catholics bring Cebu’s Sinulog and Fiesta Señor to Roblox
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jsitchon0312
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16/01/2024 18:31
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ROBLOX. The developers of the Roblox Filipino Catholics (RFC) community created a virtual replica of the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino de Cebu and its Pilgrim Center on the online game platform known as Roblox.
Roblox Filipino Catholics
CEBU, Philippines – Young Filipino Catholics have managed to reinvent worshiping the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) by bringing devotees at home to a digital replica of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu (BMSN) on the online game platform Roblox.
The Roblox Filipino Catholics (RFC), a community of young faithfuls, conduct masses and simulate religious celebrations like the Traslacion and the Fiesta Señor in the virtual world of Roblox.
The community started in 2019 and began its formal activities in 2020.
David John Torres, RFC lead administrator and director for external affairs, told Rappler on Tuesday, January 16, that it was an effort to preserve devotions that were set aside during the pandemic and help young Catholics who were isolated at home.
“It was a semblance of normalcy for everyone…Kids would no longer need to go to Cebu, Quiapo, to celebrate these things since they can celebrate online,” Torres added.
As the physical gatherings and celebrations gradually returned, the lead administrator shared that they continued their activities and even accepted requests to hold religious activities upon the request of bishops.
“The bishop of Iligan requested us to do the Diyandi Festival, which we did on the platform,” Torres said.
This year, Lorence Canono, a 19-year-old education student from the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), took on the role of being the lead developer of the Roblox version of the BMSN.
Canono told Rappler in a separate interview that despite not yet having experienced the Fiesta Señor or the Sinulog festival in person, he wanted to give young devotees such as himself the opportunity to witness it in the virtual realm.
“I can see the joy it brings when people are devoting themselves to Santo Niño,” Canono said.
Hence, Canono and his team of developers replicated the BMSN Pilgrim Center, and with the help of fellow RFC members, conducted novena masses on the game platform.
“I encourage the young, the old, the LGBTQIA, and others to join us. We are very inclusive and we are all as one for the celebration of the Santo Niño,” Canono said.
At present, the RFC community has around 4,000 members from different parts of the country, consisting of students, altar servers, members of parish ministries, and members of worship groups.
If you’d like to join the RFC’s religious activities, check out their official Facebook page here. – Rappler.com
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Six cafes to visit in Cebu City
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Herbie G
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06/01/2024 17:16
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Drinks at HueMann Coffee in Barangay Zapatera, Cebu City.
CEBU, Philippines – Whether you’re in the mood for a quick coffee fix, or brunch, or in search of Instagrammable spots, these cafes in Cebu City could just be the destinations for you.
From Korean-inspired to Japanese-themed cafes, Cebu City boasts a thriving cafe culture that caters to various tastes and preferences. Here are some recommendations listed in alphabetical order:
Location: Advent Business Center, Acacia Street, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City
First on the list is Capu Coffee, which had its soft opening in December 2023. With an edgy and clean ambiance, Capu Coffee features corners perfect for selfies and quick mobile photoshoots.
One of the cafe’s best sellers is its matcha drink, but it also offers a variety of drinks and pastries, such as Spanish latte and ube creme cake.
Open from 8 am to 6 pm daily, this cafe is perfect for those seeking a less busy ambiance, as it is tucked away in a serene location–yet remains easily accessible to the Cebu Business Park.
Location: G/F Queensland Manor Condominium, Rahmann Street, Barangay Zapatera, Cebu City
This coffee shop labels itself as the first German coffee brand in Cebu. So, don’t be surprised if it’s the first time you’ll hear the names of their drinks as they are also in German.
HueMann’s best sellers are its Sea Salt Latte and the Meersalz Latte. It also offers other varieties, such as those called “Spanisched Latte,” “Dunkel Mocha,” and “Weisser Mocha.”
With a minimalist design, the cafe offers a clean aesthetic, which resembles the Because Coffee by Harlan + Holden in Bonifacio Global Center.
