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PAGASA raises La Niña Alert, cites 70% chance as early as August
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Acor Arceo
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12/07/2024 18:30
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RAINY WEATHER. Commuters brave the rain and flooding in Manila on August 31, 2023.
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – There is now a 70% chance of La Niña occurring in the August-October period, prompting the weather bureau to raise its warning status from La Niña Watch to La Niña Alert.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had raised La Niña Watch in early March, informing the public months in advance that the phenomenon might occur. At the time, there was a 55% chance.
PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando said in a statement on Friday, July 12, that recent monitoring and analyses “show further cooling of the sea surface temperatures (SSTs) across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP).”
“La Niña is characterized by unusually cooler than average SSTs at the CEEP,” the chief of the weather bureau explained.
If La Niña begins in August, September, or October, it could persist until the first quarter of 2025.
For the Philippines, La Niña is expected to trigger more rain and possibly more tropical cyclones.
“The country may experience a higher chance of increased convective activity and tropical cyclone occurrence which may bring above-normal rainfall over some parts of the country in the coming months,” Servando warned.
PAGASA advised the public to prepare for floods and landslides, especially those in vulnerable or hazard-prone areas.
For now, conditions in the tropical Pacific remain at ENSO-neutral levels. ENSO refers to El Niño Southern Oscillation, which has three phases: El Niño, La Niña, and neutral.
In early June, PAGASA had announced that El Niño was over. The 2023-2024 El Niño episode caused droughts in parts of the Philippines and agricultural losses worth billions of pesos. – Rappler.com
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Pulse Asia: 3 in 4 Filipinos dissatisfied with how Marcos gov’t addresses inflation
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Dwight de Leon
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12/07/2024 16:37
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Shoppers pack the Balintawak Public Market in Quezon City to buy items for the Noche Buena celebration, a day before Christmas eve, on December 23, 2023,
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The rising prices of goods is the number one issue that Filipinos want President Marcos Jr. to discuss in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), as three in every four respondents asked by pollster Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated thumbed down his administration’s performance in arresting inflation.
Based on the June survey of the research firm, 76% of Filipinos disapproved of how the government handled inflation, a 5-percentage point increase from March. Only 5% of respondents gave their approval, while 19% were undecided.
It is the only concern that majority of Filipinos – 57% to be exact – want to hear from the President when he delivers his SONA on July 22.
It is also the issue that 72% of Filipinos find the most urgent, outshining other concerns that hogged the headlines in the first half of the year such as defending the country’s territories (5%), and charter change (1%).
As of June, average inflation year-to-date is 3.5%, which is within the government’s 2% to 4% target, but the uptick in food prices remains a concern.
Pulse Asia also noted three other issues in which public disapproval has become more pronounced since March: increasing workers’ pay (up by 5 percentage points), creating more jobs (up by 8 percentage points), and reducing poverty (up by 9 percentage points).
These three concerns, other than inflation, make up the top four slots in the list of most urgent national concerns.
Respondents said they also want to see the President mention in his SONA government’s efforts to improve the economy (36%) and generate jobs (35%).
Other issues that they expect to be highlighted in the SONA include actions to stop the incursion of other countries in the West Philippine Sea (31%), anti-graft and corruption initiatives (26%), efforts to increase the pay of workers (24%), campaign against illegal drugs (21%), actions to improve the educational system (18%), and peace efforts (18%).
On the positive side, the government gets the most brownie points for its efforts to protect the welfare of migrant Filipinos (70% approval), initiatives to address the needs of calamity-stricken areas (64%), and efforts to defend Philippine territories against foreign powers (48%).
The survey, with a margin of error of ± 2%, was conducted from June 17 to 24 among 2,400 adult respondents, and was released on Friday, July 12.
Check the full findings below.
– Rappler.com
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Most Filipinos think joint patrols, exercises way to strengthen PH external defense – survey
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Bea Cupin
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12/07/2024 17:08
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The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, Philippine Navy, US Navy, and Royal Canadian Navy sail the West Philippine Sea together during a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) from June 16 to 17, 2024.
Embassy of Japan
MANILA, Philippines – Most Filipinos – up to 51% – believe that the Philippines should strengthen existing alliances and “elevate partnerships” by holding joint patrols and military exercises with its allies and partners, according to a late-June 2024 survey.
The Pulse Asia Research Incorporated survey, held in time for the 8th anniversary of the 2016 arbitral award, is a snapshot of public sentiments as the Philippines tries to step up efforts to defend its sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea, or part of the South China Sea that includes the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Aside from joint patrols and military exercises, half of Filipinos surveyed said the Philippines should “support the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to protect our territory and marine resources in our exclusive economic zone.”
Forty percent, meanwhile, said the government should protect the rights of people and fishing communities in the West Philippine Sea, while 38% think increasing military outposts in those waters is key.
Joint patrols and joint sails – called Maritime Cooperation Activities – have increased in the West Philippine Sea, especially in the past year. The Philippines has sailed with the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada at different times in 2023 and 2024. The Philippines is a treaty-ally of the United States and is the strategic parter of Japan and Australia. Manila also has military access agreements with Canberra and Tokyo.
The Philippines recently signed a defense memorandum of agreement with Canada.
Most Filipinos (76%), according to the Pulse Asia survey, believed in the statement: “The West Philippine Sea is at the core of the foreign and security policies of the Marcos administration. As we mark the 8th anniversary of the arbitral award, the current administration must continue asserting our maritime rights and protecting our territory in the West Philippine Sea.”
Only 3% disagreed, while 20% were undecided.
The US remained the top country Filipinos believe the Marcos administration should work with as tensions rise in the West Philippine Sea.
These are the results of the survey (respondents were allowed to choose up to three countries).
Field work for the survey began on June 17, the same day the China Coast Guard (CCG) harassed a Philippine military mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal by towing, boarding, then damaging vessels of the Philippine Navy.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that said this claim was invalid.
Tensions between the Philippines and China continue to rise in South China Sea flashpoints, as Beijing continues to harass Manila’s missions to features it claims and occupies. – Rappler.com
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‘Very polite separation’: Maris Racal admits breakup with Rico Blanco
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jreyes0314
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12/07/2024 17:20
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Maris Racal's Instagram
MANILA, Philippines – Maris Racal announced during a Star Magic press conference on Friday, July 12, that she and Rico Blanco have broken up.
During the press conference, a member of the press asked Racal if Blanco was okay with her love team pairing with her Can’t Buy Me Love co-star Anthony Jennings, and if the Rivermaya frontman was supportive of her project with Jennings.
The actress was also asked whether she was choosing her career or her personal life. When she answered that she was choosing to focus on her career, she was then asked if she saw herself ending up with Blanco in the future. The former Pinoy Big Brother star had then begun to tear up.
“I’m so scared. I’m really scared. Ang dami kasing tanong (There are so many questions) about him and I’m tired of smiling and nodding. I’m so scared because if I announce it then it’s real. Yeah, Rico and I are over,” the actress said through tears.
Racal said that their breakup was “fresh,” adding that it had only been a few weeks since they called it quits.
“[Those were] the loneliest and emptiest weeks I’ve ever experienced in my life,” she said.
The actress added that she did not have a short answer for why she and Blanco broke up as it was complicated. However, she clarified that it was a “very polite separation.”
“Rico and I, our universe was so beautiful. It was so full of love, laughter, and music, everything. Sa five years namin together, we were always on the same page. Always on the same page. I don’t know what happened. Maybe I turned the next page and saw a new perspective sa (on) life. I had visions of who I want to become, how I want to evolve. I’m so curious about the world,” Racal said.
“The truth is, I am going through changes, and alam naman natin (we know) [that] change is either good or bad. But what I hate about change is that it’s inevitable. Hindi mo siya matatakasan, and wala ka nang ibang gagawin kundi (You can’t escape it, and you have no choice but to) you face it and confront it,” she added.
Racal said that she had a “difficult talk” with Blanco about her problems, but he had taken it “like a man.”
“I really loved him so much. I love him and he loves me. But I have so many questions about my life. How will I go on sa buhay (in life) with him when I have so many questions about me and my sense of self?” the actress said.
Racal added that until the very end of her relationship with Blanco, it remained full of love and understanding.
Racal first confirmed her relationship with Blanco in 2021. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Ukraine – Jones Cup 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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15/07/2024 16:38
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MANILA, Philippines – Chris McCullough took over down the stretch as Strong Group-Pilipinas stayed unbeaten in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan after a come-from-behind 82-74 win over Ukraine on Monday, July 15.
The former San Miguel import scattered 8 of his 28 points in the final two minutes to help the Philippines’ representative improve to 3-0 after dominant wins over the United Arab Emirates and Australian team BSBL Guardians.
Ukraine led 72-67 before Strong Group went on an 11-0 tear highlighted by McCullough completing a three-point play, sinking a triple, and making a pair of free throws in succession to seize the upper hand at 78-72.
Free throws by Jordan Heading and Kiefer Ravena then sealed the win for Strong Group.
Heading backstopped McCullough with 24 points after an 18-point eruption in the opening quarter, while Ravena added 10 points and 4 assists.
Fresh from another 20-plus point beating of its opponents, Strong Group-Pilipinas tries to keep its hot start in the 43rd William Jones Cup going when it clashes with Ukraine on Monday, July 15.
Just like their opening-day blowout of United Arab Emirates, the Filipinos dominated Australia’s BSBL Guardians from start to finish on Sunday, July 14, en route to a convincing 91-69 finish.
As expected, Chris McCullough once again spearheaded Strong Group’s onslaught as he produced a game-high 23 points in just 22 minutes.
Aside from McCullough, big men Ange Kouame and Tajuan Agee both flexed their muscles inside the paint to finish with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Don’t expect McCullough and the rest of Strong Group to slow down versus Ukraine as they gun for their third straight win in as many days for an unblemished 3-0 card in the single round-robin tournament.
The Ukrainians were no match for Chinese Taipei-Blue on Sunday as they dropped their opening assignment, 83-58.
Only one Ukrainian player reached double-digit scoring in their 25-point loss, with Rostyslav Novitskyi scoring 11.
Game time is 5 pm. – Rappler.com
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Why RJ? Cone says Ginebra pick Abarrientos elite like uncle Johnny
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delfin.dioquino editor
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14/07/2024 22:15
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LEGEND. Johnny Abarrientos represents his nephew and Barangay Ginebra pick RJ Abarrientos in the 2024 PBA Draft.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The belief that RJ Abarrientos could end up having the same prolific career as his legendary uncle prompted Barangay Ginebra to pick the sweet-shooting guard in the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday, July 14.
Head coach Tim Cone sees a bright future ahead of Abarrientos as the Gin Kings used the No. 3 pick on the former FEU star instead of going for size with the likes of Kai Ballungay, Caelan Tiongson, and Jonnel Policarpio still available.
Originally set to pick at No. 10, Ginebra moved up in the draft after a blockbuster trade that saw it deal MVP contender Christian Standhardinger and former scoring champion Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma.
The Gin Kings considered beefing up their frontline to offset the departure of Standhardinger, but they ultimately decided to select Abarrientos, whose uncle Johnny – a former PBA MVP – also got mentored by Cone in Alaska.
“After trading Christian, we were concerned about our size and [thought about going] for a bigger player. We had like four guys that we were all debating over,” said Cone.
“But it just came down to the fact that we just felt that RJ is just a really unique player like his uncle Johnny and he’s going to be an elite player in his position.”
“When it’s all over, he may be one of the best point guards of all-time. That’s what we think that may happen so we just couldn’t pass on him. Even though we really wanted the size of the other players, we couldn’t pass on RJ.”
Abarrientos, a former Gilas Pilipinas guard, turned professional overseas after just one season in the UAAP seniors level.
He starred for the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in the Korean Basketball League, even earning Rookie of the Year honors, before he took his act to the Japan B. League, where he suited up for the Shinshu Brave Warriors.
Selecting Abarrientos felt like a full circle moment for Cone as he and the now-defunct Aces also picked Johnny at third overall in the 1993 draft.
In that draft, big men Jun Limpot and Vic Pablo went 1-2 before Alaska chose the older Abarrientos, who led the franchise to nine championships, including a rare Grand Slam in 1996.
“We even wanted Vic Pablo and Jun Limpot, but we got Johnny, and lo and behold. That is the experience that I had with Johnny and I don’t want to pass on this experience with RJ as the No. 3 pick as well,” said Cone.
“But there were some really strong players in this draft who are really going to be great players in the PBA. We just think RJ may be elite.”
While there were other talented guards in the draft pool, Abarrientos stood out for Cone.
“RJ is in a class by himself, that’s what we feel. ” Cone said. “We’ll have to see as we go forward. We’ll know more in two or three years from now.” – Rappler.com
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Elite Elaiza: Youngest Yulo scores 5 golds in Palarong Pambansa secondary debut
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jisaga0269
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14/07/2024 21:52
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ELITE ELAIZA. Artistic gymnast Elaiza Yulo in action at the Palarong Pambansa 2024 girls secondary balance beam apparatus finals
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – Elaiza Yulo continued to prove she’s a fine chip off the old block after storming through the Palarong Pambansa 2024 girls secondary division with a stellar haul of five gold medals out of a possible six after the artistic gymnastics apparatus finals on Sunday, July 14.
Unfazed with a sudden schedule change from 1 pm to 9 am, the 14-year-old came into the Cebu Institute of Technology-University guns blazing, scoring a quick gold in uneven bars with a 9.85 score over National Capital Region (NCR) teammate Amara Zoe Lagdameo and Western Visayas’ Sarah Lee Thompson.
Yulo then bounced back from an iffy performance in the balance beam qualifiers, staying stumble-free in the final for a golden 12.05 score, ahead of Calabarzon’s Jewel Rich Dagohoy and Central Luzon’s Tallula Adrienne Rose Nadres.
The US-trained Yulo likewise excelled in the floor exercise final – a family staple – with a Naruto anime-themed routine to finish with 10.9 points, enough for a double gold tie with NCR teammate Cielo Esliza. Given the stalemate at the top, no silver medal was awarded as Nadres claimed bronze.
Already holding two golds from the individual and team all-around categories, Yulo had her lone dip in the medal tally with a vault event silver, as a noticeably bad landing in the first attempt caused her to just score 11.65 and bow to eventual gold medalist Nadres (11.775).
“I’m so happy and surprised because this is only my first Palaro in the secondary level,” a beaming Yulo said in Filipino after the event.
“My US training helped a lot. I cleaned up a lot of my movements and skills,” added Yulo, the youngest sister of Olympian Carlos and rising talent Eldrew.
Despite missing the clean gold sweep, a five-gold haul is still no small feat even for an athlete of Yulo’s caliber, especially considering that she still has four years of Palaro eligibility in the secondary level.
If her Palaro 2024 run is any indication, Elaiza Yulo’s dominance in the local ranks is only going to get better with time – an idea that just seems unfair to even fathom. – Rappler.com
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Ayo relishes reunion with more potent top pick Baltazar
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 21:12
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TOP CHOICE. Justine Baltazar heads to the stage after being selected No. 1 by Converge in the 2024 PBA Draft.
PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines – Almost seven years removed from their final collegiate game together, Aldin Ayo and first overall pick Justine Baltazar renew a partnership, this time in the PBA with the Converge FiberXers.
What’s waiting for Ayo is a more potent version of Baltazar, his tools sharpened in later years with La Salle, and stints in the Japan B. League and the MPBL.
“We were looking for a versatile skilled big man, and aside from the talent and skills which he has, I know him personally,” Ayo told reporters during the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday, July 14.
“We know that he’s going to do whatever it takes to help our team,” added Ayo, who mentored La Salle to the UAAP championship in 2016.
Converge expects to see a formidable frontcourt tandem in rising team star Justin Arana and Baltazar, the 6-foot-7 stalwart who can slide into the small forward spot, per Ayo.
That may have to wait, however, as Baltazar may opt to finish his existing contract in the MPBL, which could extend to December if his Pampanga team manages to successfully defend its title.
Ayo said aside from Baltazar, the FiberXers got several key bench pieces in other picks like Letran’s Pao Javillonar, La Salle’s Ben Phillips, Ateneo’s Jason Credo, and Baltazar’s Pampanga Giant Lanterns teammate Ronan Santos.
One of the big challenges for Baltazar in his PBA arrival is matching up against the league’s best big men, led by presumptive eight-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo and Christian Standhardinger.
“He has the skills, and the talent, but what’s more important is his [workhorse] attitude, he’s going to do more,” said Ayo.
“He’ll find a way because if you’re comparing [Baltazar] to June Mar, Standhardinger, and Japeth (Aguilar), they’re all bigger and probably more experienced,” Ayo added.
“But that’s where character comes in, the grit that he’ll find a way to compete and win.” – Rappler.com
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Baltazar picked No. 1 by Converge; Barefield, Abarrientos go 2-3 in PBA Draft
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delfin.dioquino editor
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14/07/2024 16:59
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TOP SELECTION. Justine Baltazar joins Converge as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Converge pulled no surprises when it made Justine Baltazar the No. 1 selection in the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft at the Glorietta in Makati on Sunday, July 14.
Long rumored as the FiberXers’ target, the former La Salle big man bolsters a franchise looking to turn its fortunes around after a forgettable campaign last season that saw it compile a 3-19 record and finish last in the two conferences.
The tallest in the draft pool, the 6-foot-7 Baltazar enters the PBA following stints in the Japan B. League and the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, where he is the reigning MVP with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns.
Also as expected, Blackwater selected Sedrick Barefield with the second overall pick as the Filipino-American guard finally makes his way to the Philippines’ premier league after a botched attempt to join the previous draft.
Barefield boasts of arguably the most impressive credentials among the rookie hopefuls, having played in the NBA G League and serving as an import for clubs in Lithuania, Greece, Taiwan, and Guinea.
Moving up in the draft after a shock trade that saw it deal Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma to address its aging roster, Barangay Ginebra added further youth by choosing RJ Abarrientos with the third pick.
Abarrientos, 24, is coming off a two-year overseas stint as he saw action for the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and the Shinshu Brave Warriors in the Japan B. League.
Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone gets his hands on another Abarrientos after mentoring PBA legend and former league MVP Johnny Abarrientos in Alaska.
With the fourth pick, Phoenix beefed up its frontline by selecting Kai Ballungay, a 6-foot-6 forward who helped Ateneo win a championship in his two seasons with the Blue Eagles.
Rounding out the top five, NorthPort picked talented guard Dave Ildefonso, who returns home following a two-year run with the Suwon KT Sonicboom in the KBL.
Ildefonso and Abarrientos missed the proceedings as they currently play for the Strong Group Athletics in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan together with fellow draftee Caelan Tiongson.
The youngest in the draft, 22-year-old Jonnel Policarpio of La Salle landed at NLEX as the sixth pick after earning MVP honors in the Draft Combine.
With back-to-back picks, Rain or Shine chose Filipino-American forward Tiongson and Filipino-Swedish guard Felix Lemetti at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.
Former Adamson star Jerom Lastimosa got picked by Magnolia at No. 9 followed by other UAAP standouts Mark Nonoy (Terrafirma) and CJ Cansino (Meralco) at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.
Avan Nava, a Filipino-Canadian guard who also saw action in the KBL, completed the first round as he joined San Miguel as the 12th overall selection. – Rappler.com
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McCullough stars anew as Strong Group dominates Australia for 2-0 start in Jones Cup
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 16:37
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MAIN MAN. Strong Group-Pilipinas’ Chris McCullough fires a shot against Australia in the 2024 Jones Cup.
JONES CUP
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group-Pilipinas got off to a dominant 2-0 start in the 43rd William Jones Cup after posting yet another convincing win, this time against Australia’s BSBL Guardians, 91-69, on Sunday, July 14, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
For the second game in a row, former San Miguel star import Chris McCullough led the charge for the Filipinos as he went off for 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting in just 22 minutes of play.
McCullough had a team-best 15 points in Strong Group’s 104-79 opening-day beating of United Arab Emirates on Saturday, July 13.
The three-year NBA veteran McCullough came out with guns blazing from the tip-off as he dropped 10 of his 23 points in just the first 10 minutes – matching the Aussies’ total scoring output in the opening frame.
Led by McCullough’s fiery start, as well as Ange Kouame’s 8 first-quarter points, Strong Group easily built a huge 24-point edge over BSBL heading into the second period, 34-10.
After leading by as many as 32 points in the second quarter, 49-17, Strong Group’s offense slowed down a bit in the second half as the Guardians managed to pull within 16 points in the dying minutes of the final frame, 67-83.
Unfortunately for the Aussies, Rhenz Abando immediately restored order for Strong Group with a thunderous poster dunk over BSBL’s Caden Bentley to put the nail in the coffin.
Kouame racked up a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, while American import Tajuan Agee tallied 14 markers for Strong Group.
Jordan Heading once again drained three long bombs to finish with 9 points, while Dave Ildefonso and RJ Abarrientos scored 7 and 6 points, respectively.
On the other side, Jesse Ghee topscored with 19 points for BSBL, which dropped to 0-2.
Strong Group looks to stay undefeated when it collides with the Ukraine national team on Monday, July 15, at 5 pm.
Strong Group 91 – McCullough 23, Kouame 16, Agee 14, Heading 9, Ildefonso 7, Abarrientos 6, Tiongson 4, Abando 4, Ravena 3, Manalili 2, Fenner 2, Liwag 1.
Australia 69 – Ghee 19, Bior 14, Howey 12, Magier 12, Bentley 5, Trego 3, Wilson 2, Zhu 2, Zarco 0, Pang 0, Chen 0, Weng 0.
Quarters: 34-10, 49-24, 72-51, 91-69.
– Rappler.com
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[Time Trowel] How to truly decolonize the Philippines’ educational system
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Miriam Grace Go
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14/07/2024 13:21
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A trowel (/ˈtraʊ.əl/), in the hands of an archaeologist, is like a trusty sidekick – a tiny, yet mighty, instrument that uncovers ancient secrets, one well-placed scoop at a time. It’s the Sherlock Holmes of the excavation site, revealing clues about the past with every delicate swipe.
On July 4, 2024, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Philippine-American Friendship Day, commemorating the Philippines’ independence from the United States. This momentous event marks not just a political milestone but also a reflection on an enduring legacy: the imposition of the US-style educational system in the Philippines.
Over a century ago, this curriculum aimed to Americanize Filipinos. Today, we still grapple with defining “Filipinoness” as a patriotic identity, often at the expense of embracing diversity. Recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the incoming education secretary, Senator Sonny Angara, to strengthen subjects on Philippine history.
The Philippine educational system, however, faces significant challenges, highlighted by recent findings that the country lags behind in global learning assessments. According to reports, Filipino students rank at the bottom in tests measuring reading comprehension and other academic skills, underscoring a critical issue in the nation’s education.
This alarming trend raises questions about the root causes and the long-term implications for the Philippines’ development. While various factors contribute to this educational crisis, a historical perspective reveals the deep-seated influence of colonial legacies, particularly the Americanization of the Philippine education system. Understanding these roots is essential to addressing current shortcomings and forging a path toward true educational reform and decolonization.
The pervasive influence of the American education system on the Philippines is a cornerstone of understanding the broader impacts of colonialism on Filipino society. When the United States took control of the Philippines following the 1898 Spanish-American War, it employed a strategy of military conquest and cultural assimilation, named “Benevolent Assimilation.” This approach mirrored tactics used against Native Americans, aiming to pacify and assimilate through education.
The Americanization of the Philippines through education was nuanced and calculated. Emerging after a violent campaign that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Filipino revolutionaries, this strategy was rooted in the American experience with Native American education systems. These systems were designed to mold indigenous peoples into Euroamerican socio-cultural frameworks. William Howard Taft, the US governor-general of the Philippines in 1901, believed that educating natives in the American way would make them loyal and industrious. This philosophy shaped the Philippine educational curriculum, which aimed to deeply embed American cultural norms and English language proficiency.
Despite the absence of boarding schools, which were a hallmark of Native American assimilation, the curriculum imposed in the Philippines was intended to instill American values and ways of life. Unlike European imperial powers that often exploited colonies without significant societal building, American colonial administrators positioned education as a tool for preparing Filipinos for eventual self-governance. However, this “preparation” was deeply skewed towards American interests, sidelining indigenous cultures and languages in favor of a Western-centric view.
The cultural remodeling went beyond mere educational reforms. In the Cordilleras, for example, the imposition of an American-style education transformed local identities. This region, initially loosely governed by the Spanish and largely resistant to Catholic conversion, was reimagined under American rule. The introduction of American cultural symbols, such as country music and cowboy attire, alongside English as a prominent language, crafted a unique cultural blend that distinguished the Cordilleras from other Philippine regions. These transformations were not mere cultural curiosities but a deliberate attempt to refashion the identity of the indigenous peoples to align more closely with American values.
Moreover, the establishment of American colonial presence, like in the town of Kiangan in Ifugao, further solidified the new cultural and educational policies. American strategies involved not just education but also the reconfiguration of local customs and community structures to foster a pan-Cordilleran identity. This was reminiscent of their policies towards Native Americans, where the customary rituals and community gatherings were used to encourage a sense of unity and American allegiance. Over time, these policies effectively reshaped the regional identities, leading to a shared Cordilleran identity significantly influenced by American norms and educational policies.
This educational and cultural reshaping under American rule has had lasting impacts on Filipino society. It challenged and often supplanted indigenous practices and perspectives with American ones, fundamentally altering the educational landscape and cultural identities in the Philippines. The legacy of this Americanization is still evident today, as it continues to influence educational practices and cultural perceptions in the Philippines. This historical context is crucial for understanding the ongoing efforts and challenges in decolonizing Filipino education and reclaiming indigenous identities and knowledge systems.
Decolonizing scholarship has gained momentum in recent years, but true decolonization requires more than just replacing Western perspectives with non-Western ones. It demands a fundamental shift in how knowledge is produced and valued. For the Philippines, the roots of this challenge can be traced back to the American colonial era, when the US educational system significantly influenced Philippine education. To decolonize, we must first focus on capacity-building among local communities.
A classic example here would be the DepEd’s “vernacularization” policy. Despite significant evidence showing that comprehension is key to effective learning, English continues to be the dominant medium of instruction in the Philippines. This preference persists even in the face of the DepEd’s Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) policy, which was institutionalized in 2009 and implemented in 2012. This policy mandates the use of learners’ first languages for instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3, with the goal of improving literacy and cognitive development by making education more accessible and comprehensible to young students.
However, challenges remain in fully realizing the potential of the MTB-MLE policy. While the policy aims to foster better learning outcomes through the use of mother tongues, English is still widely seen as a key to economic and social mobility. This results in a persistent push towards English-medium instruction in many schools. Moreover, the implementation of MTB-MLE has faced practical difficulties, such as a lack of adequate resources and training for teachers to effectively deliver instruction in multiple languages.
This situation underscores a broader issue in the Philippine education system: the balancing act between maintaining national identity and cultural diversity while also striving for global competitiveness through proficiency in English. As the country continues to navigate these challenges, it is crucial to recognize and address the gaps in policy implementation to truly benefit from a multilingual educational approach.
True decolonization begins with empowering communities to reclaim their narratives. This means investing in local scholars, providing resources for research, and nurturing environments where non-Western epistemologies can thrive. Capacity-building involves creating robust infrastructures that support indigenous research methodologies and voices. Agency ensures these communities have the power to define their research agendas and interpret their findings.
The debate between maintaining academic integrity and embracing community-engaged research highlights the tension in decolonizing efforts. Decolonized research often requires more resources and time, a significant hurdle in the competitive field of academia. Traditional funding agencies may not readily support these innovative approaches, and institutions can be slow to change. Moreover, the risk of politicizing anthropology is a genuine concern, potentially shifting the discipline from scholarly inquiry to social activism.
Decolonization is intrinsically linked to historical justice. The call for decolonization is also a call to rectify historical wrongs and acknowledge the contributions and knowledge systems of marginalized communities. This is evident in the struggle to return colonial-era artifacts held in museums and in the recontextualization of these items to reflect their true heritage. By acknowledging and rectifying these injustices, we can create a more just and accurate representation of history and culture.
The road to decolonizing scholarship is complex and ongoing. It requires a commitment to building capacity and empowerment within marginalized communities. By encouraging communities to take control of their educational and research narratives, we can begin to dismantle the colonial structures that have long dominated the academic world. This transformation is not just about changing the content of our research but about fundamentally rethinking how we produce and value knowledge.
The path to decolonizing scholarship in the Philippines is about reclaiming and empowering local voices. It involves recognizing the historical roots of the current educational system and making deliberate efforts to build capacity and foster agency within local communities. Perhaps, with the mandate from the Office of the President to strengthen the teaching of history, we would be able to create a landscape that truly reflects the diversity and richness of Filipino culture and heritage. – Rappler.com
Stephen Acabado is professor of anthropology at the University of California-Los Angeles. He directs the Ifugao and Bicol Archaeological Projects, research programs that engage community stakeholders. He grew up in Tinambac, Camarines Sur. Follow him on IG @s.b.acabado.
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Thanks to Dr. Stephen Acabado for sharing his insights about decolonizing our education system. As long as we view our school system as a gift from our colonizers, we can never undo the wrongs of the past and are unable to shape Philippine education for the best interest of our youth.
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[The Wide Shot] Was CBCP ‘weak’ in its statement on the divorce bill?
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Paterno Esmaquel II
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14/07/2024 14:00
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Many opponents of the divorce bill expected fireworks from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) when it announced on Monday, July 8, that it will soon release a statement on the divorce bill.
We’re used to hearing churchmen speak, I know, but the statement was bound to be more consequential because it was produced during a plenary assembly of the CBCP.
The CBCP plenary, held twice a year, is the only time when the country’s 83 active Catholic bishops, along with priest-administrators and retired prelates, gather in one place to discuss pressing issues. In other times of the year, it’s the 13-member CBCP permanent council – now led by Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, the president – that acts on behalf of all Catholic bishops.
Considering the expectations of church watchers, the CBCP’s latest statement was therefore disappointing for many Catholic critics of the divorce bill. It was not the combative CBCP that Filipinos always imagined, certainly not the one which, during the reproductive health (RH) debates in 2012, declared that “contraception is corruption!”
I, as a journalist covering the Catholic Church, can attest that there was no easy headline for the CBCP statement that was released past 6 pm on Thursday, July 11. In other instances, a punchy direct quote from the statement can encapsulate the story for headline-writing purposes. Not for this one – where I had to sit down, read thrice, analyze, and even close my eyes.
Instead of seeing fireworks, I felt a tectonic shift.
In their statement, the Catholic bishops went beyond tackling divorce. They also faced one of their ghosts: accusations of breaking the separation of church and state.
At the expense of being called “weak” by a number of loyal Catholics, the CBCP, in a rare moment, set the boundaries of its engagement with government. It was a pivot from the image of a church that imposes its will on the Filipino people – a baggage from more than 300 years when friars ruled the Philippines in the name of Spain.
The CBCP declared: “Despite what religionists might think, we do have religious freedom in this country, and we uphold the principle of separation of church and state. The church is in no position to dictate on the state what is best for Filipino families.”
“We know that our stubborn assertion that a genuine marriage cannot be dissolved, is not necessarily shared by all religions; and we respect that. But before we join the bandwagon, shouldn’t we ask ourselves on the basis of research and statistics, if the legalization of divorce all over the world has indeed helped in protecting the common good and the welfare of the family?” said the CBCP.
“As spiritual and moral leaders of the Church,” the bishops added, “we can only propose but never impose. We can only motivate our faithful to actively participate in reasoned public discourse as citizens.”
Many Catholics, including the ones most staunchly opposed to divorce, criticized the CBCP statement.
In the faith chat room of the Rappler Communities app, user MJCalingasan said that the Catholic Church in the Philippines “has lost its fervor and stand” against certain laws.
For MJCalingasan, the Catholic Church “has a right to dictate because it believes that it has a divine mandate from our Lord.” It is, however, “playing safe” with its statements – “maybe afraid or maybe they lost their sense of ecclesiastical authority.”
“We need another Cardinal Sin in our country, someone who will stand in the midst of this turmoil and will tell the flock what to do for their better good,” the faith chat room member said, referring to the late Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin who helped oust dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.
For faith chat room member Wes, “the statement reflects the stance of the Church on freedom: while it suggests and counsels, it does not force itself to the decision process of the believer.”
Percy, another member of our faith channel, scored the CBCP: “Ang yabang yabang e (It is too arrogant).”
The app user cited how the CBCP claimed to argue “on the basis of research and statistics,” but misused data from the National Center for Health Statistics of the United States. According to Percy, the CBCP cited US statistics on marriage failure rates and made it appear that it applies to “countries where civil divorce is legal.”
“What do we do with them, now that we have demonstrated that there is false information in the pastoral letter – that apparently, its scope is not ‘countries where civil divorce is legal’ but only the US? What if this is proclaimed in Masses, in religion classes, and other places?” Percy wrote in a mix of English and Filipino.
Opinions are likewise divided on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Quoting my tweet on what I called a “much-awaited CBCP pastoral statement,” X user @JiroTheBen said, “Much-awaited and spineless.”
But for X user @jambiktoywood25, the statement was “a shocking yet refreshing change.”
X user @raymond_naguit said he appreciates “the level-headed position of the Church on divorce.”
But @IvanAtHome, who describes himself as a conservative Catholic, said, “Weak language like this is why the Church in the Philippines loses.”
For @IvanAtHome, the Church can dictate as “God’s government on Earth.” He also criticized the CBCP’s call for Filipinos to “discern together” on the divorce bill. “Bro, no! You are God’s representatives on earth. You have the answers. Give them!” he said.
In my opinion, the CBCP statement on divorce was not a show of weakness but a sign that it is finding its proper place in our modern society – where different institutions, no matter how old or revered, can assert their beliefs without imposing them on nonbelievers.
Gone are the days when the Catholic Church was the state religion, as it was during the Spanish colonial era. Or when the word of a powerful archbishop, such as Cardinal Sin, was enough to make politicians nervous or change their decisions in fear of a powerful church.
