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What we know so far: Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City | jsitchon0312 | 2/2/2024 14:23 | LEADER. A CALABARZON elementary boys basketball coach gives instructions to his players in the Palarong Pambansa 2023 preliminaries
DepEd
CEBU, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama officially signed a memorandum of agreement for the Palarong Pambansa 2024 on Friday, February 2, solidifying the commitment of the local government and Department of Education (DepEd) in hosting the event in the Queen City.
The nationwide multi-sport tournament for elementary and high school athletes will run from July 6 to 17.
“The Palarong Pambansa is an integral part of our efforts to strengthen our grassroots sports programs, granting various opportunities for sports-inclined youth and exposing them to real-life experiences in their chosen sports,” Duterte said in a speech during the MOA signing.
Vice President Sara Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama sign an agreement for the hosting of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.Cebu City first hosted the grand sports event in 1954 and then, for the second time in 1994. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/c1qEORPZje
This is the third time that Cebu City will be hosting the grand sports event — the first hosting was in 1954 and later, in 1994. According to Duterte, this is the 64th edition of the Palarong Pambansa since it started in 1948.
Marikina City hosted last year’s Palarong Pambansa from July to August.
Last August, Cebu City Sports Commission chairperson John Pages shared they’re expecting at least 12,000 athletes and 25,000 visitors from all over the country to join the Palarong Pambansa 2024.
During a press conference on Friday morning, Pages announced that around 20 schools in the city will be used as billeting quarters for the athletes who will be coming to Cebu City.
“What we’re focusing on right now is the rehabilitation of our facilities, our swimming pool, our track oval will be all new and we are very blessed in Cebu City to have a lot of universities and malls that we are partnering with as venues,” the sports commission chair said.
Currently, the Cebu City Sports Center, where a majority of the sports events are held, is completing its final renovations and will be open this April.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas mentioned during the press conference that the Palarong Pambansa secretariat and committees will be making adjustments based on their takeaways from the event hosting in Marikina City.
Last year, heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Falcon threatened the conduct of multiple games as it opened on July 31. The event concluded with the National Capital Region claiming its 16th overall Palarong Pambansa championship.
“We will be activating not only our disaster city control management services but also our school health personnel not only in Cebu City but also nearby locations to ensure we have adequate health human resources,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban said.
Pages stated that 70 percent of the sports events are indoor activities and that the city will be utilizing venues like indoor tennis courts to address weather concerns.
The city sports commission has identified three main “zones” where the events will be held. These include areas in the South Road Properties, downtown Cebu, and the city’s northern district.
According to Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, the city council approved a budget allocation worth P200 million to assist the sports commission’s undertaking for the Palaro hosting.
The budget includes items for the renovation of sports facilities, construction of billeting quarters, and procurement of sports equipment necessary for the games.
Bringas assured the athletes that there will be financial support for students who will come from the school division offices of the participating regions.
“We will be expecting our learners to experience playing in world-class facilities,” Bringas said.
The DepEd assistant secretary also shared that they will be discarding the pre-qualifying meet which was introduced in the previous year due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were still in a public health emergency last year so we had to consider reducing the number of delegates per region in the national (Palarong Pambansa),” Bringas added. – Rappler.com
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IN PHOTOS: 2024 Panagbenga Festival’s blooming opening | Jairo Bolledo | 3/2/2024 22:18 | BLOOMING. A street dancer wearing traditional Igorot clothing graces Baguio City's streets during the Panagbenga Festival on February 3, 2024.
Mia Magdalena Fokno/Rappler
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Panagbenga Festival, now in its 28th year, commenced with the theme “celebrating tradition, embracing innovation.”
Running from February 1 to March 3, the festival opened with two main events, the “Panagbengascapes: A Garden Exhibit” and “Baguio Blooms: A Market Encounter.”
These events offered a glimpse into Baguio residents’ craftsmanship and creativity through landscape exhibitions and a market of unique products, crafts, and food.
The Panagbenga, which means “season of blooming,” was started in 1995 by Damaso Bangaoet Jr. and has grown from a local community event into a widely recognized festival. It symbolizes the Baguio community’s resilience and unity.
This year’s theme reflects the festival’s goal: to balance traditional values with new ideas, making Panagbenga a relevant and engaging celebration for all attendees.
On Saturday, February 3, a civic parade was held from the Panagbenga Park to Melvin Jones Grandstand. The event was no ordinary parade – it highlighted Baguio’s cultural pride through music, dance, and colorful displays.
Another key attraction was the drum and lyre competition, which showcased the musical talents of students from various schools, boosting the festival’s lively atmosphere. So far in the competitions, Manuel Roxas Elementary School led the pack, followed closely by Lucban Elementary School and Tuba Central Elementary School.
As the festivities continue, attendees can expect a variety of activities, such as floral floats, street dancing, and culinary fairs. – 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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La Salle high school product Kean Baclaan leaves NU, joins loaded champion Archers | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 21:09 | STUNNER. NU's Kean Baclaan (center) and Michael Malonzo celebrate their huge win over UP's Zav Lucero and the Maroons.
UAAP Season 85 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – The top men’s basketball team in the UAAP once again got a lot stronger.
After two seasons with the NU Bulldogs, former La Salle-Zobel high school product Kean Baclaan is returning home, at the college level this time, to join the reigning UAAP champion Green Archers, the do-it-all guard confirmed on Saturday, February 3.
Upon completing a redshirt year, the pride of Muntinlupa City will make his La Salle return official in Season 88 in 2025 and is expected under head coach Topex Robinson’s guidance to form a dynamic back court tandem with fellow transferee, former San Beda star Jacob Cortez.
Baclaan, Cortez, and reserve Joshua David will likely lead La Salle’s guard rotation, adequately filling in for graduated leader Evan Nelle.
The big question with Baclaan’s arrival, however, is if star forward Kevin Quiambao will still be around to join forces with his childhood friend as the reigning MVP is already attracting attention from international teams due to his spectacular, fast-improving skill set.
Quiambao recently turned heads in the recently concluded Dubai International Basketball Championship, where he and former NBA superstar Dwight Howard led Strong Group Athletics to the gold medal match before losing to a stunning championship-winning buzzer-beater by Al Riyadi.
As for NU, its guard rotation will still be stacked with talent after Baclaan’s departure as the likes of Steve Nash Enriquez, Reinhard Jumamoy, LA Casinillo, and Mark Parks will still be around to keep the Jeff Napa-coached Bulldogs in contending form. – 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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Focused on Gilas Pilipinas stint, Kevin Quiambao tunes out ‘distractions’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 22:32 | ROAR. Kevin Quiambao and Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao is not getting caught up in the hoopla of reported interest from the New York Knicks and the UAE national team as he turns his unadulterated attention to Gilas Pilipinas.
Fresh from an impressive stint with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Basketball International Championship, the La Salle star cracked the 12-man lineup of national team head coach Tim Cone as the only collegiate player.
“Those are not the things I want to talk about because they’re just distractions in my career right now,” said Quiambao of the reported offers.
“I’m focused on Gilas and I’m focused on the things that I need to improve, especially my skills,” added Quiambao in Filipino on Wednesday, January 31.
The reigning UAAP MVP made quite a splash in his stint with Strong Group, averaging 15.8 points in eight games for a stacked team that featured former NBA standouts Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
His highest scoring performance came in a 22-point rout of Syrian squad Al Wahda on January 20 as Quiambao fired 24 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from three-point land.
A couple of days after, reports that the Knicks invited Quiambao for their NBA Summer League roster and that UAE offered to naturalize him came out.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu denied the Knicks’ invitation but confirmed that UAE showed an interest to tap Quiambao as a naturalized player.
Quiambao, though, would rather focus on the task at hand as he gets a chance to play for Cone – the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles – for the first time.
“To be under coach Tim is a huge privilege, a huge pressure at the same time, and a huge blessing. Coach Tim has a ton of experience and he has coached a lot of players,” said Quiambao.
“I’ll do my best, and whoever is in the lineup, I’ll cherish the moments that we’ll be spending together.”
Held scoreless in the Dubai final as Strong Group fell short of the title no thanks to Lebanese side Al Riyadi escaping on a buzzer-beater, Quiambao said his experience – the good and the bad – will come in handy for his career.
“The past two weeks felt like an entire year for me. It is a surreal feeling to share the floor with NBA superstars,” said Quiambao.
“I tried to maximize my time with them, no matter how short it was. It is a huge help and a huge motivation for my career. I’ll forever be proud.”
“These coming few weeks, I’ll work on getting my groove and confidence back knowing that we lost. I need to move on.”
Quiambao and Gilas will face Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later in February. – Rappler.com
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COA, helped by private sector, flags Bohol hospitals with over P1-M expired medicines | Chito de la Vega | 3/2/2024 17:31 | MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit, working on a report provided to the provincial government, flagged three devolved public hospitals in Bohol for incurring losses of over a million pesos because of expired drugs and medicines.
Flagged for their bulk purchases by COA were the Teodoro B. Galagar District Hospital (TBGDH), Catigbian District Hospital (CDH), and the Cong. Simeon G. Toribio Memorial Hospital (CSGTMH).
“Management procured its drugs and medicines for six-month periods departing from the three-month requirement ceiling under Section 361 of RA 7160 attributable to the incorrect implementation of bulk procurement approach resulting in total actual loss from expiration of P1,845,124.52,” said the state auditors.
COA also added that prompt action was needed on this matter because, if unattended, these hospitals risk “further spoilage and expiration.”
The government auditors released on January 9 a Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) report which was culled from data provided to Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado.
A CPA is a program of COA which promotes more transparency by encouraging the private sector and civil society groups to review government transactions. In this case, the report given to the Bohol provincial government came from the auditor of the Philippine Pharmacists Association – Bohol Chapter.
The citizen auditor and four COA auditors looked into the financial records of the devolved Bohol public hospitals from November 10 to 23, 2023.
The auditors uncovered the following: TBGDH incurred a loss from “expired drugs and medicines” worth P985,195; CDH wasted P453,233; while CSGTMH spoiled P400,155.
The three hospitals responded to the audit observation memorandum that they turned to bulk procurements because they wanted to purchase at better prices and get volume discounts from suppliers.
The government hospitals also said that because of the uncertain situation during the COVID-19 pandemic they anticipated delivery and supply problems.
The three hospitals assured the COA of adopting government mandated procedures in future supply contracts, as well as improve their inventory and supply monitoring. – Rappler.com
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Linsanity in Cebu: EASL selects Philippines as Final Four neutral battleground | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 14:39 | BIG GUNS. New Taipei's Jeremy Lin dishes the ball behind Ryukyu's Carl Tamayo.
EASL FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Lucky Cebuanos will soon get a taste of NBA-caliber action right in the comfort of their island home.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) announced on Thursday, February 1, that Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu will host the first-ever Final Four playoffs of its new home-and-away season this March 8 and 10.
Former NBA breakout star Jeremy Lin is undisputedly the top player to watch as his Group B-leading New Taipei Kings of Taiwan’s P. League+ will likely take on Group A’s second seed Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters of the Korean Basketball League (KBL) in the knockout semifinal on March 8.
Notably, the reigning KBL and EASL champion Anyang may also roll out Filipino import Rhenz Abando in its return to the Philippines, as the Gilas Pilipinas star’s rehabilitation from a harrowing spine injury is expected to run only until the first few weeks of February, barring setbacks.
Meanwhile, Group A’s undefeated leader Chiba Jets of the Japan B. League are expected to continue leaning on former MVP Yuki Togashi and will likely take on Group B’s No. 2 team Seoul SK Knights of the KBL in the other semifinal match.
Although he has only seen spot minutes with his new team, former UAAP Mythical Five member Juan Gomez de Liaño will surely be Seoul’s top attraction in its arrival to Cebu next month.
When the semifinal dust settles, Cebu will then see two more games, the third-place game and winner-take-all final, on March 10.
This year’s Final Four champion will be $1 million richer, the runner-up will get $500,000, and the third-place team will earn $250,000.
“Cebu is an incredible venue for the first EASL Final Four. It has some of the most passionate basketball fans in the Philippines. The Hoops Dome is a great arena that will be packed with local and traveling fans,” said EASL CEO Henry Kerins.
“This is an amazing tourist destination – we are excited to showcase Cebu, including the magical resort island of Mactan, and the beautiful culture of the Philippines to our fans across the region. The Final Four is going to be a world-class sports entertainment experience.”
The Philippines, however, will have no EASL team representatives on home soil as both the TNT Tropang Giga and the Meralco Bolts of the PBA lagged to last place in their respective groups and out of contention.
Ticket sales for the Final Four will start soon on TicketMAX. Further information will be published on the EASL website and social media channels. – Rappler.com
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China says Philippine vessel ‘illegally’ landed on disputed atoll | lkyu0285 | 3/2/2024 15:10 | BRP SIERRA MADRE. The BRP Sierra Madre, a transport ship used as a military outpost of the Philippine Marines, marooned at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, on March 2014.
REUTERS
SHANGHAI, China – China said on Saturday, February 3, a small civilian vessel from the Philippines had “illegally placed itself on the beach” of an atoll in the South China Sea that both countries claim.
The vessel, which landed on the Spratly Islands atoll on Friday, February 2, was there for supply purposes, the China Coast Guard posted on the Weixin platform.
The Philippines has stationed a small number of troops on a World War Two ship it grounded in 1999 as an outpost to reinforce its sovereignty claim over the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin in the Philippines and the Renai Reef in China.
Manila refused Beijing’s requests last year to tow the vessel away in the row that has soured relations between the two Asian nations.
China asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including areas claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 China’s claims had no legal basis. – Rappler.com
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Night, night: Carlo Bumina-ang puts Chinese foe to sleep | Jasmine Payo | 2/2/2024 23:41 | POWER. Filipino fighter Carlo Bumina-ang (right) pummels Chinese opponent Xie Zhipeng in ONE Friday Fights 50.
ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
MANILA, Philippines – Carlo“The Bull” Bumina-ang sure knows how to start the year right.
Bumina-ang hacks out a rousing first-round victory, submitting Xie Zhipeng with a ruthless arm triangle choke to secure a round-one victory in ONE Friday Fights 50 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Team Lakay upstart wasted no time claiming his fourth straight win, rocking his Chinese opponent with a booming right hook to send him to the mat seconds into their match.
Sensing victory, the 29-year-old Filipino continued his onslaught, pinning Xie, raining down some ground and pound before taking the mount and locking in the arm-triangle.
The helpless Chinese didn’t even have the chance to tap out before going to sleep at the 1:29 mark.
Good night 😴 Carlo Bumina-ang puts his foe to SLEEP in Round 1!#ONEFridayFights50 | 🔴 Live Now🌎 Live TV broadcast in 190+ countries (check local listings)🌎 Also available on ONE YouTube and ONE Facebook (geo-restrictions may apply)🌎 Also available on… pic.twitter.com/YL43n3uvRo
It was a masterful performance that earned The Bull a US $10,000 bonus.
More importantly, it boosted Bumina-ang’s stock as he closes in on a potential ONE contract after taking his fourth straight win – with three of those wins coming within the first two minutes of the first round.
– Rappler.com
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Davao witnesses link PBA party-list workers to ‘deceptive’ Cha-Cha initiative | Herbie G | 3/2/2024 12:55 | 'IRREGULARITIES.' Davao residents take turns in testifying about the alleged irregularities in the signature campaign for Charter change during a Senate committee public hearing on Friday, February 2, 2024.
Lucelle Bonzo/Rappler
DAVAO, Philippines – Witnesses linked workers of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list group to the so-called people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution as they testified about the alleged signature-buying and other irregularities that marred the signature campaign in the Davao region and neighboring provinces.
During a public inquiry by the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation at the Arcadia Event Center in Davao City on Friday, February 2, witnesses also alleged that those who worked for the charter change (Cha-Cha) campaign promised voters at least P4,000 each in exchange for their signatures on documents for submission to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Others alleged they were promised government aid through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS). The TUPAD is an aid program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), while the AICS is that of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Rene Estorpe, the barangay chairman of Agdao Centro in Davao, presented a green envelope containing signature campaign papers and claimed these came from a PBA Partylist coordinator identified as Benzar Yap.
Estorpe alleged that Yap had promised to give P4,000 to every signatory in his village, and many residents now wanted to withdraw their signatures because, until lately, they were clueless about the documents they signed.
A PBA party-list group coordinator from Barangay San Antonio told the committee that she distributed coupons for government aid to lure people in her village to sign for the people’s initiative documents.
The PBA party-list group is an organization closely associated with the children of the late House speaker Prospero Nograles, patriarch of one of the prominent political families in Davao City.
The group’s current representative to the Lower House is Margarita Ignacia Nograles whose brother, Jericho, served as an assistant majority leader of the House of Representatives during the Duterte administration. Their brother Karlo Alexei, who served as former president Rodrigo Duterte’s cabinet secretary and acting presidential spokesperson, is presently the chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Senator Imee Marcos, the Senate committee chairperson, said, “Ang signature gathering dito sa Davao at sa iba’t ibang lugar dito sa kapuluan, wala namang problema kung tama ang paglikom ng mahahalagang pirma ng sambayanan. Pero bakit may panlilinlang?”
(There’s no problem with the gathering of signatures in Davao and other parts of the country if the process is correct. But why is there deception?)
During the investigation, resource persons from Davao City and Davao del Norte claimed the involvement of monetary incentives to bolster participation.
The Comelec has ordered a halt to the acceptance of signature campaign documents related to the people’s initiative while it reviews and improves existing rules and guidelines. The Comelec office in the Davao region stopped receiving the signatures on Monday, January 29.
Asked by Senator Ronald dela Rosa, Comelec-Davao Director Remlane Tambuang said residents who wish to withdraw their signatures can do so by executing affidavits.
Senator Marcos said the committee would continue with the investigation into the people’s initiative for charter change and look into the P55 million worth of television advertisements for the campaign.
She said senators would also look into the initiative’s sources of funds starting with the list of donors, and a certain Anthony Abad, the man identified to be behind the signature drive.
As the investigation progressed, civil society organizations questioned the legitimacy of the move to amend the 1987 Constitution.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), for one, said people were made to sign without an effort to make them study and understand the proposed amendments through public discussions, making the campaign “deceptive.”
Former chief justice Hilario Davide and former Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento have submitted their respective position papers against the initiative to the Senate committee. Both served as members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (Concom) which drafted the 1987 Constitution.
Davide said the people’s initiative, based on the 1987 Constitution, should be seen as a “sacred sovereign power that must be exercised with absolute good faith and should never be tainted or stained by vice, defect, trickery, deceit, misrepresentation, wickedness, and corruption of any kind.”
Under the 1987 Constitution, citizens are empowered to propose amendments “through [an] initiative upon a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of the registered voters therein, a mode called people’s initiative.”
As of January 26, petitions from more than 1,000 localities in the country were signed in an attempt to amend the Constitution, according to the Comelec. – Rappler.com
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Standhardinger, Perez in tight battle for PBA Best Player award | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 15:08 | BUMP. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger and San Miguel’s CJ Perez figure in a tight race for the Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as they lead the statistical battle.
Standhardinger retained his No. 1 spot in the statistical points (SPs) ranking through the semifinals with an average of 35.7 SPs after chalking up 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5 assists in 15 games.
But Perez trailed Standhardinger closely with an average of 35.5 SPs as he put up 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 steals in 15 games.
Both players have made strong cases for the award given to the finest local of the conference, with Standhardinger looking to earn his third BPC plum and Perez eyeing his first.
Although he got contained to 13.3 points with 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the semifinals as the Gin Kings suffered a sweep at the hands of Perez and the Beermen, Standhardinger proved his worth as an all-around force.
Standhardinger ended the conference as the best local scorer and rebounder for Ginebra and ranked second in the team in assists behind Scottie Thompson.
Meanwhile, Perez took over for San Miguel in the eliminations when seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo went down with a knee injury and played a key role in the playoffs to propel the Beermen to the finals.
Perez normed 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals as the Beermen dealt the Gin Kings their first sweep loss in a best-of-five series since 2013.
NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino placed third with 35.1 SPs after leading all local scorers with 22.4 points on top of 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.9 steals.
TNT’s Calvin Oftana (34.1 SPs) and Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson (31 SPs) rounded out the top five.
In the Best Import duel, San Miguel’s Bennie Boatwright claimed the top spot with 60.3 SPs as he averaged 35.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block going into the finals.
Boatwright, though, played just seven games after coming in as a replacement for original Beermen import Ivan Aska.
Phoenix’s Johnathan Williams III placed second to Boatwright with 50.7 SPs built on his 24.5 points, 16.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks as he steered the Fuel Masters to their first semifinal appearance in an import conference.
Magnolia’s Tyler Bey also made a compelling argument for the Best Import plum after powering the Hotshots to the finals, doing so with averages of 26.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks for 50.6 SPs.
The winners will be awarded before Game 4 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals on February 9 at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
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PH task force on media security’s efforts not enough, says UN’s Khan | Jairo Bolledo | 3/2/2024 10:05 | VISIT. UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan holds an exit press conference in Mandaluyong City, as she concludes her official visit to the Philippines on February 2, 2024.
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MANILA, Philippines – United Nation Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan found the efforts of the government’s task force on media security lacking.
Asked about her assessment on Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS), created under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, Khan noted that the Philippine task force has no proper system in the context of protection or prevention of attacks against Filipino journalists.
“There are ad hoc efforts. [The] PTFOMS has made individual demarches in a few cases. [The] PTFOMS has tried, has sent out a circular to police stations asking the police public information officers to play the role of media security vanguard, I think it is called. But that’s not enough, and I’m talking from experience in other parts of the world,” Khan said in her press conference on Friday, February 2.
In the Netherlands, which ranked high in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index at 6th place, Khan said law enforcers were quick to probe media killings. The annual World Press Freedom Index ranks 180 countries in the context of press freedom, based on political, legal, sociocultural, economic, and media safety factors.
Khan said there was an instance where a journalist was shot in the middle of the day, on the street in the Netherlands, and within seven days, the person tagged in the crime was already arrested.
But even countries like Mexico and Honduras – considered hazardous to journalists – have more efforts and mechanisms to ensure media protection, said Khan. Mexico and Honduras ranked 128th and 169th respectively in the 2023 press freedom index. Philippines was at No. 132.
“So there is a lot more. It has to be systematic, institutionalize, resourced properly, and as journalists, you have to feel confident about approaching that protection mechanism,” Khan said.
Some Filipino journalists have complicated relationships with the government – and that extends to law enforcers and to the PTFOMS, as well.
Khan took note that some Filipino journalists have reservations to seek the help of the police when they were attacked or harassed: “From what I’ve heard, many journalists are actually afraid of the police, they’re afraid of the security system. So asking you to go to the same police that may have tagged you or charge, make false charges against you, is not going to work.”
Even the example of PTFOMS’ effort mentioned by Khan, where the task force sought police’s help, drew flak when it was implemented. After the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid in October 2022, police personnel started visiting the addresses of some journalists to reach out to them, “especially those who have been receiving threats.” Some journalists raised concerns because of the police presence in their private space.
There were also instances where law enforcers themselves red-tagged some journalists. Law enforcers also arrested red-tagged journalists, like in the case of Lady Ann Salem and the still detained Frenchie Mae Cumpio.
Some media groups like the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) also questioned some of the PTFOMS’ moves. The NUJP slammed PTFOMS chief Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez back in January when the latter red-tagged Cumpio, labelling her “an active participant” of the communist armed struggle.
The Altermidya Network, where Cumpio was affiliated, condemned the red-tagging. The network released a strongly worded statement detailing Cumpio’s contributions as a community journalist, dispelling the allegations thrown at her.
After their meeting with Khan, the Department of Justice said the PTFOMS told the special rapporteur that not all media killings have a direct link to press freedom because some of these cases involved personal issues. Khan disagreed.
For the UN special rapporteur, the presumption should be, media killings should be considered work-related until it is proven that they are not.
“So you start with the assumption that if you’re doing a job where you are dealing with danger, dangerous information, that will hurt powerful interests, then the assumption is if something happens to you, that it happened because of your work,” Khan said. “Maybe, I’m not saying that there aren’t any other non-related cases, but the right approach to take is to investigate first and not make any assumptions.”
Earlier, NUJP secretary general Len Olea raised concerns over the government’s statement on media killing, saying that whether work-related or not, journalist killings “are not acceptable, and should not happen in a democratic society in the first place.”
Based on the NUJP’s tally, at least 199 journalists have been killed since 1986. This number includes all journalists slain in relation to their job.
In terms of conviction of suspects, only 42 perpetrators were convicted out of 188, according to the NUJP Media Safety Office in 2020. The 188 reflected the number of journalists killed from 1986 to 2020. – Rappler.com
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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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La Salle high school product Kean Baclaan leaves NU, joins loaded champion Archers | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 21:09 | STUNNER. NU's Kean Baclaan (center) and Michael Malonzo celebrate their huge win over UP's Zav Lucero and the Maroons.
UAAP Season 85 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – The top men’s basketball team in the UAAP once again got a lot stronger.
After two seasons with the NU Bulldogs, former La Salle-Zobel high school product Kean Baclaan is returning home, at the college level this time, to join the reigning UAAP champion Green Archers, the do-it-all guard confirmed on Saturday, February 3.
Upon completing a redshirt year, the pride of Muntinlupa City will make his La Salle return official in Season 88 in 2025 and is expected under head coach Topex Robinson’s guidance to form a dynamic back court tandem with fellow transferee, former San Beda star Jacob Cortez.
Baclaan, Cortez, and reserve Joshua David will likely lead La Salle’s guard rotation, adequately filling in for graduated leader Evan Nelle.
The big question with Baclaan’s arrival, however, is if star forward Kevin Quiambao will still be around to join forces with his childhood friend as the reigning MVP is already attracting attention from international teams due to his spectacular, fast-improving skill set.
Quiambao recently turned heads in the recently concluded Dubai International Basketball Championship, where he and former NBA superstar Dwight Howard led Strong Group Athletics to the gold medal match before losing to a stunning championship-winning buzzer-beater by Al Riyadi.
As for NU, its guard rotation will still be stacked with talent after Baclaan’s departure as the likes of Steve Nash Enriquez, Reinhard Jumamoy, LA Casinillo, and Mark Parks will still be around to keep the Jeff Napa-coached Bulldogs in contending form. – Rappler.com
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FAST FACTS: New-era Gilas Pilipinas begins 2024 FIBA cycle with Asia Cup qualifiers | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 19:56 | BAND OF BROTHERS. Gilas Pilipinas players embrace Justin Brownlee for his heroics in the 19th Asian Games.
PSC-POC Media Pool
MANILA, Philippines – The 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers mark a new beginning for Gilas Pilipinas.
Besides starting a four-year FIBA cycle, the national team will turn the page on another chapter – now with a permanent head coach, Tim Cone, and a 12-man roster planned to carry the torch until the next World Cup.
After capturing the Philippines’ first Asian Games gold medal in men’s basketball in 61 years, Gilas looks to carry a sizeable momentum heading into the Asia Cup qualifiers.
Here are some facts about the new-era Gilas and the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, based on the FIBA website:
The first window of the Asia Cup qualifiers is slated for February 22 and 25, 2024, in a home-away format.
Clustered in Group B, Gilas Pilipinas will face Hong Kong on the road on the 22nd at 8 pm Manila time. The Filipinos will then host the Chinese Taipei on the 25th at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City at 7:30 pm.
Group B also includes Oceania powerhouse New Zealand, which Gilas will face in the November 2024 tournament window.
The 24 teams across six groups will compete for 16 FIBA Asia Cup slots. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the Asia Cup, while the six third-placed teams will still have to go through another qualifying tournament for the final remaining spots.
Like any team in the qualifiers, Gilas will play one home and one road game against each team in its group.
Games will be played over three windows from February 2024, November 2024, and February 2025. Each team holds the right to change lineups in each of the windows.
The FIBA Asia Cup will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2025.
As the name suggests, the Asia Cup is FIBA’s top tournament to showcase the best teams of the continent, albeit with two Oceania mainstays in Australia and New Zealand.
Incidentally, the two aforementioned countries have always been top-level contenders that Gilas and the rest of Asia have always been wary of, and the 2024-2025 cycle is no exception.
Ranked No. 4 and No. 21 in the world, respectively, Australia and New Zealand are actually the Asia Cup’s highest-seeded teams, with Japan being mainland Asia’s top team at No. 26.
Along with No. 28 Lebanon, No. 29 China, and No. 32 Jordan, these six countries ranked above No. 38 Philippines and are the consistent barometers for excellence in the continent.
Should Gilas qualify for the eighth straight time – a period spanning 19 years – these nations should immediately be on top of the team’s watchlist while also keeping a close eye on the countries ranked below, like South Korea, Indonesia, and Chinese Taipei.
Tim Cone, the PBA’s winningest coach, will be at the national team’s helm, while team manager Richard del Rosario will be Gilas’ team manager.
The 12-man roster includes PBA stars June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, Jamie Malonzo, CJ Perez, and Japan B-League imports Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, and Carl Tamayo.
Rounding up the team are UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao and the returning Justin Brownlee, who recently got his FIBA clearance to play in the qualifiers after a voluntary suspension over his use of a banned substance in the Asian games.
However, the team is expected to parade only 11 players in the first window as Edu remains sidelined with a torn meniscus. – 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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FAST FACTS: New-era Gilas Pilipinas begins 2024 FIBA cycle with Asia Cup qualifiers | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 19:56 | BAND OF BROTHERS. Gilas Pilipinas players embrace Justin Brownlee for his heroics in the 19th Asian Games.