You can even order drinks from HueMann while getting your hair done in a studio just across the coffee shop!
Location: 368 Tojong Street, Cebu City
Aside from their drink offerings, customers of Misfits Coffee can dig in on its cute laptop stickers and other artworks for sale.
This pleasantly old-fashioned, uptown coffee shop offers espresso, cold brew, pour-over, and tea.
Location: Ginza Compound, J. Panis Street, Banilad, Cebu City
If you want to try a modern Japanese Cafe, Mono is a pick for you. This cafe offers indoor and outdoor dining and maintains a cozy and aesthetic ambiance.
This cafe sells souffle pancakes (in two flavors: mono classic and purple taro), donburi (protein + dashi egg rice bowl set with a side of vegetable pickles, miso soup, and a slice of fruit), and shokupan (the cafe’s rendition of the open-face toast using fluffy Japanese milk bread, served with a side of slaw), among others.
Mono is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm.
Location: Alice’s House, Prissan Road, Cebu City (front of Abaca Commissary)
I would recommend visiting this cafe on a sunny afternoon, where the rays of the sun perfectly bounce off the cafe’s large, modern windows–ideal for capturing the golden hour and taking photos.
Don’t be surprised to discover that the cafe is located in an actual house. This cafe also caters to pop-up events of local brands. It had its grand opening in November 2023.
Location: 7K, 2nd Street, San Antonio Village, Apas, Cebu City
This coffee shop prides itself as Cebu’s best croissant spot, and true to its claim, it offers delicious croissants and other pastries. Their matcha drink is also worth trying!
Located in the quiet neighborhood of San Antonio Village, just a few blocks away from Cebu IT Park, 5G Coffee sells signature specialty coffee and accepts pre-orders for its wide array of croissant flavors.
Seeing the coffee shop industry thriving is a welcome development. It not only reflects a shift towards coffee consumption but also indicates a positive economic activity, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
As someone who has recently developed the habit of exploring newly opened cafes, this trend definitely means enhancing the social experience of Cebu City! – Rappler.com
Wenilyn Sabalo is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.
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I’m amused because Abaca Baking Company is a renowned coffee shop for Cebu residents, beginning with the Abaca in Ayala Center.
I can only Rappler is merely Manila-Centric, with little regard for subscribers from Cebu, like myself.
This needs to change, try not to be so isolated, there is enough of that here in Cebu.
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PH’s Groseclose disappointed but motivated as more races await in Winter Youth Olympics
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 20:26
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GLIDE. Peter Groseclose in action for the Philippines in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Champion Ice Skating
MANILA, Philippines – Although disappointed in his debut performance, Peter Groseclose has no time to be downcast as there is more work to do in the Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea.
The Filipino-American short track speed skater suffered an early exit in the men’s 1500m category at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Saturday, January 20.
Groseclose, 16, failed to reach the semifinals as he finished fifth out of six skaters in his quarterfinal heat topped by eventual gold winner Joo Jae-hee of host South Korea.
But Groseclose has a pair of chances to redeem himself as he sees action in the 1000m and 500m events on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
“It’s a disappointing result but we’re going to keep looking forward until the next race,” said two-time Olympic medalist John-Henry Krueger, who coaches Groseclose in Gangwon.
“Peter is still motivated although he is not happy with the result. I understand because he holds himself to a high standard, so we have to be positive.”
Clocking 2:20.575, Groseclose ran third early in the race before being overtaken by Great Britain’s Willem Murray and Belgium’s Lowie Dekens, who both advanced to the semifinals.
Joo delivered as expected, bagging the top prize with a time of 2:21.906 in the final as he edged China’s Zhang Xinzhe (2:22.095) and compatriot Kim You-sung (2:22.148) for the gold.
“It was a difficult first race and was one of the fastest races for the day,” said Krueger.