For believers like myself, the Catholic Church remains the unbreakable foundation of the way we live our lives. I will fight for my Catholic faith any time of the day. But we need to understand that we practice our faith in the context of a secular society – and a secular Constitution – that promises equal treatment for believers and nonbelievers alike.
It is also a world that detests the preachy ways of the past.
Pope Saint Paul VI, who led the Catholic Church from 1963 to 1978 (and was the first pope to visit the Philippines), proved prophetic when he said in a 1974 speech to Consilium de Laicis: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”
In his 1975 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, Paul VI explained: “It is therefore primarily by her conduct and by her life that the Church will evangelize the world, in other words, by her living witness of fidelity to the Lord Jesus – the witness of poverty and detachment, of freedom in the face of the powers of this world, in short, the witness of sanctity.”
Imposing one’s faith on nonbelievers, in a secular state, is not a “witness of sanctity.” It is pride.
With its statement on divorce, the Catholic Church found strength not only to stand its ground but to face its shadows. – Rappler.com
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I strongly agree with the statement: “In my opinion, the CBCP statement on divorce was not a show of weakness but a sign that it is finding its proper place in our modern society – where different institutions, no matter how old or revered, can assert their beliefs without imposing them on nonbelievers.” Thank you, writer Paterno Esmaquel II, for such an informative and inspiring realization.
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PAL plane overshoots Busuanga runway
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Kaycee
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14/07/2024 19:24
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DEPLANED SAFELY. The 53 passengers and 4 crew members of PAL flight PR2680 did not suffer injuries despite the plane veering off the runway at Busuanga Airport on Sunday, July 14.
MANILA, Philippines – A Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight veered off the runway while landing at Busuanga Airport in Palawan on Sunday, July 14.
“As of 3:40 pm, all 53 passengers and 4 flight crew members have been deplaned safely, with no injuries reported,” PAL said in a statement.
PR2670, which used a De Havilland Dash 8-400 NG, left Mactan Airport at 1:44 pm. The incident happened at 2:52 pm.
There are four flights affected by the incident:
“We are working closely with the airport authorities to restore normal operations in Busuanga,” PAL said. – Rappler.com
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Palaro to Paris: Joanie Delgaco aces volleyball to rowing jump
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 18:25
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For almost the entirety of her teenage years, Joanie Delgaco was hungry for a volleyball break.
Standing at 5-foot-5 when she was 17 years old, Delgaco was not exactly tall enough for the sport. But she stood out as a setter for Camarines Sur in the Palarong Pambansa, attracting volleyball scouts, including one, she said, from NCAA’s University of Perpetual Help.
Despite receiving interest, Delgaco, who eventually became the first Filipina rower to qualify in the country’s 100-year history in the Olympics, felt her chance to shine in volleyball was slim.
“In volleyball back then, I couldn’t see myself excelling [long-term],” Delgaco said in Filipino.
From age 11 to 17, Delgaco had a volleyball career in sight, even idolizing former UAAP star Alyssa Valdez. But eventually, the Iriga native gave herself a reality check.
She felt the need to try something new, so when an opportunity to try out and train for a different sport in Manila came, a teenaged Delgaco took a leap of faith.
Convinced by a rowing coach, Delgaco jumped into her new sport, betting on her physical tools and innate strength, which her mentors believed to be her biggest asset.
“He really talked to me and my parents. I said alright, if I could do well in rowing, maybe this is really for me,” she said.
Starting without any knowledge of the sport, Delgaco traveled to Manila for the first time in her life. She did not even bring a travel bag with her, using instead a cardboard box to pack her clothes and relocate to the city.
Slowly, she grasped the fundamentals of rowing, building herself up to go for an Olympic standard 2,000-meter race.
Rowing techniques included sculling backward, requiring leg and arm strength in pulling back the paddle – a stark contrast to dragon boat, which propels the boat forward.
From orchestrating plays for her volleyball team, Delgaco aced captaining her racing shell, the term used for competitive rowing boats.
“When I started rowing, in under one year, I already won a medal,” shared Delgaco. “That’s when I felt like this is where I am going to excel. And then, every year after that, the blessings did not stop.”
By 2024, her biggest blessing came. Delgaco booked a ticket to the Paris Olympics after placing fourth in the women’s single sculls in the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, last April 21.
The feat made her only the fourth rower – and just the first female – in Philippine history to advance to the Olympic games after Edgardo Maerina (1988 Seoul Games), Benjamin Tolentino Jr. (2000 Sydney Games), and Cris Nievarez (2022 Tokyo Games).
“Isang malaking karangalan na makapasok sa Olympics lalo na sa sport namin na hindi talaga masyado alam (It is a big honor to advance to the Olympics, especially in a sport that many may not be familiar with),” Delgaco said.
It took the 26-year-old three tries, though, noting she tasted defeat in her two previous Olympic attempts.
In 2016, when she was only 18 years old, Delgaco lost her bid for an Olympic ticket, then fell short again in 2021 where she finished just a second shy of qualifying.
Part of her up-and-down journey in the sport also saw her snagging the 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold in Manila, and then bowing out in last year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
But whichever way her campaigns end up, Delgaco always makes sure to represent the country well. More so now that she’s in the sport’s biggest stage.
“Bihira lang mga atletang nakakapasok dito sa Olympic competition (It’s rare to be a part of this),” said Delgaco. – Rappler.com
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[DASH OF SAS] Your privilege won’t protect you
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Ysa Abad
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14/07/2024 15:00
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Your privilege will not protect you. Not if you are a woman who wants to leave her husband. Your reason for leaving him is irrelevant. He could be beating you to within an inch of your life. He could be shamelessly indulging in the affections of other women, a different one to fulfill his every sexual need and fantasy. The severity of his neglect could make you feel as if you do not exist. It does not matter. You are the wife. You are never supposed to leave. Even if leaving is the only thing that will save you.
Your vow of marriage binds you. Only death can separate you. Both of you made this vow but you are the wife. You are expected, required, and divinely bound to uphold this vow. And protect it. And defend it. You are the wife. You are supposed to endure. There is supposed valor in your suffering. There is promised redemption to be found in your torment.
Your privilege will not protect you. Underneath whatever privilege you may have, you are just the wife to be judged. Scorned. Condemned.
Just ask the celebrity and TV show host. She alleged that her husband was unfaithful and would have violent outbursts. He spent most of his time and money on his friends. He fled to another country, abandoning her and all his financial and emotional obligations to their family. The evidence she presented in Court was deemed “self-serving” and “insufficient to prove infidelity” and therefore, could not justify annulment based on psychological incapacity.
The law says that physical violence and infidelity are not sufficient grounds for severing a marriage, the sanctity of which is protected from “dissolution at the whim of the parties”.
The law mirrors the teachings of the Church which says “what God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” That should read no woman. Because the man can do anything he wants.
Just ask the celebrity model and influencer. The lurid details of their separation were made public and so was her humiliation. He reportedly had the electricity cut off at her residence and attempted to have it padlocked. He charged her with the crime of adultery and she was served an arrest warrant.
She countered by making the same allegations against him and exposed photos of his unfaithfulness. It did not matter. Only a woman and her lover can be charged with adultery. A man can be only charged with concubinage, a crime that is nearly impossible to prove because of the conditions attached to it. The husband can only be charged with concubinage if he keeps a mistress in the conjugal home, lives with her, or has sex with her under scandalous circumstances. His posts of photos about the newfound joy of again being a father in his 40s are liked and congratulated.
Your privilege will not protect you. Neither will any political power or position you might have. Just ask the actress who married into a political family. She waited 13 years before getting an annulment that finally set her free. Thirteen years. Her wait was longer than their marriage. Her husband, estranged but still married to her on paper, went on to have children with another woman. The prerogative, the choice to move on with life is reserved for the man. He is shielded from the punishing gossip, innuendo, and malicious side comments. It is the wife who has to live with a surname that she no longer wants to call her own. It is the wife whose life must be put on hold even when he can go on with this.
Banning divorce legitimizes violence against women. Outlawing divorce and imposing the sadistic process of annulment endorses societal judgment and sanctions everyday cruelty against women.
In the eyes of the Holy Trinity: the law, the Church, and society, you are not equal. You are man and wife. You are the wife and you are never supposed to leave. – Rappler.com
Ana P. Santos is an investigative journalist who writes about the intersections of gender, sexuality, and migrant rights. She has a postgraduate degree in Gender (Sexuality) from the London School of Economics and Political Science as a Chevening scholar. DASH of SAS is a spin off of her the Rappler video series, Sex and Sensibilities (SAS). Follow her on Instagram
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FULL LIST: 2024 PBA Season 49 Draft
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delfin.dioquino editor
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14/07/2024 16:00
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MANILA, Philippines – Rookies who will spice up the league are on their way as they see their hoop dreams turn into reality through the PBA Draft set on Sunday, July 14, at 4:30 pm at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.
A mix of collegiate stars, Filipino-foreign standouts, and overseas league imports returning home make up the pool of rookie hopefuls seeking to crack the roster of the 12 teams.
Here is the draft order:
– Rappler.com
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Alcantara regains winning ways, bags ITF doubles in Thailand
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 12:35
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WINNERS. Francis Casey Alcantara in action with doubles partner Maximus Jones in an ITF event in Thailand/
CONTRIBUTED PHOT
MANILA, Philippines –The country’s top doubles player, Francis Casey Alcantara, finally ended a long dry spell that lasted three months.
Teaming up with rising Thai teen star Maximus Jones, Alcantara won the ITF M5 Nakhon Si Thammarat with a thrilling final victory over India’s Rishi Reddy and Dhakshineswar Suresh, 7-6(7), 6-4, on Saturday, July 13, at the Walailak University Tennis Centre in Thailand.
After reaching a career-high doubles world ranking of 162 last February, Alcantara found himself in a slump, exiting in the opening round of 10 straight tournaments in the international pro tour – the ATP Delhi Open in late February, seven Challenger events, and two ITF tournaments in China in late May.
The 32-year-old Alcantara and the 19-year-old Jones also reached the final of the ITF M4 Nakhon Si Thammarat last week, but lost in straight sets to fourth seeds Adil Kalyanpur and Vishnu Vardhan of India, 6-3, 6-2.
The top-seeded Filipino and Thai duo would not be denied this week.
Alcantara and Jones secured the match’s only service break in the third game of the second set, allowing them to seize a 3-1 lead which they never relinquished. It was enough cushion for them to finish the second set in 30 minutes after 10 games.
This was in start contrast to the opener which saw both pairs holding serve the entire first set. The top seeds went up 3-1 in the tiebreak, but their Indian foes came back to score three straight points to gain the advantage.
Alcantara’s veteran smarts came to play, helping him and Jones hold steady in the crucial stretches of the tiebreak, which helped them win on the third set point.
Because of rain delays, both finalists played their semifinal matches also on Saturday.
Alcantara and Jones had to go through the wringer to triumph over fourth seeds Yamato Sueoka of Japan and Thantub Suksumrarn of Thailand, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.
Reddy and Suresh, on the other hand, eliminated their compatriots and last week’s champions, Kalyanpur and Vardhan, 6-4, 7-6(8).
Alcantara and Jones will aim for back-to-back titles next week in the ITF M6 Nakhon Si Thammarat also in the same venue. – Rappler.com
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Miss World PH 2024: All the candidates’ photos, videos you want to see
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Ysa Abad
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14/07/2024 15:16
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CANDIDATES. 35 queens are competing in Miss World Philippines 2024 pageant.
Miss World Philippines' Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – After almost two years, the Miss World Philippines Organization is set to crown a new queen on Friday, July 19, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Thirty-five candidates are competing to succeed Gwendolyne Fourniol, who was crowned Miss World Philippines in June 2022. Fourniol bowed out early in the pageant’s international competition after she failed to make it to the Top 40.
Aside from the Miss World Philippines crown, two other titles are also up for grabs: Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas and Miss Philippines Tourism.
The coronation night will be hosted by singer Billy Crawford, Miss Universe Woman 2024 Maria Gigante, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2021 Emmanuelle Vera, and actor Teejay Marquez.
Miss World CEO and Chairman Julia Morley and Miss World 2024 Krystyna Pyszkova will also grace the event.
Meanwhile, OPM band The Juans, singer Johnoy Danao, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, and P-pop groups KAIA and BILIB will be performing during the coronation night.
Ahead of the pageant’s coronation night, take a look at the photos and videos you’d want to see to get to know all the participating candidates for Miss World Philippines 2024:
– Rappler.com
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Former rebels in Negros Occidental see better opportunities in weaving
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Victor Barreiro Jr.
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14/07/2024 10:10
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LOCAL PRODUCTS. Former combatants of the New People's Army (NPA) in Negros Occidental see better opportunities in weaving local products.
Reymund Titong
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Amid concerns of judgment, former combatants of the New People’s Army (NPA) have chosen a different path far as they seek better opportunities.
Having high hopes, around 30 former rebels (FRs) who previously surrendered to the 94th Infantry Battalion in Negros Occidental have come together to form the Camingawan Diversified Workers Association (CADIWA) and began to showcase their potential through weaving local products as part of their reintegration into the community.
Aya A. Gante, president of CADIWA, told Rappler on Thursday, July 11, that despite their hesitation and fears of judgment, their courage shone through as they embarked on this new pursuit.
She said that after they formed their association last quarter of 2023, it allowed them to develop and improve their skills. Most of their members already knew how to weave products using materials like nito, pandan, bamboo, and tikog, allowing them to create intricate mats, hats, vases, and wooden spoons, among others.
They sell their products from P100 to P1,000 or more, depending on the size and type of item.
Gante said, “Our woven products serve as a testament to our passion and dedication, which is also a proof that regardless of our past circumstances, it is not too late for us to achieve greatness and make a meaningful impact in the society.”
She admitted that they were hesitant at first to establish the association. Still, it was realized through the help of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP), a non-profit organization whose advocacy is to diversify the livelihoods of every community or group in Negros Island.
Sybel Nobleza, the ANP’s external affairs manager, recognized the limited opportunities for the FRs, especially during the initial phase of their reintegration. Thus, the ANP stepped in and provided the necessary guidance to help them establish a union, creating a supportive and empowering environment for them to start a new life.
She said the ANP provided assistance and training to all FRs to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge, including proper production and identification of quality raw materials, costing, marketing, and proper customer etiquette.
According to Gante, the ANP’s intervention has enabled them to generate income that is helpful in meeting their financial obligations, especially for those who still continue to support their families.
Nobleza added that the ANP is more than just a marketing arm for those who want to market their products; it is an organization that bridges community development, artistry, and culture, fostering a sense of connection and engagement.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Ziegfred D. Tayaban, the commanding officer of the 94th Infantry Battalion, said that helping the former rebels reintegrate into the society is a significant achievement, not just for the unit but also for their personal lives. He emphasized that these individuals may have been derailed, but that doesn’t diminish their worth as Filipinos.
CADIWA products will now be showcased at the prestigious Negros Trade Fair (NTF) in September at Glorietta Mall in Makati City. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Australia – Jones Cup 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 12:45
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MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group-Pilipinas got off to a dominant 2-0 start in the 43rd William Jones Cup after posting yet another convincing win, this time against Australia’s BSBL Guardians, 91-69, on Sunday, July 14, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
For the second game in a row, former San Miguel star import Chris McCullough led the charge for the Filipinos as he went off for 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting in just 22 minutes of play.
After an easy 25-point romp of United Arab Emirates in its 43rd William Jones Cup opener, Strong Group-Pilipinas will be put to the test when it takes on Australia’s BSBL Guardians on Sunday, July 14.
Bolstered by former NBA player and San Miguel import Chris McCullough, the Filipinos hardly broke a sweat in their opening-day matchup as they led UAE the entire ball game.
Four players scored in double figures for Strong Group in the dominant wire-to-wire win, with McCullough firing a team-best 15 points, along with 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
Expect McCullough to once again be at the forefront of Strong Group’s attack against the gritty Aussies as they eye a 2-0 start in the single round-robin tournament.
Unlike Strong Group, the Guardians are coming off a heartbreaking 69-65 defeat at the hands of powerhouse Future Sports USA on Saturday, July 13.
As the Guardians try to bounce back from their narrow opening-day loss, look for Dhieu Magier to deliver the goods anew for the Aussies after his team-high 15-point performance went down the drain against the Americans.
Game time is 1 pm. – Rappler.com
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Angelica Panganiban undergoes hip core decompression surgery
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Ysa Abad
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14/07/2024 11:20
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Angelica Panganiban's YouTube
MANILA, Philippines – Months after disclosing that she’s battling a bone disease, Angelica Panganiban underwent hip surgery in early July.
In a vlog released on Saturday, July 13, the actress documented her stay at the hospital, saying she and her husband felt anxious throughout their surgery journey.
To recall, it was in November 2023 when Panganiban first revealed that she was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a bone disease that left her experiencing severe pain in her hip area. According to the Mayo Clinic, this condition, also called “bone death,” happens when the bone tissue dies due to lack of blood supply. At the time, her doctors told her to consider joint replacement surgery, but the actress wanted to pursue a more conservative approach.
In her latest vlog, Panganiban shared she’s looking forward to feeling better after the surgery. “Kung kinakabahan ako…. actually mas excited ako. Gustong-gusto ko na itong mangyari, gusto ko nang matapos ‘yung nararamdaman kong chronic pain for the past two years. (Whether I’m nervous… I’m actually more excited. I really want this to happen already. I want to no longer feel the chronic pain that I’ve been enduring for the past two years). I’m looking forward to it,” she said.
When she was admitted to the hospital, the actress shared she also didn’t eat for two days because she was constantly throwing up as her body was rejecting the medicines.
Aside from the physical pain, Panganiban said she was also getting emotional being far from her daughter, Amila Sabine, as this was the first time she’d be spending several nights without her.
Panganiban underwent surgery on July 7 and the operation took seven hours. “Nasa recovery room ako, nanghihina. Sobrang sakit, hindi ko ma-explain ang sakit (I’m at the recovery room, still feeling weak. It’s still very painful, I can’t explain the pain),” she said in her vlog.
The actress then explained that her doctors didn’t push through with a hip replacement surgery as she’s still young and opted for a cord decompression surgery instead.
According to Manhattan Sports Doc, a hip cord decompression surgery “involves drilling one larger hole, or several smaller holes into the dead bone of the femoral head (top of thigh bone) in order to relieve pressure in the bone. This allows for increased blood flow by creating channels for new blood vessels to nourish the affected areas of the hip.”
Panganiban added she and her doctors hope this operation would help in slowing down the collapse of her hips. “Hopefully sana hindi na ako umabot sa hip replacement with the help of proper therapy, care, and prayers (Hopefully, I won’t have to do hip replacement with the help of proper therapy, care, and prayers),” she said.
Days after the surgery, she said that her muscles still feel some pain but “it’s getting better everyday.” After being discharged from the hospital on July 10, Panganiban still has to do three weeks of bed rest.
Panganiban gave birth to her first daughter with Gregg Homan in September 2022. They announced their engagement in October 2022. – Rappler.com
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SB19 to release ‘PAGTATAG!’ documentary on August 28
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Ysa Abad
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14/07/2024 12:40
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SB19. The P-pop group performs at Rappler Live Jam.
Micah Go/RAPPLER
MANILA, Philippines – Save the date, A’TIN! P-pop powerhouse SB19 is set to conclude their PAGTATAG! era with the nationwide theatrical release of the documentary film – also titled PAGTATAG! – on August 28.
“Tagged as P-pop kings, SB19 confronts a year of challenges as they move forward to a new era of music, career, and emancipation. This is SB19’s PAGTATAG! era,” the caption for the film’s teaser read.
Helmed by Jed Regala and produced by 1Z Entertainment and First Light Studios, the documentary aims to feature the highs and lows the P-pop group underwent the past year – from releasing their PAGTATAG! album, going on a world tour, and founding their label 1Z Entertainment.
“SB19 has been through quite the journey with their PAGTATAG! era. From planning their comeback to overcoming internal challenges and establishing their own company, it’s evident that they’ve truly embodied the spirit of resilience and entertainment,” the film’s synopsis read.
The “GENTO!” hitmakers first teased the documentary during their PAGTATAG! finale concert on May 18 and 19, releasing a three-minute trailer wherein the members get candid about the current state of their careers.
“Mahirap na mahirap ‘yung journey toward big things. ‘Yung puso, ‘yung passion, and everything, parang step by step talaga siya (It’s a hard journey toward big things. The heart, passion, and everything – it’s really a step by step process),” SB19’s leader Pablo said in the clip.
Stell added: “Sobrang namomotivate pa kami na gawin pa ang mga gustong gawin at i-achieve pa ang greatest heights na gusto pa naming iabot.” (We get really motivated to do things that we really want and achieve the greatest heights that we could reach.)
PAGTATAG! is the group’s second world tour. It is in line with their latest EP – also titled PAGTATAG! – which was released in June 2023.
SB19 made its debut in October 2018. Their hits include “WYAT,” Bazinga,” “MAPA,” “Ilaw,” “Go Up,” and “Alab,” among others.
In October 2023, SB19 announced the establishment of their label 1Z Entertainment, with the group’s leader Pablo serving as its chief executive officer. In December 2023, the group announced that it secured ownership of its group name and logo. – Rappler.com
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LOOK: BINI to perform at KCON Los Angeles 2024
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Ysa Abad
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14/07/2024 13:05
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BINI poses on the stage after their performance in Alpas, La Union, Thursday, May 30
Gelo Gonzales/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Eyyyy, the Nation’s Girl Group is going international! KCON USA announced on Sunday, July 14, that P-pop girl group BINI is part of its lineup of performers.
The “Pantropiko” hitmakers will be performing for the pre-show of the “M Countdown” stage on July 27. As of writing, a final time for the group’s set has yet to be announced.
[#KCONLA2024] SPECIAL LINEUP: 𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐈JUL 27 (SAT) 𝗠 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪*Artist lineup and the event schedule may be subject to change or cancel under certain circumstances✨Let’s #KCON!🎟️ https://t.co/oLTGWrRcwK pic.twitter.com/TOElMYOFPk
Following the announcement, several BINI members took to social media to express their excitement.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/H9Trd5VAiG
I’M SO EXCITED #BINI https://t.co/YrtwfotY1x
Organized by South Korean entertainment giant CJ E&M, KCON is an annual music festival that aims to bring K-pop to a wider global reach. Outside of the United States, it also held stops in Japan, Australia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, France, and Mexico, among others.
For this year’s KCON LA, it will run from July 26 to 28 at the Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles Convention Center, and Gilbert Lindsay Plaza. The “M Countdown” stage is one of the four stages available for the music festival, alongside “KCON Stage,” “Meet & Greet,” and “Showcase.”
According to KCON USA, the acts who will be performing at the “M Countdown” main show on July 27 include ENHYPEN, g.o.d, Jo Yuri, ME:I, NMIXX, and TWS. Other confirmed performers for the festival also include big K-pop acts SHINee’s Taemin, HYOLYN, Jeon Somi, NCT 127, Zico, and rising groups BOYNEXTDOOR, STAYC, Kep1er, and more.
Meanwhile, this is the latest feat for BINI, who’ve been gaining traction with their songs “Pantropiko,” and “Salamin, Salamin.”
In June, the eight-piece act was the most-searched musical act on YouTube Philippines, even surpassing international popstars Taylor Swift and Beyonce. They also reached seven million monthly listeners on Spotify, making history as the first and lone Filipino act to enter the platform’s Global Top Artists Chart.
BINI recently concluded their three-night sold out BINIverse concert at the New Frontier Theater from June 28 to 30. They will also have regional stops in Baguio, Cebu City, and General Santos City; and international stops in Canada, as well an encore concert at the Araneta Coliseum on October 4.
Dubbed as the “Nation’s Girl Group,” BINI made its official debut in June 2021. They are composed of Jhoanna, Maloi, Stacey, Aiah, Colet, Gwen, Mikha, and Sheena.
The group is known for songs “Na Na Na,” “Lagi,” “Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi,” and “Cherry On Top.” – Rappler.com
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[Two Pronged] Am I losing my libido now that I’m hitting my 40s?
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Ysa Abad
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14/07/2024 10:14
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Rappler’s Life and Style section runs an advice column by couple Jeremy Baer and clinical psychologist Dr. Margarita Holmes.
Jeremy has a master’s degree in law from Oxford University. A banker of 37 years who worked in three continents, he has been training with Dr. Holmes for the last 10 years as co-lecturer and, occasionally, as co-therapist, especially with clients whose financial concerns intrude into their daily lives.
Together, they have written two books: Love Triangles: Understanding the Macho-Mistress Mentality and Imported Love: Filipino-Foreign Liaisons.
Dear Dr Holmes and Mr Baer,
Many would consider me living a charmed life. I am good looking and have a strong, buff body from working out and playing basketball. Women like me and I have even managed to convince myself that it is because of me and not because of all the money I inherited from my mother.
On my 40th birthday, I had a big party, complete with a beautiful girl jumping out of a cake. My friends paid her to sleep with me, but I noticed I was not interested. So, I paid her more than what my friends paid her to tell them that I was a terrific lover.
Is it possible that this loss of libido is due to my hitting my forties?
Malcolm
Dear Malcolm,
Thank you for your email.
While prima facie this ‘lack of interest’ seems a one-off event, the fact that you have written is suggestive of a more pervasive condition, or at least a concern that it might become so.
The first step, if reoccurrence worries you, is to consult a urologist and determine if there is any physiological reason to be addressed. If none, then the issue is probably psychological.
While many men eschew paying for sex (for moral, religious, health or financial reasons, for example), others are more relaxed or even enthusiastic about this option. In some societies, paid sex is frowned upon, in others it is commonplace and also a rite of passage into adulthood for young men.
You do not indicate if this is the first time that you have faced this issue yet this is an important factor. If a man only associates sex with a genuine loving relationship, his reaction when called upon to perform with a stranger on demand might well be unenthusiastic at best. If, however, he is used to these situations, his failure would be viewed in an entirely different light.
In answer to your specific question, loss of libido in one’s early forties is very unlikely, absent other physiological or psychological factors.
In summary, if this is a one off, just relax and move on. If it is recurrent, consult a health professional.
All the best,
JAF Baer
Dear Malcolm:
Thank you very much for your letter.
Your very specific question “Is it possible that this loss of libido is due to my hitting my forties?” relates to this one incident: your lack of interest in having sex with a beautiful woman (paid for by your friends) jumping out of a cake during a party on your 40th birthday.
The very specific answer to your very specific question is: It is perfectly understandable that you would be more interested in going back to your party and being with your friends. It also speaks of the “dangers” of having sex with someone “paid for by your friends” as it is very likely, in commercial transactions like these, that the loyalty of the woman is with the payer(s) rather than the “beneficiary.” Yes, the word beneficiary is put in quotes because many would say, and I have no doubt that includes you, that your having sex then would be more beneficial to your friends than to you.
This is especially given your circumstances of being physically attractive and having money to boot. It sounds like you do not need to pay for beautiful women to want to have sex with you. So to have sex with a woman who would be likely to answer questions like “How big is his penis?” or “How many rounds did he go with you?” or even “Is he a better lover than me?” would be foolhardy. Kudos to you for such an elegant solution to this very specific situation.
Now, going to the more general question: “At what age does libido decline?” or “is it normal for a man’s libido to decline at 40?” the answer is a bit more complicated. That is because sexual desire (libido) is, like the FB relationship status, complicated. In addition to one’s feelings about paid sex (as per the specific circumstances above), libido also depends on psychological, emotional, social, and physical factors.
Since I do not know much about the first three factors as they concern you, let me focus on the physical factor. Let me focus further on the possible effect of age on the male libido, which definitely changes over time and under different circumstances.
Loss of libido is very individual. Some people may notice a dramatic change, while others notice no difference at all. This may or may not have to do with testosterone production, which slowly decreases between the ages of 35 – 45. Typically, testosterone production goes down by about 1% per year, but it could be faster for some men. This could have some effect on your sex drive.
What I feel is more important in your case, however, is what some sex psychologists (myself included) like to call spontaneous and responsive libidos. The former happens when nothing “external” is needed for you to want to have sex; the latter is when you initially feel sexually neutral, but then becomes more receptive after getting stimulated in some way.
Since more men than women tend to experience spontaneous desire, sometimes people confuse responsive libido with a lack of libido.
Many sex psychologists (myself not included) immediately try to “help” their client with suggestions to jumpstart his/her seeming low libido. I prefer to see if said problem is really a problem, or just one imposed by one’s culture. It can also be imposed by one’s partner’s insistence (boo) – but not boo if it is a partner’s need, rather than his/her demands.
In my opinion, if you are happy and healthy, your seeming lack of libido is nothing to worry about, so enjoy!
Best regards,
MG Holmes
– Rappler.com
Please send any comments, questions, or requests for advice to twopronged@rappler.com.
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‘We’ll see’: Gilas star Dwight Ramos keeps PBA door ajar
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Jasmine Payo
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13/07/2024 19:13
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HOOP STAR. Dwight Ramos in action for Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B. League.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Dwight Ramos sees his future in the Philippines, perhaps even in the PBA, some time in the next five years.
When asked by a fan in a meet-and-greet event on Friday, July 12, where he sees himself in the next half decade, Ramos kept all possibilities open, including playing in the oldest basketball league in Asia.
“In the next five years, I’m probably still playing in Gilas, and I’m not sure if either I play in Japan or I play somewhere else. Maybe in the PBA someday. We’ll see,” said Ramos.
The 6-foot-3 guard will still play for the Levanga Hokkaido in his fourth season at the Japan B. League, becoming one of the longest-tenured Asian import in Japan.
But when the time is right for him, the Gilas PIlipinas star sees himself donning a PBA jersey.
“I’m a Filipino, so playing in the PBA is something I see myself hopefully doing. I don’t know when will that be, but again, whatever happens, happens,” Ramos said shortly after the partnership event organized by his Japan team Levanga and Lawson Philippines.
“Right now, I’m taking things year by year. I’d leave it at that until the next opportunity comes,” he added.
Ramos has been playing for the national team since 2020 after the Ateneo Blue Eagles initially recruited him to play for them in 2019.
When his UAAP plans didn’t pan out, mainly due to the pandemic, he went to Japan and carved a name for himself, starting with the Toyama Grouses in 2021 before joining Levanga for the next three years.
The past B. League season saw Ramos fill a bigger scoring role as he averaged a career-high 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists to earn him another deal with Levanga, cementing his name as a household name in the Asian player quota.
Recently, former overseas imports Dave Ildefonso, Justine Baltazar, and RJ Abarrientos, who all previously played with Ramos in Gilas, decided to enter the PBA Draft.
Seeing some of his former Asian import compatriots join the local league, Ramos hopes for Filipino talents thrive wherever they wish to play.
“I’m happy for them. The PBA is really competitive. I’ve watched them and it’s exciting. I hope their talents translate well in the league,” he said.
With Gilas in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament last week, Ramos played with PBA stars June Mar Fajardo, Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Justin Brownlee, along with head coach Tim Cone.
For Ramos, the learnings he got from playing with a PBA-laden team is invaluable for his career.
“They are all veterans,” Ramos said “They know how to handle pressure well, playing in the [PBA] for a long time. That is something I’m really glad to experience first hand in Gilas.” – Rappler.com
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‘Pusog’ to Palaro: Bamboo stick thrower Charles Turla breaks javelin record in 1st-ever event
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jisaga0269
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13/07/2024 14:47
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PUSOG POWER. Western Visayas athlete Charles Daniel Turla in action in the Palarong Pambansa 2024
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – Charles Daniel Turla made waves at the Palarong Pambansa 2024 boys elementary javelin throw after snapping an eight-year-old record with a gold medal-winning 60.26-meter throw on Friday, July 12.
The 12-year-old standout handily beat the previous 57.50m mark of Calabarzon’s Jerick Mendoza in 2017, notably in just his first-ever Palaro appearance.
Achievements like this make it sound like Turla has been around the javelin scene for a long time training with first-class equipment, but it was simply not the case for the pride of San Agustin, Iloilo.
“When we found him in Grade 5 training from a barangay school, he was throwing around bamboo sticks we call ‘pusog,’ old and heavy bamboo, that’s what he was practicing with,” Turla’s coach John Aghon said in Filipino.
“We told him to keep working, keep practicing, so someday you may achieve your dreams, and here we are, we’ve reaped [the reward].”
In a competition where the best throw is tallied as the final result, Turla achieved his top mark in just his third throw out of six total attempts, and even his coaches Aghon and Rommel Gardoce were dumbfounded with the surprising result from their promising ward.
“In practice, he was only hitting 49 meters, and we told him we’d already be happy if you hit 50,” Aghon continued. “But his first throw, he hit 51, and we were surprised. Second throw, he got 52.
“Then he got 60 in the third throw, and we just refused to believe it. It’s like I was flying without wings.”
Aghon and Gardoce beamed with confidence in Turla’s potential moving forward, believing he may just reach national team status and join international competitions like the Southeast Asian Games if he keeps up his work ethic.
“From what I see from his work and his character, he can reach the summit [of competitions] if he keeps it up,” Aghon said. “He has the potential, the body mold, the height, dedication, and self-discipline.”
“He’s a good kid. He obeys his parents, us coaches on our guidance and tips, and his other mentors,” Gardoce added.
It’s long known that bamboo is one of the world’s fastest-growing plants, growing sturdy and tall in a moment’s notice, and nothing could be a more perfect representation of Turla’s sky-high potential. – Rappler.com
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Veteran sports journalist Chino Trinidad dies
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 9:54
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GONE TOO SOON. Chino Trinidad worked as a sports broadcaster for radio and television.
CHINO TRINIDAD FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Veteran sports journalist and executive Manolo “Chino” Trinidad died on Saturday night, July 13, his family confirmed to Rappler. He was 56.
Trinidad died of “heart attack,” the family said late Sunday, July 14.
Trinidad was named last May as the new commissioner of the Sharks Billiards Association, the country’s first professional billiards league.
