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Videographer shot along NLEX | Joann Manabat - CMS | 5/2/2024 9:30 | PAMPANGA, Philippines – A male videographer was shot while driving along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Southbound lane in Bulacan on Sunday, February 4.
The victim, who requested anonymity, was driving from Ilocos to Manila in his white Nissan Terra SUV when he was attacked by an unidentified gunman along the stretch of NLEX in the vicinity of Barangay Dampol, Pulilan town, according to Bulacan Police Staff Sergeant Ryan Bayan.
Bayan said the vehicle had five bullet marks at the car’s window on the driver’s side. It is currently impounded at the Pulilan police station.
The victim sustained a gunshot wound in his right shoulder and was immediately brought to medical facilities for treatment, Bayan said.
“Tinawag lang sa amin ng NLEX investigator. Yung tao galing daw sa Ilocos. Mag-isa lang siya. Yung biktima naman, pagdating ng investigator, stable naman din siya. Nakatawag rin siya sa telepono, sabi nila,” Bayan said.
(The NLEX investigator reported it to us. The victim was driving from Ilocos. He was just by himself. The victim, when the investigator came, was stable. He was also able to call his girlfriend on the phone, they said.)
“May tama sa bintana ng driver’s seat, lima, pero ang tama sa balikat, isa,” Bayan added.
(There are five bullet holes in the window of the driver’s seat but the gunshot in his shoulder is just one.)
According to the police report, the victim’s car also collided with the steel railings on the roadside of the expressway after the shooting incident.
The incident was reported to the local police by NLEX investigator Peter Paul Viray at around 6:45 p.m. However, no witness has yet come out to give more details, Bayan said.
Police said all angles are being considered as the investigation is ongoing.
“Ngayon, under investigation pa rin. Lahat ng anggulo tinitinginan pa din dahil first time lang din namin na makaranas na may shooting incident sa loob ng NLEX,” Bayan said.
(Right now, it is still under investigation. All angles are still being looked into because this is the first time we have experienced a shooting incident in NLEX.)
No one else was reported hurt or injured in the shooting incident. – Rappler.com
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Doctor survives ambush, rushes self to hospital in Maguindanao del Sur | Herbie G | 5/2/2024 9:36 | Shutterstock
TAWI-TAWI, Philippines – A government physician drove fast and rushed herself to a hospital after motorcycle-riding gunmen shot and wounded her in an ambush along a highway in Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur, on Saturday night, February 3.
The wounded doctor, 27-year-old Sharmaine Ceballos Baroquillo, from Polomolok, South Cotabato, passed out upon reaching the hospital, after accidentally colliding with a tricycle on her way to the medical facility.
The collision left a family of three in the tricycle injured, and they were also rushed to the hospital.
While attempting to escape, Baroquillo’s car also hit and damaged a house.
As of posting time, police have yet to determine the motive behind the ambush on the physician, who works at the government-owned Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital.
The victim was driving her car along Datu Paglas Highway from Davao City when she sensed that two gunmen, riding in tandem, were following her, according to 1st Lieutenant Cemafranco Cemacio, chief of the Buluan town police in Maguindanao del Sur.
Cemacio said Baroquillo was shot at thrice, and a bullet fired from caliber .45 pistol pierced through her shoulder.
“We are gathering more details to deepen our investigation. We have not established a motive yet. The victim is in stable condition now,” Cemacio said. – Rappler.com
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Dwight Ramos gets better of Gilas teammate Kai Sotto as Hokkaido sweeps Yokohama | Jasmine Payo | 4/2/2024 23:25 | HOT RUN. Hokkaido star Dwight Ramos goes for a jumper in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – In a showdown between two Gilas Pilipinas teammates, Dwight Ramos got the better of KaI Sotto as the Levanga Hokkaido completed the weekend sweep of the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the Japan B. League.
After flirting with a double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds in Hokkaido’s 80-73 win over Yokohama on Saturday, February 3, Ramos continued his stellar play and went off for 25 points on Sunday, February 4 to help the Levanga repeat over the B-Corsairs, 89-83.
Ramos made 9 of his 17 shots from the field, including a 3-of-6 clip from beyond the arc to reach 25 points, together with 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in over 34 minutes.
With his 25-point explosion, Ramos surpassed his previous season-high of 22 markers, which he set just four days ago in Hokkaido’s 94-82 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders.
The Gilas Pilipinas sensation Ramos also came up just one-point short of tying his B. League career-high of 26 points, which he posted last season.
Sotto, meanwhile, made the most of his limited playing time for the B-Corsairs in their back-to-back losses this weekend.
The 7-foot-3 center Sotto produced 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block in 11 minutes and 19 seconds of action on Saturday, before putting up 10 markers and 2 boards in close to 13 minutes of play on Sunday.
Despite playing overseas, Ramos, Sotto, and injured Toyama Grouses big man AJ Edu, were all recently tapped by Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone to be part of his 12-man roster for the next four years.
Ramos and Sotto are expected to see action for the Philippines in the first window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong on February 22 and Chinese Taipei on February 25.
Elsewhere, former national team stalwarts Thirdy Ravena and Ray Parks also came up big as their respective teams went 2-0 this weekend.
Ravena had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in the San-En NeoPhoenix’s 103-71 demolition of the Shimane Susanoo Magic on Saturday.
The fourth-year San-En guard Ravena then followed it up with a 13-point showing in their 85-82 win versus the same opponents on Sunday.
With the sweep of Shimane, San-En extended its winning streak further to 14 games and remained at the top spot with a 32-4 record.
Parks, on the other hand, dropped a season-high 19 points, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in their 91-76 Saturday thrashing of the Nagasaki Velca.
He then tallied 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist in Nagoya’s 96-90 repeat win over Nagasaki on Sunday. – Rappler.com
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Moving forward from suspension, Brownlee itching to play for Gilas again | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 15:57 | SAVIOR. Justin Brownlee in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 19th Asian Games.
PSC-POC Media Pool
MANILA, Philippines – A months-long hiatus has Justin Brownlee itching to play for Gilas Pilipinas again.
Brownlee returns to national team action as he’s set to suit up in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later this February after being away from competitive basketball for a four-month period.
“I can’t wait to play basketball again and put all of this behind me,” said Brownlee. “It’s always been an honor to represent the Philippines and I’m happy to be given the chance again.”
A naturalized Filipino, Brownlee steered the country to its first Asian Games men’s basketball crown since 1962 in Hangzhou, China, last October.
But elation turned into distress when the International Testing Agency announced a week after the Asian Games that Brownlee failed a doping test as he tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a banned substance linked to cannabis use.
Even with the PBA season coming up and Barangay Ginebra hoping to acquire his services anew for its title-repeat bid in the Commissioner’s Cup, Brownlee opted to serve a provisional suspension that started on November 9.
That decision worked wonders for Brownlee, with FIBA retroactively counting the time he sat out as his proposed three-month period of ineligibility will end on February 8.
“Justin Brownlee is a big part of the team and the program moving forward and having him means we can hit the ground running,” said Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone.
“He’s already played with most of the guys so chemistry will already be there. He can now ramp up his conditioning and be ready to go once his suspension is lifted.”
Familiarity will not be an issue when Brownlee comes back as he reunites with Asian Games teammates June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Chris Newsome, who make up the 12-man core of Cone.
The Philippines will open the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers against Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei on February 22 and 25, respectively. – Rappler.com
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Filmmaker Jade Castro’s ‘warrantless’ jeepney arson arrest slammed by art organizations | Marguerite de Leon | 4/2/2024 16:02 | MANILA, Philippines – Art organizations cried foul over what they considered the baseless arrest on Thursday, February 1 of filmmaker Jade Castro and three other men for allegedly burning down a modern jeepney in Catanauan, Quezon.
The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI), the Philippine Center of International PEN (PEN Philippines), and DAKILA released statements of concern on their respective social media accounts on Saturday, February 3.
“Castro declared his innocence and stated he was on vacation with friends when personalities of the Philippine National Polce (PNP) arrested them for a crime that occurred in Catanauan, Quezon,” filmmakers group DGPI detailed.
“Castro shared more disturbing information: the arrest was warrantless. Jade Castro is a vetted DGPI member and an important voice of the Philippine Independent Cinema. We stand by his innocence and testify to his good character. We urge clarity on the matter from the authorities involved, and the immediate release of Jade Castro from detention,” the DGPI concluded.
“Jade, known for his socially-relevant films like Endo and Zombadings, has significantly influenced the creative sensibilities of emerging filmmakers through numerous workshops and mentorships, making profound contributions to the film industry,” said progressive artist-activist group DAKILA.
“As an advocate for justice, we urge an immediate, fair, and transparent investigation by Philippine authorities, trusting in our legal system to protect the rights of those in custody,” it urged.
“We call on the Philippine National Police, the Department of Justice, and all relevant authorities to conduct a quick, thorough, and transparent investigation into this and uphold the rule of law, protecting the rights of individuals under their custody,” literary group PEN Philippines said.
According to reports by the Manila Bulletin, on Wednesday, January 31, a modern jeepney owned by the Gumaca Transport Service Cooperative had been burned to the ground, with police and witnesses saying that the perpetrators had worn bonnets and had been armed.
The driver, Carl Villanueva, said they were instructed by the suspects to get off the vehicle, and then the armed group set it on fire.
In turn, management of the said cooperative claimed the culprits were operators of traditional jeepneys, who’ve had beef with the cooperative since the latter filed for franchise consolidation under the government’s PUV Modernization Program.
Police then traced the suspects to Mi Casa Resort in Barangay Butanyog, Mulanay, Quezon. On Thursday, February 1, filmmaker Castro and his friends – sales manager Ernesto Orcine, civil engineer Noel Mariano, and civil engineer Dominic Ramos – who were staying at the said resort, were apprehended and brought to the Catanauan Municipal Police Station. They were then accused by the driver, conductor, and two passengers of the burned jeepney as the culprits.
On February 2, authorities filed a complaint for arson against Castro and his three companions before the local prosecutor’s office.
Colonel Ledon Monte, PNP-Quezon director, said investigators have yet to determine the motive behind the arson.
Relatives of Castro and his peers claimed they were wrongfully arrested.
“The witness said naka-bonnet yung apat; paano matuturo iyon (The witness said the four culprits wore bonnets, so how could they have identified them)?” one of the suspects’ relatives said in a TV Patrol interview.
Moira Lang, a film producer and playwright, said several witnesses stated Castro and his companions were taking part in the revelry at the public plaza of Mulanay on the night the vehicle was burned in Catanauan.
Castro himself, in a series of X posts, claimed innocence and said they were arrested without a warrant.
INOSENTE KAMI! nagbabakasyon lang kaming magkakaibigan sa mulanay quezon pero inaresto kami sa krimen na nangyari sa catanauan https://t.co/Sjqo4cXe2D
“INOSENTE KAMI!” Castro wrote in a February 2 post. “Nagbabakasyon lang kaming magkakaibigan sa Mulanay, Quezon, pero inaresto kami sa krimen na nangyari sa Catanauan.”
(WE’RE INNOCENT! My friends and I were just vacationing in Mulanay, Quezon, but were arrested for a crime that happened in Catanauan.)
Guys sorry di maka reply bawal celphone. Opo warrantless arrest arson
Later on February 3, Castro wrote, “Guys, sorry, ‘di maka-reply, bawal cellphone. Opo, warrantless arrest, arson.”
(Guys, sorry, I can’t reply to your messages; I’m not allowed to use a cellphone. Yes, this was a warrantless arrest for arson.)
As of writing, Castro and his peers remain detained at the said station.
Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption President Boy Arsenio Evangelista told Rappler that the investigation was “hastily done” and police filed the case without following case build-up processes. – with reports from Darcie De Galicia/Rappler.com
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Dreamscape head Deo Endrinal passes away at 60 | Jairo Bolledo | 3/2/2024 23:43 | GONE TOO SOON. Dreamscape head Deo Endrinal passes away at 60 years old on February 3, 2024.
PJ Endrinal/Instagram
MANILA, Philippines – Roldeo “Deo” Endrinal, the respected head of Dreamscape Entertainment, ABS-CBN’s content production unit, has passed away. He was 60.
In an Instagram post, Endrinal’s son PJ confirmed his father’s passing on Saturday, February 3.
A post shared by PJ Endrinal (@pjendrinal)
Remembering his late father, PJ said writing about Endrinal’s passing was “the hardest caption” he “will ever post.” PJ also wrote about how Endrinal served as a great father to him and other people who had known the Dreamscape head.
“This will definitely be a hole in my heart and will leave a scar; but I know that you’re finally free from pain and now happily dancing in heaven cause you’ll definitely be the life of the party up there,” PJ said. “We might be grieving now, but instead of the sadness, we should be celebrating the life you lived and shared with us, and for that, we’ll always be grateful.”
Dreamscape also paid tribute to its late chief: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mr. Roldeo T. Endrinal, our esteemed Head of Dreamscape Entertainment. We mourn the loss of a true and beloved leader, and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family.”
Dreamscape paid tribute to its head by remembering him as a visionary leader with a brilliant mind and dedication to the art of storytelling. His body of work has “left an indelible mark on our organization, as well as on the Philippine Entertainment industry,” it added.
To mourn the passing of the veteran entertainment executive, Dreamscape changed its profile and cover photos on Facebook to black and white.
As Dreamscape head, Endrinal was responsible for hit shows like FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, according to ABS-CBN. In his over 30 years in the business, ABS-CBN said Endrinal had also produced iconic shows The Buzz, Game Ka Na Ba?, ASAP, and May Bukas Pa, among others.
An alumnus of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication, Endrinal was recognized in the 2020 Glory Awards for his contributions to television arts. The Glory Awards “honors UPCMC alumni who did not only produce excellent work consistently but also made an impact in mass communication and society.” – Jairo Bolledo/Rappler.com
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Here are the winners of the 2024 Manila International Film Festival’s awards night | jreyes0314 | 3/2/2024 16:29 | Manila International Film Festival's website
MANILA, Philippines – The Manila International Film Festival (MIFF), an annual event that serves as a platform for Filipino films made in the Philippines to make a mark in Hollywood and the international film scene, held in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 3 (Manila time) its awards night, with a new set of actors, directors, films, and notable individuals taking home several prizes.
Zig Dulay’s Firefly and Pepe Diokno’s GomBurZa were the top victors of the night, earning Best Picture and 2nd Best Picture, respectively. Firefly also bagged the Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay awards. GomBurZa was honored as Best Cinematography, and the Audience Choice Award.
Firefly revolves around a son finding an island of fireflies with the hopes of wishing that his mother comes back to life. The heartwarming film has an ensemble cast including top GMA stars such as Alessandra de Rossi, Dingdong Dantes, Cherry Pie Picache, and Miguel Tanfelix.
Meanwhile, GomBurZa tells the story of Mariano Gomez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora – collectively known as GomBurZa – the three Filipino Catholic priests who were executed via garrote by the Spanish colonial masters.
Worth noting was Dingdong Dantes’ being named joint Best Actor for his performance as John Nuñez in Rewind. Dantes shared the award with Piolo Pascual, who won for Mallari.
Rewind failed to receive an award at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival’s Gabi ng Parangal. Despite ending up empty-handed during the MMFF awards night, Rewind managed to become the Philippines’ highest-grossing film of all time as of January 26, raking in a total of P889 million worldwide.
Headlined by reel-to-real couple of Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, Rewind follows the rocky marriage of husband and wife John and Mary Nuñez, who eventually work to mend their relationship after a tragic death.
Here is the full list of winners:
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[Two Pronged] My wife only wants a quickie when we have sex | Marguerite de Leon | 4/2/2024 12:52 | Nico Villarete/Rappler
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:
Can I ask you a question? What is the best sexual position so a woman gets aroused the most quickly?
It’s about my wife. We only make love every two months. If we make love she wants a quickie. It’s been going on for the past three years. That’s why I masturbate more often.
Also, what should I do to make my masturbation more pleasurable? I don’t want to cheat on my wife, which is why I often masturbate.
Pls help me. Ivan
Dear Ivan,
Thank you for your message.
As in most of life, the more one knows about a problem, the better chance of solving it.
In your case, we don’t know your ages, how long you’ve been married, whether initially your wife (let’s call her Emma) was more passionate or has always been sexually indifferent, etc. Nevertheless, suffice it to say that when it comes to sexual ardor (or lack thereof), it is often the case that it takes two to tango.
A wife’s supposed disinterest may after all have less to do with her libido but more to do with her husband’s sexual ineptitude.
As one old joke goes: Q: Why don’t women blink during foreplay? A: They don’t want to miss it.
Good sexual technique is of course not restricted to foreplay. A willingness to take into account one’s partner’s preferences and to put one’s partner’s gratification ahead of one’s own are some of the basic requirements of a good lover.
Of course there can instead be a simple disparity between respective sex drives. The cause of yours can only be established with more information, and couples therapy might be a good way to delve more deeply into this
Addressing your question about arousal, it is well documented that women require far more foreplay than men. As to positions, books like the Kama Sutra list dozens, and only experimentation will reveal which work best for you and Emma. The clitoral alignment technique (CAT) has proven very effective for many people while the Helicopter (aka Bumper Cars) position is only for advanced practitioners and the adventurous, not to mention fit and flexible.
As for masturbation, the internet abounds with advice. One such example is this, but again experimentation is the key because one man’s pleasure can be another’s pain.
To end on a positive note, it is admirable that you have eschewed options such as a mistress or commercial sex in favor of masturbation to bridge the ardor gap between Emma and yourself.
Best wishes,JAF Baer
Dear Ivan:
Thank you very much for your letter. Your letter is clear regarding what you want — information on how to make your wife enjoy sex enough she will want to do it more often and not insist (only) on quickies. If that doesn’t work, you want information on how to make masturbation more pleasurable.
Because your desires are all I know about you, I will do what many (but not all) psychologists do: conduct a content analysis of your letter. True, there is no guarantee that this content analysis will be accurate, but at least, it may generate some hypotheses which may be more useful, and certainly give you several things to think about.
Your first question is a bit off-putting. You ask: “What is the best sexual position so a woman gets aroused the most quickly?” This implies you want to know the sexual position, not because you want to give her pleasure, but simply as a means to an end. If she is aroused, she will be more willing to have sex with you, which is what you seem to want first and foremost.
It seems like her pleasure, but most of all, her feelings of being validated and/or loved by you don’t seem to matter that much to you. If they did, perhaps you would’ve asked her, instead of us, what sexual position she prefers, because when it comes to positions, and indeed, other matters involving sex, there is no one-size-fits-all.
The best person to ask about what makes for the most exciting moves, the most exciting touch, etc. is the person you make love to.
Otherwise, it is nothing but mere theory. Admittedly, theory has its place, but for sex to be good, it has to be personal, it has to be intimate enough (yes, yes, even if it is a one-night stand) that the other person feels seen by you and appreciated.
If you hesitate to ask her directly, that in itself is a heads up that communication between you could be better – loads better. At this point in time, it doesn’t really matter who started what; what matters is that you both try your best to heal the chasm between you.
I have a feeling that once you start talking you will find similar goals that are fun (and not just super serious) to work towards. These need not start with sex goals either. In fact, in my clinical experience, working first towards a non-sexual goal tends to be more successful. I think it has to do with your wife’s feeling that you are responding to her whole person, and not just her sexual self.
“There are no frigid women, only clumsy men,” was an oft-quoted saying in the past, which was supposed to be true (it isn’t necessarily so) and has brought a smile to many women’s lips. Actually, the more accurate saying would be: “There are frigid women and there are clumsy men and they are usually married to each other.”
Sayang na sayang (It’s just too bad), dearest Ivan, if your pride or lack of courage keeps you from taking the first step. It may be the first step to making sure the unwilling wife and the clumsy (if only because over-eager) husband doesn’t describe your marriage.
Any step towards trying to bridge the chasm between you will be a welcome one.
All the best and good luck,MG Holmes
– Rappler.com
Please send any comments, questions, or requests for advice to [email protected].
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San Miguel ties franchise record for longest win streak, inches closer to PBA crown | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 21:38 | REVERSE. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – A historic run has put San Miguel in prime position for another PBA championship.
The Beermen tied their longest winning streak in franchise history as they inched closer to the Commissioner’s Cup crown after coasting to a 109-85 blowout of Magnolia at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, February 4.
Forming a three-headed monster, import Bennie Boatwright, CJ Perez, and June Mar Fajardo combined for 73 points to power San Miguel to its 11th straight victory and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven finale.
Another win will see the Beermen eclipse the franchise record they also notched in the 2013 Governors’ Cup and 2017 Philippine Cup.
But San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent is focused on the task at hand.
“We’re not thinking of this special run,” said Gallent. “We’re just thinking that we won two games. The rest is nothing. We’re really focused in this series.”
Boatwright delivered 34 points off seven three-pointers on top of 10 rebounds and 5 assists as he nearly matched his Game 1 tally of 28 points in the first half alone.
A candidate for the Best Import honors, Boatwright erupted for 23 first-half points and allowed the Beermen to grab a 54-41 halftime lead.
That advantage doubled in the third quarter as Perez took over the period and finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 assists.
Perez scattered 8 points in an 18-3 start to the third frame that propelled San Miguel to a commanding 72-44 lead – its biggest of the game.
It was such a one-sided affair that Fajardo – who shot only six three-pointers this conference prior to the game – attempted three triples and made two of them with under two minutes left.
Fajardo tallied 19 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks as the Beermen nailed their most lopsided win of this playoffs after their previous games in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals were decided by an average of 5.6 points.
That could spell trouble for the Hotshots, although Gallent is not looking too far ahead.
“We have two more games to focus on. The sweep is not even in our mind. Our thing is how to get four games before them,” said Gallent.
Marcio Lassiter and Jericho Cruz added 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the victory.
While San Miguel thrived offensively, Magnolia struggled to keep up, with only three players scoring in double figures led by import Tyler Bey, who posted 22 points and 16 rebounds.
Mark Barroca (11) and Russel Escoto (10) were the only other Hotshots players in twin-digit scoring as usual suspects Paul Lee and Calvin Abueva failed to leave their mark on the offensive end.
Both turning in poor 1-of-7 clips, Lee and Abueva had only 5 and 3 points, respectively, as Magnolia lost consecutive games for the first time this conference.
San Miguel 109 – Boatwright 34, Perez 20, Fajardo 19, Lassiter 11, Cuz 10, Trollano 5, Ross 3, Teng 2, Tautuaa 2, Jimenez 2, Mallilin 1, Romeo 0.
Magnolia 85 – Bey 22, Barroca 11, Escoto 10, Sangalang 8, Jalalon 6, Lee 5, Corpuz 5, Dela Rosa 4, Mendoza 4, Abueva 3, Laput 3, Tratter 2, Eriobu 2, Ahanmisi 0, Dionisio 0.
Quarters: 31-25, 54-41, 79-58, 109-85.
– Rappler.com
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Dwight Ramos gets better of Gilas teammate Kai Sotto as Hokkaido sweeps Yokohama | Jasmine Payo | 4/2/2024 23:25 | HOT RUN. Hokkaido star Dwight Ramos goes for a jumper in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – In a showdown between two Gilas Pilipinas teammates, Dwight Ramos got the better of KaI Sotto as the Levanga Hokkaido completed the weekend sweep of the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the Japan B. League.
After flirting with a double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds in Hokkaido’s 80-73 win over Yokohama on Saturday, February 3, Ramos continued his stellar play and went off for 25 points on Sunday, February 4 to help the Levanga repeat over the B-Corsairs, 89-83.
Ramos made 9 of his 17 shots from the field, including a 3-of-6 clip from beyond the arc to reach 25 points, together with 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in over 34 minutes.
With his 25-point explosion, Ramos surpassed his previous season-high of 22 markers, which he set just four days ago in Hokkaido’s 94-82 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders.
The Gilas Pilipinas sensation Ramos also came up just one-point short of tying his B. League career-high of 26 points, which he posted last season.
Sotto, meanwhile, made the most of his limited playing time for the B-Corsairs in their back-to-back losses this weekend.
The 7-foot-3 center Sotto produced 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block in 11 minutes and 19 seconds of action on Saturday, before putting up 10 markers and 2 boards in close to 13 minutes of play on Sunday.
Despite playing overseas, Ramos, Sotto, and injured Toyama Grouses big man AJ Edu, were all recently tapped by Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone to be part of his 12-man roster for the next four years.
Ramos and Sotto are expected to see action for the Philippines in the first window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong on February 22 and Chinese Taipei on February 25.
Elsewhere, former national team stalwarts Thirdy Ravena and Ray Parks also came up big as their respective teams went 2-0 this weekend.
Ravena had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in the San-En NeoPhoenix’s 103-71 demolition of the Shimane Susanoo Magic on Saturday.
The fourth-year San-En guard Ravena then followed it up with a 13-point showing in their 85-82 win versus the same opponents on Sunday.
With the sweep of Shimane, San-En extended its winning streak further to 14 games and remained at the top spot with a 32-4 record.
Parks, on the other hand, dropped a season-high 19 points, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in their 91-76 Saturday thrashing of the Nagasaki Velca.
He then tallied 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist in Nagoya’s 96-90 repeat win over Nagasaki on Sunday. – Rappler.com
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Young jazz singer Jose Miguel is here to serenade you the good old-fashioned way | jreyes0314 | 4/2/2024 11:02 | MANILA, Philippines – Singer-songwriter Jose Miguel grew up listening to jazz on repeat. It was his grandfather who exposed him to the fine world of jazz – regularly putting on the harmonious rhythms of big band jazz, and the unforgettable music of prominent soloists like Frank Sinatra.
His affinity for jazz only grew as the years went by, so when he began to make music of his own, it was only right that he do it in the very genre that raised him.
Now a soloist who is slowly beginning to make his mark in the local music scene, Jose Miguel has made it his life’s mission to serenade listeners with his heavenly baritone vocals backed by old-fashioned instrumentals.
A post shared by Jose Miguel (@josemiguelsings)
He fuses the modern and the nostalgic together through his sound, as he sings about today’s generation’s woes in the smooth low register that any older listener would find a sense of familiarity in. After all, for Jose Miguel, music knows no age.
“A lot of people usually say, ‘Oh, you sound like you’re a little bit older,’ or ‘I thought you would be a certain age.’ But I think music has no age. Really, if you like it, you like it. If it appeals to you, then stick by it. I love the music that I make, and I’m lucky enough to be able to say that,” he said.
Staying true to his word, the musician based south of Metro Manila just released his first album, 5 Star Overthinker – a 10-track record that was six months in the making. The album was born out of a mix of different contexts and experiences, from the background of each song to the way the music was even created in the first place.
Many of Jose Miguel’s songs actually start out as poems that are later paired with the melodies he comes up with sporadically, so it comes as no surprise that his songs paint a profound picture of whatever stories they tell.
For instance, in the track “Love is You,” the singer sets the scene for the split-moment decision an individual decides to take a chance on love before it’s too late.
“Originally, it was about a man and a woman on a train. They never really met. But this person, the man looked at her and said, ‘What if it was her? What if there was a chance for that stranger to be the one?’ I wrote the story of that mixed in with a lot of different inspirations as well,” Jose Miguel explained.
Other times, however, the culmination of a song happens almost naturally within the blink of an eye. This was the case for the title track “5 Star Overthinker.” Jose Miguel had just been relaxing outdoors with his producer Gabe, surrounded by nature, when an idea for a poem arose.
“I had a poem written and Gabe just started playing the music. The rest was a flow state. It all just came out. And in about an hour or so, we were able to finish writing ‘5 Star Overthinker,’” he shared.
While Jose Miguel’s songwriting techniques vary from time to time, there’s one thing that has always remained the same: his desire to share his craft with listeners, and leave a lasting impact on them in the process.
“I hope that people can resonate with the writing and the melodies that [I put] out. I just want to write music. I just want to be able to sing the music that I love and share it with everybody. That’s really why I’m doing this….there’s no other kick or feeling like being able to perform and write music,” Jose Miguel said.
Fittingly, the young artist is also set to take center stage at the Wanderland Festival in March, and he promises to deliver “a lot of flavor” in his performance.
A post shared by Wanderland Festival (@wanderlandfest)
As jazz begins to find a home in younger audiences’ playlists, Jose Miguel remains confident that the genre will live on across all age groups.
“I think jazz is coming back. Not that it ever left. I just think that it’s entering the pop scene once again, with the artists that are getting recognition today,” the young crooner said, citing Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey as an example.
With the new age of jazz, Jose Miguel is definitely here to stay – and he has his many music idols to thank for that.
“I’m always going to look up to the ones who did it before me in terms of influence, my inspirations. And honestly, I believe that I am maybe a combination of a lot of my idols. I’m just putting a new spin into it [in my music],” he shared. – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: No graft charges vs PCSO general manager Mel Robles | Lorenz Pasion | 7/2/2024 14:40 | Claim: Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Melquiades “Mel” Robles will be imprisoned over graft and corruption charges.
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in the title of a YouTube video: “PCSO General Manager Mel Robles makukulong na sa kasong graft & corruption.” (PCSO General Manager Mel Robles will be imprisoned over a graft and corruption case).
As of writing, it has 34,474 views, 610 likes, and 163 comments.
The facts: No official announcements or reports from reputable sources show that Robles was convicted of graft or that he would be imprisoned. The misleading video merely alleges corruption within the PCSO after several major lotto draws produced winners of over P500 million over a three-week period.
Controversy in the PCSO: In January, the state-run lottery firm drew controversy after it posted an altered photo of a lotto winner receiving a check from a PCSO official. After the photo went viral, Robles admitted during a Senate committee hearing that the photo was edited, but clarified that it was to protect the winner’s identity.
The PCSO came under additional scrutiny when several multi-million prizes were won after it raised the minimum guaranteed jackpot for its Christmas and New Year draws. On December 29, 2023, a lone bettor won P571 million in the Ultra Lotto 6/58. Another big win came on January 16, 2024, when a bettor won P640 million in the Super Lotto 6/49 draw, followed by a P698 million win in the Grand Lotto 6/55 the following day.
Surigao del Norte 1st District Representative Robert Ace Barbers called for Robles’ resignation due to the “highly improbable and doubtful winnings.” Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos called for a temporary suspension of the lotto games while investigations are pending.
‘No manipulation’: On January 25, Robles told a Senate Games and Amusement committee hearing that no one can manipulate the PCSO’s system.
May Cerelles, officer-in-charge manager of PCSO’s Information Technology Services department, added that the PCSO has an ISO-certified system that includes safeguards and Commission on Audit personnel present during lotto draws. – Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com
Katarina Ruflo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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Revelations, old hands: ‘Best 12’ banner Gilas Pilipinas 4-year roadmap | jisaga0269 | 4/2/2024 19:22 | FAMILIAR FACES. Kai Sotto (center) sings the national anthem along with Gilas Pilipinas team mainstays (from right) Jamie Malonzo, Scottie Thompson, and Calvin Oftana.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Following a successful Asian Games campaign that punctuated a roller-coaster four-year basketball cycle, Gilas Pilipinas will look to stir that same magic through its officially appointed head coach Tim Cone and his crew of established local stars.
Hoping to put an end to turbulent buildups for major tournaments, the vision for this version of the national team is to stick through the four-year FIBA cycle, ending with the 2027 World Cup.
The 66-year-old Cone handpicked the team, consisting of PBA and Japan B. League stars, a collegiate superstar, and an aging yet reliable naturalized player. For him, the players he tapped are the best the country could offer.
“I’ve always firmly believed from back in 1998 when I coached the Centennial Team that you’ve got to go out and get the best players in the country to represent us,” said Cone.
“We all have different opinions on who the best players are, but we’re confident we picked the best players who will form the best team.”
Here are Gilas Pilipinas’ magic 12:
Justin Brownlee has made some of the biggest shots in recent local basketball lore.
However, his career came to a screeching halt after testing positive for a banned substance in the Asian Games in October 2023. In that tournament, his herculean performances lifted Gilas to its first continental title in 61 years.
Missing the subsequent PBA Commissioner’s Cup as he served a voluntary suspension, Brownlee returns to the national team as one of Cone’s most trusted soldiers.
Brownlee, with Cone calling the shots, has never lost in any title series, winning six PBA championships with crowd darling Barangay Ginebra. Per league records, he is tied for the most titles by an import in PBA history alongside Alaska legend Sean Chambers.
Brownlee has also led Gilas to the 2023 Southeast Asian Games crown, regaining the regional title the country lost in 2022 via shocker against Indonesia.
The 35-year-old star stepped aside for NBA star Jordan Clarkson’s inclusion in the World Cup team before Cone tapped him in the Asian Games less than a month later.
Playing in the Philippines since 2016, Brownlee became a naturalized Filipino in January 2023.
Another one of Cone’s players, the 30-year-old Scottie Thompson will look to provide stability in the point guard position for Gilas.
Cone picked Thompson in the 2015 PBA Draft, shaping him into one of the league’s best players.
Thompson was named the PBA MVP in 2022, before falling short of his back-to-back bid as he finished third in MVP voting last year, according to the final tally released by the league press corps.
Thompson struggled to find his groove in the World Cup, averaging only 1.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 12.5 minutes per game, according to the FIBA website.
The University of Perpetual Help product redeemed himself in the Asian Games, where he bumped up his numbers under the tutelage of Cone.
As the only natural point guard on the 12-man list, Thompson’s familiarity with Cone’s system should pay dividends as the FIBA cycle progresses.
Undoubtedly the greatest Filipino player of this generation, June Mar Fajardo will embark on, perhaps, his last ride with the national team.
Fajardo, who will be 37 years old by the time the 2027 World Cup unfolds, remains one of the most dominant players in the PBA.
Fajardo was named the PBA MVP once more in 2023, bagging his seventh plum in eight seasons. No one in history has ever won more than four.
The San Miguel superstar was pivotal in Gilas’ wins against Iran in the Asian Games quarterfinals, China in the semis, and Jordan in the finals.
Fajardo, the most experienced player in the bunch with three World Cup appearances, offers Cone an imposing presence inside through all of his 6-foot-10 frame.
Few players in the world can tower over Kai Sotto.
The 7-foot-3 titan has been a Filipino wunderkind for the longest time. After not hearing his name in the NBA Draft, Sotto took his talents to Australia’s NBL and Japan B. League, where he has been playing for the past two seasons.
Now, Sotto will return to the national squad with a chip on his shoulder following lackluster outings in the World Cup.
Sotto averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds in the World Cup as his minutes plummeted to just 14 per game.
The 21-year-old Sotto also saw action in the 2023 NBA Summer League where he played two games and tallied a combined 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks, per league records. It was also there that Sotto sustained a back injury that almost ruled him out of the World Cup.
After fully recovering from the injury, Sotto has been averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the B. League, according to league records.
AJ Edu was a revelation in the World Cup.
The Toyama Grouses import averaged 8.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in five games with the national team. His rebounding was also the seventh-highest in the tournament, behind some of the world’s best players.
Edu’s brightest highlight came in his debut game, impressing with his defense on perennial NBA All-Star Karl Anthony Towns in the loss to the Dominican Republic.
But the injury bug continues to hound the 24-year-old as he tore his meniscus last November while playing for the Grouses in the Japan B. League.
His injury, however, did not stop Cone from tapping him on his 12-man roster, citing long-term vision. His recovery time was initially for at least three months, per reports.
In his 14 games for Toyama so far, Edu averaged 13 points and 8.8 rebounds.
Perhaps the face of the Gilas program will continue to represent the country for years to come.
Dwight Ramos has become a mainstay for Gilas Pilipinas since his arrival in the Philippines. In fact, he was the lone player to see action in all of the FIBA qualifier windows in the last cycle.
He shone bright in his first World Cup, notching 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals.
Ramos has been playing in Japan since 2021, jumping from Toyama to the Levanga Hokkaido last season.
As of writing, he is averaging a career-high 10.5 points per game, alongside 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
After being a late call-up for the Asian Games, CJ Perez returns to the national team as one of its offensive spark plugs.
After a standout Asian Games run, Perez has since been neck-and-neck with Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger for the Best Player of the Conference race in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup so far as his San Miguel Beermen compete in a best-of-7 finals series.
The Lyceum of the Philippines product has been a part of two World Cups.
Chris Newsome was cut from the World Cup team before impressing in the Asian Games where he was instrumental as a defensive ace in the gold medal game.
Newsome limited Jordan’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to just 24 points on 29 shots in the gold medal match, displaying his two-way chops for the Cone-mentored Gilas.
Now, the Meralco Bolts star will don the Gilas jersey once more to continue what he started at the tail end of last year.
After getting FIBA clearance to play as a local in 2022, Newsome only got to play in one window of the World Cup qualifiers before being one of the final cuts in the World Cup.
At 33 years old, Newsome remains one of the most athletic players in the country.
Calvin Oftana is entering his basketball prime. The 28-year-old averaged 21.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in the last PBA Commissioners’ Cup for the TNT Tropang Giga.
First called up for Gilas in 2020, Oftana was one of the cuts in the World Cup, before winning gold in the Asian Games.
Oftana had since taken the lead role for the Tropang Giga in the PBA. He shot an impeccable 49% from the field, 41% from three, and 90% from the free throw line in the last conference.
With his leap into the pro league, Oftana should be primed for a bigger role in this iteration of the national team.
After missing the latter part of the World Cup and Gilas’ Asiad conquest, Jamie Malonzo is back with the national team.
Malonzo has been one of Cone’s most reliable weapons in Ginebra. Malonzo recorded 15.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in the past PBA Commissioner’s Cup, where he was a consistent starter for the team.
The former La Salle standout provides more than just numbers, as he was often designated to be the primary defender against imports for length, athleticism, and quickness.
Malonzo, however, sustained a knee injury in the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals but has since been relieved of any major scare after initial fears of any structural damage.
The 27-year-old is expected to recover in time for the first window of FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
Kevin Quiambao has been one of the fastest rising stars in local basketball.
Quiambao has recently led Strong Group Athletics to a bridesmaid finish in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Tournament. He was the top scorer in the team headlined by NBA veteran Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche, and Andre Roberson, norming 18 points per game, per tournament data.
He was named to the All-Tournament team and even received offers to play as a naturalized player for the United Arab Emirates national team.
This came after his stellar UAAP Season 86 run, where he both received the season and finals MVPs after leading the De La Salle Green Archers to the championship.
The 22-year-old returns to the national team after brief stints in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup and World Cup qualifier windows.
Fondly remembered for his UAAP performances with the University of the Philippines, Carl Tamayo had since brought his winning pedigree overseas.
Tamayo won the 2022-2023 Japan B. League championship with the Ryukyu Golden Kings in his first season as a pro before asking for his release the following season.
He normed 3.9 points, and 2.5 rebounds in 12.5 minutes over 23 games in his second year with the Golden Kings.
Tamayo impressed in his last East Asia Super League game versus the PBA’s Meralco Bolts, going off for 16 points on Philippine soil. Tamayo was also named in the B. League Asia All-Stars in Okinawa.
The former NU high school star made his Gilas debut in 2021 and had been a part of the national squad in numerous tournament windows and the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. – Rappler.com
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At least 6 dead, 46 missing in Davao de Oro mining village landslide | Herbie G | 7/2/2024 10:53 | FLEE. Evacuees receive instructions at an evacuation site after a landslide forced them to flee their homes in Maco, Davao de Oro on Tuesday night, February 6, 2024.