PSC-POC Media Pool
MANILA, Philippines – The 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers mark a new beginning for Gilas Pilipinas.
Besides starting a four-year FIBA cycle, the national team will turn the page on another chapter – now with a permanent head coach, Tim Cone, and a 12-man roster planned to carry the torch until the next World Cup.
After capturing the Philippines’ first Asian Games gold medal in men’s basketball in 61 years, Gilas looks to carry a sizeable momentum heading into the Asia Cup qualifiers.
Here are some facts about the new-era Gilas and the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, based on the FIBA website:
The first window of the Asia Cup qualifiers is slated for February 22 and 25, 2024, in a home-away format.
Clustered in Group B, Gilas Pilipinas will face Hong Kong on the road on the 22nd at 8 pm Manila time. The Filipinos will then host the Chinese Taipei on the 25th at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City at 7:30 pm.
Group B also includes Oceania powerhouse New Zealand, which Gilas will face in the November 2024 tournament window.
The 24 teams across six groups will compete for 16 FIBA Asia Cup slots. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the Asia Cup, while the six third-placed teams will still have to go through another qualifying tournament for the final remaining spots.
Like any team in the qualifiers, Gilas will play one home and one road game against each team in its group.
Games will be played over three windows from February 2024, November 2024, and February 2025. Each team holds the right to change lineups in each of the windows.
The FIBA Asia Cup will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2025.
As the name suggests, the Asia Cup is FIBA’s top tournament to showcase the best teams of the continent, albeit with two Oceania mainstays in Australia and New Zealand.
Incidentally, the two aforementioned countries have always been top-level contenders that Gilas and the rest of Asia have always been wary of, and the 2024-2025 cycle is no exception.
Ranked No. 4 and No. 21 in the world, respectively, Australia and New Zealand are actually the Asia Cup’s highest-seeded teams, with Japan being mainland Asia’s top team at No. 26.
Along with No. 28 Lebanon, No. 29 China, and No. 32 Jordan, these six countries ranked above No. 38 Philippines and are the consistent barometers for excellence in the continent.
Should Gilas qualify for the eighth straight time – a period spanning 19 years – these nations should immediately be on top of the team’s watchlist while also keeping a close eye on the countries ranked below, like South Korea, Indonesia, and Chinese Taipei.
Tim Cone, the PBA’s winningest coach, will be at the national team’s helm, while team manager Richard del Rosario will be Gilas’ team manager.
The 12-man roster includes PBA stars June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, Jamie Malonzo, CJ Perez, and Japan B-League imports Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, and Carl Tamayo.
Rounding up the team are UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao and the returning Justin Brownlee, who recently got his FIBA clearance to play in the qualifiers after a voluntary suspension over his use of a banned substance in the Asian games.
However, the team is expected to parade only 11 players in the first window as Edu remains sidelined with a torn meniscus. – Rappler.com
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La Salle high school product Kean Baclaan leaves NU, joins loaded champion Archers | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 21:09 | STUNNER. NU's Kean Baclaan (center) and Michael Malonzo celebrate their huge win over UP's Zav Lucero and the Maroons.
UAAP Season 85 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – The top men’s basketball team in the UAAP once again got a lot stronger.
After two seasons with the NU Bulldogs, former La Salle-Zobel high school product Kean Baclaan is returning home, at the college level this time, to join the reigning UAAP champion Green Archers, the do-it-all guard confirmed on Saturday, February 3.
Upon completing a redshirt year, the pride of Muntinlupa City will make his La Salle return official in Season 88 in 2025 and is expected under head coach Topex Robinson’s guidance to form a dynamic back court tandem with fellow transferee, former San Beda star Jacob Cortez.
Baclaan, Cortez, and reserve Joshua David will likely lead La Salle’s guard rotation, adequately filling in for graduated leader Evan Nelle.
The big question with Baclaan’s arrival, however, is if star forward Kevin Quiambao will still be around to join forces with his childhood friend as the reigning MVP is already attracting attention from international teams due to his spectacular, fast-improving skill set.
Quiambao recently turned heads in the recently concluded Dubai International Basketball Championship, where he and former NBA superstar Dwight Howard led Strong Group Athletics to the gold medal match before losing to a stunning championship-winning buzzer-beater by Al Riyadi.
As for NU, its guard rotation will still be stacked with talent after Baclaan’s departure as the likes of Steve Nash Enriquez, Reinhard Jumamoy, LA Casinillo, and Mark Parks will still be around to keep the Jeff Napa-coached Bulldogs in contending form. – Rappler.com
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Voluntary suspension works wonders as FIBA clears Justin Brownlee for next Gilas window | jisaga0269 | 3/2/2024 13:39 | FOR COUNTRY. Justin Brownlee and Gilas Pilipinas go to work for the FIBA World Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Justin Brownlee is set to return to the hardwood with Gilas Pilipinas, right where he belongs.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced on Saturday, February 3, that FIBA – just in time for the first 2025 Asia Cup qualifiers window – has cleared the naturalized Filipino of his anti-doping violation during the Hangzhou Asian Games, where Gilas snapped a 61-year, gold-medal drought.
“We’re elated that the consequences FIBA issued does not prevent Justin Brownlee to play for Gilas in the upcoming window,” said SBP president Al Panlilio. “Having him as our naturalized player alongside some of our locals that he has already played with before will be beneficial to the squad.”
Brownlee has been given a “Notice of Charge carrying a proposed three-month Period of Ineligibility,” and due to his voluntary suspension since the violation surfaced last November 9, he will only be suspended until Thursday, February 8.
Per an SBP source, Brownlee immediately signed a document confirming his voluntary suspension, which set in motion FIBA’s retroactive verdict.
During his three-month period of inactivity, Brownlee’s club team Barangay Ginebra moved on with Tony Bishop as its import in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, where the Gin Kings eventually got swept in three semifinal games by sister team San Miguel.
Ginebra’s loss is the Philippines’ gain, however, as Brownlee may now suit up right back into his blue and white colors starting this February 22 in Hong Kong, to be followed by a home court return on February 25 at the PhilSports Arena against Chinese Taipei. – Rappler.com
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China says Philippine vessel ‘illegally’ landed on disputed atoll | lkyu0285 | 3/2/2024 15:10 | BRP SIERRA MADRE. The BRP Sierra Madre, a transport ship used as a military outpost of the Philippine Marines, marooned at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, on March 2014.
REUTERS
SHANGHAI, China – China said on Saturday, February 3, a small civilian vessel from the Philippines had “illegally placed itself on the beach” of an atoll in the South China Sea that both countries claim.
The vessel, which landed on the Spratly Islands atoll on Friday, February 2, was there for supply purposes, the China Coast Guard posted on the Weixin platform.
The Philippines has stationed a small number of troops on a World War Two ship it grounded in 1999 as an outpost to reinforce its sovereignty claim over the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin in the Philippines and the Renai Reef in China.
Manila refused Beijing’s requests last year to tow the vessel away in the row that has soured relations between the two Asian nations.
China asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including areas claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 China’s claims had no legal basis. – Rappler.com
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Kyndryl and BPI celebrate 10 years of strategic partnership | Russell Ku | 3/2/2024 13:24 | The following is a press release from the Bank of the Philippine Islands.
Kyndryl, the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), a leading provider of financial services and an industry pillar in the Philippines, commemorate the 10th anniversary of their technology infrastructure services partnership that underpins BPI’s robust IT governance framework.
Over the past decade, BPI made significant advancements across its Data Center Operations, Server and Storage Management, IT Service Desk, Security Management, and Asset Management operations, fine-tuning standard procedures and tools across its organization.
Through its partnership with Kyndryl, BPI, with its substantial network of 752 branches across the country, has grown its technical talent and is now taking advantage of advanced technology solutions to foster its ongoing digital transformation and is working to create a seamless customer experience for its clientele.
“Our continued collaboration with Kyndryl underscores our shared commitment to digital transformation, aimed at enhancing customer experience and ensuring data management and protection,” said Alex Seminiano, BPI Chief Technology Officer.
“As a testament to our dedication to digitalization and customer obsession, we at BPI continue to innovate banking products and platforms as part of our mission to help build a better Philippines – one family, one community at a time.”
Kyndryl is investing in the Philippines and is committed to continuing to enhance its local delivery capabilities to support customers in the Philippines and abroad as they accelerate their plans to modernize, digitally transform, and build operational resiliency.
As the nation continues to grow its digital competitiveness, Kyndryl in collaboration with BPI, is focused on the education, skill advancement, and experience of its local workforce to take advantage of the latest technologies in the areas of automation, cloud, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
“We are deeply honored to be a strategic technology partner for BPI over the past ten years and remain fully committed to helping them continuously transform for a bright digital future,” said Wilson Go, Managing Director of Kyndryl Philippines.
“At Kyndryl, we are excited to do our part to contribute to the deep base of homegrown technical talent in the Philippines and we look forward to collaborating with BPI to build a community of skilled technical experts in new areas such as automation and cloud modernization services.” – Rappler.com
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Villagers protest planned wind farm expansion project in Aklan | Herbie G | 1/2/2024 16:59 | AGAINST THE WIND FARM. Protesters bring placards to register their opposition to the planned wind farm expansion project in Malay, Aklan, on January 31, 2024.
Jed Nykolle Harme/Rappler
AKLAN, Philippines – Villagers staged a protest hours before a public hearing on a proposed 14-megawatt wind farm expansion project in Malay, Aklan on Wednesday, January 31, because they fear that its construction near a river would take a toll on their environment.
The protesters called on the town legislators of Malay not to give the planned Nabas-2 Expansion Project of PetroWind Energy Incorporated (PWEI) the green light, saying its construction poses irreversible damage to the Nabaoy River that would impact their livelihood and socio-economic life.
In August 2023, the Malay town government took back its endorsement for the project after officials realized that there were concerns about losses in terms of livelihood, tourism, and issues on accessibility, and sustainability guarantees.
Stefhanie Bernabe, a 21-year-old protester, appealed to Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista not to support the project because the construction would likely affect their way of life.
She said, “We should learn from what happened in Napaan. What if the environment itself changes us? What will happen to us? What can Nabaoy do then? What if Nabaoy were to be ruined, and you would not be the mayor at that time? Who would be held responsible?”
During the first construction phase of the wind farm, the water of Napaan River, one of Malay’s watersheds, turned brown for months due to heavy siltation, and the natural water flow was disrupted. A joint environmental audit report by the town government and conservation volunteers in September 2023 validated this.
Philippine Initiative for Conservation of Environment and the People (PhilinCon) Director Rebecca Barrios called for bolder actions from the town government, saying Nabaoy is the “lifeline of the whole Malay.”
The Nabaoy River is classified as a Class A body of water and is the only source of potable water in Malay and Boracay Island. It serves 50,000 residents in Malay, which sees an average of two million tourists per year.
“What is at stake here is the life of the river, the lives of the fishermen, [and] the lives of their families who rely on what the river can give. It is their lifeline,” Barrios said.
Meanwhile, Bautista said that while he was concerned about the welfare of his constituents, he also pointed out that the town and other areas are adversely affected by the current power crisis in Panay, particularly in Aklan.
He said the project is needed, and that PetroWind has committed to address concerns about the Nabaoy River.
PetroWind executives, during the hearing, assured that the river would not be affected by the construction project but did not say exactly how they would do it.
Since Pawa and Napaan are the host sites of the wind turbines, Nabaoy has not been included as a beneficiary of the planned project. Officials and protesters, however, said Nabaoy would likely be at the receiving end of the anticipated heavy siltation as a result of the planned expansion project.
Nabaoy’s barangay officials pointed out that their village was excluded from the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Meanwhile, Caticlan barangay councilor Christine Hope Pagsuiguiron told Rappler that people in her community also opposed the project plan during a series of public consultations.
“If PetroWind is really committed to Nabaoy, we challenge them to place a security bond of P1 billion. They can get it back anytime, as long as Nabaoy is not affected by their project,” Pagsuguiron said.
The bond, she said, would be used for the rehabilitation of the Nabaoy watershed, and would be the source of financial aid to water utilities for expenses to be incurred in case of further damage to the river.
In a statement on Saturday, February 3, PetroWind assured stakeholders of the project that it will implement robust impact mitigation measures.
It said the company presented its Ridge-to-River Restoration and Rehabilitation (R4) Program during public hearings, and outlined slope stabilization and erosion control measures recommended by local and international bioengineering experts. Such measures, it said, were applied in the first phase of the project, which was completed in October 2023.
PetroWind also said recent inspections by environmental agencies confirmed the project’s compliance with Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), Special Agreement on Protected Area (SAPA), and Forestland Use Agreement (FLAG) conditions. The compliance, it said, was affirmed in a hearing by the town council of Malay on January 31.
“We emphasize that this is a government project, undertaken by PetroWind as the Service Contractor of the Department of Energy (DOE),” read part of the firm’s statement, adding that the recent power outage in Panay showed the need for stable electricity.
PetroWind added, “Propaganda based on purely ideological grounds without hard scientific and technical basis can result in less investments in Aklan, loss of additional tax revenues for the LGUs, and loss of employment and business opportunities for host communities.” – Rappler.com
Jed Nykolle Harme is an associate editor at Eamigas Publication, and is an Arries Rufo Journalism fellow 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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End of era: Yawi leaves Echo, joins Aura in Indonesia | delfin.dioquino editor | 3/2/2024 0:23 | NEW TEAM. Yawi of Aura Esports.
Yawi Esports Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Mobile Legends star Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera joined the growing list of Filipino players who have taken their acts to Indonesia as he is set to play for Aura Esports.
Aura revealed the development on Thursday, February 1, after Yawi left Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Philippines powerhouse Echo.
His move to Indonesia did come as a surprise even after Yawi – the usual starting roamer for Echo – got benched for the majority of Season 12.
Other Echo starters favored playing with backup roamer Jaypee “Jaypee” dela Cruz due to their preferred playstyle as Yawi rode the bench for a huge chunk of the regular season and playoffs.
Echo, though, saw its title repeat bid collapse after being eliminated by Blacklist International in the lower bracket final, falling short of a spot in the Mobile Legends M5 World Championship hosted by the Philippines last December.
But it seems Yawi and Echo parted ways amicably as he thanked his former teammates, coaches, and manager in his farewell video.
“I’m really excited for my next opportunity. For sure, I’ll bring along all the things that I learned from Echo,” said Yawi in Filipino.
With Yawi in tow, Echo dominated the scene as it ruled the M4 World Championship in Singapore in January last year and followed it up by topping Season 11 of the MPL Philippines in May.
Yawi joins an Aura side seeking to turn its fortunes around after placing ninth and eighth in the last two seasons of MPL Indonesia.
In Indonesia, Yawi will go up against fellow Filipino standouts Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol of Onic Esports and Allen “Baloyskie” Baloy and Marky “Markyyyyy” Capacio of Geek Fam ID. – Rappler.com
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Focused on Gilas Pilipinas stint, Kevin Quiambao tunes out ‘distractions’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 22:32 | ROAR. Kevin Quiambao and Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao is not getting caught up in the hoopla of reported interest from the New York Knicks and the UAE national team as he turns his unadulterated attention to Gilas Pilipinas.
Fresh from an impressive stint with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Basketball International Championship, the La Salle star cracked the 12-man lineup of national team head coach Tim Cone as the only collegiate player.
“Those are not the things I want to talk about because they’re just distractions in my career right now,” said Quiambao of the reported offers.
“I’m focused on Gilas and I’m focused on the things that I need to improve, especially my skills,” added Quiambao in Filipino on Wednesday, January 31.
The reigning UAAP MVP made quite a splash in his stint with Strong Group, averaging 15.8 points in eight games for a stacked team that featured former NBA standouts Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
His highest scoring performance came in a 22-point rout of Syrian squad Al Wahda on January 20 as Quiambao fired 24 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from three-point land.
A couple of days after, reports that the Knicks invited Quiambao for their NBA Summer League roster and that UAE offered to naturalize him came out.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu denied the Knicks’ invitation but confirmed that UAE showed an interest to tap Quiambao as a naturalized player.
Quiambao, though, would rather focus on the task at hand as he gets a chance to play for Cone – the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles – for the first time.
“To be under coach Tim is a huge privilege, a huge pressure at the same time, and a huge blessing. Coach Tim has a ton of experience and he has coached a lot of players,” said Quiambao.
“I’ll do my best, and whoever is in the lineup, I’ll cherish the moments that we’ll be spending together.”
Held scoreless in the Dubai final as Strong Group fell short of the title no thanks to Lebanese side Al Riyadi escaping on a buzzer-beater, Quiambao said his experience – the good and the bad – will come in handy for his career.
“The past two weeks felt like an entire year for me. It is a surreal feeling to share the floor with NBA superstars,” said Quiambao.
“I tried to maximize my time with them, no matter how short it was. It is a huge help and a huge motivation for my career. I’ll forever be proud.”
“These coming few weeks, I’ll work on getting my groove and confidence back knowing that we lost. I need to move on.”
Quiambao and Gilas will face Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later in February. – Rappler.com
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Davao witnesses link PBA party-list workers to ‘deceptive’ Cha-Cha initiative | Herbie G | 3/2/2024 12:55 | 'IRREGULARITIES.' Davao residents take turns in testifying about the alleged irregularities in the signature campaign for Charter change during a Senate committee public hearing on Friday, February 2, 2024.
Lucelle Bonzo/Rappler
DAVAO, Philippines – Witnesses linked workers of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list group to the so-called people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution as they testified about the alleged signature-buying and other irregularities that marred the signature campaign in the Davao region and neighboring provinces.
During a public inquiry by the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation at the Arcadia Event Center in Davao City on Friday, February 2, witnesses also alleged that those who worked for the charter change (Cha-Cha) campaign promised voters at least P4,000 each in exchange for their signatures on documents for submission to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Others alleged they were promised government aid through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS). The TUPAD is an aid program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), while the AICS is that of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Rene Estorpe, the barangay chairman of Agdao Centro in Davao, presented a green envelope containing signature campaign papers and claimed these came from a PBA Partylist coordinator identified as Benzar Yap.
Estorpe alleged that Yap had promised to give P4,000 to every signatory in his village, and many residents now wanted to withdraw their signatures because, until lately, they were clueless about the documents they signed.
A PBA party-list group coordinator from Barangay San Antonio told the committee that she distributed coupons for government aid to lure people in her village to sign for the people’s initiative documents.
The PBA party-list group is an organization closely associated with the children of the late House speaker Prospero Nograles, patriarch of one of the prominent political families in Davao City.
The group’s current representative to the Lower House is Margarita Ignacia Nograles whose brother, Jericho, served as an assistant majority leader of the House of Representatives during the Duterte administration. Their brother Karlo Alexei, who served as former president Rodrigo Duterte’s cabinet secretary and acting presidential spokesperson, is presently the chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Senator Imee Marcos, the Senate committee chairperson, said, “Ang signature gathering dito sa Davao at sa iba’t ibang lugar dito sa kapuluan, wala namang problema kung tama ang paglikom ng mahahalagang pirma ng sambayanan. Pero bakit may panlilinlang?”
(There’s no problem with the gathering of signatures in Davao and other parts of the country if the process is correct. But why is there deception?)
During the investigation, resource persons from Davao City and Davao del Norte claimed the involvement of monetary incentives to bolster participation.
The Comelec has ordered a halt to the acceptance of signature campaign documents related to the people’s initiative while it reviews and improves existing rules and guidelines. The Comelec office in the Davao region stopped receiving the signatures on Monday, January 29.
Asked by Senator Ronald dela Rosa, Comelec-Davao Director Remlane Tambuang said residents who wish to withdraw their signatures can do so by executing affidavits.
Senator Marcos said the committee would continue with the investigation into the people’s initiative for charter change and look into the P55 million worth of television advertisements for the campaign.
She said senators would also look into the initiative’s sources of funds starting with the list of donors, and a certain Anthony Abad, the man identified to be behind the signature drive.
As the investigation progressed, civil society organizations questioned the legitimacy of the move to amend the 1987 Constitution.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), for one, said people were made to sign without an effort to make them study and understand the proposed amendments through public discussions, making the campaign “deceptive.”
Former chief justice Hilario Davide and former Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento have submitted their respective position papers against the initiative to the Senate committee. Both served as members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (Concom) which drafted the 1987 Constitution.
Davide said the people’s initiative, based on the 1987 Constitution, should be seen as a “sacred sovereign power that must be exercised with absolute good faith and should never be tainted or stained by vice, defect, trickery, deceit, misrepresentation, wickedness, and corruption of any kind.”
Under the 1987 Constitution, citizens are empowered to propose amendments “through [an] initiative upon a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of the registered voters therein, a mode called people’s initiative.”
As of January 26, petitions from more than 1,000 localities in the country were signed in an attempt to amend the Constitution, according to the Comelec. – Rappler.com
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As Marcos-Duterte clans clash, should Sara resign from the Cabinet? | Bonz Magsambol | 1/2/2024 16:16 | WILL SHE RESIGN? File photo of Vice President Sara Duterte during the school opening in Cebu City in August 2023
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – It was an alliance that critics and political observers had jinxed as doomed from the start. The only questions were, when and what would happen to Vice President Sara Duterte, who is still a member of the Marcos Cabinet.
They got a partial answer on January 28. The day that Marcos launched “Bagong Pilipinas” in Manila and promised to transform the country into a new and better version, down south, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte called for his resignation while former president Rodrigo Duterte branded the President as a “drug addict.”
The Vice President attended the Bagong Pilipinas launch but she also went to the prayer rally against charter change where her family members took turns lambasting the President she served as a Cabinet member. A day later, she released a statement defending her younger brother’s tirade against Marcos as “brotherly love,” in protest of her “despicable treatment” by people in the President’s circle. It was a sentiment that she apparently shared.
Uniteam, the marriage of political convenience that brought the Marcos-Duterte tandem to victory in the 2022 elections, crumbled on Sunday, January 28.
The word war between the Dutertes and the Marcoses has sparked calls for Sara to resign as education secretary, a job that commands 900,000 teaching staff scattered across the country.
Despite her family’s attacks against Marcos and her own sentiments of being ganged up on by administration allies, Sara has no plan, as yet, to leave DepEd. Her messaging, based on her January 29 statement, is that she would strive to endure the “attacks, black propaganda, and smear campaign” against her because she was elected by millions and that she would remain in the Cabinet for as long as she’s wanted.
In an interview on Tuesday, January 31, political analyst Cleve Arguelles said that calls for Sara to leave the DepEd did not come as a surprise, as being part of the Marcos Cabinet should mean unequivocal support for the President.
“But I think the more interesting question here is why is the President still keeping her after all that happened?” Arguelles said, adding, this means that “she still enjoys the confidence, the trust, and the support of the President.”
Marcos said as much on Tuesday, in response to questions in a media interview. He also said that his professional relationship with the Vice President is “exactly the same,” sounding like a showbiz personality trying to cover up a rocky relationship with a love team partner.
Just like any other popular tandem, they have to stick to each other despite their differences to keep their support bases intact. Mindanao remains a stronghold of the Duterte family and delivered votes for Marcos in the 2022 elections. Likewise, the Marcoses’ “Solid North” delivered votes for Sara.
Marcos got 7.2 million votes in Mindanao, while Sara obtained 3.5 million votes in the Solid North.
“They need each other,” Arguelles said. “I think this is a paradox of the Uniteam that they’re starting to dislike each other but then they also need each other. At this point, they are stuck with each other.”
Sara is undeniably more popular than Marcos. Despite their ratings plunging amid a string of issues in 2023, Sara still got a 73% approval rating while Marcos got 65%, according to a Pulse Asia survey in September 2023.
Arguelles also cited the seeming “tradition” in Philippine politics that vice presidents who break off with the president do not fare so well among voters.
“They don’t like a vice president [who] is not cooperative with the president,” he said.
This is what happened to then-vice presidents Jejomar Binay and Leni Robredo. They were initially part of the Cabinet but later resigned because of divergent views. Binay had been leading the surveys for the presidency that time but he became the subject of attacks. Meanwhile, Robredo became the casualty of online propaganda discrediting her work as vice president.
Sara would be on the losing end if she resigns from the Marcos Cabinet this early. The DepEd is a platform that can help her maintain a national profile, especially if she has ambitions for higher office. Based on DepEd data, there are 876,842 teaching personnel and 60,429 schools all over the country.
“She will stay there for as long as she could,” Arguelles said. “If you’re no longer in the Cabinet, what will you do as vice president? What power and resources will [you have]?”
The Philippines is among the countries that produced the lowest proficiency for young learners in reading, mathematics, and science, as indicated by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 rankings. That fact, however, has not rubbed off on public perception of Sara’s work as education chief. In December, the same month the PISA rankings were released, pollster WR Numero conducted a survey which showed that 57% of Filipinos still think Sara is doing a good job at DepEd.
In her second basic education report, Sara also promised reforms in the education sector and more benefits for teachers. Arguelles said this may be a calculated move especially if she has an eye to the 2028 elections.
“It will always be helpful for her to be able to say that she delivered to the education sector,” Arguelles said.
Amid the political bickering, there are concerns that the DepEd, which has under its care millions of Filipino students and the very future of the country, would be placed at greater risk. If Sara’s attention is further distracted by her political plans, the learning crisis in the country would worsen. Her qualifications as education chief have been in question in the first place.
“It’s really one of my worries, we can look at it from the perspective that, ‘Oh this is exciting,’ ‘di ba kasi (because) we’re watching a showdown between these two powerful dynasties. Si Vice President, isang araw lang na malingat siya (If the Vice President gets distracted by even just one day), it will define the future of millions of Filipino students,” Arguelles said.
Critics have been calling for the President to appoint a DepEd secretary who has an education background.
In her January 29 statement, Sara said she will endure the attacks against her out of respect for the Filipinos who had voted her into office, evoking an image of a punching bag. This is far from the image that gained her infamy over a decade ago: that of the feisty female mayor who grabbed a sheriff by the collar and punched him repeatedly after he led the demolition of shanties in a community in Davao City.
Political analyst Arjan Aguirre said that the ongoing rift in the Uniteam coalition can be advantageous for Sara, who can play the “underdog card.”
“While staying as a Cabinet member, she can still draw sympathy from the people by appearing as the underdog and bullied personality within the coalition. She just has to look like she is being bullied by the House Speaker and other personalities and use the anti-elite or anti-oligarchy card that is consistent [with] the Duterte brand of politics,” Aguirre said.
“I think what she wants to happen here is for the President to fire or dismiss her or openly go against her. That would mean an open war is finally happening and that it would look like the Marcos faction caused it,” he added.
As the Vice President has said, the ball is in Marcos’ court. On a political stage where two popular figures are at play, whoever flinches first loses. – with a report from Patrick Cruz/Rappler.com
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Standhardinger, Perez in tight battle for PBA Best Player award | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 15:08 | BUMP. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger and San Miguel’s CJ Perez figure in a tight race for the Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as they lead the statistical battle.
Standhardinger retained his No. 1 spot in the statistical points (SPs) ranking through the semifinals with an average of 35.7 SPs after chalking up 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5 assists in 15 games.
But Perez trailed Standhardinger closely with an average of 35.5 SPs as he put up 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 steals in 15 games.
Both players have made strong cases for the award given to the finest local of the conference, with Standhardinger looking to earn his third BPC plum and Perez eyeing his first.
Although he got contained to 13.3 points with 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the semifinals as the Gin Kings suffered a sweep at the hands of Perez and the Beermen, Standhardinger proved his worth as an all-around force.
Standhardinger ended the conference as the best local scorer and rebounder for Ginebra and ranked second in the team in assists behind Scottie Thompson.
Meanwhile, Perez took over for San Miguel in the eliminations when seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo went down with a knee injury and played a key role in the playoffs to propel the Beermen to the finals.
Perez normed 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals as the Beermen dealt the Gin Kings their first sweep loss in a best-of-five series since 2013.
NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino placed third with 35.1 SPs after leading all local scorers with 22.4 points on top of 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.9 steals.
TNT’s Calvin Oftana (34.1 SPs) and Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson (31 SPs) rounded out the top five.
In the Best Import duel, San Miguel’s Bennie Boatwright claimed the top spot with 60.3 SPs as he averaged 35.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block going into the finals.
Boatwright, though, played just seven games after coming in as a replacement for original Beermen import Ivan Aska.
Phoenix’s Johnathan Williams III placed second to Boatwright with 50.7 SPs built on his 24.5 points, 16.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks as he steered the Fuel Masters to their first semifinal appearance in an import conference.
Magnolia’s Tyler Bey also made a compelling argument for the Best Import plum after powering the Hotshots to the finals, doing so with averages of 26.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks for 50.6 SPs.
The winners will be awarded before Game 4 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals on February 9 at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
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Stan by Me goes to ENHYPEN’s ‘Fate’ concert in PH | Ysa Abad | 2/2/2024 20:33 | MANILA, Philippines – The long wait is over, Filipino ENGENEs! K-pop boy group ENHYPEN has finally made its return to the Philippines a year after its historic three-night sold out MANIFESTO concerts in Manila last February 2023.
And now, they’re set to make history anew as the first K-pop act to perform at the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac with their FATE concert.
To commemorate this momentous event, the group’s Filipino fan bases went all out with their support — mounting a myriad of activities for fellow fans, whether concert ticket holders or not, can enjoy. In their entertainment zone, there are booths for each member, bus shuttle services, merchandise area, photo booths, and even a carnival set-up!