A second-generation sports journalist, he’s the son of longtime Philippine Daily Inquirer sports columnist Recah Trinidad.
The younger Trinidad first started on radio, anchoring a sports segment over radio dzRH in the early 1990s.
It was there when he crossed over to television, first manning the sidelines as a reporter in Vintage Television’s coverage of the PBA, before being elevated to a play-by-play commentator.
He also started his longtime association with boxing during this decade, serving as one of Blow by Blow’s anchors.
Undoubtedly the face of GMA Network’s sports coverage for about two decades, he served in various capacities, working as a boxing commentator and whipping up segments for the channel’s flagship newscast, 24 Oras.
After leaving GMA, he founded a cable channel called Pilipinas HD, and organized an exhibit called “Pagpupugay: 100 Taon ng Philippine Sports,” which earned a minor citation from the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in 2015.
Trinidad was also known for his passionate love for basketball, serving as the eighth commissioner of the defunct Philippine Basketball League from 2000-2010.
During his stint as commissioner, he saw the rise of the dominant Harbour Centre Batang Pier squad, which won seven league titles.
He was also a founding member of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, which he soundly criticized in recent social media posts.
“Chino Trinidad: A visionary leader, fighter, and genuine lover of sports…forever grateful to you, my ‘kum’ and everybody’s commissioner,” said Rey Lachica, sports editor of Tempo and former PSA president.
“[Trinidad] was full of dreams and passion. He will be remembered for his fire and friendship,” posted former Daily Tribune managing editor and former PSA president Aldrin Cardona. – Rappler.com
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LOOK: Behind the scenes at Chef Tony’s Popcorn factory in Bulacan
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Steph Arnaldo
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13/07/2024 17:23
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MANILA, Philippines – Have you ever wondered how your favorite snack is made? If you’ve always loved Chef Tony’s Popcorn, you might love it even more knowing how the well-loved popcorn is made.
The local brand has been sourcing the finest ingredients to perfect the crunch and flavor of each popcorn kernel since 15 years ago. Founded by Chef Tony Elepano in 2005, Chef Tony’s started as a small popcorn cart in a family-owned cemetery in Calamba, Laguna.
More than a decade later, the household brand thrives on its foundation of innovation and quality with every handmade batch. On June 28, Rappler had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how the iconic popcorn is produced as we were invited by Chef Tony’s TikTok Shop to visit Chef Tony’s factory in Jolly Industrial Park, Barangay Parulan, Plaridel, Bulacan.
We also got to interview Chef Tony and his plant operations head, and learned how he turned a simple idea into a crunchy, sweet gourmet sensation.
Chef Tony’s Popcorn remains a success thanks to the rigorous standards its production team upholds. Rene Gallardo, the man at the helm of plant operations, shared how they ensure each popcorn tub meets the brand’s high standards.
“The process begins with carefully receiving materials,” Gallardo said in an interview with Rappler.
“We have stringent systems to guarantee the quality and safety of the ingredients we receive.” These materials are stored in temperature-controlled warehouses to maintain their integrity.
Once the raw materials are ready, they are prepared according to Chef Tony’s proprietary recipes.
“In our popping area, we cook the popcorn in kettles to ensure even cooking and flavor consistency,” Gallardo added. The cooked popcorn then moves to the tabbing area, where they are packed into the iconic plastic tubs.
Before packaging, each batch undergoes a rigorous quality check. The popcorn passes through a metal detector and lot coding process to ensure safety and traceability. The tubs are labeled with Chef Tony’s signature branding and pass through a shrink tunnel for additional safety measures before being boxed for storage and distribution.
The brand strictly adheres to Food and Drug Administration regulations and good warehousing practices. Each step of their process undergoes rigorous checks to prevent contamination and ensure the highest quality.
During our visit, we noticed how they inspect raw materials for cleanliness and quality before storage and batching. Watching the cooking process was fascinating – extra precautions are taken to avoid contamination from the equipment. Their quality system is rock-solid, ensuring each kernel pops to perfection without a hitch.
But it doesn’t stop there. Chef Tony’s also manages logistics with an in-house delivery system. By avoiding third-party logistics services, they maintain greater control over the transportation process, upholding their high product quality and reliability standards. This means that Chef Tony’s ensures the popcorn you love is as fresh and delicious as possible from the moment the kernels arrive to the second they hit the shelves.
Chef Tony’s journey began with a vision to “elevate snacking.”
“When we started, the snack market was quite limited,” he shared with Rappler. “I wanted to translate my culinary skills into the snacking world and create something using ingredients I love.”
He realized popcorn was a viable canvas and began experimenting in his restaurants. The first product he developed was the original caramel popcorn.
“I was obsessed with the shape of the popcorn and wanted to create a product that didn’t get stuck in your teeth. We aimed for a very thin coating, which led to the creation of our original caramel flavor,” he added.
The brand is known for its adventurous flavors, such as its newly released adobo and kare-kare.
“We use natural ingredients to create authentic flavors. For example, our adobo flavor includes real soy sauce, garlic powder, and laurel leaves. It’s about creating an experience that resonates with our customers,” Chef Tony said.
We had the chance to savor Chef Tony’s newest innovation: Filipino ulam-inspired flavors like adobo and kare-kare popcorn. The adobo flavor offered a distinct fusion of vinegar, soy sauce, and the distinct aroma of laurel leaves, capturing the essence of this classic dish. Meanwhile, the kare-kare popcorn delighted with its nutty and delicious taste, reminiscent of the traditional Filipino peanut sauce.
When asked about consumer skepticism toward unconventional flavors, Chef Tony encourages everyone to “try something new” as he aims to show that local flavors can be excellent in a snack format. “Embracing local flavors helps us share our culture with the world,” he added.
The journey from concept to market was not without its challenges – Chef Tony emphasized the importance of innovation and attention to detail. The tub’s unique design, which requires a squeeze to open, quickly became synonymous with Chef Tony’s brand.
“It’s not just packaging; it’s part of the brand experience. When people see the tub, they immediately know it’s Chef Tony’s,” he said as he is also committed to sustainability, especially in their packaging design.
Remember to squeeze the tub when opening! The unique design ensures maximum freshness for your popcorn.
“We wanted to be responsible with our footprint. The tub can be reused three to four times, and it’s microwavable and freezer-safe. It’s even waterproof, so you can use it to protect your phone at the beach,” he added.
Chef Tony plans to expand the brand’s reach by leveraging e-commerce platforms, particularly TikTok Shop. Online platforms are excellent for launching new products and engaging directly with consumers, allowing them to showcase new flavors and receive immediate feedback.
With 15 years of experience, Chef Tony’s has expanded its footprint into neighboring countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Dubai, and Thailand, showcasing its expertise in popcorn craftsmanship.
While growing its reach, the brand stays true to its Filipino roots, continuing to provide a diverse selection of high-quality snacks for families and friends to enjoy. – Kila Orozco/Rappler.com
Kila Orozo is a Rappler intern.
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Standhardinger respects Cone’s decision after Ginebra-Terrafirma swap
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Jasmine Payo
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13/07/2024 11:44
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TOUGH SHOT. Christian Standhardinger in action for Barangay Ginebra in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra star Christian Standhardinger said on Saturday, July 13, that he harbors no ill will after being shipped from the Gin Kings to the Terrafirma Dyip.
Standhardinger, along with teammate Stanley Pringle, head to the Dyip, in exchange for Stephen Holt and Isaac Go in a massive swap of former first overall picks.
“I acknowledge Coach Tim (Cone’s) decision and respect it,” Standhardinger said on his Instagram post.
“It’s part of the game, and I wish him and the team all the best moving forward,” added the presumptive MVP runner-up and Mythical First Team member in the 2023-2024 PBA season.
Standhardinger finished second behind seven-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo in the statistical points race, a major factor in determining the league MVP.
The Filipino-German averaged 19.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks last season for Ginebra, which ended both of its conferences in semifinals losses.
Cone, fresh off his Gilas Pilipinas stint in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia, told reporters that Ginebra will be looking for a big man or a point guard as the team will now pick third overall in Sunday’s draft proceedings – a deal part of the blockbuster trade.
Nevertheless, the veteran forward-center was thankful for his time with Ginebra, where he bagged two titles, a Finals MVP, and a Best Player of the Conference plum during his three-year stint.
“I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible support and love you’ve shown me throughout my time with Barangay Ginebra,” he said.
“Being part of this team has been a truly unforgettable journey, and I’m grateful for every cheer, every chant, and every moment of encouragement.”
“To the fans, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he added. “Your unwavering support has meant the world to me, and it has been an honor to play for you and represent the Ginebra colors.”
In a follow-up post on his social media accounts, Standhardinger said he was “keen on staying with Ginebra.”
The reaction came after Cone said the Ginebra star had expressed last conference “that he would prefer to play in a different system and under a different coach.”
“Just to clarify, a year ago, I was open to being traded due to some dissatisfaction. However, after playing the whole season, I was keen on staying with Ginebra,” said Standhardinger.
“Recently, during my exit meeting, Coach Tim asked me if I was good to continue playing for him and the team. I said yes, and he expressed his happiness to have me on board.”
Just a day before the league announced Saturday’s surprise trade, Standhardinger said he got a call from Cone, noting the decision to trade him for “younger players.”
“I want to emphasize that I had nothing to do with this decision as I was committed to finishing my contract with Ginebra,” the 35-year-old big man said.
“Again, I respect the decision and understand the business side of sports. I just want to clarify that I did not leave you guys.” — Rappler.com
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Baguio, neighbors boost landslide defense with high-tech tools
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Jairo Bolledo
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14/07/2024 9:30
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SUMMER CAPITAL. File photo of Session Road in Baguio City.
Mau Victa/Rappler
BAGUIO, Philippines – In the race against nature’s whims, the Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay (BLISTT) local governments just got their high-tech leg up.
The local government units (LGUs) equipped their localities with updated landslide maps and a comprehensive monitoring system. These resources came from research projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development.
On Friday, July 12, disaster officials from BLISTT received landslide susceptibility maps, risk maps, rainfall threshold data, landslide sensors, monitoring systems, and mobile applications.
These tools were born from the Modeling and Understanding Landslide Events (MULAT) program of BLISTT. This initiative, which ran from July 2022 to July 2024, focused on analyzing rainfall thresholds and their direct impact on landslide occurrences. The LGUs initiated the program in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Baguio and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Cordillera.
Dymphna Nolasco Javier, MULAT-BLISTT’s program head, expressed hope that the information on rainfall-induced landslides maps would be used by LGUs to update their disaster management plans.
Nathaniel Vincent Lubrica, project leader of the Cordillera Administrative Landslide Monitoring Integrated Toolbox, said that the website and mobile application will be introduced to the BLISTT LGUs in the coming months for testing and monitoring.
“Hopefully, the LGUs will see the importance of the technology and integrate this in their disaster and emergency operations,” Lubrica said.
Citing MGB records, Lubrica said the mountainous Cordillera region is among the areas in the country most prone to landslides, which are often triggered by heavy rainfall. – Rappler.com
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Bookworm inmates in Bago City Jail need more books, magazines
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Victor Barreiro Jr.
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14/07/2024 8:54
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BAGO JAIL READERS. Lady inmates at the Bago City District Jail in Negros Occidental.
Bago City District Jail
BACOLOD, Philippines – The Bago City Public Library (BCPL) in Negros Occidental on Thursday, July 11, launched a book donation drive for inmates at the city’s district jail.
Aline Montuya, a staff at the BCPL, said they now rally for more book donors to fill in a junction at the Bago City District Jail’s (BCDJ) chapel, which is being used now as a library for inmates.
“The area at the jail’s chapel is smaller than a mini-library but we find it so useful with some books and magazines as many inmates at BCDJ spend their vacant time reading even inside their respective detention cells, Montuyo told Rappler.
“In our monthly monitoring, we were amazed that there were really many bookworms inside jail,” Montuyo said.
“That’s why after a year we launched a library program with help of the city government, we campaign now for book donations or even magazine donations so we can provide lot of reading materials for our city’s inmates,” she added.
Jail Welfare and Development Officer Christine Contreras – David said BCDJ’s library was launched in May 2023 to develop reading habits among Bago’s inmates, and in compliance with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) mandate.
But the beauty in it is, David said the jail’s library complemented with their “Kapwa Ko, Guro Ko” (KPGK) program, which was also started in 2022.
KPGK is a writing, reading, and math mentoring program being led by college level or graduate inmates acting as teachers to their fellow inmates who are willing to learn still.
At present, David said BCDJ has 255 inmates (246 males and 9 females).
Moreover, David said the current book donation drive of the BCPL for BCDJ inmates will surely be good for its Alternative Learning System (ALS) for the incoming school year of 2024-2025.
“Right now, we have a total 81 new ALS enrollees – 14 in the elementary, 24 in junior high school, 43 in senior high school,” she disclosed.
With more reading materials, David said these will aid in their quest to have more literate inmates in Bago, calling it “a noble mission.”
Bago Mayor Nicholas Yulo hailed BCPL’s initiative regarding book donation drive for their city’s inmates.
He said it’s a boon for the inmates’ drive to learn more or finish school either in the elementary or high school.
Meanwhile, this coming July 25, Montuya said they will be holding the first anniversary of the jail’s library themed “Bridging the Gap” to be highlighted by a turn-over ceremony of donated books to the city’s library.
“So, from book donors to city’s library to the city’s jail. That will be the essence of our mission why we launched this book donation drive almost 12 days prior to the city jail library anniversary on the 25th,” she added. – Rappler.com
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Mayor Alice Guo’s ex-accountant arrested, now under Senate custody
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Jairo Bolledo
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14/07/2024 9:35
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HOT SEAT. Mayor Alice Leal Guo answers questions from senators during the continuation of the public hearing on the raided Philippine offshore gaming operator facility in Bamban, Tarlac, on May 22, 2024.
Angie de Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine authorities, on Saturday, July 13, arrested Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo’s former accountant following the Senate’s arrest order against the mayor and her companions.
The Senate’s Office of the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) reported on Saturday that their team nabbed Nancy Gamo at around 1 pm. However, authorities were not able to find Guo in her Bamban address.
Authorities also failed to find and arrest Guo’s siblings: Wesley, Shiela, and Seimen, as well as Dennis Cunanan, a former government official convicted in pork barrel scam. Cunanan was also implicated in the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) scheme.
Gamo will remain under the Senate custody and will be detained there. She could be held under custody as long as the Senate inquiry into illegal POGO continues.
On Saturday, the upper legislative chamber ordered Guo’s arrest, including seven of her companions, for “unduly refusing to appear, despite due notices,” in the ongoing Senate hearings into illegal POGOs. The order dated July 11, and was signed by Senate President Chiz Escudero and Senator Risa Hontiveros as the chair of the Senate women on children, family relations, and gender equality, was only made public on Saturday morning.
Aside from Guo, the Senate also ordered the arrest of Gamo, Cunanan, her siblings, and their alleged parents: Jian Zhong Guo and Wen Yi Lin.
For snubbing the hearing on July 10, the Senate panel led by Hontiveros cited Guo and her companions in contempt. This paved the way for their arrest because under rules, individuals may be arrested and detained if they were held in contempt by a legislative body like the Senate. A day before she was cited in contempt, the mayor has reached to the Supreme Court, asking the High Court to help her be spared from attending Senate hearings.
Guo has been the subject of Senate hearings for her alleged ties with an illegal POGO raided in her hometown. During the inquiries, her nationality and citizenship were also questioned because of inconsistencies about her personal life.
For her alleged ties with the illegal POGO raided because of complaints about alleged human trafficking, Guo faces a non-bailable offense of qualified trafficking. The Office of the Solicitor General has also moved to cancel her birth certificate, which could help in the possible quo warranto case against her. The quo warranto petition has the power to remove Guo from public office.
The Court of Appeals recently froze Guo’s assets after the appellate court had granted the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s petition. This means the mayor cannot use her money and other assets as long as the order stands. The court’s freeze order takes effect immediately and lasts for 20 days, unless extended by the court. – Rappler.com
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‘Sayang’: Trackster Mico Villaran laments in-limbo Palaro 2024 record amid oval issue
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jisaga0269
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13/07/2024 21:22
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WIN IN DOUBT. Western Visayas trackster Mico Villaran in action in the Palarong Pambansa 2024
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – All athletes should head into competitions free of all worries except their task at hand, no matter what level.
In essence, that was the sentiment shared by Palarong Pambansa 2024 star trackster Mico Villaran, who now finds his boys secondary 110-meter hurdles record hanging in the balance due to the controversial, substandard oval at the Cebu City Sports Center, the central hub of the multisport showpiece.
“Thank you to those who complained about the 398-meter oval, because before we let games happen here, it should have been properly measured. It should really be all ready,” the Western Visayas standout lamented in Filipino after winning the 400m hurdles on Saturday, July 13.
Due to an investigation revealing the renovated track being two meters short of the 400m standard, Palaro officials have preemptively nullified all new records made at the 30-year-old oval while still recognizing all medal wins as is.
This, however, impedes athletes’ respective pursuits at Palaro record-related monetary incentives, which many LGUs value at a significantly higher rate than the usual medal-related bonuses, and complicates changes made in the Palaro history books.
“Thank you also to the other coaches who complained about the issue,” Villaran, the 16-year-old standout from Bacolod, continued. “All of us, including other athletes who break other records [on this track], would feel that it’s a wasted opportunity. Sayang.”
Villaran’s coach Luis Miguel Arca added: “I feel sad for my athlete and for me also, because as what I have said earlier, we came here for the record, not for the gold.”
Despite valid clamors, however, any attempt by Palaro officials to reinstate track records will be invalid as long as the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) – the true authority on such matters – has not handed its verdict.
“We are trying to have a third party that will come in to get the measure, to validate the measurement of the contractor at 398 [meters],” said Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas.
“Why is this so important? Because we have the PATAFA that provides the guidelines for the measurement of the oval…and a consequence of [an inaccurate] measurement of the standard oval would result [in] the non-inclusion of the official times of our runners.”
“If we [at DepEd] certify that they are on standard, [PATAFA will also] be dragged into the controversy, and that will be a red flag to the World Athletics association as well,” added Bringas.
With two days left in the Palaro 2024 athletics meet, future records will remain in limbo unless the PATAFA steps in to make its final call.
For now, athletes like Villaran will have to continue competing with asterisks and question marks hovering above their heads, which is certainly not ideal for young athletes of their promising caliber. – Rappler.com
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MIBF clarifies book signing policy following criticisms from authors, small publishers
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jreyes0314
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13/07/2024 20:32
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MANILA, Philippines – The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) has clarified its policy prohibiting book signings for exhibitors who take up less than 15 booths during the event, following a slew of criticisms from several Filipino authors and small publishers.
Several publishers had received emails from the MIBF’s organizers Primetrade on Thursday, July 11, stating that book signings would be prohibited for exhibitors who take up less than 15 booths during the event to “avoid disturbance to the other exhibitors.”
Two days later, on Saturday, July 13, San Anselmo Publications’ executive publisher, Marvin Aceron, shared that Primetrade met with them and other publishers to make clarifications on the policy. Aceron said the organizers’ higher managers were not consulted about the controversial email and that it was “an honest mistake.”
Aceron then said Primetrade assured them that in-booth activities are encouraged. He said they later received an email from the organizers clarifying that book signing is allowed, provided that a queueing system is implemented for the book signings of “rockstar authors.”
“Book signings within the booth shall be allowed, provided that a proper queuing system is established and crowd control measures are properly implemented by marshals. Moreover, lines that cover the frontage of other exhibitors’ spaces will be moved to another area, with the exhibitor assigning additional marshals to manage the lines to achieve smooth coordination and flow for buyers,” MIBF organizers said in its email publicly shared by Aceron, adding that the guideline was for crowd control and that it wasn’t their intention to “undermine” any of the exhibitors.
This comes after small publishers like San Anselmo Publications, as well as the Indie Publishers Collab PH (TIPC), criticized the MIBF’s initial rule.
According to San Anselmo Publications’ Aceron, Primetrade only informed them of the rule after they had settled their down payment and signed the forfeiture clause. However, Aceron pointed out that the broader issue was that the MIBF would merely be an event that sells books you can already find in the mall anyway.
“More than that, the real threat to the book fair (which the organizers seem unaware of) is that it will become boring again. We’re reverting to the pre-pandemic years, with big chains simply moving stock from their bookstores. What’s the point of a book fair if it offers the same titles as the mall?” he wrote.
Meanwhile, the TIPC held that the rule limits the exposure that could have been given to their published authors.
“The rule is unfair since it discriminates against small publishers like ourselves, who can barely afford a 3 meter x 3 meter booth that costs [P74,000] plus VAT, but persist because we want to make our titles available to the general reading public, and thus give a bigger exposure to our authors and the important messages we want to communicate,” the TIPC wrote.
The TIPC then emphasized that it is through book signings that they are able to attract readers, boost book sales, and give authors and readers a chance to interact with each other. It also said that it was evident that the MIBF only caters to the big publishers and, in turn, disregards independent publishers, small presses, and Filipino literature as a whole.
Several small presses, bookstores, and publishers like Gantala Press, Alubat Publishing, Aklat Alamid, and Sadiri Publishing, among others, reshared TIPC’s statement on Facebook.
Author Jerry B. Gracio also weighed in, saying that the MIBF should be boycotted if it refuses to remove its policy that puts small publishers at a disadvantage.
“‘Yung small publishers dapat ang inaalagaan, hindi malalaking publishers dahil malalaki na ‘yun e, kaya na nila sarili nila. Ayusin na lang ang Philippine Book Festival, huwag nang magpunta sa MIBF kung puro tubo lang nasa isip ng mga ‘yan,” Gracio wrote.
(Small publishers should be looked after, not the big publishers because they can already manage. Just fix the Philippine Book Festival, don’t go to MIBF anymore if all it cares about is profit.)
Meanwhile, author and journalist Joel Pablo Salud called on the MIBF to “rethink their position.”
“Authors of publishers with smaller booths have as much right to sign their works as those belonging to larger publishing houses. Authors and publishers great and small are the centerpiece of the MIBF, not the other way around. Live with it,” Salud wrote on Facebook.
The MIBF is set to happen from September 11 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. – Rappler.com
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Cone says Ginebra needs to ‘get younger’ after shipping Standhardinger, Pringle
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Jasmine Payo
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13/07/2024 12:57
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CONTENDERS. Coach Tim Cone and the Ginebra players react from the sidelines during a PBA game.
PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines — While tough, Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone admitted that both the team and Christian Standhardinger wanted to go different directions, and the endgame – a blockbuster trade approved by the PBA on Saturday, July 13.
Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and Ginebra’s 10th overall pick in Sunday’s rookie draft were traded to the Terrafirma Dyip in exchange for Stephen Holt, Isaac Go, and the third pick.
All four players were former No. 1 rookie selections.
“It was a combination of things,” Cone told Rappler. “First off, let me just say, it was tough to move on from Christian and Stanley, who were absolute studs for us over the past few years.”
“Stanley was absolutely dominating when we first acquired him and Christian was the best player in the league next to JuneMar (Fajardo) over the past couple of years,” he added.
“However, on our part, we felt we needed to get younger, and for Christian, he had stated to us a conference ago that he would prefer to play in a different system and under a different coach.”
Standhardinger won the Best Player of the Conference in the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup, as well as the Finals MVP in the 2022-2023 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Filipino-German also stands as the presumptive MVP runner-up and Mythical First Team member in the 2023-2024 PBA season.
“No doubt, he loved his teammates and playing for the Ginebra fans, but he felt it was better to move on,” Cone said of Standhardinger.
In the recently concluded season, Standhardinger finished behind seven-time league MVP June Mar Fajardo in the statistical points race, which makes up for 40% of the MVP criteria.
Standhardinger, a 35-year-old big man, normed 19.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks for Ginebra last season, but their team got ousted in the semifinals in both conferences.
Pringle, now 37, saw his performance dip since winning the Best Player of the Conference award iin the PBA “bubble” during the pandemic-hit 2020 Philippine Cup.
According to Cone, Ginebra contemplated various trades before going ahead with the Terrafirma deal, saying it gave them “the chance to move up in what we see is a strong draft.“
This allows the team flexibility in acquiring a point guard or big man of choice in a talent-heavy draft class bannered by Justine Baltazar, Kai Ballungay, RJ Abarrientos, Sedrick Barefield, Mark Nonoy, and Draft Combine MVP Jonnel Policarpio.
“We will miss Christian and Stanley and always appreciate the championships we won together,” said Cone, the concurrent Gilas Pilipinas tactician.
“We wish them the best as they continue their careers.” — Rappler.com
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US-trained Elaiza Yulo sparks Palaro 2024 gold rush, on track for 6-medal sweep
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jisaga0269
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13/07/2024 20:05
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RISING STAR. National Capital Region's Elaiza Andriel Yulo competes in the women's artistic gymnastics event of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – Young artistic gymnastics sensation Elaiza Yulo got off to a hot start in her Palarong Pambansa return after a one-year hiatus to train in the United States, snagging two golds in the girls secondary individual all-around (IAA) and team categories on Friday, July 12.
With the results officially confirmed on Saturday, July 13, the youngest sister of star gymnasts Carlos and Eldrew Yulo is now on track for a six-gold sweep in the apparatus finals (balance beam, single bar, vault, floor exercise) at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT) on Sunday, July 14.
Despite early struggles in the balance beam, the 14-year-old Yulo rebounded well in the subsequent floor, single bar, and vault rotations to finish with a 42.25 score and nab the IAA gold over NCR teammates Cielo Andrea Esliza (41.20) and Amara Zoe Lagdameo (38.05).
Together, the super trio clinched the team gold with zero resistance as they totaled 121.5 points, worlds apart from silver medalist Western Visayas (86.9) and tied third-placers Central Luzon and Calabarzon (83.6).
The standout results were in all likelihood a byproduct of Yulo’s natural talent boosted by overseas training, which caused her to miss the Palaro 2023 edition in Marikina City that would have been her secondary level debut.
Prior to the IAA rotations, Yulo credited her US stint as a key factor in improving her confidence back at the local level.
“It was a really big help for me because I learned a lot of skills and other experiences,” she said in Filipino.
“The US training was quite the same as the one I have here, but the US just had more equipment, very much complete.”
Time will tell if Yulo can keep her hot streak going in the apparatus finals, but if her lineage and growing résumé is any indication, another golden wave is coming in Cebu City this Sunday evening. – Rappler.com
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Strong Group kicks off Jones Cup bid with 25-point rout of UAE
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Jasmine Payo
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13/07/2024 16:31
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FOCUSED. Strong Group-Pilipinas players huddle at the sidelines in the 2024 Jones Cup opener against UAE.
JONES CUP
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group-Pilipinas wasted no time flashing its dominance in the 43rd William Jones Cup as it stormed past United Arab Emirates in its opening assignment, 104-79, on Saturday, July 13, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
Former San Miguel Beermen import Chris McCullough shone the brightest for the powerhouse Strong Group with an all-around stat line of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
PBA hopeful Caelan Tiongson had 13 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, while American import Tajuan Agee and Japan B. League star Kiefer Ravena added 12 and 11 markers, respectively, for the Charles Tiu-mentored Philippine side.
Led by the starting unit of McCullough, Agee, Ravena, Jordan Heading, and DJ Fenner, Strong Group got off to a sizzling start as it jumped out to a 32-18 lead over UAE at the end of the first quarter.
It was the former Gilas Pilipinas sharpshooter Heading who made a mark for Strong Group early as he dropped all his 9 points in just the opening period on a red-hot 3-of-3 clip from long distance.
Coming off the halftime break with an 18-point edge, 50-32, the Philippines then increased its lead further to 26 points, 71-45, thanks to back-to-back slams by McCullough and Agee late in the third quarter.
A fiery 10-0 run by UAE bridging the third and fourth quarters got them back to within 13, 60-73, before Strong Group unleashed its own massive rally to stretch its lead to its largest at 30 points, 94-64, off a layup by Dave Ildefonso in the dying minutes of the final frame.
Like Heading, PBA-bound RJ Abarrientos and naturalized Filipino big man Ange Kouame scored 9 points apiece for Strong Group.
Abarrientos also dished out a game-high 10 assists, highlighted by a crafty no-look pass to Geo Chiu for a two-handed jam in the fourth period.
Fenner chipped in 8 points, Ildefonso and Allen Liwag contributed 6, while Chiu and Tony Ynot poured in 4 and 2 markers, respectively.
High-flying Filipino sensation Rhenz Abando and Letran Knights rookie Titing Manalili sat out Strong Group’s wire-to-wire victory.
For UAE, DeMarco Dickerson was the lone bright spot as he exploded for a game-high 29 points on 5-of-7 shooting from deep.
Strong Group shoots for a 2-0 start in the single-round robin tournament when it battles Australia’s BSBL Guardians on Sunday, July 14, at 1 pm. – Rappler.com
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Schedule, roster: Strong Group-Pilipinas out to reclaim Jones Cup glory
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Jasmine Payo
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12/07/2024 11:21
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READY. Strong Group-Pilipinas gears up for the 2024 Jones Cup.
STRONG GROUP ATHLETICS
MANILA, Philippines – After a woeful seventh-place finish last year, the Philippines looks primed to elevate its game with a new roster in the 43rd William Jones Cup in Taipei from July 13 to 21.
Strong Group-Pilipinas, the country’s new representative in the basketball club tournament, aims to reclaim the crown the Filipinos last won in 2019 under the banner of Mighty Sports.
“I really like what I’m seeing. We’ve got great balance, a lot of talent, [like our] wings,” said coach Charles Tiu as Strong Group takes a shot at the tournament after Rain or Shine’s campaign last year.
“It’s a good problem to have, we have a lot of guys. I have to figure out how to use everybody… but it’s really nice, they’re all coachable, they all pick up fast.”
Tiu, who mentored another Strong Group roster to a silver-medal finish in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship last January, looks to lean on another star-studded roster led by Kiefer Ravena, Jordan Heading, Rhenz Abando, RJ Abarrientos, and former San Miguel import Chris McCullough.
The Philippines braces for a virtually daily, tough grind in the nine-team field. Here’s Strong Group’s schedule:
Just like previous editions, the Jones Cup pits teams in a single round-robin format, with the squad finishing with the best record claiming the championship.
Last year, the USA squad represented by the University of California Irvine Anteaters completed an 8-0 sweep to bag the Jones Cup crown.
In 2019, before the pandemic shelved three editions of the tournament, Mighty Sports also completed a perfect 8-0 run to rule the tournament.
Representing a big obstacle for the Philippines is an all-new United States squad, the Future Sports USA, which will be led by former Strong Group import McKenzie Moore.
The 6-foot-6 Moore suited up for Strong Group in the Dubai International Basketball Championship earlier this year, where he reinforced the Charles Tiu-mentored squad, together with former NBA players Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche, and Andre Roberson.
This time, Moore will join forces with fellow American overseas imports such as Billy Preston and Marcus Elliott, as the United States shoots for a second straight gold-medal finish.
Another team posing a significant challenge for Strong Group’s hopes of a podium finish in the tournament is the United Arab Emirates, which the Filipinos will face in their opening assignment.
Bannered by the likes of Qais Alshabebi, Mohamed Albreiki, Hamid Abdullateef, and DeMarco Dickerson, UAE aims to get back at Strong Group after falling to the Philippine side, 82-66, in their Dubai International Basketball Championship matchup in January.
Chinese Taipei-Blue also looks to give Strong Group a run for its money as it aims for a first-place finish in this year’s Jones Cup after settling for silver in the 2023 edition.
Seeking to bring the gold medal back to the Philippines, expect Strong Group to flex its depth in the tournament as the powerhouse squad features multiple overseas-based players and players with Gilas Pilipinas experience.
Look for Ravena and the PBA-bound Abarrientos to facilitate the Strong Group offense, dish out assists, and provide timely baskets for the star-studded cast.
Both Ravena and Abarrientos saw action in the Japan B. League last season, where the former powered his team to a B2 title.
Ravena is also one of two Strong Group players with FIBA World Cup experience, along with the high-flying Abando, as they were both part of the 12-man Gilas Pilipinas roster in the recent World Cup held in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, count on Heading and Filipino-American guard DJ Fenner to shoot the lights out from long distance for Strong Group.
Heading already made waves for Strong Group in the Dubai International Basketball Championship in January, where he averaged 11.1 points in eight outings.
The 6-foot-6 Fenner, on the other hand, averaged 15.7 points on 40.9% shooting from beyond the arc for the Heroes Den Bosch in the 2023-2024 FIBA Europe Cup.
Finally, look for McCullough to be the team’s go-to guy, who will carry Strong Group’s scoring cudgels in this year’s Jones Cup.
The three-year NBA veteran McCullough last played for the Formosa Dreamers in the 2023-2024 P. League+ season in Taiwan, where he averaged a monster double-double of 20 points and 12.8 rebounds in 26 regular season matches.
McCullough is also expected to anchor Strong Group’s defense, together with 6-foot-10 naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame and 6-foot-9 American import Tajuan Agee.
Here’s the complete roster:
– with a report from Eugero Vincent Liberato/Rappler.com
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Makati’s Corner Tree Cafe to close down after 15 years
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Steph Arnaldo
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13/07/2024 17:32
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CLOSING. Makati City's vegetarian restaurant is closing in September 2024.
Corner Tree Cafe's Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – After 15 years of serving vegetarian fare, Corner Tree Cafe is permanently closing down its flagship branch along Jupiter Street, Makati City.
The beloved homegrown plant-based restaurant shared the news on Facebook that they will be open only until September 30, 2024.
“That’s still 2.5 months from now. Come as much as you want before we close and you can still order from us after. Thank you all!!! Much love from the Corner Tree Cafe,” it said.
Corner Tree Cafe, known for its cozy ambiance and meat-free yet hearty takes on comfort food favorites, will continue to offer takeaway and delivery services from its cloud kitchen at 5782 Felipe Street, Poblacion. More details about these services will be posted on Facebook and Instagram.