Davao de Oro provincial government
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Search and rescue workers retrieved the bodies of six people buried in mud and rocks following a landslide that struck a mining village in Maco town, Davao de Oro, on Tuesday evening, February 6.
The provincial government reported that at least 46 people are missing and feared buried in the landslide in the village of Masara.
According to the provincial government, responders also accounted for at least 31 people who were injured as a result of the environmental disaster as of 2 pm on Wednesday, February 7.
The search and rescue operations in the area are ongoing as of posting time.
At least 758 families have evacuated and sought shelter in evacuation centers in Maco town, according to the provincial government.
Rescuers used their bare hands to dig through tons of mud and rocks to reach miners buried in the landslide at the Apex Mining Corporation in Maco.
The Maco Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Office reported earlier that 11 miners, one critically injured, were pulled out from the mud and debris and rushed to a hospital in Tagum City.
Major General Allan Hambala, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, told Rappler that the landslide happened at the Apex Mining Company in Maco, burying two buses carrying workers in Zone 1, Barangay Masara in Maco town.
Hambala said soldiers were sent to the landslide site to help in the rescue and recovery efforts.
DXDC-Radio Mindanao Network, based in Davao City, reported that over 300 residents from Masara were evacuated to a school in Maco after the local government enforced a forced evacuation in barangays Masara, Elizalde, Tagbaros, and Panibasan.
Apex Mining Corporation issued a statement, saying the landslide occurred in the area where buses waited to ferry their workers at around 7:30 pm.
Apex Mining said they were still doing a headcount to determine if there are missing workers.
Mobile phone footage shared on Facebook showed rescuers using their bare hands to reach the miners after the landslide buried the buses. – Rappler.com
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Marcos in Davao for the first time since word war with Duterte | Dwight de Leon | 7/2/2024 10:22 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is in Davao City on February 7, 2023 to lead the inauguration of the Davao City bulk water supply project.
RTVM
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Davao City on Wednesday, February 7, to grace numerous events of the administration, his first visit to the bailiwick of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte since the two traded accusations regarding drug use.
Marcos is the guest of honor for the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply project, as well as the 125th founding anniversary of the Department of Transportation.
The trip is notable because it comes just over a week after Duterte led a candlelight prayer rally to oppose the charter change being pushed under the Marcos administration.
In that event, Duterte warned Marcos of being ousted in office just like his dictator-father if he continues pushing for the amendment or revision of the Constitution.
Duterte – notorious for linking personalities to the narcotics ring even without evidence – also claimed that he once saw Marcos’ name on the government’s drug watch list.
Marcos fired back a day later, accusing Duterte of continued fentanyl use, and blaming the drug for his erratic behavior.
Marcos and the former president’s daughter Sara ran as a tandem in the 2022 polls, and their alliance dubbed as “Uniteam” resulted in a landslide election victory.
Since then, the rift between the two families has become more apparent, amid political developments that have been interpreted by observers as disadvantageous to the Duterte family.
These include Congress’ decision to junk Vice President Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds, and Marcos’ statement that the government was studying the possibility of joining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war.
This is also the first visit of the President since Duterte floated the idea of an independent Mindanao, which he thought of achieving by gathering signatures.
Former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez – a Duterte ally – is among the loudest voices in favor of the idea of Mindanao secession.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said on Tuesday, February 6, that the government has not monitored concrete efforts on the ground seeking to materialize the secession of Mindanao, and added that Marcos was not worried.
In the past week though, numerous agencies and Cabinet officials have released statements rejecting the call for a separate Mindanao.
Abalos said there was no direct order from the President to issue statements on the matter. – Rappler.com
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This visit of President Marcos Jr. at the bailiwick of his current nemesis is excellent psychological warfare. It shows that former President Digong Duterte could do nothing whenever President Marcos Jr. visited his political “kingdom.” President Marcos Jr. could also do a “loyalty check” among the political “butterflies” or “balimbings” in the area of his nemesis and at the same time boost their morale to continue the “hidden” and often-denied struggle against such scourge.
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Optimism among Filipinos drops slightly in end-2023 – SWS | Michelle Abad | 7/2/2024 10:05 | HOLIDAY SEASON. Shoppers enter a mall in Manila on November 17, 2022.
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MANILA, Philippines – A little under half of Filipino adults in December 2023 were optimistic their life will improve in 2024, slightly down from three months earlier, a survey from Social Weather Stations (SWS) found.
In the survey conducted from December 8 to 11, 44% of Filipinos referred to as “optimists” said their quality of life will improve in the next 12 months. Another 44% said it would stay the same, a minority 5% or “pessimists” said it would worsen, and 7% abstained from answering.
The net personal optimism score, which SWS computes by subtracting the percentage of pessimists from the percentage of optimists, is +39, classified as “very high.”
But it was down from the “excellent” +42 in September 2023, when 48% of Filipinos were optimists.
The 44% of Filipinos who were confident their quality of life will improve in the next year differs greatly from the 92% who faced 2024 “with hope,” according to a survey from another pollster, Pulse Asia. It was conducted from December 3 to 7, just days before the SWS survey.
The SWS attributed the three-point decline in the national net personal optimism score from September to December 2023 to decreases in Balance Luzon, or Luzon outside Metro Manila, and in the Visayas.
Meanwhile, the score was steady in Mindanao, and Filipinos living in the capital region were more optimistic.
While Balance Luzon maintained its “excellent” net personal optimism, it still dropped by 10 points, from +50 to +40.
Visayas experienced a slight decrease from +30 to +27, going from “very high” to “high.” It has the lowest net personal optimism among the island groups.
Mindanao’s optimism stayed the same at an “excellent” +43.
Metro Manila residents gained 17 points in its optimism, from +30 to +47.
The SWS noted a dip in optimism among Filipinos who graduated from college or took post-graduate studies – from +46 to +38.
Meanwhile, Filipinos who finished junior high school, either attended or graduated vocational school or senior high school, or attended some college stayed steady from +46 to +45. These groups’ optimism was classified as “excellent.”
Those who finished elementary or had some high school education remained “very high” in their optimism, also steady from +38 to +36.
The groups with the least educational attainment – those who either had no formal education or some elementary education – had their optimism down from +30 to +24. But this was still classified as a “high” level of optimism.
The December survey also found almost half of the respondents or 47% rating themselves as poor. This group’s net optimism fell six points from +39 to +33.
Meanwhile, there was a fifth of respondents who considered themselves not poor, and a third of “borderline” poor Filipinos, or those who placed themselves on a line dividing “poor” and “not poor.”
Their net optimism stayed around the same in the last quarter of 2023, from +46 to +47 among “not poor” families, and from +43 to +44 among “borderline” poor families.
In December 2023, inflation eased for the third straight month to 3.9%, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported. This means that the respondents experienced only easing inflation rates between the last two times the survey was taken in 2023.
But while national inflation eased, rice inflation remained a problem until the end of the year. It rose to a 14-year high of 19.6% in December from 15.8% in November.
This particular inflation rate hits close to the gut for Filipinos, not only because rice is a staple food, but because affordable rice was one of the promises from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign that stuck with the masses.
The average inflation rate in 2023 was 6%, which failed to meet the government’s target of 2% to 4%. – Rappler.com
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It’s complicated: Cebu claims Facebook page ownership, files complaint | Herbie G | 6/2/2024 11:54 | CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City government filed a formal complaint before the Office of the City Prosecutor against two people allegedly involved in the operations of a contested Facebook page, “Cebu Updates,” on Monday, February 5.
Estela Grace Rosit, head of the Cebu City Public Information Office (PIO), submitted the complaint for illegal access and computer-related identity theft, based on the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, against Erwin Dela Cerna and Christian Tura.
The cybercrime law defines computer-related identity theft as the “intentional acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession, alteration or deletion of identifying information belonging to another, whether natural or juridical, without right.” The offense is punishable by a fine of at least P200,000 and/or imprisonment.
Rosit said the page was being used for bashing local officials, including Cebu Mayor Mike Rama.
Rosit, in her affidavit, stated that the Cebu Updates page has become a tool for propaganda, “ruthlessly manipulated” to malign Cebu City government officials.
The local government asserted its ownership of the Cebu Updates page, stating that it used to serve as its official PIO page.
Dela Cerna, who hosts the program Ratsada on the Cebu Updates page, and Tura have yet to respond to the complaint as of posting time despite messages sent to the Facebook account. Rappler will update this story once they issue statements.
Rappler also tried to get comments from individuals who had posted on Cebu Updates, including Jun Tumulak, Dagmasla Zeus Sebastian, and lawyer Floro Casas, who served as city administrator during the Labella administration, but they have not responded.
In a July 23, 2023 column for SunStar, Pachico Seares said Casas admitted to being an administrator of the Cebu Updates page.
In the same column, Casas was quoted as saying that Cebu Updates is a “privately created social media site that publishes official events and announcements,” and the page “is, or was, not owned by the Cebu City Government.”
Mayor Rama, in a news conference on Tuesday, reiterated their determination to pursue those who illegally access the page, stating, “We will never stop until we uncover all of them.”
Jerone Castillo, former city attorney and current Cebu City budget officer, said they plan to file a cyber libel complaint.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Cebu Updates stated that it would remain vigilant and continue to keep an eye on City Hall.
“Karon nga gikiha mi sa Cebu City Hall, dili mi mahadlok, mas magbantay pa mi sa ilang kaboang,” it said.
(Now that we have been sued by Cebu City Hall, we are not afraid; we will be even more vigilant against their shenanigans.)
Lawyer Kristine Centino of the Cebu City Legal Office, said the local government filed the complaint to ensure that those who “illegally accessed” the Facebook page are punished.
“We aim to establish that this property belongs to the city government. Using the property of the Cebu City government without permission is essentially considered illegal access to the property. The goal is… to regain possession of the page because the rightful owner is really the Cebu City government,” she said in Cebuano.
Lawyer Shana Alexandra Perez of the City Legal Office, said they asked the Anti-Cybercrime Unit to help investigate, and they made sure that “everything was well-researched and investigated” since 2022.
Officials said the investigation led authorities to Dela Cerna and Tura.
Centino said they were also getting in touch with Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms, to contest the page’s ownership.
In July 2023, Castillo and City Administrator Collin Rosell called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Cebu to investigate those behind the Cebu Updates posts.
The Cebu Updates responded that same month, stating that it was “merely a messenger for the people,” and its goal was to “bridge the gap between you (the people) and our city officials, ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.”
One post addressed to Castillo read that “your attempts to deter our work will not hinder us from fulfilling our duty to the public. Cebu Updates will continue to be steadfast in providing reliable and impartial news for the people.”
Cebu Update’s Page Transparency section shows the history of its name changes, tracing to its original identity as the Cebu City Public Information Office Page in 2012.
Cebu Updates’ page transparency section shows subsequent name changes, coinciding with transitions from Rama to former mayor Tomas Osmena, and later, during the tenure of the late mayor Edgardo Labella. It changed its name to Cebu Updates only on January 5, 2022, months after the death of Labella in November 2021.
The Cebu Updates Facebook page posts diverse content that can be categorized into live streaming by its “talents,” shared posts about current affairs and entertainment from credible media entities, various media service posts, announcements, and criticisms on the current city administration.
Cebu Updates, with 242,000 likes and 339,000 followers, identifies itself as a media and news company, with an address at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City.
As of February 6, 2024, its page transparency section shows at least seven people from the Philippines managing the page. – Rappler.com
Wenilyn Sabalo is a community journalist currently affiliated with SunStar Cebu and is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow of Rappler for 2023-2024.
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GAME SCHEDULE: 2023-24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 15:28 | PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia and San Miguel are the top two seeds for a reason.
The Hotshots and the Beermen duke it out for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown as they renew their rivalry over four years since their last championship showdown.
Determined to avenge its losses to San Miguel in the 2018 and 2019 Philippine Cup finals, Magnolia gets a crack at ending a five-year title drought.
The Hotshots last won a championship in the 2018 Governors’ Cup before finding themselves on the losing end in their two previous finals appearances.
Meanwhile, San Miguel eyes a PBA record-extending 29th title and its second in four conferences after ruling the Philippine Cup last season.
Here is the schedule of the games:
GAME 1: San Miguel wins, 103-95
GAME 2: San Miguel wins, 109-85
GAME 3: Magnolia wins, 88-80
GAME 4: Magnolia wins, 96-85
GAME 5: San Miguel wins, 108-98
GAME 6: San Miguel wins, 104-102
– Rappler.com
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Bea Alonzo and Dominic Roque have broken up. Here’s a timeline of their relationship. | Marguerite de Leon | 6/2/2024 17:42 | Bea Alonzo's Instagram
MANILA, Philippines – Actress Bea Alonzo and actor-model Dominic Roque have called it quits, showbiz host Boy Abunda confirmed on Tuesday, February 6 in a GMA News report.
“Ako’y nalungkot ho talaga dahil madalas, ‘pag nagkikita kami ni Bea ay nagkakakwentuhan ho kami tungkol sa buhay, tungkol sa kanila, their marriage plans, etcetera. So, I was shocked,” Abunda said.
(I’m so sad over this because when I usually see Bea, we talk about her life with Dominic, their marriage plans, etcetera.)
“As we talk today, yes, hiwalay po si Dominic at tsaka si Bea (Dominic and Bea have separated),” he said, noting, however, that the couple may still work things out.
Alonzo and Roque have been together since 2021. Here is a timeline of their relationship.
Speculations about the pair’s relationship started in July 2020, after Roque posted a photo on Instagram along with the caption, “Tila ako’y nabighani (It seems I’ve been captivated).
The photo showed him and Alonzo with their faces covered, eating in a ramen restaurant in Tokyo, Japan.
A post shared by Dominic Roque (@dominicroque)
In an interview with Mega Magazine published in April 2021, Alonzo confirmed that she was indeed dating Roque but clarified they were not in an “exclusive relationship” yet.
“I decided that I’m not going to be a prisoner of my past. I’m open to falling in love again. I am very careful when it comes to falling so deep again and trusting anybody, but I would like to say that I am open to being happy whether it’s romantically or in that aspect, romance or work,” she said then.
In July 2021, the two further fueled romance speculations when they began posting photos of their trip together to the US on social media. During their West Coast trip, the two were spotted attending the baby shower of former actress Beth Tamayo, who is Roque’s aunt, on July 18. Roque also spent his birthday with Alonzo, which he shared in an Instagram story video.
A post shared by Dominic Roque (@dominicroque)
Roque also posted a series of photos of him and Alonzo sitting on a bench together at a Napa, California park.
“Lover,” he wrote.
A post shared by Dominic Roque (@dominicroque)
In an exclusive interview with 24 Oras released in August 2021, the actress opened up about her love life, saying that she was being cautious about sharing her new relationship with the public.
“It just came out naturally. Alam ko na prior to the posting, marami nang haka-haka ang mga tao-tao (I knew before I posted that there were already rumors going around).… It’s not like I was trying to hide it. I think I was just trying to be careful given my past experience. Siyempre gusto kong masiguro muna kung saan siya pupunta bago siya gawing official (I wanted to make sure where the relationship is heading first before I made it official),” Alonzo said.
The actress said she was thankful for the public’s reaction to her new romance. “A lot of people have been part of my journey and almost everyone in this country knows my story. I appreciate that they are happy for me,” Alonzo said.
“Naiintindihan nila kung saan ako nanggaling, kung saan ako ngayon at saan ko gusto pumunta (They understand where I’m coming from, where I am now and where I plan to be in the future). I’m very appreciative sa mga (of the) reactions.”
“I am happy na (that) everything’s so right, and everything is being celebrated,” she added.
Even if they’ve made their relationship Instagram-official, Alonzo said she’d still prefer to keep it low-key. “Even sa past relationships ko, hindi naman ako super open about it. I think treasured moments ng relationship ay ‘yung moments na hindi na-si-share sa social media. I want to keep it that way,” she said.
(Even in my previous relationships, I’m not super open about [them]. I think the most treasured moments of a relationship are those that aren’t shared on social media. I want to keep it that way.)
The two celebrated their first year together on January 28, 2022, with Alonzo getting more candid about their relationship on social media.
On Instagram, the actress posted a photo of her and Roque locked in an embrace and looking into each other’s eyes.
“It took so much patience from you, but here we are. And I have to say, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said in the caption. “Happy anniversary, hun.”
A post shared by bea alonzo (@beaalonzo)
The two were ready to tie the knot after more than two years of dating.
The actress shared on in July 2023 black-and-white photos of the proposal that took place at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan.
Alonzo narrated that she was there for a shoot with celebrity fashion photographer Mark Nicdao, recalling that Nicdao asked her to turn around for one of his shots, only to see Roque kneeling before her with a ring in sight.
“I was there for a shoot, but little did I know that the next thing that would happen would change our lives forever,” she wrote. “When I turned around, I found Dom kneeling with a box in his hand.”
The actress continued that while she has done “so many proposal scenes in [her] entire career” in showbiz, it still hits different to experience it in real life. “Nothing beats the real thing,” she said.
“Everything went in slow motion. And I felt different emotions all at the same time – joy, excitement, love. I started bawling,” she added.
Alonzo said that she didn’t want that moment to end. “I want this real thing to happen forever. And right then and there, in front of the people we love, we decided on forever.”
Alonzo also released a vlog on the engagement a few weeks later.
In November 2023, the actress shared a vlog of her preparing for her Europe trip with now-fiancé Roque. Alonzo said that she would be there for around 20 days and would visit Milan, Lugano, Florence, Tuscany, and Madrid.
“It’s a really important trip for both Dom and I. Ito rin ‘yung unang beses na makakatira aka sa bahay ko sa Madrid,” she said.
(This is the first time that I’ll be able to live in my house in Madrid.)
She also shared another reason why this upcoming Europe trip is memorable for her: “Makukuha ko na ‘kung residency card ko (I’ll be getting my residency card). So I will be an official resident of Spain,” she said.
Aside from that, Alonzo also hinted that she’s also working on a special project during the trip which she described will “show a different facet of [her] as an entrepreneur.”
“It has always been my dream to own an apartment in Europe for my family. And finally, it happened,” she said. “After many years of hard work, and weighing things whether I should buy or not I have decided to just take a leap and do it.”
A week after Abunda revealed the couples’ split, Alonzo and Roque themselves confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Sunday, February 11.
“After much thought, consideration, and care, we have mutually decided to amicably end our engagement,” they wrote in the post. “It was not an easy decision. We wanted to have more time to carefully deliberate and pray about it, but there have been many speculations, questions, and insults.”
“Unfortunately, some even confirmed our break-up without our consent, and some created ridiculous stories that had no basis and were utterly false, so we felt the need to share this announcement with great sadness, for our peace of mind and our families,” they wrote in the post. – Rappler.com
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Saudi Arabia begins paying out OFWs waiting years for labor claims | Michelle Abad | 6/2/2024 20:39 | OFWs. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) line up at the OFW immigration counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on April 22, 2023.
Michelle Abad/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – After almost a decade of waiting, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who lost their jobs due to the closure of their construction companies in Saudi Arabia have begun receiving their labor claims, the Philippine government announced on Tuesday, February 6.
“Nais ko lang balitaan ang ating mga OFW na galing sa Saudi na patuloy na ang pagbayad ng insurance ng Saudi Arabia sa mga empleyado ng mga kumpanyang nabangkarote na nag-file ng claim sa insurance,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on a video posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, February 6.
(I want to update our OFWs who came from Saudi that the kingdom’s insurance payments are ongoing for the employees of the companies that went bankrupt, who also filed insurance claims.)
Marcos said that the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank) and Land Bank of the Philippines have processed at least 1,104 checks from the Saudi-based Alinma Bank.
He added that P868 million in indemnity checks have been cleared by Alinma Bank through Land Bank and OFBank. Of the 1,104, some 843 checks have already been cashed out.
“Patuloy ang pangako ng Crown Prince ng Saudi Arabia pangako sa atin, na ibabayad nila iyong insurance claim, kaya’t magandang balita ito para sa ating mga OFW sa Saudi,” said Marcos. (Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince is living up to his promise to us to pay the insurance claims, which is why this is good news for our OFWs from Saudi.)
Around 10,000 to 14,000 OFWs who worked for construction companies in Saudi Arabia have been waiting for their labor claims since the mid-2010s. Some of the claimants have already died, but their next of kin still await the release.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promised Marcos in November 2022 that the kingdom would pay the long-awaited salaries on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperations Summit in Bangkok.
In December, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced that OFWs had begun receiving checks, but it was short to announce the official start of payouts since it had yet to verify the release of money.
On Tuesday evening, the DMW announced that the payouts had begun some time near the end of January.
With some of the individual claims worth hundreds of thousands of pesos, the total amount expected from Saudi Arabia is 2 billion Riyals, or around P30 billion.
DMW officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac said in a media briefing on Tuesday that there were 10,554 OFWs with iqamas, or residence permits, coming from a DMW list that were sent to the Saudi labor ministry.
“We are still in constant coordination with the Saudi side,” Cacdac said, responding to a question from the media on the status of the 9,000 still waiting for checks.
Apart from a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the end of February, Cacdac said he would also take the opportunity to meet with the Saudi delegation in a multilateral conference he’s set to attend in Dubai in the coming weekend.
There are also some OFWs who are still trying to apply for inclusion in the list, Cacdac said. But he expressed confidence in the Saudi labor justice system, saying that entitlements and benefits of workers will “always be delivered.” – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 3 | jisaga0269 | 7/2/2024 19:00 | MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia locked down San Miguel with a gritty 88-80 win in Game 3 of the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals, snapping the Beermen’s franchise-best-tying 11-game winning streak on Wednesday, February 7, at the Araneta Coliseum.
Mark Barroca, one of the Hotshots’ most consistent players of the conference and the finals, kept up his stellar play with a team-high 20 points on 10-of-21 shooting, plus 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Paul Lee backstopped with 12 points off the bench – his first double-digit scoring game of these finals – while import Tyler Bey, reserve Aris Dionisio, and big man Ian Sangalang scored 11 apiece.
San Miguel super reinforcement Bennie Boatwright dropped game-highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds, but labored all night long with a 10-of-28 clip to go with 8 turnovers.
Best Player of the Conference candidate CJ Perez added 16 points, while Jeron Teng recorded his first double-digit scoring game for the Beermen with 10.
STREAK BUSTED! JUST IN. Magnolia trims its deficit in the PBA Commissioner's Cup finals to 1-2 and snaps San Miguel's 11-game winning streak with a gritty 88-80 win in Game 3. #PBAFinals GAME 3 HIGHLIGHTS: https://t.co/CueEGMpxWP pic.twitter.com/Sb0cEzei7O
PBA | END OF 3RD: Magnolia hangs on to a 63-58 lead with a quarter left to play.Another loss will put the Hotshots on the verge of a sweep. #PBAFinals
PBA | HALFTIME: Magnolia enters the break with a slim 42-39 lead.Mark Barroca with 10 points for the Hotshots, while Bennie Boatwright and CJ Perez also have 10 points each for San Miguel. This marks the first time in the finals that Magnolia leads at halftime.#PBAFinals
PBA | 1ST QUARTER:What a quarter for Magnolia as it leads 24-15 behind the efforts of Mark Barroca, Paul Lee, and Tyler Bey.Barroca leads all scorers with 8 points, while Lee and Bey have 5 points apiece.#PBAFinals
SAN MIGUEL: Chris Ross, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Bennie Boatwright, June Mar Fajardo
MAGNOLIA: Jio Jalalon, Mark Barroca, Tyler Bey, Rome dela Rosa, Ian Sangalang
PBA | WATCH:"Baka i-ban ulit kita."PBA commissioner Willie Marcial issues a stern warning to controversial star Calvin Abueva that a repeat ban or suspension is coming if he continues his off-court antics.Abueva went through a 16-month ban from 2019 to 2021.#PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/SeuxpHu7FQ
What was shaping up to be a rather one-sided PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals just got a whole lot more color.
Following a convincing 109-85 finals Game 2 rout last Sunday, February 4, mighty San Miguel is entering Game 3 on Wednesday, February 7, with red-hot momentum to go up 3-0 in the best-of-seven series against Magnolia.
As if they needed more motivation, the Beermen are likely even more stoked to hand down a fresh beatdown after controversial Hotshots star Calvin Abueva figured in another string of extracurricular tussles with San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent and reserve big man Mo Tautuaa and his family.
Although now P100,000 poorer after getting fined for mocking Gallent’s visual impairment, Abueva is saved from a crucial Game 3 suspension, while Tautuaa likewise gets nothing but a warning after answering league summons.
Back to basketball matters, the Hotshots are now looking for a much-needed explosion from star guard Paul Lee, who has been held to single-digit scoring in both finals games so far, while the likes of import Tyler Bey and star locals Abueva, Mark Barroca, and Jio Jalalon continue to hold down the fort.
San Miguel, meanwhile, will look to set a new franchise-high of 12 straight wins under the unrelenting firepower of Best Import frontrunner Bennie Boatwright, seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, Best Player of the Conference candidate CJ Perez, and a battalion of more stars right behind them.
Game tip-off is at 7:30 pm at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong not endorsing unregistered gout ointment | Lorenz Pasion | 7/2/2024 18:00 | Claim: Cardiologist and online health personality Dr. Willie Ong, popularly known as Doc Willie, endorses ZB Gout Ointment Cream, a product claimed to cure gout, arthritis, rheumatism, and other body pains.
Why we fact-checked this: Several versions of the claim have been shared on Facebook. One such post came from the page “Rayuma/Gout Ointment Store,” which posted a video that has received over 46,000 reactions, 15,000 likes, and over 5 million views as of writing. Other similar versions of the claim came from a page that has 175 likes and 253 followers.
The ads used by these Facebook pages feature a video clip of Ong talking about gout as well as pictures of him with his wife, Liza Ong, to make it seem like they are endorsing the product. Some posts also included stickers that say “doctor-recommended” and the logo of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the text “approved.”
The facts: Ong does not endorse ZB Gout Ointment Cream. The video clip of Ong used in one of the misleading ads was originally from a December 25, 2021 video posted on his official YouTube account.
In the original video, Ong offered medical advice to treat gouty arthritis, but he did not mention ZB Gout Ointment Cream.
Ong also previously told Rappler in an email that Birch Tree Advance, a nutritional milk for seniors made by Century Pacific Foods, is the only product he and his wife endorse.
Not FDA-registered: On December 12, 2022, the FDA warned the public against the purchase and use of the unregistered drug product ZB Gout Ointment Cream.
The agency said that “consumption of such violative products may pose potential danger or injury to health,” and that the FDA cannot ensure the product’s “quality, safety, and efficacy” since it did not go through the agency’s registration process and was not issued a Certificate of Product Registration.
Under Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009,” the sale of health products without authorization from the FDA is prohibited.
Previous false claims: Rappler has fact-checked similar claims of products using Ong in false advertisements:
– Larry Chavez/Rappler.com
Larry Chavez is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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ENHYPEN connects with PH fans in ‘FATE’ concert: ‘This is the Philippines I’ll remember’ | Ysa Abad | 7/2/2024 15:32 | Photo courtesy by BELIFT LAB
MANILA, Philippines – “It’s you and me in this world,” K-pop boy group ENHYPEN sang in their song “Bite Me.” And on Saturday, February 3, Filipino fans of the septet indeed felt like they were transported to a special place during the act’s FATE stop at the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac, Philippines.
“It’s been a year since we saw one another since the Manifesto tour. Bumalik kami para sa inyo (We came back for you),” member Jay told the 25,000 fans that trooped to the venue. This huge turnout of attendees is commendable for a group that’s only three years into the career, and with a location that’s almost a three-hour ride away from the metro.
But Filipino ENGENEs, fans of the group, always go all out in their support for ENHYPEN. To commemorate the group’s being the first musical act to hold a show at the NCC Stadium, fans went above and beyond to make a festive occasion out of it. There were free bus shuttle services, with the vehicles sporting designs of the individual members, numerous booths where concertgoers could get a lot of freebies, and even a mini-carnival area where one could enjoy free rides!
The excitement reached a new peak, though, when ENHYPEN — clad in white suits with gold embellishments — finally kicked off the one-night show with “Drunk-Dazed” and a dance break segment before moving on to their next song “Blockbuster.”
Even in the opening set, attendees were already treated to a visual spectacle – there were huge LED screens, striking VCRs, pyrotechnics, confetti, and more stage gimmicks that accentuated each performance.
Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki then upped the ante with an edgy, rock version of their song “Attention, please!” Said performance earned one of the loudest screams of the night from the fans as Jay strummed an electric guitar before flinging it across the stage.
The group’s high energy continued with hard-hitting performances of “Fever,” “Flicker,” “Future Perfect,” “Blessed-Cursed,” “Paradoxxx Invasion,” and “Tamed-Dashed.”
Switching up the atmosphere, the vibe mellowed a bit with their unit stages. Members Jake, Jay, Sunghoon, and Sunoo serenaded the crowd with an acoustic version of “TFW (That Feeling When),” with Jay even playing the guitar. Meanwhile, Heeseung wowed the crowd with his piano skills in the “Just a Little Bit” performance with members Jungwon and Ni-ki.
During the group’s previous visit to the country for their MANIFESTO concert tour, ENHYPEN praised the Filipino crowd for their being the “most passionate.”
“This may not be the biggest arena we’ve been to, but this is the loudest,” Jake said then.
Exactly a year later and now with a much bigger venue, the Filipino ENGENEs’ energy throughout the three-hour show still didn’t falter. Every performance was met with thunderous cheering — with the “Go Big or Go Home” stage, in particular, receiving the loudest fan chant from the attendees.
“Actually, coming back to the Philippines was really, really something I was really looking forward to,” Heeseung said as the rest of the members showcased the Filipino phrases they’ve learned such as “Mahal kita” and “Salamat po.”
Aside from their usual group performances, the members also had several surprises for their fans: Sunoo performed his rendition of “Moving Closer” by the Filipino band Never the Strangers, Sunghoon did a dance cover of P-pop group SB19’s hit track “Gento,” Heeseung shared his own take of OPM singer Zack Tabudlo’s “Give Me Your Forever,” and Jake serenaded the crowd with a snippet of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.”
During their “One and Only” performance, the group’s collaborative single with Pokémon, several Pikachu mascots also emerged onstage and danced with ENHYPEN.
But it wasn’t only the group who had several surprises under their belt. The Filipino fans prepared numerous fan projects for ENHYPEN — orange flowers for all attendees, blue roses to commemorate Jungwon’s birthday, and even an aerial banner.
The septet were visibly surprised by these initiatives, with Sunghoon noting that the ENGENEs “prepared a lot of events for us.” Meanwhile, Jay added that the support they’ve been receiving from their Filipino fans has made an impact on him.
“This is the Philippines I’ll remember,” he said.
The mood got more playful when the group performed a string of upbeat numbers, featuring “10 Months,” “One and Only,” and “Shout Out.” During their “Polaroid Love” stage, the members rode carts to roam across the stadium and sing for their fans up close and personal.
Even when they were nearing the end of the show, the septet showed no signs of winding down. Their back-to-back intense performances of “Chaconne,” “Bills,” “Criminal Love,” “Bite Me,” and “Sweet Venom” built up the atmosphere for the finale.
For their encore set, they didn’t give fans any time to breathe with their powerful performances of “One in A Billion,” “Karma,” and “Future Perfect” — with the latter songs being capped off by a five-minute firework display.
It was also apparent that ENHYPEN and the Filipino ENGENEs were just volleying energy off each other — the members kept prompting the crowd to scream their lungs out, to be up on their feet, jump more, and dance along.
Before the members rode the cart once again to say goodbye to their fans, ENHYPEN spent a good amount of time thanking the Filipino crowd.
“I’m just so happy that we saved the best for last. Ending the FATE tour with such an amazing audience and amazing people. From the bottom of my heart, I truly cherish you guys,” Jake said.
Sunoo echoed the sentiment, saying: “Thank you so much and I’m happy that we are able to end this way. Next time that we meet, we’ll come back with better selves.”
As the Philippines was the group’s last stop before their FATE PLUS encore shows began, the K-pop act also reflected on their sophomore tour.
“I can truly say that we have grown more this year than last year. We’ll continue to grow next year so please be with us. There’s nothing more we could wish for but ENGENEs to be by our side all the time,” Jungwon said. Ni-ki added: “As we do more tours, I find myself feeling more and more grateful and love for our ENGENEs.… To show back my love for ENGENEs, I really gave my best and my heart on each performance.”
The septet also promised their Filipino fans that they would return soon.
“We will try our best to give our all and be back to perform in more stadiums,” Sunghoon said. – Rappler.com
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New year, new eats! Restaurants, chains opening around Metro Manila in 2024 | Steph Arnaldo | 13/01/2024 15:38 | MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – Save the dates, your money, and your appetites, people – 2024 is looking to be a fun and filled year of new eats and new names set to open in the Philippines very soon!
Despite the unfortunate closures of well-loved names in 2023, it’s safe to say that the local F&B industry has been on the road to recovery since the pandemic. To add to the successful expansion of province-based chains around Metro Manila and the openings of famous overseas names last year, here are some local and international restaurants and chains to look forward to this year!
Flying from Paris and Hong Kong is Japanese-Brazilian restaurant Uma Nota, which has made its way to Metro Manila for the first time!
Uma Nota transformed into a more high-end concept for its first Philippine branch, located at Shangri-La The Fort in BGC. The nightlife joint – which formally opened in February – boasts a sophisticated underground location that takes you to the heart of Brazil and Japan with its beautiful interiors that draw inspiration from the historical migration of the Japanese to São Paulo.
It’s a vibrant and festive spacious area that weaves the rich tapestry of cultural influences, meticulously designed by Asmaa Said, founder of The Odd Duck Studio. Drinks and appetizers can be enjoyed at the upscale Living Room, with its eye-catching ‘Hanging Tree’ installation; the intimate but social Bar; the mod Tropicalia inspired by the 70s; and The Meiji Room, with its Japanese mural.
Note that the menu comes at hotel-level prices, so a substantial budget for dining should be considered. The selection is a mix of Japanese and Brazilian influences, with a standout Japanese A5 Wagyu Striploin dish that’s best eaten medium-rare. It’s well-seasoned, buttery, and soft, uniquely served with a fresh and tangy Brazilian tomato salsa and farofa, Brazil’s traditional toasted cassava flour.
Stay for the drinks, because the cocktails pack a punch in terms of alcohol content, flavor, and presentation. Tang is followed by hot spice with the Kyoto Sour, featuring Atago No Matsu sake, grapefruit, green Tabasco, lemon, and agave; or the IG-worthy, tropical Uma Nota Cup Noodle, blending Plantation 3 stars, homemade toasted coconut, liqueur, pineapple, cucumber, lime, and sesame oil. Brazil’s signature Caipirinhas and limemade (Maluco Carioca) are available, too, among many others.
Not a secret any longer! The Bistro Group is bringing Malaysian bakeshop Secret Recipe to Metro Manila by February, the restaurant group confirmed to Rappler.
The branch will be located at One Ayala Mall, Makati City, and marks The Bistro Group’s first Asian-Western cuisine concept that serves savory meals, cakes, and pastries.
Its Philippine menu will consist of Fried Rice with Chicken Satay, Irish Lamb Shank, Laksa, and Beef Rendang, plus freshly-baked cakes like Hokkaido Triple Cheese Chocolate, Butterfly Pea Lemon, Black Forest Milo Cheesecake, and Absolute Durian.
Hot teas like Peppermint Mojito Serenity and Cherry Blush Harmony will be available, as well as signature drinks Citrus Sea of Blue Tea, Pop of Berry Delight, Caramel Matcha, Chocolate Oreo Smores, and Espresso Ecstacy.
The cake shop and café chain was founded in Malaysia in 1997, and has since expanded to 440 branches around Asia.
Yes, chef! In November, the Gordon Ramsay brand announced that its first Philippine restaurant would be opening at the Newport World Resorts (NWR) in Pasay City in the second quarter of 2024.
Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, helmed by the Hell’s Kitchen host and the celebrity chef himself, is slated to be one of NWR’s biggest restaurants to date. On the menu will be a curated selection of rare breed steaks, grilled specialties, and fresh market seafood, plus Ramsay’s iconic beef Wellington as well.
Brazil’s award-winning steakhouse Fogo de Chão is heading to Glorietta 4 in Makati City this year!
The Bistro Group first announced its upcoming arrival to the country in July 2022, marking the internationally-renowned restaurant’s first foray into Asia.
The Philippine menu will offer the South Brazilian restaurant’s premium filet mignon, bone-in cowboy ribeye, beef ribs, seafood ala carte, dry-aged wagyu cuts, and lamb chops. The resident “churrascaria” also offers its house specialties of Picanha – a prime cut of the top sirloin – and Fraldinha, strongly marbled bottom sirloin, served with authentic chimichurri sauce.
Founded in 1979, Fogo de Chão is best known for its use of churrasco, the cooking technique of “roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame.” Churrasco is the Portuguese/Spanish term for “grilled beef” from the cuisines of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. Gaucho chefs carefully prepare, butcher, grill, and carve these tender meat cuts tableside, and typically season the meat platters with cumin, cilantro, oregano, turmeric, coriander, parsley, annatto, and other native spices and herbs.
Fogo de Chão is headquartered in the US and currently has 66 branches across Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US, and the Middle East. Its São Paulo branch is part of the 2020 Michelin Guide of Brazil.
Word on the street is that popular US steak restaurant Morton’s Steakhouse is set to open in two Philippine locations – Inquirer reported in November 2022 that the chain signed up for a space in Ayala Triangle Tower Two, Makati City, while Spot.PH also spotted its sign on the ground floor of Uptown Eastgate Tower, Bonifacio Global City.
The Bistro Group is reportedly bringing the brand here in the second quarter of 2024.
The renowned steakhouse – which was founded in Chicago in 1978 – is famous for its prime-aged steaks. Since then, Morton’s has ventured to Toronto, Mexico, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Singapore.
Coming in hot from La Union is the surf spot’s beloved coffee shop El Union, whose team is bringing a new concept called Del Union to Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City! As of February, the branch is already open to bookworms and coffee lovers looking for a cup o’ joe and hearty sandwiches.
El Union’s first coffee and sandwich shop in Metro Manila aims to reimagine the local coffee experience for urban dwellers by bringing a taste of provincial life to the urban jungle.
Inspired by the success of El Union, Del Union serves not only its signature horchata, coffee, and grilled cheese, but also new sandwiches crafted by Chef EJ Lagman of MAKAN at Eliseos, a well-loved restaurant in La Union. Expect a charred tenderloin beef sandwich with smoked aioli; beet, leek, and ginger on focaccia; and even all-veggie options! Most dishes will highlight produce from the north.
When one door closes, another one opens! Chef Bruce Ricketts closed down his award-winning omakase Mecha Uma in BGC in December, but is gearing up for mid-2024 with a new concept called Iai Manila, an “innovative sushi kappo” and chef’s counter in Metro Manila.
Chef Bruce Ricketts is also also behind Parañaque gem Sensei Sushi, Japanese fusion resto Ooma, and Mexican joint La Chinesca. As of writing, Iai already has its own Instagram page, but with no posts yet.