“Peter was aggressive in his passing but some of the bumps and normal stuff that goes on in the short track, I think it didn’t go through his way until the end.”
Meanwhile, freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe has started training ahead of her events on January 24 and 28, while cross-country skier Avery Balbanida will arrive in Gangwon on January 25. – Rappler.com
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New year, new eats! Restaurants, chains opening around Metro Manila in 2024
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Steph Arnaldo
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13/01/2024 15:38
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MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – Save the dates, your money, and your appetites, people – 2024 is looking to be a fun and filled year of new eats and new names set to open in the Philippines very soon!
Despite the unfortunate closures of well-loved names in 2023, it’s safe to say that the local F&B industry has been on the road to recovery since the pandemic. To add to the successful expansion of province-based chains around Metro Manila and the openings of famous overseas names last year, here are some local and international restaurants and chains to look forward to this year!
Flying from Paris and Hong Kong is Japanese-Brazilian restaurant Uma Nota, which has made its way to Metro Manila for the first time!
Uma Nota transformed into a more high-end concept for its first Philippine branch, located at Shangri-La The Fort in BGC. The nightlife joint – which formally opened in February – boasts a sophisticated underground location that takes you to the heart of Brazil and Japan with its beautiful interiors that draw inspiration from the historical migration of the Japanese to São Paulo.
It’s a vibrant and festive spacious area that weaves the rich tapestry of cultural influences, meticulously designed by Asmaa Said, founder of The Odd Duck Studio. Drinks and appetizers can be enjoyed at the upscale Living Room, with its eye-catching ‘Hanging Tree’ installation; the intimate but social Bar; the mod Tropicalia inspired by the 70s; and The Meiji Room, with its Japanese mural.
Note that the menu comes at hotel-level prices, so a substantial budget for dining should be considered. The selection is a mix of Japanese and Brazilian influences, with a standout Japanese A5 Wagyu Striploin dish that’s best eaten medium-rare. It’s well-seasoned, buttery, and soft, uniquely served with a fresh and tangy Brazilian tomato salsa and farofa, Brazil’s traditional toasted cassava flour.
Stay for the drinks, because the cocktails pack a punch in terms of alcohol content, flavor, and presentation. Tang is followed by hot spice with the Kyoto Sour, featuring Atago No Matsu sake, grapefruit, green Tabasco, lemon, and agave; or the IG-worthy, tropical Uma Nota Cup Noodle, blending Plantation 3 stars, homemade toasted coconut, liqueur, pineapple, cucumber, lime, and sesame oil. Brazil’s signature Caipirinhas and limemade (Maluco Carioca) are available, too, among many others.
Not a secret any longer! The Bistro Group is bringing Malaysian bakeshop Secret Recipe to Metro Manila by February, the restaurant group confirmed to Rappler.
The branch will be located at One Ayala Mall, Makati City, and marks The Bistro Group’s first Asian-Western cuisine concept that serves savory meals, cakes, and pastries.
Its Philippine menu will consist of Fried Rice with Chicken Satay, Irish Lamb Shank, Laksa, and Beef Rendang, plus freshly-baked cakes like Hokkaido Triple Cheese Chocolate, Butterfly Pea Lemon, Black Forest Milo Cheesecake, and Absolute Durian.
Hot teas like Peppermint Mojito Serenity and Cherry Blush Harmony will be available, as well as signature drinks Citrus Sea of Blue Tea, Pop of Berry Delight, Caramel Matcha, Chocolate Oreo Smores, and Espresso Ecstacy.
The cake shop and café chain was founded in Malaysia in 1997, and has since expanded to 440 branches around Asia.
Yes, chef! In November, the Gordon Ramsay brand announced that its first Philippine restaurant would be opening at the Newport World Resorts (NWR) in Pasay City in the second quarter of 2024.
Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, helmed by the Hell’s Kitchen host and the celebrity chef himself, is slated to be one of NWR’s biggest restaurants to date. On the menu will be a curated selection of rare breed steaks, grilled specialties, and fresh market seafood, plus Ramsay’s iconic beef Wellington as well.
Brazil’s award-winning steakhouse Fogo de Chão is heading to Glorietta 4 in Makati City this year!
The Bistro Group first announced its upcoming arrival to the country in July 2022, marking the internationally-renowned restaurant’s first foray into Asia.
The Philippine menu will offer the South Brazilian restaurant’s premium filet mignon, bone-in cowboy ribeye, beef ribs, seafood ala carte, dry-aged wagyu cuts, and lamb chops. The resident “churrascaria” also offers its house specialties of Picanha – a prime cut of the top sirloin – and Fraldinha, strongly marbled bottom sirloin, served with authentic chimichurri sauce.
Founded in 1979, Fogo de Chão is best known for its use of churrasco, the cooking technique of “roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame.” Churrasco is the Portuguese/Spanish term for “grilled beef” from the cuisines of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. Gaucho chefs carefully prepare, butcher, grill, and carve these tender meat cuts tableside, and typically season the meat platters with cumin, cilantro, oregano, turmeric, coriander, parsley, annatto, and other native spices and herbs.
Fogo de Chão is headquartered in the US and currently has 66 branches across Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US, and the Middle East. Its São Paulo branch is part of the 2020 Michelin Guide of Brazil.
Word on the street is that popular US steak restaurant Morton’s Steakhouse is set to open in two Philippine locations – Inquirer reported in November 2022 that the chain signed up for a space in Ayala Triangle Tower Two, Makati City, while Spot.PH also spotted its sign on the ground floor of Uptown Eastgate Tower, Bonifacio Global City.
The Bistro Group is reportedly bringing the brand here in the second quarter of 2024.
The renowned steakhouse – which was founded in Chicago in 1978 – is famous for its prime-aged steaks. Since then, Morton’s has ventured to Toronto, Mexico, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Singapore.
Coming in hot from La Union is the surf spot’s beloved coffee shop El Union, whose team is bringing a new concept called Del Union to Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City! As of February, the branch is already open to bookworms and coffee lovers looking for a cup o’ joe and hearty sandwiches.
El Union’s first coffee and sandwich shop in Metro Manila aims to reimagine the local coffee experience for urban dwellers by bringing a taste of provincial life to the urban jungle.
Inspired by the success of El Union, Del Union serves not only its signature horchata, coffee, and grilled cheese, but also new sandwiches crafted by Chef EJ Lagman of MAKAN at Eliseos, a well-loved restaurant in La Union. Expect a charred tenderloin beef sandwich with smoked aioli; beet, leek, and ginger on focaccia; and even all-veggie options! Most dishes will highlight produce from the north.
When one door closes, another one opens! Chef Bruce Ricketts closed down his award-winning omakase Mecha Uma in BGC in December, but is gearing up for mid-2024 with a new concept called Iai Manila, an “innovative sushi kappo” and chef’s counter in Metro Manila.
Chef Bruce Ricketts is also also behind Parañaque gem Sensei Sushi, Japanese fusion resto Ooma, and Mexican joint La Chinesca. As of writing, Iai already has its own Instagram page, but with no posts yet.
Mecha Uma was known as the country’s “first chef’s counter offering an innovative, seasonal omakase experience.”
Organic neighborhood favorite Earth Kitchen, located along White Plains, Quezon City, closed down in July 2023, reassuring patrons that a “next chapter” was in store at a “new and better space.”
However, the wholesome dining restaurant has remained active on social media, with its latest post on January 10 announcing that Earth Kitchen will be back soon with more “fresh and sustainable dining options!”
Earth Kitchen opened its first and sole branch in White Plains in 2015, with an advocacy to eat clean, sustainable, and healthy, while supporting our local farmers and indigenous communities. – Rappler.com
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‘Grave insult to commuters’: Marcos draws flak for chopper ride to Coldplay concert in Bulacan
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Russell Ku
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20/01/2024 15:15
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MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has drawn flak after he was spotted taking a chopper ride for Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” concert in Bulacan on Friday, January 19.