“It has been an honor and joy to serve you for the last 15 years,” the restaurant continued. “If we do reopen, you’ll find us. Until then…peace to all.”
Corner Tree Cafe was founded by Chiqui Mabanta, who opened the restaurant in 2009 with a pioneering vision of creating a warm and inviting plant-based space for vegetarians, vegans, and health-conscious diners.
Some of Corner Tree Cafe’s best-known dishes include the Vegetarian Kare-Kare with fermented beans bagoong; the Corner Tree Burger with a veggie burger of chickpeas and mushrooms; the creamy Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna with layers of spinach, mushrooms, and ricotta cheese; and the Arroz a la Cubana made from minced tofu with tomatoes, green olives, and raisins, served with an optional fried egg, fried bananas, and red rice.
Corner Tree Cafe expanded to a second location in Powerplant Mall at Rockwell in 2019, but the branch closed in 2023.
Corner Tree Cafe is located at 150 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City. – Steph Arnaldo/Rappler.com
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IN CHARTS: Which region has dominated Palarong Pambansa through the years?
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jpcruz0306
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06/07/2024 17:17
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Raffy De Guzman/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Palarong Pambansa, the premier youth sports event in the Philippines, gathers elementary and high school athletes from all over the country annually.
The Palaro also stands as a symbol of regional pride and competitive spirit.
As the 2024 edition of the national games kicks off in Cebu City, Rappler has created a chart to highlight which region has dominated the Palarong Pambansa based on the number of medals they’ve accumulated through the years.
Due to the unavailability of historical data, this chart only covers data from 2008 to 2019 and 2023. The games were halted from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Capital Region (NCR) has long dominated the Palarong Pambansa, as data from 2013 to 2023 has shown. In the 2023 edition of the national games held in Marikina, NCR secured 85 gold, 74 silver, and 55 bronze medals.
From 2008 to 2013, Western Visayas consistently placed second. However, in 2014, Calabarzon has taken over the second spot, maintaining this position until the 2019 games. Western Visayas reclaimed the second spot in 2023.
Reviewing historical data also reveals Central Luzon‘s upward trajectory in terms of performance. It placed 10th in 2017, climbed to 8th in 2018, achieved 6th in 2019, and secured 4th place in 2023.
In 2016, Negros Island Region Athletics Association (NIRAA) made its debut in Palarong Pambansa finishing 6th. This comes after former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III signed an executive order creating the Negros Island Region.
NIRAA participated until 2017 when it placed 4th. Its participation in the Palarong Pambansa was halted after then-President Rodrigo Duterte, revoked Aquino’s executive order citing a lack of funds.
On June 13, the Negros Island Region was finally institutionalized after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12000. For the 2024 edition of the games, however, the participants from Negros Island would still compete under Western Visayas.
For years, NCR has been a powerhouse in the Palarong Pambansa. Will a new contender rise to dethrone the capital region from the top spot?
Follow Rappler’s Palarong Pambansa coverage to see who will emerge victorious in this year’s competition. – Rappler.com
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TIMELINE: The Geneva Lopez and Yitzhak Cohen case
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Joann Manabat - CMS
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13/07/2024 17:13
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Kapampangan beauty queen, Geneva Lopez, and Israeli partner, Yitzhak Cohen
Facebook
TARLAC, Philippines – On June 22, social media posts from concerned friends announced that Kapampangan beauty queen Geneva Lopez and boyfriend Yitzhak Cohen were missing. The posts went viral, sparking public interest in the case.
Lopez, a Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023 candidate, and Cohen had gone to Tarlac for a supposed land transaction in Tarlac the day before, on June 21. Both had been unreachable on social media and their mobile phone numbers since around 3 pm of that day.
Police say seven people are believed to be involved in the case, including two former cops. They are looking at a botched land transaction as the possible motive behind the killing of the couple.
Here is the timeline of the case based on police reports obtained by Rappler.
The Bureau of Fire Protection in Capas, Tarlac (BFP-Capas), investigates an abandoned and burned SUV in Barangay Cristo Rey a few hours past midnight, after a video of the burning car was sent to the BFP-Capas Facebook account.
Lopez’s family confirm that the recovered items from the vehicle, including an ID, belong to Geneva.
Lopez’s sister, Joni, reports the couple as missing. She also hands in a request for a flash alarm of an abandoned burned vehicle from the Capas municipal police station.
Capas police begin to establish the connection between Lopez and former cop Michael Guiang, who, they discover, met prior to the couple’s disappearance. CCTV footage confirms the last sighting of Lopez and Cohen in a gray Nissan Terra and meeting Guiang who drove a black Ford Everest.
Capas police discover that the black SUV is registered to Guiang and invite him to the municipal police station. Guiang arrives early in the morning for questioning and submits a notarized affidavit, revealing the name of Rommel Abuzo, another former cop.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story said that the white Nissan Terra is seen following the convoy of investigators. This has been corrected.
A white Nissan Terra with a “tampered plate number” is seen tailing the vehicles of the couple and Guiang, based on CCTV footage.
The Tarlac Forensic Crime Laboratory conducts a macro-etching on the burned vehicle which reveals the chassis and engine number.
The National Bureau of Investigation’s organized and transnational crime division coordinates with Capas police about the missing persons case.
Various law enforcement units and agencies meet for a case conference where vital information about the cause of the fire on the vehicle is also revealed.
Investigators conduct visits to sites related to the case. A charred mobile phone is recovered from the burned Nissan Terra.
The person who sent the video of the burning vehicle to BFP-Capas appears at the Capas police station and executes his sworn statement.
Capas police continues further coordination with the Clark Development Corporation and Metro Pacific Tollway Company for CCTV footage that may help in the case.
The Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit-3 says that they cannot conduct a digital forensic examination as the recovered mobile phone is “badly burned.”
Tarlac police activate the Provincial Committee on Missing and Found Persons comprised of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Regional Intelligence Unit-3, Tarlac’s Provincial Intelligence Unit, Forensic Unit, Cybercrime Response Team, regional and provincial Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Tarlac Legal Office, and the Bureau of Fire Protection-Capas station.
Local police and investigators conduct onsite inspections in Barangay Cristo Rey, Barangay Armenia, and other locations linked to the case.
A background investigation begins on Abuzo and two identified persons as alleged sellers of the land to the victims.
Around 8 pm, the white Nissan Terra that had previously tailed the couple and Guiang is seen abandoned in a vacant lot in Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City.
Less than an hour later, Abuzo claims ownership of the vehicle but further investigation reveals that the vehicle is registered under a different name. Further probe by the police reveals that Abuzo alleged Guiang to be the real owner of the white Terra and that he had a pending land transaction with Guiang.
A shoulder bag with handwriting on the sling, an inhaler, and a vape are recovered from the white Nissan Terra after it was turned over to the Tarlac HPG.
Legal counsels inform Capas MPS of Guiang’s additional sworn statement. The Regional Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) is activated.
The first SITG conference is held to consolidate information and plan further actions.
Jay Tacubanza confesses to Tarlac Governor Susan Yap about his involvement in the disappearance and the burning of the vehicle, leading to subsequent search warrants.
Armed with warrants, law enforcers conduct simultaneous searches in barangays San Francisco, Santa Ignacia, and San Luis in Tarlac City, leading to the arrest of Guiang and Abuzo for illegal possession of firearms.
A hand grenade and a 9mm caliber pistol with live ammunition are seized from Guiang. Two bags with a significant arsenal of various rounds of ammunition and firearm accessories are discovered in Abuzo’s possession.
On the same day, the bodies of Lopez and Cohen are found in a quarry site in Barangay Santa Lucia in Capas, Tarlac. Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda initially confirms this on his Facebook page.
The autopsy reveals that Lopez and Cohen had been shot. Lopez is cremated and brought to her hometown in Santo Tomas, Pampanga.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos present Guiang and Abuzo as primary suspects in the case, and Jeffrey Santos, a civilian, as a third suspect.
Two more suspects, aliases “Dondon” and “Junjun” surrender to authorities while two more remain at large. A total of seven people are allegedly involved in crime.
Major General Leo Francisco, Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Major General Leo Francisco says at the press conference that a dispute over a piece of land owned by Guiang which he had mortgaged to Lopez could be the primary motive for the killings. Guiang wanted to take back the land he pawned but Lopez refused to give it back. – Rappler.com
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How to watch the Paris Olympics for free
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delfin.dioquino editor
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12/07/2024 13:41
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FOCUS. The Philippines' EJ Obiena in action during the men's pole vault final in the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Aleksandra Szmigiel/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – Celebrating 100 years of participation in the Olympics, Team Philippines seeks more sporting glory in the Paris Games set from July 26 to August 11.
Led by pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial, 22 athletes will represent the Philippines in its bid to follow up on its historic run in the previous Tokyo Games, where the country bagged one gold, two silvers, and one bronze.
Those 22 athletes need moral support now more than ever as they fly the Philippine flag on the grandest stage in sports.
Filipinos at home can give them exactly that by watching the games live, with Smart offering free streaming of the Olympics to subscribers of all networks through the Smart LiveStream App.
The Smart LiveStream App is scheduled to broadcast the games 24/7, with select events also to be streamed live on the Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas social media pages.
Aside from keeping up with the Philippines’ Olympic campaign, Filipinos can also catch basketball action as Team USA – bannered by NBA superstars LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant – shoots for a fifth straight gold.
The volleyball competitions will also be streamed, with fan favorites USA and Japan duking it out with the rest of the field. – Rappler.com
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We ruined protected areas, now we must save them
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Iya Gozum
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13/07/2024 16:15
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SPOTTED. One of four Philippine trogons spotted in the forests of Mount Apo in April 2024. DENR Soccsksargen MANP Cotabato
DENR Soccsksargen MANP Cotabato
The Instagram-famous limestone formations in Rizal seemed to have filtered through everybody’s timeline, including that of Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
In his post, the actor supported the call of Masungi Georeserve, a party currently in the thick of conflict with the Philippine government. DiCaprio, whether he was aware of it or not, added fuel to the fire.
“Now this success is in jeopardy, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources threatens to cancel the agreement that protects this area from prolific land grabbing activities,” the post read.
DiCaprio then proceeded to call on Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “intervene and continue to protect Masungi.” In some ways, the Hollywood actor and environmentalist shares a similar experience in business and advocacy, being the owner of a 104-acre island in Belize developed into a luxury eco-resort.
There was no response from the President. But the DENR reacted, issuing a statement a day after the post was made.
“We appreciate the statements of concern for the Philippine environment from international celebrities who are distinguished in their respective fields,” the DENR said.
A single-sentence paragraph followed: “However, no one is exempt from the law.”
And the law mandates the DENR to protect Philippine environment and resources.
The second year of the Marcos administration was marked by irregularities in the management of protected areas such as Chocolate Hills, Mt. Apo, parcels of land in Surigao del Norte and within the Upper Marikina Watershed.
The environment department had since exercised its power to cancel the agreement with alleged cult Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated (SBSI), though late, as one senator pointed out early on in the investigation.
It stopped operations of the illegal resort in Chocolate Hills in Bohol, and told House lawmakers back in May that the order allowing resorts in the protected area will be repealed.
While the department has taken actions on these controversies, there is still unfinished business in Masungi.
The DENR has the legal leverage as the Department of Justice already issued a formal opinion that Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc’s (MGFI) contract covering around 2,700 hectares of land in Upper Marikina Watershed is unconstitutional.
Yet it stalls on a decision on whether or not to cancel the contract. The agency passed the ball to Congress, which has yet to conclude its probe into the matter.
In the meantime, a slew of celebrities continue to voice out their support for MGFI. “In accordance with the legal system, the 2017 Memorandum of Agreement remains valid and binding unless declared otherwise by the courts,” the foundation maintained in a statement on July 8.
The legality of the contract – leasing hectares of public land without a specified time limit to one institution – gets buried in the noise. As well as the fact that the contract in question does not cover the famed georeserve and its ethereal hanging web and bridges, but a separate parcel of land in Rizal.
“It’s one thing to have the legal powers to do it, but legitimacy takes effort,” George Guerrero, an environmental lawyer from KLIMA of the Manila Observatory, told Rappler in an interview.
According to Guerrero, public opinion plays a huge part in how political institutions enforce laws.
For example, in the case of SBSI, the government was able to cancel the agreement because “there was a convergence of public opinion…and the legal powers of the DENR,” said Guerrero.
SBSI’s leader, Jey Rence ‘Señor Aguila’ Quilario, was under fire after it was revealed in Senate hearings that there were cases of child marriages and abuses under his watch.
Since 2004, the SBSI has had a protected area community-based resource management agreement with the government.
In the aftermath of the cancellation of this agreement, Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga said their approach is to remove settlers in the area “as humane[ly] and peaceful[ly] as possible.”
While protected areas are within the purview of the national government, their everyday management relies on local players.
Loyzaga had already ordered the evaluation and assessment of Protected Area Development and Management Board (PAMB) membership, a DENR representative told Rappler.
The PAMB, created under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) law, oversees the implementation of a protected area’s management plan.
The board is composed of the DENR regional executive director and representatives from local government, civil society, and indigenous cultural communities. They are not given any salary, but only allowances for their expenses while doing their work.
“Is there actual capacity to manage?” said Neil Mallari, an ecologist from the Center for Conservation Innovations.
Mallari pointed out that management of protected areas is just one of the long list of things that the environment department and its officials have had to deal with.
In view of the gigantic task ahead of the DENR now, Mallari said the challenge for Loyzaga, whose leadership he compared to former DENR secretary and marine biologist Angel Alcala, is how to change the old ways of doing things.
“Madaming moving parts ang environment sector,” said Mallari. (There are many moving parts in the environment sector.)
As a response to crimes that imperil the environment, the DENR has recently taken a stronger stance in pushing for enforcement powers.
The agency throws its support behind the bill creating the Environment Protection and Enforcement Bureau, which targets poachers, illegal loggers, and polluters.
The bill sponsored by Senator Loren Legarda and which is currently pending in the committee level, says the “infraction of protected area laws, rules and regulations have brought numerous issues with tremendous economic problems.”
On Friday, June 28, Loyzaga hiked the muddy trail from the remote village of Kagbana in Burauen, Leyte, to the site where two Philippine eagles were set to be released into the Anonang-Lobi mountain range.
Going to Kagbana and into the eagle habitat, the environment secretary went through the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park where Philippine ducks (Anas luzonica) swim in large lakes. The park is one of the protected areas listed under the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018, covering 340.82 hectares.
Up in Anonang-Lobi, the weather has been changing constantly. Up until the hour of release, conservationists were wishing for less rain and clear skies. Loyzaga arrived before noon, flanked by aides and welcomed by local officials and members of the press.
“You owe me,” she told Dennis Salvador, executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation, once they reached the clearing where a program was ongoing. Salvador laughed.
Anonang-Lobi is one of the key biodiversity areas in the country considered a highly suitable eagle habitat for repopulation. While not necessarily declared as protected areas, key biodiversity areas are places identified as priorities for conservation.
The Philippine eagle is one of the species that got conservation funding in the 2024 budget, said Loyzaga during her speech on June 28.
She mentioned the work of past leadership in the department for starting a series of field expeditions in 2015 to check for the bird’s presence (or more accurately, its absence) in Leyte after Super Typhoon Yolanda.
“For a critically endangered species such as the Philippine eagle, with only about 392 pairs remaining in the wild, every single individual counts,” Loyzaga said.
“Our hope therefore is that Uswag and Carlito will actually bear offspring that will help us reintroduce this species sustainably here in this part of the country.”
There is a push now from advocates to declare eagle habitats as protected areas, to give the bird a fighting chance against poachers and illegal loggers.
Advocating for a place to be declared a protected area is not altogether futile, despite the challenges of implementing laws. For one, it opens space for people to take matters into their own hands.
“[W]hen something is deemed a protected area and there are clear strictures around it, when you try to do citizen action, you can campaign against someone on the basis of negligence of the protected area,” said Guerrero in a mix of Filipino and English.
The conservation of the critically endangered species is inextricably linked to the protection of critical habitats. But not only wildlife are saved in the process of conservation swathes of forest lands, but humans too, from the impacts of climate change.
According to climate scientist Lourdes Tibig, protected areas help reduce concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions as 25% of these emissions can be absorbed by plants.
“[T]he greater the trees and the protected areas, the greater is the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed and leaving less in the atmosphere,” Tibig told Rappler.
That afternoon when the raptors had flown away, the crowd slowly thinned out and the organizers started packing their things. One of the eagles was perched on a tree visible from the platform where it was released. The biologist who had taken care of the eagles when they were in captivity trained his camera on the bird. He was silent as he was taking photos.
In principle, a pair of Philippine eagles needs around 6,800 to 7,400 hectares of forest lands to thrive. The Anonang-Lobi mountain range covers 110,000 hectares.
The eagles would roam forest lands, especially in their younger years when they have yet to settle and find their territory. They are unaware of the lines humans draw on maps, that their presence could spur a whole legal structure in place over forest lands. Boundaries do not serve their nature. – Rappler.com
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2 UAAP, 2 NCAA teams complete SSL semifinal cast
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Jasmine Payo
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13/07/2024 22:49
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UNBEATEN. The NU Lady Bulldogs react during the quarterfinals of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals.
Shakey’s Super League
MANILA, Philippines – Two UAAP teams and two more from the NCAA reigned supreme in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals on Saturday, July 13.
The NU Lady Bulldogs, the reigning UAAP women’s volleyball champions, arranged a semifinal duel against the Letran Lady Knights at 2 pm on Sunday, July 14.
Battling in the other semifinal match at 4 pm are three-time NCAA champion St. Benilde Lady Blazers and the FEU Lady Tamaraws.
FEU’s composure helped outlast a young UST Golden Tigresses side in a five-set nail-biter, 25-13, 18-25, 16-25, 25-18, 15-10, in their quarterfinal match at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Jean Asis dropped 17 points on 11 attacks, 5 blocks, and a service ace to lead the charge of the Recto-based squad as rookie Lovely Lopez also registered 13 points.
FEU unleashed a seven-point run to extinguish a UST comeback attempt midway through the fourth set and force a decider, where the Lady Tamaraws dominated to secure a semifinal berth.
“We had a mindset that this will not end in the fourth set, and we will force that fifth set and win it there. We had a braver approach and trusted each other,” Asis said in Filipino during a post-game interview.
Rookie Margaret Altea led the Tigresses with a game-high 20 markers.
The NU Lady Bulldogs prevailed in a battle of champions, thrashing the reigning CESAFI titlist University of Southern Philippines Foundation Lady Panthers in straight sets, 25-11, 25-12, 25-14, in their quarterfinal duel.
NU middle blocker Sheena Toring fired 10 points on 7 attacks and 3 blocks, while Myrtle Escanlar contributed 9 markers as the Lady Bulldogs showcased another spread-out scoring win.
Veteran Vange Alinsug sat out after leading NU in their Pool A sweep, while UAAP Season 86 MVP Bella Belen, who only played in the first two frames, chipped in 6 points built on 4 aces and 2 attacks.
Letran, meanwhile, made quick work of Pool B top seed University of Batangas Lady Brahmans in straight sets, 25-22, 25-10, 25-23, behind Gia Maquilang’s 16 markers.
The loss marked the end of a valiant tournament run for the Batangas squad, which stunned UST in its sweep of Pool B,
Also dominant in the quarterfinals were the St. Benilde Lady Blazers, who crushed Enderun Colleges, 25-13, 25-17, 25-14, behind Wielyn Estoque and Rhea Densing’s attacks. – Niño Dominic Ronquillo/Rappler
Niño Dominic Ronquillo is a Rappler intern.
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At least 2 reported missing after southwest monsoon caused floods, landslides in Bukidnon
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Jairo Bolledo
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13/07/2024 22:49
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CALAMITY. A landslide incident occurs in one of the areas in San Fernando, Bukidnon.
San Fernando Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Floods and landslides ravaged six towns in Bukidnon as a southwest monsoon or habagat caused intense rains in the province, disaster officials said on Saturday, July 13.
Two were reported missing in Barangay San Roque, Maramag town, after they were swept by the strong current while attempting to cross the Pulangi River. The local government’s search and rescue operation is ongoing.
Alejandro Navarro, chief of the Maramag Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), identified the victims as Evelyn Candido, 48, and her 17-year-old daughter, both residents of Barangay San Roque. The incident took place around 9 pm on July 12 when they were heading home from their farm in the neighboring barangay of Dagumbaan.
Navarro said the 11-year-old son of Evelyn, together with two other companions, were also present in the area, but they safely crossed the river.
“They were the ones who witnessed the incident, where his mother, his sibling, which is his sister, were carried by the water,” Navarro said in a Facebook live on Saturday upon providing updates online amid the weather disturbance, adding they coordinated with the neighboring towns to locate the missing victims.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Northern Mindanao also reported on Sunday, July 14, that there was a recent additional person reported missing in Cabanglasan town, also in Bukidnon, but the authorities are still verifying the information.
According to the latest report, a total of 9,244 individuals were affected by flooding in Bukidnon, of which 1,607 are currently staying in evacuation centers. Apart from Maramag, other affected areas include the towns of San Fernando, Pangantucan, Kalilangan, and the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia.
Damage and losses in agriculture were incurred specifically in Kalilangan town, totaling over P16 million for the cumulative costs.
The OCD Northern Mindanao also tallied 32 affected individuals in the province of Lanao del Norte, of which 27 were temporarily relocated to evacuation areas.
In Cagayan de Oro, near Bukidnon, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department recorded 21 evacuees from Barangay Bulua on Thursday, July 11. So far, all the evacuees have already returned to their homes.
As of this writing, no fatalities were reported. There were two persons reported injured, but these were only minor lacerations.
Meanwhile, some roads in the affected area are already cleared, while others are currently under clearing operation.
The state weather bureau PAGASA reported that a habagat had been affecting the western sections of Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. – Rappler.com
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WATCH: DepEd officials to probe Palaro 2024 track oval measurements
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jsitchon0312
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13/07/2024 23:32
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CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City Sports Center track oval became the center of controversy after organizers of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 learned that the oval’s measurements were missing some two meters from the standard track distance.
Francis Cesar Bringas, Department of Education Assistant Secretary, revealed in a press conference on Saturday, July 13, that officials are planning to hire third-party groups to validate the measurements of the oval which was at 398 meters.
“We have the [Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association] that provides the guidelines for the measurement of the oval…a consequence of a not accurate measurement of the standard oval would result to the non-inclusion of the official times of our runners,” the official said.
Based on the technical rules of World Athletics, the length of a standard running track must be 400 meters.
Watch Rappler Visayas Reporter John Sitchon bring the conversation to coaches and athletes who are concerned about the controversial Palaro track oval here in this report. – Rappler.com
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Lifting the torch: Olympic weightlifters out to make own names as Hidilyn Diaz steps aside
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jisaga0269
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13/07/2024 15:38
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Rappler/Adidas
Back in 2021, when the world and all that was normal in it was upended by the ravages of COVID-19, people turned to anything that would quench their thirst for hope and give them back a small sense of normalcy.
Within that dark period of history, sports gave people that escape, that little window of life while evading the dread of death right outside their homes. For Filipinos, the return of basketball leagues, as expected, provided that reprieve, with little to no expectations of hope coming from other sporting sources.
Then seemingly out of nowhere, the Tokyo Olympics, postponed a year due to the life-changing pandemic, gave Filipinos exactly what they wanted: hope, surprisingly at the cost of normalcy.
No, nothing was normal about the Philippines’ campaign in Japan. Boxing, after a 25-year medal drought, suddenly yielded two silvers and one bronze, and matched the country’s most prolific run since 1932.
That medal spree alone would have been a cause for historic celebration, but star weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz decided to ride the winning wave as well, capping the campaign with an improbable golden lift that ended the Philippines’ 97-year odyssey for the ever-elusive Olympic gold.
With tears streaming down a mask-covered face, Diaz created the country’s greatest sporting moment as the Philippine national anthem was played in an Olympic awarding ceremony for the first time in a non-demo sport capacity, making for an indelible memory that Filipinos back home all shared with her.
It is now 2024, and while the memories of 2021 are still freshly etched in the minds of all Filipino sports fans, the landscape ahead of the Paris Olympics has shifted considerably.
Diaz has all but ridden off into the sunset, now contemplating a quiet family life after being bumped off the women’s 59kg qualifiers by none other than her compatriot and fellow Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando.
Upstarts Vanessa Sarno and John Ceniza, meanwhile, are set on making the most of their Olympic debuts in Paris, in the women’s 71kg and men’s 61kg divisions, respectively.
The narratives and pressures have been inevitably set by the icon who came before them, but the soft-spoken trio is nonetheless ready to take on all challenges and accept all outcomes, whether they result in a medal like her or not.
“For me, I don’t mind the pressure at all. I just have a lot of trust in myself that I can get a medal,” Ando said in Filipino. “All I need to do is improve my lifts.”
The only weightlifter in the Paris contingent who has experienced the intimidating aura of the Olympics, the 25-year-old Ando kept her advice simple for her fellow lifters who are about to step into the sport’s biggest stage.
“We just have to focus on our attempts and keep faith in ourselves,” she said.
Ceniza, actually the oldest of the trio at 26 years old, likewise does not have lofty dreams with golden gleams, but rather, he just draws his strength from people who believe in him, particularly his weightlifting idols like Diaz and another former Olympian, Nestor Colonia.
“It’s all about sacrifice and chasing goals you know you can achieve,” he said in Filipino. “It also helps that you have idols in weightlifting like Nestor, who has kept on pushing me and telling me I will get to Paris as long as I put in the work and the sacrifices.”
The same goes for the 20-year-old Sarno, who credits her own sturdy support system in building her confidence for her impending Olympic debut.
“Ever since I started weightlifting, my parents have been very supportive and always all-out for me, starting from the local competition levels,” she said in Filipino.
“Heading to Paris, all we wish for is we stay injury-free, and apply what we’ve learned in training – the little things to help us improve our personal records.”
Pursued with the ever-burning question of medal chances in the Olympics, the weightlifting trio still remained adamant on keeping a simple mindset, by all likelihood the same one Diaz clung to in her path to Tokyo.
“We cannot predict the fortunes given to us,” Ceniza said. “But for all of us, we’re doing everything we can to put us in a position to get a gold medal.”
“It’s free to dream,” Ando added. “Of course it’d be nice to get a gold medal. Why not?”
In the Philippines’ 100-year history of competing in the Olympics, the expectations had always been minimal, with the mere qualification to the Games already billed as an outstanding achievement.
But Diaz has proven that every once in a while, a Filipino prevails above all others. A Filipino can turn small dreams into big realities.
A Filipino can.
For her Paris-bound heir apparents, why not, indeed? – Rappler.com
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Evan Nelle brings hard-work mentality to NorthPort
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Jasmine Payo
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15/07/2024 22:53
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PRO-READY. Evan Nelle in the PBA Rookie Draft with NorthPort coach Bonnie Tan (left) and team officials, and PBA commissioner Willie Marcia (second from left).
PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines – Exuding an in-your-face kind of confidence, coupled with words of wisdom coming from one of the PBA’s best-ever floor generals, Evan Nelle heads into the league with his head held high and feet on the ground.
Picked in the second round by the NorthPort Batang Pier, Nelle joins No. 5 pick Dave Ildefonso as key pieces of a young team helmed by head coach Bonnie Tan.
“I can use my training, what I learned in the States, just to influence my teammates. I know I work hard and I really hope that I can,” Nelle told reporters after being selected 14th overall in the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday, July 14.
“Be infected by my hard-work [mentality]… that’s what coach Jimmy (Alapag) taught me, ‘Hard work brings you places,'” he added.
Nelle, who is coming off a UAAP championship run with De La Salle University, opted to train under former PBA Most Valuable Player Jimmy Alapag, who is currently serving as a player development coach for the Sacramento Kings.
It was there in the US where he trained for about a week under Alapag and strength and conditioning coach Maurice Hernandez of Power Pack Fitness.
Being selected in the second round does not bother Nelle even as three former La Salle teammates got picked before him. But he does hope to win the matchup every time they face off in the pros.
“I’m honestly proud of them, but they know how competitive I am. And every time I face them, whether in practice or whatever, I want to beat them,” said Nelle.
“It’s going to be the same here in PBA. I really hope every time I face them, I beat them.”
Nelle will also now play under Tan, who previously mentored the Letran Knights in the NCAA.
Before suiting up for La Salle, Nelle also saw action with the San Beda Red Lions – Letran’s fierce rival. Under Tan, the Knights dethroned Nelle and the Red Lions in the NCAA Season 95 finals in 2019.
“[It’s] very ironic because he made me cry in my last NCAA game,” recalled Nelle.
“He’s making me cry again because he drafted me, it’s a big honor… thank you for the trust coach Bonnie and the coaching staff and I hope I can repay you guys.” – Rappler.com
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MEDAL TALLY: Palarong Pambansa 2024
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jisaga0269
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10/07/2024 14:33
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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Palarong Pambansa, the Philippines’ biggest grassroots multisport event, graces the Queen City of the South, Cebu City, for its 64th edition running from July 11 to 15, again with more than a thousand medals in store for the country’s best young athletes.
Spicing up the usual regional wars, the National Academy of Sports (NAS) and Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO) are entering the medal tally as two new “regions,” bringing the total from the usual 17 to 19 for the first time ever.
Check our live updates: Palarong Pambansa 2024: Games, results, updates
Here are the overall medal tally and the elementary and secondary division rankings:
– Rappler.com
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IBON Birdtalk tackles economic and political crises under Marcos’ 2nd year
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mjmcatequista0325
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15/07/2024 21:43
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This is a press release from IBON Foundation.
A week before President Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address (SONA), research group IBON holds its 2024 Midyear Birdtalk.
Birdtalk is a biannual forum where IBON presents its analysis and prospects of the country’s key socioeconomic and political trends. It aims to promote a wider understanding of economics and alternatives from the perspective of the Filipino people.
Various sectors, including media, government office representatives, the religious, educators and students, entrepreneurs, people’s organizations, and civil society institutions will participate.
This midyear, the group assesses the Philippine economy’s trajectory after two years of the Marcos administration, amid intensified political infighting and heightening geopolitical conflict between the US and China in the region.
The Tuesday, July 16 forum will be preceded by a 10 am media briefing at the IBON premises along Timog Avenue. At 1 pm, Birdtalk transpires at the UP Diliman School of Statistics.
The 2024 IBON Midyear Birdtalk is co-presented by the People’s Alternative Media Network (Altermidya), the All UP Academic Employees Union, and the UP Office of the Faculty Regent. Over twenty media and network partners are bringing Birdtalk to a wider audience this midyear. – Rappler.com
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Lean but mean: Tim Cone says Gilas Pilipinas not expanding player pool
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 16:59
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THANK YOU. Gilas Pilipinas players acknowledge their supporters in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Having a bigger pool seems like the way to go as Gilas Pilipinas continues to deal with the absences of key players due to injuries.
Yet head coach Tim Cone still thinks it’s better for the national men’s basketball team to stick with a 12-man roster.
“We’re not going to expand the pool. Because of the short preparation time we have, the teaching part of the team is much harder when you have a big pool,” said Cone in a press conference on Monday, July 15.
“That is what the program is all about. That is why we decided to go with a smaller pool because the teaching is less and it has to be because the preparation time is less.”
“We’re going to stay with 12 guys.”
Cone feels it is “unwieldy” and “difficult” to bring in additional pool players with only a short window to learn his system before every contest.
In the previous FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament which saw the Philippines exceed expectations by reaching the semifinals, Cone and the team trained for just less than two weeks before they played their first game.
For Cone, keeping an intact lineup fosters chemistry and continuity, which will benefit the squad in the long run as the Philippines shoots for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha, Qatar, and 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA.
“I would prefer to have a bigger pool. I would prefer to have a longer preparation time. Any coach would,” said Cone. “It is just not feasible. So we have to work with what we have.”
Cone said unfamiliarity resulted in Mason Amos’ benching in the OQT.
Along with veteran Japeth Aguilar, Amos joined the national team for the OQT to fill the spots of injured mainstays AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo, but the incoming La Salle forward ended up not playing in their three games.
“One of the reasons we did not play Mason was because he was new to the team and we did not really get him into the system well enough,” said Cone.
But Cone said they have players in mind who would be worthy replacements if the national team runs into personnel woes.
The Philippines tried to bring in Jordan Heading for the OQT after Scottie Thompson got ruled out due to a back injury, but the Filipino-Australian guard begged off due to a family matter.
“We talked to a number of guys and they know they’re on the list. They know that we could call them at any time, and if they’re available, they would play,” said Cone.
“But we’re not going to keep asking a whole bunch of guys to come to our practice and travel with us.”
Gilas Pilipinas returns to action in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in November as it battles Hong Kong and New Zealand in a pair of home games. – Rappler.com
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PH denied as AP.Bren falls to SRG in Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup finale
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 21:46
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CHAMPION. Malaysia's Selangor Red Giants rules the 2024 Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup.
Moonton
MANILA, Philippines – A team from the Philippines fell short of the Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup for the second straight year as Falcons AP.Bren bowed to Malaysia’s Selangor Red Giants in the grand finals on Sunday, July 14.
Eyeing another coup after ruling the M5 World Championship in December, AP.Bren instead suffered a heartbreak following a 4-3 defeat to SRG in the championship series at the Amazon Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
AP.Bren sent the best-of-seven series to a sudden death only to be wiped out in Game 7 as SRG delivered Malaysia its first major Mobile Legends crown.
SRG also claimed the top purse of $1 million as the Mid Season Cup – one of the many events of the Esports World Cup – offered a massive prize pool of $3 million, the biggest in professional Mobile Legends history.
While SRG brought pride to Malaysia, Filipinos made up one-third of its team.
Mark “Kramm” Rusiana and John “Innocent” Banal bolstered SRG as part of the main five, while Michael “Arcadia” Bocado called the shots as head coach.
“We made sure to stay composed,” said Arcadia. “The best-of-seven series tested our mental fortitude, so we had to ensure we were in the zone and focused to execute our plans game by game seamlessly.”