Mecha Uma was known as the country’s “first chef’s counter offering an innovative, seasonal omakase experience.”
Organic neighborhood favorite Earth Kitchen, located along White Plains, Quezon City, closed down in July 2023, reassuring patrons that a “next chapter” was in store at a “new and better space.”
However, the wholesome dining restaurant has remained active on social media, with its latest post on January 10 announcing that Earth Kitchen will be back soon with more “fresh and sustainable dining options!”
Earth Kitchen opened its first and sole branch in White Plains in 2015, with an advocacy to eat clean, sustainable, and healthy, while supporting our local farmers and indigenous communities. – Rappler.com
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The Dutertes, except VP Sara, absent during Marcos’ public events in Davao City | Dwight de Leon | 7/2/2024 13:54 | CIVIL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte during the distribution of land e-titles to qualified beneficiaries in Davao City on February 7, 2024.
RTVM
MANILA, Philippines – The men of the Duterte family were nowhere in sight during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s public events in Davao City on Wednesday, February 7, his first trip to the King City of the South since his feud with the political clan spilled into the public eye.
Marcos attended four events: the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project, the region-wide land e-title distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries, the ceremonial signing of contracts for the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), and a situation briefing on the impact of the floods in Davao region. Vice President Sara Duterte was present in the last three.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, meanwhile, was absent in all four. It is highly unusual for a sitting local chief executive to miss an event graced by the President in their locality.
An unimpeachable source told Rappler on condition of anonymity that Baste was invited to the DPTMP event organized by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), but declined to attend, without giving a reason.
Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte also did not attend any of the four events. Rappler also learned they were invited to the DOTr ceremony, but provided no feedback.
Their absence is notable, but not entirely surprising, since the word war between Marcos and the Dutertes took place just over a week ago.
On January 28, the Dutertes graced a leadership forum and a candlelight prayer rally against charter change in Davao City – events where they seized the opportunity to criticize President Marcos.
Baste called for Marcos’ resignation, while the former president – notorious for tagging personalities in the narco ring without basis – accused his successor of once being part of the government’s drug watch list.
A day later, Marcos retaliated by claiming that it was Duterte’s continued fentanyl use that was making him act erratically in public.
On that spectacle-filled day, Vice President Sara attended Marcos’ “Bagong Pilipinas” grand rally in Manila, before flying to Davao City to take part in the candlelight prayer rally.
Marcos and the former president’s daughter Sara ran as a tandem in the 2022 polls, and their alliance catapulted them to the country’s two highest posts.
Maintaining that partnership has been a challenge, amid political developments that were interpreted by analysts as disadvantageous to the Dutertes.
The Marcos-allied Congress denied Sara’s request for confidential funds in 2024, and Marcos himself said the administration was studying the possibility of the Philippines re-joining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Rodrigo’s bloody drug war.
The House has also flagged the billions of pesos allocated to Paolo Duterte’s district when his father was president. – Rappler.com
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Why is Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte absent? More likely, he could not personally tell President Marcos Jr. to resign. Is he afraid to face President Marcos Jr.?
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At least 6 dead, 46 missing in Davao de Oro mining village landslide | Herbie G | 7/2/2024 10:53 | FLEE. Evacuees receive instructions at an evacuation site after a landslide forced them to flee their homes in Maco, Davao de Oro on Tuesday night, February 6, 2024.
Davao de Oro provincial government
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Search and rescue workers retrieved the bodies of six people buried in mud and rocks following a landslide that struck a mining village in Maco town, Davao de Oro, on Tuesday evening, February 6.
The provincial government reported that at least 46 people are missing and feared buried in the landslide in the village of Masara.
According to the provincial government, responders also accounted for at least 31 people who were injured as a result of the environmental disaster as of 2 pm on Wednesday, February 7.
The search and rescue operations in the area are ongoing as of posting time.
At least 758 families have evacuated and sought shelter in evacuation centers in Maco town, according to the provincial government.
Rescuers used their bare hands to dig through tons of mud and rocks to reach miners buried in the landslide at the Apex Mining Corporation in Maco.
The Maco Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Office reported earlier that 11 miners, one critically injured, were pulled out from the mud and debris and rushed to a hospital in Tagum City.
Major General Allan Hambala, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, told Rappler that the landslide happened at the Apex Mining Company in Maco, burying two buses carrying workers in Zone 1, Barangay Masara in Maco town.
Hambala said soldiers were sent to the landslide site to help in the rescue and recovery efforts.
DXDC-Radio Mindanao Network, based in Davao City, reported that over 300 residents from Masara were evacuated to a school in Maco after the local government enforced a forced evacuation in barangays Masara, Elizalde, Tagbaros, and Panibasan.
Apex Mining Corporation issued a statement, saying the landslide occurred in the area where buses waited to ferry their workers at around 7:30 pm.
Apex Mining said they were still doing a headcount to determine if there are missing workers.
Mobile phone footage shared on Facebook showed rescuers using their bare hands to reach the miners after the landslide buried the buses. – Rappler.com
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Protest mounts as Pangasinan capitol clears trees for pool, fountain project | Herbie G | 7/2/2024 15:59 | DOWN. One of the trees felled near the Pangasinan capitol, sparking public criticism.
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PANGASINAN, Philippines – Environmental activists and heritage conservation advocates have strongly criticized Pangasinan officials for their decision to clear several dozen trees around the provincial government seat to make space for the construction of a reflecting pool and interactive fountain overlooking the Lingayen Gulf.
The provincial capitol, touted as one of the country’s most picturesque seats of local government due to its architecture, historical artifacts, park, and surrounding verdant foliage, is now facing backlash from various sectors.
Workers started cutting trees on Thursday, February 1, with the green light from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The move to cut the trees gained widespread attention after the Facebook page Country Mail Online posted photos about it later that day.
The clearing operation involves 64 trees at the back of the capitol, based on the permit issued by the environment and natural resources office in Central Pangasinan on January 16. These include seven mahogany trees, 30 acacia trees, four agoho trees, four gmelina trees, three narra trees, 13 umbrella trees, and three mahogany poles.
The DENR, however, tasked the provincial government to plant 3,200 tree seedlings as a replacement for the felled trees.
Engineer Mark Angelo Quilon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region I said the permit has been approved by the DENR and requirements such as the public consultation, and certification from barangays and the local government have been secured.
The Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment (PPSE), a group of environmental activists in the province, has expressed disappointment in the project.
Eco Dangla, PPSE convenor, said they could have voiced their opposition to the cutting of the trees if the provincial government organized a proper and inclusive public consultation about the project.
“Bagamat sinasabi aniya ng provincial government na nagkaroon ng public consultation sa pagpapatayo ng reflective pool, pero bakit naging isang araw lamang at hindi ginawang intensive consultation?” said Dangla.
(While the provincial government claims there was a public consultation regarding the construction of the reflective pool, why was it only a single-day event and not made more inclusive?)
Dangla said the PPSE was not invited to the supposed public consultation despite their previous engagements and collaboration with the provincial government’s planning group on other environmental concerns.
Those opposed to the project also said the project would mean relocating tanks, artillery, an airplane, and other memorabilia, which have long been fixtures on the beachfront since the war.
A January 24 letter from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) addressed to Guico showed that the commission approved the relocation of World War II historical markers located at the Lingayen Beachfront, to accommodate the capitol’s project.
The NHCP letter read in part, “Upon evaluation of the submitted revised plans, the NHCP hereby approves the proposed relocation of the World War II historical markers at the Lingayen beach front which would provide better contextualization and appreciation of the 1945 Lingayen Gulf Landing. Moreover, we are amenable to the construction of a reflecting pool which would stretch from the relocation site of the markers towards the north façade of the provincial capitol building.”
Responding to criticisms, the provincial government released a statement to emphasize that the project underwent thorough planning and adherence to technical and legal protocols.
Before the trees were felled, it said the Provincial Planning Group organized a public consultation attended by representatives from two barangays in Lingayen town where the project is situated: Barangay Libsong West and Barangay Poblacion.
The capitol said those who attended the public consultation were led by barangay chairmen Hipolito Caronongan Jr. and Hiram Hidalgo who expressed their support for the project. It said there was no objection.
The project was first made public on November 8, 2023, when Governor Ramon Guico III spearheaded a groundbreaking activity.
The project aims to provide a Pangasinan version of a pool seen at the Taj Mahal in India, with the fountain drawing inspiration from Vigan’s renowned dancing fountain.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Guico described the project as “a noble addition to the Capitol Compound that translates meditation beyond aesthetics.”
The initiative has received support from Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano, who facilitated the funding of P96.2 million for its realization.
The Cayetanos’ ties to San Carlos City, Pangasinan, can be traced back to their father, the late senator Rene Cayetano, who was born there. – Rappler.com
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Unemployment hits 2-decade low as construction, agriculture post gains | Ralf Rivas | 7/2/2024 15:37 | Shutterstock
MANILA, Philippines – The country’s unemployment rate hit a near two-decade low in December 2023, driven mainly by gains in construction and agriculture.
The Philippine Statistics Authority on Wednesday, February 7, reported that the unemployment rate stood at 3.1% in December, significantly lower than the 4.3% recorded in the same period in 2022. This represents a year-on-year decrease of 617,000 unemployed persons.
Employment rate stood at 96.9%, the highest since 2005, according to National Statistician Dennis Mapa.
The top five sectors in terms of annual increase in employment were the following:
Meanwhile, the following sectors posted the highest annual decreases in employment:
The underemployment rate, which is a measure of job quality, improved to 11.9% in December 2023 from 12.6% in December 2022. The decline corresponds to 186,000 fewer Filipinos who are employed but are looking for more hours of work.
Mapa said employment is also historically higher in the fourth quarter due to the holidays.
Wage and salary workers accounted for the largest share of employed persons with 62.7% of the total employed persons in December. This was followed by self-employed persons at 27.4% and unpaid family workers at 7.8%. – Rappler.com
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[WATCH] In The Public Square: Is the spirit of EDSA still alive? | Jaira Roxas | 7/2/2024 14:53 | For the first time in a long time, this year’s anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on February 25 will not be observed as a national holiday. That was a Malacañang decision, but it is a decision that seems to reflect an erosion in public support for EDSA.
Is the spirit of EDSA still alive?
Rappler columnist and editorial consultant John Nery followed and reported on the work of Social Weather Stations (SWS) for more than two decades. Over the years, the pollster conducted surveys on issues related to EDSA, to the Marcoses, and to democracy.
In this episode of In The Public Square, Nery will be joined by Leo Laroza, the director for communications and information technology of SWS. They will explore the pollster’s findings and discuss meanings of the surveys conducted over the years.
Watch the episode on Wednesday, February 7, at 8 pm. – Rappler.com
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No outside noise: Magnolia keeps new Abueva antics out of finals Game 3 preparations | jisaga0269 | 7/2/2024 23:55 | DOWN TO WORK. Magnolia forward Calvin Abueva scraps for the ball against San Miguel in Game 3 of the 2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Controversial PBA star Calvin Abueva has once again been the talk of the town in local basketball circles, and again, for all the wrong reasons.
Involved in a post-finals Game 2 shouting match with Mo Tautuaa’s family and fined P100,000 for taunting San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent’s disability, the 36-year-old Magnolia veteran somehow evaded suspension and showed up to work on Wednesday, February 7, ready for Game 3.
Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero admitted that, while they have not been living under a rock amid these fresh issues, the team solely focused on preparing for their third encounter with the Beermen in an effort to avoid falling to a 0-3 series hole.
Fortunately for Magnolia, its tunnel-vision commitment to the game worked wonders, as it earned a gritty 88-80 win to enter the Commissioner’s Cup finals win column and snap San Miguel’s franchise-best-tying 11-game winning streak.
“We did not talk about [Abueva’s issues] in practice, none of that,” Victolero said in Filipino. “We were very busy preparing for this game. No issues, nothing.”
“We removed all distractions from our camp and just focused on the preparations. The players are doing a very, very good job on the mental aspect of the preparations.”
Even Abueva himself was not keen on attracting yet another spotlight on himself even after a hard-fought win, as he literally ran away from the media outside the Magnolia locker room at the Araneta Coliseum, never to return.
PBA | WATCH:Head bowed down and smirking, Calvin Abueva literally runs away from the media following Magnolia's 88-80 finals Game 3 win over San Miguel.The controversial star recently paid a P100k fine after mocking Beermen coach Jorge Gallent's partial blindness.#PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/WH21lK9Cgh
Basketball-wise, the two-time Best Player of the Conference was on point on Wednesday night, tallying 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block in 18 minutes off the bench, and provided the intangible hustle he has been known for his entire career.
Overall, the Hotshots were a concerted, menacing unit on defense in Game 3, as they held San Miguel below 90 points for the first time this conference and shackled super import Bennie Boatwright to a hard-earned 27-point line on 10-of-28 shooting with 8 turnovers.
Offensively, the scoring duties were also evenly distributed, as Mark Barroca led six Magnolia players in double-digit scoring with an efficient 20-point outing. Import Tyler Bey took a backseat with 11 points, while Paul Lee got much-needed momentum and finished with 12 off the bench.
On the court, the Hotshots have enough on their hands as it is due to their nagging inconsistencies, all while facing arguably the best collection of talent in the PBA today.
Entertaining the Abueva shenanigans – while necessary at some point in the near future – would have likely been the death blow to Magnolia’s uphill campaign. – Rappler.com
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Who was Jake Almeda Lopez? | gdecastro0289 | 8/2/2024 9:38 | FREEDOM FIGHTER. Augusto 'Jake' Almeda, former vice chairman of ABS-CBN, died on February 3, 2024.
ABS-CBN/Rappler file
MANILA, Philippines – Kapamilya lawyer-executive Augusto “Jake” Almeda Lopez was a freedom fighter. He was detained twice during the Marcos dictatorship and helped former Senator Serge Osmeña and ABS-CBN chief Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr. escape from detention in Fort Bonifacio in 1977. He died on February 3, Saturday, and was laid to rest today, February 8.
Although his surname is Lopez, “Atty. Jake,” whose parents were from Quezon province, was not related by blood to the Lopez family, owners of the media conglomerate. Despite this, he remained a Kapamilya till the very end. At 91, still displaying an active mind, he testified via Zoom on June 17, 2020 during the House franchise committee hearings in defense of ABS-CBN’s application for a new franchise, which the lower chamber eventually rejected.
“Can you give me another two minutes? You know we are fighting for our lives,” Almeda Lopez said. “We deserve the renewal of our franchise, and that if you don’t renew our franchise, you’re going to deprive the public of so much entertainment, news, and more or less the building of culture. So, I plead to the members of Congress to give ABS-CBN a chance to show its worth and contribution to the country.”
Recalling that incident, Ging Reyes, former head of ABS-CBN Integrated News, said: “He was much older and no longer active in the company, but that didn’t stop him from giving support to a news team that was facing an existential threat. He was a true warrior to the end.”
Almeda Lopez was just being true to form, as he was already a fighter when he was a teenager.
“In 1944, during the war, at 16, he dropped out of school to become a guerrilla in Quezon. He and the men in his unit lived in and out of the jungle, gathering information they could pass on to the Americans. He contracted malaria,” wrote lifestyle journalist Thelma Sioson San Juan, a former ABS-CBN Publishing executive, in June 2020 on the occasion of the lawyer’s 92nd birthday.
Stella Lopez-Lavy said her father’s experience during the war had a deep impact on him.
“He had malaria in the jungle at the age of 15 when he was a guerilla and he had to keep moving at night. Since that experience, he said he had always had the attitude of gratitude for everything, optimistic even in the most uncertain times,” Lopez-Lavy said during the funeral Mass on Thursday.
“I learned from him to be courageous, to have faith, to be resilient, and to be steadfast, and most of all, to stand up for what you believe to be right,” she added.
The Philippine Army honored the war veteran via a 21-gun salute before his interment.
San Juan said Almeda Lopez also campaigned for his uncle Claro M. Recto when the nationalist ran for president in 1957 with Lorenzo Tañada. “Later he would join Tañada in the latter’s fight against the granting of parity rights to the United States, and much later in the opposition to martial law,” she wrote.
That fighting spirit would continue to be seen when he entered the broadcast industry back in 1961 after ABS-CBN chief “Kapitan Geny” convinced him to leave his law practice and join him in building the then-fledgling network.
Almeda Lopez, a graduate of the UP College of Law, was among the first law graduates after World War 2. He placed fourth in the 1952 Bar exams, and joined the Alfonso Ponce Enrile law. “He was paid P3 a day and shared the office with [now presidential adviser] Juan Ponce Enrile, the son of Alfonso. The next year, he put up his law firm and married Aida Antonio,” wrote San Juan.
The broadcast business was then a sunrise industry, and Lopez convinced his school mate in Ateneo de Manila University to help him. “Atty. Jake,” given his skills in people management, was initially tasked to handle personnel and labor.
Recounted Lopez in the book, Kapitan: Geny Lopez and the Making of ABS-CBN, written by the late Raul Rodrigo: “Jake’s got a good heart, a lot of malasakit (compassion) and so people trust him. He is par excellence when it comes to interpersonal relationships. I learned to lean on him, to trust him completely. I learned so much about people from him, about the importance of treating employees well – listening to them, dealing with them, giving them what they truly deserve. [In the early days of ABS-CBN] I was all efficiency and profit-oriented. Jake would balance me beautifully. He would come to me and convince me in his own quiet way that the employees deserved this, or merited this and he always got his way. I am very grateful for that because looking back now, if a lot of our employees remained loyal to us, it was mainly because of him.
“Jake taught me his values. He taught me loyalty, he taught me the importance of malasakit. He taught me the importance of fairness. He taught me the importance of being objective. I learned a lot from him. I’m proud to be his friend.”
A post shared by Korina Sanchez-Roxas (@korina)
From there, Almeda Lopez rose to become ABS-CBN general manager in 1966, and ABS-CBN would overtake the Elizaldes’ Manila Broacasting Corporation (MBC) as the leader in the broadcast industry.
“Atty. Jake Almeda Lopez, along with Kapitan Geny Lopez, was the force, the spirit behind ABS-CBN. Together they built the network into the biggest media company in the country,” said Reyes.
She told Rappler that Almeda Lopez also “immersed himself” in news gathering and was a “big supporter of news and public affairs.” She recalled he would occasionally go to the newsroom to catch up on developments about the company.
Former TV Patrol anchor Korina Sanchez said in an Instagram post: “…Atty. Jake would hitch rides with me, as a cub reporter in the early 90s, in our crewcab, just so he gets to be part of a news coverage. It was during the rebirth of freedom of speech after the revolution. ABS-CBN News was alive again. He had to be there.”
Although Geny Lopez’s uncle, Fernando, had teamed up with then-president Ferdinand E. Marcos in the 1969 elections and won, the relationship between the two families would get strained, and Marcos would accuse Geny of plotting to kill him, and of assembling a team to take over Malacañang.
After Marcos declared Martial Law, Geny and former Senator “Serge” Osmeña were among the thousands incarcerated.
Almeda Lopez, however, continued to fight. “He defied the dictator’s iron will by leading protest actions after Geny was imprisoned. Eventually, Almeda Lopez was imprisoned himself…,” reads an article about him in the ABS-CBN newsletter, Lopez Link, published in December 2023.
On December 10, 1973, over a year after the declaration of Martial Law, Atty. Jake and two other friends – Lorenzo “Tits” Tañada Jr. and George Gaddi – were arrested for subversion. According to the book, Kapitan, it was Philippine Constabulary Major Rolando Abadilla (later Colonel), feared for torturing detainees, who interrogated Jake, but the latter didn’t break and Abadilla “lost his temper.”
“You want to be tough, okay. Go ahead. But you know, you had better talk, because I’ll stake my life, my career, and profession that you will talk. So before you get hurt, you’d better talk,” the book Kapitan quoted Abadilla as having said.
Fortunately for Jake, military officers who were senior to Abadilla intervened and got him into “safer quarters,” and he was kept in a military detention facility for a year before they were transferred to Camp Crame.
How Jake got released and involved in the daring escape of Lopez and Osmeña is a story worth retelling. In November 1974, the two began a hunger strike which sought to highlight the plight of political detainees during martial law.
“I am going on hunger strike to focus attention on the plight and suffering of thousands of detainees like me, who have languished in jail for months and years without even being informed of the charges against them. This is the only way to obtain justice for all of us. I am innocent, but under the circumstances, I cannot expect a fair trial either in military or in civilian courts. I will fast until I am released. If my pleas for justice are not heeded, I am ready to die,” Lopez said.
The hunger strike reportedly caught Marcos “off guard,” as it was the first he had to deal with, reads the book Kapitan.
Then-defense minister Enrile called the wives of Geny and Serge – Chita Lopez and Marlita Osmeña – to a meeting in the Palace on November 26, 1974, where Enrile promised the two that the demands of their husbands “would be met.”
Less than a month after the meeting with Enrile, Marcos announced on television that 622 political detainees would be released “as an act of clemency.” Almeda Lopez, Tañada, and Gaddi, who were already in Camp Crame by then, were among those released on December 12, 1974, the day after Marcos’ announcement. A total of 454 other detainees were freed a week later.
But Lopez and Osmeña were not released, as Marcos insisted they were both guilty of joining the supposed plots to kill the president.
After three years in detention, Lopez and Osmeña planned what would be their first attempt at escaping. By 1976, the two were allowed occasional overnight passes to their respective homes. They expected they would be allowed to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of Geny and wife Chita on September 15, 1976 in Don Eugenio Lopez Sr.’s house in Parañaque.
Almeda Lopez got a worker to drill a hole from a closet in Don Eugenio’s room to the adjacent lot. A car would be waiting there to take them to the airport where they would board a chartered flight to the US. But around a month before the planned escape, the home visits were canceled on orders of General Fabian Ver, and never resumed.
But Almeda Lopez promised Geny he would get him out of prison, telling him, “I swear to you, Geny, I’ll get you out of here.”
“Geny’s hunger strike was the reason I was released in December 1974. So I felt I was just paying him back for the favor,” Almeda Lopez said in the book Kapitan.
The second plan thus had to be an escape from the military camp Fort Bonifacio. After identifying who would participate in the escape, which included Geny’s children, “Gabby” and “Raffy,” they drew up a plan that was executed in 1977.
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“The security of Bonifacio was not weak, but the military became very complacent. After all, Geny and Serge had been in detention for five years. So the military was not expecting anything; their security had become very routine,” recounted Almeda Lopez in the book.
Lopez and Osmeña got help from fellow prisoner George Cabardo, secretary-general of the Communist Party of the Philippines. The leftist was then the only person to have ever escaped from the military camp.
Cabardo told them how to remove the nails from the iron frame bars of their bathrooms, which the two succeeded in doing using tools – chisels, wire cutters, knife – smuggled in by their relatives during visits.
Almeda Lopez was in charge of what the two would do after escaping from Fort Bonifacio. The plan was for “Raffy” and “Gabby” to drive a car with a large trunk to the outskirts of the military camp and leave a walkie-talkie that the would-be escapees could use to alert the Lopez children.
They would then be hidden in the trunk and meet Almeda Lopez at the Philippine Village Hotel and then drive to Lingayen, Pangasinan where a Cessna would wait for them for a flight to Hong Kong before boarding a plane to Los Angeles, USA. Lopez relative Steve Psinakis got an Israeli fighter pilot to fly Geny, Serge, Jake, Raffy, and Gabby to Hong Kong using a six-seater, twin engine Cessna 320. Geny, Serge, and Jake would then apply for political asylum in the US.
On September 30, 1977, Geny and Serge escaped and were granted asylum in the US.
Almeda Lopez could have stayed in the US until the Marcos dictatorship fell, but he chose to return to the Philippines and join the oppostion.
In the early 80s, San Juan wrote that Jake was “caught trying to enter the country through the Sulu Sea…He and other freedom fighters stealthily took a boat from Sabah.”
“He was caught, his companion tortured, and he was in detention for 15 months, some of it in isolation. He was already in his 50s then. He was acquitted of rebellion charges in 1985,” she said.
The daring escape of Lopez and Osmeña was made into a film, Eskapo, directed by Chito Roño with the script written by Jose F. Lacaba and Roy Iglesias.
It stars Christopher de Leon as Geny Lopez Jr., Richard Gomez as Serge Osmeña, Dina Bonevie as Chita Lopez, and Ricky Davao as Atty. Jake Almeda Lopez.
A post shared by Ricky Davao (@rickyad)
Wrote San Juan: “…Atty. Jake’s life has been – a self-made adventure marked by choices of courage that put him right smack in the middle of the country’s recent history. At every turn, he didn’t have to get involved, but he did.” – Rappler.com
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Streak buster: Magnolia denies San Miguel bid for history in finals stunner | delfin.dioquino editor | 7/2/2024 22:24 | REVERSE. Mark Barroca in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – What sweep?
Facing seemingly insurmountable odds, Magnolia got back into the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals and denied San Miguel a new franchise record with an inspired 88-80 win at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, February 7.
Mark Barroca took over in the fourth quarter both as a scorer and playmaker as the Hotshots trimmed their deficit in the best-of-seven series to 1-2 and effectively ended the sensational 11-game winning streak of the Beermen.
San Miguel came into the game with hopes of putting Magnolia on the brink of a sweep and resetting their franchise mark for most consecutive victories.
But Barroca, who finished with 20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals, had other plans.
With the Beermen breathing down their necks and trailing closely at 62-65, Barroca hit a bank shot and assisted on back-to-back Aris Dionisio three-pointers as part of an 11-0 spurt that gave the Hotshots a 76-62 lead.
Paul Lee capped that run with another trey as he played his best game in the finals with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists after being limited to just 11 points combined in the first two games.
“Everyone stepped up. We hit some big shots,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.
While the Hotshots finally clicked offensively, it was on the defensive end where they really thrived.
After allowing San Miguel to average 106 points in the first two games, Magnolia limited San Miguel to its lowest scoring output of the conference.
San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright still finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, but he missed 18 of his 28 field goals and coughed up a whopping 8 turnovers.
“Our mentality is we have our backs against the wall. We put a priority on defense because that is our identity,” said Barroca.
Magnolia 88 –Barroca 20, Lee 12, Bey 11, Sangalang 11, Dionisio 11, Jalalon 10, Dela Rosa 7, Abueva 6, Escoto 0, Laput 0, Reavis 0.
San Miguel 80 – Boatwright 27, Perez 16, Fajardo 11, Teng 10, Trollano 7, Lassiter 4, Brondial 3, Ross 2, Enciso 0, Tautuaa 0
Quarters: 24-15, 42-39, 63-58, 88-80.
– Rappler.com
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The Dutertes, except VP Sara, absent during Marcos’ public events in Davao City | Dwight de Leon | 7/2/2024 13:54 | CIVIL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte during the distribution of land e-titles to qualified beneficiaries in Davao City on February 7, 2024.
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MANILA, Philippines – The men of the Duterte family were nowhere in sight during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s public events in Davao City on Wednesday, February 7, his first trip to the King City of the South since his feud with the political clan spilled into the public eye.
Marcos attended four events: the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project, the region-wide land e-title distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries, the ceremonial signing of contracts for the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), and a situation briefing on the impact of the floods in Davao region. Vice President Sara Duterte was present in the last three.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, meanwhile, was absent in all four. It is highly unusual for a sitting local chief executive to miss an event graced by the President in their locality.
An unimpeachable source told Rappler on condition of anonymity that Baste was invited to the DPTMP event organized by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), but declined to attend, without giving a reason.
Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte also did not attend any of the four events. Rappler also learned they were invited to the DOTr ceremony, but provided no feedback.
Their absence is notable, but not entirely surprising, since the word war between Marcos and the Dutertes took place just over a week ago.
On January 28, the Dutertes graced a leadership forum and a candlelight prayer rally against charter change in Davao City – events where they seized the opportunity to criticize President Marcos.
Baste called for Marcos’ resignation, while the former president – notorious for tagging personalities in the narco ring without basis – accused his successor of once being part of the government’s drug watch list.
A day later, Marcos retaliated by claiming that it was Duterte’s continued fentanyl use that was making him act erratically in public.
On that spectacle-filled day, Vice President Sara attended Marcos’ “Bagong Pilipinas” grand rally in Manila, before flying to Davao City to take part in the candlelight prayer rally.
Marcos and the former president’s daughter Sara ran as a tandem in the 2022 polls, and their alliance catapulted them to the country’s two highest posts.
Maintaining that partnership has been a challenge, amid political developments that were interpreted by analysts as disadvantageous to the Dutertes.
The Marcos-allied Congress denied Sara’s request for confidential funds in 2024, and Marcos himself said the administration was studying the possibility of the Philippines re-joining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Rodrigo’s bloody drug war.
The House has also flagged the billions of pesos allocated to Paolo Duterte’s district when his father was president. – Rappler.com
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Why is Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte absent? More likely, he could not personally tell President Marcos Jr. to resign. Is he afraid to face President Marcos Jr.?
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Not the first time: Calvin Abueva’s other career issues, on and off the court | jisaga0269 | 7/2/2024 18:12 | THE BEAST. Calvin Abueva and Magnolia stay alive in their bid to reach the PBA Governors' Cup finals.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia Hotshots forward Calvin Abueva has been, without a doubt, one of the most polarizing figures in PBA history.
Aptly nicknamed “The Beast” for his tremendous hustle and energy on the court, the 36-year-old veteran has, however, also had his fair share of over-the-top antics that have turned the public and even the PBA against him time and again.
Just last Sunday, February 4, Abueva once again found himself in hot water for two separate encounters in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals: mocking San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent’s partial blindness and figuring in a shouting match with Mo Tautuaa and his wife after the game.
Although the PBA spared him of any suspensions amid a crucial stretch for his reeling team, Abueva still forked over P100,000 for his on-camera slight on Gallent and was asked to make amends with Tautuaa in the league office.
Unfortunately for Abueva, this is far from the first time he has committed a grave offense in his up-and-down basketball career.
These are the other times ‘The Beast’ ran wild way too much for his own good:
In a high-emotion contact game like basketball, taunting is a part of daily hoops life – some would even say a genuine strategy – that often gets reined in by referees calling technical fouls.
Abueva, however, has gotten under the skin of people not within the bounds of the hardwood floor, and Gallent was not the first casualty of his animated barbs.
Back in May 2019, Abueva directed vulgar gestures to Maika Rivera, former girlfriend of ex-PBA star Ray Parks, which the then Phoenix standout defended as nothing but retaliation to Rivera’s heckling.
Asked about the altercation after the game, Abueva initially refused to apologize, saying that it was Rivera who started the commotion in the first place.
The incident prompted Phoenix to fine Abueva, who personally apologized to then TNT ace Parks, but only over a year later. Parks said, though, that Abueva should have directed his apology to Rivera.
As a byproduct of his tenacious defense and hustle, Abueva has been involved in multiple heated on-court tussles with players, local and foreign alike.
To Abueva’s credit, he did not start nor escalate every single fight he’s been in, but he has nonetheless been a magnet for conflict multiple times in the last few years.
In July 2018, Abueva had a literal hand in escalating the infamous Gilas Pilipinas-Australia brawl at the Philippine Arena, where he was ejected and subsequently handed a suspension from FIBA games.
In October 2018, then as part of Phoenix, Abueva gave former San Miguel import Kevin Murphy a subtle abdomen shot during a rebound battle, causing the latter to drag the San Sebastian alum by the neck from the post all the way to a nearby crowd barrier – in turn causing benches to clear in the fallout.
In June 2022, Abueva – now with Magnolia – was suspended one game and given a P10,000 fine for two consecutive instances of unsportsmanlike conduct against Ginebra, and was caught on camera shouting “Japan, Japan” – alluding to leaving the PBA for the Japanese pro league – and threatening to leave Magnolia after being ejected from the game.
Last December 23, 2023, Abueva scrapped with fellow notorious instigator Alec Stockton of Converge, giving the young guard a hip bump in the post and retaliating with a shove after Stockton responded to the initial bump by throwing the ball at Abueva’s feet.
Less than two weeks later on January 6, Abueva was at it again in a Magnolia-Meralco match in Iloilo City, rising from a ball scramble with Shonn Miller and bumping bodies with the Bolts’ import while taunting, causing both teams to jump in and separate the two.
Abueva’s most egregious on-court offense, however came in June 2019, as he brutally clotheslined former TNT import Terrence Jones in emphatic retaliation to an earlier low blow by the former NBA standout.
Even off the court, Abueva could not escape controversy as in July 2019, mere weeks after being suspended indefinitely for his obscene gestures to Maika Rivera and clothesline to Terrence Jones, Abueva’s wife Sam accused the mercurial star of domestic abuse to her and their children.
Although Abueva denied the claims and he and his wife later reconciled, the allegations were just another damaging blow to an already cracked reputation, and it would take 16 whole months before the PBA lifted its suspension on the one-time league champion and allow him to return to play.
Despite every offense, fine, and suspension that have stained what was a stellar basketball career, Abueva still could not fully escape his hotheaded tendencies, whether in an instigating or retaliatory capacity, as recent evidence showed.
So with Abueva once again under intense scrutiny from the public and the PBA, league commissioner Willie Marcial warned the Magnolia veteran that more court troubles may result in a repeat ban.
But only time – and Abueva himself – can tell if “The Beast” will ever be fully tamed. – Rappler.com
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[Only IN Hollywood] Eugene Domingo steals show at Manila International Film Festival | Marguerite de Leon | 6/2/2024 15:54 | KISS, PLEASE. Eugene Domingo jokingly asks for a kiss from Dingdong Dantes before announcing the best actor winner.
Sthanlee B. Mirador
LOS ANGELES, USA – From the moment Eugene Domingo went onstage with producer Perci Intalan to accept Becky and Badette’s special jury prize in the recent Manila International Film Festival’s (MIFF) closing night awards gala at the Directors Guild of America (DGA), she was hilarious.
My wife Janet Nepales and I laughed non-stop on the side of the stage. After she and I introduced the MIFF jurors and then announced that Becky and Badette won the special jury prize “for its LGBTQIA cultural sensitivity and awareness, effectively combining these themes with humanity and humor,” nothing prepared us for Eugene’s humor and spontaneous antics that had the packed audience at Theater One of DGA roaring with laughter.
FilAm Creative executive director Mark Labella, who was also on the side (he was helping present the awards), kept chuckling, too. Eugene walked up to Mark, and was not heard on the mic when she teased him, “Bakit tawa ka nang tawa diyan – kilala ba kita (Why do you keep laughing – do I even know you)?”
Eugene walked back to the podium and continued to jokingly address Mark, this time on the mic: “Tawa ka nang tawa – para namang close tayo (You keep laughing – as if we’re even close)!”
When Eugene noticed the script printout in all capital letters and large font size on the podium, she exclaimed, “Ang laki ng font (This font is huge)!” She turned to me and quipped, “Ay, kaya pala ang laki ng font (Oh, so that’s why this font is huge)!”
Showing her keen observation (I also noticed this unintentionally funny bit happening onstage), Eugene humorously targeted next Secretary of Interior and Local Government Benhur Abalos’ assistant, dressed in a long dark coat, who scurried back and forth onstage, carrying and putting the Secretary’s speech printouts on the podium.
The actress mimicked the assistant running onstage and dished, “Kanina kay Chairman…Benhur, may Harry Potter pala kayong kasama (Chairman Benhur, turns out you’re with Harry Potter)! (To the assistant who was laughing) Kung tumakbo ka ganito (mimics him and runs onstage). Panalo! Kami ingat na ingat maglakad e ikaw naka boots ka pa tumatakbo ka. Galing talaga ni Harry Potter!”
(This is what you look like when you run. Amazing! Here we are walking so gingerly while you’re running around in boots! Harry Potter is truly fantastic!)
With this extended acceptance speech – one of the funniest I’ve heard in my many years of covering awards nights – Eugene definitely stole the MIFF awards show. In the few times she was not joking around, Eugene, who costarred with Pokwang in Becky and Badette, thanked her director, Jun Robles Lana.
Eugene’s funny acceptance speech and antics were among the highlights of the inaugural MIFF, which began January 29 with a press conference and screenings at the TCL Chinese Theatres and an opening night reception at the Yamashiro Restaurant, both in Hollywood. The screenings, with Q&As with the filmmakers, actors, producers, and creative talents behind the 10 entries, ran through February 1.
As one of the cofounders of MIFF, and part of a small team that organized this historic first international edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), I was moved by the sight of people queuing to watch Filipino films. These 10 movies, official entries in last December’s MMFF, made their American premieres at the MIFF.
Working to champion Philippine cinema in America (and the rest of the world someday, who knows), this team worked so hard to make the first MIFF a success that some people thought it has been going on for years, just based on the scale of the MIFF.
I doff my cinematic hat to these individuals who became my fellow MIFF “warriors.” I start with my cofounders – Omen Ortiz (chairman), Ebradu Udarbe (president), Lisa Lew (executive producer), Celia Abaya Dy (ticketing manager), and Janet (she and I are officially listed as media relations consultants but we helped in virtually all areas).
I salute these individuals who also wholeheartedly gave their all to mount the biggest gathering of Filipino and Fil-Am film talents in Hollywood – Leo Dela Cruz (chief financial officer), Erickson Ilog (chief operations officer), Ron Ramores (chief marketing officer), and Meriden Angeles (coordinating producer).
MIFF, virtually a labor of love for Philippine cinema, was also made possible by sponsors, media, and community partners and volunteers. No task was too small for everyone who chipped in with their valuable time.
The sight of several officers of FilAm Creative, a nonprofit creative organization that had its own successful first film festival last November, carrying chairs down the dark theater stairs for the after-screening Q&As, was pure bayanihan spirit in action.
The opening day press conference at the TLC Chinese Theatre 6 was a logistical challenge. How do we fit all the filmmakers, scriptwriters, and other creatives of the 10 films who flew from Manila in such a limited space, including these actors: Becky and Badette (Eugene Domingo); Broken Heart’s Trip (Christian Bables and Marvin Yap); Family of Two (Alden Richards); Firefly (Dingdong Dantes and Ysabel Ortega); GomBurZa (Enchong Dee, Cedrick Juan, and Piolo Pascual); (K)Ampon (Beauty Gonzalez); Mallari (Piolo, Janella Salvador, and Ron Angeles); Penduko (John Arcilla); Rewind (Dingdong); and When I Met You in Tokyo (Christopher de Leon).
Not to mention the MMFF team led by Romando “Don” Artes, overall chairman; Rochelle Macapili-Ona, executive director; and Boots Anson Roa, actress, MMFF executive committee member and Mowelfund board member; and the Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) Tirso Cruz III and Jose “Joey” Javier Reyes, chairman and consultant, respectively.
The solution? We broke them into groups so everyone was able to sit down in front of the assembled media and answer questions. Somehow, at the end of the afternoon press con, we all managed to squeeze together for a group photo.
The after-screening Q&As were my favorite part of MIFF. For four days, Janet, Fil-Am publicist Winston Emano, ABS-CBN News North American Bureau Chief TJ Manotoc, and I took turns moderating these Q&As. Each film had a Q&A after one of its two screenings at the fest.
I ended up moderating the GomBurZa Q&As three times because the film’s delegation, led by director Pepe Diokno, volunteered to have a discussion after each of their scheduled two screenings.