In this special episode of Stan By Me, Rappler’s talk show on all things fandom, we chat with representatives from some of their fan bases and concert attendees to talk about their preparations for the show, what they’re looking forward to in the concert, and their love for ENHYPEN.
Make sure to catch this episode of Stan By Me on Saturday, February 3. Bookmark this page or head over to Rappler’s YouTube channel. – Rappler.com
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2025 in the air: Revisiting the guessing game the Dutertes put up every election cycle | Dwight de Leon | 3/2/2024 8:00 | RUNNING GAME. Then-president Rodrigo Duterte and then-Davao City mayor Sara Duterte during a Hugpong ng Pagbabago campaign sortie on May 10, 2019.
Richard Madelo/Presidential Photo
MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte surprised the public on Monday, January 22, when she said in a speech in her hometown that she will run in the next election.
That statement was odd for numerous reasons. First, Sara is the country’s second highest leader, whose term of office won’t expire until 2028. Second, she ran for vice president as the other half of the tandem with now-President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and she still remains part of his Cabinet despite apparent cracks within the administration.
Seeking whatever elective seat in 2025 means giving up the vice presidency.
Sara later insisted she was misinterpreted, and that the confusion stemmed from the splicing of her soundbite. Even so, her office has yet to provide a copy of the full transcript of her speech.
This is not the first time the Vice President has kept the public guessing about her election plans, and it’s the kind of optics that her father – former president Rodrigo Duterte – projected in the run-up to past election seasons.
“The Dutertes have always been that way, ever since they ran for mayor or president,” former presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas told Rappler on January 26. “They would say they won’t run, but end up running.”
“This is not new to me, because you don’t take them at face value,” he added.
In 2015, before he formally threw his hat into the ring for the 2016 presidential election, the older Duterte kept his supporters on edge about his plans.
Rodrigo started a “listening tour” in January that year, traveling all over the country to discuss his dream of a federalist Philippines. In those engagements, he said he had no presidential aspirations, but in the same breath outlined his national agenda if ever he made a bid for Malacañang.
Before the filing of candidacy documents in October, Duterte issued statements twice, saying he’s closing the door on politics. A month later, though, he filed his candidacy for president as a substitute of a party mate who was essentially a placeholder for Duterte.
It was the first major spectacle involving a politician who became a candidate through the substitution method – a route that has become more conventional since. It’s a political play that he and his daughter would repeat six years later.
For the 2022 election cycle, Sara kept her cards close to her chest, making her political ambitions a constant subject of speculation.
She shrugged off immediate aspirations for the presidency as early as January 2021, but in later months, expressed openness to the possibility of succeeding her father.
Sara opted to run for reelection as Davao City mayor when the Commission on Elections opened the filing of candidacy in October 2021. A month later, she backed out of that race and finally joined the vice presidential contest as a substitute of a placeholder – the exact same method that her father used six years before.
Going off-script in speeches, then-president Duterte at first talked about dissuading his daughter from seeking the country’s highest post, but later expressed frustration over her decision to give up the presidency in favor of Marcos despite polling higher in pre-election surveys.
Even the older Duterte, at the time, gave mixed signals about his plans after the expiration of his term in 2022. Over a five-month period in 2021, he put forward the idea of a vice presidential bid, announced his retirement, filed his candidacy for senator via substitution, then withdrew his candidacy.
More than a year before the 2025 midterms, the Dutertes have issued statements that are fueling speculations on how the political family will position themselves in 2025.
On January 25, 2024, the older Duterte said, “I’m done with politics,” but moments later added, “If there is a compelling reason for me to reenter politics…if I am left no choice, I will run.”
A few days earlier, the Vice President told her audience in Davao City that she will throw her hat in the ring in 2025 because she heard her siblings – Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte – say they will not be seeking another term a year from now.
“They might not run in the next election so that’s why I’m here to campaign because I will be running for the next election,” she said.
The statements come as recent political developments indicate that the Dutertes are losing sway in the current administration. 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 rejoining the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war.
Political analysts believe the Dutertes’ latest remarks are meant to throw their rivals off the scent.
“They want to check how their political enemies will react. This will be unprecedented. We have not seen a vice president run for a lower position, so this can be seen as a strategy to confuse their rivals,” Ateneo de Davao University political science professor Ramon Beleno told Rappler on January 26.
“First, this could just be a smokescreen to confuse her enemies,” Llamas added. “Second, there’s a small chance she wants to be out of the firing range. She has been absorbing all the attacks because she is the front-runner for the presidency in 2028.”
Beleno also floated a scenario in which the Vice President would find her way to Congress in 2025 so she could attempt to steal the country’s fourth highest post from the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, who had become her apparent nemesis in the past year.
“[Sara] could run for lawmaker of the Davao City 1st District, so that she would be able to challenge Speaker Martin Romualdez. Congress would reorganize anyway after the midterm elections,” he added. “But again, there are no clear pronouncements from them. So people here are just reading into it. Anyway, nothing happens in politics by accident.”
President Marcos, when asked to comment about Sara’s remark that she will run in the 2025 polls, said: “I think she’s also testing the waters to see what the reaction will be.”
The guessing game – if history is any indication – is not expected to be over anytime soon, even after the father-and-daughter duo have denied they are participating in the 2025 elections as candidates.
Rodrigo Duterte’s party PDP-Laban has been discussing the possibility of the former president running for the Senate, while it remains up in the air whether Sara will continue being part of the administration, or defect and form an opposition ticket in 2025.
These are on top of the fact that Sara’s other siblings – Paolo and Sebastian – have been openly criticizing the President or his policy decisions.
The road to the 2025 midterms is a bumpy one, and available clues suggest the Dutertes want to take the wheel. – Rappler.com
(Quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity.)
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LIST: Routes affected by Metro Manila Subway works from February 2 to 5 | lkyu0285 | 30/01/2024 17:44 | EDSA. In this file photo, motorists endure the morning rush hour traffic snarl along EDSA in Quezon City in June 2023.
Gerard Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Heads up, motorists! Expect traffic along some roads in Metro Manila from February 2 to 5 as the government moves heavy machinery that will be used for the Metro Manila Subway Project.
Motorists passing through the following roads in Metro Manila may experience traffic between February 2 and 3, and February 4 and 5:
In a traffic advisory, the Department of Transportation suggested motorists take alternative routes.
During this time, a tunnel boring machine will be transported to Doña Julia Vargas Avenue. It will be used to construct the tunnels of the Metro Manila Subway’s Ortigas Avenue Station, Shaw Boulevard Station, and Kalayaan Avenue Station.
In January 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the launch of the first tunnel boring machine for the subway, which covers the construction of the tunnels for the subway’s first few stations: East Valenzuela Station, Quirino Highway Station, Tandang Sora Station, and North Avenue Station.
The Metro Manila Subway’s first three stations were originally targeted to start operations by 2022. Marcos said he now hopes for them to be ready by 2027.
The long-delayed subway project would be the country’s first underground railway system. Once fully completed, it aims to cut travel time from Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to just 35 minutes. – Rappler.com
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What we know so far: Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City | jsitchon0312 | 2/2/2024 14:23 | LEADER. A CALABARZON elementary boys basketball coach gives instructions to his players in the Palarong Pambansa 2023 preliminaries
DepEd
CEBU, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama officially signed a memorandum of agreement for the Palarong Pambansa 2024 on Friday, February 2, solidifying the commitment of the local government and Department of Education (DepEd) in hosting the event in the Queen City.
The nationwide multi-sport tournament for elementary and high school athletes will run from July 6 to 17.
“The Palarong Pambansa is an integral part of our efforts to strengthen our grassroots sports programs, granting various opportunities for sports-inclined youth and exposing them to real-life experiences in their chosen sports,” Duterte said in a speech during the MOA signing.
Vice President Sara Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama sign an agreement for the hosting of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.Cebu City first hosted the grand sports event in 1954 and then, for the second time in 1994. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/c1qEORPZje
This is the third time that Cebu City will be hosting the grand sports event — the first hosting was in 1954 and later, in 1994. According to Duterte, this is the 64th edition of the Palarong Pambansa since it started in 1948.
Marikina City hosted last year’s Palarong Pambansa from July to August.
Last August, Cebu City Sports Commission chairperson John Pages shared they’re expecting at least 12,000 athletes and 25,000 visitors from all over the country to join the Palarong Pambansa 2024.
During a press conference on Friday morning, Pages announced that around 20 schools in the city will be used as billeting quarters for the athletes who will be coming to Cebu City.
“What we’re focusing on right now is the rehabilitation of our facilities, our swimming pool, our track oval will be all new and we are very blessed in Cebu City to have a lot of universities and malls that we are partnering with as venues,” the sports commission chair said.
Currently, the Cebu City Sports Center, where a majority of the sports events are held, is completing its final renovations and will be open this April.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas mentioned during the press conference that the Palarong Pambansa secretariat and committees will be making adjustments based on their takeaways from the event hosting in Marikina City.
Last year, heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Falcon threatened the conduct of multiple games as it opened on July 31. The event concluded with the National Capital Region claiming its 16th overall Palarong Pambansa championship.
“We will be activating not only our disaster city control management services but also our school health personnel not only in Cebu City but also nearby locations to ensure we have adequate health human resources,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban said.
Pages stated that 70 percent of the sports events are indoor activities and that the city will be utilizing venues like indoor tennis courts to address weather concerns.
The city sports commission has identified three main “zones” where the events will be held. These include areas in the South Road Properties, downtown Cebu, and the city’s northern district.
According to Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, the city council approved a budget allocation worth P200 million to assist the sports commission’s undertaking for the Palaro hosting.
The budget includes items for the renovation of sports facilities, construction of billeting quarters, and procurement of sports equipment necessary for the games.
Bringas assured the athletes that there will be financial support for students who will come from the school division offices of the participating regions.
“We will be expecting our learners to experience playing in world-class facilities,” Bringas said.
The DepEd assistant secretary also shared that they will be discarding the pre-qualifying meet which was introduced in the previous year due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were still in a public health emergency last year so we had to consider reducing the number of delegates per region in the national (Palarong Pambansa),” Bringas added. – Rappler.com
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Creamline stars say PSA citations proof of unseen sacrifices, hard work | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 20:45 | DYNASTY. (L-R) Tots Carlos, Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao, and Kyle Negrito pose for a photo in the 2024 Philippine Sportswriters Association awards night
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines – The who’s who of Philippine sports were out and about at the annual Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) awards night last Monday, January 31, as their historic exploits were deservedly honored while also dressed in their best.
In a jam-packed room filled with sporting legends, champions, and gold medalists, representatives of PVL dynasty Creamline Cool Smashers still stood out, carrying grace and poise befitting athletes of their stature and own achievements.
Three-time PVL MVP Tots Carlos headlined the night’s group as she received her first career Ms. Volleyball major citation from the 75-year-old PSA, while Creamline as a whole was honored with a special citation for successfully defending their All-Filipino Conference championship twice in the same calendar year.
Jema Galanza, herself a one-time PVL MVP, said that all these awards were solid proof that the work they do behind the scenes to get to where they are was all worth it.
“These awards just show just how much we really tire ourselves out and give effort to our team, and we’re happy that the Creamline Cool Smashers and every single one of our players are being recognized,” she said in Filipino.
Carlos, who also recently received her first career Finals MVP in the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference, meanwhile remained grounded as ever despite a fast-growing personal award collection.
“Just like what I always say, I’m just always grateful for all the recognition received by the team, myself, and the other players,” she said in Filipino. “I’m just so happy to play by their side, with champion players and a champion team.”
“I never forget to say that I wouldn’t be where I am without my teammates and all the people who make up the team. I’m just grateful to Creamline, the entire volleyball community, the fans, and the management who always support us.”
Also in attendance were breakout star setter Kyle Negrito, veteran bench spark plug Michele Gumabao, and three-time PVL MVP Alyssa Valdez, who enjoyed a four-peat run as PSA Ms. Volleyball from 2013 to 2016.
Ever the humble superstar, Valdez deflected all attention on her to Carlos and all other athletes who were with them that night, and also found time to call for lasting support across all Philippine sports.
“We hope we can all invest also in programs and long-term plans for each and every sport we have, especially those where we compete in international tournaments,” she added.
Other top athletes honored in the prestigious event were world No. 2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena as Athlete of the Year, FIFA Women’s World Cup scorer Sarina Bolden as Ms. Football, seven-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo as Mr. Basketball, and Asian Games gold medalists Gilas Pilipinas with the President’s Award. – Rappler.com
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You can eventually tap your Mastercard to pay for MRT3, bus fares | lkyu0285 | 2/2/2024 17:46 | MRT3. Commuters crowd the Araneta Center-Cubao Station of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 on March 28, 2022.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Commuters can eventually skip the ticket line and directly tap their Mastercard cards to pay for their fares for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3), as well as EDSA and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) buses.
AF Payments, the company behind the Beep cards used by commuters, partnered with Mastercard to enable “tap and go” payments for public transport in the Philippines.
Once the program is fully implemented, those with a prepaid, debit, or credit Mastercard card will be able to directly tap it to pay for fares at the MRT3, and EDSA and BGC bus stations, without the need to separately purchase tickets or use their Beep card.
Take note that this is still undergoing a pilot program which will be “rolled out in phases across MRT stations and BGC and EDSA buses, with the intention to scale contactless payments acceptance across ferries and other modes of transportation in the future, and eventually across the country,” Mastercard and AF Payments said in a press release.
Randolph Clet, head of the Department of Transportation’s automatic fare collection system (AFCS), told Rappler that the MRT3 system is “not yet ready to accept it.” Because the MRT3, as well as the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2, are under concession agreements, Clet said they “cannot just easily change things in the system.”
Instead, Mastercard usage will be piloted first through the BGC buses to “demonstrate compliance with the AFCS national standards.”
“While it is true that [AF Payments] has forged a business partnership with Mastercard, the use of debit cards, credit cards, and/or prepaid cards powered by Mastercard for use in public transportation is still being vetted and evaluated under a Proof of Concept technical study, the results of which will not yet take immediate effect, contrary to news reports that have since come out,” AF Payments clarified in a statement released on Friday, February 2 – a day after their initial partnership was reported.
This means that commuters cannot use their Mastercard cards to pay for their fares just yet. Mastercard and AF Payments have yet to provide a timeline for the study and subsequent rollout.
At the same time, the stored-value Beep cards currently being used for payments at train and bus stations will remain in use.
“For the record, there was no intention to immediately displace the use of the Beep card, the fare media brand owned by [AF Payments], which is currently being extensively used in light rail network and in select transport modes nationwide,” AF Payments said on Friday.
Nevertheless, JJ Moreno, president and chief executive officer of Beep, said the program will “benefit millions of Filipino commuters in Metro Manila, enhancing smart mobility through initiatives that bring our transit systems in line with global transport standards.”
Contactless payments using Mastercard cards have already been implemented in other Southeast Asian cities, such as in Singapore and Bangkok trains, for several years. – Rappler.com
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From Dennis Trillo to Marco Gumabao: Cristine Reyes’ relationship history | jreyes0314 | 2/2/2024 19:59 | MANILA, Philippines – In a Fast Talk With Boy Abunda episode that aired on Thursday, February 1, Cristine Reyes confirmed that her marriage with ex-husband Ali Khatibi has already been annulled for over a year. In the same interview, her current boyfriend Marco Gumabao also shared that they have already looked into the possibility of marriage.
From Dennis Trillo to her current beau Marco Gumabao, here’s a look at the actress’ star-studded relationship history.
Cristine and Dennis reportedly began dating in 2007 and later broke up in May 2009. According to PEP.ph, Dennis shared in a press conference for the film Astig in 2009 that his romance with Cristine simply took place at the wrong time, resulting in an on-and-off relationship for the two.
Dennis has a son with his ex-girlfriend Carlene Aguilar, and is now married to actress Jennylyn Mercado. The Dennis and Jennylyn exchanged vows in November 2021. They later welcomed their daughter in May 2022.
Cristine and Rayver Cruz kicked off their romance in 2011. During the release of the film No Other Woman, where Cristine plays the role of Charmaine, the two sparked controversy as rumors spread that Rayver left his ex-girlfriend Sarah Geronimo to be with Cristine.
The Cristine and Rayver called things off in 2012, but only decided to announce the news of their breakup in early 2013 as they felt that it was the right thing to do. Rayver said that they parted ways to focus on their respective careers first.
He also denied that Derek Ramsay was the reason behind their breakup.
Rayver is currently dating singer-actress Julie Anne San Jose. Julie confirmed her relationship with the actor in November 2022 when they exchanged “I love yous” at their JulieVerse concert.
Shortly after she and Rayver called it quits, Cristine sparked a romance with her No Other Woman co-star Derek Ramsay in August 2013. However, their relationship only lasted for around a month before the two decided to break up.
When the ex-couple bumped into each other at a mall event years later in 2019, Derek shared in an exclusive interview with Philstar.com that he and Cristine were still friends.
“We both came from a breakup and maybe decided that we became boyfriend-girlfriend. And we both realized na magkaibigan lang talaga kami (We were really just friends). So, I wouldn’t really call it na it was a real relationship na boyfriend-girlfriend,” Derek told Philstar.com, explaining the reason behind their breakup.
Derek is now married to Ellen Adarna. The pair tied the knot in 2021.
Cristine and mixed martial arts fighter Ali Khatibi welcomed their first child together in February 2015 when they were still dating. In September of the same year, the actress announced her engagement to Ali on Instagram, and later tied the knot with him in a Balesin wedding in January 2016.
While the two separated in 2019, the actress confirmed in a Fast Talk With Boy Abunda interview that aired on Thursday, February 1, that their annulment only became official over a year ago. She shared that she had initially chosen not to announce it publicly as she didn’t see it as a matter that should be celebrated.
Despite their separation and eventual annulment, Cristine and Ali still co-parent their now-eight-year-old daughter Amarah. In March 2023, Cristine even shared photos that included Ali at Amarah’s school events.
A post shared by Cristine 🌻🪻🪽 (@cristinereyes)
Ali is now in a relationship with his non-showbiz girlfriend Dona Balmadrid.
Marco Gumabao confirmed in March 2023 that he was exclusively seeing Cristine in an interview with PEP.ph, but did not want to put a label on his relationship with her yet.
““For me, yung label, it puts a lot of pressure on your relationship. Basta kaming dalawa, happy kami (But the two of us, we’re happy). We’re not seeing other people also,” he said.
In April 2023, the now-29-year-old actor made things Instagram-official with 34-year-old Cristine, sharing photos of the two of them on their beach trip.
“You are my home and my adventure all at once,” he captioned his post.
In the previously mentioned Fast Talk With Boy Abunda interview from February 1, Marco also confirmed that he and Cristine have already discussed marriage and building a future together.
A post shared by Marco Imperial Gumabao (@gumabaomarco)
Other than Dennis, Rayver, Derek, Ali, and now Marco, Cristine had also been linked to Joross Gamboa, Keempee de Leon, and Mark Herras in the past. – Rappler.com
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Philippines brings supplies to Ayungin in ‘flawless’ mission | Bea Cupin | 2/2/2024 17:35 | BRP SIERRA MADRE. The BRP Sierra Madre, a transport ship used as a military outpost of the Philippine Marines, marooned at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, on March 2014.
REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Friday, February 2, completed a rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, its makeshift military outpost in Ayungin Shoal.
The completed mission was confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter, by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla.
Padilla, in a tweet that’s since been deleted, said: “Mission accomplished! Today, we executed a flawless rotation and resupply operation for BRP Sierra Madre. Teamwork, precision, and dedication at its best.”
It was the first completed resupply by sea in 2024 following a bilateral meeting between the Philippines and China, wherein both sides agreed to improve the use of a communication mechanism to avoid untoward incidents at sea.
“The Philippines’ resupply of BRP Sierra Madre at 2nd Thomas Shoal today seems to have encountered virtually no resistance from China,” noted maritime defense expert Ray Powell, who is also Project Myoushu Team Lead of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.
China earlier claimed that it “allowed” an air drop of supplies to the Sierra Madre, but the AFP has refused to confirm or deny that supplies were delivered through air.
Ayungin Shoal is a feature well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) within the South China Sea, referred to as the West Philippine Sea. The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era warship that was purposefully ran aground in 1999, serves as the Philippine military outpost there.
China claims practically the entire South China Sea, and sees resupply missions as violations of its sovereignty. Beijing has also refused to recognize a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that sided with the Philippines and deemed its sweeping claim of the South China Sea as invalid.
At least once a month, the Philippines conducts rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin to rotate troops who are stationed there for months at a time, and to bring supplies for their daily needs.
What would have been the first mission of 2024 was scrapped due to a “technical difficulty” in one of the supply ships that required minor repairs.
Missions in the latter part of 2023 were tense and, often, precarious because of harassment from the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia. Navy-contracted ships, escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), would have to weave through Chinese ships to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre.
CCG ships in the past had subjected Philippines vessels to harassment, shadowing, and watercannoning. Collision incidents have also been reported by Philippine authorities.
The Philippines put a spotlight on China’s “gray zone” behavior through its transparency initiative by releasing videos and photos of China’s actions, and embedding Philippine journalists in PCG vessels.
The AFP did not give any other details about the mission as of posting. – Rappler.com
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End of era: Yawi leaves Echo, joins Aura in Indonesia | delfin.dioquino editor | 3/2/2024 0:23 | NEW TEAM. Yawi of Aura Esports.
Yawi Esports Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Mobile Legends star Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera joined the growing list of Filipino players who have taken their acts to Indonesia as he is set to play for Aura Esports.
Aura revealed the development on Thursday, February 1, after Yawi left Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Philippines powerhouse Echo.
His move to Indonesia did come as a surprise even after Yawi – the usual starting roamer for Echo – got benched for the majority of Season 12.
Other Echo starters favored playing with backup roamer Jaypee “Jaypee” dela Cruz due to their preferred playstyle as Yawi rode the bench for a huge chunk of the regular season and playoffs.
Echo, though, saw its title repeat bid collapse after being eliminated by Blacklist International in the lower bracket final, falling short of a spot in the Mobile Legends M5 World Championship hosted by the Philippines last December.
But it seems Yawi and Echo parted ways amicably as he thanked his former teammates, coaches, and manager in his farewell video.
“I’m really excited for my next opportunity. For sure, I’ll bring along all the things that I learned from Echo,” said Yawi in Filipino.
With Yawi in tow, Echo dominated the scene as it ruled the M4 World Championship in Singapore in January last year and followed it up by topping Season 11 of the MPL Philippines in May.
Yawi joins an Aura side seeking to turn its fortunes around after placing ninth and eighth in the last two seasons of MPL Indonesia.
In Indonesia, Yawi will go up against fellow Filipino standouts Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol of Onic Esports and Allen “Baloyskie” Baloy and Marky “Markyyyyy” Capacio of Geek Fam ID. – Rappler.com
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Night, night: Carlo Bumina-ang puts Chinese foe to sleep | Jasmine Payo | 2/2/2024 23:41 | POWER. Filipino fighter Carlo Bumina-ang (right) pummels Chinese opponent Xie Zhipeng in ONE Friday Fights 50.
ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
MANILA, Philippines – Carlo“The Bull” Bumina-ang sure knows how to start the year right.
Bumina-ang hacks out a rousing first-round victory, submitting Xie Zhipeng with a ruthless arm triangle choke to secure a round-one victory in ONE Friday Fights 50 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Team Lakay upstart wasted no time claiming his fourth straight win, rocking his Chinese opponent with a booming right hook to send him to the mat seconds into their match.
Sensing victory, the 29-year-old Filipino continued his onslaught, pinning Xie, raining down some ground and pound before taking the mount and locking in the arm-triangle.
The helpless Chinese didn’t even have the chance to tap out before going to sleep at the 1:29 mark.
Good night 😴 Carlo Bumina-ang puts his foe to SLEEP in Round 1!#ONEFridayFights50 | 🔴 Live Now🌎 Live TV broadcast in 190+ countries (check local listings)🌎 Also available on ONE YouTube and ONE Facebook (geo-restrictions may apply)🌎 Also available on… pic.twitter.com/YL43n3uvRo
It was a masterful performance that earned The Bull a US $10,000 bonus.
More importantly, it boosted Bumina-ang’s stock as he closes in on a potential ONE contract after taking his fourth straight win – with three of those wins coming within the first two minutes of the first round.
– Rappler.com
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Free-throw woes aside, San Miguel survives Magnolia in PBA final opener | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 22:50 | AIRBORNE. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – The acclaimed San Miguel offense proved just as good as advertised even against the best defense in the PBA.
But the Beermen need to fine-tune their free throw shooting as they narrowly escaped Magnolia, 103-95, to draw first blood in the Commissioner’s Cup finals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, February 2.
Up by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, San Miguel shot itself in the foot with turnovers and missed foul shots as the Hotshots got within 95-100, but the Beermen held on to post their 10th consecutive win.
San Miguel missed 11 of its 24 free throws in the second half and went 27-of-44 at the line overall for a lowly 61% clip.
“We were missing a lot of free throws, that was the reason why they came back,” said Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent.
Fortunately for Gallent, his wards built a lead big enough to overcome gutsy Magnolia, with import Bennie Boatwright, Marcio Lassiter, and CJ Perez setting the tone.
Boatwright posted 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks, Perez tallied 19 points and 3 steals, while Lassiter put up 16 points and 5 rebounds as they all scored in twin digits in the first half that ended with San Miguel leading 61-44.
The Hotshots trailed 35-38 midway through the second quarter before the Beermen ended the period on a 23-9 run capped by pair of three-pointers from Lassiter and one from Boatwright.
June Mar Fajardo made his presence felt for San Miguel with 11 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, including a foul shot down the stretch that gave the Beermen enough separation.
“The players were composed. They know how to win. Lucky for me,” said Gallent.
Import Tyler Bey paced Magnolia with 26 points, 15 rebounds, and steals.
San Miguel 103 – Boatwright 28, Perez 19, Lassiter 16, Fajardo 11, Trollano 10, Cruz 8, Romeo 5, Teng 4, Ross 2, Enciso 0, Tautuaa 0, Brondial 0.
Magnolia 95 – Bey 26, Barroca 16, Jalalon 8, Sangalang 8, Dionisio 8, Eriobu 7, Abueva 6, Lee 6, Tratter 5, Escoto 3, Laput 2, Mendoza 0, Dela Rosa 0, Reavis 0.
Quarters: 20-24, 61-44, 85-72, 103-95.
– Rappler.com
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Collegiate connections in play as San Miguel, Magnolia tangle for PBA crown | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 17:36 | FLEX. Calvin Abueva in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Collegiate connections spice up the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals as San Miguel and Magnolia battle in a best-of-seven series starting on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Players from both teams either want to rekindle their success or complete their unfinished business in the collegiate ranks.
The Hotshots’ Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang hope to win a championship on the biggest stage of Philippine basketball after sharing multiple titles in the past.
Sangalang and Abueva, two-thirds of the famed “Pinatubo Trio” with Ronald Pascual, powered San Sebastian to an NCAA crown in 2009 and won a pair of titles in the PBA D-League and Philippine Basketball League.
Despite going their separate ways when they made the jump to the PBA, with Abueva and Sangalang both drafted second overall in 2012 and 2013, respectively, the two eventually reunited in Magnolia.
After stops in Alaska and Phoenix, Abueva got traded to the Hotshots in 2021, paving the way for a shot at capturing a PBA championship with Sangalang.
“If we become champions here in the PBA, it will be a memory that we’ll never forget,” said Sangalang in Filipino.
On the Beermen side, Adamson products Don Trollano, Jericho Cruz, and Rodney Brondial seek to win a title together with former Soaring Falcons head coach Leo Austria, who now serves as team consultant for San Miguel.
Trollano already bagged a championship with Cruz in 2016 during their time in Rain or Shine and he aims to replicate that feat alongside Brondial and Austria.
“It will be super special because this is a championship that you’ll never forget,” said Trollano. “We talk about it in practice that this is the best chance for us to win a championship together.”
Battling in the finals for the third time in six years, San Miguel shoots for a record-extending 29th crown, while Magnolia guns for a 15th title. – Rappler.com
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Plucky Alex Eala books first singles semis of the year | Jasmine Payo | 2/2/2024 18:35 | ON A ROLL. Alex Eala races to return a shot against Anca Alexia Todoni of Romania in the W50 quarterfinal in India.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – All week long, Alex Eala has been a picture of grit and endurance, allowing her to outlast opponents.
These were once again on display on Friday, February 2, in the quarterfinals of the Indore ITF World Tennis Tour W50 in India.
In a battle between two emerging young stars, the 18-year-old Eala showed her superiority over 19-year-old Anca Alexia Todoni of Romania by winning in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, to advance to the final four at the Indore Tennis Club.
“Fought hard to reach my first semifinals of the year,” the Filipina tennis star posted in her social media account.
Todoni was expected to be Eala’s toughest matchup yet in the tournament as the Romanian won four ITF titles in 2023, which resulted in a huge jump in her world rankings to 233 from 893 in 2022.
At least in the first set, Todoni lived up to her billing as the sixth seed in the competition.
After Eala opened the set with a service break, Todoni responded with a service break of her own and seized the advantage by going up 2-1.
This was the pattern in the succeeding games, with the third-seeded Eala forced to play catch-up to tie the count, only for Todoni to go up anew. This remained true until the 11th game when Eala scored another service break. She followed it up by holding serve in the 12th game to pocket the first set.
The long, drawn-out contest in the opener took its toll on Todoni in the second set.