Meanwhile, AP.Bren – composed of David “FlapTzy” Canon, Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson, Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel, Marco “Super Marco” Requitiano, and Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo – bagged $500,000.
Last year, a team from the Philippines also settled for a runner-up finish as Blacklist International lost to Indonesia’s Onic Esports in the old Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup, which got rebranded as the Mid Season Cup.
A total of 16 squads from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Cambodia, Brazil, Turkey, United States, Myanmar, China, and Peru competed in the group stage.
The Philippines’ Liquid Echo shared third-to-fourth places with Singapore’s NIP Flash to pocket $200,000. – Rappler.com
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Ginebra gets Ben Adamos, lets go of Sidney Onwubere in trade with NorthPort
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 17:32
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SHOT. Ben Adamos in action for the NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The loss of star Christian Standhardinger has Barangay Ginebra making moves in a bid to fill his void.
Looking to beef up their frontline, the Gin Kings acquired center Ben Adamos from NorthPort as they let go of forward Sidney Onwubere in a one-for-one trade.
The deal got approved by the PBA on Monday, July 15.
Adamos’ acquisition comes just days after Ginebra shipped Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and the No. 10 pick in the Season 49 Draft to Terrafirma in exchange for Stephen Holt, Isaac Go, and the No. 3 selection.
Instead of going for a big man, head coach Tim Cone and the Gin Kings used the No. 3 pick on promising guard RJ Abarrientos.
Ginebra is Adamos’ fifth team in the PBA after he played for Alaska, Converge, Phoenix, and NorthPort.
The sixth overall pick in the Season 46 Draft, Adamos appeared in 12 games for the Batang Pier last season, averaging 1.5 points.
Meanwhile, Onwubere returns to his former team NorthPort after a near three-year stint with the Gin Kings that saw him help the powerhouse team win two championships.
Onwubere, who also played for TNT and Rain or Shine, averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds for Ginebra last season. – Rappler.com
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Still perfect: Strong Group survives Ukraine scare for 3rd straight Jones Cup win
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Jasmine Payo
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15/07/2024 21:56
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STEADY. Strong Group-Pilipinas guard Kiefer Ravena in action against Ukraine in the 2024 Jones Cup.
JONES CUP
MANILA, Philippines – Big-time players make big-time plays.
Chris McCullough and Kiefer Ravena came through the clutch for Strong Group-Pilipinas as they completed a gutsy 82-74 comeback win over Ukraine on Monday, July 15, to remain unscathed in the 2024 William Jones Cup at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
With Ukraine threatening to pull away with a five-point lead with under three minutes left, 72-67, Ravena knocked down a cold-blooded pull-up triple to cut the deficit to just a single possession.
After a crucial stop by Strong Group in the ensuing play, McCullough then took it upon himself and completed a tough and-one play to give the Filipinos the lead, 73-72.
The former San Miguel super import McCullough did not stop there as he delivered another crucial basket, this time from long distance, to put Strong Group ahead by 4 points, 76-72, with just 1:05 to play.
McCullough capped off his personal 8-0 run with two free throws to give Strong Group a 78-72 edge, before Jordan Heading and Ravena put Ukraine away for good with two foul shots each in the endgame.
For the third straight contest, McCullough led Strong Group in scoring with a game-high 28 points to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
McCullough previously dropped 15 points in Strong Group’s 25-point opening-day thrashing of United Arab Emirates on Saturday, July 13, followed by a 23-point performance in their 91-69 beatdown of Australia’s BSBL Guardians on Sunday, July 14.
Heading finished with 24 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Ravena had 10 markers – all coming in the final frame.
A former Gilas Pilipinas gunner, Heading was unconscious in the opening period as he scored 18 of Strong Group’s 27 first-quarter points on a perfect 7-of-7 field goal clip.
Anatolly Shundel paced the feisty Ukrainians with 17 points, while Rostyslav Novitskyi added 11 points.
Ukraine wasted a nine-point cushion it built early in the third quarter, 52-43, after trailing by 2 points at halftime, 41-43.
Strong Group gets a much-needed one-day break before it takes on Malaysia at 5 pm on Wednesday, July 17.
Strong Group 82 – McCullough 28, Heading 24, Ravena 10, Kouame 9, Agee 7, Fenner 2, Tiongson 1, Abarrientos 1, Ildefonso 0, Chiu 0, Abando 0.
Ukraine 74 – Shundel 17, Novitskyl 12, Antypov 11, Kobzystyl 10, Krutous 10, Konlev 8, Kozak 3, Serhelev 3, Koshevatskyl 0, Lesyk 0.
Quarters: 27-21, 43-41, 54-58, 82-74.
– Rappler.com
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Magnolia parts way with Jalalon, acquires Lucero from NorthPort in 2-for-1 deal
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 19:06
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CONTESTED. Jio Jalalon in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia bid Jio Jalalon goodbye after nearly eight years with the team.
The Hotshots dealt Jalalon and Abu Tratter to NorthPort in exchange for Zavier Lucero in a two-for-one trade approved by the PBA on Monday, July 15.
Picked by Magnolia in the special Gilas Pilipinas round of the 2016 Draft, Jalalon helped turn the Hotshots into one of the best defensive teams, a run highlighted by a championship in the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
The veteran guard from Arellano earned three All-Defensive Team selections and claimed the Defensive Player of the Year honors from the PBA Press Corps.
But the writing was on the wall for Jalalon as Magnolia selected former Adamson guard Jerom Lastimosa with the No. 10 pick in the latest draft on Sunday, July 14.
Jalalon averaged 9.7 points, 5.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for the Hotshots last season.
While Jalalon parted ways with his first PBA team, Tratter got shipped for the fourth time in his career as he joins his fourth team in the Batang Pier.
Tratter, drafted by NLEX in 2018 before being traded to Blackwater, Alaska/Converge, and Magnolia, averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds last season.
Although the Hotshots let go of one of their best guards in Jalalon and a bruising big man in Tratter, they get one of the best young forwards in the league in the 6-foot-6 Lucero.
Lucero, drafted fifth overall by NorthPort last year, averaged 12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in the Philippine Cup last season.
On Monday, the Batang Pier also traded big man Ben Adamos to Barangay Ginebra in exchange for returning forward Sidney Onwubere. – Rappler.com
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Still perfect: Strong Group survives Ukraine scare for 3rd straight Jones Cup win
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Jasmine Payo
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15/07/2024 21:56
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STEADY. Strong Group-Pilipinas guard Kiefer Ravena in action against Ukraine in the 2024 Jones Cup.
JONES CUP
MANILA, Philippines – Big-time players make big-time plays.
Chris McCullough and Kiefer Ravena came through the clutch for Strong Group-Pilipinas as they completed a gutsy 82-74 comeback win over Ukraine on Monday, July 15, to remain unscathed in the 2024 William Jones Cup at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
With Ukraine threatening to pull away with a five-point lead with under three minutes left, 72-67, Ravena knocked down a cold-blooded pull-up triple to cut the deficit to just a single possession.
After a crucial stop by Strong Group in the ensuing play, McCullough then took it upon himself and completed a tough and-one play to give the Filipinos the lead, 73-72.
The former San Miguel super import McCullough did not stop there as he delivered another crucial basket, this time from long distance, to put Strong Group ahead by 4 points, 76-72, with just 1:05 to play.
McCullough capped off his personal 8-0 run with two free throws to give Strong Group a 78-72 edge, before Jordan Heading and Ravena put Ukraine away for good with two foul shots each in the endgame.
For the third straight contest, McCullough led Strong Group in scoring with a game-high 28 points to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
McCullough previously dropped 15 points in Strong Group’s 25-point opening-day thrashing of United Arab Emirates on Saturday, July 13, followed by a 23-point performance in their 91-69 beatdown of Australia’s BSBL Guardians on Sunday, July 14.
Heading finished with 24 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Ravena had 10 markers – all coming in the final frame.
A former Gilas Pilipinas gunner, Heading was unconscious in the opening period as he scored 18 of Strong Group’s 27 first-quarter points on a perfect 7-of-7 field goal clip.
Anatolly Shundel paced the feisty Ukrainians with 17 points, while Rostyslav Novitskyi added 11 points.
Ukraine wasted a nine-point cushion it built early in the third quarter, 52-43, after trailing by 2 points at halftime, 41-43.
Strong Group gets a much-needed one-day break before it takes on Malaysia at 5 pm on Wednesday, July 17.
Strong Group 82 – McCullough 28, Heading 24, Ravena 10, Kouame 9, Agee 7, Fenner 2, Tiongson 1, Abarrientos 1, Ildefonso 0, Chiu 0, Abando 0.
Ukraine 74 – Shundel 17, Novitskyl 12, Antypov 11, Kobzystyl 10, Krutous 10, Konlev 8, Kozak 3, Serhelev 3, Koshevatskyl 0, Lesyk 0.
Quarters: 27-21, 43-41, 54-58, 82-74.
– Rappler.com
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PH denied as AP.Bren falls to SRG in Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup finale
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 21:46
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CHAMPION. Malaysia's Selangor Red Giants rules the 2024 Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup.
Moonton
MANILA, Philippines – A team from the Philippines fell short of the Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup for the second straight year as Falcons AP.Bren bowed to Malaysia’s Selangor Red Giants in the grand finals on Sunday, July 14.
Eyeing another coup after ruling the M5 World Championship in December, AP.Bren instead suffered a heartbreak following a 4-3 defeat to SRG in the championship series at the Amazon Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
AP.Bren sent the best-of-seven series to a sudden death only to be wiped out in Game 7 as SRG delivered Malaysia its first major Mobile Legends crown.
SRG also claimed the top purse of $1 million as the Mid Season Cup – one of the many events of the Esports World Cup – offered a massive prize pool of $3 million, the biggest in professional Mobile Legends history.
While SRG brought pride to Malaysia, Filipinos made up one-third of its team.
Mark “Kramm” Rusiana and John “Innocent” Banal bolstered SRG as part of the main five, while Michael “Arcadia” Bocado called the shots as head coach.
“We made sure to stay composed,” said Arcadia. “The best-of-seven series tested our mental fortitude, so we had to ensure we were in the zone and focused to execute our plans game by game seamlessly.”
Meanwhile, AP.Bren – composed of David “FlapTzy” Canon, Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson, Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel, Marco “Super Marco” Requitiano, and Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo – bagged $500,000.
Last year, a team from the Philippines also settled for a runner-up finish as Blacklist International lost to Indonesia’s Onic Esports in the old Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup, which got rebranded as the Mid Season Cup.
A total of 16 squads from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Cambodia, Brazil, Turkey, United States, Myanmar, China, and Peru competed in the group stage.
The Philippines’ Liquid Echo shared third-to-fourth places with Singapore’s NIP Flash to pocket $200,000. – Rappler.com
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Eastern Visayas boxer Paña dominates Soccsksargen’s Ancajas for Palaro gold
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clescudero0258
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15/07/2024 18:10
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CHAMPION. Eastern Visayas' Angel Joshua Paña is declared champion of the boxing school boys event of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 under the pinweight division.
Christa Escudero/Rappler
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Angel Joshua Paña of Eastern Visayas earned the crowd’s cheers – and the gold medal – after overpowering Soccsksargen’s Jarrell Mark Ancajas via unanimous decision in the pinweight division of school boys boxing in the Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City.
Playing in just his second Palaro, the 14-year-old pride of Ormoc City bagged his first medal at the expense of an opponent with an illustrious boxing pedigree.
Ancajas is the younger brother of Filipino boxing star and former IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.
“Passion ko po talaga ang boxing mula pagkabata (Boxing has really been my passion since I was a child),” said Paña, who learned to play boxing at 10 years old with the help of his father, and then started to enter the ring at 11.
Paña’s coach Elgy Costelo felt immense pressure upon learning beforehand that his ward would be competing with Ancajas, whose strength and competence they’ve seen in previous bouts. But he proceeded to work with the teen boxer on strategies to beat his worthy opponent.
Paña – who shared that one of his idols is boxing legend Manny Pacquiao – also took it as a challenge, Costelo added.
“Ang game plan talaga namin is pasukin nang pasukin si Ancajas kasi technical boxer si Ancajas (Ancajas’ playing style is technical, so our game plan was just to keep on going in),” Costelo shared.
Paña is set to return to the boxing ring during the Batang Pinoy tournament in December, the coach said.
Here is the full list of boxing gold medalists awarded at the Cebu Coliseum on Monday, July 15:
– Rappler.com
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View from Manila: 8 years after Arbitral Award, enforcing it still a pipe dream
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Bea Cupin
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15/07/2024 18:58
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Groups belonging to Atin Ito WPS Coalition at the Boy Scout Circle in Quezon City to protest and commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Philippines’ victory over China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, on July 12, 2024.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Like clockwork, ministries and their embassies issue statements when July 12, the anniversary of the landmark landmark 2016 Arbitral Ruling, rolls in. Philippine agencies do the same.
Every year, too, the Philippines’ allies and friends – “like-minded” countries that are active and outspoken in supporting the ruling and the Philippines’ efforts to assert its sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea – come together for forum and symposiums on the historic win.
Australia’s ambassador to Manila, Hae Kyong Yu, was the first diplomat to highlight an important context of one such gathering: that international support for Manila and the ruling, and continued pressure on Beijing to change its ways in the South China Sea, have come up short in keeping those waters safe and secure.
“Today’s event marks eight years since the 2016 Arbitral Award. Yet here we are again, still talking about how we are going to achieve maritime security in the West Philippine Sea because sadly, as we all know, we have continued to see conduct in the South China Sea that is dangerous and destabilizing – including as recently as on the 17th of June, near the Second Thomas Shoal,” Yu said on July 12, during Stratbase ADR Institute’s annual gathering.
Yu was referring to when the China Coast Guard (CCG) harassed personnel of the elite Naval Special Operations Command (NAVSOCOM or NAVSOG) by towing, boarding, then destroying their vessels during a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
The June 17 incident was not only the worst confrontation between Philippine and Chinese personnel in the West Philippine Sea. It also made it clear that “shaming” China into recognizing the Philippines’ sovereign rights – or at least shying away from provocative actions – doesn’t work anymore, if it ever did at all.
The notion, of analysts here and abroad, was that China would be too mindful of its international reputation to continue its aggressive actions against the Philippines in the South China Sea. It was one of the hopes of the government’s “transparency initiative” – that putting a spotlight on China’s actions would force it to change its shadowy, gray zone ways.
That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
“I do think that we are in a time when China is much more immune to reputational harm than it was in the past, right? And that’s very troubling. You hate to see a country begin to insulate itself that way because it makes it a very dangerous country,” Ray Powell, a retired United States Air Force colonel and former defense attache to Vietnam and Australia, told Rappler in an interview days before the Arbitral Award’s anniversary.
Yet, the level of violence that the China Coast Guard displayed in Ayungin Shoal on June 17, has seemingly caused Beijing to take pause, if one is to read between the lines of the usual diplomatic statements following a bilateral meeting between Manila and Beijing.
The Philippines, following (what was initially a secret) 9th meeting Bilateral Consultation Mechanism in Manila on July 2, said there was “substantial progress on developing measures to manage the situation at sea, but significant differences remain.”
The two sides, said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), “discussed their respective positions on Ayungin Shoal and affirmed their commitment to de-escalate tensions without prejudice to their respective positions.”
China, meanwhile, described it as a “candid and constructive exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea, in particular, on handling the situation at Ren’ai Jiao” (the Chinese name for Ayungin Shoal).
No real agreement was made, but a lot of “possibilities” were explored: the promise to “continue discussions” or bilateral coast guard communication and cooperation (and the possible resumption of the Duterte-era Joint Coast Guard Committee), and the “possibility of convening an academic forum among scientists and academics on marine scientific and technological cooperation.”
These statements could mean nothing in reality, but after months of water cannon incidents, claims of a “new model” in the West Philippine Sea, a case of illegal wiretapping between a Chinese and Filipino general, and an aggressive confrontation that led to the loss of a Filipino soldier’s thumb and the destruction and seizure of Philippine Navy equipment – agreeing to talk becomes an achievement.
And so discussions go back to the 2016 Arbitral Ruling – a milestone, as noted by US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson. It’s a milestone that Beijing still refuses to acknowledge as valid. In a response to the DFA’s statement on the award’s anniversary, the Chinese embassy in Manila called the arbitration “essentially a political circus dressed up as a legal action.”
(The Chinese embassy also blamed the US for good measure – “US annually ropes in allies to play up the issue of the illegal award against China in a vain attempt to exert pressure on, and force China into accepting the award. We are firmly against this.”)
Where can diplomacy and the recalibration of the defense and security sectors take us? We’ll find out sooner than later. After all, the soldiers aboard the BRP Sierra Madre are overdue for a proper rotation and resupply.
For most Filipinos, “defending the integrity of Philippine territory against foreigners” is still among the lowest-ranked of national concerns (at just 4%), according to a June 2024 Pulse Asia survey. As usual, inflation, worker’s pay, poverty and jobs were still the top concerns. The survey was taken from June 17 to 24 – just after the incident in Ayungin Shoal.
The same survey showed that 30% of Filipinos approved of the way the administration as been “defending the integrity of Philippine territory against foreigners” (48% approved, 34% were undecided, while 18% did not approve). Only 24% of those surveyed said the Marcos had fulfilled his promise to “defend the country’s sovereignty, particularly in the West Philippine Sea and our exclusive economic zone.”
The same survey said that while “defending the integrity of Philippine territory against foreigners” was considered not a priority, almost a third of those surveyed (31%) said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should talk about “actions to be taken to stop the incursion of other countries into the Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea” in his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.
In the Philippines, while the issue of sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea is not a priority, it’s still a gut issue, tugging at patriotic strings. Foreign policies are informed and even shaped by public sentiment – especially if they come from a president who has fashioned himself as a poster child for the rules-based international order.
The challenge, said presidential adviser Andres Centino, is for the various agencies and units to figure out how to “cooperate in consolidating ways to promote our 2016 Arbitral Victory in accordance with national and international law.” Who knows? Enforcing it might eventually become a reality. – Rappler.com
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Western Visayas-Tay Tung downs feisty NCR-FEU, defends Palaro girls HS volley crown
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jisaga0269
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15/07/2024 20:21
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TITLE LOCKDOWN. Western Visayas-Bacolod Tay Tung stars Jothea Ramos (left) and Dona Mae de Leon in action in the Palarong Pambansa 2024 girls secondary volleyball tournament.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – Western Visayas kept its hold over the Palarong Pambansa girls secondary volleyball division, prevailing in a five-set gold medal match for the second straight year over feisty National Capital Region, 25-15, 18-25, 27-29, 25-22, 15-12, at the University of San Jose-Recoletos on Monday, July 15.
Representing volleyball powerhouse Bacolod Tay Tung, Dona Mae de Leon showed her full potential as a rising middle blocker, leading the way against FEU-Diliman with 15 points on a staggering 10 blocks with 5 attacks.
Outgoing captain and UP commit Jothea Ramos, last year’s Palaro MVP, poured in ample supporting numbers as she ended her high school career on the highest of notes.
“I’m really happy because this is a rare feat, going back-to-back, and we’re in the province, unlike NCR, where the players are crowded. We just work with who we have,” said two-time Palaro champion coach Ian Macariola.
Down 11-17 at one point in the fourth set where it looked all but over for Tay Tung’s title defense, De Leon, Ramos, and a mix of starters and timely subs joined hands to pull off a 25-22 fifth set-forcer and seize momentum heading into clutch time.
With FEU looking quite panicked and winded at the game’s waning moments, Tay Tung practically only had to stay composed on the defensive end, as three of its last four points – including the championship point – came off NCR errors.
“Our kids right now are really brave. Even before Palaro, we already honed these kids last month in Shakey’s [Super League]. We didn’t bring some seniors so we could expose the ones we put in our Palaro lineup,” Macariola continued.
“We only got silver in Shakey’s, but that’s okay, we got the exposure we really needed for Palaro.”
Conversely, NCR got the job done over at the boys secondary tilt, as NU-Nazareth downed gutsy Calabarzon-La Salle Lipa in another five-set marathon right before the girls final, 27-29, 25-19, 19-25, 28-26, 16-14.
Super blocker Miguel Egger had the performance of his young life, exploding for 32 points on a whopping 13 blocks with 18 attacks and an ace to lead his team to a well-deserved title. – Rappler.com
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Rescuers recover 4 bodies from Zamboanga landslides
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 17:01
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RECOVER. Search and retrieval team members use an excavator to recover the remains of a woman and her child in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan, Zamboanga City. Their remains were found on Monday, July 15, two days after a landslide buried their house.
Zamboanga PIO
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Rescuers found the bodies of four people, including children, buried in two landslides after incessant rain from the southwest monsoon in Zamboanga City over the weekend.
The bodies were recovered on two separate occasions on Sunday and Monday, July 14 and 15.
Dr. Elmeir Apolinario, chief of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), identified the victims as 47-year-old Leonilo Moret and his 10-year-old son Justine from Sitio Papaya, Barangay Pumucutan, and 26-year-old Myca Ortega and her six-year-old son JM from Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan.
Apolinario said the house of Leonilo and his son was swept away by a mudslide into the river on Friday night, July 12, at the height of the heavy downpour spawned by the habagat (southwest monsoon).
The remains of Leonilo were found near the Philippine Coconut Authority-Zamboanga Research Center in San Ramon, Barangay Talisayan, while those of his son were found in Anuling River near the Prime Water dam in Barangay Pamucutan on Sunday morning, July 14.
Apolinario said the remains of Ortega and her son were recovered by members of the retrieval team on Monday, July 15.
Ortega’s house in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan, was buried in mud and rocks, prompting the retrieval team to use a backhoe to extract the bodies while the CDRRMO water tanker was used to flush the mud-covered road.
Roseller, Myca’s husband, told RPN-Zamboanga on Monday, that the landslide occurred around 10 pm on Friday.
Roseller, who works by gathering and selling sand by the sack from the Anuling River, said he rushed home from work, and found their house buried in mud and rocks.
He said they had been living in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan for years, and Friday’s landslide was the first.
The heavy rain also caused widespread flooding in 30 of the 98 villages of Zamboanga City, displacing some 4,000 families with over 15,000 individuals, destroying houses, and toppling light and cable posts, including two heritage trees.
The Zamboanga City Health Office fielded workers to evacuation centers to conduct medical consultations and distribute vitamins and prophylaxis to flood-hit residents to lower the risk of acquiring leptospirosis and other flood-related diseases.
City hall’s information office reported that 37 evacuation centers were set up, and 18 were still operational as of Monday. The rest have closed as evacuees have returned to their respective homes.
The local health office also advised residents exposed to flood waters to visit health centers and avail of prophylaxis to prevent leptospirosis. Early consultation is also advised for residents who develop fever after wading in floodwaters.
Leptospirosis is caused by the Leptospira spirochetes bacteria, which spread through rat urine. Modes of transmission include wading in contaminated floodwaters and ingesting contaminated food or water. – Rappler.com
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Displaced jeepney drivers stage protest in Bacolod ahead of Marcos’ SONA
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 16:17
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SCRAP. Jeepney drivers and operators hold a rally in Bacolod on Monday, July 15, calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to scrap the public utility vehicle modernization program when he delivers his State of the Nation Address on July 22, 2024.
KMU
BACOLOD, Philippines – Displaced as a result of the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program, some 243 jeepney operators and drivers protested in front of Bacolod City’s government center on Monday morning, July 15, urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to scrap the program.
The organized group of public vehicle operators and drivers took to the streets to deliver what they called their version of the SONA, a week before Marcos Jr. delivers his third annual address about the country’s state before Congress.
Protesters from the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center-Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Undoc-Piston) in Bacolod criticized the modernization program implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) as a “dismal failure.”
“It didn’t work well, as many cooperatives are now lamenting their substantial losses,” said Noli Rosales, Undoc-Piston spokesman.
Rosales said the program brought “economic misery” to many PUV drivers and operators, and their families.
The group said the program has also resulted in a scarcity of PUVs on Bacolod’s streets, adversely affecting the city’s commuters.
Undoc-Piston said at least 1,700 of its members could no longer operate and drive jeepneys legally because the government no longer granted them provisional authority when they failed to consolidate into transport cooperatives after the May 30 deadline.
Rosales noted that some traditional jeepneys were still plying the streets, but their drivers were prone to apprehensions. Once apprehended, jeepney operators have to pay P50,000 per unit as a fine and endure a 30-day jeepney impoundment.
“We are calling on President Marcos to declare in his SONA the total scrapping of the PUVMP. It’s a bane for the transport sector,” Rosales said.
One of the cooperatives, the Bacolod Modernized Jeepney Transport Association (BMJTA), complained that its members have been suffering substantial losses because the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) failed to take action against those still operating and driving traditional jeepneys.
Rudy Catedral, president of the Bacolod Commuters, Operators, and Drivers Association-Federation of Drivers, Commuters, and United Transportation Terminals (Bacod-Manibela), said they were organizing bigger protests in time for Marcos’ SONA on June 22.
Catedral mentioned that around 10,000 of their dependents were suffering from the “negative economic impact” of the PUVMP.
He said the monthly amortization scheme for the modern jeepneys of at least P33,000 each was unaffordable for many.
“Even a cooperative cannot survive with this scheme,” Catedral said. “If the President can’t scrap the PUVMP, maybe he could amend the scheme and order program reviewed for a win-win solution.” – Rappler.com
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[Free to Disagree] Boomers, let go please
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Glenda Gloria
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15/07/2024 19:21
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Lest anyone accuse me of ageism, I will say that I am a boomer. I am at the tail end of that generation or what some websites call the “Boomer 2” generation. I am part of that demographic of that big boom of babies born after the war years.
Generalizations being as useful as fish scales on a pig, I am also going to say, anyway, that my generation experienced stable economic growth as compared to the succeeding generations. At least that is what it was like for middle class Filipino children and other middle class children in other parts of the world.
Having been assured some amount of peace and prosperity, I am proud to say of my generation that its frivolities had some good features. In the Philippines we were the generation of the First Quarter Storm. We did not waste our access to the universities because here, and in other universities, the student movements marked my generation. Filipino students protested the Vietnam War as much as their counterparts in the US. Oriented as our culture was (and is) to our former colonizers, I became a feminist and a hippie in grade school. But, for that Philippine flavor, I became a Maoist a few years later. I was a feminist, hippie, and a Maoist when Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law.
I know, I know. That is only possible if you’re that young, immature, and essentially stupid. But my motivations and those of others of my cohort were unimpeachable. We wanted to change the world and knew we could change it.
And we did. The Vietnam War ended, mainly because the Vietnamese kicked America in that area of the body used for sitting. The last time I was in Hanoi’s National Museum, there was a display of international support for Vietnam during their liberation struggle and one panel showed Filipino student protests.
Locally, we set up to end Martial Law, and we did. Our generation is marked by those years. We are scarred and traumatized but we ended it. Much of civil society today is marked by that experience including our commitment to human rights, people’s participation and heroic martyrdom.
Living under the worldwide threat of nuclear annihilation, the peace movement was our response. It is said of the iconic Woodstock festival that it was the first gathering of that many men that was not a gathering meant to send people to war.
Then the females among us began to revive feminism to suit the challenges of the time given us. From equal access to jobs and education, equal pay for the same job, the recognition of violence against women as a genuine issue, setting aside women only spaces, ending sexist stereotypes, we worked on it locally and worldwide.
Yet we had our faults. Because we are also a generation of hypocrites. The generation that could not finish our revolutions. The generation whose seamy side liked the freer sexual attitudes and the drugs but not the mystical and feminist aspects that motivated that experimentation. We are also the generation of the rich, mostly men still, who solidified big payoffs for upper management and made sexual privilege over women part of being in the C suite. The generation that failed to stop on climate change even if we had appreciated those mushrooms on the forest floor.
Generalizations are as useful as toes on a snake. Some of us get it, some of us can’t. And as we age, those of us who are truer to our better impulses, are letting go for the sake of the newer generations. We are happy to remember how absolutely brilliant we were in changing the world despite being new and young and stupid. Except some of us won’t let go.
I do not admire the choices of the US electorate as they move towards a presidential election. Trump is a dangerous, sexist, felon. Joe Biden, whose politics I used to prefer, has supported genocide in Palestine. As for those boomers like Netanyahu and the leaders of Hamas – a pox on all of them. War to exterminate people. The games of decaying old men. See them brag and then stumble while their shaky fingers hover over the red button of nuclear war.
The Philippines, too, had such wonderful choices in the last elections. A younger boomer Marcos who did like the sex and drugs, if rumors of his youth are true, and the older boomer Duterte who is as genocidal and lewd as the rest.
In the social Philippine movements, polite young activists have to put up with our evocations of how we did things during the glorious struggles of martial law. In the meanwhile we fail to give them answers about how to wage a social media war in a landscape of struggle we can’t get into because TikTok baffles us. In fact all they hear us do is bewail misinformation and the world that has befallen us as if this was not of our own making, handed to them to deal with.
Confucius tells us the inner virtue has to be matched by behavior. A large part of that is knowing your place in the web of social relationships in society including the requisite decorum. In this world aging gracefully is not merely an individual passage. It is also passing from the hardworking to the venerable. From the learner to the sage. Aging is still a passage of the individual in the wider world. The elderly must release themselves upon it as an itinerant interacting with x, millennials, z and a generations.
To them we can offer different skills and attitudes. Studies of the older brain do show changes that make the senior look at the world differently. And it is these skills that we bring to society as useful and contributing members. It is this struggle that we wage now, for us to be recognized for what we can bring that is so different from what we brought. And it is this struggle we can still win for the next generations.
Humility, distance, de-centering, the ability to live with contradictions and ambivalence, the integration of disparate cognitive tropes, are all there to be had if we decide that the time is now. These are not the virtues of the top honchos. They are the virtues of those who are preparing the next generation so that they do not ruin themselves and the world as they prepare for their own future. It is their future and so it is they who must determine the present. We must hope they finish their revolutions better than we do.
Generalizations being as useful as feathers on yak, I can say of the young activists I work with that they are better at showing decorum than their elders. They remain polite and caring. They recognize our experience and wisdom. Also they’re wimps and snowflakes who have no concept of proper punctuation.
I have a lot to talk to them about. Lots of disagreements and a lot of continuities. Strangely enough, the children of the millennials, the generation of the boomer’s grandkids, disagree with their parents on some issues and agree with me. Lovely.
We must hope that like my generation, the coming generations can find it in themselves to believe they can – and will change – this awful mess we are in.
As a first step, the boomers among us can help the younger ones get the dinosaurs to step down. – Rappler.com
Sylvia Estrada Claudio is a doctor of medicine who also has a PhD in psychology. She is Professor Emerita of the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
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Western Visayas-Tay Tung downs feisty NCR-FEU, defends Palaro girls HS volley crown
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jisaga0269
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15/07/2024 20:21
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TITLE LOCKDOWN. Western Visayas-Bacolod Tay Tung stars Jothea Ramos (left) and Dona Mae de Leon in action in the Palarong Pambansa 2024 girls secondary volleyball tournament.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – Western Visayas kept its hold over the Palarong Pambansa girls secondary volleyball division, prevailing in a five-set gold medal match for the second straight year over feisty National Capital Region, 25-15, 18-25, 27-29, 25-22, 15-12, at the University of San Jose-Recoletos on Monday, July 15.
Representing volleyball powerhouse Bacolod Tay Tung, Dona Mae de Leon showed her full potential as a rising middle blocker, leading the way against FEU-Diliman with 15 points on a staggering 10 blocks with 5 attacks.
Outgoing captain and UP commit Jothea Ramos, last year’s Palaro MVP, poured in ample supporting numbers as she ended her high school career on the highest of notes.
“I’m really happy because this is a rare feat, going back-to-back, and we’re in the province, unlike NCR, where the players are crowded. We just work with who we have,” said two-time Palaro champion coach Ian Macariola.
Down 11-17 at one point in the fourth set where it looked all but over for Tay Tung’s title defense, De Leon, Ramos, and a mix of starters and timely subs joined hands to pull off a 25-22 fifth set-forcer and seize momentum heading into clutch time.
With FEU looking quite panicked and winded at the game’s waning moments, Tay Tung practically only had to stay composed on the defensive end, as three of its last four points – including the championship point – came off NCR errors.
“Our kids right now are really brave. Even before Palaro, we already honed these kids last month in Shakey’s [Super League]. We didn’t bring some seniors so we could expose the ones we put in our Palaro lineup,” Macariola continued.
“We only got silver in Shakey’s, but that’s okay, we got the exposure we really needed for Palaro.”
Conversely, NCR got the job done over at the boys secondary tilt, as NU-Nazareth downed gutsy Calabarzon-La Salle Lipa in another five-set marathon right before the girls final, 27-29, 25-19, 19-25, 28-26, 16-14.
Super blocker Miguel Egger had the performance of his young life, exploding for 32 points on a whopping 13 blocks with 18 attacks and an ace to lead his team to a well-deserved title. – Rappler.com
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‘We wanna up our game’: The Eraserheads on live shows, favorite local acts, and fans
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Angelo Gonzales
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15/07/2024 19:59
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WITH A SMILE. Band members Buddy, Ely, Raymund, and Marcus discuss their 2024 plans.
Mika Geronimo/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Seeing the Eraserheads perform live in 2024 used to sound like a pipe dream. But after their electric 2022 Manila concert and the North American tour that followed a year later, the iconic rock band has proven yet again that they are miles away from their last dance.
Enter Huling El Bimbo World Tour 2024. In June, the four original members of the band Ely Buendia, Buddy Zabala, Marcus Adoro, and Raimund Marasigan signed on for another string of overseas shows, slated to perform at stops in the United States, Canada, Singapore, and Dubai for the rest of the year.
The announcement was also accompanied by updates on an upcoming Eraserheads film as well as the launch of their YouTube and merch site.
The Eraserheads have stood as enduring pillars in the OPM rock scene, with Filipino bands and songwriters alike taking inspiration from the group for their own musicality and lyricism. One may brush off the group’s trajectory as reminiscent of the classic rock-and-roll narrative, one that was defined by a humble origin story and ridden by controversies as resonant as their music.