Those screenings sold out so a third one had to be quickly added due to the overwhelming demand to see the historical drama about the three priests whose execution ignited the Filipinos’ revolution against Spain’s colonial rule.
Pepe, accompanied by Enchong Dee (who plays Father Zamora), also showed up early to introduce his film at each of the three screenings. So I had the pleasure of chatting with Pepe while waiting on the side. Only 37, Pepe directed three feature films before GomBurZa.
The GomBurZa moviegoers stayed to listen to Pepe and his group answer my questions and those of the audience. Pepe and Enchong were at each of the three Q&As with the following joining one or two of the illuminating discussions: Piolo Pascual (Father Pelaez), Cedrick Juan (Father Burgos), cinematographer Carlo Canlas Mendoza, and producers Jeffrey Remigio and Jane Basas.
I discovered Enchong’s good sense of humor in these Q&As.
Christian Bables’ star charisma shone in his Broken Heart’s Trip Q&A with costar Marvin Yap and producer Benjie Cabrera and throughout the festival.
Eugene Domingo and Perci Intalan were totally engaging in my Q&A with them for Becky and Badette.
It was fun to see and talk to producer Joji Alonso again for the (K)Ampon Q&A with her and actress Beauty Gonzalez.
Janet had fun moderating the When I Met You in Tokyo Q&A because Christopher de Leon gamely sang a bit of the Apo Hiking Society’s “When I Met You,” with moviegoers singing along.
Then actress Bunny Paras, who was in the audience, signaled to Janet and surprisingly, she had no less than Vilma Santos on the phone calling in live at the Q&A. So Christopher said to his co-star, “Bru (their characters’ term of endearment to each other), sana nandito ka (wish you were here)!”
To which Vilma replied, “Bru, I miss you! Thank you to our producers and everyone who supported our film! Thank you also Ms. Janet for all the support. I read and see everything you post on Facebook!”
In its goal to open communication and encourage collaboration between the Filipino film industry and Hollywood and beyond, MIFF organized various panels, including a directors-creators breakfast at Sunset Marquis Hotel’s Cavatina Restaurant; a Screen Actors Guild panel-mixer, and a “How to Awards Season Your Film/TV Show” panel with top Fil-Am awards campaign publicists, both at MIFF’s VIP lounge at the TCL Chinese Theatres.
Also held at the VIP lounge was a breakfast roundtable with an impressive list of award-winning Hollywood cinematographers: Mark Irwin (The Fly, There’s Something About Mary, Old School, Dumb and Dumber, RoboCop2), Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die, Speed, Lethal Weapon 4, The Devil’s Advocate, Prizzi’s Honor, Terms of Endearment, Dante’s Peak), Steven Shaw (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Tremors, The Division), Ueli Steiger (Godzilla, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Day After Tomorrow), Alexa Cha (Echoes, Cold Cold Man and Willy Goes Back!), and Jacek Laskus (The Guardian, Parting Glances, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial).
Michael Shugrue of Birns & Sawyer, which hosted this roundtable of leading DPs, moderated.
FDCP also hosted a roundtable on “Shooting Your Next Film/TV Series in the Philippines” at Yamashiro Restaurant.
We can’t thank enough the jurors, all accomplished Filipino American professionals, who found time in their hectic schedules to watch the entries. With the time zone differences, it was a challenge to coordinate with the 10 producers in Manila to send their screening links to the jurors, especially when there were issues with the links.
We thank Rochelle Ona, MMFF executive director, and Lisa, for quickly resolving any problems with the screening links.
Our distinguished jurors are Marie Jamora, filmmaker (head of the jury); Mari Acevedo CEO of Birns & Sawyer; Leah Anova, cinematographer; Reggie Lee, actor; David Maquiling, filmmaker and film school educator; and Sumalee Montano, actress and producer.
Mari’s Birns & Sawyer awards a co-producing package to Firefly, the Best Picture awardee. The winner will get a chance to shoot a US-based feature film co-produced by Birns & Sawyer, which will give up to $100,000 worth of camera rental equipment with the support of other industry gear vendors.
The package of Birns & Sawyer is valued overall at $200,000 with the support of its industry partners, Atlas Lens Co., BlackOps Studios Asia, CMB Film Services, Inc., and Myriad Entertainment USA.
Established in 1954, Birns & Sawyer has served filmmakers in Hollywood for six decades. With Fil-Am Mari as its leader, Birns & Sawyer aims to support the next generation of Filipino content creators, filmmakers, and their stories.
On Friday, February 2, Janet and I walked into the usually plain DGA lobby transformed by Lisa and her team into a posh, elegant gala setting that can rival, even beat, the sophistication of some of Hollywood’s major awards shows.
Lisa’s multiple Emmy Award experience as a producer extended to the show itself, a fast-paced production with exciting screen visuals and a script written by veteran Ted Benito.
The hosts, presenters, and performers included Kaladkaren, Eisel Serrano, Mark Dacascos, Janella Salvador, Piolo Pascual, Alden Richards, Eugene Domingo, Dingdong Dantes, Dessa, Janice Javier, Troy Laureta, Lisa, Winston, Janet, and yours truly.
Early in the show, Faith Santilla, a top Fil-Am executive at the DGA, welcomed the audience.
It was a sweet reunion for siblings Christopher and Pinky de Leon with Hilda Koronel, who received MIFF’s inaugural Monty Manibog Lifetime Achievement Award. Pinky, who first worked with Hilda in Ishmael Bernal’s Till Death Do Us Part in 1972 and then in Orlando Nadres’ Lupang Hinirang, in 1973, presented the award to Lino Brocka’s muse.
After the show, Christopher and Hilda, who co-starred in Mike de Leon’s Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising (Moments in a Stolen Dream), embraced on the red (well, it was gold actually, in keeping with the trend to use other hues) carpet. It was their first time to see each other after many years.
Metro Manila mayors, who were in Los Angeles for a study tour, also graced the gala.
Then it was time for the swanky dinner and after-party with food stations, including for dessert, laid out throughout the transformed lobby.
Jon Jon Briones, one of the Fil-Am actor guests who mingled with the visiting Manila talents, was playful as usual and pretended to bite the terno sleeve of Janet’s couture Carl Andrada Filipiniana gown as they posed for photos.
Me? I just wanted to put my feet up on one of the lounge chairs, feeling very tired but happy and fulfilled that we pulled off the historic inaugural Manila International Film Festival.
Here’s the complete list of 2024 MIFF winners and honorees:
Best Picture – FireflySecond Best Picture – GomBurZaSpecial Jury Prize – Becky and BadetteBest Director – Zig Dulay (Firefly)Best Actress – Vilma Santos (When I Met You in Tokyo)Best Actor (tie) – Dingdong Dantes (Rewind) and Piolo Pascual (Mallari)Best Supporting Actress – Alessandra de Rossi (Firefly)Best Supporting Actor – Pepe Herrera (Rewind)Best Screenplay – Angeli Atienza (Firefly)Best Cinematography – Carlo Canlas Mendoza (GomBurZa)Audience Award – GomBurZaMonty Manibog Lifetime Achievement Award – Hilda KoronelTrailblazer Awards – Mark Dacascos, Filipino American actor; Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., the Philippines’ Secretary of the Interior and Local Government; and Romando “Don” Artes, overall chairman of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)Award of Recognition – Rochelle Ona, MMFF executive director
– Rappler.com
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Marcos in Davao for the first time since word war with Duterte | Dwight de Leon | 7/2/2024 10:22 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is in Davao City on February 7, 2023 to lead the inauguration of the Davao City bulk water supply project.
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MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Davao City on Wednesday, February 7, to grace numerous events of the administration, his first visit to the bailiwick of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte since the two traded accusations regarding drug use.
Marcos is the guest of honor for the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply project, as well as the 125th founding anniversary of the Department of Transportation.
The trip is notable because it comes just over a week after Duterte led a candlelight prayer rally to oppose the charter change being pushed under the Marcos administration.
In that event, Duterte warned Marcos of being ousted in office just like his dictator-father if he continues pushing for the amendment or revision of the Constitution.
Duterte – notorious for linking personalities to the narcotics ring even without evidence – also claimed that he once saw Marcos’ name on the government’s drug watch list.
Marcos fired back a day later, accusing Duterte of continued fentanyl use, and blaming the drug for his erratic behavior.
Marcos and the former president’s daughter Sara ran as a tandem in the 2022 polls, and their alliance dubbed as “Uniteam” resulted in a landslide election victory.
Since then, the rift between the two families has become more apparent, amid political developments that have been interpreted by observers as disadvantageous to the Duterte family.
These include Congress’ decision to junk Vice President Sara’s request for P650 million in confidential funds, and Marcos’ statement that the government was studying the possibility of joining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war.
This is also the first visit of the President since Duterte floated the idea of an independent Mindanao, which he thought of achieving by gathering signatures.
Former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez – a Duterte ally – is among the loudest voices in favor of the idea of Mindanao secession.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said on Tuesday, February 6, that the government has not monitored concrete efforts on the ground seeking to materialize the secession of Mindanao, and added that Marcos was not worried.
In the past week though, numerous agencies and Cabinet officials have released statements rejecting the call for a separate Mindanao.
Abalos said there was no direct order from the President to issue statements on the matter. – Rappler.com
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This visit of President Marcos Jr. at the bailiwick of his current nemesis is excellent psychological warfare. It shows that former President Digong Duterte could do nothing whenever President Marcos Jr. visited his political “kingdom.” President Marcos Jr. could also do a “loyalty check” among the political “butterflies” or “balimbings” in the area of his nemesis and at the same time boost their morale to continue the “hidden” and often-denied struggle against such scourge.
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Losing a ‘part of life’ as Boatwright’s unbeaten run with San Miguel ends | delfin.dioquino editor | 8/2/2024 0:46 | UNFAZED. Bennie Boatwright in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Losing is simply part of life.
That was how Bennie Boatwright put it after seeing his flawless run with San Miguel end with an 88-80 loss to Magnolia in Game 3 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Wednesday, February 7.
“When you lose, it is a part of life. You win some, you lose some. But no need to overreact,” said Boatwright.
“I try to stay even-keeled, whether we win a game, whether we lose a game, just staying in the same mental space,” he added.
A replacement for original Beermen import Ivan Aska, Boatwright won all of his first nine games with San Miguel before the finals as he normed 34.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block – numbers that have put him in Best Import contention.
The 6-foot-8 talent still sustained his stellar play in Game 1 of the title series, helping tow the Beermen past the Hotshots with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Boatwright again took charge in Game 2 with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists to steer the Beermen to a franchise-record-tying 11th straight victory.
But his unbeaten streak came to a screeching halt as the defensive-minded Hotshots limited San Miguel to its lowest scoring output of the conference.
Although Boatwright still put up 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 steals in Game 3, he made just 10 of his 28 field goals and committed a conference-high 8 turnovers in nearly 45 minutes of action.
“They played well. Got to give them credit. That is a good team we played. We expected them to come out and played well today and credit to them, they got the win,” said Boatwright.
Adopting a level-headed approach, Boatwright already has his eyes set on a bounce-back win in Game 4 on Friday, February 9, at the Araneta Coliseum.
“We’ll go watch the film, learn from our mistakes, see what we can expose defensively for them. It is going to get better.” – Rappler.com
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Streak buster: Magnolia denies San Miguel bid for history in finals stunner | delfin.dioquino editor | 7/2/2024 22:24 | REVERSE. Mark Barroca in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – What sweep?
Facing seemingly insurmountable odds, Magnolia got back into the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals and denied San Miguel a new franchise record with an inspired 88-80 win at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, February 7.
Mark Barroca took over in the fourth quarter both as a scorer and playmaker as the Hotshots trimmed their deficit in the best-of-seven series to 1-2 and effectively ended the sensational 11-game winning streak of the Beermen.
San Miguel came into the game with hopes of putting Magnolia on the brink of a sweep and resetting their franchise mark for most consecutive victories.
But Barroca, who finished with 20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals, had other plans.
With the Beermen breathing down their necks and trailing closely at 62-65, Barroca hit a bank shot and assisted on back-to-back Aris Dionisio three-pointers as part of an 11-0 spurt that gave the Hotshots a 76-62 lead.
Paul Lee capped that run with another trey as he played his best game in the finals with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists after being limited to just 11 points combined in the first two games.
“Everyone stepped up. We hit some big shots,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.
While the Hotshots finally clicked offensively, it was on the defensive end where they really thrived.
After allowing San Miguel to average 106 points in the first two games, Magnolia limited San Miguel to its lowest scoring output of the conference.
San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright still finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, but he missed 18 of his 28 field goals and coughed up a whopping 8 turnovers.
“Our mentality is we have our backs against the wall. We put a priority on defense because that is our identity,” said Barroca.
Magnolia 88 –Barroca 20, Lee 12, Bey 11, Sangalang 11, Dionisio 11, Jalalon 10, Dela Rosa 7, Abueva 6, Escoto 0, Laput 0, Reavis 0.
San Miguel 80 – Boatwright 27, Perez 16, Fajardo 11, Teng 10, Trollano 7, Lassiter 4, Brondial 3, Ross 2, Enciso 0, Tautuaa 0
Quarters: 24-15, 42-39, 63-58, 88-80.
– Rappler.com
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Best run yet as Thirdy Ravena, San-En push win streak to 15 | Jasmine Payo | 7/2/2024 23:33 | FIERY. San-En's Thirdy Ravena looks to get past his defender in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – There’s still no stopping the top-ranked San-En NeoPhoenix.
Thanks to another solid outing by Thirdy Ravena, San-En picked up its 15th straight win after taking down the Fighting Eagles Nagoya, 95-89, in the Japan B. League on Wednesday, February 7.
Ravena was one of five San-En players to score in double figures with 18 points, together with a team-high 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
Yante Maten led all NeoPhoenix scorers with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Coty Clarke and David Dudzinski had 13 markers each.
Sota Oura added 12 points for the red-hot San-En, which hiked its impressive win-loss record to 33-4.
Elsewhere, Gilas Pilipinas big man Kai Sotto posted a season-high in rebounds to help the Yokohama B-Corsairs (16-21) turn back the Sunrokers Shibuya, 68-60.
For the first time in 12 games played this season, Sotto breached twin digits in rebounding with 10 boards, to go along with 5 points and 2 blocks in also a season-high 26 minutes and 55 seconds of playing time.
Yuki Kawamura and Jarrod Uthoff paced Yokohama with 29 and 20 points, respectively, in the win.
Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (24-13) also came out on top on Wednesday following a 78-64 thrashing of the Hiroshima Dragonflies.
Parks extended his streak of scoring in double-digits for Nagoya to four games with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, on top of 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
In a showdown against top Japanese point guard and former league MVP Yuki Togashi, Gilas Pilipinas star Dwight Ramos failed to sustain his fiery form as the Levanga Hokkaido (12-25) suffered a 77-58 beating at the hands of the Chiba Jets.
Coming off a season-best 25-point explosion in Hokkaido’s 89-83 win over Sotto’s Yokohama last Sunday, February 4, Ramos was held to only 8 points on a lowly 3-of-10 clip from the field, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
Matthew Wright’s Kyoto Hannaryz (12-25) and RJ Abarrientos’ Shinshu Brave Warriors (6-31) also absorbed losses on Wednesday.
After missing Kyoto’s last three games, Wright made his return to the lineup and finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in their 87-85 overtime defeat to the Osaka Evessa.
Abarrientos, for his part, came up with only 6 points and 2 rebounds as Shinshu was no match for the Saga Ballooners, 74-58. – Rappler.com
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No outside noise: Magnolia keeps new Abueva antics out of finals Game 3 preparations | jisaga0269 | 7/2/2024 23:55 | DOWN TO WORK. Magnolia forward Calvin Abueva scraps for the ball against San Miguel in Game 3 of the 2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Controversial PBA star Calvin Abueva has once again been the talk of the town in local basketball circles, and again, for all the wrong reasons.
Involved in a post-finals Game 2 shouting match with Mo Tautuaa’s family and fined P100,000 for taunting San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent’s disability, the 36-year-old Magnolia veteran somehow evaded suspension and showed up to work on Wednesday, February 7, ready for Game 3.
Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero admitted that, while they have not been living under a rock amid these fresh issues, the team solely focused on preparing for their third encounter with the Beermen in an effort to avoid falling to a 0-3 series hole.
Fortunately for Magnolia, its tunnel-vision commitment to the game worked wonders, as it earned a gritty 88-80 win to enter the Commissioner’s Cup finals win column and snap San Miguel’s franchise-best-tying 11-game winning streak.
“We did not talk about [Abueva’s issues] in practice, none of that,” Victolero said in Filipino. “We were very busy preparing for this game. No issues, nothing.”
“We removed all distractions from our camp and just focused on the preparations. The players are doing a very, very good job on the mental aspect of the preparations.”
Even Abueva himself was not keen on attracting yet another spotlight on himself even after a hard-fought win, as he literally ran away from the media outside the Magnolia locker room at the Araneta Coliseum, never to return.
PBA | WATCH:Head bowed down and smirking, Calvin Abueva literally runs away from the media following Magnolia's 88-80 finals Game 3 win over San Miguel.The controversial star recently paid a P100k fine after mocking Beermen coach Jorge Gallent's partial blindness.#PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/WH21lK9Cgh
Basketball-wise, the two-time Best Player of the Conference was on point on Wednesday night, tallying 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block in 18 minutes off the bench, and provided the intangible hustle he has been known for his entire career.
Overall, the Hotshots were a concerted, menacing unit on defense in Game 3, as they held San Miguel below 90 points for the first time this conference and shackled super import Bennie Boatwright to a hard-earned 27-point line on 10-of-28 shooting with 8 turnovers.
Offensively, the scoring duties were also evenly distributed, as Mark Barroca led six Magnolia players in double-digit scoring with an efficient 20-point outing. Import Tyler Bey took a backseat with 11 points, while Paul Lee got much-needed momentum and finished with 12 off the bench.
On the court, the Hotshots have enough on their hands as it is due to their nagging inconsistencies, all while facing arguably the best collection of talent in the PBA today.
Entertaining the Abueva shenanigans – while necessary at some point in the near future – would have likely been the death blow to Magnolia’s uphill campaign. – Rappler.com
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Delaying forces? House panel approves divorce bill, again | Michelle Abad | 7/2/2024 16:14 | The bill seeking to allow divorce in the country, which is and has been controversial in the Philippines for decades, was approved in the House population and family relations in minutes on Tuesday, February 6. But it wasn’t because there was no opposition – but quite the opposite, a congressman thinks.
After the House panel originally submitted the committee report in September 2023, the rules committee recommitted it, or sent it back, to the population committee in December.
Approving with no amendments, the committee adjourned the hearing just 17 minutes after it began on Tuesday. It is now back with the committee on rules.
“Obviously, the recommitment was made to further delay, or even derail, the enactment of this bill,” said Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman.
Lagman said that the recommitment was done “without the courtesy” of beforehand consulting with and informing him as principal author, and population committee chair Isabela 3rd District Representative Ian Paul Dy.
He added that they were “belatedly informed” that the recommitment intended for the population committee to refer the bill to the appropriations committee, as it did not have “appropriations language.”
In so many words, Lagman asked, what?
In “vehemently” objecting to the recommitment, Lagman said that there is no rule in the House that requires bills with no appropriations language to be referred to the committee. He pointed to the examples of the law banning child marriage, which did not have appropriations language when it was signed into law, as well as the anti-teenage pregnancy bill, which was approved on third reading in the House without appropriations language.
Appropriations can come later on, such as during the plenary, during Senate debates, and in the annual General Appropriations Act, he said, lamenting the alleged delay of the bill in the lower chamber.
“Millions of Filipino women have been waiting for the enactment of this bill since this is a pro-woman legislation considering that wives are the victims of toxic and destroyed marriages due to the cruelty, violence, or abandonment by their husbands,” he said.
Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas said it is “not uncommon” for progressive legislation to face opposition from groups with different views. Conservative groups have been blocking the divorce bill since it was first filed by Gabriela Women’s Party in the 13th Congress, she said.
“As lawmakers, our priority is to navigate these challenges and ensure that women, who have long awaited the passage of such legislation, will be heard,” she said in a message to Rappler on Wednesday, February 7.
The use of administrative hurdles to block progressive bills is not unheard of. For instance, the bill seeking to penalize discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE), after passing the committee level, was reverted to the panel after Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said various religious groups wanted more chances to participate in discussions.
Villanueva belongs to the religious group Jesus is Lord Movement, which was founded by his father Eddie Villanueva, a chief critic of the SOGIE bill.
The older Villanueva is a member of the House, representing the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption party.
A survey conducted by Octa Research from September 30 to October 4, 2023, found that just over half of Filipinos were not in favor of passing a law that would legalize divorce.
Despite this, Cici Leueberger-Jueco, convenor of lobbying group Divorce for the Philippines Now, remains hopeful about the passage of the divorce bill in the 19th Congress.
Jueco said the group is 100,000 members-strong, a majority of whom are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“We want our marriages to be legally invalidated. The majority of us don’t necessarily want to get married again. We just want to settle down with our children, who no longer have to witness fights between their parents, for them to be happier. We would be good examples to our children in not staying in a toxic marriage,” she told Rappler in a mix of English and Filipino following the hearing on Tuesday.
Jueco said the three most common marriage problems Filipinos in their group face are adultery, abuse, and abandonment.
The group thinks the best chance for the divorce bill is now. After all, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed support for divorce, although saying it shouldn’t be made “easy.”
Brosas remains cautiously optimistic about the prospects of the divorce bill, saying there is much work to be done to advance it further. She said continued lobbying efforts and advocacy will be essential to garnering support from lawmakers and stakeholders.
“We recognize that challenges lie ahead. But we are committed to seeing this important legislation through and ensuring that the voices of those who have long advocated for divorce rights are heard. By remaining steadfast in our efforts and working collaboratively, we believe that we can overcome these challenges and make meaningful strides towards enacting legislation that promotes fairness, equality, and justice for all,” said Brosas.
The Philippines remains the only country in the world without divorce, save for the Vatican, whose residents are mostly priests and nuns. – Rappler.com
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Those members of the House of Representatives who delayed the passage of the bill seeking to allow divorce in the country more likely have these characteristics. First, they have happy family lives without financial and other problems. Second, their supporters have the same happy family lives as they have. Third, there may be those who have families that are less happy than those two groups have, but tradition and religion make them indifferent to their situation. Fourth, those politicians must secure the loyalty of their constituents who belong to those three groups above. They are lucky yet so selfish to think only of themselves.
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FACT CHECK: PAL not offering six months of free flights for P168 | Lorenz Pasion | 7/2/2024 14:15 | Claim: To address the lack of passengers on some of its flights, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) launched a travel card promo that offers six months of free flights for P168.
Why we fact-checked this: The majority of the Facebook posts containing the claim came from the page “Philippine Airlines-Main Page,” which misrepresents itself as the official account of the airline company.
According to the post’s captions, PAL launched the “special promotion” due to a supposed “lack of passengers” on its flights. Several Facebook users also commented on these posts, with pictures of the alleged travel card that they supposedly received after availing themselves of the promo.
The posts instruct interested buyers to click the “Apply Now” button to register for the travel card, which directs to an unverified website.
The facts: In a February 5 Facebook post, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna belied the alleged promotion, saying it could be a phishing trap. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)
“No such promotion. Fake news/site. Do not fall for this phishing trap!” she wrote.
Official announcements on promos are posted only on PAL’s official website and Facebook page, she added.
Altered materials: A Google reverse image search showed that one of the pictures of the alleged flight card was a Visa gift card that was deliberately altered to include the PAL logo and the text “Card for 6 free flights.”
The fake PAL Facebook page also altered a photo from PAL’s website taken in March 2023. The original photo shows PAL officials and Australian airport authorities holding a welcome banner that reads “Welcome to Perth” and “Manila to Perth Inaugural Flight,” not “6 na buwang libreng flight sa Philippine Airlines sa halagang P168 lang” (6 months of free flights on Philippine Airlines for only P168.)
Same scheme: The fake PAL page followed the same scheme of a supposed travel card promo by the Department of Transportation offering 12 months of free subway rides for P168, which Rappler has debunked.
Aside from offering the same price, both Facebook pages were flooded with fake testimonials in the comment section from users who supposedly used the travel cards.
Official accounts: For official updates on PAL’s promos and announcements, refer to its official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram accounts. – Larry Chavez/Rappler.com
Larry Chavez is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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Malay town unveils Boracay’s newest tourism come-on: hair braiding | Herbie G | 6/2/2024 15:25 | HAIR ART. A woman from Boracay demonstrates her hair braiding skills during the 31st Travel Expo held at the SMX Convention Center from February 2-4.
Malay Tourism Office
AKLAN, Philippines – In a move to weave together culture and commerce in Boracay, the town government of Malay has unveiled an unexpected tourism come-on: hair braiding.
Local officials said they were optimistic that Boracay’s hair braiders would become the latest attraction and draw travelers to the sun-kissed shores of the world-famous tourist destination.
Felix Delos Santos, Malay town’s tourism officer, told Rappler on Monday, February 5, that hair braiding debuted as a highlight at the 31st Travel Expo held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City over the weekend. The travel exposition stands as one of the nation’s premier platforms for travel promotions.
The age-old art involves weaving colorful strands together using methods like plaiting, lacing, and interlacing. It doesn’t just make hair look good; it also helps keep its natural moisture, which is especially helpful in Boracay, which is known for its beaches.
Boracay boasts of 225 registered and active hair braiders, indicating significant tourist demand for this service.
During the exposition, the Malay Tourism Office also showcased sandcastle making in Boracay and the Mega Paraw, now an attraction on the mainland in Malay, Aklan province.
Delos Santos said the hair braiders are following local government-approved rates for braiding, ranging from P200 to P1,000 based on the tourists’ preferred styles.
The timing of the hair braiding presentation coincided with another significant event. On Friday, February 2, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Western Visayas announced the inaugural flight of Loong Airlines at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA).
Loong Airlines will operate flights to and from Kalibo three times a week, specifically on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Peter Tay, liaison officer of the Chinese Embassy, said on Monday, February 5, that the airline’s maiden flight originated from Hangzhou, China.
“I anticipate more flights from China to KIA in the near future,” Tay said.
In 2017, Chinese tourists registered as the largest group of foreign visitors to Boracay, followed closely by South Koreans. – Rappler.com
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Best run yet as Thirdy Ravena, San-En push win streak to 15 | Jasmine Payo | 7/2/2024 23:33 | FIERY. San-En's Thirdy Ravena looks to get past his defender in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – There’s still no stopping the top-ranked San-En NeoPhoenix.
Thanks to another solid outing by Thirdy Ravena, San-En picked up its 15th straight win after taking down the Fighting Eagles Nagoya, 95-89, in the Japan B. League on Wednesday, February 7.
Ravena was one of five San-En players to score in double figures with 18 points, together with a team-high 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
Yante Maten led all NeoPhoenix scorers with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Coty Clarke and David Dudzinski had 13 markers each.
Sota Oura added 12 points for the red-hot San-En, which hiked its impressive win-loss record to 33-4.
Elsewhere, Gilas Pilipinas big man Kai Sotto posted a season-high in rebounds to help the Yokohama B-Corsairs (16-21) turn back the Sunrokers Shibuya, 68-60.
For the first time in 12 games played this season, Sotto breached twin digits in rebounding with 10 boards, to go along with 5 points and 2 blocks in also a season-high 26 minutes and 55 seconds of playing time.
Yuki Kawamura and Jarrod Uthoff paced Yokohama with 29 and 20 points, respectively, in the win.
Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (24-13) also came out on top on Wednesday following a 78-64 thrashing of the Hiroshima Dragonflies.
Parks extended his streak of scoring in double-digits for Nagoya to four games with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, on top of 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
In a showdown against top Japanese point guard and former league MVP Yuki Togashi, Gilas Pilipinas star Dwight Ramos failed to sustain his fiery form as the Levanga Hokkaido (12-25) suffered a 77-58 beating at the hands of the Chiba Jets.
Coming off a season-best 25-point explosion in Hokkaido’s 89-83 win over Sotto’s Yokohama last Sunday, February 4, Ramos was held to only 8 points on a lowly 3-of-10 clip from the field, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
Matthew Wright’s Kyoto Hannaryz (12-25) and RJ Abarrientos’ Shinshu Brave Warriors (6-31) also absorbed losses on Wednesday.
After missing Kyoto’s last three games, Wright made his return to the lineup and finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in their 87-85 overtime defeat to the Osaka Evessa.
Abarrientos, for his part, came up with only 6 points and 2 rebounds as Shinshu was no match for the Saga Ballooners, 74-58. – Rappler.com
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Senators question why Filipino diplomat included OFWs in cyber libel suit | Michelle Abad | 7/2/2024 23:06 | CONSUL GENERAL. Philippine consul general in Milan Elmer Cato speaks at a Senate committee on migrant workers hearing on February 7, 2024.
Senate of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – Senators Raffy Tulfo and Risa Hontiveros questioned why Elmer Cato, Philippine consul general in Milan, included at least three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in a cyber libel complaint he filed against a Manila newspaper.
Cato sued the Manila-based Daily Tribune after it reported that the consul general allegedly sat on complaints about immigration consultancy firm, Alpha Assistenza, which was under investigation for illegal recruitment. In its story, Tribune quoted Filipino job applicants Vanessa Antonio, Apple Cabasis, and Enrique Catilo.
Antonio, who was present in a Senate migrant workers committee hearing on massive illegal recruitment on Wednesday, February 7, wept during as she recalled how she was sued after already being victimized by an alleged illegal recruiter.
“ConGen, teka muna, biktima na nga, tapos sasampahan mo pa ng kaso… What’s wrong with you, sir? Pilipino ‘to, Pilipino ka din, ‘di ba sir (ConGen, hold on a second. They’re already victims, and then you file a case against them… What’s wrong with you, sir? This is a Filipino, aren’t you a Filipino too)?” said Tulfo, who chairs the committee.
Cato, who was also in the hearing, said that he sued the OFWs because there were false accusations hurled against him, and they were the ones being quoted. “But I’ve talked to them, and I was told that the statements that were published in the newspapers were not theirs. So they were being quoted as saying that I did not act on the complaints that they brought to my attention.”
“Wala po akong sinabing ganoon (I made no such statement),” Antonio said, while Cato spoke.
Cato said that he just wanted the truth, and he could amend the libel complaint with his lawyer.
Cabasis also said that they were complaining to Daily Tribune about Alpha Assistenza.
“Ang mga natanggap pong reklamo ng Daily Tribune tungkol kay ConGen Cato ay hindi po sa amin nanggaling. Naging messenger lang po kaming dalawa (The complaints the Daily Tribune received about ConGen Cato were not from us. We were just messengers),” said Cabasis.
Cabasis added that Daily Tribune still asked if the allegations were true, to which she responded that they still believed the complaints were true because of what they read in group chats with fellow OFWs from Milan, whom she said had the complaints against Cato.
Hontiveros also followed up on Cato’s statement on possibly amending the complaint, if it was not “improper to ask.”
“Kasi pambihira po ang hinaharap po nilang problema, naghahabol ng hustisya sa ninakaw na pera sa kanila para humarap din sa… Hindi po maliit na bagay ang isang dating OFW, humarap sa kaso, mula sa isang diplomat ng ating gobyerno,” she said.
(The problem they are facing is out of the ordinary – they are seeking justice for money stolen from them only to also have to face… It’s a very big deal for a former OFW to face a case from a diplomat of our government.)
“As a former OFW, ma’am, it was really so hard for me to include them in the complaint. But as mentioned earlier, the allegations of inaction against me and the consulate were traced to the three of them… So Ms. Apple and I spoke, and I said, just come up with a sworn statement and tell the truth,” said Cato.
Cato said his discussion with the OFW respondents, in which they said that the allegations in the Daily Tribune did not come from them, happened after the filing of the complaint. He told Rappler that had he known that the statements may have been wrongly attributed, he would not have included them as respondents.
“[Cabasis] reached out after she found out that she was among the respondents. Yes, I would not include them in the case,” he told Rappler after the hearing.
Cato’s lawyer Jocelyn Clemente said they would remove the names of the OFWs from the complaint when they have submitted their statements.
“‘All they have to do in the affidavit [is say] that statement never came from them… We will just attach that statement which is why we are withdrawing them from the case. It is not like a desistance or whatever from our part, but we would have new proof that they are not responsible,” Clemente said in a chance interview.
In the hearing, Daily Tribune stood by its reporting.
“Being a news organization, we have always adhered to the principle of fair reporting… We have never been parsimonious with the opportunity to air both sides of the story,” said Maria Bettina Fernandez, executive vice president of the Concept Information Group, the Daily Tribune‘s mother company. – Rappler.com
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PBA chief warns Abueva of repeat ban after latest blunder | delfin.dioquino editor | 7/2/2024 21:33 | BEAST. Calvin Abueva in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – PBA commissioner Willie Marcial warned Calvin Abueva of a repeat ban if the Magnolia veteran fails to change his old ways.
The league slapped Abueva with a hefty fine of P100,000 after he mocked the visual impairment of San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals on Sunday, February 4.
Gallent wears an ocular prosthesis after losing his right eye in a motorcycle accident in 1988.
Under league rules, “any person who offends the dignity of any person on account of physical disability shall be subject to a fine not lower than P100,000.”
“I reminded Calvin about his behavior. I told him that I banned him before because of his gestures and antics,” Marcial told reporters in Filipino on Wednesday, February 7, just moments before Game 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.
“I’m fine with his demeanor on the court, but regarding his discrimination, antics, gestures, and the other things he does, I told him that I might ban or suspend him.”
Abueva missed PBA action for 16 months as he got suspended from June 2019 to October 2020 following a pair of on-court incidents during his time with his former team Phoenix.
The PBA cracked the whip on Abueva after he directed obscene gestures and remarks toward a spectator and clotheslined former TNT import Terrence Jones in back-to-back games.
Abueva returned to the league in style and helped the Fuel Masters reach the semifinals of the 2020 Philippine Cup before he got traded to the Hotshots the following year.
With Magnolia, Abueva won his second Best Player of the Conference award as he powered the Hotshots to the finals of the 2021 Philippine Cup, where they fell short of the championship against the Tropang Giga.
Since his comeback, Abueva has remained one of the most colorful – and controversial – players in the league, and Marcial is worried “The Beast” may be going overboard.
After Game 2, Abueva figured in a shouting match with the wife of Mo Tautuaa, an altercation that also saw him challenge the San Miguel big man to a fistfight.
Summoned by Marcial, Abueva made amends with Gallent and apologized to Tautuaa and his wife as he vowed to turn over a new leaf.
“He said that he’ll never do it again,” said Marcial. – Rappler.com
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Still alive: NU drags Adamson to rubber match in UAAP boys’ basketball finals | Jasmine Payo | 7/2/2024 22:02 | MVP. NU Bullpups big man Collins Akowe grabs the rebound against the Adamson Baby Falcons in the Game 2 of the UAAP boys basketball finals.
UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – With their backs against the wall, the Nazareth-NU Bullpups showed why they are the winningest team in the UAAP boys’ basketball tournament in the last decade.
After trailing by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, the Bullpups rallied back and completed a thrilling 67-64 come-from-behind Game 2 escape over the Adamson Baby Falcons on Wednesday, February 7, to force a winner-take-all showdown in their best-of-three Season 86 finals series.
Nigerian big man Collins Akowe, who was named the Most Valuable Player prior to the start of the match, proved why he is deserving of the top individual award as he led the Bullpups with a monster stat line of 16 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
Before getting ejected midway through the fourth quarter due to two technical fouls, Klein Tagotongan also rose to the occasion for the Bullpups as he dropped 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 field goal clip.
With Adamson threatening to pull away with a 48-33 cushion early in the third period, Tagotongan came alive and unloaded 11 of his 16 points to help Nazareth-NU turn the 15-point deficit into a slim 54-53 lead heading into the final frame.
It was a back-and-forth battle between both teams all throughout the fourth quarter and with Nazareth-NU leading by just 3 points, 67-64, after Tom Pillado split his free throws, Adamson had a golden opportunity to send the game into overtime with still 8.7 seconds left on the clock.
Unfortunately for the Baby Falcons, Mark Esperanza’s potential game-tying triple from the right corner failed to hit the mark at the buzzer.
Nazareth-NU spoiled the high-scoring performance of Adamson’s Earl Medina, who erupted for a game-high 23 points on an ultra-efficient 9-of-11 clip from the field.
Mythical Five member Tebol Garcia backstopped Medina in the sorry loss with all-around numbers of 13 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals as the Baby Falcons fell short of a series sweep after taking Game 1 with a a 77-71 victory.
Nazareth-NU shoots for its fifth title since Season 76, while Adamson guns for its first crown in 31 years when both teams collide one last time on Sunday, February 11, still at the FilOil EcoOil Centre at 4 pm.
Nazareth-NU 67 – Akowe 16, Tagotongan 16, Alfanta 8, Yusi 8, Solomon 7, Pillado 5, Barraca 3, Cartel 2, Napacena 2, Palanca 0, Usop 0, Reroma 0.
Adamson 64 – Medina 23, Garcia 13, Esperanza 9, Reyes 7, Perez 5, Carillo 3, Bonzalida 2, Tumaneng 2, Umali 0, Abayon 0, Sajili 0, De Jesus 0.
Quarters: 14-17, 32-38, 54-53, 67-64.
-Rappler.com
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Not the first time: Calvin Abueva’s other career issues, on and off the court | jisaga0269 | 7/2/2024 18:12 | THE BEAST. Calvin Abueva and Magnolia stay alive in their bid to reach the PBA Governors' Cup finals.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia Hotshots forward Calvin Abueva has been, without a doubt, one of the most polarizing figures in PBA history.
Aptly nicknamed “The Beast” for his tremendous hustle and energy on the court, the 36-year-old veteran has, however, also had his fair share of over-the-top antics that have turned the public and even the PBA against him time and again.
Just last Sunday, February 4, Abueva once again found himself in hot water for two separate encounters in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals: mocking San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent’s partial blindness and figuring in a shouting match with Mo Tautuaa and his wife after the game.
Although the PBA spared him of any suspensions amid a crucial stretch for his reeling team, Abueva still forked over P100,000 for his on-camera slight on Gallent and was asked to make amends with Tautuaa in the league office.
Unfortunately for Abueva, this is far from the first time he has committed a grave offense in his up-and-down basketball career.
These are the other times ‘The Beast’ ran wild way too much for his own good:
In a high-emotion contact game like basketball, taunting is a part of daily hoops life – some would even say a genuine strategy – that often gets reined in by referees calling technical fouls.
Abueva, however, has gotten under the skin of people not within the bounds of the hardwood floor, and Gallent was not the first casualty of his animated barbs.
Back in May 2019, Abueva directed vulgar gestures to Maika Rivera, former girlfriend of ex-PBA star Ray Parks, which the then Phoenix standout defended as nothing but retaliation to Rivera’s heckling.
Asked about the altercation after the game, Abueva initially refused to apologize, saying that it was Rivera who started the commotion in the first place.
The incident prompted Phoenix to fine Abueva, who personally apologized to then TNT ace Parks, but only over a year later. Parks said, though, that Abueva should have directed his apology to Rivera.