Eagle-eyed social media users who attended the Coldplay concert on Friday, January 19, recorded Marcos arriving via a presidential helicopter to watch the famous British rock band.
Videos of the scene shared online drew comparisons to the experience of regular concertgoers and even ordinary taxpayers who have to endure daily traffic in Metro Manila.
In a statement on Saturday, January 20, Presidential Security Group chief Major General Nelson Morales explained that due to “an unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals” who attended the concert, as well as the “unforeseen traffic complications,” they decided to use the presidential chopper for Marcos.
“Recognizing that this traffic situation posed a potential threat to the security of our President, the PSG took decisive action by opting for the presidential chopper,” Morales explained.
“This decision not only ensured the safety of our leader but also exemplified our commitment to prioritizing security in the face of unexpected challenges,” he added.
At naka-helicopter. Umay pic.twitter.com/qugost480P
Metro Manila recently topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time, taking an average time of 25 minutes and 30 seconds to travel 10 kilometers in the region.
I, a regular Filipino taxpayer in the Philippines, go through heavy traffic as I ride a shuttle, a rela, a jeep, and sometimes a taxi in my daily commute while our country's president BBM rides a helicopter using my tax money to easily get to where he wants/needs to be. https://t.co/y0BMpEnCc7 pic.twitter.com/v7sGJqBvYJ
While fans struggle to find ways to get to the PH Arena in Bulacan due to horrible public transportation system, the nepo baby President that came from a corrupt family of murderers which made the PH drown in generations of debt arrives in a helicopter funded by tax payers 😀 https://t.co/pEH3hFpqd8
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes called Marcos’ actions a “grave insult to millions of Filipino commuters” amid the lack of a “progressive and pro-people” mass transportation system in the country.
“A president who takes a chopper to watch a concert amid terrible traffic and a mass transport crisis, will not sympathize with jeepney drivers, operators and commuters. This is the state of transportation in the Philippines today,” he added.
Other users questioned the use of the helicopter as the trip would come from the pockets of ordinary taxpayers.
Sana all naka-helicopter papuntang Ph Arena para manuod ng concert tapos tayong mga tax payer ang nagbabayad🥲 https://t.co/aiW8wzVacK
we've been SO LOUD and SO TIRED about the transportation issues in the philippines but these people wont care because they ride helicopters using OUR tax money https://t.co/Yab9nGlaHG
Filipinos online also pointed out the irony of the move as Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” world tour hopes to promote environmental sustainability through measures such as reusable LED wristbands and installation of electricity-generating power bikes and kinetic floors, among others.
all the effort of coldplay and their team in promoting sustainability while on tour, finding a way to make that work here in the philippines, only for this asshole to fly in a chopper probably funded by… take a wild guess! https://t.co/AEZuxsZ2ky
coldplay literally advocates for sustainability and this guy literally pulls up on taxpayer’s chopper kapal talaga ng mukha ng pamilyang to https://t.co/1xgwAwJIJA
Even Coldplay’s front man Chris Martin had something to say about the infamous Philippine traffic, thanking fans for braving it to see the band live.
“We’ve seen some traffic. But I think you have the number one [traffic] in the world. Thank you for making the effort to come through all of that bullshit to be here,” he said.
One concertgoer posted a video of Marcos’ reaction to Martin’s words. He was seen smiling and laughing as Martin spoke.
– Rappler.com
Error.
Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines.
The Civil Service will sanction lower-ranked Philippine government officials who will use Official Vehicles for Private Events, except for President Marcos Jr. What an injustice? Or at least a partial or biased application of a rule.
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Howard, Roberson flash NBA caliber as Strong Group off to promising Dubai start
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 10:00
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MAJOR IMPACT. Dwight Howard debuts for Philippine club team Strong Group in Dubai.