But with more than three decades in the music industry, casual listeners and fans may be pleasantly surprised to discover that Ely, Buddy, Marcus, and Raimund carry on being keen students of both life and music despite being poised as the mentors themselves.
For the ‘Heads, the stage remains a valuable classroom for exactly that. In fact, it’s a prime training ground for experimentation and reinvention.
“We can see their reactions. So we can try little things, or me as a bass player specifically, I can try something and [think] ‘oh, it works’ or ‘that part doesn’t,” Zabala told Rappler.
Despite spending quite some time on the airwaves and playlists over the years, performing their songs, which have since taken on lives of their own, continues to garner new fans at these very shows.
“So in the context of Eraserheads songs, that’s a big deal for me. Because when we recorded the songs years ago, I thought that this was how I wanted to perform it. Now, I have a totally different take on how I can do it and I get validation from being in front of an audience.”
While fans both new and old can expect hearing their chart-topping hits on the road, the group hopes they would stick around for a few underrated tunes they’ve always been longing to play and challenge themselves with, like strings-forward track “Milk And Money” and the blues-rock influenced “Game Tama Na,” as well as non-single picks from festive album Fruitcake and their 2001 release Carbon Steroxide.
Let it be known that the Eraserheads are hardcore music fans through and through, with Adoro referring to the classics in the realm of underground, rock and roll, punk, and experimental genres as crucial inspiration for him in kicking off on a night for fans to remember.
On the other hand, Marasigan and Buendia cite the likes of younger local artists One Click Straight and Oh Flamingo, as well as the solo ventures of IV of Spades members Zild, Blaster, and Unique as exciting acts to witness and take notes from when upholding the art of live performance. Buendia also mentioned Filipino-Japanese singer-songwriter Ena Mori, who is one of the more recent artists to debut under his independent label, Offshore Records, which he set up in 2016.
For the frontman himself, this generation of musicians are a “whole different breed.”
“Those new bands na talagang (that really) they take their craft really seriously. That makes us kind of, wanna up our game also in terms of performance. So it’s sort of, it’s a nice that’s going on na (that) we learn from them, like they, I hope, they also learn from us,” he told Rappler.
Apart from admiring the gumption of their contemporaries, The Eraserheads are also looking to navigate a new unfamiliar territory – a digital one that is.
“We’re a little late in the game with the internet thing,” Marasigan admits. “ When we came up, it was just TV, radio, and print. But now it’s the internet and it’s free, so we’re learning the new technology to reach more of the people who like to listen to our music, young and old.”
Buendia adds that this longstanding relationship with their fans is the only one that matters enough for them to keep going: “There’s no such thing as one-hand clapping. It’s a two-way thing. We could not exist as musicians or performers without us kind of doing it for our audience and for the fans.”
But beyond maintaining rapport with their supporters, building camaraderie within the group has also become somewhat of a priority for the Eraserheads.
A whole lot has transpired since the Eraserheads’ breakup in 2002, to say the very least. Buendia has gone on record revealing that the four are not as close as fans assume they would be. This has since changed, thanks to a couple of jam sessions, dinners, and birthday celebrations.
During our conversation, Zabala pointed out Adoro’s gift to the band ahead of their reunion concert, which only Marasigan “got the memo” and wore to the press conference.
“Matagal ko nang gustong gawin ‘to eh (I’ve been wanting to do this for a while),” Adoro told Rappler.
“So this is like nung, after we signed the contract for the 2022 show. Sabi ko ‘Ah, may regalo ako sa kanila. All-around gift ko sa kanila.’ So I made, nagpagawa ako ng apat na ganito. Eh, hindi ko lang suot yung sakin,” he laughed.
(So this is like, after we signed the contract for the 2022 show. I said to myself ‘Ah, I have a gift for them. My all-around gift. So I had four of these made. I’m just not wearing mine right now.)
For the hitmakers, their growth as artists seem to hinge on learning as they go. From tempering with their sound, to carving out space online, to studying younger performers, to finally solidifying both their working and personal relationships. It’s only safe to expect even more from the Eraserheads rather than be saddened by their sporadic farewells, just as their music live on to rightfully pierce the minds and hearts of many. – Rappler.com
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Pinoy Pride: UP’s Iskollas wins international a cappella battle in Singapore
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gdecastro0289
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15/07/2024 17:00
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WINNER. University of the Philippines group Iskollas wins in the International Category of the A Cappella Championships in Singapore on July 13, 2024.
UP President Angelo Jimenez's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – I first saw the a cappella group Iskollas perform at the recent reunion of the Philippine Collegian, the student organ of the University of the Philippines (UP), last July 2. They sang after The Harvard Din & Tonics, a visiting international group who had come all the way from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
A post shared by Iskollas (@iskollas)
The Filipino group performed at least three songs and I was surprised at how good they were. It turns out I’m not alone.
On Saturday, July 13, the Iskollas topped the International Category of the A Cappella Championships 2024, organized by The A Cappella Society. Established in 1999, The A Cappella Society says it is Singapore’s “premier a cappella center” and has helped shape the a cappella community in the city-state.
A cappella, also spelled a capella, is a music genre where a performer sings without any musical instrument or accompaniment. It is considered a difficult way of performing since singers, if in a group, must all be in harmony.
“This achievement marks a milestone in our journey, showcasing our passion and dedication to the art of [a cappella],” the Iskollas said in a Facebook post.
“Mabuhay ang sining at talentong UP at Pilipino (Long live UP and Filipino art and talent),” wrote UP President Angelo “Jijil” Jimenez, who hosted the Collegian or Kule reunion at the UP Executive House. He said the victory came after the UP Concert Chorus’ two gold awards and multiple recognitions in the Musica Orbis Prague Festival 2024 in the Czech Republic from June 27 to July 1.
The Iskollas’ soprano, Toni Carm Santos Boctoy, also won Outstanding Soloist in the competition.
“Winning the International Category with my group was already more than I could ask for, but being awarded Best Soloist out of 8 a capella groups full of great singers in the International Category is beyond words — I am officially speechless,” Boctoy said. “This is the greatest blessing I have ever received. Thank you, Lord! This is all You!”
The five other Iskolla band members are Sandra Faith dela Cruz, Edwin Gillian Azurin, Jeniden Vincent Banzuela, Earl James Conde, and Laurenzo Ardan.
You’ll have to watch these videos of the Iskollas to see and believe how talented they are.
The latest song on their YouTube account is their cover of David Guetta and Sia’s “Titanium,” posted two weeks ago.
They’ve also displayed their talent with their renditions of Filipino Christmas songs, such as Ryan Cayabyab’s “Kumukutikutitap” and Ben&Ben’s “Bibingka.”
UP College of Music Dean Ma. Patricia Silvestre has been very supportive of the Iskollas, and has done a good job in the all important word-of-mouth and official endorsements of the group.
The Iskollas performed a VST & Company medley during the 107th founding anniversary of the UP College of Music in September 2023.
Their cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” is also worth a watch.
A post shared by Iskollas (@iskollas)
As of writing, the Iskollas still aren’t well-known, based on their social media accounts, but I see this group going places in the coming years. – Rappler.com
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Lineup, schedule: Here’s what to expect at the Cinemalaya 2024
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Ysa Abad
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15/07/2024 16:06
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CINEMALAYA 2024. Marian Rivera, Kip Oebanda, and the cast of 'Balota'
Fore Esperanza/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Save the dates, Filipino cinephiles! The annual Cinemalaya film festival is returning for its 2024 edition with a promising lineup of new movies from upcoming and veteran local filmmakers.
In celebration of its 20th year, the independent film festival will have the theme “Loob, Lalim, Lakas.” This year’s entries are steered by the values of the Filipino artists’ loob (core) that connects filmmakers to audiences. Lalim refers to the depth of the entries whose stories convey societal realities that need attention, while the strength or Lakas is portrayed in thought-provoking scripts that push conversations one film at a time.
“For two remarkable decades, the cinema has navigated the vastness of Filipino cinematic imagery and creativity,” festival director Chris Millado said in a press conference held on July 10 at the Metropolitan Theatre Ballroom. “This coming August, Cinemalaya enamors anew.”
Kaye Tinga, president of Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), added: “We celebrate the rich tapestry of our culture and inspire future generations to explore realms of truth, beauty, and goodness in their artistic endeavors.”
The 2024 edition, aptly called Cinemalaya Bente, will feature 10 short films and 10 full-length movies. It will run for 10 days, from August 2 to 11, at Ayala Malls Manila Bay since the CCP main building is still undergoing renovation.
As of writing, ticket prices and schedules for film screenings have yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, the film festival will close with Lino Brocka’s restored version of Bona. The film starring National Artist Nora Aunor was restored through a collaborative effort between Carlotta Films and Kani Releasing, and was screened in Cannes Classics 2024.
Here’s what filmgoers can expect from the entries for the 20th Cinemalaya International Film Festival:
A tireless pursuit of justice is the theme of the sole documentary entry for the full-length category, JL Burgos’ Alipato at Muog (Flying Embers and a Fortress). Took 17 years in the making, Burgos’ documentary is about his brother, Jonas, who was abducted in broad daylight in a crowded mall.
Starring Sid Lucero, the 83-minute drama is about a driver’s trip from Baguio to Manila. Moroy, the driver, finds himself in a transformational journey as he obliges to the odd request by his middle-aged boss.
In Balota, Marian Rivera plays the role of a teacher who goes through lengths to defend democracy even if it means jeopardizing her own.
Gulay Lang Manong (No More Than Veggies) follows the story of a police officer entangled in a decision when he learned what the marijuana is used for. It is headlined by Cedrick Juan, who received several best actor awards for his GomBurZa portrayal. In this Cinemalaya entry, his character deals with a marijuana cartel.
For queer love enjoyers, Kantil (Tench) might just be for you. It’s the only entry that falls under the Queer Science Fiction category. It follows two star-crossed lovers, Paleng and Eliong, based in a coastal village in Davao.
Two estranged half-sisters mend their relationship and the falling state of their city in Kono Basho (This Place). Grief from their father’s passing allowed them to find peace and connection with each other as they dealt with loss, identity, and trauma.
Starring real-life couple Jane Oineza and RK Bagatsing, this Palanca-winning script is the film director’s love letter to his child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The story revolves around the joy and sadness of raising a child in the spectrum in the Philippines.
The Hearing is Mylene Dizon’s comeback film for Cinemalaya. It is an ironic 100-minute drama that involves a deaf boy’s legal battle with an influential priest, which led him to cross paths with a sign language interpreter who finds herself voiceless in her home.
Based on a short story written by Amador T. Daguio, The Wedding Dance (Dawak) is about a couple who attends a wedding dance after the 1940 Japanese invasion..
Tumandok by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay & Richard Jeroui Salvadico
Taking pride in an all-Ati non-professional acting ensemble, Tumandok (The Natives) is an 88-minute documentary-fiction that tells the hardship faced by indigenous people in reclaiming the ownership of their lands.
Filmed without a script, Abogbaybay (Shoredust) gave the local youth agency to contribute to their roles. These youth cast members played the roles of brothers who navigate grief through their very own “missions.”
Set on the outskirts of Manila, a queer woman is forced to unearth the past and grief in a home that she abandoned for 11 years in her journey of digging for her mother’s burial token.
Two filmmaker wannabes attempt to shoot a short film with zero budget which tests their friendship. Ambot Wa Ko Kabalo Unsay I-Title Ini (Untitled) runs for over 21 minutes with the ultimate goal of just telling a story.
Rene, a young boy, journeys to the mythical city of Biringan in hopes of resurrecting his parents who were killed during the Sag-Od Massacre. An Baga sa Dalan (The Red Trails) explores the cultural superstitions and historical truths.
Underpaid employee, Mila, is devoid of comfort and finds it on phone calls from her lover. However, this spark of hope may also lead to unexpected consequences.
This 17-minute narrative is about a film director who finds his way back to his hometown with the goal of shooting an autobiographical film only to find it abandoned and demolished. In a place of what-was, how can his film be possible?
The bloody drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte leaves two mothers mourning for their children who have fallen victim to the killings. Mama shows the process of moving forward for the remaining children while seeking justice for the ones they lost.
Two years after Des experienced sexual abuse from her uncle and aunt which led her to be rehabilitated, she faces them again for the law cases filed against them.
To protect and preserve ancestral land, Pamalandong sa Danaw (Reflection in the Marsh) highlights three childhood friends as they go through social and environmental mishaps together.
A mother of a child with medical conditions tries to make ends meet by auditioning for My Amazing Mama, an exploitative TV game show.
– with additional reports from Fore Esperenza/Rappler.com
Fore Esperanza is a Rappler intern.
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Tarlac POGO’s money trail links to brother of Duterte’s Chinese adviser
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Lian Buan
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15/07/2024 16:11
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POGO COMPOUND. Comprising 36 buildings, IGL hub Zun Yuan Technology Inc. located at Barangay Anupul Bamban, Tarlac was raided by authorities midnight of March 13, 2024.
Joann Manabat/Rappler
The ongoing multi-agency investigations into shady Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) have found a money link to the brother of Michael Yang, a Chinese businessman who was economic adviser to former president Rodrigo Duterte during his term.
One of the seven individuals whose assets were frozen by the Court of Appeals (CA) in relation to the qualified trafficking investigation into the Bamban, Tarlac POGO was Hongjiang Yang, brother of Michael Yang.
While Hongjiang Yang is not an incorporator of the HongSheng POGO (later named as Zun Yuan), nor the real estate firm Baofu that leased the land, “his money was used to fund HongSheng,” said Senator Risa Hontiveros in a statement on Monday, July 15.
“The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) froze the accounts of Mr. HongJiang Yang, believed to be a brother of Mr. Michael Yang for various suspicious transactions associated with Alice Leal Guo,” said Winston Casio, spokesperson of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), which has been leading the POGO crackdown in the country.
PAOCC has filed qualified trafficking complaints against individuals involved in the HongSheng POGO, a scam hub in Bamban, Tarlac whose workers escaped to expose maltreatment and torture in the compound. Alice Guo, who was elected mayor of Bamban in 2022, was an incorporator of real estate firm Baofu that leased the compound. Guo is included in the trafficking complaint, and has been ordered arrested by the Senate for contempt.
It was Hongjiang’s brother Hongming, aka Michael Yang, who is more publicly known. After all, it was Michael Yang who was given contracts by Malacañang that designated him as Duterte’s economic adviser.
When Michael Yang represented Duterte in the 2017 All China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Hongjiang was with him, according to a report by Rappler and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The event was held in Fujian province, and was seen as a soft power project by the Chinese Communist Party (CPP) to broaden their influence.
A known company that Hongjiang incorporated in the Philippines is Full Win Group of Companies, which Michael Yang also affiliated himself with. Full Win incorporated in February 2017, and in October 2017, Hongjiang’s co-incorporator in Full Win, Gerald Cruz, also co-incorporated Pharmally Biological Company Inc.
Pharmally Biological is separate from Pharmally Pharmaceutical that figured in the scandal during Duterte’s term for having won the biggest personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts from the government, but turned out to have supplied substandard products. But the two Pharmallys are tied together by common people, one of them Michael Yang himself.
Pharmally Pharmaceutical executives, when they were being grilled in the Senate, said Michael Yang was their financier and guarantor. Pharmally’s executives were able to meet Duterte at one point because Michael Yang introduced them. Michael Yang was able to have critical access to Duterte and Malacañang, and maintain a good network with top Chinese economic officials and executives of major China state-run companies.
One of Pharmally Pharmaceutical’s anomalous acts was being able to win millions of pesos in projects from the government when they had less than a million in capital – which is not typically allowed by the procurement law. Duterte suspended the procurement law during the pandemic via the Bayanihan Act.
“Sabi ko nga, mukhang one big, happy Pharmally pala itong mga POGO at Pharmally members. Baka nga itong Pharmally pala ang “PHARM” na kinalakihan ni Alice Guo,” said Hontiveros, taking a swipe at the suspended mayor’s claim that she grew up in a farm. (As I said, it looks like Pharmally and POGO are one big happy family. Maybe Pharmally is the “pharm” that Alice Guo said she grew up in.)
Guo’s citizenship has been torn apart in the Senate hearings, with evidence from the National Bureau of Investigation that there is a Filipino woman named Alice Guo with the same birthday as the mayor and the same fingerprint, leading to suspicions of identity theft. Guo’s Filipino citizenship is now in limbo after the solicitor general filed a petition to cancel her birth certificate. – Rappler.com
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‘No copyright infringement intended’ for planned ‘Taylor Swift-ready’ stadium in Clark
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lkyu0285
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15/07/2024 18:00
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Safdie Rabines Architects website and Philippine Concerts' Facebook page
Did you hear about the “Taylor Swift-ready” stadium that’s soon to rise in the sprawling Clark Civil Aviation Complex?
A presentation slide by the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) made the rounds online after it claimed that project development has started for a shiny, new stadium in Clark. “Taylor Swift concert ready by 2028,” the now-viral slide boldly claimed.
But it went viral for another reason too: the stadium shown in the slide looked awfully similar to a new sports arena in San Diego, California.
A photo of the slide was initially reported online in a now-deleted post on X. Since then, it has been shared and reposted thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter. The slide features a dimmed background, seemingly a conceptual rendering of an arena complex. Although the slide discussed the planned stadium in Clark, it did not explicitly state that the image depicted the actual project.
And it certainly didn’t. A quick Google reverse image search showed that it was actually a conceptual rendering of “Midway Rising,” a 48-acre development in San Diego that includes a sports arena. The project is designed by Safdie Rabines Architects, and the architectural firm has on their website a conceptual rendering similar to what was used in the CIAC’s slide.
After facing backlash online for using the image without attribution, CIAC quickly released a statement claiming “there was no copyright infringement intended.”
“CIAC is proud to conceive of this project with the inspiration of the likes of the rising San Diego Sports Arena in California, as presented at the second Clark Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Enhancement of the Utilization of Clark International Airport (CRK) meeting. There was no copyright infringement intended in the course of presenting the benchmarks of our project development process to like minds and peers among national leaders and private sector stakeholders,” the CIAC said in a post on Saturday, July 13.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DOT) was also quick to clear its name, clarifying that they were not involved in the CIAC’s presentation or plans.
“The DOT wishes to clarify erroneous information circulating online wrongly attributing to the DOT and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco the imagery used in the presentation of CIAC President Arrey Perez for the Clark Complex in Pampanga. Neither the DOT nor Secretary Frasco were involved in the creation or delivery of these plans made and presented by Mr. Perez,” the DOT said in a statement posted an hour before CIAC’s.
Apparently, the now-viral slide was shown during a TWG meeting, which happened to include other high-level government officials, such as Tourism Secretary Frasco.
“On his own accord, CIAC President Arrey Perez gave a presentation on his future plans for the Clark Complex, including a proposal to construct a facility capable of hosting major events such as concerts,” the DOT added. “The DOT has requested the CIAC to confirm that neither the DOT nor the Secretary has any involvement in their plans and presentation.”
And sure enough, that’s what CIAC did.
“We are grateful to the Department of Tourism – Philippines for their unequivocal support for Clark and in giving us the creative freedom, as they had no hand in developing the viral deck, to present our vision for the performance arena,” the government corporation said.
Even with these early issues aside, the stadium still has a long way to go before being realized. It’s just one part of a 37-hectare Entertainment and Events Center near the Clark International Airport, which will be developed through a public-private partnership from 2024 to 2027. While CIAC President Perez said that there are already at least three interested private sector partners, nothing is final yet.
Let’s hope the final stadium comes out better than this shaky start – or as Taylor would say, CIAC needs to shake it off! – Rappler.com
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Why are we building a ‘Taylor Swift-ready’ stadium in Clark?
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lkyu0285
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15/07/2024 15:57
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Philippine Concerts' Facebook page and ANDREW KELLY/ REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – Taylor Swift is going viral again in the Philippines — not because she’s performing here anytime soon, but because a new stadium in Clark Freeport Zone in central Luzon big enough to accommodate the American pop superstar may be ready by 2028.
A presentation slide by the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) made the rounds online after it claimed that project development has started for a stadium that would be “Taylor Swift concert ready by 2028.”
CIAC president and chief executive officer Arrey Perez confirmed that they are planning to develop a 37-hectare “Entertainment and Events Center” in the sprawling Clark Civil Aviation Complex. Plans include a 150,000-square-meter international convention center, an airport mall with over 300 stores, and an indoor sports arena with a seating capacity of 30,000. The project is expected to last from 2024 to 2027.
Could that stadium finally be what brings Swift to the Philippines? According to the CIAC, they will court her to perform there once the entertainment complex is ready by 2028.
“The design and build plans for the Clark Entertainment Center must attract musical events of world-renowned artists, including the likes of Taylor Swift,” CIAC Public Affairs Division head Augusto Sanchez told Rappler on Monday, July 15.
In a recent statement, CIAC also said that they were “building a world-class arena where we can host the likes of Taylor Swift and Coldplay.” (READ: First Taylor Swift, now IU: Concert tourism is the new travel trend)
“Indeed, the Eras Tour has shown everyone the incredible potential of tourism and the MICE industries (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) to boost national economies,” CIAC said on Saturday, July 13.
The plan has received mixed reactions online. Some were excited about the possibility of attracting more international artists to the country, while others questioned why the project was being prioritized over seemingly more important ones.
“I’m a Swiftie, but I want our country to focus on better projects towards education, hospitals, and reliable transpo. I believe Taylor Swift will still agree with me and other Swifties with the same thoughts,” one fan commented on a Facebook post.
“Sorry, Philippines. The plan is good. But we are not like Singapore – the safety and security of the people, no MRT and buses that can bring people to their houses after the concert in a span of 1 hour,” another netizen wrote.
While such criticisms do highlight continuing problems in the Philippines, it’s also important to understand the project’s context. The plan is not limited to just a stadium designed to attract mega concerts from the likes of Taylor Swift. (READ: Filipinos were ready for it: PH top buyer of Taylor Swift tour tickets in Klook)
CIAC describes the indoor sports arena as “an internationally accredited, multi-purpose venue for various local and international events, complementing the outdoor sports facilities of New Clark City in fostering sports within the region and harnessing the tremendous potential of the multi-million-dollar live music industry.”
CIAC is aware of the transportation worries too, with plans for the entertainment and events center to incorporate a “multi-modal terminal” that can accommodate 200,000 passengers per day through “diverse transportation modes,” although the exact details of the terminal are not yet fleshed out.
There are also plans to build a 1.7-kilometer four-lane access road connecting the center to the rest of the Clark Civil Aviation Complex, and a 2.7-km four-lane airport highway called CRK Direct Access Link that connects the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway to the Clark International Airport (CRK).
The 37-hectare development is also just one of CIAC’s 7 flagship projects planned for 2024 onwards. Other developments include:
“We must think of CRK beyond air travel,” CIAC president Arrey Perez said on Friday, July 12. “The Clark Airport City will build up CRK by creating not just more passenger traffic, but [also] cargo traffic.”
Several of CIAC’s flagship projects will also be developed through private-public partnerships (PPP). For instance, the entertainment center has already caught the eye of one local proponent along with two others from Singapore and the United States, according to a report by the Manila Bulletin.
The CIAC is also engaging the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Public-Private Partnership Center to aid it in the establishment of the planned National Food Hub. ADB will act as the CIAC’s transaction advisor for the P8.5-billion project.
By developing these multi-billion-peso flagship projects as PPPs, CIAC can tap private sector capital. Essentially, that means the government doesn’t have to pull away money from other critical infrastructure projects to fund what may seem like a frivolous stadium for a pop icon. And since it’s the private proponent’s money at stake here, it’s likely that they’re building it because they see it will yield a strong return on investment. – Rappler.com
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Meralco rates surge in July 2024 as it starts collection of deferred costs
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Ralf Rivas
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15/07/2024 19:15
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POWER. Electricity lines and meters.
LeAnne Jazul/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Typical households consuming 200 kilowatt hours (kWh) monthly can expect a jump of around P430 in their total electricity bill in July, as the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is set to begin collecting deferred costs.
Meralco on Monday, July 15, announced an upward adjustment of P2.1496 per kWh in the electricity rate for July, amid a higher generation charge. This brings the overall rate to P11.6012 per kWh from June’s P9.4516.
“Coming from a significant reduction last month, the generation charge went up this July by P2.0021 per kWh as [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] charges returned to normal levels as a result of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) directive to stagger the collection of the charges for the May supply month in four equal monthly installments until September 2024,” Meralco said.
The ERC approved the staggered collection of around P500 million for generation costs incurred in May, following the request of Meralco, as well as Quezon Power (Philippines), San Buenaventura Power, and South Premiere Power Corporation.
Lower demand in the Luzon grid mitigated the increase in further charges.
The release of Meralco bills will again be delayed as the utility firm “sought guidance from the ERC on the implementation of this month’s rate adjustment.”
“Rest assured that Meralco will adjust the due dates to give our customers enough time to settle their bills,” Meralco head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said. – Rappler.com
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Meralco rates surge in July 2024 as it starts collection of deferred costs
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Ralf Rivas
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15/07/2024 19:15
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POWER. Electricity lines and meters.
LeAnne Jazul/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Typical households consuming 200 kilowatt hours (kWh) monthly can expect a jump of around P430 in their total electricity bill in July, as the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is set to begin collecting deferred costs.
Meralco on Monday, July 15, announced an upward adjustment of P2.1496 per kWh in the electricity rate for July, amid a higher generation charge. This brings the overall rate to P11.6012 per kWh from June’s P9.4516.
“Coming from a significant reduction last month, the generation charge went up this July by P2.0021 per kWh as [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] charges returned to normal levels as a result of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) directive to stagger the collection of the charges for the May supply month in four equal monthly installments until September 2024,” Meralco said.
The ERC approved the staggered collection of around P500 million for generation costs incurred in May, following the request of Meralco, as well as Quezon Power (Philippines), San Buenaventura Power, and South Premiere Power Corporation.
Lower demand in the Luzon grid mitigated the increase in further charges.
The release of Meralco bills will again be delayed as the utility firm “sought guidance from the ERC on the implementation of this month’s rate adjustment.”
“Rest assured that Meralco will adjust the due dates to give our customers enough time to settle their bills,” Meralco head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Ukraine – Jones Cup 2024
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Jasmine Payo
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15/07/2024 16:38
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MANILA, Philippines – Chris McCullough took over down the stretch as Strong Group-Pilipinas stayed unbeaten in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan after a come-from-behind 82-74 win over Ukraine on Monday, July 15.
The former San Miguel import scattered 8 of his 28 points in the final two minutes to help the Philippines’ representative improve to 3-0 after dominant wins over the United Arab Emirates and Australian team BSBL Guardians.
Ukraine led 72-67 before Strong Group went on an 11-0 tear highlighted by McCullough completing a three-point play, sinking a triple, and making a pair of free throws in succession to seize the upper hand at 78-72.
Free throws by Jordan Heading and Kiefer Ravena then sealed the win for Strong Group.
Heading backstopped McCullough with 24 points after an 18-point eruption in the opening quarter, while Ravena added 10 points and 4 assists.
Fresh from another 20-plus point beating of its opponents, Strong Group-Pilipinas tries to keep its hot start in the 43rd William Jones Cup going when it clashes with Ukraine on Monday, July 15.
Just like their opening-day blowout of United Arab Emirates, the Filipinos dominated Australia’s BSBL Guardians from start to finish on Sunday, July 14, en route to a convincing 91-69 finish.
As expected, Chris McCullough once again spearheaded Strong Group’s onslaught as he produced a game-high 23 points in just 22 minutes.
Aside from McCullough, big men Ange Kouame and Tajuan Agee both flexed their muscles inside the paint to finish with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Don’t expect McCullough and the rest of Strong Group to slow down versus Ukraine as they gun for their third straight win in as many days for an unblemished 3-0 card in the single round-robin tournament.
The Ukrainians were no match for Chinese Taipei-Blue on Sunday as they dropped their opening assignment, 83-58.
Only one Ukrainian player reached double-digit scoring in their 25-point loss, with Rostyslav Novitskyi scoring 11.
Game time is 5 pm. – Rappler.com
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Magnolia parts way with Jalalon, acquires Lucero from NorthPort in 2-for-1 deal
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 19:06
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CONTESTED. Jio Jalalon in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia bid Jio Jalalon goodbye after nearly eight years with the team.
The Hotshots dealt Jalalon and Abu Tratter to NorthPort in exchange for Zavier Lucero in a two-for-one trade approved by the PBA on Monday, July 15.
Picked by Magnolia in the special Gilas Pilipinas round of the 2016 Draft, Jalalon helped turn the Hotshots into one of the best defensive teams, a run highlighted by a championship in the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
The veteran guard from Arellano earned three All-Defensive Team selections and claimed the Defensive Player of the Year honors from the PBA Press Corps.
But the writing was on the wall for Jalalon as Magnolia selected former Adamson guard Jerom Lastimosa with the No. 10 pick in the latest draft on Sunday, July 14.
Jalalon averaged 9.7 points, 5.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for the Hotshots last season.
While Jalalon parted ways with his first PBA team, Tratter got shipped for the fourth time in his career as he joins his fourth team in the Batang Pier.
Tratter, drafted by NLEX in 2018 before being traded to Blackwater, Alaska/Converge, and Magnolia, averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds last season.
Although the Hotshots let go of one of their best guards in Jalalon and a bruising big man in Tratter, they get one of the best young forwards in the league in the 6-foot-6 Lucero.
Lucero, drafted fifth overall by NorthPort last year, averaged 12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in the Philippine Cup last season.
On Monday, the Batang Pier also traded big man Ben Adamos to Barangay Ginebra in exchange for returning forward Sidney Onwubere. – Rappler.com
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Eastern Visayas boxer Paña dominates Soccsksargen’s Ancajas for Palaro gold
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clescudero0258
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15/07/2024 18:10
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CHAMPION. Eastern Visayas' Angel Joshua Paña is declared champion of the boxing school boys event of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 under the pinweight division.
Christa Escudero/Rappler
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Angel Joshua Paña of Eastern Visayas earned the crowd’s cheers – and the gold medal – after overpowering Soccsksargen’s Jarrell Mark Ancajas via unanimous decision in the pinweight division of school boys boxing in the Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City.
Playing in just his second Palaro, the 14-year-old pride of Ormoc City bagged his first medal at the expense of an opponent with an illustrious boxing pedigree.
Ancajas is the younger brother of Filipino boxing star and former IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.
“Passion ko po talaga ang boxing mula pagkabata (Boxing has really been my passion since I was a child),” said Paña, who learned to play boxing at 10 years old with the help of his father, and then started to enter the ring at 11.
Paña’s coach Elgy Costelo felt immense pressure upon learning beforehand that his ward would be competing with Ancajas, whose strength and competence they’ve seen in previous bouts. But he proceeded to work with the teen boxer on strategies to beat his worthy opponent.
Paña – who shared that one of his idols is boxing legend Manny Pacquiao – also took it as a challenge, Costelo added.
“Ang game plan talaga namin is pasukin nang pasukin si Ancajas kasi technical boxer si Ancajas (Ancajas’ playing style is technical, so our game plan was just to keep on going in),” Costelo shared.
Paña is set to return to the boxing ring during the Batang Pinoy tournament in December, the coach said.
Here is the full list of boxing gold medalists awarded at the Cebu Coliseum on Monday, July 15:
– Rappler.com
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Ginebra gets Ben Adamos, lets go of Sidney Onwubere in trade with NorthPort
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 17:32
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SHOT. Ben Adamos in action for the NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The loss of star Christian Standhardinger has Barangay Ginebra making moves in a bid to fill his void.
Looking to beef up their frontline, the Gin Kings acquired center Ben Adamos from NorthPort as they let go of forward Sidney Onwubere in a one-for-one trade.
The deal got approved by the PBA on Monday, July 15.
Adamos’ acquisition comes just days after Ginebra shipped Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and the No. 10 pick in the Season 49 Draft to Terrafirma in exchange for Stephen Holt, Isaac Go, and the No. 3 selection.
Instead of going for a big man, head coach Tim Cone and the Gin Kings used the No. 3 pick on promising guard RJ Abarrientos.
Ginebra is Adamos’ fifth team in the PBA after he played for Alaska, Converge, Phoenix, and NorthPort.
The sixth overall pick in the Season 46 Draft, Adamos appeared in 12 games for the Batang Pier last season, averaging 1.5 points.
Meanwhile, Onwubere returns to his former team NorthPort after a near three-year stint with the Gin Kings that saw him help the powerhouse team win two championships.
Onwubere, who also played for TNT and Rain or Shine, averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds for Ginebra last season. – Rappler.com
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Lies Rappler debunked in Marcos’ 2nd year in power
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Lorenz Pasion
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15/07/2024 17:29
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Guia Abogado
Disinformation peddlers in the Philippines shifted to churning out defense-related lies as tensions increased between the country and its neighbor China during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second year in power.
More disinformation efforts focused on fabricating lies about the West Philippine Sea and the country’s efforts to thwart China’s aggression in the disputed territory.
The number of false claims produced against the Dutertes also escalated as the rift between the Davao City-based political family and the country’s chief executive deteriorated in the past year.
Meanwhile, the number of dubious claims about persistent lies meant to rebrand and rehabilitate the name of Marcos’ family sharply decreased.
FACT CHECKS ON MILITARIES
Fact checks on posts about activities, encounters, and combat, of countries in disputed territories in the Philippines.
Majority of non-scam disinformation that Rappler debunked in Marcos’ second year as president were about military activities, acquisitions, and alliances.
Rappler observed that 96 out of 238 debunked non-scam claims spread false information on alleged attacks in the West Philippine Sea. Most of these claims talked about fabricated stories of assaults of the Chinese military against the Philippines, while others focused on fake retaliations of the country against the superpower.
There were also disinformation peddlers that spread claims exaggerating the Philippine military’s modernization program, creating news of non-existent military equipment acquisitions or donations that were often used as proof to show the country’s growing military might.