As a byproduct of his tenacious defense and hustle, Abueva has been involved in multiple heated on-court tussles with players, local and foreign alike.
To Abueva’s credit, he did not start nor escalate every single fight he’s been in, but he has nonetheless been a magnet for conflict multiple times in the last few years.
In July 2018, Abueva had a literal hand in escalating the infamous Gilas Pilipinas-Australia brawl at the Philippine Arena, where he was ejected and subsequently handed a suspension from FIBA games.
In October 2018, then as part of Phoenix, Abueva gave former San Miguel import Kevin Murphy a subtle abdomen shot during a rebound battle, causing the latter to drag the San Sebastian alum by the neck from the post all the way to a nearby crowd barrier – in turn causing benches to clear in the fallout.
In June 2022, Abueva – now with Magnolia – was suspended one game and given a P10,000 fine for two consecutive instances of unsportsmanlike conduct against Ginebra, and was caught on camera shouting “Japan, Japan” – alluding to leaving the PBA for the Japanese pro league – and threatening to leave Magnolia after being ejected from the game.
Last December 23, 2023, Abueva scrapped with fellow notorious instigator Alec Stockton of Converge, giving the young guard a hip bump in the post and retaliating with a shove after Stockton responded to the initial bump by throwing the ball at Abueva’s feet.
Less than two weeks later on January 6, Abueva was at it again in a Magnolia-Meralco match in Iloilo City, rising from a ball scramble with Shonn Miller and bumping bodies with the Bolts’ import while taunting, causing both teams to jump in and separate the two.
Abueva’s most egregious on-court offense, however came in June 2019, as he brutally clotheslined former TNT import Terrence Jones in emphatic retaliation to an earlier low blow by the former NBA standout.
Even off the court, Abueva could not escape controversy as in July 2019, mere weeks after being suspended indefinitely for his obscene gestures to Maika Rivera and clothesline to Terrence Jones, Abueva’s wife Sam accused the mercurial star of domestic abuse to her and their children.
Although Abueva denied the claims and he and his wife later reconciled, the allegations were just another damaging blow to an already cracked reputation, and it would take 16 whole months before the PBA lifted its suspension on the one-time league champion and allow him to return to play.
Despite every offense, fine, and suspension that have stained what was a stellar basketball career, Abueva still could not fully escape his hotheaded tendencies, whether in an instigating or retaliatory capacity, as recent evidence showed.
So with Abueva once again under intense scrutiny from the public and the PBA, league commissioner Willie Marcial warned the Magnolia veteran that more court troubles may result in a repeat ban.
But only time – and Abueva himself – can tell if “The Beast” will ever be fully tamed. – Rappler.com
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Converge terminates Mac Tallo contract after ‘ligang labas’ stint in Cebu | delfin.dioquino editor | 7/2/2024 19:56 | DRIVE. Mac Tallo in action for the Converge FiberXers in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – It did not take long for Converge to part ways with Mac Tallo.
The FiberXers terminated the contract of the Cebuano guard after Tallo played in a series of unsanctioned games without permission from team management and the PBA, the franchise announced on Wednesday, February 7.
Last January 27, Tallo steered the Z’Nars Jewelers-Marawi City to the Sinulog Cup championship in Cebu City and claimed Finals MVP honors.
“Following a through investigation, it was confirmed that Mac Tallo had committed several infractions of his Uniform Players’ Contract,” Converge said in a statement.
“This includes playing in unsanctioned games without seeking clearance from Converge management and the Philippine Basketball Association.”
After a successful stint with Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 that saw him become the top 3×3 player in the country, Tallo signed with Converge in October.
Tallo played just five games for the FiberXers in the Commissioner’s Cup, averaging 7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2 assists as Converge finished last with a 1-10 record.
He got slapped a P100,000 fine by the PBA for his “ligang labas” appearance, although league commissioner Willie Marcial said Tallo only needs to pay once he gets acquired by another team. – Rappler.com
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Still alive: NU drags Adamson to rubber match in UAAP boys’ basketball finals | Jasmine Payo | 7/2/2024 22:02 | MVP. NU Bullpups big man Collins Akowe grabs the rebound against the Adamson Baby Falcons in the Game 2 of the UAAP boys basketball finals.
UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – With their backs against the wall, the Nazareth-NU Bullpups showed why they are the winningest team in the UAAP boys’ basketball tournament in the last decade.
After trailing by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, the Bullpups rallied back and completed a thrilling 67-64 come-from-behind Game 2 escape over the Adamson Baby Falcons on Wednesday, February 7, to force a winner-take-all showdown in their best-of-three Season 86 finals series.
Nigerian big man Collins Akowe, who was named the Most Valuable Player prior to the start of the match, proved why he is deserving of the top individual award as he led the Bullpups with a monster stat line of 16 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
Before getting ejected midway through the fourth quarter due to two technical fouls, Klein Tagotongan also rose to the occasion for the Bullpups as he dropped 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 field goal clip.
With Adamson threatening to pull away with a 48-33 cushion early in the third period, Tagotongan came alive and unloaded 11 of his 16 points to help Nazareth-NU turn the 15-point deficit into a slim 54-53 lead heading into the final frame.
It was a back-and-forth battle between both teams all throughout the fourth quarter and with Nazareth-NU leading by just 3 points, 67-64, after Tom Pillado split his free throws, Adamson had a golden opportunity to send the game into overtime with still 8.7 seconds left on the clock.
Unfortunately for the Baby Falcons, Mark Esperanza’s potential game-tying triple from the right corner failed to hit the mark at the buzzer.
Nazareth-NU spoiled the high-scoring performance of Adamson’s Earl Medina, who erupted for a game-high 23 points on an ultra-efficient 9-of-11 clip from the field.
Mythical Five member Tebol Garcia backstopped Medina in the sorry loss with all-around numbers of 13 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals as the Baby Falcons fell short of a series sweep after taking Game 1 with a a 77-71 victory.
Nazareth-NU shoots for its fifth title since Season 76, while Adamson guns for its first crown in 31 years when both teams collide one last time on Sunday, February 11, still at the FilOil EcoOil Centre at 4 pm.
Nazareth-NU 67 – Akowe 16, Tagotongan 16, Alfanta 8, Yusi 8, Solomon 7, Pillado 5, Barraca 3, Cartel 2, Napacena 2, Palanca 0, Usop 0, Reroma 0.
Adamson 64 – Medina 23, Garcia 13, Esperanza 9, Reyes 7, Perez 5, Carillo 3, Bonzalida 2, Tumaneng 2, Umali 0, Abayon 0, Sajili 0, De Jesus 0.
Quarters: 14-17, 32-38, 54-53, 67-64.
-Rappler.com
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Philippines to boost military presence in islands facing Taiwan | Chito de la Vega | 7/2/2024 17:06 | NORTHERN MOST OUTPOST. Philippine Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro, AFP Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr., and Navy Chief Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr. lead officials in a visit to the military’s outposts in Batanes Island.
Naval Forces Northern Luzon
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine defense chief has ordered the military to boost the number of troops stationed at the northernmost islands near Taiwan to fortify Manila’s territorial defense capabilities.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro also called for the development of more structures on the remote Batanes islands, less than 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan, during his visit to naval facilities there on Tuesday, February 6, the Philippine navy said.
“Starting 2024, the operational tempo for the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) will be higher,” Teodoro said, according to a Philippine navy statement issued late Tuesday.
The Bashi Channel between those islands and Taiwan is considered a choke point for vessels moving between the western Pacific and the contested South China Sea. The Chinese military regularly sends ships and aircraft through the channel, Taiwan’s defense ministry has said.
In November, the militaries of the Philippines and the United States launched joint patrols off the waters of the Philippines’ northernmost point.
Batanes is the “spearhead of the Philippines as far as the northern baseline is concerned,” said Teodoro, who was accompanied by the AFP and Navy chiefs during his visit.
Teodoro’s visit “signifies a pivotal moment in our nation’s commitment to territorial defence and national security,” the Philippine navy said.
Reuters reported in August that the US military was in talks to develop a civilian port in Batanes, a move that would boost American access to strategically located islands facing Taiwan.
The Philippines in 2023 almost doubled the number of its military bases that US forces can access, including three facing Taiwan. China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has said those moves were “stoking the fire” of regional tensions.
Batanes served as one of the training sites during last year’s joint military exercises, known as Balikatan, which involved more than 17,000 Filipino and American troops, making it the biggest ever edition of the annual military drills. – Rappler.com
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Brownlee recalls ‘stressful’ time after suspension put career on hold | delfin.dioquino editor | 9/2/2024 23:58 | STAR. Justin Brownlee appears as a spectator in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The months-long ordeal is over for Justin Brownlee.
But that challenging period proved to be a test of character for Brownlee as he worried about his future after failing a doping test following Gilas Pilipinas’ historic title romp in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last October.
“Mentally, it was very tough just not knowing whatever the outcome may be of the situation that was going on. Very stressful for sure,” Brownlee told reporters on Friday, February 9, as he gears up for his national team return.
“A lot of days and nights, thinking about it, feeling sorry for myself.”
Brownlee tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a prohibited substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency that is linked to cannabis use.
Local sports officials said it is possible that Brownlee may have taken medication that contained the banned substance as he recovered from surgery to remove bone spurs in his foot.
Although Brownlee and the Nationals got to keep their gold medal, his positive test prevented him from suiting up for his mother team Barangay Ginebra in the PBA.
The 2023-2024 Commissioner’s Cup marked the first time the Gin Kings played without Brownlee in an import conference since he started his career with Ginebra in the 2016 Governors’ Cup.
Brownlee saw action in 10 straight import conferences and powered the Gin Kings to six championships.
Tapping former Meralco import Tony Bishop to fill in for Brownlee, Ginebra still reached the semifinals, but it succumbed at the hands of mighty San Miguel as it got swept in a best-of-five series for the first time since 2013.
“It was very difficult. At the beginning, I felt like I let my team down. Definitely, at the beginning, it was tough. But I give a lot of credit to Tony Bishop, he came in and he played his hardest,” said Brownlee.
Knowing he will miss time away from the PBA, Brownlee opted to serve a provisional suspension that started on November 9.
That decision worked wonders for the three-time PBA Best Import as FIBA retroactively counted the time he sat out for his proposed three-month period of ineligibility.
His suspension finally ended on Friday, just in time for Brownlee to join the national team for the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later this February.
“At the end of the day… if you get knocked down or you get set back, you just got to try to stay positive and move forward,” said Brownlee.
Now that he is back, Brownlee is itching to suit up again, both for Gilas Pilipinas and the Gin Kings.
“Right now, I feel good. I feel rested. I feel healthy,” he said. – Rappler.com
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Philippines says joint exercises held with US in South China Sea | Chito de la Vega | 9/2/2024 19:53 | File Photo. SOUTH CHINA SEA. Sailors aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) conduct flight deck operations with a MH-60R Helicopter assigned to the 'WARLORDS' of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM-51) in the South China Sea, January 26, 2024.
Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and the United States conducted joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea on Friday, February 9, the Philippine military said, the latest round of drills underlining ongoing expansion of their defense ties.
Security engagements between the treaty allies have soared in the past year, at a time of tension in the South China Sea, where the Philippines and China have traded blame over a spate of run-ins over territory.
It was the third time the Philippines and former colonial ruler the United States have held joint exercises in the South China Sea since November last year, moves that have frustrated Beijing, which objects to what it sees as US interference in its backyard.
“It demonstrates our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and foster close cooperation towards further enhancing our maritime capabilities,” Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Romeo Brawner said in a statement.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of commercial shipping annually, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
It has policed those claims with a vast coast guard fleet that the Philippines has accused of hostile intentions and actions that are against international law. China says it is protecting its territory. – Rappler.com
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ICC case exposes Duterte’s desperation, Marcos’ indecisiveness | Jairo Bolledo | 9/2/2024 21:23 | Nico Villarete/ Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The tense wait for the next move of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has exposed the desperate tactics of former president Rodrigo Duterte, the alleged subject of investigation, and the indecisiveness of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who cannot keep a definite tone on what his government’s policy is.
Marcos’ justice secretary, Jesus Crispin Remulla, said on Friday, February 9, that the “ICC holds no jurisdiction over the Philippines” – yet another toned down iteration of the government’s stance in the face of speculations coming from Duterte’s camp that a warrant of arrest against the former president is in the horizon. The strongest position that Marcos has taken was late 2023 when he said he was open to studying the return of the Philippines as a member of the ICC.
The drama between Marcos and Duterte reached a fever pitch end of January when both held simultaneous rallies where the former president accused his successor of being a drug addict. Marcos, who is usually not one to engage in nasty word wars, clapped back and said Duterte’s tirades may be the result of fentanyl use.
That’s when Duterte, through his former spokesperson Harry Roque, said that an arrest warrant is looming. This cannot be confirmed because “warrants of arrest may be issued confidentially (under seal) or publicly, depending on the circumstances,” according to the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor, referring to general cases.
Duterte said he will resist arrest and will not hesitate to resort to violence. “Kapag puntahan nila ako, arestuhin nila ako dito, magkabarilan talaga ‘yan at uubusin ko ang mga putanginang ‘yan (If they come for me, if they arrest me here, there will be a shootout, I will finish all those sons of bitches),” said Duterte in an interview with his former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo over radio DZRJ on Thursday, February 8.
Duterte said in the same interview that he believes Marcos has nothing to do with the ICC moves, even as key witness and self-confessed Duterte hitman Arturo Lascañas resurfaced right after the Uniteam breakup in those rallies.
International law advocates insist that even if the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, it is still bound to cooperate with the court, which for them is enough framework for national authorities to enforce a potential warrant.
“That is the obligation under the Rome Statute, if you are a member and you withdraw, you still have an obligation to cooperate for those crimes that were committed while you were a member,” said retired Supreme Court senior justice Antonio Carpio.
Enforcement is a big problem in international law proceedings because the ICC has no police powers, and relies only on national authorities to enforce its orders. The Philippine National Police (PNP) under Marcos says it will not enforce any ICC arrest warrant.
“President Marcos is closely being watched. What will be his next decisive actions? He should not be perceived as weak by different stakeholders,” said political analyst Maria Ela Atienza.
But the absence of such decisive actions from Marcos, so far, opens the possibility of a local court showdown. That would give Marcos a reason to leave to the judiciary the question of how to deal with a warrant, just like how he left to the legislative branch last year the issuance of resolutions urging the government to cooperate with the ICC.
But “procedurally, a regional trial court cannot issue a local warrant of arrest in place of a warrant issued by the ICC,” said Ross Tugade, a lecturer of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law.
If anything, Duterte or the subject of the ICC warrant can challenge it before a local court, and “the domestic court will look into the propriety of the ICC warrant and determine if the rights of the respondent were respected,” said Menardo Guevarra, Marcos’ solicitor general and Duterte’s former justice secretary.
Duterte’s “brand of leadership and rhetoric” is evident in his drug-tagging of Marcos and his mouthpieces being behind speculations about what the ICC’s next move will be, said Atienza.
“He is apparently still influential, especially in Mindanao, and can use these attacks to try weakening the popularity and influence of the President and his administration. But he forgets that he is no longer immune to legal cases and that the ICC is actively investigating the war on drugs,” said Atienza.
For their consideration is also the fact that the ICC investigation is gaining traction among voters, as Filipinos have shown increasing trust and approval of the probe, according to a December 2023 SWS survey.
The victims of Duterte’s drug war, while supportive of an ICC investigation, have been made a little more anxious by these speculations, “worried that the more public the investigation is, the more dangerous it could be for the people in it,” said Kristina Conti, an ICC-accredited assistant counsel and lawyer for a group of victims.
“This drug-tagging affair between Marcos and Duterte is deeply insulting to communities. To the victims of the war on drugs, it yet again exposes the sham and shows the policy as it really was: a massacre of the poor. Kapag maliit kang tao, nakakamatay ‘yan, totoo man o hindi (If you’re an ordinary person, those accusations are deadly whether they are true or not),” said Conti.
The call of the human rights community remains the same: for Marcos to cooperate with the ICC and revamp the drug war policy that has still resulted in killings under his administration. More than 300 people were killed under the mantle of the campaign against drugs in 2023, according to the record-keeping of the Dahas project of the UP Third World Studies Center.
“If [Marcos] does not do any of these things, it will only mean that he’s using this issue as a political weapon against Duterte. Woe, then, to the thousands of victims of the ‘drug war’ that are still struggling to find justice and closure,” said Carlos Conde, Philippine researcher of Human Rights Watch. – Rappler.com
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More likely, President Marcos Jr. is “using this issue as a political weapon against Duterte.” It is hard to expect President Marcos Jr. to give greater priority to the victims of Duterte’s drug war. Woe, indeed, to those victims.
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Rescuers seek survivors as Davao de Oro landslide death toll climbs | Chito de la Vega | 9/2/2024 22:05 | MOURNING. Davao de Oro provincial authorities attend to relatives of victims of the landslide in Barangay Mainit and Elizalde, Maco. The landslide happened in Zone 1, Barangay Masara on February 6, 2024.
Chendy Gonzales & PSWDO
MANILA, Philippines – Rescue workers recovered more bodies on Friday, February 9, raising the death toll from a landslide that struck a southern Philippine province to 27, but hopes of finding more survivors remain after a child was saved earlier in the day.
The landslide happened on Tuesday night outside a gold mining site in the town of Maco in the province of Davao de Oro, burying homes, including three buses and a jeep that were supposed to ferry employees of the mining company.
Provincial authorities said the child who survived was in stable condition.
Maco’s disaster agency revised the number of missing to 89 from 110, but it did not give an explanation, with the number of injured at 32.
Disaster officials previously reported that two buses, carrying 27 passengers were buried, but mining operator Apex Mining APX.PS said in a statement on Friday that four vehicles were found buried in the landslide.
A communications officer at Apex said the company has no information yet on how many passengers the vehicles were carrying when the landslide occurred. Apex earlier said the buses have a 60-seating capacity, while the jeep can sit 36 passengers.
Torrential rains have battered Davao de Oro in recent weeks, triggering floods and landslides.
– Rappler.com
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No-surrender Magnolia ties up PBA finals with another defensive gem | delfin.dioquino editor | 9/2/2024 22:25 | SLAM. Tyler Bey in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Many expected the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals to be over by now.
Instead, Magnolia knotted the best-of-seven affair at 2-2 after another defensive masterclass against San Miguel that resulted in an emphatic 96-85 win at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday, February 9.
Tyler Bey turned in his best game of the finals as the Hotshots limited the Beermen to under 90 points for the second straight game and contained Bennie Boatwright to his lowest scoring output of the conference.
On a rare occasion Boatwright got outgunned offensively, Bey finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3 assists to help Magnolia draw level – a scenario that seemed improbable after how the first two games played out.
There were talks of a potential sweep, with San Miguel winning the first two games by 32 points combined as they averaged 106 points.
But the Hotshots managed to flip the script on the back of their acclaimed defense, limiting the Beermen to 82.5 points in the last two games.
“That is one of our factors, our resiliency,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero. “Right now, we just need to dig deep, we just need to grind. This is not over. We like our chances.”
Mark Barroca delivered anew for the Hotshots with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks, while Paul Lee also netted 14 points, including that dagger three-pointer with two minutes left that practically sealed the deal.
With the shot clock winding down, Lee fired a triple over two defenders from way beyond the arc to give Magnolia a 94-83 lead.
Ian Sangalang submitted his highest scoring game of the finals with 13 points on top of 2 blocks, while Jio Jalalon added 10 points and 5 rebounds for the Hotshots.
Boatwright put up a conference-low 16 points and coughed up 6 turnovers, although he still recorded 14 rebounds in the losing effort.
June Mar Fajardo paced San Miguel with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 steals in just 25 minutes of action as he dealt with calf issues.
Magnolia 96 – Bey 26, Barroca 14, Lee 14, Sangalang 13, Jalalon 10, Abueva 9, Dionisio 6, Dela Rosa 2, Laput 2, Escoto 0, Tratter 0
San Miguel 85 – Fajardo 18, Perez 17, Boatwright 16, Trollano 12, Cruz 11, Lassiter 9, Teng 2, Tautuaa 0, Ross 0
Quarters: 27-19, 49-45, 72-73, 96-85.
– Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: No Marcos declaration of revolutionary government | Lorenz Pasion | 9/2/2024 20:15 | Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a revolutionary government.
Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim was posted by a YouTube channel with over 841,000 subscribers. As of writing, the video has garnered 239,970 views, 6,900 likes, and 1,179 comments.
The thumbnail of the video bears the text: “Hala! Rev-Gov na. Kongreso wawalisin na! Confirmed! Good News! Nagdeklara na!”
(Congress will be dissolved for a revolutionary government! Confirmed! Good news! It has been declared!)
The facts: Marcos did not declare a revolutionary government. There is no official announcement from Marcos’ verified Facebook page nor the Office of the President about such a declaration.
The video did not provide evidence to back up its claim. Instead, it merely shows a clip from a January 10 SMNI interview with former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo. According to Panelo, former president Rodrigo Duterte is urging Marcos to declare a revolutionary government and assume both executive and legislative authority.
The misleading claim circulated amid the recent push for charter change in Congress.
Revolutionary government: Article II Section I of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states: “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.”
A revolutionary government, if declared, would dismantle the branches of government and abandon the Constitution to build a new system as determined by the revolution’s leader.
During his presidency, Duterte had toyed with the idea of a revolutionary government, citing destabilization threats as a possible basis for declaring one. (LOOK BACK: Campaigns to set up a revolutionary gov’t in the Philippines)
In 2021, Rappler debunked a false claim of Duterte declaring a revolutionary government.
Previous declarations: The Philippines previously had a revolutionary government established by Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898 during the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonial rule, and in 1986 when former president Corazon Aquino established a provisional revolutionary government following the ouster of dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Aquino’s revolutionary government sought to reinstate democracy. It facilitated the transition to a new democratic government and the ratification of the 1987 Constitution. – Marie Flor Cabarrubias/Rappler.com
Marie Flor Cabarrubias is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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Breakthrough win: Perez edges Standhardinger for 1st PBA Best Player plum | delfin.dioquino editor | 9/2/2024 19:41 | TOUGH SHOT. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Bridesmaid no more.
CJ Perez captured his maiden Best Player of the Conference award on Friday, February 9, behind a steady campaign in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup that saw him key San Miguel to another finals appearance.
After falling short of the award multiple times in previous conferences, the fierce guard broke through as he edged two-time winner Christian Standhardinger of Barangay Ginebra.
Perez averaged 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 assists in 15 games through the semifinals, serving as a stabilizing presence for a Beermen side that dealt with injuries to key personnel and an import switch.
The Gilas Pilipinas mainstay delivered for San Miguel when seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo missed the second half of the elimination round due to a hand injury then figured prominently in their semifinal sweep of the Gin Kings.
He averaged 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals as the Beermen blanked Ginebra in their best-of-five semifinals to reach the finals on a nine-game winning streak.
A consistent force, Perez scored in double figures in all but one of their 15 games through the semifinals, at least 15 points in 10 games, and at least 20 points in five games.
Standhardinger made a strong case for what would have been his third BPC plum as he topped all locals in the statistical battle with averages of 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5 assists in 15 games through the semifinals.
A third BPC award would have tied Standhardinger with retired icons Alvin Patrimonio, Vergel Meneses, Eric Menk, and Mark Caguioa. Only June Mar Fajardo (9), Jayson Castro (5), and Danny Ildefonso (5) have more BPC wins.
The Filipino-German big man, though, got contained offensively in the semifinals – putting up 13.3 points with 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists – as the Gin Kings got swept in a best-of-five series for the first time since 2013.
Nevertheless, Standhardinger showed the way for a Ginebra side reeling from the sudden absence of resident import Justin Brownlee, posting eight double-doubles.
Meanwhile, Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort finished third in the BPC race followed by Calvin Oftana of TNT and two-time winner Scottie Thompson of Ginebra. – Rappler.com
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Close call: Johnathan Williams tops Tyler Bey in tight Best Import race | delfin.dioquino editor | 9/2/2024 19:40 | BATTLE. Tyler Bey of the Magnolia Hotshots (left) and Johnathan Williams of the Phoenix Fuel Masters in action in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Phoenix ticked another milestone off the list following a conference to remember.
Johnathan Williams earned the Best Import honors in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Friday, February 9, after powering the Fuel Masters to their first semifinal appearance in an import conference.
Williams became the first Phoenix import to win the award as he bested Magnolia counterpart Tyler Bey following a nip-and-tuck race that could have gone either way.
An all-around workhorse, Williams averaged 24.5 points, 16.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 17 games through the semifinals, helping the Fuel Masters survive a pair of do-or-die games in the playoffs before they bowed out.
Dragged to a sudden death quarterfinal by No. 5 seed Meralco, fourth seed Phoenix punched its semifinal ticket as the former NBA player posted 21 points and 16 rebounds in the knockout match.
The Fuel Masters once again faced elimination when the Hotshots nailed a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five semifinals, but Williams delivered anew with 19 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks in Game 3 to keep his side alive.
Although Phoenix eventually got the boot the following game, its campaign marked a stark improvement for the franchise after being 0-9 in do-or-die games prior to the conference.
Bey missed out on the award even after steering Magnolia to the top spot at the end of the elimination round on the way to the finals as he averaged 26.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 16 games.
Also a former NBA player like Williams, Bey fell short of becoming the first player from the Purefoods franchise to win Best Import since Marqus Blakely achieved the feat for the San Mig Coffee Mixers in the 2013 Governors’ Cup.
With Bey in tow, the Hotshots won 13 of their 16 games through the semifinals.
Meanwhile, San Miguel reinforcement Bennie Boatwright could have easily won as he posted monster numbers and turned the Beermen into a wrecking machine, but his late entry doomed his chances for the award.
Boatwright topped the statistical battle among imports with averages of 35.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block, helping San Miguel win all of its games en route to the championship round since he replaced Ivan Aska.
However, Boatwright played just seven matches through the semifinals – less than half of the games Williams and Bey saw action in. – Rappler.com
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Retail billionaire Nedy Tantoco of Rustan’s dies at 77 | gdecastro0289 | 9/2/2024 16:43 | MATRIARCH. Rustan's Zenaida Tantoco, the matriarch of the Tantoco family, has died.
Store Specialists Group Inc.'s website
MANILA, Philippines – The matriarch of the Tantoco family, Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco, died on Thursday, February 8, at the age of 77, Rappler learned from a close family friend.
Tantoco was the chairman and CEO of the Rustan Commercial Corporation (Rustan’s) and Rustan Marketing Corporation, as well as Stores Specialists Incorporated (SSI), the Philippines’ leading specialty retailer that markets at least 80 high-end brands such as Lacoste, Marks & Spencer, Salvatore Ferragamo, Anne Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Armani Exchange, Hugo Boss, and Zara.
A post shared by Nikki H. Huang (@nikkihhuang)
Nedy, who would have been 78 on July 20 this year, was the eldest daughter of the late Ambassador Bienvenido “Benny” Tantoco Sr., founder of the Rustan Group of Companies, who passed away on July 6, 2021, at the age of 100.
“It is with profound sadness that SSI Group, Inc. announces the passing of Zenaida “Nedy” R. Tantoco. The retailer, philanthropist, patroness of the arts, loving mother, and grandmother passed away on February 8, 2024,” the publicly listed SSI said in a disclosure.
“The Rustan Commercial Corporation, SSI Group, Inc., and Rustan Marketing Corporation Chairwoman leaves an enduring legacy of excellence in the luxury retail sphere founded by her parents, Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr. and Gliceria Rustia-Tantoco in 1952,” the company added.
Rustan’s said Nedy and her siblings “uncompromisingly upheld the sacred values taught by their parents in running a family enterprise.”
“Although known in the industry for her astute professionalism, Nedy will always be better remembered as a nurturing force in fostering family empowerment and unity. These, she believed, were key for their family’s future generations to thrive,” Rustan’s said.
Her parents started a gift shop in their home in Manila in 1952, the beginning of Rustan’s department store. There are five major Rustan’s Department Stores in the Philippines, of which Rustan’s Makati, which opened in 1971, is the most memorable. This flagship store’s original facade, with blue, black, and yellow panes, was described to be like a “jewelry box” that glimmered under the sun.
Other major department stores are: Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City; Rustan’s Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City; Rustan’s Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City; and Rustan’s Cebu in Cebu City.
Nedy headed Rustan’s starting in 2008, and applied the lessons she learned from her parents in growing the retail business.
“I have worked in Rustan’s all my life, from my high school and college days when I assisted my mother in the store and accompanied her on buying trips abroad. I experienced working from the bottom up, from display and merchandising, to buying and marketing. Understanding the business from top to bottom, I believe, makes a person a good leader,” she once told lifestyle magazine People Asia.
As chair and CEO of SSI, Tantoco oversaw a retail network of 524 stores in around 80 major malls in the Philippines.
SSI had 85 brands in a wide range of categories such as:
Most of SSI’s luxury brand stores are found in upscale malls in central business districts such as in Ayala Commercial Center.
SSI also developed its own store brands including “Beauty Bar” in personal care, and “MakeRoom & More” in home solutions.
Rustan’s and SSI now compete with international retailers such as Uniqlo, H&M, Ben Chan’s Suyen Corporation, and the Gokongweis’ Robinsons Specialty Stores Incorporated.
As of third quarter of 2023, SSI had a net income of P1.5 billion, up from P918 million in the same period the year prior.
Other major companies of the Tantocos are:
Nedy’s parents, Bienvenido and Gliceria “Glecy” Rustia-Tantoco, were alleged “cronies” and friends of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and First Lady Imelda R. Marcos.
In the book, Some Are Smarter Than Others: The History of Marcos’ Crony Capitalism, by Ricardo Manapat, the Tantocos were alleged to be “Imelda’s fronts and associates” in Rustan’s. The store’s name is taken from the first three letters of the couple’s surnames, Rustia and Tantoco.
“The Tantocos have been Imelda’s partners as early as the 1960s during Marcos’ first presidential term. They have been among the closest and most loyal of the cronies,” Manapat wrote. “As a reward for their loyalty and service, they were named to choice positions and were showered with different forms of government assistance and Imelda’s generous patronage.”
Bienvenido, for instance, was named ambassador to the Vatican from 1983 to 1986. Manapat said Imelda bought many goods from the Rustan chain of stores.
“The Rustan’s Flower Shop, for example, was among the top suppliers for the First Couple, representing a bill of P5.8 million for purchases in a single year,” he wrote.
“Most of these expenses were incurred without following the normal government procedures governing purchases. The purchases of flowers, for example, were carried out either through ordinary phone calls or simple order slips,” Manapat alleged.
After the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the Tantocos were among the cronies who were slapped with criminal cases.
The Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG) filed Civil Case No. 0008 against the Marcoses and the Tantocos, which alleged that the Tourist Duty Free Shops (TFDS) run by Mrs. Tantoco were used by the Marcoses to amass wealth.
According to the first PCGG chief, the late former Senator Jovito Salonga, among the “smoking gun” documents found in Malacañang were letters and reports of Mrs. Tantoco which “confirmed” that the “flourishing” TFDS was actually owned by Imelda, “either solely or in partnership with the Tantoco family.”
In his book, Presidential Plunder: The Quest for the Marcos Ill-Gotten Wealth, Salonga said Marcos gave special favors to TFDS, such as duty and tax-free importations, and stores spaces in airports and hotels. Out of a 7% franchise tax collected from the TFDS, government got only 2% of net sales, while three private foundations of Mrs. Marcos got 5%, he said.
In his meetings with the Tantocos, Salonga also said that Mrs. Tantoco, whom he described as “one of the blue ladies of Imelda,” agreed to acknowledge that the Makiki Heights property occupied by the Marcoses in Honolulu after the EDSA revolution was “ill-gotten.”
“It was she who organized the shell company, a Panamanian corporation, which held title to that property,” Salonga said, adding that Mrs. Tantoco also told him it was no longer hers.
No compromise was reached between the PCGG and the Tantocos, however.
In 2019 or after more than 30 years of litigation, the Sandiganbayan acquitted the Marcoses, the Tantocos, and other defendants in Civil Case No. 0008 due to insufficient evidence.
The PCGG had presented letters of the Tantocos to Marcos asking for favors. Some of the letters were excluded from the evidence as they were just photocopies.
“Plaintiff Republic failed to prove by preponderance of evidence that the defendants by themselves, or in conspiracy with defendants Marcoses, obtained ill-gotten wealth,” the Sandiganbayan 2nd Division unanimously ruled in a decision promulgated on September 25, 2019.
The decision was penned by then-Associate Justices Michael Frederick Musngi, Oscar Herrera, and Lorifel Lacap Pahimna.
Nedy is survived by her partner Patrick Jacinto, and her three children: Anton with wife Nina and daughters Nikki and Isabelle; Michael with wife Kathy and children Kenzie and Kameron; and Catherine with husband David Endriga; her siblings: Rico and wife Nena Tantoco; Menchu and husband Jun Lopez; Marilou and husband Eddie; Marlien Tantoco; and, Maritess and husband Renato Enriquez.
A private wake is scheduled from February 10 to 12 in her home in Forbes Park, followed by a public wake at Heritage Park in Taguig City from February 13 to 15. Her funeral is on February 15 at Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Makati City. – Rappler.com
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General Santos animal welfare group harnesses social media for support | Herbie G | 9/2/2024 16:41 | ANIMAL WELFARE. Established in April 2018, the first one in the city, A Heart for Paws GenSan is dedicated to rescuing stray cats and dogs. courtesy of A Heart for Paws GenSan
courtesy of A Heart for Paws GenSan
GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Founded in 2018 as the first non-governmental organization dedicated to animal welfare in General Santos City, A Heart for Paws GenSan is struggling to continue its work to take care of stray animals.
The group lists 162 rescued cats and dogs under its wing, utilizing shelter and foster care. Currently, 98 animals are being cared for in its shelter in Calatao in the village of Tambler, while the remaining are now living in the homes of those who adopted them.
The influx of rescued stray animals, however, has led to the group’s financial difficulties. To keep all their furry friends fed and healthy, they’re turning to social media for help with food and veterinary expenses.
Dr. Josefina Mariano, chair of the A Heart for Paws GenSan, said sourcing of funds is really the part where they struggle the most.
“We really try our best na mapakain sila, maalagaan, mapunta sa veterinarian using public donations. Nagpo-post kami sa Facebook na wala na silang makain ngayon o ipapagamot namin ang rescued pets kasi doon kami hirap na hirap eh,” Mariano said.
(We really try our best to feed, care for, and treat them to a veterinarian using public donations. Through Facebook, we share their stories and urgent needs, like empty food bowls or veterinary treatments, because that’s where we’re really struggling)
While donations help, they still face a shortage of food and veterinary care resources.
“May mga time na 50 kilos na bigas halos tatlong araw lang yan eh. Wala pang ulam wala pang dog food, wala pang vet bill. So ang ginagawa namin kapag walang-wala o hindi kasya yung binibigay from donations, naglalabas kami ng sariling pera namin,” she said.
(There are times when 50 kilograms of rice lasts only about three days. There’s no viand, no dog food, no vet bill yet. When donations fall short, we use our own money.)
The NGO is also taking care of a Belgian Malinois dog dubbed General Santos City’s “hero dog.” Then a four-month-old puppy, Princess, alerted its owners to a fire, credited for saving a sleeping five-year-old child on April 20, 2023, through persistent barking.
Princess suffered third-degree burns during the rescue, prompting her owner to entrust her care to A Heart for Paws GenSan for her recovery.
“Kami ‘yong nag-alaga sa asong ‘yon kasi nalapnos yung balat niya. Walang pera yung may-ari so inilapit sa amin. Nag-post kami sa Facebook tapos naka-raise kami ng pera para sa kanyang recovery and skin grafting,” Mariano said.
(We took care of that dog because its skin was burnt. Unable to afford her care, her owner turned to us. Through Facebook, we rallied the community to support Princess’s recovery and skin graft surgery.)
Elaine Jane Laquiste, 30, who has been a volunteer rescuer of the organization since September 2018, said they also face threats from irresponsible pet owners during animal rescues.
“Ang finances, lisod jud kay minsan makapagawas na jud og own money. Naay mga time na life and death situation. Naay time na gina-threat nami sa mga pet owners nga gina-ask kung taga asa mi ug wala daw mi labot unsaon nila ila iro,” Lasquite said.
(The financial strain weighs heavily and sometimes we have to shell out our own money. There are times when it’s a matter of life and death; pet owners threaten us, asking where we’re from and questioning our right to intervene in their animals’ care.)
Despite the difficulties, a deep sense of fulfillment washes over them whenever they successfully rescue and care for a stray animal.
“Isa ang fulfillment na once maka-rescue mi og stray dogs and cats. As in real time ang situation, iba ang feeling na matabangan nimo siya,” she added.
(It’s fulfilling when we rescue stray dogs and cats. The feeling is different when you’re able to help them.)
Despite its financial struggles, A Heart for Paws GenSan is currently building another rescue shelter, adding to its existing facility in Calatao with payables amounting to P301,486. – Rappler.com
Brian Jay Baybayan is a campus journalist from the Mindanao State University-General Santos City. Editor-in-chief of The Papyrus, he is also an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow of Rappler for 2023-2024.
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Manila court orders cancellation of Arnie Teves’ passport | Jairo Bolledo | 9/2/2024 17:27 | MAN OF THE HOUR. Then-congressman Arnie Teves presides over a plenary session as House deputy speaker in March 2021.
House Press and Public Affairs Bureau
MANILA, Philippines – A Manila court ordered the immediate cancellation of the passport of expelled congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed on Friday, February 9.
The DOJ said it received an order from Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51, issued Thursday, February 8, canceling Teves’ passport. The former lawmaker, considered a fugitive, is believed to be out of the country.
Teves, who was Negros Oriental 3rd District representative, is the alleged mastermind behind the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo in March 2023.
There are two standing warrants against Teves: one for murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder charges in relation to the death of Degamo and others who were killed in the attack on the governor, and another one over his alleged involvement in the killings that took place in his home province in 2019.
Quoting the order, the DOJ said the Manila court justified the cancellation of Teves’ passport by citing the severity of charges against him, including his designation as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).
The DOJ added that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was already directed to cancel Teves’ passport, while the National Bureau of Investigation was ordered to facilitate Teves’ return to the Philippines.
“This is a clear message that our society demands accountability, and we shall leave no stone unturned to bring alleged perpetrators to book. Our resolve to create a just and fair Philippine society for all is stronger than ever,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said in a statement.
Months after Degamo’s slay, on August 26, 2023, the DOJ announced that charges had already been filed against the former lawmaker.
After Teves was implicated in the assassination, he failed to physically show up during session days at the House of Representatives.
As early as May 2023, the DFA said Teves sought asylum in Timor Leste, but was denied. The ATC ordered Teves’ designation as a terrorist even before the warrants were issued against him.
In a historic first, the legislative’s lower chamber voted to expel Teves as Negros Oriental lawmaker last August. – Rappler.com
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Retail billionaire Nedy Tantoco of Rustan’s dies at 77 | gdecastro0289 | 9/2/2024 16:43 | MATRIARCH. Rustan's Zenaida Tantoco, the matriarch of the Tantoco family, has died.