UAE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
MANILA, Philippines – Only a couple of years removed from the NBA, Dwight Howard and Andre Roberson proved they have more to show.
The two former NBA veterans guided Strong Group Athletics to a triumphant start in the Dubai International Basketball Championship and starred in an 82-66 win over host United Arab Emirates on Friday, January 19.
A defensive linchpin who spent his best NBA years with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Roberson put up 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks off the bench as the Philippine representatives gained a share of an early lead in Group B.
Meanwhile, Howard – a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-NBA First Team member – tallied 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals in just under 20 minutes.
The Philippines’ local talent also shone, with reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao delivering 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, including a bunch of timely hits in the third quarter that allowed Strong Group to pull away.
Strong Group held to a slim 46-40 lead at halftime before Quiambao went on a scoring blitz, scattering 8 points in a 10-0 start to the third period for a commanding 56-40 advantage.
Quiambao, who recently led La Salle to the UAAP title, capped that stretch with back-to-back treys – a promising indication that he can play as winger in the international level instead of being an undersized power forward.
That lead grew to its biggest at 72-51 off an Allen Liwag short stab with seven minutes left as Strong Group enjoyed a warm reception, with Dubai-based Filipinos packing the Al Nasr Club.
Jordan Heading chimed in 8 points and 5 rebounds in the win, while Justine Baltazar added 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals.
All but one of the 12 Strong Group players scored as former Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Andray Blatche laid a goose egg in 23 minutes of action.
Blatche missed all of his 10 field goals, including seven from beyond the arc, and muffed a pair of free throws, although he recorded 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Hamid Abdullateef fired 19 points with 2 blocks as the top performer for the UAE national team.
Playing three consecutive games in as many days, Strong Group battles Syrian club Al Wahda on Saturday, January 20.
Strong Group 82 – Roberson 15, Howard, 14, Quiambao 13, Moore 11, Heading 8, Ynot 5, Baltazar 4, Sanchez 4, Liwag 4, Cagulangan 2, Escandor 2, Blatche 0.
UAE 66 – Abdullateef 19, Dickerson 13, Alameeri 12, Alshabibi 12, Alsawan 4, Ashour 3, Mbaye 2, Hussein 1, Ayman 0, Al Nuaimi 0, Ahmad 0.
Quarters: 22-22, 46-40, 64-49, 82-66.
– Rappler.com
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UAAP MVP Kacey dela Rosa spearheads Gilas 3×3 as women’s basketball returns to PBA
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jisaga0269
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20/01/2024 17:00
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NEW CHAPTER. Ateneo star center Kacey dela Rosa handles the ball in the UAAP Season 86 women's basketball tournament
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – Opportunities to showcase rising Filipina basketball players continue to pop up in the local hoops scene as the PBA returns its women’s 3×3 division for the first time in seven years.
Gilias Pilipinas is at the forefront of this revitalization, with the talented national squad tapping reigning UAAP MVP Kacey dela Rosa to lead the way against what is expected to be a fierce three-a-side competition under the umbrella of Asia’s oldest professional basketball league.
Joining the Ateneo star sophomore are Trina Guytingco, Mikka Cacho, Hazelle Yam, and Kristine Cayabyab for Gilas A, while Jhaz Joson, Monique del Carmen, Snow Peñaranda, Luisa San Juan, and April Tano make up Gilas B.
“We’re grateful to the PBA for giving us this chance to evaluate our talent pool as we plot a new start for the 3×3 program in the country,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas 3×3 program director and former UAAP champion coach Eric Altamirano.
This is a new challenge for the 6-foot Dela Rosa, who churned out an exceptional second season with the Blue Eagles, carrying averages of 19.6 points, 12 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game to be named Ateneo’s first women’s basketball MVP in 17 years.
Both Gilas teams will square off against Uratex Dream, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, and Angelis Resort in the six-team field.