Some disinformation channels also announced fake alliances between the Philippines and foreign nations that said they would help the country counter China’s aggression in the region. In a few posts, disinformation channels even claimed that these countries have already deployed their forces in the country.
DUTERTE FACT CHECKS
False claims made by President Duterte and key officials, false claims about the Duterte administration performance.
Lies about former president Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, also increased during Marcos’ second year in office.
Rappler debunked 22 false claims about the Dutertes in the past year. These included false resignations of Sara Duterte as the Vice President and education secretary which Rappler had debunked as early as October 2023. The early claims about her supposed resignation surfaced eight months before she actually resigned as DepEd Secretary on June 19, 2024.
Pro-Duterte vloggers also made up claims of false appointments of former president Rodrigo Duterte to several key positions in government, while pro-Marcos vloggers focused more on fabricating fake decisions of the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to its investigation into the former president’s “war on drugs” campaign.
There were also a few death hoaxes pertaining to the former president, who previously disclosed to the public that he suffered from myasthenia gravis – a chronic autoimmune disorder where antibodies disrupt communication between nerves and muscles, leading to skeletal muscle weakness.
In Marcos’ second year as president, disinformation peddlers also put together fictitious claims about presidential orders.
Rappler debunked 22 of these fictional claims from social media vloggers. Most of these claims were fake presidential orders banishing famous personalities like comedian Vice Ganda or newscaster Mel Tiangco. There were also fake proclamations like declaring March 11 a regular holiday, in observance of Eid’l Fitr.
Disinformation peddlers also framed fake claims meant to make programs of the Marcos administration look grander in scale.
Of the 18 debunked claims about this topic, several were about Marcos’ housing project and fulfilling his promise of retailing rice at P20/kilo. There were also false articles about the improvement of the economy.
Claims about the success of Marcos’ foreign trips also increased this year, often showcasing alleged financial pledges of host countries to the Philippines.
Politicians and other personalities were also not spared from the disinformation that peddlers spread.
Rappler debunked 21 false claims linked to opposition figures like Senator Risa Hontiveros, and false appointments of Marcos’ political allies like his cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez to several government positions.
Pro-Duterte vloggers have also made several false claims about fugitive doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy. Two trial courts have separately ordered the arrest of Quiboloy since March for child abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking but he has refused to surrender, and has even demanded that Marcos assure him in writing that the US government will not meddle in his case.
False claims about the Israel-Hamas war also increased during Marcos’ second year as president, with Rappler debunking 16 false claims about the war since the President’s last SONA.
Most false claims Rappler debunked about the Israel-Hamas war were about famous personalities and their fake support for Israel, dubious proclamations of support from countries on either side of the war, and the military activities of both sides.
Rappler also discredited 15 claims about fake impeachments of members of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The following members of the Upper and Lower chambers of the legislature became targets of these false impeachment claims:
In some of these claims, disinformation peddlers gave fake reasons for the alleged impeachment of the senators. An example was when Hontiveros was allegedly impeached because she urged the government to cooperate with the ICC probe into Duterte’s drug war killings. Another was when Padilla was allegedly removed from the Senate because of an alleged information leak. – Rappler.com
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Rescuers recover 4 bodies from Zamboanga landslides
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 17:01
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RECOVER. Search and retrieval team members use an excavator to recover the remains of a woman and her child in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan, Zamboanga City. Their remains were found on Monday, July 15, two days after a landslide buried their house.
Zamboanga PIO
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Rescuers found the bodies of four people, including children, buried in two landslides after incessant rain from the southwest monsoon in Zamboanga City over the weekend.
The bodies were recovered on two separate occasions on Sunday and Monday, July 14 and 15.
Dr. Elmeir Apolinario, chief of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), identified the victims as 47-year-old Leonilo Moret and his 10-year-old son Justine from Sitio Papaya, Barangay Pumucutan, and 26-year-old Myca Ortega and her six-year-old son JM from Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan.
Apolinario said the house of Leonilo and his son was swept away by a mudslide into the river on Friday night, July 12, at the height of the heavy downpour spawned by the habagat (southwest monsoon).
The remains of Leonilo were found near the Philippine Coconut Authority-Zamboanga Research Center in San Ramon, Barangay Talisayan, while those of his son were found in Anuling River near the Prime Water dam in Barangay Pamucutan on Sunday morning, July 14.
Apolinario said the remains of Ortega and her son were recovered by members of the retrieval team on Monday, July 15.
Ortega’s house in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan, was buried in mud and rocks, prompting the retrieval team to use a backhoe to extract the bodies while the CDRRMO water tanker was used to flush the mud-covered road.
Roseller, Myca’s husband, told RPN-Zamboanga on Monday, that the landslide occurred around 10 pm on Friday.
Roseller, who works by gathering and selling sand by the sack from the Anuling River, said he rushed home from work, and found their house buried in mud and rocks.
He said they had been living in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan for years, and Friday’s landslide was the first.
The heavy rain also caused widespread flooding in 30 of the 98 villages of Zamboanga City, displacing some 4,000 families with over 15,000 individuals, destroying houses, and toppling light and cable posts, including two heritage trees.
The Zamboanga City Health Office fielded workers to evacuation centers to conduct medical consultations and distribute vitamins and prophylaxis to flood-hit residents to lower the risk of acquiring leptospirosis and other flood-related diseases.
City hall’s information office reported that 37 evacuation centers were set up, and 18 were still operational as of Monday. The rest have closed as evacuees have returned to their respective homes.
The local health office also advised residents exposed to flood waters to visit health centers and avail of prophylaxis to prevent leptospirosis. Early consultation is also advised for residents who develop fever after wading in floodwaters.
Leptospirosis is caused by the Leptospira spirochetes bacteria, which spread through rat urine. Modes of transmission include wading in contaminated floodwaters and ingesting contaminated food or water. – Rappler.com
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Lean but mean: Tim Cone says Gilas Pilipinas not expanding player pool
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 16:59
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THANK YOU. Gilas Pilipinas players acknowledge their supporters in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Having a bigger pool seems like the way to go as Gilas Pilipinas continues to deal with the absences of key players due to injuries.
Yet head coach Tim Cone still thinks it’s better for the national men’s basketball team to stick with a 12-man roster.
“We’re not going to expand the pool. Because of the short preparation time we have, the teaching part of the team is much harder when you have a big pool,” said Cone in a press conference on Monday, July 15.
“That is what the program is all about. That is why we decided to go with a smaller pool because the teaching is less and it has to be because the preparation time is less.”
“We’re going to stay with 12 guys.”
Cone feels it is “unwieldy” and “difficult” to bring in additional pool players with only a short window to learn his system before every contest.
In the previous FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament which saw the Philippines exceed expectations by reaching the semifinals, Cone and the team trained for just less than two weeks before they played their first game.
For Cone, keeping an intact lineup fosters chemistry and continuity, which will benefit the squad in the long run as the Philippines shoots for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha, Qatar, and 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA.
“I would prefer to have a bigger pool. I would prefer to have a longer preparation time. Any coach would,” said Cone. “It is just not feasible. So we have to work with what we have.”
Cone said unfamiliarity resulted in Mason Amos’ benching in the OQT.
Along with veteran Japeth Aguilar, Amos joined the national team for the OQT to fill the spots of injured mainstays AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo, but the incoming La Salle forward ended up not playing in their three games.
“One of the reasons we did not play Mason was because he was new to the team and we did not really get him into the system well enough,” said Cone.
But Cone said they have players in mind who would be worthy replacements if the national team runs into personnel woes.
The Philippines tried to bring in Jordan Heading for the OQT after Scottie Thompson got ruled out due to a back injury, but the Filipino-Australian guard begged off due to a family matter.
“We talked to a number of guys and they know they’re on the list. They know that we could call them at any time, and if they’re available, they would play,” said Cone.
“But we’re not going to keep asking a whole bunch of guys to come to our practice and travel with us.”
Gilas Pilipinas returns to action in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in November as it battles Hong Kong and New Zealand in a pair of home games. – Rappler.com
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NCR routs Central Luzon in fight-marred Palaro 2024 boys secondary basketball finale
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jisaga0269
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15/07/2024 16:25
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DUST-UP. Tensions flare during the boys secondary basketball finals between National Capital Region and Central Luzon in the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – National Capital Region rose back on top the Palarong Pambansa boys secondary basketball hierarchy after a fight-marred 86-71 rout of Pampanga-based Central Luzon at the University of San Carlos gym on Monday, July 15.
Erasing the memory of a stunning Palaro 2023 dethroning in Marikina City by Jared Bahay-led Central Visayas, Timothy Matias led the comeback tour with 16 points as NCR’s NU-Nazareth took advantage of an early second-quarter brawl to pull away before intermission and never look back.
With 7:13 left in the first half, St. Augustine Institute-Pampanga starters John Stephen Estanislao, Jackson Jackson, and Guilz Gueverra figured in a shoving match with NU’s Alnhumaeri Usop, resulting in all players getting tossed after a lengthy discussion with officials and Central Luzon coaches.
That was the surprise opportunity window NCR needed to lock in on defense and seize momentum, rallying from a 20-27 second-quarter hole to a 40-36 turnaround at the half, ballooning to as high as 25, 65-40, midway through the third.
Undermanned Central Luzon never threatened from that point as NCR walked a golden carpet to the final buzzer and formalized their return on top.
“It feels really good [to regain the title] especially since we lost the crown last year at our home court. Now, we won at the place of our last year’s tormentors,” said NCR-NU head coach Leo Pujante in Filipino.
“But we didn’t instill [vengeance] to the kids. We just want them to showcase NU basketball because taking vengeance is not part of NU’s vision.”
Kenji Moral topscored with 19 in the loss as Central Luzon settled for silver, while Davao Region rebounded from a controversial semifinal loss to the Pampanga squad and stunned Calabarzon, 75-72, in the bronze-medal match. – Rappler.com
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Displaced jeepney drivers stage protest in Bacolod ahead of Marcos’ SONA
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 16:17
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SCRAP. Jeepney drivers and operators hold a rally in Bacolod on Monday, July 15, calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to scrap the public utility vehicle modernization program when he delivers his State of the Nation Address on July 22, 2024.
KMU
BACOLOD, Philippines – Displaced as a result of the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program, some 243 jeepney operators and drivers protested in front of Bacolod City’s government center on Monday morning, July 15, urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to scrap the program.
The organized group of public vehicle operators and drivers took to the streets to deliver what they called their version of the SONA, a week before Marcos Jr. delivers his third annual address about the country’s state before Congress.
Protesters from the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center-Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Undoc-Piston) in Bacolod criticized the modernization program implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) as a “dismal failure.”
“It didn’t work well, as many cooperatives are now lamenting their substantial losses,” said Noli Rosales, Undoc-Piston spokesman.
Rosales said the program brought “economic misery” to many PUV drivers and operators, and their families.
The group said the program has also resulted in a scarcity of PUVs on Bacolod’s streets, adversely affecting the city’s commuters.
Undoc-Piston said at least 1,700 of its members could no longer operate and drive jeepneys legally because the government no longer granted them provisional authority when they failed to consolidate into transport cooperatives after the May 30 deadline.
Rosales noted that some traditional jeepneys were still plying the streets, but their drivers were prone to apprehensions. Once apprehended, jeepney operators have to pay P50,000 per unit as a fine and endure a 30-day jeepney impoundment.
“We are calling on President Marcos to declare in his SONA the total scrapping of the PUVMP. It’s a bane for the transport sector,” Rosales said.
One of the cooperatives, the Bacolod Modernized Jeepney Transport Association (BMJTA), complained that its members have been suffering substantial losses because the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) failed to take action against those still operating and driving traditional jeepneys.
Rudy Catedral, president of the Bacolod Commuters, Operators, and Drivers Association-Federation of Drivers, Commuters, and United Transportation Terminals (Bacod-Manibela), said they were organizing bigger protests in time for Marcos’ SONA on June 22.
Catedral mentioned that around 10,000 of their dependents were suffering from the “negative economic impact” of the PUVMP.
He said the monthly amortization scheme for the modern jeepneys of at least P33,000 each was unaffordable for many.
“Even a cooperative cannot survive with this scheme,” Catedral said. “If the President can’t scrap the PUVMP, maybe he could amend the scheme and order program reviewed for a win-win solution.” – Rappler.com
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NCR routs Central Luzon in fight-marred Palaro 2024 boys secondary basketball finale
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jisaga0269
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15/07/2024 16:25
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DUST-UP. Tensions flare during the boys secondary basketball finals between National Capital Region and Central Luzon in the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – National Capital Region rose back on top the Palarong Pambansa boys secondary basketball hierarchy after a fight-marred 86-71 rout of Pampanga-based Central Luzon at the University of San Carlos gym on Monday, July 15.
Erasing the memory of a stunning Palaro 2023 dethroning in Marikina City by Jared Bahay-led Central Visayas, Timothy Matias led the comeback tour with 16 points as NCR’s NU-Nazareth took advantage of an early second-quarter brawl to pull away before intermission and never look back.
With 7:13 left in the first half, St. Augustine Institute-Pampanga starters John Stephen Estanislao, Jackson Jackson, and Guilz Gueverra figured in a shoving match with NU’s Alnhumaeri Usop, resulting in all players getting tossed after a lengthy discussion with officials and Central Luzon coaches.
That was the surprise opportunity window NCR needed to lock in on defense and seize momentum, rallying from a 20-27 second-quarter hole to a 40-36 turnaround at the half, ballooning to as high as 25, 65-40, midway through the third.
Undermanned Central Luzon never threatened from that point as NCR walked a golden carpet to the final buzzer and formalized their return on top.
“It feels really good [to regain the title] especially since we lost the crown last year at our home court. Now, we won at the place of our last year’s tormentors,” said NCR-NU head coach Leo Pujante in Filipino.
“But we didn’t instill [vengeance] to the kids. We just want them to showcase NU basketball because taking vengeance is not part of NU’s vision.”
Kenji Moral topscored with 19 in the loss as Central Luzon settled for silver, while Davao Region rebounded from a controversial semifinal loss to the Pampanga squad and stunned Calabarzon, 75-72, in the bronze-medal match. – Rappler.com
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New village named after governor’s grandparents created in South Cotabato
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 14:58
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VOTERS' LIST. A voter searches for her name on a list during the July 13 plebiscite in Tupi town, South Cotabato.
Comelec
SOUTH COTABATO, Philippines – A new village has been created at the foot of Mount Matutum in Tupi town, South Cotabato, after residents ratified its creation in a low-turnout referendum on Saturday, July 13.
With the new village, Tupi town, classified as a first-class municipality, now has 16 barangays.
The new village, Juan-Loreto Tamayo, named after the grandparents of South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., was carved from three existing barangays in the town where the governor once served as mayor.
Tamayo, known to be a close ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is the president of the administration Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), a position being contested by some of its members.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Sunday, July 14, that of the 2,485 voters who cast their votes, 2,393 or 96% voted yes, while only 89 objected to it.
Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia, who was present during the referendum, said, “The voting went smoothly and peacefully,” attributing it to the presence of police and military personnel.
Only about 25.45% of the 9,765 registered voters in the communities covered by the plebiscite cast their ballots. Tupi town has 50,007 registered voters, said election officer Sharon Alim-Hamid.
Of those who cast their votes, at least 1,294 voters came from Barangay Cebuano, 569 from Linan, and 622 from Miasong, she said.
The South Cotabato provincial board earlier passed Resolution No. 158-2023, seeking the creation of Barangay Juan-Loreto Tamayo, prompting Comelec to promulgate Resolution No. 10993 on May 3, and schedule the July 13 plebiscite.
The new village sits on 2,300 hectares that used to be part of Cebuano, Linan, and Miasong, and which lies along the Mount Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).
As a protected area, MMPL falls within the coverage of the Enhanced Integrated Protected Area System Act (E-NIPAS), designed to enhance biological diversity and protect against human exploitation.
With the creation of the new village, populated mostly by the indigenous people Blaan, environmentalists and the group Save Mount Matutum Protected Landscape (SMMPL) expressed apprehension that the new village could draw more businesses and people, potentially affecting the ecology and biodiversity of the area.
And the group Save Mount Matutum Protected Landscape (SMMPL) fear a possible deterioration of the protected area once investors and traders develop the place for their businesses.
They said illegal constructions of buildings and houses have been going on almost unabated, despite the notice of violations and stoppage orders issued by the Mount Matutum Protected Area Management Board. – Rappler.com
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Davao court convicts leftist Senate bets of child abuse over Lumad ‘rescue’
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Lian Buan
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15/07/2024 13:38
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INDIGNATION. Former Bayan Muna partylist rep. Satur Ocampo and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro join the indignation protest organized by various multi-sectoral groups following their conviction by Tagum City Regional Trial Court, at the Commission on Human Rights on July 15, 2024. Photo by Jire Carreon/Rappler
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – A court in Tagum City, Davao del Norte has convicted 13 people of child abuse, including two prominent leaders of the leftist Makabayan bloc, over a 2018 incident that the Philippine Army is calling an abduction of minors but which human rights groups are claiming to be a rescue of teachers and Lumad students from military harassment.
Tagum City Regional Trial Court Branch 2 Judge Jimmy Boco convicted 13 human rights defenders of violation of Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or child abuse, and sentenced them to a minimum 4 years to a maximum 6 years in prison. It is a bailable offense so all 13 can enjoy freedom while they appeal.
The verdict was known to the defendants on Monday, but Judge Boco’s decision was dated July 3.
“This is a clear miscarriage of justice, and we will strongly question this decision in all venues possible,” said ACT Teachers Party Representative France Castro and former Bayan Muna Party Representative Satur Ocampo, two of the convicted, in a joint statement on Monday, July 15.
Castro has just been announced as the first confirmed bet of the Makabayan coalition for the 2025 Senate elections. Makabayan said it will field a full slate for the midterm elections, but has yet to name everyone. Ocampo was part of the announcement on July 11.
The case involves a long-running struggle of Lumads to put up and operate schools in their communities in Mindanao. Lumad schools have always grappled with problems of militarization, and sometimes, murder of their teachers and leaders. Lumads are Mindanao inhabitants who are neither Muslims nor Christians.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte was only halfway his 6-year term in 2019 when Lumad schools were virtually wiped out by closures in his home region in Davao.
One such school was located in Sitio Dulyan in Talaingod, part of the network of independently-run Salugpongan Ta’Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center, Incorporated (STTICLCI), which is perennially accused of radicalizing children to become part of the New People’s Army (NPA) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The network and its alliances insist that if they don’t put up these schools, education will not reach the far-flung communities.
According to the teachers of Lumad students, they started being harassed by paramilitary personnel at the start of November 2018, when closures were underway. Fearing for their safety, the students transferred their classes to the Sitio Dulyan campus. A follow-up security assessment was supposed to happen on November 27, 2018, but tensions escalated and majority of the students no longer showed up for class.
If the defendants are to be believed, the scenario was of crying and screaming children and parents, running away from gun-toting men. The community wanted to stay one more night, seeing it was already near dusk, but they said their pleas to the armed men “turned out to be futile.”
The events that ensued is what the court declared as constituting child abuse. The teachers and other community leaders decided the safest option was to evacuate that night – even though they were hungry, it was raining, and had no choice but to travel by foot.
Downtown, the rescue mission of their allies was already underway, preparing to meet them and rescue them using vehicles. Ocampo and Castro were part of this mission, as the presence of prominent figures serve as some form of insurance – and assurance – to such a risky operation.
The defendants narrated a daring rescue where their vehicles’ tires were pierced by a spike, men on board a motorcycle firing two shots as they repaired their tires on the road, and militarized checkpoints “blocking them for an hour.”
“The persons who are actually responsible for the forcible closure of the schools as well as the threats and harassment have never been investigated,” said Castro and Ocampo.
In the version of the army and the police, they received a call from the parent of one minor that a group was being transported from Talaingod towards Compostela Valley. The convoy was intercepted, and the defendants could not produce legal documents that authorized them to transport the minors.
The prosecution presented witnesses from the local office of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the mandatory indigenous representative of the Local Government Unit (LGU) to testify that they were not aware of any such alleged rescue.
For Judge Boco, Section 10(a) of the law requires only three elements for there to be a crime of child abuse:
“Even the witness of the defense admitted that she experience difficulties in traversing the road from Sitio Dulyan,” said the 26-page decision.
“The acts of the accused not only exposed the children [to] harm or risk, but also placed them to the potential endangerment of their safety and well-being. Due to the acts of the accused, the children experience unnecessary risks and suffered from unsecured conditions,” said the court.
The court believed that if there was indeed a threat in the community, only the teachers were being asked to leave over the closure of the schools. “The tribal leaders only wanted the teachers to leave the school and the demand did not include the students,” said the court.
The executive director of the Salugpungan Schools, among those convicted, said that the presence of armed men in the community that night, and the closure of their school, was “a threat to the safety and well-being of the students.”
Two religious leaders, allies of the Save our Schools Network who were also asked to help with the rescue mission, were acquitted. Two others were also acquitted.
The situation is complicated even more because it is a clash of testimonies of people who are close to each other – parents, teachers, and community members. However, this complication is not new in the long history of Lumad schools in highly critical areas in Mindanao.
The same happened to Lumad students who had resettled in Cebu in March 2020 after being stranded by the pandemic lockdown. Police in 2021 claimed to “rescue” the students they said were being kept out of their wills, resulting in several arrests. The IP leaders who had accompanied the students were slapped with trafficking cases, but these cases were dismissed last month.
“We persist in our call that those who ordered and orchestrated the attacks against the Lumad schools, specifically former President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and endangered the lives of indigenous children must be brought to justice,” said Castro and Ocampo.
“This conviction perpetuates the cycle of state-sponsored violence and oppression. In fact, former president Rodrigo Duterte who ordered the closure of Lumad schools and bombing of Lumad communities in Mindanao during his presidency never had a day in court for his numerous crimes and violations of international humanitarian laws,” said peasant human rights network Tanggol Magsasaka (Defend Farmers) and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).- Rappler.com
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Ombudsman overturns ruling, dismissed Zamboanga del Norte mayor to be reinstated
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 13:18
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CLEARED. Rosendo Labadlabad says he expects to be reinstated as mayor of Sindangan town in Zamboanga del Norte, after the Office of the Ombudsman reversed its decision to dismiss him for misconduct.
Gualberto Laput/Rappler
ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman reversed its decision more than a year ago that dismissed a town mayor in Zamboanga del Norte for grave misconduct over the issuances of cockfight permits, citing a lack of probable cause and substantial evidence.
After 16 months, Rosendo Labadlabad said he was expecting the provincial officer of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to reinstate him as Sindangan town’s mayor anytime soon.
Labadlabad told a press conference in Guisokan, Sindangan, on Saturday, July 13, he was “relieved to know there is still justice in the country” after being absolved in a decision penned by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Jefferson Santiago on June 11. The ruling was approved by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on June 25.
On May 16, 2023, the Ombudsman found him, four barangay chairpersons, and a barangay secretary administratively guilty of grave misconduct in a decision penned by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Modesto Onia Jr. and approved by OIC-Ombudsman Jose Balmeo on September 4.
More than a year ago, the Ombudsman found Labadlabad had violated the Local Government Code by issuing permits to hold tari-tari (cockfights in communities) to barangay chairpersons Antonio Mohametano, Zosima dela Cerna, Joselito Espinas, and Myzandro Dagondong, and barangay treasurer Rebecca Pacas.
The same criminal and administrative complaints against Pedro Alisub were earlier dismissed due to his death.
The Ombudsman’s 2023 decision cited Section 89 (a-2) of Republic Act 7160, which provides, “(a) It shall be unlawful for any government official or employee, directly or indirectly, to… (2) Hold any interests in any cockpit or other games by a local government unit.”
The 2023 decision also cited Section 5 (d), which states that “… cockfighting shall be allowed only in licensed cockpits.”
The main complainant, Leoncio Orillosa, a retired secretary to the Sindangan Sangguniang Bayan, said the criminal aspect of the case was already in the Sandiganbayan.
Labadlabad responded with a motion for reconsideration but was removed from his mayoral seat by the provincial director of the DILG on January 6.
In reversing the first decision, the Ombudsman said it wrongly relied heavily on the guilty verdict against Babatngon town mayor Charity Chan in Leyte, who, at the request of the Liga ng mga Barangay in 2012, endorsed to the Sangguniang Bayan the passing of a resolution to hold cockfights every Saturday.
The latest Ombudsman decision said Labadlabad’s case was not “materially similar” to Chan’s case, who was “found guilty for knowingly granting a permit to hold cockfights in favor of the Liga ng mga Barangay whose members are prohibited from having interest in any cockpit operations.”
Besides, the new decision added, the holding of cockfights was only during fiestas, which is “expressly permitted under the LGU (Sindangan) ordinance.”
Orillosa told Rappler on Saturday he could not comment yet as he was still waiting for his copy of the new Ombudsman decision.
During his press conference, Labadlabad addressed cockfighting aficionados: “Kamong mga sabungero, ayaw mo kahadlok kay naa may balaod nga pwede ra. Ingon man ang Ombudsman nga dili man na illegal. Hala pagsabong mo taman sa ginhawa.”
(You, cockfight aficionados, don’t be afraid because there is a law that says you can. The Ombudsman said it is not illegal. Go hold cockfights to your hearts’ content.) – Rappler.com
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Phivolcs: Kanlaon Volcano increasingly swollen since mid-June
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Acor Arceo
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15/07/2024 14:35
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KANLAON VOLCANO. The volcano as seen from the observation station in Barangay Mansalanao, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on July 2, 2024.
Phivolcs
MANILA, Philippines – State volcanologists have observed “a pronounced increase in the inflation or swelling” of the Kanlaon Volcano edifice for the past month, or since June 18.
The “increased ground deformation changes” have been seen “on the middle and lower southeastern slopes” of Kanlaon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Monday morning, July 15.
Long-term observation also shows “slow but sustained” swelling since 2022, indicating “pressurization within the volcano,” which is located in Negros Island.
“Considering that volcanic earthquake activity and elevated volcanic SO2 (sulfur dioxide) emission persists, the latest changes in ground deformation parameters could further indicate that magmatic intrusion beneath the edifice may be taking place, warning of increased chances of eruptive activity,” Phivolcs said.
Magmatic intrusion refers to the rising of magma or molten rock toward the surface.
Phivolcs previously said in June that “if seismic, ground deformation, and volcanic gas parameters worsen,” a magmatic eruption “may become likely” and Alert Level 3 could be raised.
Kanlaon has been under Alert Level 2 since June 3, the same day it erupted for the first time in nearly six and a half years. The eruption forced thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Entry into the 4-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone surrounding the volcano should still be avoided. Phivolcs warned of potential hazards such as pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, rockfall, ashfall, and lahar. – Rappler.com
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Julia Montes to star in PH adaptation of Japanese series ‘Mother’
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Ysa Abad
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15/07/2024 14:13
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MOTHER. Julia Montes is starring in 'Saving Grace.'
Dreamscape Entertainment's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Julia Montes is making her teleserye comeback through Saving Grace, the Philippine adaptation of the popular Japanese drama series Mother.
The upcoming remake, which was announced on Monday, July 15, will be in collaboration with ABS-CBN Studios, Dreamscape Entertainment, and Nippon TV.
Aside from Montes headlining the series, other details about the project, such as its target release date and other cast members, have yet to be disclosed.
First aired on Nippon TV in 2010, Mother revolves around a struggling elementary teacher who abducted a first-grade pupil after believing that the student suffered abuse from her own parents. They then escaped town and pretended to be a mother and child as authorities searched for the student.
In the announcement video, ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes expressed her excitement for the network’s first adaptation of a Nippon TV series.
“It’s a beautiful story that centers around the importance of family and motherhood and promises to be a very emotionally engaging and heartwarming series that will deeply resonate with the Filipino audience and non-Filipino audience worldwide,” she said.
Nippon TV’s content business representatives, Sally Yamamoto and Yuki Akehi, added that they’re happy with the partnership with ABS-CBN. “We truly believe in ABS-CBN’s production capabilities and that the Filipino audience will love this show,” they said.
In a separate post, Dreamscape Entertainment also shared clips from Montes’ first taping day. The actress shared that the project is “special” to her.
ABS-CBN’s Saving Grace will be the 10th adaptation of the hit Japanese drama. Prior to the Philippines, the series has also been adapted by Turkey, South Korea, Ukraine, Thailand, China, France, Spain, Mongolia, and Saudi Arabia, making it Asia’s most exported scripted format.
Meanwhile, Saving Grace will be Montes’ first top-billed teleserye in about five years.
In February 2020, she returned to the small screen in the series 24/7, but her comeback was short-lived after the show stopped production due to the pandemic and the loss of ABS-CBN’s franchise. She also joined Ang Probinsyano from 2021 to 2022. – Rappler.com
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‘We’ll see’: Gilas star Dwight Ramos keeps PBA door ajar
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Jasmine Payo
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13/07/2024 19:13
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HOOP STAR. Dwight Ramos in action for Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B. League.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Dwight Ramos sees his future in the Philippines, perhaps even in the PBA, some time in the next five years.
When asked by a fan in a meet-and-greet event on Friday, July 12, where he sees himself in the next half decade, Ramos kept all possibilities open, including playing in the oldest basketball league in Asia.
“In the next five years, I’m probably still playing in Gilas, and I’m not sure if either I play in Japan or I play somewhere else. Maybe in the PBA someday. We’ll see,” said Ramos.
The 6-foot-3 guard will still play for the Levanga Hokkaido in his fourth season at the Japan B. League, becoming one of the longest-tenured Asian import in Japan.
But when the time is right for him, the Gilas PIlipinas star sees himself donning a PBA jersey.
“I’m a Filipino, so playing in the PBA is something I see myself hopefully doing. I don’t know when will that be, but again, whatever happens, happens,” Ramos said shortly after the partnership event organized by his Japan team Levanga and Lawson Philippines.
“Right now, I’m taking things year by year. I’d leave it at that until the next opportunity comes,” he added.
Ramos has been playing for the national team since 2020 after the Ateneo Blue Eagles initially recruited him to play for them in 2019.
When his UAAP plans didn’t pan out, mainly due to the pandemic, he went to Japan and carved a name for himself, starting with the Toyama Grouses in 2021 before joining Levanga for the next three years.
The past B. League season saw Ramos fill a bigger scoring role as he averaged a career-high 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists to earn him another deal with Levanga, cementing his name as a household name in the Asian player quota.
Recently, former overseas imports Dave Ildefonso, Justine Baltazar, and RJ Abarrientos, who all previously played with Ramos in Gilas, decided to enter the PBA Draft.
Seeing some of his former Asian import compatriots join the local league, Ramos hopes for Filipino talents thrive wherever they wish to play.
“I’m happy for them. The PBA is really competitive. I’ve watched them and it’s exciting. I hope their talents translate well in the league,” he said.
With Gilas in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament last week, Ramos played with PBA stars June Mar Fajardo, Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Justin Brownlee, along with head coach Tim Cone.
For Ramos, the learnings he got from playing with a PBA-laden team is invaluable for his career.
“They are all veterans,” Ramos said “They know how to handle pressure well, playing in the [PBA] for a long time. That is something I’m really glad to experience first hand in Gilas.” – Rappler.com
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Julia Montes to star in PH adaptation of Japanese series ‘Mother’
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Ysa Abad
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15/07/2024 14:13
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MOTHER. Julia Montes is starring in 'Saving Grace.'
Dreamscape Entertainment's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Julia Montes is making her teleserye comeback through Saving Grace, the Philippine adaptation of the popular Japanese drama series Mother.
The upcoming remake, which was announced on Monday, July 15, will be in collaboration with ABS-CBN Studios, Dreamscape Entertainment, and Nippon TV.
Aside from Montes headlining the series, other details about the project, such as its target release date and other cast members, have yet to be disclosed.
First aired on Nippon TV in 2010, Mother revolves around a struggling elementary teacher who abducted a first-grade pupil after believing that the student suffered abuse from her own parents. They then escaped town and pretended to be a mother and child as authorities searched for the student.
In the announcement video, ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes expressed her excitement for the network’s first adaptation of a Nippon TV series.
“It’s a beautiful story that centers around the importance of family and motherhood and promises to be a very emotionally engaging and heartwarming series that will deeply resonate with the Filipino audience and non-Filipino audience worldwide,” she said.
Nippon TV’s content business representatives, Sally Yamamoto and Yuki Akehi, added that they’re happy with the partnership with ABS-CBN. “We truly believe in ABS-CBN’s production capabilities and that the Filipino audience will love this show,” they said.
In a separate post, Dreamscape Entertainment also shared clips from Montes’ first taping day. The actress shared that the project is “special” to her.
ABS-CBN’s Saving Grace will be the 10th adaptation of the hit Japanese drama. Prior to the Philippines, the series has also been adapted by Turkey, South Korea, Ukraine, Thailand, China, France, Spain, Mongolia, and Saudi Arabia, making it Asia’s most exported scripted format.
Meanwhile, Saving Grace will be Montes’ first top-billed teleserye in about five years.
In February 2020, she returned to the small screen in the series 24/7, but her comeback was short-lived after the show stopped production due to the pandemic and the loss of ABS-CBN’s franchise. She also joined Ang Probinsyano from 2021 to 2022. – Rappler.com
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Schedule, roster: Strong Group-Pilipinas out to reclaim Jones Cup glory
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Jasmine Payo
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12/07/2024 11:21
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READY. Strong Group-Pilipinas gears up for the 2024 Jones Cup.
STRONG GROUP ATHLETICS
MANILA, Philippines – After a woeful seventh-place finish last year, the Philippines looks primed to elevate its game with a new roster in the 43rd William Jones Cup in Taipei from July 13 to 21.
Strong Group-Pilipinas, the country’s new representative in the basketball club tournament, aims to reclaim the crown the Filipinos last won in 2019 under the banner of Mighty Sports.