Store Specialists Group Inc.'s website
MANILA, Philippines – The matriarch of the Tantoco family, Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco, died on Thursday, February 8, at the age of 77, Rappler learned from a close family friend.
Tantoco was the chairman and CEO of the Rustan Commercial Corporation (Rustan’s) and Rustan Marketing Corporation, as well as Stores Specialists Incorporated (SSI), the Philippines’ leading specialty retailer that markets at least 80 high-end brands such as Lacoste, Marks & Spencer, Salvatore Ferragamo, Anne Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Armani Exchange, Hugo Boss, and Zara.
A post shared by Nikki H. Huang (@nikkihhuang)
Nedy, who would have been 78 on July 20 this year, was the eldest daughter of the late Ambassador Bienvenido “Benny” Tantoco Sr., founder of the Rustan Group of Companies, who passed away on July 6, 2021, at the age of 100.
“It is with profound sadness that SSI Group, Inc. announces the passing of Zenaida “Nedy” R. Tantoco. The retailer, philanthropist, patroness of the arts, loving mother, and grandmother passed away on February 8, 2024,” the publicly listed SSI said in a disclosure.
“The Rustan Commercial Corporation, SSI Group, Inc., and Rustan Marketing Corporation Chairwoman leaves an enduring legacy of excellence in the luxury retail sphere founded by her parents, Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr. and Gliceria Rustia-Tantoco in 1952,” the company added.
Rustan’s said Nedy and her siblings “uncompromisingly upheld the sacred values taught by their parents in running a family enterprise.”
“Although known in the industry for her astute professionalism, Nedy will always be better remembered as a nurturing force in fostering family empowerment and unity. These, she believed, were key for their family’s future generations to thrive,” Rustan’s said.
Her parents started a gift shop in their home in Manila in 1952, the beginning of Rustan’s department store. There are five major Rustan’s Department Stores in the Philippines, of which Rustan’s Makati, which opened in 1971, is the most memorable. This flagship store’s original facade, with blue, black, and yellow panes, was described to be like a “jewelry box” that glimmered under the sun.
Other major department stores are: Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City; Rustan’s Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City; Rustan’s Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City; and Rustan’s Cebu in Cebu City.
Nedy headed Rustan’s starting in 2008, and applied the lessons she learned from her parents in growing the retail business.
“I have worked in Rustan’s all my life, from my high school and college days when I assisted my mother in the store and accompanied her on buying trips abroad. I experienced working from the bottom up, from display and merchandising, to buying and marketing. Understanding the business from top to bottom, I believe, makes a person a good leader,” she once told lifestyle magazine People Asia.
As chair and CEO of SSI, Tantoco oversaw a retail network of 524 stores in around 80 major malls in the Philippines.
SSI had 85 brands in a wide range of categories such as:
Most of SSI’s luxury brand stores are found in upscale malls in central business districts such as in Ayala Commercial Center.
SSI also developed its own store brands including “Beauty Bar” in personal care, and “MakeRoom & More” in home solutions.
Rustan’s and SSI now compete with international retailers such as Uniqlo, H&M, Ben Chan’s Suyen Corporation, and the Gokongweis’ Robinsons Specialty Stores Incorporated.
As of third quarter of 2023, SSI had a net income of P1.5 billion, up from P918 million in the same period the year prior.
Other major companies of the Tantocos are:
Nedy’s parents, Bienvenido and Gliceria “Glecy” Rustia-Tantoco, were alleged “cronies” and friends of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and First Lady Imelda R. Marcos.
In the book, Some Are Smarter Than Others: The History of Marcos’ Crony Capitalism, by Ricardo Manapat, the Tantocos were alleged to be “Imelda’s fronts and associates” in Rustan’s. The store’s name is taken from the first three letters of the couple’s surnames, Rustia and Tantoco.
“The Tantocos have been Imelda’s partners as early as the 1960s during Marcos’ first presidential term. They have been among the closest and most loyal of the cronies,” Manapat wrote. “As a reward for their loyalty and service, they were named to choice positions and were showered with different forms of government assistance and Imelda’s generous patronage.”
Bienvenido, for instance, was named ambassador to the Vatican from 1983 to 1986. Manapat said Imelda bought many goods from the Rustan chain of stores.
“The Rustan’s Flower Shop, for example, was among the top suppliers for the First Couple, representing a bill of P5.8 million for purchases in a single year,” he wrote.
“Most of these expenses were incurred without following the normal government procedures governing purchases. The purchases of flowers, for example, were carried out either through ordinary phone calls or simple order slips,” Manapat alleged.
After the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the Tantocos were among the cronies who were slapped with criminal cases.
The Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG) filed Civil Case No. 0008 against the Marcoses and the Tantocos, which alleged that the Tourist Duty Free Shops (TFDS) run by Mrs. Tantoco were used by the Marcoses to amass wealth.
According to the first PCGG chief, the late former Senator Jovito Salonga, among the “smoking gun” documents found in Malacañang were letters and reports of Mrs. Tantoco which “confirmed” that the “flourishing” TFDS was actually owned by Imelda, “either solely or in partnership with the Tantoco family.”
In his book, Presidential Plunder: The Quest for the Marcos Ill-Gotten Wealth, Salonga said Marcos gave special favors to TFDS, such as duty and tax-free importations, and stores spaces in airports and hotels. Out of a 7% franchise tax collected from the TFDS, government got only 2% of net sales, while three private foundations of Mrs. Marcos got 5%, he said.
In his meetings with the Tantocos, Salonga also said that Mrs. Tantoco, whom he described as “one of the blue ladies of Imelda,” agreed to acknowledge that the Makiki Heights property occupied by the Marcoses in Honolulu after the EDSA revolution was “ill-gotten.”
“It was she who organized the shell company, a Panamanian corporation, which held title to that property,” Salonga said, adding that Mrs. Tantoco also told him it was no longer hers.
No compromise was reached between the PCGG and the Tantocos, however.
In 2019 or after more than 30 years of litigation, the Sandiganbayan acquitted the Marcoses, the Tantocos, and other defendants in Civil Case No. 0008 due to insufficient evidence.
The PCGG had presented letters of the Tantocos to Marcos asking for favors. Some of the letters were excluded from the evidence as they were just photocopies.
“Plaintiff Republic failed to prove by preponderance of evidence that the defendants by themselves, or in conspiracy with defendants Marcoses, obtained ill-gotten wealth,” the Sandiganbayan 2nd Division unanimously ruled in a decision promulgated on September 25, 2019.
The decision was penned by then-Associate Justices Michael Frederick Musngi, Oscar Herrera, and Lorifel Lacap Pahimna.
Nedy is survived by her partner Patrick Jacinto, and her three children: Anton with wife Nina and daughters Nikki and Isabelle; Michael with wife Kathy and children Kenzie and Kameron; and Catherine with husband David Endriga; her siblings: Rico and wife Nena Tantoco; Menchu and husband Jun Lopez; Marilou and husband Eddie; Marlien Tantoco; and, Maritess and husband Renato Enriquez.
A private wake is scheduled from February 10 to 12 in her home in Forbes Park, followed by a public wake at Heritage Park in Taguig City from February 13 to 15. Her funeral is on February 15 at Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Makati City. – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: Mindanao remains part of the Philippines | Lorenz Pasion | 9/2/2024 16:13 | Claim: The island of Mindanao seceded from the Philippines.
Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim was posted by a YouTube channel with over 87,500 subscribers. The particular video in question has garnered 2,682 views, 62 likes, and 20 comments as of writing.
The video’s title states: “Kapapasok Lang Shocking Nagulat Ang Lahat! Mindanao Tumiwalag Na! Dinaan Sa Legal Manny Di Sangayon!” (Just in, everyone is shocked! Mindanao seceded legally! Manny disagrees!)
The facts: Mindanao remains an integral part of the Philippines. In a speech commemorating Constitution Day on February 8, 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. denounced recent calls for the island of Mindanao to secede from the Philippines. Marcos said such a proposition is “doomed to fail” as it is anchored on false premises.
“I strongly appeal to all concerned to stop this call for a separate Mindanao. It is a grave violation of the Constitution,” Marcos said.
The DOJ also firmly rejects any attempts at secession for Mindanao or other Philippine regions. The department cited Article II, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, which upholds the principles of a democratic society and the territorial integrity of the Philippines.
Opposition: On February 2, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. issued a statement urging the public to disregard any efforts aimed at undermining the Philippines’ stability, including calls for secession.
The leaders from Maguindanao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat also voiced their opposition to secessionist calls. They reaffirmed their commitment to a united Philippines and highlighted the detrimental impact such movements could have on the region’s established peace and development efforts.
The League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), an organization composed of governors, also released a statement on February 2 rejecting renewed calls for Mindanao independence. The LPP, incidentally, is headed by South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., a Mindanao-based provincial chief executive.
Call for secession: On January 30, 2024, during a press conference in Davao City, former president Rodrigo Duterte expressed his desire to reconvene leadership figures from Mindanao under the guidance of Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, currently representing Davao del Norte’s First District in the House of Representatives.
Duterte said a movement does not equate to rebellion and is not necessarily bloody. He was quoted in a GMA News report as proposing that it be a “legal process that will be brought to the United Nations” following what happened in Timor Leste.
The National Security Council (NSC) expressed strong disapproval of a recent statement made by Duterte on Mindanao’s supposed secession. The NSC cited potential hindrances to the significant progress made towards peace and development in the region as a primary concern. – Marie Flor Cabarrubias/Rappler.com
Marie Flor Cabarrubias is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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Tawi-Tawi wells produce only trickles as province sees worsening El Niño effects | Herbie G | 9/2/2024 15:21 | WAITING. A girl waits for a well to produce more water in a rural village in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, a province which is starting to see the worsening effects of the El Nino phenomenon.
Ferdinandh Cabrera/Rappler
TAWI-TAWI, Philippines – Unlike other parts of Mindanao, rain has been scarce, and the wells in a rural village in Bongao town, Tawi-Tawi, have been slowly drying up since January.
Near one of the wells in Lumbus village of Mandulan, young boys queued with their empty containers, patiently waiting for their turn to fill them up with water. However, unlike before, the well now produces only a trickle.
“It takes a lot of time waiting. This really happens when there’s no rain,” said teenager Adzramin Sadid.
“We have to walk far to find drinking water in the next forested area,” Indah, a villager, told Rappler.
Al-Gibran Amilasan, chief of Bongao’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the local government was bracing for a drought and preparing for the worst scenario due to the El Niño phenomenon that has been affecting the country since mid-2023.
“We have started to conduct risk assessments and are looking for more water sources just in case the worst happens,” Amilasan said.
The problem is not exclusive to Tawi-Tawi or the Bangsamoro region where it falls under. In Bukidnon, a province in Northern Mindanao, deep wells and communal faucets were also drying up as a result of El Niño, prompting the implementation of water rationing measures.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has warned about the worst period of the El Niño during this year’s dry season.
PAGASA said the trend will likely peak in April, potentially leading to drought in 56 areas across the country. Mindanao, including the BARMM, is expected to experience mostly dry spells.
The weather phenomenon involves the unusual warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Under normal conditions, trade winds transport warm water from east to west. However, during El Niño events, these winds weaken, causing warm water to shift eastward. This can result in increased storms and flooding in the Americas.
In Southeast Asia, colder ocean temperatures decrease the formation of low-pressure systems, leading to reduced rainfall and drier conditions.
The situation in Tawi-Tawi will be among the concerns looked into by the agriculture ministry of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as it anticipates drier days ahead.
The El Niño is expected to cause dry spells, impacting water supply, farming, and food security in the country.
In its January 30 bulletin, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported damages exceeding P109 million and affecting 2,602 farmers nationwide.
Since the onset of the El Niño phenomenon in 2023, the Bangsamoro regional government has yet to take clear and significant steps to cushion the impact of the El Niño in Tawi-Tawi and elsewhere in the region.
Mohammad Yacob, the BARMM minister for agriculture, fisheries, and agrarian reform, said a regional task force on the El Niño has yet to be established to gather crucial data, which would then serve as the foundation for the regional government’s response.
Yacob told Rappler on Thursday, February 8, “Once we obtain the data, we can then allocate the appropriate budget and implement necessary measures.”
Despite this, the BARMM has received backing from the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid to bolster community resilience. The support involves capacity-building, policy development, integration of early warning systems, and anticipatory actions.
A consortium, comprising international and national organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector, is spearheading the initiative and aims to reinforce resilience in the BARMM through an early warning system and multi-risk landscape approach. The objective is to foster anticipatory actions, including community-based disaster preparedness and pre-disaster cash assistance, before disasters strike.
Officials said the proactive approach would enable hazard-prone communities and local governments to better withstand the impacts of disasters, including El Niño.
Oxfam Pilipinas, a group helping to fight poverty in the country, has also collaborated with BARMM’s Rapid Emergency Action On Disaster Incidence, and the Pre-Disaster Risks Assessment Group to establish anticipatory action triggers and early action protocols for tropical cyclones, flooding, and El Niño events.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice President in BARMM launched a tree planting initiative in Lumbus in Tawi-Tawi under its “PagbaBAGo: A Million Learners and Trees” campaign, promoting environmental sustainability.
The initiative, led by OVP-BARMM head Zuhairah “Pong” Abas, emphasized the connection between tree planting, health, and continuous charity for future generations. The campaign integrates education and environmental stewardship to address climate change challenges.
The collaboration involved various stakeholders, resulting in the planting of 3,000 mangrove propagules in the village on February 2. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 4 | jisaga0269 | 9/2/2024 18:35 | Tyler Bey got going early as Magnolia overpowered the once seemingly unstoppable San Miguel, 96-85, in Game 4 to level the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals at 2-2 on Friday, February 9, at the Araneta Coliseum.
Bey dropped a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds on top of 6 steals for the Hotshots, who suddenly made the series unpredictable after climbing back from 0-2.
San Miguel's CJ Perez crowns himself Best Player of the Conference and Phoenix's Johnathan Williams wins Best Import in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup. Here is the tally of the results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8R6tOzofag
CJ BREAKS THROUGH!After falling short in past conferences, CJ Perez captures his first Best Player of the Conference award following a stellar campaign for San Miguel in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup. #PBAFinals https://t.co/ZKaNvU7Jd0 pic.twitter.com/yx2gIJBqGh
FIRST FOR PHOENIX! Johnathan Williams becomes the first Phoenix player to win Best Import as he edges his rivals in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup. #PBAAngatAngLaban https://t.co/ZKaNvU7Jd0 pic.twitter.com/Gf1q0hmPDK
What could have been a likely San Miguel coronation in the 2023 PBA Commisioner’s Cup finals has now turned to a possible reset point for Magnolia.
Following an all-important 88-80 Game 3 win on Wednesday, February 7, the rejigged Hotshots now head to Game 4 on Friday, February 9, with a golden opportunity to force a 2-2 series tie against the mighty Beermen, who now find themselves at an unfamiliar place after winning 11 straight games.
Defense wins championships, they always say, and now, Magnolia has realized that it doesn’t need to outpace loaded San Miguel in a fastbreak track meet, nor hit more bullseyes in a shooting showdown.
Heading to Game 4, the Hotshots now need to keep the pressure consistent on Best Import frontrunner Bennie Boatwright, who still notched game-highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds in Game 3, albeit laboring his way to a 10-of-28 clip with 8 turnovers.
San Miguel, meanwhile, now needs to remember just how stacked of a support group it has around its top stars. Even without the likes of injured Terrence Romeo and Jericho Cruz, the Beermen still boast starting-caliber role players in Don Trollano and Jeron Teng who can catch fire at a moment’s notice.
Make no mistake, this is still San Miguel’s series to lose with a local core June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, and CJ Perez, but Magnolia’s star group of Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon, and Paul Lee has shown that it can hang with the best as well.
Game 4 tips off 7:30 pm at the Araneta Coliseum, with the conference awarding ceremony happening right before. – Rappler.com
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Why is Filipino tycoon Injap Sia’s Hotel 101 like a fast-food burger? | gdecastro0289 | 9/2/2024 13:21 | MANILA, Philippines – Filipino tycoon Edgar “Injap” Sia II, founder of Philippine fast-food chicken brand Mang Inasal, has likened his hotel business to fast-food burgers.
As Sia’s DoubleDragon Corporation applies “standardization” to its global hotel chain, Hotel 101, its top executives said on Thursday, February 8 that it will be the only branded hotel chain in the world to have rooms that will be the same type in all countries where Hotel 101 will be established.
In a disclosure, investment management company DoubleDragon said the Hotel 101 chain will have “literally 1 type of room, all the same sizes, all the same fit out, all the same bulb, door knob, the same bed size.”
“Eventually we see Hotel 101 rooms to be just like that one iconic hamburger in a global fast-food chain, it is the same no matter where you go – yes, the price changes as costs vary from country to country, but the burger doesn’t change,” said Hotel 101 CEO Hannah Yulo-Luccini.
DoubleDragon calls its 21-square-meter signature space the “Happy Room.”
“The opportunity that we see globally in the hospitality space is that of standardization because we believe it brings unbeatable efficiency, especially for the mid-end segment,” said DoubleDragon chair Sia, also likening it to the budget airline business.
“Take for example the budget airline industry – essentially all budget airlines sell one product across the whole industry and that product is the economy seat,” he said.
DoubleDragon said Hotel 101 is “efficient to build, efficient to maintain, efficient to operate,” resulting in cheaper room rates of up to 30% in the 3-star hotel category.
“Unbeatable efficiency comes from having around five times the usual size of other branded 3-star hotel chain, as Hotel 101 on average has 500 rooms per site, and efficiency brought about by having literally only 1 type of room,” the publicly listed firm said.
“The latest Hotel 101 typical room now comes with prefabricated toilets, and standardized flat pack furniture and a single type of bulb within the whole building. A customer literally knows what to expect wherever they may be,” it said.
Booking a room is also expected to be fast since there is only one standard room.
Standardization is a common practice in the fast-food business since it allows restaurants to serve food quickly. It also allows for economies of scale since companies get lower prices from suppliers by buying more of the same item, translating to lower costs and cheaper food.
George Ritzer, an American sociologist, became famous for coining the word, “McDonaldization.” In 1993, he wrote the article, “The McDonaldization of Society,” which pointed out McDonald’s principles – efficiency, calculability, predictabilty, control – that have been applied to society, and pointing out some negative consequences.
DoubleDragon claimed there is no hotel brand worldwide that has more than 100,000 rooms of the same type.
Similar to the airline industry, Hotel 101 currently applies “dynamic pricing” on the room rates wherein the room price moves up and down depending on the real time supply and demand on the chosen date of booking.
Hotel 101 is the first Filipino hotel chain to go global. It is currently undertaking three Hotel 101 projects abroad.
Hotel 101 in Madrid, Spain, will have 680 rooms. It is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Hotel 101 in Niseko, Hokkaido prefecture, Japan will have 482 rooms and is set to be launched in 2027.
Hotel 101 in Los Angeles, USA, will have 622 rooms.
“These first three overseas sites will serve as bridge projects to jumpstart the transition of Hotel 101 to transcend beyond these first three countries and become a global brand with a truly unique business concept that can be planted in over 100 countries,” the company said.
DoubleDragon is planning to launch Hotel 101 projects in 22 other countries by 2026: United Kingdom, UAE, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mexico, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Turkey, Italy, Germany, France, and China.
In October 2023, DoubleDragon opened its Global Corporate Office and Global Sales Hub in Singapore, which showcases its Happy Room.
DoubleDragon’s global vision for Hotel 101 is to have a portfolio of one million hotel rooms in 101 countries before 2050.
It believes it can do this since it applies the “Asset Light” concept to its “hybrid condotel business.” This means it pre-sells the units, which translates to less capital expenses. After construction, the investor who buys a unit gets a perpetual individual condominium title, while Hotel 101 shoulders hotel operating expenses, unit repairs and maintenance, as well as cost of unit renovations. The unit owner gets a chance to stay in the hotel, and Hotel 101 earns from it by renting it out when the unit owner doesn’t use it.
“If one studies closely the novel and unique Hotel 101 concept simultaneously from a deeper detailed view, its Asset-Light and highly portable business model is exportable to over 100 countries globally, of which the network effect of the brand is expected to be further elevated which should positively benefit all the stakeholders within its ecosystem,” DoubleDragon said.
“Moreover, as far as we know, the Hotel 101 unique concept has never been done in any part of the world before, moreso in multiple countries worldwide.”
In the Philippines, DoubleDragon currently has its flagship Hotel 101 Manila in Pasay City, and its new Hotel 101 Fort business-leisure hotel in Bonifacio Global City with 609 rooms.
DoubleDragon has also lined up the following Hotel 101 projects in the Philippines:
Meantime, DoubleDragon’s subsidiary, Hotel 101 Global PTE, has reserved the ticket symbol “HBNB” with the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, where it plans to list this year.
It will be the first Filipino company to list via the Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPAC) in the US Nasdaq Stock Exchange.
“The SPAC listing will enable DoubleDragon’s hotel subsidiary to not only increase its equity capital base but will also make Hotel 101 become more relevant overseas and the step would at the same time further strengthen DoubleDragon’s consolidated balance sheet,” the company said.
Sia started and grew the chicken barbeque chain, Mang Inasal, in Iloilo in 2003, which was later acquired by fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation for P3 billion. This catapulted the now-42-year-old college dropout to the Forbes magazine’s wealthiest list in 2011.
Jollibee founder Tony Tan Caktiong is now Sia’s partner in DoubleDragon, where the former serves as co-chairman. – Rappler.com
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Marcos: Charter change only about economic reforms, ‘nothing more’ | Dwight de Leon | 9/2/2024 8:58 | PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT. File photo of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Center of Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C., USA on May 4, 2023.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. insisted that his administration only supports an economic charter change, amid fears that efforts to amend or revise the Constitution are meant to eventually touch on political provisions.
“I want to make it clear. This administration’s position in introducing reforms to our Constitution extends to economic matters alone, or those strategically aimed at boosting our country’s economy. Nothing more,” he said in a speech on Thursday, February 8, at the Constitution Day event of the Manila Overseas Press Club.
Marcos previously said he was not closing his doors to the idea of amending political provisions in the Constitution, but clarified that he would rather have discussions on term limits at a later time.
Marcos’ father – the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos – successfully changed the Constitution during his time as president, which, as per the Martial Law Museum, allowed him to stay in power beyond the two four-year terms stated in the 1935 Constitution. He ran the country from 1965 to 1986, stepping down only after being ousted by the EDSA People Power Revolution.
That episode in Philippine history has tainted conversations on charter change, sparking fears that its advocates in government would eventually want to extend their terms of office.
Some observers are also worried that the latest charter change push – backed by House Speaker Martin Romualdez – is meant to eventually make the President’s cousin the prime minister, in the event the nation transitions from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government.
In pushing for an economic charter change, Marcos cited the business sector, which has pointed out “economic provisions in the Constitution that inhibit our growth momentum.”
“Anchored on these restrictive provisions, there are laws that prohibit certain kinds of foreign investments, and thus limit our economic potential and our global competitiveness,” he said.
As a general rule, foreigners cannot have more than 40% stake in industries, but in recent years, the government has passed several laws that open up the country’s economy to the world.
The charter change agenda, however, has intensified the feud between the House and the Senate in the past month.
House leaders either oversaw or supported a signature drive to amend a constitutional provision that would allow the House and the Senate to vote as one when a motion to form a constituent assembly is called.
In that scenario, the House can force the Senate’s hand, as the 24-member Senate is essentially outnumbered by the 300-plus-member House.
That campaign did not sit well with the Senate, sparking a word war between leaders of the two chambers of Congress.
Marcos said he will not hinder dialogues in Congress on charter change.
“We must allow this healthy and democratic debate to rage on, engaging and informing the minds of our citizenry, especially since the socio-economic development of our country is directly involved,” he added. – Rappler.com
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Really? Can we trust President Marcos Jr. not to follow in his late father’s footsteps? Will he give in to the idea to “make the President’s cousin the prime minister, in the event the nation transitions from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government”?
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PVL or Spikers’ Turf? Rebisco managers hint third team coming | jisaga0269 | 8/2/2024 22:29 | GROWING FAMILY. Players of Creamline and Choco Mucho huddle after the former's 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference title win over the latter
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine volleyball leagues continue to grow left and right, which can only bode well for the local sports scene.
The Rebisco company – owner of uber-popular Premier Volleyball League (PVL) teams Creamline and Choco Mucho – seems to have an inside track on this trend as well, but is not quite keen on revealing details just yet.
During a sponsorship event by insurance company Allianz in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, February 8, team managers of both the Cool Smashers and Flying Titans hinted just enough to get fans buzzing on what’s in store for the company’s future in volleyball.
PVL:Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez looks back on her seven-year career with the Cool Smashers and three-year partnership with Allianz, and welcomes sister team Choco Mucho to the insurance company's family.#PVL2024 pic.twitter.com/wYIMx3ElYx
“There is news that there might be a third Rebisco team on the way,” said Creamline manager Alan Acero. “You might want to set additional budget for the future,” he added in jest to Allianz representatives in attendance.
“Soon, Choco Mucho will no longer be the shobe (younger sister),” added Choco Mucho’s Rollie Delfino. “There will be something coming up, so let’s just wait for it.”
Pressed multiple times by media members on which league will Rebisco expand its reach to, both team managers politely remained tight-lipped on further details.
Even Rebisco’s top brand ambassador, Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez, merely smiled on the questions and redirected media members back to the team managers, seeing as how it’s understandably not her call to reveal company secrets.
PVL:Yes, Alyssa? Want to reveal something? 👀Rebisco team managers shy away from their own rumors that a third company team is joining the PVL, saying that an announcement is just on the horizon.#PVL2024 pic.twitter.com/n7L1fXGPAp
Getting confirmation on which league the rumored third team will be revealed at would have been crucial, as initial reports by Inquirer.net bared that Rebisco is entering the men’s semi-pro league Spikers’ Turf in the near future, with former Cignal superstar spiker Marck Espejo being its top recruit.
Volleyball season fires off next week, with the PVL tipping off on February 20.
Rebisco is currently riding an all-time high in fan engagement, as Creamline and Choco Mucho’s 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference finals Game 2 clash reset the Philippine volleyball crowd record with nearly 24,500 fans tuning in at the Araneta Coliseum.
Regardless of where the next Rebisco squad will stay, it can only do good for athletes and fans, as more teams oftentimes translate to better competition and bigger exposure for the local volleyball scene. – Rappler.com
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SM Prime unveils groundbreaking waste-to-energy partnership | Marj Casal | 8/2/2024 13:40 | WASTE TO ENERGY. SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans Sy and GUUN CEO Shinji Fujieda shake hands during the signing of a memorandum of understanding to explore waste management solutions, recycling waste paper and plastics into “fluff fuel” for alternative energy.
GUUN Co. Ltd is headquartered in Yokohama City, Japan, and operates material recovery and recycling facilities, along with environmental solution services. Invited by the government of Cebu in 2014, GUUN initiated the production of fossil alternative fuels called “fluff fuel” from non-recyclable waste materials, aligning with its mission to “maintain harmony between the earth and society by creating a happy environment for the future.”
United in this mission, SM Prime partnered with GUUN to actively participate in developing infrastructure for systematic waste management and resource recovery, following the best practices of Japan. The joint venture aims to reduce the landfill impact from both SM Prime and non-SM Prime managed properties, complementing the material recovery facility operations of the Local Government Units (LGUs).
GUUN’s “fluff fuel” is produced from non-recyclable and hard-to-recycle wastes through sorting, curating, and formulation to meet chemical limits. It serves as an alternative to solid fossil fuels like coal, fueling cement kilns and industrial boilers in paper manufacturing and power plants. This approach has proven effective in controlling landfilled waste in Japan, offering a second life for waste as productive fuels and creating opportunities for waste pickers to become formal waste sorters in these facilities.
“Fluff fuel” is one of the various solutions to control waste buildup in Japan. The partnership between SM Prime and GUUN will explore further implementation of recovery or reduction techniques, ensuring that waste is no longer wasted.
SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans Sy, emphasizing a commitment to a positive impact on local communities, shared, “It is exciting for SM Prime to partner with GUUN Japan with a joint mission to bridge the gap between society and the environment in the Philippines through investing in their pioneering solid waste management technology, which will eventually benefit all the communities that SM Prime serves.”
Underscoring their dedication to making a positive impact on the Philippines, GUUN Co. Ltd. CEO Shinji Fujieda stated, “At GUUN, we are ready to make every effort to contribute significantly to the Philippines and evolve the resource circulation system. The partnership with SM Prime leaves us with no doubt that we can succeed.”
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga emphasized the importance of such partnerships in advancing sustainable waste management practices. She said, “The DENR continues to collaborate with development partners and the private sector in tackling the challenge of solid waste management. Implementing industrial-scale, appropriate transition technologies for segregation and processing is a crucial step toward achieving a circular economy. Partnerships like the one between SM Prime and GUUN play a vital role in shaping a sustainable future.” – Rappler.com
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‘Big Game’ finale? 41-year-old James Yap signs with retooling Blackwater | jisaga0269 | 8/2/2024 18:17 | BIG GAME. James Yap in action for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – “Big Game” James Yap has likely picked the last stop in his illustrious basketball career.
The former two-time PBA MVP, now 41 years old, has signed with the retooling Blackwater Bossing after eight years with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Blackwater owner Dioceldo Sy announced on Thursday, February 8.
Although already on his last legs, Yap is still expected to provide a decent boost to a Bossing side that is still mostly stuck in the PBA cellar 10 years into its inception.
In an Instagram post, Yap also bid “farewell” to his jersey No. 18, the number he sported since he started “playing serious basketball.”
“As I move into a new team, a number will be given to me. Sana suportahan niyo pa rin ako, wala naman magbabago… iiwanan ko lang ang number 18, pero hindi ang basketball,” Yap wrote, revealing he’ll be wearing No. 15.
(I hope you’ll still support me, nothing will change… I’’m just leaving No. 18 but not basketball.)
The seven-time champion and 17-time All-Star will slide right into the rotation spot vacated by gunner Baser Amer, and will guide a potent young back court led by Rey Suerte, RK Ilagan, and James Kwekuteye.
Overall, the Bossing will also lean on the likes of Troy Rosario, Ato Ular, and 2023 No. 2 rookie pick Christian David to improve their fortunes moving forward.
With Blackwater, Yap will have plenty of opportunities to flex his ageless scoring skill set, and will also provide the hard-luck franchise a hugely marketable identity amid a bid to attract new Bossing fans.
During his prime, “Big Game James” had a stellar 12-year stint with the Purefoods franchise where he won seven PBA championships, including a rare Grand Slam in the 2013-2014 season. He got dealt to Rain or Shine in exchange for Paul Lee in 2016.
In his last conference with Rain or Shine, the incumbent San Juan City councilor only appeared in three games and started one, averaging 5.0 points on 41% shooting in just 9.3 minutes. – Rappler.com
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Here are the top 10 Victoria Court themed rooms – and how the motel chain conceptualizes them | Steph Arnaldo | 8/2/2024 14:05 | Victoria Court's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Kinks, fantasies, and everything in between – Victoria Court’s gotchu, no judgment here!
The drive-in motel chain welcomes all of the above with its viral themed rooms, known for capturing the essence of the most random yet “relatable” scenarios and pop culture topics – from Netflix K-dramas to commuter woes – in the “sometimes too accurate” designs of select love rooms.
Going on a sweaty ride at the MRT-themed room? Filling up your love tank at the gas station-themed room? Both have grown to be popular bookings, Victoria Court owner Atticus King said, with certain themed suites becoming top favorites of Pinoy guests in recent years. Can you guess which ones?
According to Chief Operating Officer Sam Pineda, Victoria Court’s Panorama Branch in Pasig City houses the most number of themed suites, making it a popular branch for adventurous lovers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, bridal showers, birthday parties, or just a fun night out with friends.
Among the top 10 busiest rooms, in first place is Netflix’s romantic drama Crash Landing On You (CLOY), featuring serene backdrops inspired by the hit series, as well as props like a grand piano and a library. Time to crash land on each other!
In second place is The Chips Suite, a game room that comes with a poker table and jacuzzi; followed by the Squid Room, which is inspired by Netflix’s Squid Game series, complete with Red Light, Green Light guns, the creepy robot doll hanging above your bed, a masked man statuette, monkey bars, and more “deathly” features.
The Oval Office is also a popular choice, a suite where you can enjoy that seat of power, and which is decorated just like you’re in an episode of Scandal or The West Wing.
Going Italy! Also on the list is Venice, a Renaissance-inspired suite with a romantic Roman bath, your very own gondola, and a canopied bed surrounded by Renaissance art and decor.
The Bachelor’s Pad is fit for boy barkadas, equipped with a billiards table, karaoke system, gaming console, and modern jacuzzi.
There’s also the colorful Moulin Rouge Suite (inspired by the blockbuster movie) and a Cirque Suite inspired by the circus, complete with a pole in the center and festive decor.
Rounding out the list are 50 Shades – the “House of Pleasure” suite that balances “pleasure and pain,” just like the novel and movie – and interestingly enough, the Princess Jasmine room, an Arabian Nights-themed suite where “a whole new world” awaits guests.
The idea for transforming Victoria Court’s rooms into “guests’ short-lived realities” came from King’s belief that it is important for their offerings to “go beyond just being a room.”
“We wanted to give our guests an experience they couldn’t just get anywhere and that would make a mental mark and become a core memory,” he said.
“Remember that time we went to VC?” is a question he wants guests to always ask one another.
Aside from the top 10 rooms mentioned, King also recommends the Ever After Suite, with VC’s biggest jacuzzi yet, and rooms with “playful additions” like the Homerun and Casting Couch rooms.
How does the VC team decide on which themed room to build? King said that behind each themed room is a story of how it came to be – “It’s a combination of looking at what is trending, what is underserved, and what we think looks fun.”
However, even the most popular themed rooms aren’t guaranteed to stay forever.
“When we see a certain theme starting to look dated, we decide whether to reinvest to upgrade it or what we fondly like to call belo and make it fresh again, or we take a vote on what new theme we can reintroduce,” King said.
In deciding which fandom or Netflix show to capitalize on next, King said that they usually have several recipes, but it’s not always a success.
“To be honest, sometimes themes we think will be a big hit just do okay and others that are okay do exceptionally well. We always listen to our guests and we try to design themes to make their crazy fantasies real,” King said. He also added that this move helps divert the public’s perception of motels being just an “illicit location” into a fun, wholesome venue for themed parties with friends. – Steph Arnaldo/Rappler.com
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Can we fully electrify jeepney fleets under PUV modernization program? | Iya Gozum | 8/2/2024 16:40 | PUV. Jeepneys ply along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on December 12, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – While the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) of the government seeks to replace smoke-belching jeepneys with vehicles using cleaner diesel fuel, a long-time jeepney manufacturer proposes to go the extra mile: go full electric.
“If your goal is to help mitigate climate change, the way to go is to go full electric,” Elmer Francisco, CEO of Francisco Motors, told Rappler in an interview.
Francisco Motors has been in the business for 77 years. Since they started in 1947, Francisco Motors relied on Japan-based companies Isuzu and Mazda for the internal combustion engines of their jeepneys.
Francisco said they have resolved not to buy engines from foreign manufacturers anymore. “We will build our own. What we’ll do is full electric.”
They are set to release 1,000 units of their electric jeep by the second quarter of 2024. This jeep is pegged at P985,000 – a bit more expensive than new traditional ones that range from P675,000 to P850,000 but less than the average P2 million cost of other modern jeepneys.
Making public transport, one of the biggest polluting sectors in the Philippines, cleaner is part of the country’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that exacerbate climate change. The PUVMP is the government’s effort at nationwide transformation of land-based public transport. It requires utility vehicles with at least Euro-4 engines, which run on diesel with less sulfur content.
But Euro-4 is already obsolete in other advanced countries, said Francisco. “They’re throwing their garbage at us and monetizing it at high cost.”
According to Francisco, his company was able to make an electric jeepney much cheaper than the imported modern jeepney units because most of the parts are locally manufactured, including the battery.
The company is building a factory in a special economic zone in Camarines Norte, powered by a 100-megawatt solar farm, where production of electric jeepneys will take place. Once built, it is projected to produce 25,000 units per year.
Francisco Motors will make use of the incentives under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA). This includes duty-free importation of materials needed for the production of batteries and assembly of electric vehicles.
When the batteries of their electric jeepneys die, they will be stored in the special economic zone to be repurposed for second life applications.
Unlike most of the vehicles of the other PUVMP players, which are actually mini-buses, Francisco Motors’ electric jeep retains the iconic look of the “King of the Road.” It is also exploring other designs and looking at lighter materials like aluminum.
While a more aerodynamic design is more fuel efficient for other modes of transport, Francisco said it makes more sense to prioritize making jeepneys lighter because it is a slow-moving vehicle.
Lightweight electric vehicles are more economic as they use smaller batteries and have longer driving range.
If a local manufacturer can produce a full electric jeep, what’s stopping the Philippines from adopting this technology instead of settling for mostly Euro-4 compliant vehicles?
Aside from high upfront costs, the infrastructure that supports electric public transport is still lacking.
Currently, electric vehicles have limited driving range because there are only a few charging stations in the Philippines. In contrast, some countries in Europe are already experimenting with electric roads, which enable vehicles to charge while driving.
Battery swapping stations, the alternative to charging stations, are just beginning to be rolled out in parts of Metro Manila. (LOOK: Gogoro Smartscooters, battery-swapping tech arrive in the Philippines)
“If all our PUVs will be electric vehicles, I think we also need to implement large-scale charging stations,” transport expert Sandy Mae Gaspay of the University of the Philippines Institute of Civil Engineering, told Rappler. “Right now, operators just have their own charging or battery-swapping stations.”
The Philippines is also still catching up with policies to support its nascent electric vehicle industry.
“EVIDA [Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act] was just recently passed,” said Gaspay. “We’re just starting to lay down the foundations of an EV market.”
The use of electric vehicles isn’t completely clean as long as the country’s power is still primarily generated from coal. As of 2022, coal makes up 42% of the Philippines’ energy mix.
But even with these challenges, it still makes economic sense to adopt electric jeepneys in the country.
A study submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry in 2019 conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the transition to electric jeeps in a period of 10 years.
Authored by energy economist Majah Leah Ravago and researchers Renzi Frias and J. Kathleen Magadia, the study explored different scenarios on adopting electric jeeps.
It looked into the use of electric jeeps in the context of the current coal-dominated energy mix, and in the foreseeable future of improved technology and batteries, as well as transitioning to renewable energy and solar-powered charging stations.
The cost-benefit analysis took into account fuel and power, operations and maintenance, carbon and health costs, charging station cost, government subsidy, among others.
In all scenarios, the study found that benefits trump the costs. “[W]hile the upfront costs of e-jeepneys are high, the socio-economic benefits of replacing conventional jeepneys with e-jeepneys outweigh the costs,” the study read.
As lithium batteries become cheaper, prices of electric jeepneys decrease. Combined with the transition to cleaner energy, electric jeeps would significantly decrease health risks to the public and reduce carbon emissions.
Modernization should go beyond changing vehicles, said Gaspay. The program should be systemwide to make transport cleaner but also more efficient and comfortable for the riding public.