After she won the first game to go 1-0, Eala took over and swept the next four games. The Romanian momentarily stopped the momentum, breaking Eala in the sixth game to narrow the gap to 2-4.
That proved to be Todoni’s last hurrah as Eala owned the next two games to end the match at 6-2 and book herself a spot in the semifinals.
Eala will be in for another tough encounter as she tangles with second seed Polina Kudermetova of Russia in the last four.
The 20-year-old Russian owns eight ITF singles titles, and as a teenager, made the main draw of the 2023 Australian Open. She is the younger sister of former world No. 9 Veronika Kudermetova.
The other semifinal pairing features 22-year-old fourth seed Carole Monnet of France against 32-year-old veteran fifth seed Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 1 | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 19:10 | PBA Images
San Miguel Beer held off Magnolia’s late fightback for a 103-95 victory in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
CJ Perez dropped 19 points and 3 steals as the Beermen picked up their 10th straight triumph.
San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright again delivered a stellar outing, finishing with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
There is a palpable mutual respect between San Miguel and Magnolia.
But it will be all war in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals when the Beermen and the Hotshots open hostilities in the best-of-seven series on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We’re friends, but we’re competitors also. We will battle. We will give the fans a good fight, a good show,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.
The Hotshots’ months-long preparation to return to the top boils down to one last series as they look to turn their gains from a flawless run in the PBA On Tour preseason series into their first title since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
Including the On Tour, Magnolia has won 24 of its last 27 games going into its first finals appearance in over two years.
“We will work hard for the championship. We started eight months ago when we prepared for our journey to the finals. Everybody wants to improve,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero.
San Miguel, though, has been just as impressive as it enters the championship round having won its last nine games.
That Beermen winning streak includes a surprising semifinal sweep of perennial finalist Barangay Ginebra, with the Gin Kings getting blanked in a best-of-five series for the first time since 2013.
“Magnolia has been the No. 1 team since I think four, five months. It is going to be hard for us to beat them. But we’re kind of positive about it,” said Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent.
“We’re going to try our best to get the championship.”
San Miguel shoots for a record-extending 29th crown, while Magnolia aims to pull level with Ginebra at 15 titles for a tie at second in the all-time list.
Game time is 7:30 pm. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 1 | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 19:10 | PBA Images
San Miguel Beer held off Magnolia’s late fightback for a 103-95 victory in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
CJ Perez dropped 19 points and 3 steals as the Beermen picked up their 10th straight triumph.
San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright again delivered a stellar outing, finishing with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
There is a palpable mutual respect between San Miguel and Magnolia.
But it will be all war in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals when the Beermen and the Hotshots open hostilities in the best-of-seven series on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We’re friends, but we’re competitors also. We will battle. We will give the fans a good fight, a good show,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.
The Hotshots’ months-long preparation to return to the top boils down to one last series as they look to turn their gains from a flawless run in the PBA On Tour preseason series into their first title since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
Including the On Tour, Magnolia has won 24 of its last 27 games going into its first finals appearance in over two years.
“We will work hard for the championship. We started eight months ago when we prepared for our journey to the finals. Everybody wants to improve,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero.
San Miguel, though, has been just as impressive as it enters the championship round having won its last nine games.
That Beermen winning streak includes a surprising semifinal sweep of perennial finalist Barangay Ginebra, with the Gin Kings getting blanked in a best-of-five series for the first time since 2013.
“Magnolia has been the No. 1 team since I think four, five months. It is going to be hard for us to beat them. But we’re kind of positive about it,” said Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent.
“We’re going to try our best to get the championship.”
San Miguel shoots for a record-extending 29th crown, while Magnolia aims to pull level with Ginebra at 15 titles for a tie at second in the all-time list.
Game time is 7:30 pm. – Rappler.com
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Focused on Gilas Pilipinas stint, Kevin Quiambao tunes out ‘distractions’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 22:32 | ROAR. Kevin Quiambao and Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao is not getting caught up in the hoopla of reported interest from the New York Knicks and the UAE national team as he turns his unadulterated attention to Gilas Pilipinas.
Fresh from an impressive stint with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Basketball International Championship, the La Salle star cracked the 12-man lineup of national team head coach Tim Cone as the only collegiate player.
“Those are not the things I want to talk about because they’re just distractions in my career right now,” said Quiambao of the reported offers.
“I’m focused on Gilas and I’m focused on the things that I need to improve, especially my skills,” added Quiambao in Filipino on Wednesday, January 31.
The reigning UAAP MVP made quite a splash in his stint with Strong Group, averaging 15.8 points in eight games for a stacked team that featured former NBA standouts Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
His highest scoring performance came in a 22-point rout of Syrian squad Al Wahda on January 20 as Quiambao fired 24 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from three-point land.
A couple of days after, reports that the Knicks invited Quiambao for their NBA Summer League roster and that UAE offered to naturalize him came out.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu denied the Knicks’ invitation but confirmed that UAE showed an interest to tap Quiambao as a naturalized player.
Quiambao, though, would rather focus on the task at hand as he gets a chance to play for Cone – the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles – for the first time.
“To be under coach Tim is a huge privilege, a huge pressure at the same time, and a huge blessing. Coach Tim has a ton of experience and he has coached a lot of players,” said Quiambao.
“I’ll do my best, and whoever is in the lineup, I’ll cherish the moments that we’ll be spending together.”
Held scoreless in the Dubai final as Strong Group fell short of the title no thanks to Lebanese side Al Riyadi escaping on a buzzer-beater, Quiambao said his experience – the good and the bad – will come in handy for his career.
“The past two weeks felt like an entire year for me. It is a surreal feeling to share the floor with NBA superstars,” said Quiambao.
“I tried to maximize my time with them, no matter how short it was. It is a huge help and a huge motivation for my career. I’ll forever be proud.”
“These coming few weeks, I’ll work on getting my groove and confidence back knowing that we lost. I need to move on.”
Quiambao and Gilas will face Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later in February. – Rappler.com
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You can eventually tap your Mastercard to pay for MRT3, bus fares | lkyu0285 | 2/2/2024 17:46 | MRT3. Commuters crowd the Araneta Center-Cubao Station of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 on March 28, 2022.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Commuters can eventually skip the ticket line and directly tap their Mastercard cards to pay for their fares for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3), as well as EDSA and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) buses.
AF Payments, the company behind the Beep cards used by commuters, partnered with Mastercard to enable “tap and go” payments for public transport in the Philippines.
Once the program is fully implemented, those with a prepaid, debit, or credit Mastercard card will be able to directly tap it to pay for fares at the MRT3, and EDSA and BGC bus stations, without the need to separately purchase tickets or use their Beep card.
Take note that this is still undergoing a pilot program which will be “rolled out in phases across MRT stations and BGC and EDSA buses, with the intention to scale contactless payments acceptance across ferries and other modes of transportation in the future, and eventually across the country,” Mastercard and AF Payments said in a press release.
Randolph Clet, head of the Department of Transportation’s automatic fare collection system (AFCS), told Rappler that the MRT3 system is “not yet ready to accept it.” Because the MRT3, as well as the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2, are under concession agreements, Clet said they “cannot just easily change things in the system.”
Instead, Mastercard usage will be piloted first through the BGC buses to “demonstrate compliance with the AFCS national standards.”
“While it is true that [AF Payments] has forged a business partnership with Mastercard, the use of debit cards, credit cards, and/or prepaid cards powered by Mastercard for use in public transportation is still being vetted and evaluated under a Proof of Concept technical study, the results of which will not yet take immediate effect, contrary to news reports that have since come out,” AF Payments clarified in a statement released on Friday, February 2 – a day after their initial partnership was reported.
This means that commuters cannot use their Mastercard cards to pay for their fares just yet. Mastercard and AF Payments have yet to provide a timeline for the study and subsequent rollout.
At the same time, the stored-value Beep cards currently being used for payments at train and bus stations will remain in use.
“For the record, there was no intention to immediately displace the use of the Beep card, the fare media brand owned by [AF Payments], which is currently being extensively used in light rail network and in select transport modes nationwide,” AF Payments said on Friday.
Nevertheless, JJ Moreno, president and chief executive officer of Beep, said the program will “benefit millions of Filipino commuters in Metro Manila, enhancing smart mobility through initiatives that bring our transit systems in line with global transport standards.”
Contactless payments using Mastercard cards have already been implemented in other Southeast Asian cities, such as in Singapore and Bangkok trains, for several years. – Rappler.com
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[Ask the Tax Whiz] Who are required to withhold tax on online transactions? | Mia Gonzalez | 2/2/2024 15:00 | No. As clarified by Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 8-2024, online sellers or merchants are required to register and pay their taxes. However, it is the e-marketplace operators and/or the digital financial service providers (DFSPs) which are required to withhold the 1% tax on gross remittances, and thereafter remit the same to the BIR.
Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 16-2023 will take effect on January 11, 2024, as clarified by RMC No. 8-2024. However, e-marketplace operators and DFSPs, including online sellers and merchants, will have a 90-day transitory period from the issuance of RMC No. 8-2024 within which to comply with the policies and requirements of other government agencies, if any, and to give them an opportunity to adjust and comply with the provisions of RR No. 16-2023.
As an online seller, you are required to register your business with the BIR and to submit a copy of the BIR-issued Certificate of Registration (COR) as part of the documentary requirements by e-marketplace operators prior to the use of their facility.
If you are exempt from income tax or subject to a lower income tax rate pursuant to any existing law or treaty, submit a duly issued certification to the e-marketplace operator as proof of your exemption or entitlement to a lower rate pursuant to Section 2 of RR No. 16-2023.
In addition, you may also provide a Sworn Declaration (SD) duly received by the BIR if it is determined and/or expected that the gross remittance received from the e-marketplace operators or DFSPs will not exceed the threshold of P500,000. This declaration is to be submitted on or before January 20 of each taxable year.
In the event of failure to submit the SD, regardless of the actual total income or gross remittance, the e-marketplace operator or DFSP will automatically deduct the withholding tax.
If the gross remittances exceed the P500,000 threshold at any time during the taxable year, the BIR-prescribed SD must be submitted to the e-marketplace operators or DFSP to initiate the withholding tax on gross remittance.
An e-marketplace operator is required to observe the following:
The Asian Consulting Group (ACG) is organizing a series of dialogues to address tax complexities with a fair and coordinated approach. If you are a stakeholder in the government or private sectors, you may join the dialogue using the link or QR code here.
This is part of the International Tax and Investment Conference happening on February 27, 2024 in partnership with international organizations such as the World Bank, International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC) based in Washington DC, and OECD. Visit www.acg.ph for more information or register here to attend the conference.
If you have other tax issues or concerns, consult through this link.
– Rappler.com
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Plucky Alex Eala books first singles semis of the year | Jasmine Payo | 2/2/2024 18:35 | ON A ROLL. Alex Eala races to return a shot against Anca Alexia Todoni of Romania in the W50 quarterfinal in India.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – All week long, Alex Eala has been a picture of grit and endurance, allowing her to outlast opponents.
These were once again on display on Friday, February 2, in the quarterfinals of the Indore ITF World Tennis Tour W50 in India.
In a battle between two emerging young stars, the 18-year-old Eala showed her superiority over 19-year-old Anca Alexia Todoni of Romania by winning in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, to advance to the final four at the Indore Tennis Club.
“Fought hard to reach my first semifinals of the year,” the Filipina tennis star posted in her social media account.
Todoni was expected to be Eala’s toughest matchup yet in the tournament as the Romanian won four ITF titles in 2023, which resulted in a huge jump in her world rankings to 233 from 893 in 2022.
At least in the first set, Todoni lived up to her billing as the sixth seed in the competition.
After Eala opened the set with a service break, Todoni responded with a service break of her own and seized the advantage by going up 2-1.
This was the pattern in the succeeding games, with the third-seeded Eala forced to play catch-up to tie the count, only for Todoni to go up anew. This remained true until the 11th game when Eala scored another service break. She followed it up by holding serve in the 12th game to pocket the first set.
The long, drawn-out contest in the opener took its toll on Todoni in the second set.
After she won the first game to go 1-0, Eala took over and swept the next four games. The Romanian momentarily stopped the momentum, breaking Eala in the sixth game to narrow the gap to 2-4.
That proved to be Todoni’s last hurrah as Eala owned the next two games to end the match at 6-2 and book herself a spot in the semifinals.
Eala will be in for another tough encounter as she tangles with second seed Polina Kudermetova of Russia in the last four.
The 20-year-old Russian owns eight ITF singles titles, and as a teenager, made the main draw of the 2023 Australian Open. She is the younger sister of former world No. 9 Veronika Kudermetova.
The other semifinal pairing features 22-year-old fourth seed Carole Monnet of France against 32-year-old veteran fifth seed Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia. – Rappler.com
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Philippines brings supplies to Ayungin in ‘flawless’ mission | Bea Cupin | 2/2/2024 17:35 | BRP SIERRA MADRE. The BRP Sierra Madre, a transport ship used as a military outpost of the Philippine Marines, marooned at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, on March 2014.
REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Friday, February 2, completed a rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, its makeshift military outpost in Ayungin Shoal.
The completed mission was confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter, by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla.
Padilla, in a tweet that’s since been deleted, said: “Mission accomplished! Today, we executed a flawless rotation and resupply operation for BRP Sierra Madre. Teamwork, precision, and dedication at its best.”
It was the first completed resupply by sea in 2024 following a bilateral meeting between the Philippines and China, wherein both sides agreed to improve the use of a communication mechanism to avoid untoward incidents at sea.
“The Philippines’ resupply of BRP Sierra Madre at 2nd Thomas Shoal today seems to have encountered virtually no resistance from China,” noted maritime defense expert Ray Powell, who is also Project Myoushu Team Lead of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.
China earlier claimed that it “allowed” an air drop of supplies to the Sierra Madre, but the AFP has refused to confirm or deny that supplies were delivered through air.
Ayungin Shoal is a feature well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) within the South China Sea, referred to as the West Philippine Sea. The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era warship that was purposefully ran aground in 1999, serves as the Philippine military outpost there.
China claims practically the entire South China Sea, and sees resupply missions as violations of its sovereignty. Beijing has also refused to recognize a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that sided with the Philippines and deemed its sweeping claim of the South China Sea as invalid.
At least once a month, the Philippines conducts rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin to rotate troops who are stationed there for months at a time, and to bring supplies for their daily needs.
What would have been the first mission of 2024 was scrapped due to a “technical difficulty” in one of the supply ships that required minor repairs.
Missions in the latter part of 2023 were tense and, often, precarious because of harassment from the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia. Navy-contracted ships, escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), would have to weave through Chinese ships to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre.
CCG ships in the past had subjected Philippines vessels to harassment, shadowing, and watercannoning. Collision incidents have also been reported by Philippine authorities.
The Philippines put a spotlight on China’s “gray zone” behavior through its transparency initiative by releasing videos and photos of China’s actions, and embedding Philippine journalists in PCG vessels.
The AFP did not give any other details about the mission as of posting. – Rappler.com
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Collegiate connections in play as San Miguel, Magnolia tangle for PBA crown | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 17:36 | FLEX. Calvin Abueva in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Collegiate connections spice up the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals as San Miguel and Magnolia battle in a best-of-seven series starting on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Players from both teams either want to rekindle their success or complete their unfinished business in the collegiate ranks.
The Hotshots’ Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang hope to win a championship on the biggest stage of Philippine basketball after sharing multiple titles in the past.
Sangalang and Abueva, two-thirds of the famed “Pinatubo Trio” with Ronald Pascual, powered San Sebastian to an NCAA crown in 2009 and won a pair of titles in the PBA D-League and Philippine Basketball League.
Despite going their separate ways when they made the jump to the PBA, with Abueva and Sangalang both drafted second overall in 2012 and 2013, respectively, the two eventually reunited in Magnolia.
After stops in Alaska and Phoenix, Abueva got traded to the Hotshots in 2021, paving the way for a shot at capturing a PBA championship with Sangalang.
“If we become champions here in the PBA, it will be a memory that we’ll never forget,” said Sangalang in Filipino.
On the Beermen side, Adamson products Don Trollano, Jericho Cruz, and Rodney Brondial seek to win a title together with former Soaring Falcons head coach Leo Austria, who now serves as team consultant for San Miguel.
Trollano already bagged a championship with Cruz in 2016 during their time in Rain or Shine and he aims to replicate that feat alongside Brondial and Austria.
“It will be super special because this is a championship that you’ll never forget,” said Trollano. “We talk about it in practice that this is the best chance for us to win a championship together.”
Battling in the finals for the third time in six years, San Miguel shoots for a record-extending 29th crown, while Magnolia guns for a 15th title. – Rappler.com
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Lawyers file usurpation complaint vs Cebu water district chairman, 2 others | jsitchon0312 | 2/2/2024 15:47 | WATER DISTRICT. The management dispute within the Metropolitan Cebu Water District has yet to come to a standstill as lawyers filed criminal complaints against members of the board.
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CEBU, Philippines – Two lawyers filed a criminal complaint for usurpation of official functions against Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) Chairman Jose Daluz III and two MCWD board members on Wednesday, January 31.
In their complaint filed with the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, lawyers Danilo Ortiz and Earl Bonachita accused Daluz, Miguelito Pato, and Jodelyn Seno of unlawfully assuming official roles, asserting that they have been replaced by Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama.
Rama appointed Melquiades Feliciano as chairman, and Nelson Yuvallos and Aristotle Batuhan as replacements for Daluz and the two other board members, taking their oath and assuming office on October 31, 2023.
Ortiz and Bonachita were previously part of the board led by Daluz but have not been attending meetings since last year. According to the lawyers, they have joined the “new” board, recognizing the authority of the mayor to appoint board members.
Daluz, responding to a text message from Rappler on Friday morning, February 2, said the filing of the criminal complaint was a “malicious prosecution just to harass us and (a) desperate move without clear legal basis.”
Daluz and MCWD board members have repeatedly defied the mayor’s orders to vacate their positions as they cited a letter from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) that states that local officials have no authority to remove the chairperson and members of the water district board.
In a statement, Bonachita and Ortiz said their complaint stemmed from the “continued and willful” refusal of Daluz, Pato, and Seno to step down despite Rama’s order on August 1, 2023.
They said in a statement on Thursday, February 1, that the defiance of Daluz, Pato, and Seno “has already prejudiced the management of MCWD and consequently has been detrimental to the essential water services it provides to the public.”
Daluz said they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint but would respond once they are summoned to answer the allegations. Daluz continues to function as MCWD chairman as of posting time.
In 2023, Daluz hinted that the situation might be due to his opposition to Mayor Rama’s supposed efforts to privatize the MCWD or his (Daluz) specific recommendations for political succession in their party coalition, which involved supporting younger members for elevated roles.
Rama denied these and asserted that it was because of his dissatisfaction over the MCWD board‘s lack of preparation for the impact of the El Nińo phenomenon in Cebu.
Daluz and Rama were political allies during the May 2022 elections, but have since split after the mayor ordered the chairman removed from the MCWD. – 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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There should be more depth in this coverage e. g. the laws and guidelines on who has the authority to appoint and occupy the office of the MCWD. I’m concerned about the lack of investigative initiative.
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Standhardinger, Perez in tight battle for PBA Best Player award | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 15:08 | BUMP. CJ Perez in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger and San Miguel’s CJ Perez figure in a tight race for the Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as they lead the statistical battle.
Standhardinger retained his No. 1 spot in the statistical points (SPs) ranking through the semifinals with an average of 35.7 SPs after chalking up 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5 assists in 15 games.
But Perez trailed Standhardinger closely with an average of 35.5 SPs as he put up 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 steals in 15 games.
Both players have made strong cases for the award given to the finest local of the conference, with Standhardinger looking to earn his third BPC plum and Perez eyeing his first.
Although he got contained to 13.3 points with 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the semifinals as the Gin Kings suffered a sweep at the hands of Perez and the Beermen, Standhardinger proved his worth as an all-around force.
Standhardinger ended the conference as the best local scorer and rebounder for Ginebra and ranked second in the team in assists behind Scottie Thompson.
Meanwhile, Perez took over for San Miguel in the eliminations when seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo went down with a knee injury and played a key role in the playoffs to propel the Beermen to the finals.
Perez normed 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals as the Beermen dealt the Gin Kings their first sweep loss in a best-of-five series since 2013.
NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino placed third with 35.1 SPs after leading all local scorers with 22.4 points on top of 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.9 steals.
TNT’s Calvin Oftana (34.1 SPs) and Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson (31 SPs) rounded out the top five.
In the Best Import duel, San Miguel’s Bennie Boatwright claimed the top spot with 60.3 SPs as he averaged 35.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block going into the finals.
Boatwright, though, played just seven games after coming in as a replacement for original Beermen import Ivan Aska.
Phoenix’s Johnathan Williams III placed second to Boatwright with 50.7 SPs built on his 24.5 points, 16.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks as he steered the Fuel Masters to their first semifinal appearance in an import conference.
Magnolia’s Tyler Bey also made a compelling argument for the Best Import plum after powering the Hotshots to the finals, doing so with averages of 26.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks for 50.6 SPs.
The winners will be awarded before Game 4 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals on February 9 at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
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[In This Economy] Looks like PH economy will never get back on track. Here’s the data. | Chay Hofilena | 2/2/2024 12:37 | David Castuciano/Rappler
For 2023, the Marcos administration aimed for economic growth between 6 and 7%.
But on January 31, the government reported that actual growth fell below that target, at just 5.6%. (Incidentally, the growth rate for the last quarter of 2023 was also 5.6%.)
Sure, that means our economy still expanded relative to 2022. But it certainly could have grown faster.
Figure 1 shows that there seems to be a downward trajectory of growth. The 5.6% in the fourth quarter is also lower than pre-pandemic times, when we came to expect at least 6% each quarter.
Figure 1.
Growing at 5.6% also means that we may be locked in on a permanently lower growth path. That is, we will never get back to the pre-pandemic trajectory of total production.
Figure 2 shows that we need 10.3% growth per year if we want to go back to the pre-pandemic trajectory by 2028.
If, starting now, we just grow by 5.6% yearly, we will end up on the purple trend which is permanently below the yellow pre-pandemic trend.
Figure 2.
Government officials like to say that 5.6% makes us the fastest-growing country in this part of the world. That’s only true if you look at the annual data. But Figure 3 shows that Vietnam’s quarterly growth is steadily rising and reached 6.72% in the last quarter of 2023. That’s a lot higher than our 5.6%. We’re not quite number one.
Figure 3.
In the post-pandemic world, the Philippine economy is supposedly bouncing back. And we sort of did, in 2021 and 2022. But in 2023, we lost steam.
Figure 4 shows that consumption, our biggest growth driver, has slowed down. The culprit is food spending growth, which essentially evaporated in 2023. This is likely due to the spell of high inflation since 2022: if prices are too high, Filipinos will think twice before buying a lot of foodstuff in palengkes or markets.
Figure 4.
Investment spending also weakened a lot, particularly construction activities by households and corporations. This may have something to do with the elevated interest rates set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP (as a way to temper inflation). Higher interest rates are like a chokehold on the economy; they make it costlier to finance new investments like construction projects.
This is why many analysts are closely watching the BSP’s next moves, and eagerly awaiting the day when interest rates will drop again.
Another thing that weakened is government spending other than construction. Figure 5 shows that it all but vanished in 2023: out of 5.6% total growth, government spending contributed only 0.05 percentage point.
How come? Doesn’t the government enjoy a larger budget every year?
Well, inflation also tends to eat away at the nominal budget of government. And slower public spending may have something to do with weak obligation and disbursement rates across agencies. In short, even agencies are having a hard time spending money, due to, say, procurement rules and regulations and lack of enough people to handle projects. That’s a perennial problem of government that lingers to this day.
Figure 5.
Weak economic growth is also mirrored by the data coming from the different sectors of our economy, namely agriculture, industry, and services.
Figure 6 showed that services, the biggest sectoral growth driver, slowed down a lot from 2022 to 2023. This is on account of weaker production in trade, transportation and storage, information and communication, and professional and business services. (One thing that’s growing again is financial and insurance services.)
Figure 6.
Industrial growth also faltered, thanks to weaker construction growth and, more crucially, weaker manufacturing growth. By end of 2023, manufacturing contributed just 0.35 percentage point to the 6.33% industrial output growth. Pitiful!
Agriculture, as always, contributed nearly nothing in 2023. Out of 5.6% yearly growth, agriculture accounted for just 0.1 percentage point. This isn’t exactly new. There’s still a lot to do so we can improve agricultural productivity.
Clearly, we need to fire up our sectors once again. But how?
The Marcos administration likes to point to the lack of investments, particularly foreign investments, in sectors like manufacturing. They even use this to justify moves to amend the 1987 Constitution and remove the supposedly restrictive economic provisions. But as I wrote last week, that’s a misleading narrative.
This is the first time that the Marcos government missed its annual growth targets.
Do you recall President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address? He said there that GDP growth is targeted to fall between 6.5% and 7.5% in 2022. Actual growth for 2022, which clocked in at 7.6%, exceeded the target. They even touted that as the fastest growth rate in 46 years!
While true, I offered some important caveats. For instance, that high growth reflects base effects (we were coming from such a low place in 2021) and revenge spending (people were cooped up in their houses for too long and wanted to go out and spend).
In 2023, data show that both base effects and revenge spending seem to have dissipated. So we’re finally getting a truer picture of economic activity post-pandemic.
In Marcos’ 2022 SONA, he said that the government expects economic growth to fall between 6.5% and 8% yearly from 2023 to the end of his term in 2028.
With the new 2023 data, that projection now sounds like a moonshot. Let’s learn to manage our expectations in the coming years. – Rappler.com
JC Punongbayan, PhD is an assistant professor at the UP School of Economics and the author of False Nostalgia: The Marcos “Golden Age” Myths and How to Debunk Them. JC’s views are independent of his affiliations. Follow him on Twitter (@jcpunongbayan) and Usapang Econ Podcast.
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Thanks to Prof. JC Punongbayan for another enlightening (but depressing) economic article. Noted: “… even agencies are having a hard time spending money, due to, say, procurement rules and regulations and lack of enough people to handle projects. That’s a perennial problem of government that lingers to this day.” These are the probable causes: 1) when procurement rules and regulations make it HARDER for corrupt politicians to get the People’s money; 2) on lack of enough people …: when businesspersons think that corruption cannot give them the “reasonable” profit they deserve or acceptable calculated risk that they are willing to take.
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What we know so far: Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City | jsitchon0312 | 2/2/2024 14:23 | LEADER. A CALABARZON elementary boys basketball coach gives instructions to his players in the Palarong Pambansa 2023 preliminaries
DepEd
CEBU, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama officially signed a memorandum of agreement for the Palarong Pambansa 2024 on Friday, February 2, solidifying the commitment of the local government and Department of Education (DepEd) in hosting the event in the Queen City.
The nationwide multi-sport tournament for elementary and high school athletes will run from July 6 to 17.
“The Palarong Pambansa is an integral part of our efforts to strengthen our grassroots sports programs, granting various opportunities for sports-inclined youth and exposing them to real-life experiences in their chosen sports,” Duterte said in a speech during the MOA signing.
Vice President Sara Duterte and Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama sign an agreement for the hosting of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.Cebu City first hosted the grand sports event in 1954 and then, for the second time in 1994. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/c1qEORPZje
This is the third time that Cebu City will be hosting the grand sports event — the first hosting was in 1954 and later, in 1994. According to Duterte, this is the 64th edition of the Palarong Pambansa since it started in 1948.
Marikina City hosted last year’s Palarong Pambansa from July to August.
Last August, Cebu City Sports Commission chairperson John Pages shared they’re expecting at least 12,000 athletes and 25,000 visitors from all over the country to join the Palarong Pambansa 2024.
During a press conference on Friday morning, Pages announced that around 20 schools in the city will be used as billeting quarters for the athletes who will be coming to Cebu City.
“What we’re focusing on right now is the rehabilitation of our facilities, our swimming pool, our track oval will be all new and we are very blessed in Cebu City to have a lot of universities and malls that we are partnering with as venues,” the sports commission chair said.
Currently, the Cebu City Sports Center, where a majority of the sports events are held, is completing its final renovations and will be open this April.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas mentioned during the press conference that the Palarong Pambansa secretariat and committees will be making adjustments based on their takeaways from the event hosting in Marikina City.
Last year, heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Falcon threatened the conduct of multiple games as it opened on July 31. The event concluded with the National Capital Region claiming its 16th overall Palarong Pambansa championship.
“We will be activating not only our disaster city control management services but also our school health personnel not only in Cebu City but also nearby locations to ensure we have adequate health human resources,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban said.
Pages stated that 70 percent of the sports events are indoor activities and that the city will be utilizing venues like indoor tennis courts to address weather concerns.
The city sports commission has identified three main “zones” where the events will be held. These include areas in the South Road Properties, downtown Cebu, and the city’s northern district.
According to Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, the city council approved a budget allocation worth P200 million to assist the sports commission’s undertaking for the Palaro hosting.
The budget includes items for the renovation of sports facilities, construction of billeting quarters, and procurement of sports equipment necessary for the games.
Bringas assured the athletes that there will be financial support for students who will come from the school division offices of the participating regions.
“We will be expecting our learners to experience playing in world-class facilities,” Bringas said.