The tournament runs on Monday and Tuesday, January 22 and 23, at Ayala Malls Circuit Makati, before heading to Market! Market! Taguig on January 29 and 30, and at Ayala Malls Manila Bay on February 5 and 6.
The top four teams will advance to the knockout playoffs on February 19 at Glorietta Makati.
Back in the 2016-2017 season, the women’s PBA 3×3 ran for three conferences, fresh off its debut season the year prior, before quietly getting shelved. – Rappler.com
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Carlos Yulo zeroes in on pet events in Olympic medal bid
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delfin.dioquino editor
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20/01/2024 18:03
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BALANCE. The Philippines' Carlos Edriel Yulo in action during the men's floor exercise final in the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
Yves Herman/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – In order to win an Olympic medal, Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo knows he has to play to his strengths.
Putting more thought into his pet events, Yulo ramps up his preparation for the Paris Games this year by joining a string of international competitions in the coming months.
“I’m paying attention to the all-around but I’m focused on my three best apparatuses, which are parallel bars, floor exercise, and vault,” Yulo told Power and Play with Noli Eala in a mix of Filipino and English.
Yulo won all six of his world championship medals from those three events.
The pint-sized dynamo captured gold (2019) and bronze (2018) in floor exercise, gold (2021) and silver (2022) in vault, and silver (2021) and bronze (2022) in parallel bars in the global gymnastics showdown.
He is also the reigning titleholder in those three apparatuses in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
“I have a really strong chance of winning a medal in floor and vault. Those are the two events that I dedicate my time to. Every day, I plan what I’m going to do in floor and vault,” Yulo said.
Despite his success in the international scene, the end of last year proved to be a rough patch as he struggled in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Antwerp, Belgium from September to October.
Although Yulo ultimately qualified for Paris, his medal streak in the world championships got busted after reaching only the floor exercise final, where he finished fourth.
That ill-fated world championship run came months after Yulo parted ways with longtime Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, a split that also put a spotlight on his personal life involving his family and romantic relationship.
Yulo, though, is simply taking the good with the bad.
“I matured from the challenges that I faced. I accepted all of my mistakes. I’m super happy now because of the people who truly support me,” he said.
Yulo will see action in a pair of FIG World Cup Series tiffs in Baku, Azerbaijan in March and in Doha, Qatar in April before he competes in the Asian championships in Hong Kong in May.
Currently training in the Philippines under Filipino mentor Aldrin Castaneda, Yulo is set for a series of overseas camps in South Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, and Paris.
“I want my body to get used to different environments and time zones,” said Yulo. “I want to learn their styles and add them to my own.” – Rappler.com
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WATCH: Visiting Cebu’s Basilica Minore del Santo Niño during Sinulog 2024
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jsitchon0312
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20/01/2024 18:09
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CEBU, Philippines – Every year, thousands of devotees from around the world visit the home of the Senior Santo Niño (Child Jesus), the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu.
Here, during the annual Fiesta Señor celebrated every January, visitors attentively participate in the ceremonial masses and foot processions with the image of the Santo Niño.
“The convent and the Church of the Santo Niño de Cebu was founded by Father Andres de Urdaneta on April 28, 1565, the very day the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition arrived in the island,” the basilica’s official website read.
In the halls of the church, visitors can find paintings depicting the events of the said expedition and the introduction of Christianity to the Philippines.
There are also numerous artifacts hailing from the Vatican City and sculptures of religious figures. If you’re planning to visit the Santo Niño, make sure to check out this brief tour by Rappler reporter John Sitchon. – Rappler.com
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‘Grave insult to commuters’: Marcos draws flak for chopper ride to Coldplay concert in Bulacan
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Russell Ku
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20/01/2024 15:15
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MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has drawn flak after he was spotted taking a chopper ride for Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” concert in Bulacan on Friday, January 19.