“I don’t think we’re ready, if you consult energy experts,” Gaspay said on the question of whether all PUV fleets can be electrified anytime soon.
“There are still a lot of things to fix. What’s important to understand is that solutions should be systemwide.”
Gaspay said the modernization program should transform routes and modes of transport based on volume and frequency of passengers. Making systemic changes should also include how fares are collected and where stops are located.
Even the PUV consolidation can help with fleet management, as joint operations would help operators and drivers enjoy economies of scale.
Gaspay used the example of having one mechanic for the whole fleet which allows for frequent and cheaper maintenance compared to that of a single-unit operator.
Local government units must also play an active role in monitoring competition among modes of transport and giving the support they need. (READ: Why some transport groups support jeepney modernization)
Gaspay also noted that the transition to modern utility vehicles also means helping operators get rid of old units. The Philippine government is currently providing equity subsidies for operators who will modernize, but jeepney drivers and operators say the subsidies are too small. – Rappler.com
Quotes were translated to English for brevity.
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Going electric will not solve the problems of public transport. It will open a host of other problems, foremost is the lack of electric charging infrastructure. More expensive maintenance costs for the vehicles, and financing problems. Going “green” is a misnomer as disposal and waste materials from electric tech are still wanting.
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What is the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project inspired by EDSA’s buses? | lkyu0285 | 8/2/2024 14:25 | MANILA, Philippines – The ambitious Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), which will cost a whopping P74.3 billion, promises everything from proper bus stops to electric buses plying routes all over Davao City and its adjacent areas.
The DPTMP has been tagged as a “game-changing project” by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., while Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said it marks the “metamorphosis of public transport in the whole of Mindanao, starting here in Davao City.”
So, what’s behind the DPTMP, and how far along are we?
Inspired by the EDSA Carousel, the DPTMP will set up a “network of efficient PUV (public utility vehicle) operations across Metro Davao and nearby communities.” The 672-kilometer bus system will have “nine feeder routes, eight routes to inner urban areas and links between outer rural areas and terminals in Davao City, Panabo City, and Davao del Norte,” with over 1,000 bus stops, three interchange terminals, and five bus depots, according to a press release by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Previously, the DOTr said the Davao buses would have a “core service lane” that connects to major commercial areas, similar to EDSA’s bus lane which is separated from normal road traffic by concrete barriers. However, the agency later clarified on Saturday, February 10, that the DPTMP “will not require dedicated bus lanes separated by concrete barriers,” unlike the EDSA Busway.
Davao’s bus fleet is also expected to be cleaner. More than 380 “articulated electric buses” will service the metro Davao routes while 531 regular and 188 mini-buses – which will have Euro 5-standard diesel engines – will service the other bus routes. Buses will be run by private bus operators.
The project also promises an automatic fare collection system, with Wi-Fi in buses and terminals.
Bankrolling the DPTMP is a $1-billion loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which says it is the multinational lender’s “largest road-based public transport project in the Philippines.”
To be clear, the Davao bus project’s implementation is just at the starting line, with Transportation Secretary Bautista signing four civil works contracts for it on Wednesday, February 7.
China International Water and Electric Corporation snagged contract packages 1, 2, and 3, which covers:
Meanwhile, the joint venture between subsidiaries of Fujian Construction and Vicente T. Lao Construction won the fourth contract package, which covers the design and build contract for Sasa and Sto. Niño e-bus depots.
The DOTr expects partial operation of the Davao buses to start by the fourth quarter of 2025, with full operations targeted later in 2026.
Once operational, it is expected to serve 800,000 passengers a day.
Once in full swing, the project will rationalize more than 120 jeepney routes into around 30 bus routes. According to the ADB, a social development program will “mitigate any adverse impacts and risks related to the restructuring of Davao City’s transport sector.”
“The assistance will include livelihood opportunities for affected public utility jeepney drivers, operators, and allied workers and their families, among others,” the ADB said in a press release.
But given that the Davao bus project isn’t expected to be operational until 2025, jeepneys in Davao City and surrounding areas will not be covered yet by the strict deadlines set by the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
“Provisional authority issued to individual operators and consolidated [transport service entity] of [public utility jeepney] routes affected by the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project shall continue to be valid until the deployment of [public utility bus] units under the abovementioned project,” the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said in a board resolution.
However, the DOTr emphasized that this doesn’t mean Davao is exempted from the controversial program and the mandatory industry consolidation of jeepneys, which will continue at a later date. Instead, the bus project in Davao is expected to be “separate yet complementary” to the government’s PUVMP. – Rappler.com
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PVL or Spikers’ Turf? Rebisco managers hint third team coming | jisaga0269 | 8/2/2024 22:29 | GROWING FAMILY. Players of Creamline and Choco Mucho huddle after the former's 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference title win over the latter
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine volleyball leagues continue to grow left and right, which can only bode well for the local sports scene.
The Rebisco company – owner of uber-popular Premier Volleyball League (PVL) teams Creamline and Choco Mucho – seems to have an inside track on this trend as well, but is not quite keen on revealing details just yet.
During a sponsorship event by insurance company Allianz in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, February 8, team managers of both the Cool Smashers and Flying Titans hinted just enough to get fans buzzing on what’s in store for the company’s future in volleyball.
PVL:Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez looks back on her seven-year career with the Cool Smashers and three-year partnership with Allianz, and welcomes sister team Choco Mucho to the insurance company's family.#PVL2024 pic.twitter.com/wYIMx3ElYx
“There is news that there might be a third Rebisco team on the way,” said Creamline manager Alan Acero. “You might want to set additional budget for the future,” he added in jest to Allianz representatives in attendance.
“Soon, Choco Mucho will no longer be the shobe (younger sister),” added Choco Mucho’s Rollie Delfino. “There will be something coming up, so let’s just wait for it.”
Pressed multiple times by media members on which league will Rebisco expand its reach to, both team managers politely remained tight-lipped on further details.
Even Rebisco’s top brand ambassador, Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez, merely smiled on the questions and redirected media members back to the team managers, seeing as how it’s understandably not her call to reveal company secrets.
PVL:Yes, Alyssa? Want to reveal something? 👀Rebisco team managers shy away from their own rumors that a third company team is joining the PVL, saying that an announcement is just on the horizon.#PVL2024 pic.twitter.com/n7L1fXGPAp
Getting confirmation on which league the rumored third team will be revealed at would have been crucial, as initial reports by Inquirer.net bared that Rebisco is entering the men’s semi-pro league Spikers’ Turf in the near future, with former Cignal superstar spiker Marck Espejo being its top recruit.
Volleyball season fires off next week, with the PVL tipping off on February 20.
Rebisco is currently riding an all-time high in fan engagement, as Creamline and Choco Mucho’s 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference finals Game 2 clash reset the Philippine volleyball crowd record with nearly 24,500 fans tuning in at the Araneta Coliseum.
Regardless of where the next Rebisco squad will stay, it can only do good for athletes and fans, as more teams oftentimes translate to better competition and bigger exposure for the local volleyball scene. – Rappler.com
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NAIA rehab: Consortium led by San Miguel, Incheon Airport outbids everyone | lkyu0285 | 8/2/2024 18:30 | NAIA. The facade of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
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MANILA, Philippines – A consortium that includes San Miguel and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corporation has put up by far the highest bid amount for the lucrative contract to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Three groups, made up of some of the biggest Philippine conglomerates and international airport operators, went head-to-head in the last stage of the bidding for NAIA’s P170.6-billion privatization project. They were:
On Thursday, February 8, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) opened the financial proposals submitted by the three finalists. Government officials and consortium representatives crowded around padlocked and sealed boxes containing the financial bids. No in-person media coverage was allowed.
The security around the documents was tight because the bid amounts indicated there would likely determine the winner of the project. After all, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the amount of revenue that the bidder is willing to share with the government would be the “most important” factor in determining who wins.
So who came out on top? Here’s the breakdown:
San Miguel’s consortium offered the largest bid amount, which was more than triple that of MIAC. Essentially, this means that the consortium is willing to fork over 82.16% of their gross revenue, excluding passenger service charge revenue, to the government.
However, this doesn’t mean that the SMC-SAP consortium will win the project just yet as the DOTr is set to announce the winning bidder by Wednesday, February 14. The concession agreement will hand over the airport to the private sector for up to 25 years during which the operator is expected to upgrade its runways, four terminals, and other facilities. (READ: Bidding for NAIA rehab, privatization begins. Here’s what it covers.)
Even though the government has yet to announce an official winner, San Miguel has already sent out a press release announcing its “readiness to take on the modernization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.”
“Our aim is to elevate NAIA to world-class standard, ensuring an exceptional experience for all travelers with first-rate services and facilities. Our commitment is to ensure this project brings significant value and advantages to our nation, our government, and our kababayans (countrymen),” said Ramon Ang, president and chief executive officer of San Miguel.
Ang also praised the DOTr for its “transparent and equitable bidding process.”
It’s worth noting that San Miguel already owns an international airport: the New Manila International Airport set to rise in Bulacan. And soon, it could win the rights to operate NAIA too.
“Our vision is to create an integrated airport network that not only improves the travel experience but also supports sustainable economic growth and elevates the Philippines as a prime hub for tourism, business, and investment in the region,” Ang said in a statement.
The San Miguel tycoon said that being able to operate both airports will enable “potential synergies” and “enhance operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and optimize flight schedules.”
Interestingly enough, San Miguel nearly didn’t even make the cut for the bidding. Earlier in 2023, when the DOTr first conducted its pre-bidding conference for the NAIA project, Rappler reported how ownership limits stood in the way of San Miguel’s path to NAIA.
The bidding documents for NAIA state that a company that already operates an airport in Clark, Bulacan, or Cavite cannot be the sole private concessionaire of the airport. If they wish to bid for NAIA, they have to do so as part of a consortium in which their ownership stake is limited to just 20%.
An airport official told Rappler that the ownership restrictions were put into place to preserve competition.
However, the government eventually raised that ownership restriction to 33%, paving the way for San Miguel to form a consortium and join the bidding. San Miguel partnered with Incheon International Airport Corporation, along with two obscure companies: RMM Asian Logistics and RLW Aviation Development.
Online searches return no mentions of these two companies outside of the context of the NAIA project. In its press release, San Miguel did not mention them either, only highlighting its “strategic collaboration” with Incheon.
San Miguel is known for making aggressive bids. For instance, in 2013, it also won the bid for the NAIA Expressway project after it beat out its lone rival Manila North Tollways Corporation, a Metro Pacific Investments subsidiary. San Miguel offered P11 billion in cash upfront – 36 times more than Manila North Tollways’ P305-million bid.
Prior to the emergence of San Miguel as a frontrunner for the airport, MIAC – a mega consortium made up of some of the country’s richest families – made plenty of noise about upgrading the airport. In June 2023, it bared a P267-billion unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate NAIA. However, the government ultimately thumbed this down and decided to go for a competitive bidding process.
Besides MIAC, the consortium led by GMR also made it far into the bidding process. GMR previously partnered with Megawide to develop the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. In 2020, it also made an unsuccessful offer to rehabilitate NAIA. In its current bid for the airport, GMR partnered with Cavitex Holdings and the Yuchengco Group’s House of Investments.
Meanwhile, the Asian Airport Consortium did not make it past the technical evaluation stage of the bidding. The consortium was made up of Lucio Co’s Cosco Capital, along with Asian Infrastructure and Management, Philippine Skylanders International, and PT Angkasa Pura. – Rappler.com
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I appreciate the bidding process conducted by the Department of Transportation under the leadership of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista. But I have three queries: 1) Why was “in-person media coverage” not allowed? 2) What are the details about the “strategic collaboration” with Incheon? 3) Why is information about the “two obscure companies: RMM Asian Logistics and RLW Aviation Development” not given to the media?
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PVL or Spikers’ Turf? Rebisco managers hint third team coming | jisaga0269 | 8/2/2024 22:29 | GROWING FAMILY. Players of Creamline and Choco Mucho huddle after the former's 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference title win over the latter
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine volleyball leagues continue to grow left and right, which can only bode well for the local sports scene.
The Rebisco company – owner of uber-popular Premier Volleyball League (PVL) teams Creamline and Choco Mucho – seems to have an inside track on this trend as well, but is not quite keen on revealing details just yet.
During a sponsorship event by insurance company Allianz in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, February 8, team managers of both the Cool Smashers and Flying Titans hinted just enough to get fans buzzing on what’s in store for the company’s future in volleyball.
PVL:Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez looks back on her seven-year career with the Cool Smashers and three-year partnership with Allianz, and welcomes sister team Choco Mucho to the insurance company's family.#PVL2024 pic.twitter.com/wYIMx3ElYx
“There is news that there might be a third Rebisco team on the way,” said Creamline manager Alan Acero. “You might want to set additional budget for the future,” he added in jest to Allianz representatives in attendance.
“Soon, Choco Mucho will no longer be the shobe (younger sister),” added Choco Mucho’s Rollie Delfino. “There will be something coming up, so let’s just wait for it.”
Pressed multiple times by media members on which league will Rebisco expand its reach to, both team managers politely remained tight-lipped on further details.
Even Rebisco’s top brand ambassador, Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez, merely smiled on the questions and redirected media members back to the team managers, seeing as how it’s understandably not her call to reveal company secrets.
PVL:Yes, Alyssa? Want to reveal something? 👀Rebisco team managers shy away from their own rumors that a third company team is joining the PVL, saying that an announcement is just on the horizon.#PVL2024 pic.twitter.com/n7L1fXGPAp
Getting confirmation on which league the rumored third team will be revealed at would have been crucial, as initial reports by Inquirer.net bared that Rebisco is entering the men’s semi-pro league Spikers’ Turf in the near future, with former Cignal superstar spiker Marck Espejo being its top recruit.
Volleyball season fires off next week, with the PVL tipping off on February 20.
Rebisco is currently riding an all-time high in fan engagement, as Creamline and Choco Mucho’s 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference finals Game 2 clash reset the Philippine volleyball crowd record with nearly 24,500 fans tuning in at the Araneta Coliseum.
Regardless of where the next Rebisco squad will stay, it can only do good for athletes and fans, as more teams oftentimes translate to better competition and bigger exposure for the local volleyball scene. – Rappler.com
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The Dutertes, except VP Sara, absent during Marcos’ public events in Davao City | Dwight de Leon | 7/2/2024 13:54 | CIVIL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte during the distribution of land e-titles to qualified beneficiaries in Davao City on February 7, 2024.
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MANILA, Philippines – The men of the Duterte family were nowhere in sight during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s public events in Davao City on Wednesday, February 7, his first trip to the King City of the South since his feud with the political clan spilled into the public eye.
Marcos attended four events: the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project, the region-wide land e-title distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries, the ceremonial signing of contracts for the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), and a situation briefing on the impact of the floods in Davao region. Vice President Sara Duterte was present in the last three.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, meanwhile, was absent in all four. It is highly unusual for a sitting local chief executive to miss an event graced by the President in their locality.
An unimpeachable source told Rappler on condition of anonymity that Baste was invited to the DPTMP event organized by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), but declined to attend, without giving a reason.
Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte also did not attend any of the four events. Rappler also learned they were invited to the DOTr ceremony, but provided no feedback.
Their absence is notable, but not entirely surprising, since the word war between Marcos and the Dutertes took place just over a week ago.
On January 28, the Dutertes graced a leadership forum and a candlelight prayer rally against charter change in Davao City – events where they seized the opportunity to criticize President Marcos.
Baste called for Marcos’ resignation, while the former president – notorious for tagging personalities in the narco ring without basis – accused his successor of once being part of the government’s drug watch list.
A day later, Marcos retaliated by claiming that it was Duterte’s continued fentanyl use that was making him act erratically in public.
On that spectacle-filled day, Vice President Sara attended Marcos’ “Bagong Pilipinas” grand rally in Manila, before flying to Davao City to take part in the candlelight prayer rally.
Marcos and the former president’s daughter Sara ran as a tandem in the 2022 polls, and their alliance catapulted them to the country’s two highest posts.
Maintaining that partnership has been a challenge, amid political developments that were interpreted by analysts as disadvantageous to the Dutertes.
The Marcos-allied Congress denied Sara’s request for confidential funds in 2024, and Marcos himself said the administration was studying the possibility of the Philippines re-joining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Rodrigo’s bloody drug war.
The House has also flagged the billions of pesos allocated to Paolo Duterte’s district when his father was president. – Rappler.com
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Why is Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte absent? More likely, he could not personally tell President Marcos Jr. to resign. Is he afraid to face President Marcos Jr.?
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Not the first time: Calvin Abueva’s other career issues, on and off the court | jisaga0269 | 7/2/2024 18:12 | THE BEAST. Calvin Abueva and Magnolia stay alive in their bid to reach the PBA Governors' Cup finals.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia Hotshots forward Calvin Abueva has been, without a doubt, one of the most polarizing figures in PBA history.
Aptly nicknamed “The Beast” for his tremendous hustle and energy on the court, the 36-year-old veteran has, however, also had his fair share of over-the-top antics that have turned the public and even the PBA against him time and again.
Just last Sunday, February 4, Abueva once again found himself in hot water for two separate encounters in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals: mocking San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent’s partial blindness and figuring in a shouting match with Mo Tautuaa and his wife after the game.
Although the PBA spared him of any suspensions amid a crucial stretch for his reeling team, Abueva still forked over P100,000 for his on-camera slight on Gallent and was asked to make amends with Tautuaa in the league office.
Unfortunately for Abueva, this is far from the first time he has committed a grave offense in his up-and-down basketball career.
These are the other times ‘The Beast’ ran wild way too much for his own good:
In a high-emotion contact game like basketball, taunting is a part of daily hoops life – some would even say a genuine strategy – that often gets reined in by referees calling technical fouls.
Abueva, however, has gotten under the skin of people not within the bounds of the hardwood floor, and Gallent was not the first casualty of his animated barbs.
Back in May 2019, Abueva directed vulgar gestures to Maika Rivera, former girlfriend of ex-PBA star Ray Parks, which the then Phoenix standout defended as nothing but retaliation to Rivera’s heckling.
Asked about the altercation after the game, Abueva initially refused to apologize, saying that it was Rivera who started the commotion in the first place.
The incident prompted Phoenix to fine Abueva, who personally apologized to then TNT ace Parks, but only over a year later. Parks said, though, that Abueva should have directed his apology to Rivera.
As a byproduct of his tenacious defense and hustle, Abueva has been involved in multiple heated on-court tussles with players, local and foreign alike.
To Abueva’s credit, he did not start nor escalate every single fight he’s been in, but he has nonetheless been a magnet for conflict multiple times in the last few years.
In July 2018, Abueva had a literal hand in escalating the infamous Gilas Pilipinas-Australia brawl at the Philippine Arena, where he was ejected and subsequently handed a suspension from FIBA games.
In October 2018, then as part of Phoenix, Abueva gave former San Miguel import Kevin Murphy a subtle abdomen shot during a rebound battle, causing the latter to drag the San Sebastian alum by the neck from the post all the way to a nearby crowd barrier – in turn causing benches to clear in the fallout.
In June 2022, Abueva – now with Magnolia – was suspended one game and given a P10,000 fine for two consecutive instances of unsportsmanlike conduct against Ginebra, and was caught on camera shouting “Japan, Japan” – alluding to leaving the PBA for the Japanese pro league – and threatening to leave Magnolia after being ejected from the game.
Last December 23, 2023, Abueva scrapped with fellow notorious instigator Alec Stockton of Converge, giving the young guard a hip bump in the post and retaliating with a shove after Stockton responded to the initial bump by throwing the ball at Abueva’s feet.
Less than two weeks later on January 6, Abueva was at it again in a Magnolia-Meralco match in Iloilo City, rising from a ball scramble with Shonn Miller and bumping bodies with the Bolts’ import while taunting, causing both teams to jump in and separate the two.
Abueva’s most egregious on-court offense, however came in June 2019, as he brutally clotheslined former TNT import Terrence Jones in emphatic retaliation to an earlier low blow by the former NBA standout.
Even off the court, Abueva could not escape controversy as in July 2019, mere weeks after being suspended indefinitely for his obscene gestures to Maika Rivera and clothesline to Terrence Jones, Abueva’s wife Sam accused the mercurial star of domestic abuse to her and their children.
Although Abueva denied the claims and he and his wife later reconciled, the allegations were just another damaging blow to an already cracked reputation, and it would take 16 whole months before the PBA lifted its suspension on the one-time league champion and allow him to return to play.
Despite every offense, fine, and suspension that have stained what was a stellar basketball career, Abueva still could not fully escape his hotheaded tendencies, whether in an instigating or retaliatory capacity, as recent evidence showed.
So with Abueva once again under intense scrutiny from the public and the PBA, league commissioner Willie Marcial warned the Magnolia veteran that more court troubles may result in a repeat ban.
But only time – and Abueva himself – can tell if “The Beast” will ever be fully tamed. – Rappler.com
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Marcos rejects calls for independent Mindanao after Duterte’s remarks | Dwight de Leon | 8/2/2024 19:30 | PHILIPPINE LEADER. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in December 2023.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged advocates of an independent Mindanao to drop the agenda, a week after former president Rodrigo Duterte’s statement on the subject made national headlines.
“I strongly appeal to all concerned to stop this call for a separate Mindanao. This is a grave violation of the Constitution,” he said in a speech on Thursday, February 8, at the Constitution Day event of the Manila Overseas Press Club.
“The new call for a separate Mindanao is doomed to fail, for it is anchored on a false premise, not to mention a sheer constitutional travesty. The current leadership of BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) itself has repudiated this preposterous proposal,” he added.
On January 30, Duterte said he had asked former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to lead the movement because he was the first to lead efforts “about the desirability of Mindanao seceding from the Republic of the Philippines.”
Duterte thought of achieving the goal through a signature campaign, while insisting the effort would not be tantamount to rebellion or secession.
On Thursday, Marcos asserted that the Constitution does not entertain the concept of secession.
“Unlike in other constitutions, there is nothing in ours that allows the breaking up of this union, such as an exit provision. On the contrary, the Constitution does not recognize the right to rebellion, while our criminal laws punish it. The government has sternly enforced these laws to the letter and spirit, and this administration will be no exception,” Marcos added.
Several Mindanaoan leaders – including BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim – have thumbed down Duterte’s call for an independent Mindanao.
Former Duterte-era Cabinet members who are now part of the Marcos administration have also rejected the former president’s call.
“The national government will not hesitate to use its authority and forces to quell and stop any and all attempts to dismember the Republic. Any attempt to secede any part of the Philippines will be met by the government with resolute force, as it remains steadfast in securing the sovereignty and integrity of the national territory,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Duterte’s interior chief, said on Sunday, February 4. – Rappler.com
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I agree with President Marcos Jr.: “I strongly appeal to all concerned to stop this call for a separate Mindanao. This is a grave violation of the Constitution.” I’m afraid I have to disagree with former President Digong Duterte that “the effort would not be tantamount to rebellion or secession.” As a lawyer, he should have known that.
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Sheraton Manila Hotel celebrates 5th anniversary with ‘Meaningful Jive Beyond Five’ | Marj Casal | 7/2/2024 11:05 | In the heart of Manila, Sheraton Manila Hotel stands tall as “The World’s Gathering Place” and proudly declares its identity as the dwelling “Where the World comes together” as it celebrates its 5th anniversary, the unveiling of the official emblem, “Meaningful Jive beyond Five,” revels its momentous milestones and heralds a new chapter in the hotel’s legacy.
“Over the past five years, Sheraton Manila has become more than just a hotel; it is a symbol of world-class hospitality, a sanctuary of luxury, and a haven of shared experiences. Each milestone has etched itself into the story of our victories,” said Sheraton Manila Hotel’s General Manager Anna Vergara during the hotel’s 5th Anniversary Gala last January 25 made possible by United Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia, Young Living, Mary Kay, Jo Malone, Caronia, Jergens, Emperador, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Newport World Resorts, Manila Marriott Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, Four Points by Sheraton Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Four Points by Sheraton Boracay, Sheraton Cebu Mactan, The Westin Manila, Clark Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Manila Bay, & Fairfield by Marriott Cebu Mandaue City.
Crafted with a mission to exude a celebratory and vibrant personality while maintaining the brand’s upscale image, the newly unveiled emblem is a visual masterpiece. The design elements are meticulous — a color palette representing the 5 key immersive pillars, a harmonious integration of ‘S’ for Sheraton and ‘5‘ for the fifth anniversary, and dynamic strokes symbolizing movement and progress.
The Sheraton Manila’s official 5th year logo is not just an icon; it is a symbol of Sheraton Manila Hotel’s commitment to delivering a celebratory experience. It is set to grace various media platforms, including print, digital spaces, and promotional materials associated with the fifth-anniversary celebration. Scalability and versatility have been prioritized to ensure the emblem retains its visual impact across diverse applications.
But the celebration does not stop there. Sheraton Manila Hotel invites you to partake in a year-long journey, a hotel-wide campaign titled “Let’s G!: Sheraton Manila Hotel’s Meaningful Jive Beyond Five.” This immersive experience is a curated celebration that promises to delight your senses, unfolding across various touchpoints throughout the hotel.
Let’s G!: Sheraton Manila Hotel’s Meaningful Jive Beyond Five is not just a milestone celebration; it is a journey symbolized by the acronym “5G.” Each immersive pillar offers a unique facet of celebration.
Embark on a culinary journey with gourmet delights with “Let’s GO!” or elevated the culinary experience curated by Sheraton Manila Hotel’s culinary team. From breakfast buffets to elegant in-room dining options, every meal is surely an exquisite experience with the latest offers and experiences in store for diners and guests.
In elevating the whole experience comes the incorporation of Sheraton’s unwavering commitment to sustainability through responsibly sourced ingredients and the immersive pillar “Let’s GROW!” or dubbed as sustainable crafted dining. Thoughtfully crafted restaurant menus align with Sheraton Manila’s dedication to environmental consciousness with soon to open “Eco-Nook” and the growing “Hydro Hub” that highlights the indoor hydroponic farming straight to the hotel’s dining options.
Sheraton Manila’s celebration aims to also highlight its wellness-focused amenities and spa treatments designed to rejuvenate your senses through “Let’s GLOW!” or holistic wellness retreat. With Sheraton’s recreation offerings in its signature Shine Spa, it promises a holistic experience, ensuring an enriching stay.
Purposeful gatherings are one of the goals and Sheraton Manila wants every stay and experience to be a catalyst for community initiatives as a portion of the proceeds from this year’s efforts goes to local causes, making a meaningful impact in the community in every stay through “Let’s GIVE!” immersive pillar.
Socialize in style & comfort in every quality moment and sophisticated gathering that happens in every spacious premium room and versatile event spaces at Sheraton Manila Hotel. The “Let’s GLEE!” pillar that evokes specially curated preparations for banquets, meetings, weddings, and social events to ensure lasting memories that is Beyond Happiness as everyone comes together at “The World’s Gathering Place.”
The pillars are thoughtfully integrated into the year-long efforts, each bringing its own flavor to the celebration. “ELEVATE” from January to April focuses on culinary excellence, sustainability, and premium rooms. “ILLUMINATE” takes center stage from May to August, brightening every experience with culinary excellence, sustainability, and wellness. Finally, “CELEBRATE” from September to December adds festive celebrations, community impact, and social gatherings to the mix.
As the year unfolds, Sheraton Manila Hotel promises to continue giving guests more reasons to “G” and gather in 2024. The meaningful jive beyond five resonates through every experience, making each moment at Sheraton Manila Hotel a gathering celebration. – Rappler.com
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For more information about Sheraton Manila Hotel, you can visit their website at www.sheratonmanila.com or follow their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @sheratonmanila. You can also reach them by phone on (02) 7902 1800 or 0917 859 7496.
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Families face uncertainty as search continues for 49 missing in Davao de Oro landslide | Herbie G | 8/2/2024 15:18 | DISASTER. The landslide in Masara, Maco in Davao de Oro, as seen during an aerial inspection on February 7, 2024.
Office of the Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Mournful cries of grief and pain reverberated in the village of Elizalde in Maco, Davao de Oro, where disaster responders set up camp. There, families anxiously awaited word about their relatives who went missing following a landslide on Tuesday, February 6.
Search and rescue workers are racing against time as they resumed their operations on Thursday morning, February 8, continuing to look for signs of life at the mining village of Masara in Maco town, Davao de Oro, where four dozen people remain missing after the environmental disaster.
At least 49 people were reported missing and feared buried in mud and rocks that devastated the community in Masara. As of 2:30 pm on Thursday, February 8, the town government counted three more retrieved bodies, bringing the death toll to 10, and 31 people injured.
The provincial government said there were 758 families who fled to evacuation centers in Maco town as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Maraming pa ang nasa ilalim (Many more are buried underneath),” Marlon Tinanac, barangay chairman of Panibasan, Maco, said in an ABS-CBN interview.
He said the landslide destroyed the barangay hall and many houses in the village.
Wilfredo Pelones, the father of one of those reported missing, said he was worried that the rain would worsen the situation by triggering more landslides.
“Matabunan na pud samot (They’ll get buried deeper even more),” Pelones said, adding that the long wait and uncertainty were becoming unbearable for him.
Search and rescue operations had to be suspended on Wednesday due to the threat of more landslides caused by days of rain, according to Jiesyl Tan, spokesperson of the group overseeing the disaster response efforts.
Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga blamed the landslide on the effects of a shear line and trough of a low pressure area that brought continuous rain to provinces in the Davao region and other parts of Mindanao.
A pregnant Melanie Retiza waited, breaking into tears as the announcement came about the decision to halt the search and rescue operations on Wednesday afternoon.
Retiza held onto a t-shirt, which she said her missing brother, a mining engineer, ordered from her so he could help her augment her income. Her plan was to personally give it to him had he been found alive that day.
“He thought I had no savings,” she recounted in Bisaya in an interview with state-run television PTV-4.
The local government ordered forced evacuations of hundreds of families living in communities near the site of the Masara landslide – the same area where a similar landslide took place 15 years ago – because the soil has become unstable due to the rain. It also suspended classes in all of Maco town.
Many families, however, evacuated to safer grounds without being instructed by their local government.
“We were so terrified that we fled,” Rosie Lumangtad recounted as the landslide wrecked the barangay hall and houses, burying beneath mud and rocks at least three 60-seat buses and a 30-person capacity vehicle carrying workers of the Apex Mining Corporation.
In the days leading up to the Masara disaster, smaller landslides had occurred across the province, slowing down disaster response and relief operations as roads became impassable due to mud and debris.
Gonzaga said the previous landslides affected many families in the villages of Cagan in New Bataan town, Bahi and Langgawisan in Maragusan town, Diwalwal in Monkayo town, and Anitapan in Mabini town.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said more families had to be evacuated a day after the Maco town landslide in the villages of Masara, Mainit, Tagbaros, Elizalde, and Panibasan.
The families are being cared for in temporary shelters set up in Upper Elizalde, Andili High School, Nuevo Iloco High School, and church facilities.
In a statement, Apex Mining said it has so far accounted for 62 of its workers, and is tracing the whereabouts of 45 others.
The mining firm also claimed that the landslide happened in an area outside the mining site where it has been operating, and that it had merely served as a terminal for vehicles used by its workers. –Rappler.com
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Political prisoners wait an average of 4 years in jail while on trial | Lian Buan | 8/2/2024 15:00 | VISIT. UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan visits (L-R) Marielle Domequil, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, and Alexander Philip Abinguna at the Tacloban City Jail on January 28, 2024.
Irene Khan's X (Twitter)
MANILA, Philippines – If you are a political prisoner in the Philippines, the statistical outlook is dim: data show that the average period they spend in jail while on trial without judgment is four years.
Rappler obtained this dataset from rights group Karapatan and Kapatid. In their records, there are 801 political prisoners in the whole country, and 672 or most of them are pre-trial detainees or those still waiting for judgment. One limitation of the dataset is that it only reflects current prisoners, not those already acquitted and cleared.
Of the 672 Persons Deprived of Liberty or PDLs, the bulk were arrested and jailed during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, or from 2016 to 2022. Under the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 90 activists have been arrested and are currently in jail.
The four-year wait is way beyond what the Supreme Court envisions, which is six months on average for a trial to finish and mete out a judgment.
The most prominent political prisoner, former senator Leila de Lima, spent 6 years and 8 months in jail.
One political prisoner has been languishing in jail for 18 years without a judgment. There are 27 political prisoners who have spent more than 10 years in jail awaiting judgment.
“I think there is a responsibility on the entire justice system to ensure that cases like these do not languish in prison, that they are handled speedily, with empathy, but also with due diligence,” Irene Khan, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion, told Rappler when she presented her findings after her two-week mission in the country.
Political prisoners are those who belong to activist and human rights groups, or like De Lima, were known to be affiliated with political parties. De Lima is a leader of the opposition Liberal Party. The government has a lower count of political prisoners – 382 – as relayed to Khan via the inter-agency AO 35 task force. “That is not sufficient, they are not working hard enough,” said Khan.
Most political prisoners are charged with common crimes, often with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, which would fall out of the government’s count of political prisoners. Activists used to be charged with subversion and related crimes, but “now we are being criminalized for our political offense,” said Vicente Ladlad, the 74-year-old peace process consultant detained at the Bicutan City Jail.
Although the charge is a common crime, the charge sheets accuse these prisoners of being armed communists. Simply, they are red-tagged. Being a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is not a crime in the Philippines, so the legal charge that could stand is illegal possession of firearms. Activists have long claimed that the arms and explosives are planted during raids.
The Philippine government insists that it does not red-tag. Yet in the past, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) had been known to engage in red-tagging.
“I think there is a veil of denialism at one level, but on another level they are perfectly aware of what is happening. It was during Duterte’s time that these kinds of practices are introduced, they are hard to root out because they continue to happen underground,” said Khan.
Khan’s top recommendation for Marcos was to abolish the red-tagging NTF-ELCAC. She also urged him to issue an executive order that would prohibit government from red-tagging, and punish those who violate the order. The recommendations have been met with strong objections from security forces.
“The security institutions are not behaving the way [they] should, [they] should not be entering into a smear campaign against people, and the justice system is failing to address those smear campaigns, so that weakens the state, and weakens the trust that citizens must have on the state,” said Khan.
The dataset shows that only 13 of the political prisoners on trial are confirmed to be affiliated with the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political wing of the CPP, either as local spokespersons or consultants.
There are 155 female political prisoners, two of whom are 25-year-old campus journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, and 27-year-old activist Marielle Domequil. Khan visited Cumpio and Domequil at the Tacloban city jail during her mission.
“[Cumpio] was arrested at the age of 21, she is now 25, but there is a lot of information to suggest she would have a strong defense so the case should be reviewed immediately,” said Khan.
“No one should have to spend 4 years in prison, certainly not at the age of 21, it should either be dismissed or brought to trial speedily,” Khan added. – Rappler.com
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Losing a ‘part of life’ as Boatwright’s unbeaten run with San Miguel ends | delfin.dioquino editor | 8/2/2024 0:46 | UNFAZED. Bennie Boatwright in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – Losing is simply part of life.
That was how Bennie Boatwright put it after seeing his flawless run with San Miguel end with an 88-80 loss to Magnolia in Game 3 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Wednesday, February 7.
“When you lose, it is a part of life. You win some, you lose some. But no need to overreact,” said Boatwright.
“I try to stay even-keeled, whether we win a game, whether we lose a game, just staying in the same mental space,” he added.
A replacement for original Beermen import Ivan Aska, Boatwright won all of his first nine games with San Miguel before the finals as he normed 34.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block – numbers that have put him in Best Import contention.
The 6-foot-8 talent still sustained his stellar play in Game 1 of the title series, helping tow the Beermen past the Hotshots with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Boatwright again took charge in Game 2 with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists to steer the Beermen to a franchise-record-tying 11th straight victory.
But his unbeaten streak came to a screeching halt as the defensive-minded Hotshots limited San Miguel to its lowest scoring output of the conference.
Although Boatwright still put up 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 steals in Game 3, he made just 10 of his 28 field goals and committed a conference-high 8 turnovers in nearly 45 minutes of action.
“They played well. Got to give them credit. That is a good team we played. We expected them to come out and played well today and credit to them, they got the win,” said Boatwright.
Adopting a level-headed approach, Boatwright already has his eyes set on a bounce-back win in Game 4 on Friday, February 9, at the Araneta Coliseum.
“We’ll go watch the film, learn from our mistakes, see what we can expose defensively for them. It is going to get better.” – Rappler.com
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Abuevas, Tautuaas figure in verbal altercation after Game 2 of PBA finals | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 23:55 | THE BEAST. Calvin Abueva in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's' Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – Emotions ran high after Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Sunday, February 4, as Magnolia forward Calvin Abueva figured in a verbal altercation with the wife of San Miguel big man Mo Tautuaa.
Abueva and Aida Tautuaa got involved in a shouting match as they crossed paths at a hallway near the exit of the Mall of Asia Arena after the Beermen coasted to a 109-85 win for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven affair.
The commotion seemed to have been defused when Abueva appeared to have left the venue, but he returned with his wife Sam to confront the Tautuaas.
Cooler heads prevailed as security personnel and members of both teams stepped in, but not without Abueva challenging Tautuaa to a fistfight.
Calvin Abueva and his wife Sam are escorted away after the Magnolia star figured in a shouting match with the wife of San Miguel big man Mo Tautuaa. Tautuaa's wife, Aida, claimed Abueva smirked at her, which sparked their altercation. #PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/cmM3BsotZj
In a series of posts on X, Aida claimed Abueva smirked and laughed at her direction while she was waiting for her husband, sparking the heated exchange.
“I had to walk past him to go to the restroom. He smirked at me, nodded his head up and down, and said, ‘Yeaaa’ laughing. I said, ‘WTF is wrong with you?’ and kept walking. He walked after me and literally got in my face,” Aida wrote.
Aida further called Abueva “unhinged” and “not mentally stable” on her Instagram posts.
But Abueva refuted the allegations, saying it was Aida who started it all.
“She walked here, I was waiting for my children, and then she said, ‘What the f*ck are you smiling for?’ Who are you to make me smile? Who is she? I’m with my children and she was acting that way,” said Abueva in Filipino.
Abueva struggled in Game 2 with just 3 points on 1-of-7 shooting as the Hotshots lost consecutive games for first time this conference.
“The Beast” got subbed out with 10 minutes left and never returned after an unsportsmanlike foul – incidentally – on Tautuaa.
On his way to the bench, Abueva then incurred a technical foul after a verbal exchange with San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent.
Game 3 is on Wednesday, February 7, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
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Dwight Ramos gets better of Gilas teammate Kai Sotto as Hokkaido sweeps Yokohama | Jasmine Payo | 4/2/2024 23:25 | HOT RUN. Hokkaido star Dwight Ramos goes for a jumper in Japan B. League action.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – In a showdown between two Gilas Pilipinas teammates, Dwight Ramos got the better of KaI Sotto as the Levanga Hokkaido completed the weekend sweep of the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the Japan B. League.
After flirting with a double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds in Hokkaido’s 80-73 win over Yokohama on Saturday, February 3, Ramos continued his stellar play and went off for 25 points on Sunday, February 4 to help the Levanga repeat over the B-Corsairs, 89-83.