The DepEd assistant secretary also shared that they will be discarding the pre-qualifying meet which was introduced in the previous year due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were still in a public health emergency last year so we had to consider reducing the number of delegates per region in the national (Palarong Pambansa),” Bringas added. – Rappler.com
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Ex-Davao hitman Arturo Lascañas resurfaces as Uniteam sinks | Jairo Bolledo | 2/2/2024 12:31 | Illustration by Marian Hukom/ Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – In hiding for years to safeguard his own security, self-confessed hitman and former Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Arturo Lascañas resurfaced in the middle of a heated political landscape marked by a bitter exchange between the Marcoses and the Dutertes – once formidable allies in the “Uniteam.”
On Wednesday, January 31, the retired cop spoke in an online press briefing which reporters had easy access to. It was Lascañas’ first free-for-all interview since he went into hiding after exposing former president Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged hand in killings carried out between 2011 and early 2016. The killings were allegedly executed by the DDS during Duterte’s term as vice mayor and later mayor of Davao.
Lascañas has been granted limited immunity by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating Duterte’s alleged death squad and the drug war. He had named Vice President Sara Duterte and then-presidential aide Bong Go in the affidavit submitted to the ICC and disclosed details about them in the press conference.
When asked why he made an appearance, Lascañas told reporters it was because Duterte was no longer in power: “Siyempre, unang-una, wala na siya (Duterte) sa power ngayon. At pangalawa, naging witness na ako sa kanyang kaso sa crimes against humanity sa ICC. So kailangan na magmatapang ako na lalabas at lalabas, at hahamunin ko talaga itong halimaw ng Davao, kung sino sa amin ang nagsasabi ng totoo.”
(Of course, first, Duterte is no longer in power. Second, I already became a witness in his crimes against humanity case in the ICC. So, I need to be brave and be out there, and I will really challenge this monster of Davao, to show which one of us is telling the truth.)
A few years back, Lascañas speaking to the media would have been unthinkable because of the high risks involved. His appearance on Wednesday was far from confidential and he did not hesitate to answer questions and divulge information he already included in his affidavit submitted to the ICC in October 2020. Rappler had reported extensively on this in a series of stories way back in 2021. (READ: THE LASCAÑAS AFFIDAVIT | ‘I killed for Duterte’)
Before the Wednesday press briefing, Lascañas also spoke with writer Antonio Montalvan II, where he reiterated the alleged involvement of his former principals.
The reiteration of allegations in Lascañas’ affidavit came before and after the January 28 twin rallies organized by the two dynasties that flexed their political muscles. Duterte accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of being a “drug addict” – a charge he countered by saying it’s Duterte’s fentanyl that explained this kind of erratic behavior. (READ: Fentanyl facts: What are its side effects and overdose symptoms?)
On Wednesday, Lascañas warned Marcos to be careful of the Dutertes.
Lascañas alleged that it was Sara, as Davao City mayor back then, who allowed the implementation of Oplan Tokhang, the anti-drug operation crafted by former Davao City police chief-turned-senator Ronald dela Rosa. The operation was later implemented in the entire country under Duterte.
“Hindi lang niya alam na ‘yong ginagawa ng kanyang tatay na drug war, bogus drug war, nag-imbento talaga siya ng bagong trademark ng extrajudicial killings in the name of tokhang. At dito, pinayagan niya si (then-) police colonel Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa na i-impose ito sa Davao City,” the self-confessed hitman said.
“Ang dami pong namamatay dito (Davao City), ang daming nami-missing. Nag-imbestiga ba si Sara Duterte? Wala. Nag-imbestiga ba ang Davao City council? Wala,” he added.
(She did not just know about her father’s drug war, a bogus drug war, she really invented a new trademark of extrajudicial killings in the name of tokhang. There, she allowed then-police colonel Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to impose it in Davao City. Many people were killed in Davao City, many went missing. Did Sara Duterte conduct a probe? None. Did the Davao City Council investigate? None.)
The self-confessed hitman said in his affidavit that they were given a “kill, kill, kill” order by Duterte himself, and then later on by the former president’s daughter. Lascañas also alleged in his affidavit that the tokhang operations in 2012-2013 got clearance and approval from Sara and her father.
In a statement on Thursday, February 1, the Vice President said the allegations against her were a “new script,” adding that she had never been implicated before in the issue.
“Bigla na lang nagkaroon ng testigo laban sa akin nang mahalal ako na vice president. At kabilang na nga ako ngayon sa mga akusado sa International Criminal Court. Maliban sa tiyempo, malinaw na sadyang pinilit lang na maidugtong ang pangalan ko sa isyung ito para ako maging akusado sa ICC,” Sara said.
(Suddenly, there was a witness against me when I was elected vice president. And I am now among the accused before the International Criminal Court. Besides the timing, it’s clear that they are forcibly linking my name to this issue to make me an accused before the ICC.)
Dela Rosa also commented on the allegations: “Sige, pabayaan mo lang siya mag-allege siya nang mag-allege. Basta malinis ang konsensiya ko, bahala siya sa buhay niya.” (Go ahead, let him allege all he wants. My conscience is clear, he can do whatever he wants.)
Senator Bong Go, Duterte’s long-time aide, did not escape Lascañas’ accusations. According to Lascañas, there were instances when the aide-turned-senator relayed the “kill orders” from Duterte and gave the DDS payments after tasks were completed.
Lascañas also disclosed that it was Go who provided them their targets’ personal information which he obtained from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
“Well, si Bong Go po ang nagpo-provide sa amin ng mga personal information data ng Land Transportation Office sa mga target personalities na pinapapatay ni Mayor Rodrigo Duterte…Ito, kumpleto po sa detalye kung saan nakatira ang target, ano’ng sasakyan ang gamit niya, at ano’ng kulay ang sasakyan,” Lascañas claimed.
“So, matagal namin ito po nga ginagawa, no’ng start ng Davao Death Squad kaya maraming casualty.“
(Well, Bong Go was the one who provided us personal information data from the Land Transportation Office about the target personalities Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered to be killed. The information was complete, including the target’s address, the vehicle type, and its color. So, we did this for a long time since the start of Davao Death Squad that’s why there were a lot of casualties.)
Lascañas said in his affidavit that they got confidential information from the LTO about anyone who had a driver’s license – this helped them execute their plans better. The portion of the affidavit submitted to the ICC that alluded to the LTO made no mention of Go, however.
In a statement on Thursday, Go said Duterte never gave such orders. He added that Duterte never ordered him to do anything illegal.
“Ako rin naman personally, wala rin akong ganyang listahan na kinuha o nakita man lang sa buong talambuhay ko. Hindi rin naman ako gagawa ng anomang iligal. I don’t follow illegal orders from anyone, kahit sino man sila,” Go said. (Me personally, I did not get a list of that kind, nor saw one in my entire life. I will not do anything illegal. I don’t follow orders from anyone, whoever they are.)
Human Rights Watch senior researcher Carlos Conde, in a message to Rappler, underscored Lascañas’ importance in the ongoing ICC probe into drug war killings under Duterte.
“The testimonies of witnesses like Lascañas are obviously crucial for accountability. We hope that his courage in speaking out will encourage other witnesses of the ‘drug war’ violence to provide information to the ICC,” Conde said.
Lascañas remained loyal to Duterte for over three decades. He lost two of his brothers who were suspected of being linked to illegal drugs.
As early as 2017, Lascañas started revealing the alleged ties of the Dutertes to the killings. After initially denying disclosures of another self-confessed DDS member Edgar Matobato (READ: Edgar Matobato: Liar or truth-teller?), Lascañas ended up corroborating information from Matobato regarding the involvement of former president Duterte in the killings.
In his Senate testimony in March 2017, Lascañas also linked Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte to the illegal drug trade – an allegation that he has repeatedly denied. (READ: Lascañas: Duterte son protected alleged drug lord)
Rappler learned that Lascañas’ affidavit was among the reasons why the ICC pre-trial chamber agreed on September 15, 2021, to authorize the probe into the killings under Duterte’s watch.
Lascañas remains to be a strong force against Duterte because of his intimate knowledge of the former president’s alleged crimes. Some of his allegations were adopted by no less than the ICC. – with a report from Bonz Magsambol/Rappler.com
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4 killed, 5 hurt in Laguna fireworks factory explosion | Joann Manabat - CMS | 1/2/2024 23:11 | LAGUNA, Philippines – The death toll in the firecracker factory explosion in Cabuyao City, Laguna, on Thursday, February 1, rose to four after two more victims succumbed while receiving treatment in a hospital.
The explosion, which started a fire in Purok 3, Barangay Bigaa, left five people injured, as reported by the police on Friday morning, February 2.
Two persons died on the spot on Thursday, while several others, including two minors, were seriously injured in the explosion and fire.
Brigadier General Kenneth Lucas, Philippine National Police-Calabarzon director, said the explosion killed John Ronald Gonzales Deduro and Marvin Lamela Ocom on the spot, while Ricardo Olic-Olic, Bebot Reymundodia died while being treated in two separate hospitals.
Tita Mye, a witness, told Rappler that the ground shook because the explosion was so powerful.
According to Cabuyao City Police Station, the explosion and resulting fire at the Aquino Lebrilla Fireworks in Barangay Bigaa was reported at around 4 pm. Authorities declared ‘fire out’ at 5:47 p.m.
Cabuyao Police Chief Lieutenant Colonel John Antonio said mishandling was the porbable cause of the explosion based on their initial assessment. Antonio added that they were still investigating the impact of the blast and the ensuing blaze on the nearby houses and properties to assess the extent of the damage.
“Alam naman natin sa paghandle ng chemical eh kinakailangan paggawa ng fireworks. Alam naman natin na itong chemicals na ito ay sensitive sa mga chemical reactions. Minsan hindi nakikita meron spark na napunta sa chemicals na ingredients, nag cause ng fire. Pwede din nabasa siya ng konti at natuyo, pag nainitan ng konti, mag start ng apoy,” Antonio told Rappler in an interview on Thursday.
(“We now that you need care when you handle chemicals in making fireworks. We know that this chemical is sensitive to reactions. Sometimes we can barely see the spark that goes to the chemical ingredients which can cause a fire. It can also be that it got a little wet and when it dried up and with a little heat, it will ignite.”)
Antonio said the first two fatalities who died on the spot were from Quezon Province and were workers at the fireworks factory. Those who were seriously injured, he said, were brought to the Cabuyao Hospital and Philippine General Hospital in Manila.
“Sa ngayon naidentify na yung mga namatay through relatives nila. Manggagawa sila as pagawaan ng paputok. Pero yung mga minors, anak ng mga manggagawa doon. Kapatid nung isang namatay kaya nakilala din yung kasama na namatay dahil kilala din nila,” he said.
(“So far, those who died have been identified through their relatives. They are workers at the fireworks factory. But the minors, they are children of the workers there. The sister of the one who died also identified the victim. They knew each other.”)
“Yung isang minor nasa Ospital ng Cabuyao, yung isa nasa PGH at yung seriously injured. Sa ngayon kinukuha natin ang exact age nila. Ang nangyari kasi pamilya yung nandoon so hindi pa natin natatanong yung mga victims. Kinoconsolidate pa natin,” he added.
(“One of the minors was brought to the Cabuyao Hospital, while the other minor and those who were seriously injured were brought to PGH. Right now we are trying to get their ages. What happened was they were a family there so we have not asked the victims. We are still consolidating.”)
Cabuyao City Mayor Dennis Hain, in a live video uploaded on Facebook, requested all private hospitals as well as drug stores to provide all the medical needs of the victims of the explosion. Immediate treatment should be given, especially to those who sustained burns, he said.
Hain said the city government will cover the cost as the Cabuyao Hospital could not provide complete treatment to all those who have sustained injuries.
“An unfortunate incident happened in Barangay Bigaa with the explosion at the fireworks factory with many reported casualties, injured people, and some even critical. It’s sad that there are children and elderly,” Hain said.
The mayor added: “Many people were brought to the Cabuyao Hospital but the hospital could not provide proper treatment because the case of the casualties were serious. All private hospitals in the town and private drug stores are requested to provide all the necessities to our casualties in the explosion. To those who sustained burns, in all hospitals, let’s give them proper treatment. Don’t worry about the cost. The city government will cover it.”
Schools in Bigaa were also ordered to open their premises as evacuation centers and asked residents near the fireworks factory to evacuate for their safety. – Rappler.com
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LIST: Routes affected by Metro Manila Subway works from February 2 to 5 | lkyu0285 | 30/01/2024 17:44 | EDSA. In this file photo, motorists endure the morning rush hour traffic snarl along EDSA in Quezon City in June 2023.
Gerard Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Heads up, motorists! Expect traffic along some roads in Metro Manila from February 2 to 5 as the government moves heavy machinery that will be used for the Metro Manila Subway Project.
Motorists passing through the following roads in Metro Manila may experience traffic between February 2 and 3, and February 4 and 5:
In a traffic advisory, the Department of Transportation suggested motorists take alternative routes.
During this time, a tunnel boring machine will be transported to Doña Julia Vargas Avenue. It will be used to construct the tunnels of the Metro Manila Subway’s Ortigas Avenue Station, Shaw Boulevard Station, and Kalayaan Avenue Station.
In January 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the launch of the first tunnel boring machine for the subway, which covers the construction of the tunnels for the subway’s first few stations: East Valenzuela Station, Quirino Highway Station, Tandang Sora Station, and North Avenue Station.
The Metro Manila Subway’s first three stations were originally targeted to start operations by 2022. Marcos said he now hopes for them to be ready by 2027.
The long-delayed subway project would be the country’s first underground railway system. Once fully completed, it aims to cut travel time from Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to just 35 minutes. – Rappler.com
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Nothing easy: Alex Eala grinds out India W50 quarterfinal march | Jasmine Payo | 1/2/2024 21:53 | ALL SET. Alex Eala gets ready to serve in the WTA Canberra.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – There are no easy victories in the Indore ITF World Tennis Tour W50. This Alex Eala must have realized after she went through another tough match on Thursday, February 1.
Fortunately for the teen tennis star, she stepped up to the plate to prevail in three sets over Ekaterina Yashina of Russia, 7-6(1), 6-7(4), 6-0, to advance to the quarterfinals of the $40,000 match at the Indore Tennis Club in India.
On the day that top seed Darja Semenistaja of Latvia was eliminated in straight sets by an unseeded foe, the third-seeded Eala escaped the upset axe in the second round despite another shaky service game which saw her commit 10 double faults.
Eala was Semenistaja’s partner when the Filipina won her first pro doubles title in the ITF W50 Pune last week. Semenistaja, incidentally, downed Eala in the singles quarterfinal of the same tournament.
The 18-year-old Eala’s superior conditioning proved to be the game-changer against Yashina, enabling the Filipina teen to power through in the third set where she blanked the Russian qualifier, 6-0.
Eala, who struggled early before winning her first-round match, got off to another slow start, falling behind 2-4 in the opening frame.
In a battle that had the two combatants breaking each other thrice each, Eala dug deep to send the set to a tiebreaker where she dominated, 7-1, to gain some headway in the match.
Eala had the opportunity to put away her 30-year-old rival in the second set when she held match point in the 10th game.
Yashina, however, would not concede and dominated the second-set tiebreaker by racing to a 6-2 lead.
Eala narrowed the gap to 4-6, but that was the closest Yashina would allow her.
The lopsided scoreline of the third set belied how tightly fought the match initially was as it lasted two hours and 39 minutes.
Eala heads to another acid test in her bid for a semifinal spot against 19-year-old sixth seed Anca Alexia Todoni of Romania on Friday, February 2. – Rappler.com
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Focused on Gilas Pilipinas stint, Kevin Quiambao tunes out ‘distractions’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 22:32 | ROAR. Kevin Quiambao and Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao is not getting caught up in the hoopla of reported interest from the New York Knicks and the UAE national team as he turns his unadulterated attention to Gilas Pilipinas.
Fresh from an impressive stint with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Basketball International Championship, the La Salle star cracked the 12-man lineup of national team head coach Tim Cone as the only collegiate player.
“Those are not the things I want to talk about because they’re just distractions in my career right now,” said Quiambao of the reported offers.
“I’m focused on Gilas and I’m focused on the things that I need to improve, especially my skills,” added Quiambao in Filipino on Wednesday, January 31.
The reigning UAAP MVP made quite a splash in his stint with Strong Group, averaging 15.8 points in eight games for a stacked team that featured former NBA standouts Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
His highest scoring performance came in a 22-point rout of Syrian squad Al Wahda on January 20 as Quiambao fired 24 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from three-point land.
A couple of days after, reports that the Knicks invited Quiambao for their NBA Summer League roster and that UAE offered to naturalize him came out.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu denied the Knicks’ invitation but confirmed that UAE showed an interest to tap Quiambao as a naturalized player.
Quiambao, though, would rather focus on the task at hand as he gets a chance to play for Cone – the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles – for the first time.
“To be under coach Tim is a huge privilege, a huge pressure at the same time, and a huge blessing. Coach Tim has a ton of experience and he has coached a lot of players,” said Quiambao.
“I’ll do my best, and whoever is in the lineup, I’ll cherish the moments that we’ll be spending together.”
Held scoreless in the Dubai final as Strong Group fell short of the title no thanks to Lebanese side Al Riyadi escaping on a buzzer-beater, Quiambao said his experience – the good and the bad – will come in handy for his career.
“The past two weeks felt like an entire year for me. It is a surreal feeling to share the floor with NBA superstars,” said Quiambao.
“I tried to maximize my time with them, no matter how short it was. It is a huge help and a huge motivation for my career. I’ll forever be proud.”
“These coming few weeks, I’ll work on getting my groove and confidence back knowing that we lost. I need to move on.”
Quiambao and Gilas will face Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later in February. – Rappler.com
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CNN Philippines website, social media presence erased after closure of operations | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 8:38 | CNN PHILIPPINES. The news channel announces on January 29, 2024, the shutdown of its operations.
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MANILA, Philippines – Nearly all traces of CNN Philippines’ website and social media presence – including its trove of stories and posts on Facebook and X, have been scrubbed following the news organization’s closure on January 31.
All that remains of CNN Philippines as of writing are the cached search results pointing to the website, which states it is “unavailable” when visited. Aside from this, snapshots of the site remain as archived on The Wayback Machine of The Internet Archive.
The erasure of the CNN Philippines website and social media posts comes as a blow to its staff and to those archiving the stories and content published by the news group.
In a post on X, Lara Tan, former digital executive producer for CNN Philippines, remarked, “Nine years of working for CNN Philippines started and ended on the website and our social media pages to deliver content that is fair, accurate, and balanced. Erased just like that. Allow me to grieve this loss.”
She added, “Sa huli, hindi lang kaming mga empleyado ang talo, kung hindi ang taumbayan.” (In the end, it’s not just us the employees who lose out, but also the people.)
Sa huli, hindi lang kaming mga empleyado ang talo, kung hindi ang taumbayan. Nabawasan tayo ng isang maghahayag nang malaya, magmamatyag nang masinsinan, at kukwestiyon nang walang takot. Karangalan naming makapaglingkod sa inyo.
Former correspondent Gerg Cahiles, meanwhile said, “Over a decade of reportage, now gone. As if #CNNPhilippines never existed.”
Over a decade of reportage, now gone. As if #CNNPhilippines never existed. #NewsYouCanTrust pic.twitter.com/gm8gxeF96m
The closure of CNN Philippines comes after what it called “significant financial losses sustained over the past years, despite rigorous efforts to adapt and innovate in a rapidly evolving and challenging media landscape.” – Rappler.com
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Victolero ranks Boatwright high in top imports list as Magnolia braces for worst in finals vs San Miguel | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 17:04 | BIG SHOT. Bennie Boatwright in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia coach Chito Victolero has already seen enough of San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright to know that the Hotshots have their work cut out for them in their bid to end a five-year title drought.
Victolero braces for the worst as Magnolia battles Boatwright for the first time when the Hotshots and Beermen start their best-of-seven duel for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We have yet to face him, but based on what we saw from him, I think he is one of the best imports who played here,” said Victolero in Filipino.
“I think he is in the top three – maybe one, two, or three.”
Boatwright took the league by storm when he replaced original San Miguel import Ivan Aska, showcasing a complete offensive game made deadlier by his 6-foot-8 frame.
A deadshot from beyond the arc, Boatwright sinks 5.4 three-pointers per game and averages 35.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block as the Beermen reached the finals on a blistering nine-game winning streak.
Boatwright went on a sensational three-game run with at least 40 points and normed 29 points and 11.3 rebounds in an unprecedented semifinal sweep of Barangay Ginebra.
“He can play outside and inside. He can play defense also. I think our defense will be tested against him,” said Victolero.
But Victolero also has a gem of an import at his disposal in Tyler Bey.
A former NBA player for the Dallas Mavericks, Bey averages 26.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks as Magnolia reached the championship round for the first time in over two years.
Falling short of the grand prize in their last two finals appearances, the Hotshots hope Bey is the missing piece in their campaign to capture their first title since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
“I think it goes to Game 7. The big factor is the import. If Bennie dominates us, we do not have any chance. But if Tyler challenges Bennie every game, I think we have a very good chance,” said Victolero. – Rappler.com
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Linsanity in Cebu: EASL selects Philippines as Final Four neutral battleground | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 14:39 | BIG GUNS. New Taipei's Jeremy Lin dishes the ball behind Ryukyu's Carl Tamayo.
EASL FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Lucky Cebuanos will soon get a taste of NBA-caliber action right in the comfort of their island home.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) announced on Thursday, February 1, that Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu will host the first-ever Final Four playoffs of its new home-and-away season this March 8 and 10.
Former NBA breakout star Jeremy Lin is undisputedly the top player to watch as his Group B-leading New Taipei Kings of Taiwan’s P. League+ will likely take on Group A’s second seed Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters of the Korean Basketball League (KBL) in the knockout semifinal on March 8.
Notably, the reigning KBL and EASL champion Anyang may also roll out Filipino import Rhenz Abando in its return to the Philippines, as the Gilas Pilipinas star’s rehabilitation from a harrowing spine injury is expected to run only until the first few weeks of February, barring setbacks.
Meanwhile, Group A’s undefeated leader Chiba Jets of the Japan B. League are expected to continue leaning on former MVP Yuki Togashi and will likely take on Group B’s No. 2 team Seoul SK Knights of the KBL in the other semifinal match.
Although he has only seen spot minutes with his new team, former UAAP Mythical Five member Juan Gomez de Liaño will surely be Seoul’s top attraction in its arrival to Cebu next month.
When the semifinal dust settles, Cebu will then see two more games, the third-place game and winner-take-all final, on March 10.
This year’s Final Four champion will be $1 million richer, the runner-up will get $500,000, and the third-place team will earn $250,000.
“Cebu is an incredible venue for the first EASL Final Four. It has some of the most passionate basketball fans in the Philippines. The Hoops Dome is a great arena that will be packed with local and traveling fans,” said EASL CEO Henry Kerins.
“This is an amazing tourist destination – we are excited to showcase Cebu, including the magical resort island of Mactan, and the beautiful culture of the Philippines to our fans across the region. The Final Four is going to be a world-class sports entertainment experience.”
The Philippines, however, will have no EASL team representatives on home soil as both the TNT Tropang Giga and the Meralco Bolts of the PBA lagged to last place in their respective groups and out of contention.
Ticket sales for the Final Four will start soon on TicketMAX. Further information will be published on the EASL website and social media channels. – Rappler.com
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After CNN PH closure, Manny Pangilinan’s TV5 launches RPTV on Channel 9 | gdecastro0289 | 1/2/2024 11:54 | PARTNERSHIP. Manny Pangilinan's TV5 launches RPTV on February 1, 2024 following the closure of CNN Philippines the day prior.
TV5 press release
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan’s TV5 has entered into a partnership with broadcast firm Nine Media Corporation following the closure of CNN Philippines (CNN PH), which used to air on RPN’s free tv Channel 9.
In a press statement, TV5, owned by Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings, announced that it had launched RPTV, the “newest free-to-air channel offering sports, news and entertainment.”
“February 1 marks another historic milestone in Philippine broadcasting as TV5 launches RPTV,” the television channel said.
“The birth of RPTV is aligned with our commitment to elevate the standards of entertainment, sports and public service broadcasting in the Philippines,” said TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero.
Under the deal, TV5 is a content provider to Nine Media through the latter’s airtime agreement with RPN, which uses Channel 9 on analog television.
RPTV will now be the new “free-to-air Home of the PBA.” It will air all PBA games live, including its 3×3 league, D-League, as well as “key sports offerings such as the PVL [Premier Volleyball League] and games of Gilas Pilipinas.”
Based on the RPTV’s schedule obtained by Rappler, it will air PBA games, replays or live, from 4 pm to 10 pm, Mondays to Fridays, and from 3:30 pm to 10 pm, Saturdays and Sundays.
RPTV will also air the noon show, EAT…Bulaga, the news and public service morning show of Ted Failon and DJ Chacha, and Senator Raffy Tulfo’s afternoon show, Wanted Sa Radyo.
Here’s RPTV program schedule as of Thursday:
Monday to Friday:
Saturday
Sunday
On analog tv, RPTV is available on Channel 9 in Manila, Cebu, and Davao; Channel 5 in Zamboanga, Channel 12 in Baguio, and Channel 8 in Bacolod.
On pay tv, it is carried by Cignal TV, SatLite, GSat, and 300 cable satellite providers nationwide. It also streams live via Cignal Play’s OTT app. Depending on the area, RPTV may be available on digital set-top boxes Channel 19 and Channel 18.3.
Nine Media, the company behind CNN PH, used to pay RPN, a former government-controlled TV network, at least P8 million monthly in airtime fees. Since opening in 2015, CNN PH had never been able to turn a profit. Its losses had ballooned since opening in 2015, including P107 million in 2022, leading to its closure on Wednesday. CNN Philippines’ website and social media presence were also no longer available on Thursday.
RPTV appears to be Pangilinan’s accommodation of the PBA, after TV5 dropped last year the airing of live PBA games to put more focus on news and entertainment, especially after comedians Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon moved EAT…Bulaga to the Kapatid network starting July 1. The trio had a bitter dispute with TAPE Incorporated’s owner, former congressman and ex-convict Romeo Jalosjos, on how to run Eat Bulaga!
Pangilinan is the Philippines’ biggest sports patron, especially to the Philippine national team, Gilas Pilipinas. He has three teams in the PBA – Meralco Bolts, TNT Tropang Giga, and NLEX Road Warriors.
PBA games used to be carried live on TV5, but it got in the way of ABS-CBN’s popular teleseryes shown on TV5, which affected the Kapatid channel’s prime time ratings.
Since PBA games generally rate well only when Barangay Ginebra plays, it was not bringing in enough advertisting revenues to TV5, which then thought it best to just give it up and look for other free tv platforms for PBA games. TV5 used to be focused on sports and news under former Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes, but this programming ended up as a big flop and forced the network to shift back to entertainment and news.
In October 2023, TV5 entered into a deal with evangelist Brother Eddie Villanueva’s Zoe Network wherein the latter would air PBA games live on its A2Z channel starting in November 2023 for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Last December 22, TV5 also entered into a deal with Nine Media on airing the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Season 48 and E.A.T.…Bulaga on CNN Philippines’ weekend programmng starting January 6, 2024. This has now been expanded with the launch of RPTV.
RPTV could improve the PBA live games’ and E.A.T.…Bulaga’s ratings, but perhaps only minimally due to RPN Channel 9’s limited reach. Since EAT…Bulaga moved from GMA-7 to TV5 last July, it’s ratings edge over TAPE’s now-renamed noon show on GMA-7, Tahanang Pinakamasaya, and ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime has not been significant enough to advertisers.
RPTV also signifies the growing content of MVP’s MediaQuest Holdings, which allows TV5 to experiment with programming on free tv. On Thursday, RPTV aired a rerun of BuKo Channel’s gag news show BalitaOneNan starring comedians Alex Calleja as “Seph ‘Patola’ Balimbing,” Jervi Li as “Kaladkaren Dadilat,” Wally Bayola as “Migs ‘Reaksyon Man’ Mamaril” prior to EAT.…Bulaga.
This pre-programming tack may be able to help improve E.A.T…Bulaga’s ratings. BuKo Channel is Cignal TV and APT Entertainment’s comedy channel.
Whether the launch of RPTV will improve TV5’s and Nine Media’s bottomlines remains to be seen given that advertisers continue to put more money on digital platforms than on television. MediaQuest has been trying to make TV5 a profitable venture since acquiring it for P5 billion from ABC Development Corporation in 2009.
Television viewership has plateaued in recent years, even declined, especially after ABS-CBN lost its broadcast franchise in 2020. GMA Network’s GMA-7, with its stronger reach on analog as well as digital tv, now dominates the broadcast industry followed by Pangilinan’s TV5. ABS-CBN, meanwhile, has become a content provider to various platforms, including A2Z, GMA Network, and TV5.
Aside from TV5, Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings’ media interests includes Cignal, Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, Radyo5, One Sports, Sari-Sari Channel, National Broadcasting Corporation, Unitel Straightshooters, and Epik Studios. – Rappler.com
(Editor’s note: Earlier versions of this story reported that the agreement on RPTV was between TV5 and RPN. A MediaQuest/TV5 press release sent to Rappler on February 6 said the agreement is between MediaQuest/TV5 and Nine Media through the latter’s airtime agreement with RPN.)
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‘Bundle of joy’: Akari libero, ex-La Salle standout Justine Jazareno announces pregnancy | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 18:07 | NEW CHAPTER. Akari libero Justine Jazareno in action in the 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference.
PVL
MANILA, Philippines – Diving on the taraflex courts will have to take a backseat for Akari Chargers libero Justine Jazareno as she prepares for an entirely more challenging battle: motherhood.