“I really like what I’m seeing. We’ve got great balance, a lot of talent, [like our] wings,” said coach Charles Tiu as Strong Group takes a shot at the tournament after Rain or Shine’s campaign last year.
“It’s a good problem to have, we have a lot of guys. I have to figure out how to use everybody… but it’s really nice, they’re all coachable, they all pick up fast.”
Tiu, who mentored another Strong Group roster to a silver-medal finish in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship last January, looks to lean on another star-studded roster led by Kiefer Ravena, Jordan Heading, Rhenz Abando, RJ Abarrientos, and former San Miguel import Chris McCullough.
The Philippines braces for a virtually daily, tough grind in the nine-team field. Here’s Strong Group’s schedule:
Just like previous editions, the Jones Cup pits teams in a single round-robin format, with the squad finishing with the best record claiming the championship.
Last year, the USA squad represented by the University of California Irvine Anteaters completed an 8-0 sweep to bag the Jones Cup crown.
In 2019, before the pandemic shelved three editions of the tournament, Mighty Sports also completed a perfect 8-0 run to rule the tournament.
Representing a big obstacle for the Philippines is an all-new United States squad, the Future Sports USA, which will be led by former Strong Group import McKenzie Moore.
The 6-foot-6 Moore suited up for Strong Group in the Dubai International Basketball Championship earlier this year, where he reinforced the Charles Tiu-mentored squad, together with former NBA players Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche, and Andre Roberson.
This time, Moore will join forces with fellow American overseas imports such as Billy Preston and Marcus Elliott, as the United States shoots for a second straight gold-medal finish.
Another team posing a significant challenge for Strong Group’s hopes of a podium finish in the tournament is the United Arab Emirates, which the Filipinos will face in their opening assignment.
Bannered by the likes of Qais Alshabebi, Mohamed Albreiki, Hamid Abdullateef, and DeMarco Dickerson, UAE aims to get back at Strong Group after falling to the Philippine side, 82-66, in their Dubai International Basketball Championship matchup in January.
Chinese Taipei-Blue also looks to give Strong Group a run for its money as it aims for a first-place finish in this year’s Jones Cup after settling for silver in the 2023 edition.
Seeking to bring the gold medal back to the Philippines, expect Strong Group to flex its depth in the tournament as the powerhouse squad features multiple overseas-based players and players with Gilas Pilipinas experience.
Look for Ravena and the PBA-bound Abarrientos to facilitate the Strong Group offense, dish out assists, and provide timely baskets for the star-studded cast.
Both Ravena and Abarrientos saw action in the Japan B. League last season, where the former powered his team to a B2 title.
Ravena is also one of two Strong Group players with FIBA World Cup experience, along with the high-flying Abando, as they were both part of the 12-man Gilas Pilipinas roster in the recent World Cup held in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, count on Heading and Filipino-American guard DJ Fenner to shoot the lights out from long distance for Strong Group.
Heading already made waves for Strong Group in the Dubai International Basketball Championship in January, where he averaged 11.1 points in eight outings.
The 6-foot-6 Fenner, on the other hand, averaged 15.7 points on 40.9% shooting from beyond the arc for the Heroes Den Bosch in the 2023-2024 FIBA Europe Cup.
Finally, look for McCullough to be the team’s go-to guy, who will carry Strong Group’s scoring cudgels in this year’s Jones Cup.
The three-year NBA veteran McCullough last played for the Formosa Dreamers in the 2023-2024 P. League+ season in Taiwan, where he averaged a monster double-double of 20 points and 12.8 rebounds in 26 regular season matches.
McCullough is also expected to anchor Strong Group’s defense, together with 6-foot-10 naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame and 6-foot-9 American import Tajuan Agee.
Here’s the complete roster:
– with a report from Eugero Vincent Liberato/Rappler.com
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Davao court convicts leftist Senate bets of child abuse over Lumad ‘rescue’
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Lian Buan
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15/07/2024 13:38
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INDIGNATION. Former Bayan Muna partylist rep. Satur Ocampo and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro join the indignation protest organized by various multi-sectoral groups following their conviction by Tagum City Regional Trial Court, at the Commission on Human Rights on July 15, 2024. Photo by Jire Carreon/Rappler
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – A court in Tagum City, Davao del Norte has convicted 13 people of child abuse, including two prominent leaders of the leftist Makabayan bloc, over a 2018 incident that the Philippine Army is calling an abduction of minors but which human rights groups are claiming to be a rescue of teachers and Lumad students from military harassment.
Tagum City Regional Trial Court Branch 2 Judge Jimmy Boco convicted 13 human rights defenders of violation of Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or child abuse, and sentenced them to a minimum 4 years to a maximum 6 years in prison. It is a bailable offense so all 13 can enjoy freedom while they appeal.
The verdict was known to the defendants on Monday, but Judge Boco’s decision was dated July 3.
“This is a clear miscarriage of justice, and we will strongly question this decision in all venues possible,” said ACT Teachers Party Representative France Castro and former Bayan Muna Party Representative Satur Ocampo, two of the convicted, in a joint statement on Monday, July 15.
Castro has just been announced as the first confirmed bet of the Makabayan coalition for the 2025 Senate elections. Makabayan said it will field a full slate for the midterm elections, but has yet to name everyone. Ocampo was part of the announcement on July 11.
The case involves a long-running struggle of Lumads to put up and operate schools in their communities in Mindanao. Lumad schools have always grappled with problems of militarization, and sometimes, murder of their teachers and leaders. Lumads are Mindanao inhabitants who are neither Muslims nor Christians.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte was only halfway his 6-year term in 2019 when Lumad schools were virtually wiped out by closures in his home region in Davao.
One such school was located in Sitio Dulyan in Talaingod, part of the network of independently-run Salugpongan Ta’Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center, Incorporated (STTICLCI), which is perennially accused of radicalizing children to become part of the New People’s Army (NPA) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The network and its alliances insist that if they don’t put up these schools, education will not reach the far-flung communities.
According to the teachers of Lumad students, they started being harassed by paramilitary personnel at the start of November 2018, when closures were underway. Fearing for their safety, the students transferred their classes to the Sitio Dulyan campus. A follow-up security assessment was supposed to happen on November 27, 2018, but tensions escalated and majority of the students no longer showed up for class.
If the defendants are to be believed, the scenario was of crying and screaming children and parents, running away from gun-toting men. The community wanted to stay one more night, seeing it was already near dusk, but they said their pleas to the armed men “turned out to be futile.”
The events that ensued is what the court declared as constituting child abuse. The teachers and other community leaders decided the safest option was to evacuate that night – even though they were hungry, it was raining, and had no choice but to travel by foot.
Downtown, the rescue mission of their allies was already underway, preparing to meet them and rescue them using vehicles. Ocampo and Castro were part of this mission, as the presence of prominent figures serve as some form of insurance – and assurance – to such a risky operation.
The defendants narrated a daring rescue where their vehicles’ tires were pierced by a spike, men on board a motorcycle firing two shots as they repaired their tires on the road, and militarized checkpoints “blocking them for an hour.”
“The persons who are actually responsible for the forcible closure of the schools as well as the threats and harassment have never been investigated,” said Castro and Ocampo.
In the version of the army and the police, they received a call from the parent of one minor that a group was being transported from Talaingod towards Compostela Valley. The convoy was intercepted, and the defendants could not produce legal documents that authorized them to transport the minors.
The prosecution presented witnesses from the local office of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the mandatory indigenous representative of the Local Government Unit (LGU) to testify that they were not aware of any such alleged rescue.
For Judge Boco, Section 10(a) of the law requires only three elements for there to be a crime of child abuse:
“Even the witness of the defense admitted that she experience difficulties in traversing the road from Sitio Dulyan,” said the 26-page decision.
“The acts of the accused not only exposed the children [to] harm or risk, but also placed them to the potential endangerment of their safety and well-being. Due to the acts of the accused, the children experience unnecessary risks and suffered from unsecured conditions,” said the court.
The court believed that if there was indeed a threat in the community, only the teachers were being asked to leave over the closure of the schools. “The tribal leaders only wanted the teachers to leave the school and the demand did not include the students,” said the court.
The executive director of the Salugpungan Schools, among those convicted, said that the presence of armed men in the community that night, and the closure of their school, was “a threat to the safety and well-being of the students.”
Two religious leaders, allies of the Save our Schools Network who were also asked to help with the rescue mission, were acquitted. Two others were also acquitted.
The situation is complicated even more because it is a clash of testimonies of people who are close to each other – parents, teachers, and community members. However, this complication is not new in the long history of Lumad schools in highly critical areas in Mindanao.
The same happened to Lumad students who had resettled in Cebu in March 2020 after being stranded by the pandemic lockdown. Police in 2021 claimed to “rescue” the students they said were being kept out of their wills, resulting in several arrests. The IP leaders who had accompanied the students were slapped with trafficking cases, but these cases were dismissed last month.
“We persist in our call that those who ordered and orchestrated the attacks against the Lumad schools, specifically former President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and endangered the lives of indigenous children must be brought to justice,” said Castro and Ocampo.
“This conviction perpetuates the cycle of state-sponsored violence and oppression. In fact, former president Rodrigo Duterte who ordered the closure of Lumad schools and bombing of Lumad communities in Mindanao during his presidency never had a day in court for his numerous crimes and violations of international humanitarian laws,” said peasant human rights network Tanggol Magsasaka (Defend Farmers) and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).- Rappler.com
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MARCOS YEAR 2: External Threats, Internal Risks
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Patrick Santos
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08/07/2024 8:00
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Bookmark this page for more analyses and in-depth stories on the second year of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). – Rappler.com
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Historic debut: Budding national athletes, overseas Filipino students join Palaro
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clescudero0258
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13/07/2024 18:11
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Photos from Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler, Palaro 2024 Cebu City
CEBU CITY, Philippines – For the first time in Palarong Pambansa history, the National Academy of Sports (NAS) and the Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO) join the 17-region roster of student-athletes competing in the biggest grassroots tournament in the country.
Formed in 2020 through Republic Act No. 11470, the NAS was envisioned to be the training ground of the Philippines’ next world-class athletes, located in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
Meanwhile, the PSO are duly registered educational institutions outside the country that are implementing the basic education curriculum of the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd). There are 32 PSOs as of June 2024, located in 11 countries: Bahrain, Cambodia, East Timor, Greece, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The two new delegations threw their hat in the Palaro ring at the 2024 edition in Cebu City.
NAS is fielding 47 players vying for medals in secondary swimming, athletics, badminton, gymnastics, taekwondo, and table tennis. The PSO delegation has 18 players from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, competing in secondary basketball, badminton, and taekwondo.
As they were established at the height of the pandemic, NAS had to resort to virtual classes for their first academic school year in September 2021. Construction of their campus began in October in the same year, while physical classes started in January 2024.
NAS provides education, training, and lodging for their student-athletes. So, when the time for Palaro qualifications came, students were torn between representing their home regions – which they did in 2023 – and focusing on their training on campus.
“Our goal is not only for the Palaro – it’s all for international competition,” said Myrna Domingo, senior technical assistant of the NAS Office of the Executive Director, pointing out that resources that would be allocated for airfare and other needs could’ve been used for student-athlete training.
As such, after conducting a consultation, NAS officials decided to request for the DepEd to designate the academy as a separate Palaro delegation.
In the case of PSO, the group had long been qualified to compete in the Palaro, albeit only in individual events. Then, school principals of some PSOs expressed interest in joining the team events, too. For one, their students have been playing basketball under different clubs and organizations. So, why not bring those skills to their home country, too?
“Our school principals also saw the interest of the students in sports. That became the motivation of our officials to apply to join,” said PSO assistant coach Edison Pioquinto from the Philippine International School-Qatar.
“We hoped at least we could join as a guest delegation so that the kids can experience playing in the Palaro somehow,” added head coach Mike Comia from the Philippine School Doha.
The DepEd confirmed the official designation of NAS as a separate delegation in February 2024. They then approved PSO’s entry to team sports in June the same year.
The less amount of time to train – compared to the regional delegations who had been training for several months from city to regional meets – had proven to be a challenge for the two newbie groups.
The NAS took it in stride. Right after getting the confirmation about their Palaro debut, they conducted a qualification tournament to make sure their numbers meet the qualifying standards for the national meet. They also proceeded to form procurement processes for supplies they needed.
On the other hand, they had to deal with the fact that they only have students from grades 7 to 9 so far.
“I have grade 7 athletes that will be competing with those in grade 12. The age gap is something,” shared coach Karen Jaleco, who heads the table tennis program at NAS.
The student-athletes also had to deal with separation anxiety, Jaleco added.
“The students also miss their parents because we’re isolated in an area away from the city,” she said. “But after a month, they were able to get used to the situation and focus on their studies and training.”
The PSO delegation was not immune either to problems with distance.
They were able to coordinate with schools in other countries only via messaging apps and conference calls. When they met one another as a delegation for the first time, it was just when they landed in the Philippines for the Palaro. As no other court was available for them to train in, all they were able to do right before the games began were warm-ups.
Comia and Pioquinto are also a two-man team handling concerns that should’ve been dealt with via committees: food, transportation, talking to the student-athletes’ parents, paperwork, and the like. And they had to do all of it thousands of kilometers away from the Philippines.
Turning emotional, Comia expressed how difficult it was to be away from his family while dealing with challenges on sending his students to Palaro.
“It was so hard. I was alone; it was my first time. But we did it for our students, for PSO.”
“It’s challenging, but at the same time, it’s an experience for us as a team. Maybe that’s the positive side of it for us – getting in Palarong Pambansa is a huge honor. So, we need to cherish this moment while we’re at it,” Pioquinto shared.
Comia recalled how overwhelming it felt to walk on the grand Palaro stage during the opening parade. “My families in Qatar and in the Philippines got to see it,” he said.
“It’s heartwarming being here in Palarong Pambansa. It’s just different.”
What sets NAS and PSO apart from the regional delegations, despite these setbacks?
For NAS’ Jaleco, it’s their access to health services and world-class facilities, as well as government support. They also make sure to remind students to be all-rounders, competitive not just in sports but also academics.
“It’s too early to say, but in one step at a time, they’re getting to that stage of being the cream of the crop, like how we know students from science high schools,” she declared.
For PSO’s Comia and Pioquinto, it’s having competed with – and won against – teams of other nationalities.
“They were able to compete with the national team of Qatar,” Pioquinto shared, adding that the country’s diverse basketball community has allowed them to play against American, Sudanese, and Lebanese teams, among others.
Now that NAS and PSO have made their Palaro debut, do they have any comeback plans?
During a press conference, Palarong Pambansa secretary general Francis Cesar Bringas said both groups are welcome to join as delegations again in 2025.
According to Domingo, they still have to evaluate whether they’ll return as a delegation next year or revert back to their 2023 setup of letting their students represent their home regions, as rules for international competitions don’t apply to rules for Palaro.
As for PSO, they would do it again, but with longer and better preparation.
“If we had a longer time to prepare, perhaps a year, it would’ve been better. We would’ve been able to show what we’re capable of,” Comia lamented. “We’re PSO, students from overseas. We want to show that the skills we have in Qatar, we can bring here.”
“We’re here, we’re part of Philippine schools even when we’re based overseas. We can also show the same passion in different sports,” Pioquinto vouched. – Rappler.com
All quotes were translated in English for brevity.
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Why RJ? Cone says Ginebra pick Abarrientos elite like uncle Johnny
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delfin.dioquino editor
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14/07/2024 22:15
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LEGEND. Johnny Abarrientos represents his nephew and Barangay Ginebra pick RJ Abarrientos in the 2024 PBA Draft.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The belief that RJ Abarrientos could end up having the same prolific career as his legendary uncle prompted Barangay Ginebra to pick the sweet-shooting guard in the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday, July 14.
Head coach Tim Cone sees a bright future ahead of Abarrientos as the Gin Kings used the No. 3 pick on the former FEU star instead of going for size with the likes of Kai Ballungay, Caelan Tiongson, and Jonnel Policarpio still available.
Originally set to pick at No. 10, Ginebra moved up in the draft after a blockbuster trade that saw it deal MVP contender Christian Standhardinger and former scoring champion Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma.
The Gin Kings considered beefing up their frontline to offset the departure of Standhardinger, but they ultimately decided to select Abarrientos, whose uncle Johnny – a former PBA MVP – also got mentored by Cone in Alaska.
“After trading Christian, we were concerned about our size and [thought about going] for a bigger player. We had like four guys that we were all debating over,” said Cone.
“But it just came down to the fact that we just felt that RJ is just a really unique player like his uncle Johnny and he’s going to be an elite player in his position.”
“When it’s all over, he may be one of the best point guards of all-time. That’s what we think that may happen so we just couldn’t pass on him. Even though we really wanted the size of the other players, we couldn’t pass on RJ.”
Abarrientos, a former Gilas Pilipinas guard, turned professional overseas after just one season in the UAAP seniors level.
He starred for the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus in the Korean Basketball League, even earning Rookie of the Year honors, before he took his act to the Japan B. League, where he suited up for the Shinshu Brave Warriors.
Selecting Abarrientos felt like a full circle moment for Cone as he and the now-defunct Aces also picked Johnny at third overall in the 1993 draft.
In that draft, big men Jun Limpot and Vic Pablo went 1-2 before Alaska chose the older Abarrientos, who led the franchise to nine championships, including a rare Grand Slam in 1996.
“We even wanted Vic Pablo and Jun Limpot, but we got Johnny, and lo and behold. That is the experience that I had with Johnny and I don’t want to pass on this experience with RJ as the No. 3 pick as well,” said Cone.
“But there were some really strong players in this draft who are really going to be great players in the PBA. We just think RJ may be elite.”
While there were other talented guards in the draft pool, Abarrientos stood out for Cone.
“RJ is in a class by himself, that’s what we feel. ” Cone said. “We’ll have to see as we go forward. We’ll know more in two or three years from now.” – Rappler.com
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Waiting game continues as Converge top pick Justine Baltazar likely to finish MPBL stint
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delfin.dioquino editor
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15/07/2024 10:28
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HOOK. Justine Baltazar in action during the 2024 PBA Draft Combine.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Converge waited a long time to get its hands on Justine Baltazar. It may have to wait a little bit more.
Baltazar said he is likely to finish his Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) stint with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns before he suits up for the FiberXers, who made him the top pick in the PBA Rookie Draft on Sunday, July 14.
“It looks like I need to because I’m under contract,” said Baltazar in Filipino. “After the MPBL, that is only the time that I can start playing for Converge.”
Losing the 6-foot-7 Baltazar would be a big blow for Pampanga as it eyes a title repeat.
With Baltazar – the reigning MPBL MVP – leading the way with impressive averages of 14.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 block, the Giant Lanterns have looked unstoppable, winning 16 of their first 17 games.
If Pampanga goes all the way again, Baltazar is expected to stay put in the MPBL until December.
That means Baltazar would miss the first conference – the import-flavored Governors’ Cup – of the upcoming PBA season, which is set for an August tip-off.
But even as the waiting game for Baltazar continues, the prospect of pairing him with FiberXers star big man and Rookie of the Year winner Justin Arana thrills Converge head coach Aldin Ayo.
A two-way talent, Baltazar can even play the small forward position if necessary, Ayo said.
“Balti can play the four. If another big man comes or if there is an import, we might slide him to the three spot,” said Ayo. “He is that versatile. He can do it all.”
Aside from Baltazar, the FiberXers selected Letran’s Pao Javillonar at No. 19, La Salle’s Ben Phillips at No. 21, Ateneo’s Jason Credo at No. 24, and Arellano’s Ronan Santos at No. 25. – Rappler.com
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[ANALYSIS] Why do we pay higher power rates when we have power outages?
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gdecastro0289
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15/07/2024 9:17
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Alyssa Arizabal/Rappler
The easiest answer would be to attribute the apparent contradiction to the law of supply and demand which everyone, save for former agriculture officials, understands.
Applied to the polemic dichotomy of high power rates in the Philippines despite the absence of power supplied, the law simplistically states how a fall in supply invariably leads to increased demand and that inverse relationship jacks up prices. To our misfortune, amid the enveloping darkness they inflict, we pay through the roof for intermittent flickers.
But let us take a deeper dive than simply citing a theoretical law. This is important. Those impacted run the gamut from victimized households to foreign investors who consider our power costs as a serious detrimental factor against better options offered elsewhere in the region.
The latter that results in low levels of foreign direct investments (FDI) has panicked even our most stoic economic managers now accustomed to citing pledges and promises as productive “pasalubong” (souvenir) from presidential trips and a constant campaign to legitimize a presidency in the eyes of those who remember its dictatorial DNA.
To understand the ironies and evoke compelling passions, we typically analyze and view our perennial curse of a high-priced electricity rate regime through the eyes of the consumer set against the high-income power players. These range from the generators to the transmission and distribution utilities – all under undeniably failed policy-making and regulatory officialdom.
Let us broaden our horizons. This time allow us to include macroeconomic concerns recently raised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in a Monetary Board Report on capital financing for much-needed expanded power supply from FDI.
These concerns are important in the broader context of attracting external equity capital to develop and expand power generating supply; alleviate the pressures of unemployment recently bloated by the adverse impact of the El Niño phenomenon; and the continuing fall of the peso amid high inflation, myopic importation policies that bloat the demand for dollars and other macroeconomic concerns.
Both energy policy makers and regulators together with the congressional energy committees do not seem to factor these in just as the common electricity consumer, too concerned with the next meal, remains alienated from anything larger than their light bill.
To be specific, the BSP expects power rates to increase significantly because of an order by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) authorizing the collection of a whopping albeit staggered P15.77 billion worth of generating costs payable to the unregulated electricity generation sector.
Senator Risa Hontiveros blames the generators for the high power rates. In this case, she should be blaming the ERC.
In 2013, the shutdown of the Malampaya gas fields forced distribution utilities to purchase the resulting shortfall from the Whole Electricity Spot Market (WESM) where the laws of supply and demand and its unique margin-pricing protocols invariably compel higher power rates in times of shortages. The following year, the ERC imposed a cap on WESM pricing as a desperate stop-gap measure. The issue was taken to court and in 2022, the Supreme Court nullified the ERC’s imposition of the WESM price cap.
Just as a price cap cannot be imposed on rice prices as that distort supply and demand and will eventually reap the whirlwind when reality sets in, the same is true for an electricity spot market operating under a regime of severe undersupply. In the case of WESM, the market was either cursed with low baseload supply or overwhelmed with non-operating major baseload plants under scheduled, emergency or maintenance downtime.
Downtime scheduling and management requires not simply reporting and monitoring as the ERC does but requires doing requisite number crunching that triggers effective responses.
Would it be so hard to ask our energy officials to compute for their baselines and ascertain dependable (and not rated) capacities and against that, further compute for Loss-of-Load-Expectations (LOLE) for both ancillary and market reserves? These computations are normal protocols in other energy jurisdictions except the Philippines.
Given that other economies have provided the “best practices” mathematical models, for our energy officials, there seems to be this inability among the political appointees to learn the most basic rudiments of grid management.
In addition to the P15.77 billion charged to consumers, our continuing dependence on imported fuels to run our power plants, the risk of worsening oil prices due to geopolitical conflicts, the South China Sea tinder box that prevents us from exploiting indigenous fuels, and the simultaneous fall of the peso all contribute to a bloating of our electricity bills.
We need energy technocrats and economists for the analytical deep dive. What we do not need are conflicted lawyers, politicians or political appointees either reassigned from the offices of regulated corporations or dispatched from their boardrooms. For sure, in the energy policy-making bureaucracy, we do not need entertainers, talk-show hosts and school dropouts.
Note that most of the foregoing are about our dependence on fuel imports. The 52-week range of the benchmark Dubai Crude Oil Platts stretches from a low of $72.41 per barrel to a high of $93.64 per barrel. Unfortunately, BSP’s risk assessments of conflict-driven factors indicate that an average price of $94.00 per barrel will prevail until December 2024. Do the math and add these to the adverse domestic factors that resulted from regulatory failures to understand the negative impact of WESM pricing during a constant regime of supply shortages.
Note that last January, after serial dereliction, regulators finally settled a three-year P21.76 billion electricity price adjustment that resulted directly from one agency’s failure to periodically recalibrate forward-looking power rates. Not only will this impact negatively on prospective capital expenditure investments but this dampens current maintenance and up-keep programs.
Beyond the question of supply and demand, this is a matter of electing competent and knowledgeable lawmakers to our congressional committees, as well as appointing energy policymakers and regulators who are not confined to simply monitoring and gatekeeping but have the testosterone to vigorously analyze, understand, and develop viable solutions to alleviate high power prices. – Rappler.com
Dean de la Paz is a former investment banker and managing director of a New Jersey-based power company operating in the Philippines. He is the chairman of the board of a renewable energy company and is a retired Business Policy, Finance, and Mathematics professor. He collects Godzilla figures and antique tin robots.
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I strongly agree with Sir Dean de la Paz: we need “competent and knowledgeable lawmakers to our congressional committees, as well as appointing energy policymakers and regulators who are not confined to simply monitoring and gatekeeping but have the testosterone (but may I add: “… testosterone, estrogen and progesterone …”) to vigorously analyze, understand, and develop viable solutions to alleviate high power prices.” The problem is when will this happen?
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Court finds ex-PNU president negligent but trashes graft case over ad deal
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Herbie G
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15/07/2024 9:23
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Shutterstock.com
MANILA, Philippines – The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan dismissed a graft case against former Philippine Normal University (PNU) president Ester Ogena but held her liable for negligence related to a 2011 advertorial deal with a foreign magazine without public bidding.
In a 53-page ruling on July 12, the 5th Division of the Sandiganbayan found insufficient evidence to hold Ogena accountable for graft but noted she could face administrative cases for “gross inexcusable negligence” for approving the P1.1-million ad placement contract with Foreign Policy Magazine.
Prosecutors noted that Ogena referred the matter to PNU’s bids and awards committee only after finalizing the deal with Universal News Limited, the publisher of Foreign Policy Magazine.
Ogena explained that she saw the deal as a way to reach top companies and institutions worldwide and attract foreign students to PNU.
The court said Ogena, with over 30 years of public service experience, should have been familiar with government procurement processes, but there was no convincing evidence of undue injury or unwarranted advantage to a supplier or service provider, which is essential for a graft case.
The court also noted that prosecutors neither allege that the contract was overpriced nor present any proof that Ogena profited from the deal.
“In sum, while PNU president Ogena was grossly and inexcusably negligent, her acts cannot be said to have caused undue injury to the government or to have given unwarranted benefits, advantage, or preference to Universal News within the context of the anti-graft law,” read part of the ruling signed by Associate Justices Maryann Corpus-Mañalac, Rafael Lagos, and Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the graft case in 2019 against Ogena and PNU officials Rebecca España, Florence Allejos, and Joseph Luceño for causing payment for the advertorial using PNU’s special trust fund without the board of regents’ approval.
The Sandiganbayan dismissed the case against Ogena’s co-accused on February 17, 2023, noting they merely followed Ogena’s orders. – Rappler.com
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COA denies trade school of P28-million claim due to lack of paperwork
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Kaycee
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15/07/2024 8:30
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DOCUMENTS LACKING. The Commission on Audit denied the Asiantouch International Training Institute's P28-million claim against Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for failing to provide specific documents.
Asiantouch International Training Institute / Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) denied a trade school’s P28-million payment claims from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for failing to provide specific documents to back their request.
Asiantouch International Training Institute’s claim included P20.07 million that covered training costs and another P3.74-million worth of assessment fees.
“The documents submitted cannot account for the full amount being claimed by Asiantouch,” the 12-page COA decision read.
“There was no proper accounting as to how much was the actual cost of services rendered by Asiantouch under the contract per Region, and how much has been paid.”
According to a 2009 deal, TESDA was supposed to provide a scholarship vouchers to Asiantouch’s branches across Quezon City, Manila, Pasig City, Muntinlupa City, Silang in Cavite, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, Batangas, Montalban in Rizal, Minalin in Pampanga, San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan, San Pedro in Iloilo City, and Balanga in Bataan as part of the Training for Work Scholarship Program of the Arroyo administration.
The Pangulong Gloria Scholarship (PGS) vouchers were valid for only two months.
However, Asiantouch said it had to pay for the Training Support Fund (TSF) because there were times that TESDA failed to send them their stipend.
Asiantouch filed their petition with the COA on July 6, 2020. The trade school said they did not get a response from TESDA even after they sent several letters regarding their claims.
Months later, on September 8, 2020, Isidro Lapeña, who was then the secretary of TESDA, said Asiantouch’s claims could not be validated because they lacked the needed documents to prove that they did pay for TSF to cover for the PGS vouchers. He also said some documents submitted by Asiantouch, such as the Registry of Workers Assessed and Certified, did not have signatures of their trainees.
The trade school itself admitted that it can no longer validate some of the documents it submitted since the officials responsible are no longer with the school, moved overseas, or have already died. – Rappler.com
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Pandemic remote learning resulted in higher job losses among Filipino mothers – study
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Bonz Magsambol
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15/07/2024 8:00
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MANILA, Philippines – A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) revealed that women with school-aged children suffered higher rates of employment loss during the coronavirus pandemic.
This was the highlight of the PIDS study titled “School Closures and Parental Labor Supply” from December 2023. The study was made public on July 8.
“The findings suggest a continuation of traditional gender roles where women are often primarily responsible for childcare. As a result, they are more likely to reduce their participation in the labor market to support their children during remote learning or academic breaks,” said Ma. Christina Epetia, one of the authors of the said study.
It was noted in the study that “school closures have a negative effect on the probability of paid employment of women with school-age children.” The study also revealed that “highly educated women – and, to some extent, highly educated men – with school-age children are found to exert more hours of work when schools are closed to in-person learning.”
The study highlighted the need for preserving employment for women.
“The school closures coupled by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment could then generate larger losses in human capital for women, making it more difficult to reintegrate in the labor force or acquire better labor market conditions once they decide to go back to working,” the study said.
Aside from the Philippine school system being unprepared for the shift, remote education also posed a major challenge for students who did not have anyone to facilitate learning at home, or whose parents were not capable of guiding them due to lack of knowledge.
When Vice President Sara Duterte assumed the role as education secretary in 2022, she issued a tall order mandating all schools in the country to return to face-to-face classes. This, however, was criticized due to the lack of health protocols in place and the long-standing problem of inadequate school facilities.
The PIDS study was also presented in a webinar last June 27. It was attended by a representative from the labor department, Grace Baldoza.
Baldoza said the study highlighted the need for “lifelong learning and upscaling” among Filipino workers. She also said the labor department has been staying true to its commitment of “enhancing workforce development in response to evolving labor market dynamics driven by technological advances.”
Baldoza cited some initiatives of the government, such as the Government Internship Program, public employment, and labor market information services like the Assistance to First-Time Jobseekers and Integrated PhilJobNet – PESO Employment Information System, as well as other local employment regulations. – Rappler.com
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Palaro to Paris: Joanie Delgaco aces volleyball to rowing jump
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Jasmine Payo
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14/07/2024 18:25
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For almost the entirety of her teenage years, Joanie Delgaco was hungry for a volleyball break.
Standing at 5-foot-5 when she was 17 years old, Delgaco was not exactly tall enough for the sport. But she stood out as a setter for Camarines Sur in the Palarong Pambansa, attracting volleyball scouts, including one, she said, from NCAA’s University of Perpetual Help.
Despite receiving interest, Delgaco, who eventually became the first Filipina rower to qualify in the country’s 100-year history in the Olympics, felt her chance to shine in volleyball was slim.
“In volleyball back then, I couldn’t see myself excelling [long-term],” Delgaco said in Filipino.
From age 11 to 17, Delgaco had a volleyball career in sight, even idolizing former UAAP star Alyssa Valdez. But eventually, the Iriga native gave herself a reality check.
She felt the need to try something new, so when an opportunity to try out and train for a different sport in Manila came, a teenaged Delgaco took a leap of faith.
Convinced by a rowing coach, Delgaco jumped into her new sport, betting on her physical tools and innate strength, which her mentors believed to be her biggest asset.
“He really talked to me and my parents. I said alright, if I could do well in rowing, maybe this is really for me,” she said.
Starting without any knowledge of the sport, Delgaco traveled to Manila for the first time in her life. She did not even bring a travel bag with her, using instead a cardboard box to pack her clothes and relocate to the city.
Slowly, she grasped the fundamentals of rowing, building herself up to go for an Olympic standard 2,000-meter race.
Rowing techniques included sculling backward, requiring leg and arm strength in pulling back the paddle – a stark contrast to dragon boat, which propels the boat forward.
From orchestrating plays for her volleyball team, Delgaco aced captaining her racing shell, the term used for competitive rowing boats.
“When I started rowing, in under one year, I already won a medal,” shared Delgaco. “That’s when I felt like this is where I am going to excel. And then, every year after that, the blessings did not stop.”
By 2024, her biggest blessing came. Delgaco booked a ticket to the Paris Olympics after placing fourth in the women’s single sculls in the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, last April 21.
The feat made her only the fourth rower – and just the first female – in Philippine history to advance to the Olympic games after Edgardo Maerina (1988 Seoul Games), Benjamin Tolentino Jr. (2000 Sydney Games), and Cris Nievarez (2022 Tokyo Games).
“Isang malaking karangalan na makapasok sa Olympics lalo na sa sport namin na hindi talaga masyado alam (It is a big honor to advance to the Olympics, especially in a sport that many may not be familiar with),” Delgaco said.
It took the 26-year-old three tries, though, noting she tasted defeat in her two previous Olympic attempts.
In 2016, when she was only 18 years old, Delgaco lost her bid for an Olympic ticket, then fell short again in 2021 where she finished just a second shy of qualifying.
Part of her up-and-down journey in the sport also saw her snagging the 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold in Manila, and then bowing out in last year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
But whichever way her campaigns end up, Delgaco always makes sure to represent the country well. More so now that she’s in the sport’s biggest stage.
“Bihira lang mga atletang nakakapasok dito sa Olympic competition (It’s rare to be a part of this),” said Delgaco. – Rappler.com
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