Ramos made 9 of his 17 shots from the field, including a 3-of-6 clip from beyond the arc to reach 25 points, together with 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in over 34 minutes.
With his 25-point explosion, Ramos surpassed his previous season-high of 22 markers, which he set just four days ago in Hokkaido’s 94-82 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders.
The Gilas Pilipinas sensation Ramos also came up just one-point short of tying his B. League career-high of 26 points, which he posted last season.
Sotto, meanwhile, made the most of his limited playing time for the B-Corsairs in their back-to-back losses this weekend.
The 7-foot-3 center Sotto produced 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block in 11 minutes and 19 seconds of action on Saturday, before putting up 10 markers and 2 boards in close to 13 minutes of play on Sunday.
Despite playing overseas, Ramos, Sotto, and injured Toyama Grouses big man AJ Edu, were all recently tapped by Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone to be part of his 12-man roster for the next four years.
Ramos and Sotto are expected to see action for the Philippines in the first window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong on February 22 and Chinese Taipei on February 25.
Elsewhere, former national team stalwarts Thirdy Ravena and Ray Parks also came up big as their respective teams went 2-0 this weekend.
Ravena had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in the San-En NeoPhoenix’s 103-71 demolition of the Shimane Susanoo Magic on Saturday.
The fourth-year San-En guard Ravena then followed it up with a 13-point showing in their 85-82 win versus the same opponents on Sunday.
With the sweep of Shimane, San-En extended its winning streak further to 14 games and remained at the top spot with a 32-4 record.
Parks, on the other hand, dropped a season-high 19 points, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in their 91-76 Saturday thrashing of the Nagasaki Velca.
He then tallied 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist in Nagoya’s 96-90 repeat win over Nagasaki on Sunday. – Rappler.com
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Here’s more Gen Z and Alpha slang we learned in 2023 | jsitchon0312 | 4/2/2024 19:03 | NEW GEN. Whether you're a millennial or a baby boomer, it's never too late to catch up on the latest Gen Z and Alpha lingo!
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CEBU, Philippines – 2023 was the year that millennials knew that they were becoming the “older gen” as new words began to unravel before their very eyes from their younger Gen Z and Alpha peers.
Take Nicole Pellegrino for example, a New Yorker and short-form content director for Betches Media who had her sister “tutor” her on the latest lingo, making her feel almost like a “grandma” from what she was hearing.
In a TikTok video that has around 9.5 million views as of this writing, Pellegrino, joined by her Gen Alpha sister and the latter’s best friend, went over the definition of words like “Gyat” or “Preppy” and the appropriate use of emojis in the “new world.”
To no surprise, the wholesome exchange left their audience “shook.” TikTok user Mary & Pickles exclaimed, “I’m 24 going on 100 APPARENTLY.” Another user by the name of Brianna Stumpp said that she didn’t realize how “behind the times” she was.
If you’re struggling to make a conversation with sisters and brothers like Pellegrino’s, don’t worry! We previously made a list of Gen Z and Alpha slang to keep you guided on conversations with them — but, of course, the words just keep on coming!
So here’s more Gen Z and Alpha slang we learned in 2023:
If you’ve seen that meme of artist Drake with his “Anita Max Wynn” cap, then you’ve probably heard him say “W’s in the chat.”
W is essentially an abbreviation of Win. In the same way, L stands for Lose. Both are used to describe situations or people based on whether or not they’re good or bad.
When a person says “W,” it can mean that a particular event, person, or object, is a positive thing. Sometimes, it is used ironically.
While it’s unclear when the slang was first used, it’s noted that in 2019, a mugshot of American rapper Tyler, The Creator circulated on Reddit for having been used as an official photo in a school yearbook, and multiple Redditors replied to the post with “W’s,” gaining its popularity as a meme among the youth.
In a TODAY.com article, Columbia University associate linguistics professor John McWhorter explained that the slang evolved from the slur “goddamn.”
Nowadays, the youth, most especially younger males, use the term as a reaction when seeing individuals with large butts.
Internet personalities like Kai Cenat and YourRage are known for using and having popularized the slang in their live-streamed conversations and online chats with fans.
The word “bet” has been around since the late 16th century, initially used to describe risks or a thing to be wagered. By the 1850s, the influence of hip-hop culture transformed this word into an affirmation.
Today, Gen Z and Alpha use “bet” as a new and nonchalant version of “okay.”
The younger generation, having been influenced by role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, use the term “lore” as a way to describe one’s personal background and unique real-life stories or experiences.
In 2022, Tumblr user propalitet posted about how fathers casually tell their families about “crazy lore” during somber conversations. The post has more than 186,000 notes as of Sunday, February 4.
The same post pushed the online TikTok community to also coin the term, “Dad Lore.”
While initially used as an abbreviation of “mid-grade,” a term often used by cannabis users in the West, “mid” has found itself as the go-to slang for calling something “boring” or “mediocre.”
The modern usage of the word gained its popularity from viral discussions on artist Drake’s album Certified Lover Boy in September 2021. Multiple TikTokers used “mid” as a reaction to Drake’s songs.
The “griddy” is a popular slang among young athletes and gamers alike as it’s known as a victory dance.
Originally invented by Louisiana native Allen Davis, who also goes by the moniker Lil’ Griddy, the griddy went viral when Lousiana State University athlete Justin Jefferson performed it after scoring a touchdown in a match against the University of Texas in 2019.
Riding on the fame of the griddy, popular online video games like Fortnite added the dance to their roster of “emotes” or character actions.
Jumping off from the slang’s hip-hop reinvention, “slaps” is still being used to describe something outstanding.
Unlike its literal definition, most Gen Z and Alpha youth use the term when referring to delicious food or good music. Its closest “millennial counterpart” is the use of the word “vibes” to refer to a thing with positive features.
When combined with the word “harder,” the slang compares two or more things based on their level of excellence. For example, in the phrase “this burger slaps harder than the burrito,” what’s being relayed is that the burger tastes better than the burrito. – Rappler.com
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San Miguel ties franchise record for longest win streak, inches closer to PBA crown | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 21:38 | REVERSE. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – A historic run has put San Miguel in prime position for another PBA championship.
The Beermen tied their longest winning streak in franchise history as they inched closer to the Commissioner’s Cup crown after coasting to a 109-85 blowout of Magnolia at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, February 4.
Forming a three-headed monster, import Bennie Boatwright, CJ Perez, and June Mar Fajardo combined for 73 points to power San Miguel to its 11th straight victory and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven finale.
Another win will see the Beermen eclipse the franchise record they also notched in the 2013 Governors’ Cup and 2017 Philippine Cup.
But San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent is focused on the task at hand.
“We’re not thinking of this special run,” said Gallent. “We’re just thinking that we won two games. The rest is nothing. We’re really focused in this series.”
Boatwright delivered 34 points off seven three-pointers on top of 10 rebounds and 5 assists as he nearly matched his Game 1 tally of 28 points in the first half alone.
A candidate for the Best Import honors, Boatwright erupted for 23 first-half points and allowed the Beermen to grab a 54-41 halftime lead.
That advantage doubled in the third quarter as Perez took over the period and finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 assists.
Perez scattered 8 points in an 18-3 start to the third frame that propelled San Miguel to a commanding 72-44 lead – its biggest of the game.
It was such a one-sided affair that Fajardo – who shot only six three-pointers this conference prior to the game – attempted three triples and made two of them with under two minutes left.
Fajardo tallied 19 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks as the Beermen nailed their most lopsided win of this playoffs after their previous games in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals were decided by an average of 5.6 points.
That could spell trouble for the Hotshots, although Gallent is not looking too far ahead.
“We have two more games to focus on. The sweep is not even in our mind. Our thing is how to get four games before them,” said Gallent.
Marcio Lassiter and Jericho Cruz added 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the victory.
While San Miguel thrived offensively, Magnolia struggled to keep up, with only three players scoring in double figures led by import Tyler Bey, who posted 22 points and 16 rebounds.
Mark Barroca (11) and Russel Escoto (10) were the only other Hotshots players in twin-digit scoring as usual suspects Paul Lee and Calvin Abueva failed to leave their mark on the offensive end.
Both turning in poor 1-of-7 clips, Lee and Abueva had only 5 and 3 points, respectively, as Magnolia lost consecutive games for the first time this conference.
San Miguel 109 – Boatwright 34, Perez 20, Fajardo 19, Lassiter 11, Cuz 10, Trollano 5, Ross 3, Teng 2, Tautuaa 2, Jimenez 2, Mallilin 1, Romeo 0.
Magnolia 85 – Bey 22, Barroca 11, Escoto 10, Sangalang 8, Jalalon 6, Lee 5, Corpuz 5, Dela Rosa 4, Mendoza 4, Abueva 3, Laput 3, Tratter 2, Eriobu 2, Ahanmisi 0, Dionisio 0.
Quarters: 31-25, 54-41, 79-58, 109-85.
– Rappler.com
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Mayon Volcano phreatic eruption triggers 1.2-kilometer-high plume | Acor Arceo | 4/2/2024 19:10 | MAYON VOLCANO. A phreatic eruption occurs at Mayon Volcano in Albay on February 4, 2024.
Phivolcs
MANILA, Philippines – A phreatic or steam-driven eruption occurred at Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay on Sunday afternoon, February 4.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a Facebook post that the phreatic eruption began at 4:37 pm and lasted for about 169 seconds, or 2 minutes and 49 seconds.
Phivolcs earlier said the duration was 4 minutes and 9 seconds, but it corrected itself on Monday, February 5.
The eruption triggered a plume that was 1,200 meters or 1.2 kilometers high.
It also “generated a booming sound, rockfall, [and] pyroclastic density currents” or PDCs, which are made up of fragmented volcanic particles, gases, and ash that travel down volcanic slopes at high speeds.
Mayon Volcano has been under Alert Level 2 since December 8, 2023. It was downgraded to that level after easing to a “moderate level of unrest.”
Phivolcs previously warned that sudden phreatic eruptions may still occur.
Entry into the 6-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone surrounding Mayon remains prohibited. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 2 | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 17:30 | PBA Images
There’s still no stopping the San Miguel juggernaut as the Beermen hacked out another dominant 109-85 victory over Magnolia to take a 2-0 series lead in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Sunday, February 4, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Bennie Boatwright unloaded a double-double of 34 points and 10 rebounds on top of 5 assists for the Beermen, who streaked to their 11th straight win.
No leads are safe against Magnolia.
Having learned that lesson, San Miguel shoots for a 2-0 lead in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals as it looks to reassert its mastery over the Hotshots at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, February 4.
The Beermen drew first blood in the best-of-seven series, but not without a scare after nearly blowing a 20-point advantage in a 103-95 win in Game 1.
“When you relax against Magnolia, they’re just going to take advantage of it,” said San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent.
“It is their pressure defense. They’re trying to disrupt our offense and we just cannot settle.”
Except for their 4th-quarter collapse, the Beermen controlled Game 1 on the back of their vaunted offense, with five players scoring in double figures.
Import Bennie Boatwright finished with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks, CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, while June Mar shone with 11 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.
Don Trollano chipped in 10 points as San Miguel nabbed its 10th straight win.
The Hotshots, meanwhile, only had two players in double-figure scoring – Tyler Bey (26 points) and Mark Barroca (16 points) – as they failed to contain the Beermen defensively.
But Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero has faith in his wards.
“We’re still positive – this is a series, not a do-or-die game. So, we’ll just try to apply adjustments and look at our mistakes,” said Victolero.
Game time is 6:15 pm. – Rappler.com
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Redemption nears: Adamson HS survives NU, moves to cusp of 1st UAAP title in 31 years | jisaga0269 | 4/2/2024 18:43 | JOB'S NOT DONE. Adamson forward Vince Reyes handles the ball against the Nazareth-NU defense in the UAAP Season 86 boys' basketball finals Game 1
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – Adamson’s unselfish brand of basketball may finally pay off with a championship in the UAAP Season 86 boys’ basketball tournament.
Led by 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists from graduating leader Vince Reyes, the surging Baby Falcons are now one win away from their first high school hoops title in 31 years following a 77-71 escape of the gutsy Nazareth-NU Bullpups on Sunday, February 4.
Backstopping Reyes’ much-needed leadership are reserve Gene Carillo with 13 points, 4 boards, and 3 dimes in just 20 minutes off the bench, and Earl Medina with a full line of 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
Presumptive MVP Collins Akowe went on a tear in the losing cause, dropping a 26-point, 11-board double-double on 11-of-13 shooting in 27 minutes before fouling out in the pivotal fourth quarter charge.
Mac-Mac Alfanta added 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Elijah Yusi and Klein Tagotongan scored 9 and 8, respectively.
Adamson now has a chance to finish the job in Game 2 on Wednesday, February 7, still at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Nazareth-NU, meanwhile, hopes to force a winner-take-all Game 3 as it still guns for its fifth title in the last 10 years.
Adamson 77 – Reyes 17, Carillo 13, Medina 12, Bonzalida 11, Esperanza 6, Sajili 6, Umali 4, Garcia 3, Abayon 3, De Jesus 2, Perez 0, Tumaneng 0.
Nazareth-NU 71 – Akowe 26, Alfanta 11, Yusi 9, Tagotongan 8, Palanca 6, Cartel 5, Nepacena 2, Usop 2, Solomon 2, Reroma 0, Barraca 0, Herrera 0.
Quarters: 16-13, 37-39, 51-59, 77-71.
– Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 2 | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 17:30 | PBA Images
There’s still no stopping the San Miguel juggernaut as the Beermen hacked out another dominant 109-85 victory over Magnolia to take a 2-0 series lead in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Sunday, February 4, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Bennie Boatwright unloaded a double-double of 34 points and 10 rebounds on top of 5 assists for the Beermen, who streaked to their 11th straight win.
No leads are safe against Magnolia.
Having learned that lesson, San Miguel shoots for a 2-0 lead in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals as it looks to reassert its mastery over the Hotshots at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, February 4.
The Beermen drew first blood in the best-of-seven series, but not without a scare after nearly blowing a 20-point advantage in a 103-95 win in Game 1.
“When you relax against Magnolia, they’re just going to take advantage of it,” said San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent.
“It is their pressure defense. They’re trying to disrupt our offense and we just cannot settle.”
Except for their 4th-quarter collapse, the Beermen controlled Game 1 on the back of their vaunted offense, with five players scoring in double figures.
Import Bennie Boatwright finished with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks, CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, while June Mar shone with 11 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.
Don Trollano chipped in 10 points as San Miguel nabbed its 10th straight win.
The Hotshots, meanwhile, only had two players in double-figure scoring – Tyler Bey (26 points) and Mark Barroca (16 points) – as they failed to contain the Beermen defensively.
But Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero has faith in his wards.
“We’re still positive – this is a series, not a do-or-die game. So, we’ll just try to apply adjustments and look at our mistakes,” said Victolero.
Game time is 6:15 pm. – Rappler.com
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Friendship goals: How these newly-licensed teachers topped a board exam together | clescudero0258 | 4/2/2024 17:53 | TOPNOTCHERS. Chelsea Tiaga and Dulce Arellano have been close friends since their first year in college. They share the top one spot in the September 2023 licensure exam for elementary teachers.
Photos courtesy of Dulce Arellano
“Friend, tingin mo ba papasa tayo ng LET? Random thought.” (Friend, do you think we’ll pass the licensure exam for teachers? Just a random thought.)
This was the message pinned on top of the Facebook Messenger chat thread of Chelsea Tiaga and Dulce Arellano.
Tiaga and Arellano met as freshmen under the Bachelor of Special Needs Education program of the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Both alone and friendless during their orientation, chatty Tiaga approached timid Arellano and said hi.
They had been inseparable ever since, in classes and in break times. From performance tasks, to seatwork, and all other assessment activities in school, being partners was never a question. “Kahit hindi magka-partner, gagawin naming mag-pair, ganoon (Even if the activity didn’t require going on pairs, we still worked on it as partners, like that),” Arellano quipped.
Tiaga and Arellano shared many things: class notes, a love for Korean dramas, the knack of exploring new places. They also had the same passion for early childhood education.
Arellano was born to a family who was part of the international Catholic association Couples for Christ. She joined as a member of Kids for Christ, growing fond of her big brothers and sisters who played with kids during church assemblies.
When she became a teen, she joined Youth for Christ, and soon became the big sister taking care of the kids.
“Ang gusto ko talagang service or ang gusto ko talagang gawin is mag-alaga ng bata. Like, ‘yun talaga ‘yung na-inspire ako, bakit ako nag-teacher,” Arellano said.
(What I really wanted to do as a service is taking care of kids. That’s what really inspired me to become a teacher.)
Meanwhile, Tiaga saw the gaps in the special education (SPED) system in the Philippines.
“Nung first year pa lang po ako, pangarap ko na po i-contextualize sana yung special education sa Philippine setting…. Nakita ko po yung gap nung mga batang may kapansanan sa mga typical na bata, kung gaano po kakonti yung opportunities nila para pumasok sa school, na hanggang ngayon pa rin naman,” she shared.
(Since my first year in college, it has been my dream to contextualize the special education curriculum in the Philippine setting. I saw the gaps between kids with disabilities and those without them, how few opportunities are for kids with disabilities to go to school, which still does persist today.)
Outside classes, Tiaga and Arellano were members of the Guild of Thomasian Speducators in UST, organizing activities together for people with disabilities, in partnership with national organization Special Olympics Pilipinas and other college departments in the university.
“Sobrang saya…. Makaka-meet ka talaga ng mga people with exceptionalities na sobrang galing sa sports. Parang hindi mo i-expect na — siyempre, bilang student, hindi ka pa super exposed sa ganoong community,” Arellano said.
“Tapos ‘yun ‘yung maging unang experience mo [sa] pinapasok mo na profession. Kaya sobrang nakakatuwa rin na makita ‘yung ganoon avenue or ‘yung opportunity para sa lahat na ma-experience ‘yun.”
(It’s so much fun. You get to meet people with exceptionalities who are so good at sports. Somehow you don’t expect that — of course, as a student, you’re not yet that exposed to that community. And then you get to have that as your first experience in your chosen profession. So I find it really fun to see that kind of avenue or opportunity for everyone to experience that.)
Soon enough, in June 2022, Tiaga and Arellano got their college degrees. They then entered their first jobs, and enrolled in different review centers to prepare for their licensure exam.
They lost touch with each other after that.
There wasn’t any bad blood between both of them, Tiaga immediately clarified.
They had already secured their respective jobs a month before they graduated — Arellano as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher, and Tiaga as a SPED teacher. The transition from being a student to having a job was so fast, it overwhelmed both of them.
“Nung di ko siya mine-message noong first year ko sa work, iniisip ko, wala naman kasi akong mash-share sa kanya na nakakatuwa. Baka mamroblema pa siya lalo,” Tiaga said, citing Arellano undergoing personal struggles.
(When I wasn’t messaging her during my first year at work, I thought, I really didn’t have anything happy to share. I would probably just burden her more.)
Meanwhile, Arellano said she thought Tiaga had already found new friends at work — much to the latter’s amusement.
“Pero alam ko naman kapag minessage ko siya, friends pa rin kami. Kasi kahit saan mo ‘to ilagay si Chelsea, magkakaroon siya ng kausap eh…. Okay lang naman ‘yun sa akin,” Arellano added.
(But I knew that, if I messaged her again, our friendship would still be the same. Because Chelsea’s the type who would find someone to talk to wherever she’d be. And it was okay for me.)
In October 2022, Tiaga reached out to Arellano.
“Parang sinabi ko sa kanya, friend, ba’t kailangan mag-isa ulit tayo? Eh four years, magkasama tayo?” Tiaga shared. “Parang ang hirap lang na mga work mag-isa. Parang ang hirap mag-review mag-isa. Baka kako nag-struggle tayo, kasi biglang hindi na tayong magkasama.”
(I think I told her, friend, why do we have to be alone again? When we were together for four years? It felt hard to work alone. It felt hard to review for the exam alone. And we were probably struggling because we were suddenly apart.)
That same month, Tiaga enrolled Arellano in the review center she was at. “Nilagay ko ‘yung name ko as guardian (I even listed my name as her guardian),” she said in jest.
They were supposed to take the licensure exam in March 2023, but realizing their friendship still had a lot of loose ends needing tightening, they decided to take the exam in September instead.
Since then, they reviewed for the boards together.
Recalling their review process, the girls joked that they shared the same brain.
“‘Yung atake namin sa questions…kapag mali kami ng sagot, parehas kaming mali (When it comes to our approach to the questions, whatever one would get wrong, the other would get wrong, too),” Tiaga said.
Both would take practice exams and mark questions they were unsure how to answer, then get on video calls to brainstorm. Most of the time, they had marked the same list of questions.
“Ang problem lang, dahil same kami kung paano mag-isip, kapag mali naman kami parehas mag-justify, eh ‘di mali din ‘yung answer,” Tiaga said in between laughs.
(The problem was, because we both think the same way, if we had the same faulty justification for our answers, then we wouldn’t arrive at the right ones.)
Sharing one way of thinking, and many other things in common, would eventually manifest the day the licensure exam results came. As it turned out, Tiaga and Arellano didn’t just pass the exam. They didn’t just earn a spot in the topnotchers list, either.
They now shared one more thing: the top one spot.
“Nung sa board rating din, kasi may parts ‘yun, may general education, may professional education… Kahit ‘yung sub-parts, same din kami ng score. Same din ang ranking. Same din po ng final average,” Tiaga detailed.
(When we looked at our board rating, well it had different parts: there was general education, then professional education… Even at the sub-parts, we shared the same score. The same ranking. Then the same final average.)
Finding out they both ranked first was “surreal,” said Arellano. But they also knew it was just the beginning.
They now look forward to working on their shared dream: to help build the special education (SPED) system in the Philippines.
“Kahit na nag-top kami, part lang ‘yun. Pero malayo pa kami doon sa goal talaga namin nung college — ‘yung makatulong talaga. Hindi lang makatulong sa isang session, pero makatulong sana ng long-term,” Tiaga expounded.
(Even when we topped the licensure exam, that’s just one part of it. We’re still far from our goal since college, which is to actually help. Not just through one session, but helping for the long term.)
“‘Yung bata talaga, may pathway siya para magkaroon ng practical life skills, para mabuhay hindi lang naman sa academics, pero mabuhay talaga siya bilang tao tapos ma-include siya sa society.”
(A kid has their own pathway to learn practical life skills, for them to thrive not just in academics, but also to live life as a person and to be included in society.)
Arellano currently works as a SPED teacher at the MAGIS Rehabilitation Clinic in Parañaque City, holding weekly one-on-one classes with students with disabilities. Meanwhile, Tiaga works at the Polikids Center for Development in Bulacan as a play school teacher, holding classes for kids with diverse backgrounds.
They also hope to become college professors in the future, or at least teach college students on the foundations of inclusive education.
“Naisip po namin na kung hindi naman namin maturuan lahat ng bata, puwede namin kahit papaano ma-share ‘yung alam namin sa mga magiging teacher nila,” Tiaga expounded.
(We’re thinking that, if we won’t be able to teach all kids, then at least we can impart what we know to those who will teach them.) – Rappler.com
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Moving forward from suspension, Brownlee itching to play for Gilas again | delfin.dioquino editor | 4/2/2024 15:57 | SAVIOR. Justin Brownlee in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 19th Asian Games.
PSC-POC Media Pool
MANILA, Philippines – A months-long hiatus has Justin Brownlee itching to play for Gilas Pilipinas again.
Brownlee returns to national team action as he’s set to suit up in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later this February after being away from competitive basketball for a four-month period.
“I can’t wait to play basketball again and put all of this behind me,” said Brownlee. “It’s always been an honor to represent the Philippines and I’m happy to be given the chance again.”
A naturalized Filipino, Brownlee steered the country to its first Asian Games men’s basketball crown since 1962 in Hangzhou, China, last October.
But elation turned into distress when the International Testing Agency announced a week after the Asian Games that Brownlee failed a doping test as he tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a banned substance linked to cannabis use.
Even with the PBA season coming up and Barangay Ginebra hoping to acquire his services anew for its title-repeat bid in the Commissioner’s Cup, Brownlee opted to serve a provisional suspension that started on November 9.
That decision worked wonders for Brownlee, with FIBA retroactively counting the time he sat out as his proposed three-month period of ineligibility will end on February 8.
“Justin Brownlee is a big part of the team and the program moving forward and having him means we can hit the ground running,” said Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone.
“He’s already played with most of the guys so chemistry will already be there. He can now ramp up his conditioning and be ready to go once his suspension is lifted.”
Familiarity will not be an issue when Brownlee comes back as he reunites with Asian Games teammates June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Chris Newsome, who make up the 12-man core of Cone.
The Philippines will open the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers against Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei on February 22 and 25, respectively. – Rappler.com
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PH bans live cattle imports from Thailand, 3 others over lumpy skin disease fears | Bonz Magsambol | 4/2/2024 13:32 | MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has banned import of live cattle and buffaloes from Libya, Russia, South Korea and Thailand due to due to outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made the order in relation to the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
He signed DA memorandum oder No. 06 ordering the immediate “suspension of processing, evaluation and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary clearances for the import of specific live cattle and buffaloes.”
In a press release on Sunday, February 4, the DA said that “safe commodities (skeletal muscle meat, gelatine and collagen, tallow, hooves and horns) are still allowed to be imported from the said country as long as the country is accredited to import following the import terms and conditions of the Philippines.”
LSD, which originated in Africa, is a cattle disease caused by a virus transmitted by blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, and causes fever, nodules on the skin. It may even cause death, particularly those that have had no previous exposure.
“The virus can cause significant production losses but can be controlled either by culling or by vaccination,” the DA said.
No cases of LSD have been reported in the Philippines and Indonesia so far.
Tiu Laurel also ordered for the confiscation, seizure and disposal of live cattle and buffaloes as well as products and by-products coming from shipments of the said countries that didn’t comply with the memorandum. – Rappler.com
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Redemption nears: Adamson HS survives NU, moves to cusp of 1st UAAP title in 31 years | jisaga0269 | 4/2/2024 18:43 | JOB'S NOT DONE. Adamson forward Vince Reyes handles the ball against the Nazareth-NU defense in the UAAP Season 86 boys' basketball finals Game 1
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – Adamson’s unselfish brand of basketball may finally pay off with a championship in the UAAP Season 86 boys’ basketball tournament.
Led by 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists from graduating leader Vince Reyes, the surging Baby Falcons are now one win away from their first high school hoops title in 31 years following a 77-71 escape of the gutsy Nazareth-NU Bullpups on Sunday, February 4.
Backstopping Reyes’ much-needed leadership are reserve Gene Carillo with 13 points, 4 boards, and 3 dimes in just 20 minutes off the bench, and Earl Medina with a full line of 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
Presumptive MVP Collins Akowe went on a tear in the losing cause, dropping a 26-point, 11-board double-double on 11-of-13 shooting in 27 minutes before fouling out in the pivotal fourth quarter charge.
Mac-Mac Alfanta added 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Elijah Yusi and Klein Tagotongan scored 9 and 8, respectively.
Adamson now has a chance to finish the job in Game 2 on Wednesday, February 7, still at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Nazareth-NU, meanwhile, hopes to force a winner-take-all Game 3 as it still guns for its fifth title in the last 10 years.
Adamson 77 – Reyes 17, Carillo 13, Medina 12, Bonzalida 11, Esperanza 6, Sajili 6, Umali 4, Garcia 3, Abayon 3, De Jesus 2, Perez 0, Tumaneng 0.
Nazareth-NU 71 – Akowe 26, Alfanta 11, Yusi 9, Tagotongan 8, Palanca 6, Cartel 5, Nepacena 2, Usop 2, Solomon 2, Reroma 0, Barraca 0, Herrera 0.
Quarters: 16-13, 37-39, 51-59, 77-71.
– Rappler.com
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PWDs, elderly want more employment opportunities | Bonz Magsambol | 4/2/2024 11:20 | Shutterstock
MANILA, Philippines – At the age of 68, Natalia Annie Paborada still chose to work despite limited employment opportunities due to old age.
“Gusto ko nga sweeper pa nga dati noong hirap na hirap ako. Ngayon, ang nag-assign sa amin nito [Antipolo] city hall kasi ang fast food lang ang pwedeng tumanggap sa mga senior,” Paborada said.
(I actually wanted to apply as a sweeper when I was struggling before. The Antipolo city hall assigned us here since fast food is the only one who accepts seniors.)
Accessible and inclusive work spaces are still a struggle for the country’s marginalized sectors, the elderly, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
But some fast food chains and branches started to hire senior citizens and PWDs last year, which the Antipolo city hall posted on their Facebook page. Paborada was one of those who qualified to be temporarily employed for four months in the Jollibee branch of SM City Masinag.
It was 1983 when Paborada resigned as sales clerk in Rustan’s Department Store to be a housewife, but it was not hard for her to come back even after four decades of being out of the labor market, as she enjoys serving customers.
“Naalis talaga ‘yong lungkot ko sa bahay; nalilibang ako eh. Buti naman walang discrimination, dapat mangyari ‘yan dito sa Pilipinas talaga eh,” Paborada said.
(The feeling of sadness fades away since I am having fun. It’s a good thing that there is no discrimination, which should really happen here in the Philippines.)
For Paborada, her old age restricts her from applying for other fields, but says her physical body is never a hurdle even in the busy corners of Jollibee.
“Sa pakiramdam ko ang lakas-lakas ko pa eh. Malaking tulong din sa akin ‘yong sumusweldo ako kung minsan Php 2,800 o Php 2,900,” she said.
(I still feel very physically strong. It is also a big help for me to earn money from Php 2,800 or Php 2,900 sometimes.)
It’s important that businesses be open to hiring the elderly and PWDs. Coffee shops like Hisbeans Cafe in Quezon City takes it up a notch and only accepts individuals with disabilities as their staff.
“Sabi ko sa sarili ko na kahit PWD ako, kung ano ‘yong kaya nila sa normal, kaya din namin. Bilang may disability, kaya ko rin ibahagi sa kanila ‘yong skills ko,” said 30-year-old Aldian Aca-ac.
(I told myself that even though I am a PWD, I can do what normal people can do. As someone who has a disability, I can still share my skills with them.)
Aca-ac said they have training sessions to deal with customers.
But Aca-ac said there are days when he had to be more explicit in telling customers about his condition.
“Dati tinatakpan [tainga] ko pa kaya long hair ako dati eh. ‘Yong time na magtatrabaho na ako (…) syempre kailangan proper haircut, kaya nag lakas loob na lang ako i-cut,” he said.
(I used to cover my ears, which is why I have long hair before. When the time that I need to work and proper haircut is required, I muster up the courage to cut it.)
Patrick Bryan Ablaza, a Senior Deaf Advocacy Officer from Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino – Filipino Sign Language unit, said that there’s a “need to develop” available occupations for the elderly and disabled. Businesses must find ways for deaf workers to talk with clients and seniors who cannot do heavy tasks.
“Provide them with jobs appropriate for their abilities and give them equal pay. Make sure there are no barriers to hinder them from working well,” Ablaza said.
Despite these considerations, both Aca-ac and Paborada recognized these inclusive industries as a chance to equip their needs and fulfill their wants in life.
According to a study done by the Institute of Labor Studies, there’s a need for “stricter implementation of laws and policies pertaining to employment of PWDs.”
Authors Soledad De Luna-Narido and Miraluna Tacadao noted that the Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons “provides the rights and privileges of PWDs and their integration into the mainstream of the society.”
They cited that there are provisions “allotting a certain percentage of positions for PWDs in government organizations” and that “private employers are entitled to incentives to encourage active participation in promoting the welfare of PWDs.”
A PWD himself, Ablaza was “challenged” in accommodating buyers when he was part of the service industry. Although some tried hand gestures, others chose to talk with other employees.
“It is important to make sure that the PWDs and seniors can do the job well. Many see the deaf as inferior or have no skills, but they can do what hearing people do, except hear. With proper training, deaf people can be productive and contribute to the company’s goals,” Ablaza said.
The elderly have entitled benefits under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, as well as hose who have hearing conditions under the Filipino Sign Language Act. – Julianne Loreign Vicente/Rappler.com
Julianne Loreign Vicente is a Rappler intern. She is studying BA Journalism at the University of Santo Tomas.
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Eriobu shines in PBA finals debut as Magnolia makes San Miguel sweat | delfin.dioquino editor | 3/2/2024 21:49 | LAYUP. Joseph Eriobu in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – The emergence of Joseph Eriobu proved to be a silver lining even as Magnolia dropped the opener of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals against San Miguel.
Eriobu powered the Hotshots’ 4th-quarter comeback from a 20-point hole as they gave the Beermen a major scare before absorbing a 103-95 loss on Friday, February 2.
Sidelined for most of the playoffs, the former PBA 3×3 stalwart made the most out of his finals debut, putting up 7 points and 2 rebounds in just 8 minutes of action.
“When our numbers are called, we have to be ready and we have to execute what coach wants us to do,” said Eriobu, who signed a one-season contract with Magnolia after starring for Purefoods in the PBA 3×3, in Filipino.
“I’m not nervous at all. The only thing that goes through my mind is when coach puts me in, I’m ready.”
When coach Chito Victolero fielded in Eriobu along with other third stringers Jed Mendoza and Russel Escoto as the Hotshots trailed by as big as 94-74 in the 4th quarter, it felt like a move to simply rest his rotation players.
After all, Magnolia entered the finals with hardly any rest just two days after disposing of Phoenix in the semifinals.
But Eriobu played with no intentions of making it easy for San Miguel.
Five straight Eriobu points allowed his team to inch within single digits, 94-85, and his last bucket further trimmed their deficit to 6 points, 100-94, with under 1:30 minutes remaining.
Although the Beermen held on to draw first blood in the best-of-seven series, Eriobu is proud that the Hotshots made the Beermen sweat for the win.
“Our goal was to come back, make the game close, and try to win the game. We came up short but we made them feel that we’re here to fight,” said Eriobu.
“We showed San Miguel that we will not back down no matter how big their lead is.”
Eriobu and Magnolia hope to tie the series up in Game 2 on Sunday, February 4, at the Mall of Asia Arena. – Rappler.com
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Angkas to Angcars? Here are the challengers to Grab’s ride-hailing dominance | lkyu0285 | 3/2/2024 11:37 | MANILA, Philippines – Motorcycle taxi app Angkas is readying to launch its own four-wheel ride-hailing service and become the next transport network company (TNC) to compete with Grab in the Philippines.
Besides its familiar black and blue motorcycle taxis, Angkas plans to enter as a four-wheel transport network vehicle service (TNVS) provider through its new app: “Angcars.”
“Angcars is designed to be an advanced ride-hailing app that seamlessly blends affordability with user-friendly navigation,” Angkas chief executive officer George Royeca said during a recent townhall.
What’s in the soon-to-be-launched app? Passengers can select from Angcars Economy and Angcars Plus to choose between four-seater and six-seater vehicles. More details are set to be announced soon, although the project is part of the company’s 2024 pipeline, an Angkas representative told Rappler.
Meanwhile, for the motorcycle taxi app, the company plans to launch Angkas Health and Angkas Padala. Angkas Health will bring a “straightforward five-step process” that allows a PRC-licensed medical professional to deliver healthcare services, such as blood testing, at home. Angkas Padala will cater to digital sellers, with payment and disbursement tools and a nationwide courier service.
Recall that before prospective drivers can operate their cars under a ride-hailing service, they have to secure accreditation from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, or LTFRB. They do this by applying through one of the TNCs for a slot as a TNVS operator. And it so happens that one TNC happens to hold the majority of TNVS slots: Grab.
Although Grab does not technically monopolize the ride-hailing service market, its operations dwarf that of other accredited TNCs. A few years back, the ride-hailing market in the Philippines was split mostly between Grab and Uber. But in 2018, Grab bought out Uber’s Southeast Asia operations, transforming the ride-hailing market in the Philippines from a duopoly to essentially a monopoly.
However, there are other approved TNCs in the country besides Grab, although their coverage may vary:
Perhaps the biggest challenger is motorcycle taxi provider JoyRide, which only began to offer car ride-hailing services in early 2022. JoyRide also recently announced its ambitious “Super Taxi” service, which would have the same fare as regular metered taxis but offer larger and more modern vehicles. JoyRide, of course, has strong roots in the motorcycle taxi market, like Angkas and Grab, which owns Move It.
Aside from the TNCs approved by the government, there are also other apps that have tried to take on Grab, but have faced challenges of their own. The latest one was inDrive, one of the largest international ride-hailing companies. inDrive recently obtained accreditation from the LTFRB and was set to launch in the country “soon,” only for the government to slap it with a suspension weeks later.
There was also Tara, an upcoming app that promised to be a “cost-effective Grab alternative.” But despite going viral, Tara has a long way to go as the app is still undergoing development, and the team behind it has yet to secure necessary government approvals.
Still, commuters have long sought for other options, so much so that some have resorted to using illegal ride-hailing apps. In early 2023, the LTFRB identified two unaccredited apps in particular that operate in the Philippines: Maxim and inDrive – the same app facing renewed legal roadblocks as it tries to get accredited.
The fact that Filipinos turned to these apps in the first place points to a lack of ride-hailing services – especially in the provinces – that even the LTFRB chairman acknowledged. Will the new players in the TNVS market manage to turn this around? – Rappler.com
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Alex Eala bows out of Indian tournament semis, quickly zeroes in on Abu Dhabi tilt | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 22:43 | FOCUSED. Alex Eala looks to return a shot in ITF action.
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MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala’s two-week campaign in India ended on Saturday, February 3, but not after almost pulling off what would have been an amazing comeback.
The 18-year-old Filipina third seed engaged 20-year-old second seed Polina Kudermetova of Russia in a close-quarter battle for 2 hours and 28 minutes before falling in three sets, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, in the Indore ITF World Tennis Tour W50 semifinals.
The semifinal encounter should have ended in the second set if not for Eala’s indomitable fighting spirit. After dropping her serve in the 11th game, which enabled Kudermetova to pull ahead at 6-5, Eala faced match point on two occasions in the 12th game.
As she had done in the three previous rounds, Eala dug deep to not only break Kudermetova but also win the second-set tiebreak.
Kudermetova, the younger sister of former world No. 9 Veronika, came out with vengeance in the deciding set, racing to a 3-0 advantage. Eala, however, once again showed her resilience.
After a medical timeout, Eala got herself back in the match by snatching the next two games to inch closer at 2-3. The Russian, though, broke Eala again in the sixth game.
Eala had another golden opportunity to narrow the gap when she had three break points in the next game.
Kudermetova would have none of it, holding serve then breaking the Filipina in the eighth game to close out the match and advance to the finals on Sunday, February 4, at the Indore Tennis Club against fifth seed Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia.
Eala will have a short respite before she joins her first WTA main draw for the year, the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open scheduled from February 5 to 11 in the United Arab Emirates.
The world No. 184 Filipina will be in for a tough opening round as she is set to face 31-year-old veteran Magda Linette of Poland. Currently 56th in the world, Linette reached the semifinals of the 2023 Australian Open. She reached a career-high 19th in the world rankings in March 2023. – Rappler.com
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