VP Global Management shared the positive development on Thursday, February 1, as the former La Salle standout and UAAP champion starts what is likely a yearlong leave from the pro league.
“We’re excited to share that our volleyball star, Ms. Justine Jazareno, is eagerly anticipating the joys of motherhood. She has made the decision to take a leave of absence from the game to focus on her forthcoming bundle of joy,” VP Global wrote in a statement.
“We thank the Akari Chargers for fully expressing their continued support as she embarks on this beautiful journey.”
The 23-year-old prospect is coming off a pro debut campaign with Akari in the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference, where she shared libero duties with national team player Bang Pineda and helped the Chargers rise to a franchise-best sixth-place finish.
“As we eagerly await Justine’s triumphant return to Akari, let us send her and her longtime partner Jhonas [Mandado] our warmest wishes as they embark on this new and exciting chapter of their lives,” the statement continued.
Despite the loss of Jazareno’s defensive prowess, Akari nonetheless added big helpings of two-way firepower in the form of former Finals MVP Celine Domingo and former V-League MVP Grethcel Soltones.
Along with the duo, the Chargers also boast the likes of Faith Nisperos, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Erika Raagas, and Jazareno’s La Salle teammate Fifi Sharma in a fast-improving core ahead of what is expected to be a breakout 2024 season. – Rappler.com
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Villagers protest planned wind farm expansion project in Aklan | Herbie G | 1/2/2024 16:59 | AGAINST THE WIND FARM. Protesters bring placards to register their opposition to the planned wind farm expansion project in Malay, Aklan, on January 31, 2024.
Jed Nykolle Harme/Rappler
AKLAN, Philippines – Villagers staged a protest hours before a public hearing on a proposed 14-megawatt wind farm expansion project in Malay, Aklan on Wednesday, January 31, because they fear that its construction near a river would take a toll on their environment.
The protesters called on the town legislators of Malay not to give the planned Nabas-2 Expansion Project of PetroWind Energy Incorporated (PWEI) the green light, saying its construction poses irreversible damage to the Nabaoy River that would impact their livelihood and socio-economic life.
In August 2023, the Malay town government took back its endorsement for the project after officials realized that there were concerns about losses in terms of livelihood, tourism, and issues on accessibility, and sustainability guarantees.
Stefhanie Bernabe, a 21-year-old protester, appealed to Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista not to support the project because the construction would likely affect their way of life.
She said, “We should learn from what happened in Napaan. What if the environment itself changes us? What will happen to us? What can Nabaoy do then? What if Nabaoy were to be ruined, and you would not be the mayor at that time? Who would be held responsible?”
During the first construction phase of the wind farm, the water of Napaan River, one of Malay’s watersheds, turned brown for months due to heavy siltation, and the natural water flow was disrupted. A joint environmental audit report by the town government and conservation volunteers in September 2023 validated this.
Philippine Initiative for Conservation of Environment and the People (PhilinCon) Director Rebecca Barrios called for bolder actions from the town government, saying Nabaoy is the “lifeline of the whole Malay.”
The Nabaoy River is classified as a Class A body of water and is the only source of potable water in Malay and Boracay Island. It serves 50,000 residents in Malay, which sees an average of two million tourists per year.
“What is at stake here is the life of the river, the lives of the fishermen, [and] the lives of their families who rely on what the river can give. It is their lifeline,” Barrios said.
Meanwhile, Bautista said that while he was concerned about the welfare of his constituents, he also pointed out that the town and other areas are adversely affected by the current power crisis in Panay, particularly in Aklan.
He said the project is needed, and that PetroWind has committed to address concerns about the Nabaoy River.
PetroWind executives, during the hearing, assured that the river would not be affected by the construction project but did not say exactly how they would do it.
Since Pawa and Napaan are the host sites of the wind turbines, Nabaoy has not been included as a beneficiary of the planned project. Officials and protesters, however, said Nabaoy would likely be at the receiving end of the anticipated heavy siltation as a result of the planned expansion project.
Nabaoy’s barangay officials pointed out that their village was excluded from the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Meanwhile, Caticlan barangay councilor Christine Hope Pagsuiguiron told Rappler that people in her community also opposed the project plan during a series of public consultations.
“If PetroWind is really committed to Nabaoy, we challenge them to place a security bond of P1 billion. They can get it back anytime, as long as Nabaoy is not affected by their project,” Pagsuguiron said.
The bond, she said, would be used for the rehabilitation of the Nabaoy watershed, and would be the source of financial aid to water utilities for expenses to be incurred in case of further damage to the river.
In a statement on Saturday, February 3, PetroWind assured stakeholders of the project that it will implement robust impact mitigation measures.
It said the company presented its Ridge-to-River Restoration and Rehabilitation (R4) Program during public hearings, and outlined slope stabilization and erosion control measures recommended by local and international bioengineering experts. Such measures, it said, were applied in the first phase of the project, which was completed in October 2023.
PetroWind also said recent inspections by environmental agencies confirmed the project’s compliance with Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), Special Agreement on Protected Area (SAPA), and Forestland Use Agreement (FLAG) conditions. The compliance, it said, was affirmed in a hearing by the town council of Malay on January 31.
“We emphasize that this is a government project, undertaken by PetroWind as the Service Contractor of the Department of Energy (DOE),” read part of the firm’s statement, adding that the recent power outage in Panay showed the need for stable electricity.
PetroWind added, “Propaganda based on purely ideological grounds without hard scientific and technical basis can result in less investments in Aklan, loss of additional tax revenues for the LGUs, and loss of employment and business opportunities for host communities.” – Rappler.com
Jed Nykolle Harme is an associate editor at Eamigas Publication, and is an Arries Rufo Journalism fellow for 2023-2024.
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OFWs want to be wiser with money, but finlit programs aren’t reaching them | Michelle Abad | 1/2/2024 17:59 | OFWS. Overseas Filipino workers start arriving for the holiday season, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on December 1, 2021.
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Overseas Filipino workers want to be more financially literate, but the existing government programs made for OFW money management aren’t communicated to them well enough, a new report from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found.
In a December 2023 report on the long-term effects of labor migration in the Philippines, PIDS pointed out how a “lack of systemic financial literacy support” makes OFWs vulnerable.
“Results of primary data collected from interviews with select OFWs and their family members suggest that young OFWs dream of retiring early but may not be provided systematic support for financial literacy,” the report said.
Several government initiatives are in place to boost financial literacy among OFWs. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has the Pinansyal na Talino at Kaalaman (PiTaKa) campaign, as well as the Land Bank of the Philippines’ subsidiary Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank).
The OFBank provides banking services that cater to specific needs of OFWs, like digital banking solutions that let OFWs avail of loans and bills payment services, as well as manage their accounts regardless of where they are.
But PIDS pointed out the need for better promotion of these programs and services.
“The government has been providing some financial literacy programs and tried to provide better financial instruments for OFWs through the OFW Bank. The BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) has even established a unit that targets financial literacy for OFWs. The communication of government initiatives to improve the financial literacy and stability of OFWs has, however, not been systematic enough to make a solid impact,” said PIDS.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, the BSP found that just 35.2% of OFW households were able to save remittances. Citing the World Bank, the BSP also said in November 2022 that just a quarter of adult Filipinos were knowledgeable in basic financial concepts.
On Wednesday, January 31, the House committee on overseas workers affairs held a hearing to discuss proposed measures that hoped to enhance OFWs’ financial literacy, including a free financial literacy training for OFWs.
Committee chair Kabayan Representative Ron Salo said that while lawmakers were aware of an existing financial literacy program with the OWWA, there was a need to institutionalize it.
“Many until now have fallen victim to scams,” said Salo in a mix of English and Filipino.
Department of Finance official Annabelle Gumimpan raised that while the DOF was supportive of financial inclusion programs for OFWs like the one under OWWA, there were already other programs under DOF’s attached agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s program to crack down on illegal lending and investment scams.
“With regards [to] implementing the financial literacy campaign for the OFWs, I think we shouldn’t have to duplicate, because… the BSP and the DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) already has a program, so there’s no need for us to implement the wheel. And they’re already implementing the program,” Gumimpan said.
“Precisely,” replied Salo. “Actually, you’re right. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. But the [reality] now is how there really are a lot of OFWs who are not literate when it comes to finances. That’s why we have this bill to make sure it becomes more effective. We will make the programs better.”
Salo said that awareness of the existing programs were lacking, noting that even some lawmakers inside the room were not informed of such programs as they were being discussed in the hearing.
“So… how exactly is it effective? Kasi kung effective na po ‘yung mga programs na ito, hindi na po natin kailangan pang pag-usapan po rito,” he said. (Because if these programs were effective, we wouldn’t need to be talking about them here.) – Rappler.com
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Philippines plans to buy submarines to defend sovereignty in South China Sea – senior official | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 15:18 | Philippine Navy Facebook Page
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the third phase of the military’s modernization, which includes the purchase of the country’s first submarine, in order to defend its maritime sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea.
Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Roy Trinidad, said on Thursday, February 1, the third phase of modernization reflected a shift in strategy away from internal to external defense.
“We may not be a large navy… but we would have a navy that will take care of our territorial rights and sovereignty,” Trinidad said.
The third phase of the modernization plan, which underwent revisions to make it more attuned to the country’s needs, is estimated to cost 2 trillion pesos ($35.62 billion) and will be implemented over a period of several years, said Trinidad.
The announcement comes at a time of growing tensions with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Manila refers to that part of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea.
Trinidad could not immediately say how many submarines the Philippines intend to acquire, but he said, “definitely more than one.”
France, Spain, Korea and Italy have shown interest in supplying the Philippines with submarines, he said.
Southeast Asian neighbors like Indonesia and Vietnam already have submarine programs.
While the first and second phase of the military’s modernization plan were “land centric”, said Trinidad, the third phase will seek, among others, to boost military capabilities on the West Philippine Sea.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said last month acquisitions under the third phase will focus on an array of capabilities, ranging from domain awareness, intelligence, deterrence capabilities in the maritime and aerial space.
Beijing and Manila have traded sharp accusations in recent months over a succession of run-ins in the South China Sea, where each have overlapping sovereignty claims, including charges that China in December rammed a ship carrying the Philippine armed forces chief of staff.
China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claim in a ruling on a case brought by the Philippines, which Beijing rejects. – Rappler.com
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As Marcos-Duterte clans clash, should Sara resign from the Cabinet? | Bonz Magsambol | 1/2/2024 16:16 | WILL SHE RESIGN? File photo of Vice President Sara Duterte during the school opening in Cebu City in August 2023
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – It was an alliance that critics and political observers had jinxed as doomed from the start. The only questions were, when and what would happen to Vice President Sara Duterte, who is still a member of the Marcos Cabinet.
They got a partial answer on January 28. The day that Marcos launched “Bagong Pilipinas” in Manila and promised to transform the country into a new and better version, down south, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte called for his resignation while former president Rodrigo Duterte branded the President as a “drug addict.”
The Vice President attended the Bagong Pilipinas launch but she also went to the prayer rally against charter change where her family members took turns lambasting the President she served as a Cabinet member. A day later, she released a statement defending her younger brother’s tirade against Marcos as “brotherly love,” in protest of her “despicable treatment” by people in the President’s circle. It was a sentiment that she apparently shared.
Uniteam, the marriage of political convenience that brought the Marcos-Duterte tandem to victory in the 2022 elections, crumbled on Sunday, January 28.
The word war between the Dutertes and the Marcoses has sparked calls for Sara to resign as education secretary, a job that commands 900,000 teaching staff scattered across the country.
Despite her family’s attacks against Marcos and her own sentiments of being ganged up on by administration allies, Sara has no plan, as yet, to leave DepEd. Her messaging, based on her January 29 statement, is that she would strive to endure the “attacks, black propaganda, and smear campaign” against her because she was elected by millions and that she would remain in the Cabinet for as long as she’s wanted.
In an interview on Tuesday, January 31, political analyst Cleve Arguelles said that calls for Sara to leave the DepEd did not come as a surprise, as being part of the Marcos Cabinet should mean unequivocal support for the President.
“But I think the more interesting question here is why is the President still keeping her after all that happened?” Arguelles said, adding, this means that “she still enjoys the confidence, the trust, and the support of the President.”
Marcos said as much on Tuesday, in response to questions in a media interview. He also said that his professional relationship with the Vice President is “exactly the same,” sounding like a showbiz personality trying to cover up a rocky relationship with a love team partner.
Just like any other popular tandem, they have to stick to each other despite their differences to keep their support bases intact. Mindanao remains a stronghold of the Duterte family and delivered votes for Marcos in the 2022 elections. Likewise, the Marcoses’ “Solid North” delivered votes for Sara.
Marcos got 7.2 million votes in Mindanao, while Sara obtained 3.5 million votes in the Solid North.
“They need each other,” Arguelles said. “I think this is a paradox of the Uniteam that they’re starting to dislike each other but then they also need each other. At this point, they are stuck with each other.”
Sara is undeniably more popular than Marcos. Despite their ratings plunging amid a string of issues in 2023, Sara still got a 73% approval rating while Marcos got 65%, according to a Pulse Asia survey in September 2023.
Arguelles also cited the seeming “tradition” in Philippine politics that vice presidents who break off with the president do not fare so well among voters.
“They don’t like a vice president [who] is not cooperative with the president,” he said.
This is what happened to then-vice presidents Jejomar Binay and Leni Robredo. They were initially part of the Cabinet but later resigned because of divergent views. Binay had been leading the surveys for the presidency that time but he became the subject of attacks. Meanwhile, Robredo became the casualty of online propaganda discrediting her work as vice president.
Sara would be on the losing end if she resigns from the Marcos Cabinet this early. The DepEd is a platform that can help her maintain a national profile, especially if she has ambitions for higher office. Based on DepEd data, there are 876,842 teaching personnel and 60,429 schools all over the country.
“She will stay there for as long as she could,” Arguelles said. “If you’re no longer in the Cabinet, what will you do as vice president? What power and resources will [you have]?”
The Philippines is among the countries that produced the lowest proficiency for young learners in reading, mathematics, and science, as indicated by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 rankings. That fact, however, has not rubbed off on public perception of Sara’s work as education chief. In December, the same month the PISA rankings were released, pollster WR Numero conducted a survey which showed that 57% of Filipinos still think Sara is doing a good job at DepEd.
In her second basic education report, Sara also promised reforms in the education sector and more benefits for teachers. Arguelles said this may be a calculated move especially if she has an eye to the 2028 elections.
“It will always be helpful for her to be able to say that she delivered to the education sector,” Arguelles said.
Amid the political bickering, there are concerns that the DepEd, which has under its care millions of Filipino students and the very future of the country, would be placed at greater risk. If Sara’s attention is further distracted by her political plans, the learning crisis in the country would worsen. Her qualifications as education chief have been in question in the first place.
“It’s really one of my worries, we can look at it from the perspective that, ‘Oh this is exciting,’ ‘di ba kasi (because) we’re watching a showdown between these two powerful dynasties. Si Vice President, isang araw lang na malingat siya (If the Vice President gets distracted by even just one day), it will define the future of millions of Filipino students,” Arguelles said.
Critics have been calling for the President to appoint a DepEd secretary who has an education background.
In her January 29 statement, Sara said she will endure the attacks against her out of respect for the Filipinos who had voted her into office, evoking an image of a punching bag. This is far from the image that gained her infamy over a decade ago: that of the feisty female mayor who grabbed a sheriff by the collar and punched him repeatedly after he led the demolition of shanties in a community in Davao City.
Political analyst Arjan Aguirre said that the ongoing rift in the Uniteam coalition can be advantageous for Sara, who can play the “underdog card.”
“While staying as a Cabinet member, she can still draw sympathy from the people by appearing as the underdog and bullied personality within the coalition. She just has to look like she is being bullied by the House Speaker and other personalities and use the anti-elite or anti-oligarchy card that is consistent [with] the Duterte brand of politics,” Aguirre said.
“I think what she wants to happen here is for the President to fire or dismiss her or openly go against her. That would mean an open war is finally happening and that it would look like the Marcos faction caused it,” he added.
As the Vice President has said, the ball is in Marcos’ court. On a political stage where two popular figures are at play, whoever flinches first loses. – with a report from Patrick Cruz/Rappler.com
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UE star Ja Lana turns pro as new team Capital1 gives PVL reserves bigger roles | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 14:12 | NEW LIGHT. Former Petro Gazz spiker Heather Guino-o (left) and former UE spiker Ja Lana react
PVL Images, UAAP Season 85 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – New PVL team Capital1 is not looking to be a doormat to established powerhouses as the 2024 season comes off the wraps this February.
To help the Solar Spikers set a competent standard right off the bat, former UE star spiker Ja Lana has turned pro alongside her Lady Warriors setter teammate Jel Quizon, Capital1 announced on Thursday, February 1.
They will now play under respected champion coach Roger Gorayeb, who is making a pro league return after a previous stint with PLDT.
Supporting Lana and Quizon in their pro debuts are other PVL role players now expected to shine like stars with their new opportunities, like Heather Guino-o, Jannine Navarro, Arianne Layug, and Jorelle Singh.
Des Clemente, Rovee Instrella, Bingle Landicho, Renesa Melgar, Sydney Niegos, Shyra Umandal, Cathrina Dizon, Kath Villegas, May Macatuno, and Rica Rivera are also shoring up the PVL’s newest team replacing the ill-fated F2 Cargo Movers.
“This will be a good opportunity for them to shine and be recognized so we are giving our all-out support to the team,” said team co-owner Mandy Romero, who heads the family-owned solar energy company. “My sister and I are hoping we can grow together in support of PH sports, especially volleyball.”
Co-owner Milka added, “We are not in a hurry, we take it one step at time until we build a winning culture. That’s our goal.”
Capital1 is expected to announce five more players in the coming days to complete its roster before the new PVL season starts.
Also making its first foray in the pro scene next conference is Strong Group Athletics, owned by rising sports magnate Frank Lao, who also supports the upstart Farm Fresh Foxies.
Altogether, 12 teams will jockey for position in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference, still championed by the Creamline Cool Smashers after a dominant conference sweep to wrap up last season. – Rappler.com
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Janella Salvador, Win Metawin’s film ‘Under Parallel Skies’: What we know so far | jreyes0314 | 1/2/2024 16:44 | Screenshot from 28 Squared Studios' YouTube page
MANILA, Philippines – Filipina actress Janella Salvador will be joining forces with Thai actor Win Metawin for the very first time in the film Under Parallel Skies, and we’re finally inching closer to its release!
On Thursday, February 1, 28 Squared Studios dropped the official teaser for the film, and announced that it will premiere in April 2024 in cinemas.
The short trailer opens with Janella’s character pulling Win’s character back from the edge of a railing, as it had looked like he was preparing to jump. The two characters are then seen alongside each other in a montage of clips depicting their developing romance. Janella and Win’s characters even share a kiss in one scene.
The two actors’ collaboration was first announced in July 2023 by 28 Squared Studios – the production house behind the star-studded film. 28 Squared Studios also shared first-look shots of the two actors in the film.
A post shared by 28² STUDIOS (@28squaredstudios)
A post shared by 28² STUDIOS (@28squaredstudios)
According to a report by ABS-CBN News, Under Parallel Skies centers on a man who meets a woman connected to the painful past he has been trying to heal from.
Under Parallel Skies, which was shot in Hong Kong, was directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, who is behind the highest-grossing independent Filipino film Kita Kita, which stars Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez.
Bernardo earlier said in an interview with ABS-CBN News that Win and Janella could bring their unique experiences from their respective cultures to this “cross-country collaboration.”
“I aim to create a film that celebrates the unique identities and traditions of each culture while also exploring common themes and experiences that unite us as human beings,” Bernardo told ABS-CBN News.
The trailer also features Win’s character briefly speaking Filipino, a brief glimpse into Bernardo’s goal for the multicultural film.
Win is a 24-year-old Thai actor who rose to fame through the BL (boys’ love) series 2gether, which he headlined with Bright Vachirawit. He also starred in F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers, the Thai adaptation of the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango.
Meanwhile, Janella is a 25-year-old actress who recently starred in the Metro Manila Film Festival film Mallari. She is also known for her roles in the series Darna, The Killer Bride, and Be Careful With My Heart.
Under Parallel Skies marks both actors’ first film starring alongside a foreign love interest, while this is the first time Win will be featured in an international film.
This is not the first time Thais and Filipinos will be treated to a film collaboration that fuses their two cultures together. In 2012, Star Cinema also released the romantic comedy Suddenly It’s Magic, headlined by Filipina actress Erich Gonzales and Thai actor Mario Maurer. It also featured Thai actress Baifern Pimchanok. – Rappler.com
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Nothing easy: Alex Eala grinds out India W50 quarterfinal march | Jasmine Payo | 1/2/2024 21:53 | ALL SET. Alex Eala gets ready to serve in the WTA Canberra.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – There are no easy victories in the Indore ITF World Tennis Tour W50. This Alex Eala must have realized after she went through another tough match on Thursday, February 1.
Fortunately for the teen tennis star, she stepped up to the plate to prevail in three sets over Ekaterina Yashina of Russia, 7-6(1), 6-7(4), 6-0, to advance to the quarterfinals of the $40,000 match at the Indore Tennis Club in India.
On the day that top seed Darja Semenistaja of Latvia was eliminated in straight sets by an unseeded foe, the third-seeded Eala escaped the upset axe in the second round despite another shaky service game which saw her commit 10 double faults.
Eala was Semenistaja’s partner when the Filipina won her first pro doubles title in the ITF W50 Pune last week. Semenistaja, incidentally, downed Eala in the singles quarterfinal of the same tournament.
The 18-year-old Eala’s superior conditioning proved to be the game-changer against Yashina, enabling the Filipina teen to power through in the third set where she blanked the Russian qualifier, 6-0.
Eala, who struggled early before winning her first-round match, got off to another slow start, falling behind 2-4 in the opening frame.
In a battle that had the two combatants breaking each other thrice each, Eala dug deep to send the set to a tiebreaker where she dominated, 7-1, to gain some headway in the match.
Eala had the opportunity to put away her 30-year-old rival in the second set when she held match point in the 10th game.
Yashina, however, would not concede and dominated the second-set tiebreaker by racing to a 6-2 lead.
Eala narrowed the gap to 4-6, but that was the closest Yashina would allow her.
The lopsided scoreline of the third set belied how tightly fought the match initially was as it lasted two hours and 39 minutes.
Eala heads to another acid test in her bid for a semifinal spot against 19-year-old sixth seed Anca Alexia Todoni of Romania on Friday, February 2. – Rappler.com
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Focused on Gilas Pilipinas stint, Kevin Quiambao tunes out ‘distractions’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 22:32 | ROAR. Kevin Quiambao and Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao is not getting caught up in the hoopla of reported interest from the New York Knicks and the UAE national team as he turns his unadulterated attention to Gilas Pilipinas.
Fresh from an impressive stint with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Basketball International Championship, the La Salle star cracked the 12-man lineup of national team head coach Tim Cone as the only collegiate player.
“Those are not the things I want to talk about because they’re just distractions in my career right now,” said Quiambao of the reported offers.
“I’m focused on Gilas and I’m focused on the things that I need to improve, especially my skills,” added Quiambao in Filipino on Wednesday, January 31.
The reigning UAAP MVP made quite a splash in his stint with Strong Group, averaging 15.8 points in eight games for a stacked team that featured former NBA standouts Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
His highest scoring performance came in a 22-point rout of Syrian squad Al Wahda on January 20 as Quiambao fired 24 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from three-point land.
A couple of days after, reports that the Knicks invited Quiambao for their NBA Summer League roster and that UAE offered to naturalize him came out.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu denied the Knicks’ invitation but confirmed that UAE showed an interest to tap Quiambao as a naturalized player.
Quiambao, though, would rather focus on the task at hand as he gets a chance to play for Cone – the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles – for the first time.
“To be under coach Tim is a huge privilege, a huge pressure at the same time, and a huge blessing. Coach Tim has a ton of experience and he has coached a lot of players,” said Quiambao.
“I’ll do my best, and whoever is in the lineup, I’ll cherish the moments that we’ll be spending together.”
Held scoreless in the Dubai final as Strong Group fell short of the title no thanks to Lebanese side Al Riyadi escaping on a buzzer-beater, Quiambao said his experience – the good and the bad – will come in handy for his career.
“The past two weeks felt like an entire year for me. It is a surreal feeling to share the floor with NBA superstars,” said Quiambao.
“I tried to maximize my time with them, no matter how short it was. It is a huge help and a huge motivation for my career. I’ll forever be proud.”
“These coming few weeks, I’ll work on getting my groove and confidence back knowing that we lost. I need to move on.”
Quiambao and Gilas will face Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later in February. – Rappler.com
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Dwight Ramos drops season-high in Japan after Gilas roster inclusion | Jasmine Payo | 31/01/2024 23:12 | TOP FORM. Dwight Ramos in action for the Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B. League.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – After recently being tapped by Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone to be part of his 12-man national team, Dwight Ramos delivered his best game yet for the Levanga Hokkaido in the 2023-2024 Japan B. League season on Wednesday, January 31.
Playing inspired basketball, Ramos put on an offensive clinic and exploded for a season-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, to go along with 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in over 34 minutes.
His all-around numbers, however, went for naught as Hokkaido suffered a 94-82 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders at the Hokkai Kita-yale.
The 6-foot-4 guard Ramos is one of three B. League imports named to the newly formed Gilas Pilipinas roster, together with big men Kai Sotto of the Yokohama B-Corsairs and AJ Edu of the Toyama Grouses.
Only Ramos saw action on Wednesday as Sotto was listed inactive in Yokohama’s 75-74 victory against the Seahorses Mikawa, while Edu remains out for Toyama due to a torn meniscus injury he suffered last November.
In contrast to Ramos’ Hokkaido, Ray Parks’ Nagoya Diamond Dolphins and Thirdy Ravena’s San-En NeoPhoenix both emerged triumphant on Wednesday.
Parks finished with 12 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in Nagoya’s 86-77 win over the Osaka Evessa at the Dolphins Arena.
On the other hand, Ravena produced 7 markers, 7 boards, and 4 dimes in San-En’s 75-62 beating of RJ Abarrientos and the Shinshu Brave Warriors at the White Ring.
Abarrientos had a forgettable performance for Shinshu in the loss as he went scoreless in nearly 19 minutes of action, missing all his seven attempts from the field.
With their 12th straight win, Ravena and the NeoPhoenix broke their deadlock with the Alvark Tokyo and rose to solo first place in with an impressive 30-4 record. – Rappler.com
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Focused on Gilas Pilipinas stint, Kevin Quiambao tunes out ‘distractions’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 22:32 | ROAR. Kevin Quiambao and Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
FIBA
MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Quiambao is not getting caught up in the hoopla of reported interest from the New York Knicks and the UAE national team as he turns his unadulterated attention to Gilas Pilipinas.
Fresh from an impressive stint with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Basketball International Championship, the La Salle star cracked the 12-man lineup of national team head coach Tim Cone as the only collegiate player.
“Those are not the things I want to talk about because they’re just distractions in my career right now,” said Quiambao of the reported offers.
“I’m focused on Gilas and I’m focused on the things that I need to improve, especially my skills,” added Quiambao in Filipino on Wednesday, January 31.
The reigning UAAP MVP made quite a splash in his stint with Strong Group, averaging 15.8 points in eight games for a stacked team that featured former NBA standouts Dwight Howard, Andre Roberson, and Andray Blatche.
His highest scoring performance came in a 22-point rout of Syrian squad Al Wahda on January 20 as Quiambao fired 24 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from three-point land.
A couple of days after, reports that the Knicks invited Quiambao for their NBA Summer League roster and that UAE offered to naturalize him came out.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu denied the Knicks’ invitation but confirmed that UAE showed an interest to tap Quiambao as a naturalized player.
Quiambao, though, would rather focus on the task at hand as he gets a chance to play for Cone – the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles – for the first time.
“To be under coach Tim is a huge privilege, a huge pressure at the same time, and a huge blessing. Coach Tim has a ton of experience and he has coached a lot of players,” said Quiambao.
“I’ll do my best, and whoever is in the lineup, I’ll cherish the moments that we’ll be spending together.”
Held scoreless in the Dubai final as Strong Group fell short of the title no thanks to Lebanese side Al Riyadi escaping on a buzzer-beater, Quiambao said his experience – the good and the bad – will come in handy for his career.
“The past two weeks felt like an entire year for me. It is a surreal feeling to share the floor with NBA superstars,” said Quiambao.
“I tried to maximize my time with them, no matter how short it was. It is a huge help and a huge motivation for my career. I’ll forever be proud.”
“These coming few weeks, I’ll work on getting my groove and confidence back knowing that we lost. I need to move on.”
Quiambao and Gilas will face Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers later in February. – Rappler.com
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Linsanity in Cebu: EASL selects Philippines as Final Four neutral battleground | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 14:39 | BIG GUNS. New Taipei's Jeremy Lin dishes the ball behind Ryukyu's Carl Tamayo.
EASL FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Lucky Cebuanos will soon get a taste of NBA-caliber action right in the comfort of their island home.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) announced on Thursday, February 1, that Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu will host the first-ever Final Four playoffs of its new home-and-away season this March 8 and 10.
Former NBA breakout star Jeremy Lin is undisputedly the top player to watch as his Group B-leading New Taipei Kings of Taiwan’s P. League+ will likely take on Group A’s second seed Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters of the Korean Basketball League (KBL) in the knockout semifinal on March 8.