Eagle-eyed social media users who attended the Coldplay concert on Friday, January 19, recorded Marcos arriving via a presidential helicopter to watch the famous British rock band.
Videos of the scene shared online drew comparisons to the experience of regular concertgoers and even ordinary taxpayers who have to endure daily traffic in Metro Manila.
In a statement on Saturday, January 20, Presidential Security Group chief Major General Nelson Morales explained that due to “an unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals” who attended the concert, as well as the “unforeseen traffic complications,” they decided to use the presidential chopper for Marcos.
“Recognizing that this traffic situation posed a potential threat to the security of our President, the PSG took decisive action by opting for the presidential chopper,” Morales explained.
“This decision not only ensured the safety of our leader but also exemplified our commitment to prioritizing security in the face of unexpected challenges,” he added.
At naka-helicopter. Umay pic.twitter.com/qugost480P
Metro Manila recently topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time, taking an average time of 25 minutes and 30 seconds to travel 10 kilometers in the region.
I, a regular Filipino taxpayer in the Philippines, go through heavy traffic as I ride a shuttle, a rela, a jeep, and sometimes a taxi in my daily commute while our country's president BBM rides a helicopter using my tax money to easily get to where he wants/needs to be. https://t.co/y0BMpEnCc7 pic.twitter.com/v7sGJqBvYJ
While fans struggle to find ways to get to the PH Arena in Bulacan due to horrible public transportation system, the nepo baby President that came from a corrupt family of murderers which made the PH drown in generations of debt arrives in a helicopter funded by tax payers 😀 https://t.co/pEH3hFpqd8
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes called Marcos’ actions a “grave insult to millions of Filipino commuters” amid the lack of a “progressive and pro-people” mass transportation system in the country.
“A president who takes a chopper to watch a concert amid terrible traffic and a mass transport crisis, will not sympathize with jeepney drivers, operators and commuters. This is the state of transportation in the Philippines today,” he added.
Other users questioned the use of the helicopter as the trip would come from the pockets of ordinary taxpayers.
Sana all naka-helicopter papuntang Ph Arena para manuod ng concert tapos tayong mga tax payer ang nagbabayad🥲 https://t.co/aiW8wzVacK
we've been SO LOUD and SO TIRED about the transportation issues in the philippines but these people wont care because they ride helicopters using OUR tax money https://t.co/Yab9nGlaHG
Filipinos online also pointed out the irony of the move as Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” world tour hopes to promote environmental sustainability through measures such as reusable LED wristbands and installation of electricity-generating power bikes and kinetic floors, among others.
all the effort of coldplay and their team in promoting sustainability while on tour, finding a way to make that work here in the philippines, only for this asshole to fly in a chopper probably funded by… take a wild guess! https://t.co/AEZuxsZ2ky
coldplay literally advocates for sustainability and this guy literally pulls up on taxpayer’s chopper kapal talaga ng mukha ng pamilyang to https://t.co/1xgwAwJIJA
Even Coldplay’s front man Chris Martin had something to say about the infamous Philippine traffic, thanking fans for braving it to see the band live.
“We’ve seen some traffic. But I think you have the number one [traffic] in the world. Thank you for making the effort to come through all of that bullshit to be here,” he said.
One concertgoer posted a video of Marcos’ reaction to Martin’s words. He was seen smiling and laughing as Martin spoke.
– Rappler.com
Error.
Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines.
The Civil Service will sanction lower-ranked Philippine government officials who will use Official Vehicles for Private Events, except for President Marcos Jr. What an injustice? Or at least a partial or biased application of a rule.
How does this make you feel?
|
Rappler
|
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/filipinos-online-reactions-ferdinand-marcos-jr-helicopter-ride-coldplay-bulacan-concert/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR34EQL6kTUkOv0LaONPYOgevd9AknmJA-0odTDkO5p4GLvY7NxWcrRolzw_aem_KWb4P0SbQLRFVVP4CHPYVQ
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