Notably, the reigning KBL and EASL champion Anyang may also roll out Filipino import Rhenz Abando in its return to the Philippines, as the Gilas Pilipinas star’s rehabilitation from a harrowing spine injury is expected to run only until the first few weeks of February, barring setbacks.
Meanwhile, Group A’s undefeated leader Chiba Jets of the Japan B. League are expected to continue leaning on former MVP Yuki Togashi and will likely take on Group B’s No. 2 team Seoul SK Knights of the KBL in the other semifinal match.
Although he has only seen spot minutes with his new team, former UAAP Mythical Five member Juan Gomez de Liaño will surely be Seoul’s top attraction in its arrival to Cebu next month.
When the semifinal dust settles, Cebu will then see two more games, the third-place game and winner-take-all final, on March 10.
This year’s Final Four champion will be $1 million richer, the runner-up will get $500,000, and the third-place team will earn $250,000.
“Cebu is an incredible venue for the first EASL Final Four. It has some of the most passionate basketball fans in the Philippines. The Hoops Dome is a great arena that will be packed with local and traveling fans,” said EASL CEO Henry Kerins.
“This is an amazing tourist destination – we are excited to showcase Cebu, including the magical resort island of Mactan, and the beautiful culture of the Philippines to our fans across the region. The Final Four is going to be a world-class sports entertainment experience.”
The Philippines, however, will have no EASL team representatives on home soil as both the TNT Tropang Giga and the Meralco Bolts of the PBA lagged to last place in their respective groups and out of contention.
Ticket sales for the Final Four will start soon on TicketMAX. Further information will be published on the EASL website and social media channels. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 1 | delfin.dioquino editor | 2/2/2024 19:10 | PBA Images
San Miguel Beer held off Magnolia’s late fightback for a 103-95 victory in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
CJ Perez dropped 19 points and 3 steals as the Beermen picked up their 10th straight triumph.
San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright again delivered a stellar outing, finishing with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
There is a palpable mutual respect between San Miguel and Magnolia.
But it will be all war in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals when the Beermen and the Hotshots open hostilities in the best-of-seven series on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We’re friends, but we’re competitors also. We will battle. We will give the fans a good fight, a good show,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.
The Hotshots’ months-long preparation to return to the top boils down to one last series as they look to turn their gains from a flawless run in the PBA On Tour preseason series into their first title since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
Including the On Tour, Magnolia has won 24 of its last 27 games going into its first finals appearance in over two years.
“We will work hard for the championship. We started eight months ago when we prepared for our journey to the finals. Everybody wants to improve,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero.
San Miguel, though, has been just as impressive as it enters the championship round having won its last nine games.
That Beermen winning streak includes a surprising semifinal sweep of perennial finalist Barangay Ginebra, with the Gin Kings getting blanked in a best-of-five series for the first time since 2013.
“Magnolia has been the No. 1 team since I think four, five months. It is going to be hard for us to beat them. But we’re kind of positive about it,” said Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent.
“We’re going to try our best to get the championship.”
San Miguel shoots for a record-extending 29th crown, while Magnolia aims to pull level with Ginebra at 15 titles for a tie at second in the all-time list.
Game time is 7:30 pm. – Rappler.com
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Victolero ranks Boatwright high in top imports list as Magnolia braces for worst in finals vs San Miguel | delfin.dioquino editor | 1/2/2024 17:04 | BIG SHOT. Bennie Boatwright in action for the San Miguel Beermen in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
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MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia coach Chito Victolero has already seen enough of San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright to know that the Hotshots have their work cut out for them in their bid to end a five-year title drought.
Victolero braces for the worst as Magnolia battles Boatwright for the first time when the Hotshots and Beermen start their best-of-seven duel for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We have yet to face him, but based on what we saw from him, I think he is one of the best imports who played here,” said Victolero in Filipino.
“I think he is in the top three – maybe one, two, or three.”
Boatwright took the league by storm when he replaced original San Miguel import Ivan Aska, showcasing a complete offensive game made deadlier by his 6-foot-8 frame.
A deadshot from beyond the arc, Boatwright sinks 5.4 three-pointers per game and averages 35.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 block as the Beermen reached the finals on a blistering nine-game winning streak.
Boatwright went on a sensational three-game run with at least 40 points and normed 29 points and 11.3 rebounds in an unprecedented semifinal sweep of Barangay Ginebra.
“He can play outside and inside. He can play defense also. I think our defense will be tested against him,” said Victolero.
But Victolero also has a gem of an import at his disposal in Tyler Bey.
A former NBA player for the Dallas Mavericks, Bey averages 26.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks as Magnolia reached the championship round for the first time in over two years.
Falling short of the grand prize in their last two finals appearances, the Hotshots hope Bey is the missing piece in their campaign to capture their first title since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
“I think it goes to Game 7. The big factor is the import. If Bennie dominates us, we do not have any chance. But if Tyler challenges Bennie every game, I think we have a very good chance,” said Victolero. – Rappler.com
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Philippines plans to buy submarines to defend sovereignty in South China Sea – senior official | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 15:18 | Philippine Navy Facebook Page
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the third phase of the military’s modernization, which includes the purchase of the country’s first submarine, in order to defend its maritime sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea.
Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Roy Trinidad, said on Thursday, February 1, the third phase of modernization reflected a shift in strategy away from internal to external defense.
“We may not be a large navy… but we would have a navy that will take care of our territorial rights and sovereignty,” Trinidad said.
The third phase of the modernization plan, which underwent revisions to make it more attuned to the country’s needs, is estimated to cost 2 trillion pesos ($35.62 billion) and will be implemented over a period of several years, said Trinidad.
The announcement comes at a time of growing tensions with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Manila refers to that part of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea.
Trinidad could not immediately say how many submarines the Philippines intend to acquire, but he said, “definitely more than one.”
France, Spain, Korea and Italy have shown interest in supplying the Philippines with submarines, he said.
Southeast Asian neighbors like Indonesia and Vietnam already have submarine programs.
While the first and second phase of the military’s modernization plan were “land centric”, said Trinidad, the third phase will seek, among others, to boost military capabilities on the West Philippine Sea.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said last month acquisitions under the third phase will focus on an array of capabilities, ranging from domain awareness, intelligence, deterrence capabilities in the maritime and aerial space.
Beijing and Manila have traded sharp accusations in recent months over a succession of run-ins in the South China Sea, where each have overlapping sovereignty claims, including charges that China in December rammed a ship carrying the Philippine armed forces chief of staff.
China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claim in a ruling on a case brought by the Philippines, which Beijing rejects. – Rappler.com
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[OPINION] Maids, martyrs, murderers, and GomBurZa | Marguerite de Leon | 1/2/2024 15:50 | Alyssa Arizabal/Rappler
They are titles, labels, representations, and attempts to rewrite, or correct history. The attempts are not necessarily rooted in the events depicted but on current exigencies and what are demanded of audiences as determined by its writers, producers, and directors.
From Maid in Malacañang to GomBurZa, in the titles alone it is obvious where this discussion might be headed. It could easily be about diametric differences, apples and oranges, fiction versus fact, or lies versus the truth. For many it should be obvious. Especially for those who had earlier watched Daryll Yap’s Maid in Malacañang and Martyr or Murderer, and those who saw Pepe Diokno’s GomBurZa.
Maybe we shouldn’t even go there as we risk insulting readers who would probably have gotten far better cinematic or political analysis from their barbers, hairdressers, and, on the aspect of politics, from veteran political commentators. To their learned and age-wizened skill at weaving through the schizophrenic maze of Philippine politics, we yield.
Realizing that the medium of entertainment teaches, we are compelled to widen our scope. The impetus? A recent gathering at a leading university’s gymnasium to launch another anti-disinformation initiative organizers say had its roots on that fateful Tuesday hours after the voting public realized that Ferdinand R. Marcos had taken the presidency and was inevitably set to be proclaimed following the count of the Duterte-appointed officials at the Commission on Elections.
The launch simply added another flank to the ongoing initiatives led by private sector fact-checkers from those already within legitimate mainstream print and online media, to mushrooming non-government organizations and the long-fledgling yet brave and bold solo-flight radio, podcast, and YouTube opinion makers and op-ed writers who openly risk their lives to separate truth from lies in a society sunk deep in fake news.
As apparent as the disunity is among our leaders who see among themselves profound greed, ambition, and the need to perpetuate regardless of the demands of democracy or the statutory limitations established to avoid authoritarianism and autocracy, the diverse retelling of history in cinematic form ironically bears common objectives.
Rather than pick among starkly different versions, allow us to review common threads of the “anti-disinformation” theme.
As Hollywood has done to the most impressionable or, heaven forbid, the poorly educated undiscerning yet opinionated who would likely learn history from the silver screen than from the traditional teaching institutions like schools and universities, entertainment has been the most influential source of education. From epic biopics to musicals, simply add TikTok as a subset.
How many have read Hugo’s Les Misérables and understood the French Revolution against those who watched Schönberg’s abbreviated musical version of the 1832 Paris Rebellion or its 2012 movie production? How many Americans know of the Alamo if not for John Wayne in a coonskin cap as Davy Crockett in the 1961 film? Did Filipinos really know anything about US president Alexander Hamilton if not for the Broadway musical? Did Bonaparte witness the beheading of Marie Antionette as depicted in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon? What subliminal message is imparted when Edu Manzano portrays Benjamin Magalong in the film Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told?
Cinematic detail, from casting, costumes, and makeup, to sets, sideshows, and musical scores can ever-so-subtly enhance or alter from facts. Allow us to briefly present a few common caveats when employing as anti-disinformation tools non-traditional albeit profoundly effective popular educational media.
One, dramatizations are not meant to validate history. They are however, meant to inspire further discovery and perhaps from those that some validation might occur. While a motion picture’s retelling of events are drawn from recorded or published history, dialogue, unless recorded, are likely interpretations.
This includes translations from the original, to encapsulated prose and modernized styles. Note that when Jerrold Tarog’s Heneral Luna became a blockbuster, in the unavoidable interplay between viewers and the dramatization, falling prey to subliminal cognitive bias, pundits started freely quoting from its invective-laden script and extrapolating those to the current timeline and then invoking relevance.
Two, viewers cannot discount political motivations both from the incidents depicted in the timeline of the dramatization or from the current political environment. Politics is not only our national blood sport, for many there is little else that defines their lives.
Three, even with the benefit of hindsight, a balanced perspective is impossible as dramatizations are viewed with pre-conceived underlying bias and predispositions. Worse, a dramatization’s authenticity is a function of the viewer’s ability to discern fact from fiction, his capacity for critical thinking, the level of his communication skills, and as always, his personal circumstances, values, and principles.
So at the end of the day, just sit back, suspend reality, enjoy the movie, and please pass the popcorn. – Rappler.com
Dean de la Paz is a former investment banker and managing director of a New Jersey-based power company operating in the Philippines. He is the chairman of the board of a renewable energy company and is a retired Business Policy, Finance, and Mathematics professor. He collects Godzilla figures and antique tin robots.
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Thanks to Dean De La Paz for his “few common caveats when employing as anti-disinformation tools non-traditional albeit profoundly effective popular educational media.” May I add something to the ending? “So at the end of the day, just sit back, suspend reality, enjoy the movie, and please pass the popcorn.” Can I add soft drinks, coffee, tea, fruit juice, etc.?
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[Time Trowel] From the apes to adobo | Marguerite de Leon | 1/2/2024 12:18 | David Castuciano/Rappler
A trowel (/ˈtraʊ.əl/), in the hands of an archaeologist, is like a trusty sidekick – a tiny, yet mighty, instrument that uncovers ancient secrets, one well-placed scoop at a time. It’s the Sherlock Holmes of the excavation site, revealing clues about the past with every delicate swipe.
Ever paused mid-scroll on your smartphone and pondered, “Why am I not walking on all fours like my pet cat?” This question might seem whimsical at first, but it invites us to embark on a journey back in time. Imagine, a long, long time ago, our ancestors lounging in the vast African savanna, not worrying about wi-fi, but survival. In this deep historical narrative, we find the roots of our evolution.
Transitioning from this thought to our early ancestors, we realize that this story, our story, is not just about biological changes. It’s about the development of complex social structures, language, and the ability to shape the world around us. From the early hominins in Africa to the diverse populations of Homo sapiens spread across the globe, every step of our evolutionary path has been marked by incredible adaptability and innovation.
In this evolutionary journey, even the emotion that we call love plays a crucial role. Those who formed strong emotional bonds were more likely to stick together, protect each other, and raise their young successfully. Love, in its most basic form, was like nature’s insurance policy, ensuring cooperation and mutual support in the challenging environments of ancient earth.
Now, imagine the beginnings of this journey. It all started rather unassumingly, perhaps with a curious individual, let’s call her Ardi (after Ardipithecus ramidus), a species of hominin who lived about 4.4 million years ago, deciding to stand up and look over the tall grass. This simple act, driven by necessity or curiosity, set the stage for a series of changes that would eventually lead to us, Homo sapiens sapiens.
Ardi’s choice to stand on two legs was a pivotal moment in our evolutionary tale. Picture them: walking upright, curious eyes scanning the horizon, hands that could shape the future. They were the pioneers on the evolutionary road trip to humanity. This marks a transition to a new era in our evolutionary history.
Enter Homo habilis, an early human species. They were the handy folks of their time, chipping stone tools, a significant leap in the “tools” department since the time of Ardipithecus. These tools symbolized a major cognitive leap, akin to the Stone Age equivalent of upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone. The deliberate production of these tools shows massive cognitive development.
The story of human evolution is not just confined to one region. As if bitten by the travel bug, Homo erectus decided to pack their stone tools and embark on the ultimate road trip out of Africa. They reached places as far-flung as Southeast Asia, navigating without the luxury of Google maps or travel blogs.
Meanwhile, in what would eventually be known as the Philippine archipelago, a different kind of human story was unfolding, specifically in Rizal, Kalinga. Here, in 2018, archaeologists found a 700,000-year-old butchered rhinoceros. The tools found alongside it hinted at human activity, predating the presence of Homo sapiens. So, who was this mysterious butcher? Enter the possibility of Homo erectus or even a Denisovan connection, underscoring the complexity and diversity of our evolutionary journey in Southeast Asia.
The discovery in Kalinga adds a crucial piece to the puzzle of human evolution in this region. It suggests that the Philippines was part of the broader story of human migration and adaptation, far earlier than previously thought. This finding enriches our understanding of the diverse adaptations of our species and its relatives.
But wait, there’s more to this evolving narrative. In 2019, scientists discovered bones belonging to a pint-sized hominin, dubbed Homo luzonensis in Callao Cave, Peñablanca, Cagayan. This diminutive person, who might have been able to give our friend Ardi a run for her money in a limbo contest, has thrown a delightful curveball into our understanding of human evolution. Homo luzonensis is the mysterious new kid on the evolutionary block, even if some scholars suggest identification and taphonomic issues cloud the picture.
Now, let’s connect these dots from Africa to the Philippines and see how this epic journey is more than just a history lesson; it’s a narrative that cultivates tolerance and understanding. Understanding our shared evolutionary history helps us appreciate the diversity and resilience of the human species.
This shared history can be a powerful tool for tolerance. Recognizing that we all come from the same roots, that our ancestors faced similar challenges and adapted in remarkable ways, can help us see beyond the superficial differences that often divide us.
In the Philippines, this understanding can enrich cultural foundations, embracing the diverse influences that have shaped the nation. It’s a celebration of the Filipino spirit, a testament to the resilience and adaptability inherent in our shared human history.
However, human evolution is not just a topic for academic study; it’s a reflection of who we are today. For instance, consider the way we form communities, echoing the ancient social networks that were key to our ancestors’ survival. This connection to our past explains why we yearn for connection and communication in our modern world.
Our evolutionary past also influences modern medicine. Take for example G6PD (Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase) deficiency, a genetic disorder prevalent in the Philippines, especially in areas with endemic malaria. G6PD deficiency acts like a security guard preventing unauthorized access to your blood cells. This guard is great at one thing: keeping out malaria parasites. This is awesome because it keeps you safe from malaria, a real troublemaker.
But, here’s the catch: our guard, G6PD deficiency, is a bit quirky. They’ve got a list of things they don’t like – certain foods and some medicines. When these things show up, it’s like they play loud, crazy music that makes the red blood cells start to panic and break apart. This can lead to anemia, which is like the party getting out of hand and everyone feeling unwell.
So, while G6PD deficiency is great at keeping malaria out, it also means you have to be careful about what you eat and what medicine you take. It’s nature’s way of balancing things out. You get protection from a serious disease, but there’s also a bit of a downside that you must watch out for. It’s a fascinating example of how our bodies work in complicated and sometimes unexpected ways!
And let’s talk about our diet. Even our struggles with modern diet and lifestyle find context in this narrative. The mismatch between our evolved preferences and today’s processed food abundance leads to contemporary health challenges, illustrating the ongoing impact of our evolutionary past.
Understanding evolution facilitates a sense of connection, reminding us that beneath human diversity lies a common thread. This narrative also motivates us, showing that if our ancestors could face the challenges of their time, we can certainly overcome the challenges of ours.
The story of human evolution is not a story locked in the past; it’s a living legacy that shapes our present and guides our future. The evolutionary journey from the African savannas to the shores of the Philippines is a story of remarkable adaptability and resilience, a powerful reminder of our shared heritage.
To wrap it up, this narrative of human evolution is more than a history lesson. It’s a nod to our shared past, a celebration of our diverse present, and a hopeful glance towards our common future. Remember, every aspect of our daily life, from enjoying adobo to singing karaoke, connects us to a story that began millions of years ago, with ancestors taking their first upright steps towards the future. And let’s not forget the intriguing finds like the butchered rhino in Rizal, Kalinga and the discoveries in Callao Cave, reminding us that our history is still full of surprises waiting to be discovered. – Rappler.com
Stephen Acabado is professor of anthropology at the University of California-Los Angeles. He directs the Ifugao and Bicol Archaeological Projects, research programs that engage community stakeholders. He grew up in Tinambac, Camarines Sur. Follow him on IG @s.b.acabado.
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This is Prof. Stephen Acabados’ most important statement in his article: “This shared history can be a powerful tool for tolerance. Recognizing that we all come from the same roots, that our ancestors faced similar challenges and adapted in remarkable ways, can help us see beyond the superficial differences that often divide us.” But humankind is focused more on these “superficial differences.” Such focus has led us to wars.
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SC moots Rappler’s 3-year-old case vs Duterte’s coverage ban | Jairo Bolledo | 1/2/2024 18:12 | SUPREME COURT. The Supreme Court in Padre Faura, Manila, on December 5, 2023.
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MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) dismissed a Rappler petition, which sought to challenge the ban on presidential coverages imposed on the news organization during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
In a 32-page decision dated June 27, 2023, but was only made public on Thursday, February 1, the High Court moved to dismiss the petition due to mootness. Mootness means the court found the petition to have “lost its practical significance” because the concern has already been resolved.
The rest of the magistrates concurred in the ruling penned by Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh, except for Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier, who both dissented. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo was on official leave so he was not able to cast his vote.
On April 10, 2019, Rappler journalists led by Pia Ranada, then-Rappler’s Malacañang reporter, filed a petition for certiorari – legal remedy used to review grave abuse of discretion – and prohibition with the SC.
At least 40 other petitioners from the media joined the petition, which also asked for the issuance of a temporary restraining order to temporarily stop the ban imposed by the Duterte administration against Ranada and Rappler.
The Rappler petition was a test case because it argued that the coverage ban violated constitutional rights to free press, free speech, equal protection, and due process. The ban started on February 20, 2018, when a member of the Presidential Security Group barred Ranada from entering the Malacañang complex, where she had been covering the Duterte administration.
Later on, Malacañang and Duterte himself explained that the reasons for the ban include the revocation of Rappler’s license to operate, which also happened under Duterte’s time. Rappler has appealed the revocation, a case that’s pending before the Court of Appeals.
The coverage ban was among the forms of harassment that Duterte unleashed against Rappler and other independent media when he was president. Under Duterte, at least a dozen legal cases were filed against Rappler, its CEO Maria Ressa, board members, and staff.
In its ruling, the High Court explained that mootness is the primary issue that needed to be addressed in the petition. The SC highlighted that Duterte’s term already ended on June 30, 2022 when he was succeeded by the sitting chief executive, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Given that the primary assertion of the petitioners is that the ban was the result of the various offices in the executive department acting to implement the verbal directives of President Duterte, and that the accreditation issue was merely a pretext for President Duterte’s personal dislike of the petitioners, it is clear that the expiration of his term as President has mooted this Petition,” the ruling said.
The SC also pointed out that its judgment would not have “any practical value.” This was because Duterte was already out of office, and Rappler already has access to presidential events under Marcos. The High Court noted that Rappler already appeared in the list of Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) members, as of February 20, 2023.
There were also issues in the case “that would require a factual determination, and as such, prevent a characterization of the issues raised as purely questions of law.” They included the contrasting statements of Rappler and the respondents on MPC membership, extent of ban coverage, and the ban’s origin.
“Given the various interlocking and overlapping issues that the Court will have to resolve in order to rule on the substantive issues here, a good number of which would require findings of fact to wholly and satisfactorily address, the Court considers that the interests of the public will not be adequately served, and neither will the role of the Court as an institution be exercised properly by an attempt to rule on the substantive issues, particularly in a moot case where no actual relief will be afforded to the petitioners,” the SC explained.
In addition, the SC said it “recognized” the petitioners’ alarm, as well as their efforts to pursue the case. These things stemmed from their collective fear of Duterte’s statements, “which they perceive as attacks on journalists, the media, and on the press,” the High Court said.
“Indeed, it is plain to see why the petitioners and the petitioners-intervention find these statements so troubling, to say the least, as they come from no less than the President of the country, who is solemnly tasked with the duty to see that our nation’s laws are faithfully executed, and that the Constitution is at all times upheld,” the SC added.
Senior magistrate Leonen voted to grant Rappler’s petition, but was outvoted. Only Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier sided with him.
In his dissenting opinion, Leonen explained that even though Duterte’s ended term rendered the petition moot, a ruling was still needed to emphasize doctrines on free press and to avoid a repeat of the ban in the future.
Leonen said the ban on media coverage raised questions about the exercise of a free press in the country. Government’s interference is always considered as suspect, and the state must prove the validity of its regulation, he added.
The senior associate justice cited Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution, along with relevant jurisprudence. Leonen added that of the types of speeches, journalists’ work has the highest degree of protection because it is considered a form of political speech.
“There is a greater degree of protection to political speech compared to other types of speech, such as commercial speech, because they are intended and received as a contribution to public deliberation about some issue, fostering informed and civic-minded deliberation,” the senior magistrate explained.
Leonen said that governmental acts that constitute prior restraint are presumed invalid and unconstitutional. He disagreed with the respondents’ position that prohibition from covering presidential events was not prior restraint, and documentary requirements for accreditation do not restrict publication of articles.
Leonen said accreditation of the press constitutes prior restraint, adding that “it is a governmental regulation that burdens and touches upon the work of the free press in their production and publication of news.”
“Covering government events and information gathering are indispensable for the press to deliver the news. When the government restricts these activities, it hampers the work of the press and harms and stifles the function of the media in a democracy,” he added. – Rappler.com
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Duterte’s Court?
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‘Bundle of joy’: Akari libero, ex-La Salle standout Justine Jazareno announces pregnancy | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 18:07 | NEW CHAPTER. Akari libero Justine Jazareno in action in the 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference.
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MANILA, Philippines – Diving on the taraflex courts will have to take a backseat for Akari Chargers libero Justine Jazareno as she prepares for an entirely more challenging battle: motherhood.
VP Global Management shared the positive development on Thursday, February 1, as the former La Salle standout and UAAP champion starts what is likely a yearlong leave from the pro league.
“We’re excited to share that our volleyball star, Ms. Justine Jazareno, is eagerly anticipating the joys of motherhood. She has made the decision to take a leave of absence from the game to focus on her forthcoming bundle of joy,” VP Global wrote in a statement.
“We thank the Akari Chargers for fully expressing their continued support as she embarks on this beautiful journey.”
The 23-year-old prospect is coming off a pro debut campaign with Akari in the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference, where she shared libero duties with national team player Bang Pineda and helped the Chargers rise to a franchise-best sixth-place finish.
“As we eagerly await Justine’s triumphant return to Akari, let us send her and her longtime partner Jhonas [Mandado] our warmest wishes as they embark on this new and exciting chapter of their lives,” the statement continued.
Despite the loss of Jazareno’s defensive prowess, Akari nonetheless added big helpings of two-way firepower in the form of former Finals MVP Celine Domingo and former V-League MVP Grethcel Soltones.
Along with the duo, the Chargers also boast the likes of Faith Nisperos, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Erika Raagas, and Jazareno’s La Salle teammate Fifi Sharma in a fast-improving core ahead of what is expected to be a breakout 2024 season. – Rappler.com
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As Marcos-Duterte clans clash, should Sara resign from the Cabinet? | Bonz Magsambol | 1/2/2024 16:16 | WILL SHE RESIGN? File photo of Vice President Sara Duterte during the school opening in Cebu City in August 2023
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – It was an alliance that critics and political observers had jinxed as doomed from the start. The only questions were, when and what would happen to Vice President Sara Duterte, who is still a member of the Marcos Cabinet.
They got a partial answer on January 28. The day that Marcos launched “Bagong Pilipinas” in Manila and promised to transform the country into a new and better version, down south, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte called for his resignation while former president Rodrigo Duterte branded the President as a “drug addict.”
The Vice President attended the Bagong Pilipinas launch but she also went to the prayer rally against charter change where her family members took turns lambasting the President she served as a Cabinet member. A day later, she released a statement defending her younger brother’s tirade against Marcos as “brotherly love,” in protest of her “despicable treatment” by people in the President’s circle. It was a sentiment that she apparently shared.
Uniteam, the marriage of political convenience that brought the Marcos-Duterte tandem to victory in the 2022 elections, crumbled on Sunday, January 28.
The word war between the Dutertes and the Marcoses has sparked calls for Sara to resign as education secretary, a job that commands 900,000 teaching staff scattered across the country.
Despite her family’s attacks against Marcos and her own sentiments of being ganged up on by administration allies, Sara has no plan, as yet, to leave DepEd. Her messaging, based on her January 29 statement, is that she would strive to endure the “attacks, black propaganda, and smear campaign” against her because she was elected by millions and that she would remain in the Cabinet for as long as she’s wanted.
In an interview on Tuesday, January 31, political analyst Cleve Arguelles said that calls for Sara to leave the DepEd did not come as a surprise, as being part of the Marcos Cabinet should mean unequivocal support for the President.
“But I think the more interesting question here is why is the President still keeping her after all that happened?” Arguelles said, adding, this means that “she still enjoys the confidence, the trust, and the support of the President.”
Marcos said as much on Tuesday, in response to questions in a media interview. He also said that his professional relationship with the Vice President is “exactly the same,” sounding like a showbiz personality trying to cover up a rocky relationship with a love team partner.
Just like any other popular tandem, they have to stick to each other despite their differences to keep their support bases intact. Mindanao remains a stronghold of the Duterte family and delivered votes for Marcos in the 2022 elections. Likewise, the Marcoses’ “Solid North” delivered votes for Sara.
Marcos got 7.2 million votes in Mindanao, while Sara obtained 3.5 million votes in the Solid North.
“They need each other,” Arguelles said. “I think this is a paradox of the Uniteam that they’re starting to dislike each other but then they also need each other. At this point, they are stuck with each other.”
Sara is undeniably more popular than Marcos. Despite their ratings plunging amid a string of issues in 2023, Sara still got a 73% approval rating while Marcos got 65%, according to a Pulse Asia survey in September 2023.
Arguelles also cited the seeming “tradition” in Philippine politics that vice presidents who break off with the president do not fare so well among voters.
“They don’t like a vice president [who] is not cooperative with the president,” he said.
This is what happened to then-vice presidents Jejomar Binay and Leni Robredo. They were initially part of the Cabinet but later resigned because of divergent views. Binay had been leading the surveys for the presidency that time but he became the subject of attacks. Meanwhile, Robredo became the casualty of online propaganda discrediting her work as vice president.
Sara would be on the losing end if she resigns from the Marcos Cabinet this early. The DepEd is a platform that can help her maintain a national profile, especially if she has ambitions for higher office. Based on DepEd data, there are 876,842 teaching personnel and 60,429 schools all over the country.
“She will stay there for as long as she could,” Arguelles said. “If you’re no longer in the Cabinet, what will you do as vice president? What power and resources will [you have]?”
The Philippines is among the countries that produced the lowest proficiency for young learners in reading, mathematics, and science, as indicated by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 rankings. That fact, however, has not rubbed off on public perception of Sara’s work as education chief. In December, the same month the PISA rankings were released, pollster WR Numero conducted a survey which showed that 57% of Filipinos still think Sara is doing a good job at DepEd.
In her second basic education report, Sara also promised reforms in the education sector and more benefits for teachers. Arguelles said this may be a calculated move especially if she has an eye to the 2028 elections.
“It will always be helpful for her to be able to say that she delivered to the education sector,” Arguelles said.
Amid the political bickering, there are concerns that the DepEd, which has under its care millions of Filipino students and the very future of the country, would be placed at greater risk. If Sara’s attention is further distracted by her political plans, the learning crisis in the country would worsen. Her qualifications as education chief have been in question in the first place.
“It’s really one of my worries, we can look at it from the perspective that, ‘Oh this is exciting,’ ‘di ba kasi (because) we’re watching a showdown between these two powerful dynasties. Si Vice President, isang araw lang na malingat siya (If the Vice President gets distracted by even just one day), it will define the future of millions of Filipino students,” Arguelles said.
Critics have been calling for the President to appoint a DepEd secretary who has an education background.
In her January 29 statement, Sara said she will endure the attacks against her out of respect for the Filipinos who had voted her into office, evoking an image of a punching bag. This is far from the image that gained her infamy over a decade ago: that of the feisty female mayor who grabbed a sheriff by the collar and punched him repeatedly after he led the demolition of shanties in a community in Davao City.
Political analyst Arjan Aguirre said that the ongoing rift in the Uniteam coalition can be advantageous for Sara, who can play the “underdog card.”
“While staying as a Cabinet member, she can still draw sympathy from the people by appearing as the underdog and bullied personality within the coalition. She just has to look like she is being bullied by the House Speaker and other personalities and use the anti-elite or anti-oligarchy card that is consistent [with] the Duterte brand of politics,” Aguirre said.
“I think what she wants to happen here is for the President to fire or dismiss her or openly go against her. That would mean an open war is finally happening and that it would look like the Marcos faction caused it,” he added.
As the Vice President has said, the ball is in Marcos’ court. On a political stage where two popular figures are at play, whoever flinches first loses. – with a report from Patrick Cruz/Rappler.com
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[Ilonggo Notes] La Villa Rica de Arevalo: A storied past and bright future | Marguerite de Leon | 30/01/2024 15:17 | CONVENTO. The convento (parish office) of La Villa de Arevalo.
Vic Salas/Rappler
While it is now only one of the six districts of Iloilo City, Arevalo has a storied past. Once the seat of the Spanish government in Panay Island, it was established in 1581 by the fourth governor general of the Philippines, (1580-1583), Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, who named it “La Villa Rica de Arevalo” after his hometown in Avila, Spain. Perhaps the fertile soil, flowers, seaside clime, and bustling trade reminded him of his Arevalo home across the globe. Prior to Arevalo, Ogtong (Oton) was the seat of government for both Panay and Negros for a little over a decade.
Former DOT Regional head Rudy Claparols noted that Arevalo thus became the official residence of the alcalde mayor and of the overseer general of the Spanish forces to the Moluccas. The Panay encomenderos, to whom vast landholdings and collections of tribute from pacified natives were entrusted, lived in Arevalo. One was Esteban Rodriguez Figueroa, organizer of punitive expeditions against rebellious Mindanao chieftains. Furthermore, it was a naval station, a busy seaport, textile emporium, and jump-off point for the Spanish expeditions against the Muslims, Dutch, and British invaders, and a supply base for the garrisons in the Moluccas. It was also a base for the various missionaries – Augustinians and Jesuits. Jesuit historian Pedro Chirino visited Villa de Arevalo in 1593, to establish in Tigbauan town the first boarding school for boys in the country – the first “Ateneo,” so to speak.
During Ronquillo’s term, trade with the Chinese grew and he established a parian for them; this was in the adjacent settlement presently called Molo. Strategically important, Arevalo became the target of attacks and raids by the British, the Dutch, and the Muslims. Thomas Cavendish, a British buccaneer and third circumnavigator of the world, attacked Arevalo in 1588 but was repulsed. Less than 30 years later, the Olandes (Dutch) attacked and burned the whole town. The vulnerability of Arevalo was a reason for the move inland – to a swampy estuary with a port that could also be more easily defended – to a place called “La Punta” (the point) which eventually came to be called Iloilo. There the Spaniards established fortifications – the Santo Rosario Fort, later renamed Fort San Pedro – which stood for over 300 years until bombs destroyed it in World War II.
With the move to where the Iloilo City downtown and port area is now, coupled with the decline of the weaving industry and rise of the sugar industry, Arevalo gradually lost importance; it was annexed as a district of the new chartered city of Iloilo in 1937, together with the other old towns of Molo, Jaro, Mandurriao, and La Paz. However, “La Villa de Arevalo” remains, for “La Villa” as a title is sparingly given. According to physician-historian Luciano Santiago, in 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, only eight towns were given this status. They could have their own seals, had privileges and were considered regional centers for dissemination of Spanish culture and trade. Outside of Luzon, only two places were given the honorific: Cebu and La Villa de Arevalo, but Cebu seems to have dropped the title.
The Villa de Arevalo church and plaza complex is a “cultural heritage zone,” designated by a Republic Act. Unusually, the church itself is in the middle of the plaza – unlike most other towns. The plaza itself has been newly landscaped, and historical monuments such as the art-deco styled Rizal monument, and the “Corona de Reyna Isabel Dos,” a fluted column topped by a crown, dedicated to the former queen of Spain, Isabel II, by her Villa de Arevalo loyalists. It dates back to the mid-19th century, and was declared a national cultural landmark in 2019. Sadly, the yellowish coral rock inscriptions at the base are being eroded. The convento and parish office still stands as an outstanding example of Spanish-Filipino architecture. Arevalo has the third oldest Santo Niño in the Philippines, and one of the oldest crosses in the country. The cross is in a small chapel about a kilometer away, in the barangay of Santa Cruz. Likely the barangay got its name from the Cross.
Prominent in the plaza area are busts and historical markers for Ramon Avanceña, a former Chief Justice and the educator-feminist Sofia Reyes de Veyra. Another prominent Villahanon who deserves a bust and recognition is the foremost Filipino engraver, Melecio Figueroa y Magbanua (1842-1903), whose coin design with the figure of his daughter, Blanca, was the face of Philippine coinage from 1903 until the 1970s. Some Figueroa works are in the collection of the Prado museum – a distinction for a handful of Philippine visual artists. The plaza is surrounded by many ornamental plants as the district is also known as the “flower garden of Iloilo.”
A few steps away from the plaza one can find ancient traditions of loom weaving, piña, jusi, and hablon at the Arevalo Sinamay Dealer which also produces the popular Mama’s Kitchen cookies. The early 20th century ilustrado home has been recently refurbished, and with its extensive grounds, can also be rented out for events. Next door to it is one of Iloilo’s most popular visitor attractions: a heritage house turned lifestyle museum, and named a national cultural heritage property, the Avanceña Ancestral Home/Camiña Balay na Bato. Built in the mid-1860s by the first Filipino parish priest of Arevalo, Fr. Anselmo Avancena, it is a prime example of Hispano-Filipino fusion architecture, with capiz shell windows, ventanillas, carved tree trunk pillars, an entresuelo, a sala mayor, caida, oratorio, comedor, and cocina. The steep flight of stairs is best ascended sideways. Now run by the fifth generation of descendants, it has a gift shop and serves the most deliciously thick tsokolate eh from their own cacao farm, or a creamy version of pancit molo.
Today, Villa Beach continues to be popular for bathing and swimming with its smooth, fine black sand and gently sloping shoreline. However, an influx of settlers and a maritime university means it is more crowded compared to three decades ago. The beachside road has been widened, drainage and sidewalks improved. Hopefully more of the beachside can be cleared all the way to Oton, to allow an unimpeded view of the beach and Guimaras Island; this could take years, but could easily be Iloilo’s own version of the French Riviera. The annual Paraw (non-motorized sailboat with outriggers) Regatta, the oldest traditional craft event in Asia, and the largest of its kind in the country, is held late in February and is still a top tourism event. It starts off and ends at Villa Beach. During the regatta, there are other sports events – beach volleyball, football, and “ultimate fitness” competitions.
I learned to swim in Villa Beach in the ’60s. On Sundays my Dad would pack all seven of us into the family car, take us for a swim, and we’d sometimes have charcoal-grilled whole darag (native) chicken and binakol (chicken in coconut water, served in bamboo tubes), and on special occasions, lechon. Lechon is one of the specialties of the area – you know you’re in Arevalo when you begin to see a profusion of lechon stands. Interestingly Ronquillo’s Arevalo in Avila is known for its “toston” (also called cochinillo) – whole roasted suckling pig, that is sliced using a traditional plate; could Ronquillo have introduced lechon? Fresh seafood is served at popular places such as Tatoy’s, Erning’s, Breakthrough, and the Punta Villa Resort. Villa bibingka is also delicious – flat, loaded with young coconut rather than flour and cheese – and available from several roadside stalls. As a child, I often associated Villa de Arevalo with the beach, flower gardens, lechon, roasted chicken, and bibingka – and six decades later, these remain its calling cards. – Rappler.com
Vic Salas is a physician and public health specialist by training, and now retired from international consulting work. He is back in Iloilo City, where he spent his first quarter century.
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Linsanity in Cebu: EASL selects Philippines as Final Four neutral battleground | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 14:39 | BIG GUNS. New Taipei's Jeremy Lin dishes the ball behind Ryukyu's Carl Tamayo.
EASL FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Lucky Cebuanos will soon get a taste of NBA-caliber action right in the comfort of their island home.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) announced on Thursday, February 1, that Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu will host the first-ever Final Four playoffs of its new home-and-away season this March 8 and 10.
Former NBA breakout star Jeremy Lin is undisputedly the top player to watch as his Group B-leading New Taipei Kings of Taiwan’s P. League+ will likely take on Group A’s second seed Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters of the Korean Basketball League (KBL) in the knockout semifinal on March 8.
Notably, the reigning KBL and EASL champion Anyang may also roll out Filipino import Rhenz Abando in its return to the Philippines, as the Gilas Pilipinas star’s rehabilitation from a harrowing spine injury is expected to run only until the first few weeks of February, barring setbacks.
Meanwhile, Group A’s undefeated leader Chiba Jets of the Japan B. League are expected to continue leaning on former MVP Yuki Togashi and will likely take on Group B’s No. 2 team Seoul SK Knights of the KBL in the other semifinal match.
Although he has only seen spot minutes with his new team, former UAAP Mythical Five member Juan Gomez de Liaño will surely be Seoul’s top attraction in its arrival to Cebu next month.
When the semifinal dust settles, Cebu will then see two more games, the third-place game and winner-take-all final, on March 10.
This year’s Final Four champion will be $1 million richer, the runner-up will get $500,000, and the third-place team will earn $250,000.
“Cebu is an incredible venue for the first EASL Final Four. It has some of the most passionate basketball fans in the Philippines. The Hoops Dome is a great arena that will be packed with local and traveling fans,” said EASL CEO Henry Kerins.
“This is an amazing tourist destination – we are excited to showcase Cebu, including the magical resort island of Mactan, and the beautiful culture of the Philippines to our fans across the region. The Final Four is going to be a world-class sports entertainment experience.”
The Philippines, however, will have no EASL team representatives on home soil as both the TNT Tropang Giga and the Meralco Bolts of the PBA lagged to last place in their respective groups and out of contention.
Ticket sales for the Final Four will start soon on TicketMAX. Further information will be published on the EASL website and social media channels. – Rappler.com
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UE star Ja Lana turns pro as new team Capital1 gives PVL reserves bigger roles | jisaga0269 | 1/2/2024 14:12 | NEW LIGHT. Former Petro Gazz spiker Heather Guino-o (left) and former UE spiker Ja Lana react
PVL Images, UAAP Season 85 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – New PVL team Capital1 is not looking to be a doormat to established powerhouses as the 2024 season comes off the wraps this February.
To help the Solar Spikers set a competent standard right off the bat, former UE star spiker Ja Lana has turned pro alongside her Lady Warriors setter teammate Jel Quizon, Capital1 announced on Thursday, February 1.
They will now play under respected champion coach Roger Gorayeb, who is making a pro league return after a previous stint with PLDT.
Supporting Lana and Quizon in their pro debuts are other PVL role players now expected to shine like stars with their new opportunities, like Heather Guino-o, Jannine Navarro, Arianne Layug, and Jorelle Singh.
Des Clemente, Rovee Instrella, Bingle Landicho, Renesa Melgar, Sydney Niegos, Shyra Umandal, Cathrina Dizon, Kath Villegas, May Macatuno, and Rica Rivera are also shoring up the PVL’s newest team replacing the ill-fated F2 Cargo Movers.
“This will be a good opportunity for them to shine and be recognized so we are giving our all-out support to the team,” said team co-owner Mandy Romero, who heads the family-owned solar energy company. “My sister and I are hoping we can grow together in support of PH sports, especially volleyball.”
Co-owner Milka added, “We are not in a hurry, we take it one step at time until we build a winning culture. That’s our goal.”
Capital1 is expected to announce five more players in the coming days to complete its roster before the new PVL season starts.
Also making its first foray in the pro scene next conference is Strong Group Athletics, owned by rising sports magnate Frank Lao, who also supports the upstart Farm Fresh Foxies.
Altogether, 12 teams will jockey for position in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference, still championed by the Creamline Cool Smashers after a dominant conference sweep to wrap up last season. – Rappler.com
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Philippines plans to buy submarines to defend sovereignty in South China Sea – senior official | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 15:18 | Philippine Navy Facebook Page
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the third phase of the military’s modernization, which includes the purchase of the country’s first submarine, in order to defend its maritime sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea.
Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Roy Trinidad, said on Thursday, February 1, the third phase of modernization reflected a shift in strategy away from internal to external defense.
“We may not be a large navy… but we would have a navy that will take care of our territorial rights and sovereignty,” Trinidad said.
The third phase of the modernization plan, which underwent revisions to make it more attuned to the country’s needs, is estimated to cost 2 trillion pesos ($35.62 billion) and will be implemented over a period of several years, said Trinidad.
The announcement comes at a time of growing tensions with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Manila refers to that part of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea.
Trinidad could not immediately say how many submarines the Philippines intend to acquire, but he said, “definitely more than one.”
France, Spain, Korea and Italy have shown interest in supplying the Philippines with submarines, he said.
Southeast Asian neighbors like Indonesia and Vietnam already have submarine programs.
While the first and second phase of the military’s modernization plan were “land centric”, said Trinidad, the third phase will seek, among others, to boost military capabilities on the West Philippine Sea.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said last month acquisitions under the third phase will focus on an array of capabilities, ranging from domain awareness, intelligence, deterrence capabilities in the maritime and aerial space.
Beijing and Manila have traded sharp accusations in recent months over a succession of run-ins in the South China Sea, where each have overlapping sovereignty claims, including charges that China in December rammed a ship carrying the Philippine armed forces chief of staff.
China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claim in a ruling on a case brought by the Philippines, which Beijing rejects. – Rappler.com
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[Ilonggo Notes] La Villa Rica de Arevalo: A storied past and bright future | Marguerite de Leon | 30/01/2024 15:17 | CONVENTO. The convento (parish office) of La Villa de Arevalo.
Vic Salas/Rappler
While it is now only one of the six districts of Iloilo City, Arevalo has a storied past. Once the seat of the Spanish government in Panay Island, it was established in 1581 by the fourth governor general of the Philippines, (1580-1583), Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, who named it “La Villa Rica de Arevalo” after his hometown in Avila, Spain. Perhaps the fertile soil, flowers, seaside clime, and bustling trade reminded him of his Arevalo home across the globe. Prior to Arevalo, Ogtong (Oton) was the seat of government for both Panay and Negros for a little over a decade.
Former DOT Regional head Rudy Claparols noted that Arevalo thus became the official residence of the alcalde mayor and of the overseer general of the Spanish forces to the Moluccas. The Panay encomenderos, to whom vast landholdings and collections of tribute from pacified natives were entrusted, lived in Arevalo. One was Esteban Rodriguez Figueroa, organizer of punitive expeditions against rebellious Mindanao chieftains. Furthermore, it was a naval station, a busy seaport, textile emporium, and jump-off point for the Spanish expeditions against the Muslims, Dutch, and British invaders, and a supply base for the garrisons in the Moluccas. It was also a base for the various missionaries – Augustinians and Jesuits. Jesuit historian Pedro Chirino visited Villa de Arevalo in 1593, to establish in Tigbauan town the first boarding school for boys in the country – the first “Ateneo,” so to speak.
During Ronquillo’s term, trade with the Chinese grew and he established a parian for them; this was in the adjacent settlement presently called Molo. Strategically important, Arevalo became the target of attacks and raids by the British, the Dutch, and the Muslims. Thomas Cavendish, a British buccaneer and third circumnavigator of the world, attacked Arevalo in 1588 but was repulsed. Less than 30 years later, the Olandes (Dutch) attacked and burned the whole town. The vulnerability of Arevalo was a reason for the move inland – to a swampy estuary with a port that could also be more easily defended – to a place called “La Punta” (the point) which eventually came to be called Iloilo. There the Spaniards established fortifications – the Santo Rosario Fort, later renamed Fort San Pedro – which stood for over 300 years until bombs destroyed it in World War II.
With the move to where the Iloilo City downtown and port area is now, coupled with the decline of the weaving industry and rise of the sugar industry, Arevalo gradually lost importance; it was annexed as a district of the new chartered city of Iloilo in 1937, together with the other old towns of Molo, Jaro, Mandurriao, and La Paz. However, “La Villa de Arevalo” remains, for “La Villa” as a title is sparingly given. According to physician-historian Luciano Santiago, in 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, only eight towns were given this status. They could have their own seals, had privileges and were considered regional centers for dissemination of Spanish culture and trade. Outside of Luzon, only two places were given the honorific: Cebu and La Villa de Arevalo, but Cebu seems to have dropped the title.
The Villa de Arevalo church and plaza complex is a “cultural heritage zone,” designated by a Republic Act. Unusually, the church itself is in the middle of the plaza – unlike most other towns. The plaza itself has been newly landscaped, and historical monuments such as the art-deco styled Rizal monument, and the “Corona de Reyna Isabel Dos,” a fluted column topped by a crown, dedicated to the former queen of Spain, Isabel II, by her Villa de Arevalo loyalists. It dates back to the mid-19th century, and was declared a national cultural landmark in 2019. Sadly, the yellowish coral rock inscriptions at the base are being eroded. The convento and parish office still stands as an outstanding example of Spanish-Filipino architecture. Arevalo has the third oldest Santo Niño in the Philippines, and one of the oldest crosses in the country. The cross is in a small chapel about a kilometer away, in the barangay of Santa Cruz. Likely the barangay got its name from the Cross.
Prominent in the plaza area are busts and historical markers for Ramon Avanceña, a former Chief Justice and the educator-feminist Sofia Reyes de Veyra. Another prominent Villahanon who deserves a bust and recognition is the foremost Filipino engraver, Melecio Figueroa y Magbanua (1842-1903), whose coin design with the figure of his daughter, Blanca, was the face of Philippine coinage from 1903 until the 1970s. Some Figueroa works are in the collection of the Prado museum – a distinction for a handful of Philippine visual artists. The plaza is surrounded by many ornamental plants as the district is also known as the “flower garden of Iloilo.”
A few steps away from the plaza one can find ancient traditions of loom weaving, piña, jusi, and hablon at the Arevalo Sinamay Dealer which also produces the popular Mama’s Kitchen cookies. The early 20th century ilustrado home has been recently refurbished, and with its extensive grounds, can also be rented out for events. Next door to it is one of Iloilo’s most popular visitor attractions: a heritage house turned lifestyle museum, and named a national cultural heritage property, the Avanceña Ancestral Home/Camiña Balay na Bato. Built in the mid-1860s by the first Filipino parish priest of Arevalo, Fr. Anselmo Avancena, it is a prime example of Hispano-Filipino fusion architecture, with capiz shell windows, ventanillas, carved tree trunk pillars, an entresuelo, a sala mayor, caida, oratorio, comedor, and cocina. The steep flight of stairs is best ascended sideways. Now run by the fifth generation of descendants, it has a gift shop and serves the most deliciously thick tsokolate eh from their own cacao farm, or a creamy version of pancit molo.
Today, Villa Beach continues to be popular for bathing and swimming with its smooth, fine black sand and gently sloping shoreline. However, an influx of settlers and a maritime university means it is more crowded compared to three decades ago. The beachside road has been widened, drainage and sidewalks improved. Hopefully more of the beachside can be cleared all the way to Oton, to allow an unimpeded view of the beach and Guimaras Island; this could take years, but could easily be Iloilo’s own version of the French Riviera. The annual Paraw (non-motorized sailboat with outriggers) Regatta, the oldest traditional craft event in Asia, and the largest of its kind in the country, is held late in February and is still a top tourism event. It starts off and ends at Villa Beach. During the regatta, there are other sports events – beach volleyball, football, and “ultimate fitness” competitions.
I learned to swim in Villa Beach in the ’60s. On Sundays my Dad would pack all seven of us into the family car, take us for a swim, and we’d sometimes have charcoal-grilled whole darag (native) chicken and binakol (chicken in coconut water, served in bamboo tubes), and on special occasions, lechon. Lechon is one of the specialties of the area – you know you’re in Arevalo when you begin to see a profusion of lechon stands. Interestingly Ronquillo’s Arevalo in Avila is known for its “toston” (also called cochinillo) – whole roasted suckling pig, that is sliced using a traditional plate; could Ronquillo have introduced lechon? Fresh seafood is served at popular places such as Tatoy’s, Erning’s, Breakthrough, and the Punta Villa Resort. Villa bibingka is also delicious – flat, loaded with young coconut rather than flour and cheese – and available from several roadside stalls. As a child, I often associated Villa de Arevalo with the beach, flower gardens, lechon, roasted chicken, and bibingka – and six decades later, these remain its calling cards. – Rappler.com
Vic Salas is a physician and public health specialist by training, and now retired from international consulting work. He is back in Iloilo City, where he spent his first quarter century.
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GCash app downloads temporarily unavailable on Google Play Store | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 12:37 | MANILA, Philippines – The GCash financial services app is temporarily unavailable for download on the Google Play Store, the company said on Thursday, February 1.
Attempts to bring up GCash on the Google Play Store earlier in the day brought back errors or, in the case of a web search, led to a Play Store page saying, “We’re sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.”
GCash posted on Facebook and X that it was “closely working with Google” to update some of the app’s features and make it available on the Play Store again.
The company did not specify what features were being updated, and did not give an estimated time for the return of the GCash app to the Google Play Store.
Existing Android GCash users can still use their versions of the app without issues. GCash also assured users that “accounts and funds are safe and secure.”
The GCash app is still available on the Apple App Store and on Huawei’s App Gallery. The company also reminded prospective users looking for the Android version not to download the app or install a version of it through sideloading from untrusted sources.
– Rappler.com
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GCash app downloads temporarily unavailable on Google Play Store | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 12:37 | MANILA, Philippines – The GCash financial services app is temporarily unavailable for download on the Google Play Store, the company said on Thursday, February 1.
Attempts to bring up GCash on the Google Play Store earlier in the day brought back errors or, in the case of a web search, led to a Play Store page saying, “We’re sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.”
GCash posted on Facebook and X that it was “closely working with Google” to update some of the app’s features and make it available on the Play Store again.
The company did not specify what features were being updated, and did not give an estimated time for the return of the GCash app to the Google Play Store.
Existing Android GCash users can still use their versions of the app without issues. GCash also assured users that “accounts and funds are safe and secure.”
The GCash app is still available on the Apple App Store and on Huawei’s App Gallery. The company also reminded prospective users looking for the Android version not to download the app or install a version of it through sideloading from untrusted sources.
– Rappler.com
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Baguio’s Panagbenga fest returns with floral display ahead of grand parade | Herbie G | 1/2/2024 12:04 | WARRIOR. A young man depicts a tribal warrior during Baguio's Panagbenga Festival in 2023.
Mia Magdelena Fokno/Rappler
BAGUIO, Philippines – Baguio’s Panagbenga Festival, returning for its 28th year, began on Thursday, February 1, with a month-long landscape and local floral display at the city’s famous Burnham Park.
The festival, which will run until March 3, aims to blend Baguio’s heritage with contemporary elements. Its theme is “Celebrating tradition, embracing innovation” in Baguio.
Panagbenga, meaning “season of blooming,” was conceived in 1995 by a group led by lawyer Damaso Bangaoet Jr. of the John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation (JPDC). It was envisioned as a community festival, tapping into various sectors for support and ideas. Over the years, the festival has grown, becoming a symbol of Baguio’s community spirit.
Former Baguio mayor and representative Mauricio Domogan, chairman emeritus of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Incorporated (BFFFI), said on Wednesday, January 31, that organizers were focusing on giving the city’s cultural tradition and new developments the spotlight.
The group also aims to give Baguio tourism a boost during the month-long festival, said Anthony de Leon, BFFFI executive committee chairperson.
De Leon said organizers were anticipating politicians to come and grace the festival but would enforce a strict policy against campaigning “to keep the festival’s cultural focus intact.”
The just-started “Panagbengascapes and Baguio Blooms” display at Burnham Park, which will also be until March 3, comes ahead of a grand civil parade on Saturday, February 3. The parade will officially mark the start of the month-long festival.
The other events scheduled during the Panagbenga Festival include the following:
Organizers moved the opening parade to Saturday to avoid disrupting classes, according to BFFFI President Frederico Alquiros. “We must support our community’s educational institutions while hosting this grand event,” he said.
Rebecca Nulud, chairperson of the committee organizing the Panagbenga dance competitions, said they have included stationary performances during the parade to showcase Baguio’s culture in a dynamic, yet organized way.
“We’re providing substantial subsidies and promotional opportunities for our professional landscapers and artisans. It’s about celebrating and elevating local talent,” Evangeline Payno, BFFFI chief of staff, said.
Meanwhile, Colonel Francisco Bulwayan Jr., Baguio’s police chief, said they have stepped up security measures throughout the city ahead of the official opening day of the festival this Saturday. – Rappler.com
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EJ Obiena sees ‘very powerful meaning’ in pole vault success | delfin.dioquino editor | 31/01/2024 15:26 | ECSTATIC. The Philippines' Ernest John Obiena reacts during the men's pole vault competitions in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – To some extent, EJ Obiena feels his role in society as a pole vaulter does not compare to the impact doctors, teachers, or firemen create in the lives of his fellow Filipinos.
As Obiena simply put it, he is a “only a guy who jumps over a bar with a pole.”
But on the flip side, Obiena – the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year – believes there is a greater purpose to his athletic feats as he aims to be an inspiration and a beacon of positive change.
“I view my profession as a means to an end, as a means to inspire the next generation of our youth, to illustrate the ability and talent of our country, and as a means of nation-building,” Obiena said virtually during the PSA Awards Night on Monday, January 29.
“Though superficially, it’s using a pole to leap over a bar, but underneath is a very powerful meaning to inspire and drive change.”
Obiena earned his first Athlete of the Year honors from the PSA following a banner year that saw him become the first Asian to clear the six-meter bar.
A steady force in 2023, the 28-year-old won a historic silver in the World Athletics Championships, retained his Asian Athletics Championships crown, captured a maiden Asian Games title, and qualified for the Paris Olympics.
Obiena said his Athlete of the Year plum made him reflect on his journey.
“It dawned on me, one of the most common questions we tend to ask each other as people, as a community, ‘What do you do? What’s your profession? What’s your job?’ It made me think a little bit deeper about what I do for a living, what’s my profession,” said Obiena.
“I think to best describe it, I’m a professional pole vaulter. I basically run, plant my fiberglass pole, use speed and momentum, with a little bit of physics, and propel myself over a bar. That’s what I do. That’s my job. That’s my profession.”
“It humbles me big time, it grounds my feet,” he added. “Because pole vaulting is not really important. It doesn’t feed people. It doesn’t save lives like a fireman. It doesn’t help people like doctors or nurses. It definitely doesn’t teach children like how teachers do. I’m only a guy who jumps over a bar with a pole.”
“However, I would like to think about it this way, it’s not really what we do but how we leverage that and how we create positive change.”
Turning his years-long dream of winning Athlete of the Year into reality, Obiena thinks the award signifies that he is on the right path.
“This award suggest perhaps, in some degree, I’ve been successful in the mission, not in pole vaulting, but in leveraging my craft to help shape a better Philippines, and I would say, a stronger Philippines,” Obiena said.
Ranked second in the world, Obiena – who is currently in Italy for training – will soon begin the indoor season as he ramps up preparations for the Paris Games that will come off the wraps in July. – Rappler.com
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3 cops killed, 4 others wounded in clash with Samar armed group | Herbie G | 1/2/2024 8:54 | WOUNDED. Soldiers help in rushing a wounded policemen from to a hospital after an encounter in Samar on January 30, 2024.
Jazmin Bonifacio/Rappler
TACLOBAN, Philippines – At least three policemen were killed, and four were wounded on Tuesday, January 30, during a fierce encounter that took place as law enforcers attempted to arrest the alleged leader of an armed group in Santa Margarita, Samar.
The wanted man, Edito Ampoan, a resident of the village of Mahayag in Santa Margarita town, was ordered arrested by a court for murder, frustrated murder, and frustrated homicide cases.
The Samar police office, in a report, identified those killed as Master Sergeant Paul Terence Paclibar, Staff Sergeant Christian Tallo, and Corporal Eliazar Estrelles Jr.
Wounded were Corporal Ranel Pedamato, and three patrolmen identified as Mark Redoblado, Mark Jason Sixta, and Ham Kritner Cabalis.
Police said the law enforcers, members of the 1st Samar Police Mobile Force Company and Regional Mobile Force Battalion, were met with strong resistance by Ampoan’s group as they tried to serve the warrant at around 5 am on Tuesday.
Colonel Peter Limbauan, Philippine National Police-Samar director, said Ampoan, alias Jimboy, escaped along with two suspects identified as Jojo Altarejos and Rogelio Macurol.
Police arrested four other suspects after the gunbattle, and seized an M16 rifle, a caliber .45 pistol, and ammunition.
Limbauan has ordered a manhunt for Ampoan and the other suspects who managed to escape.
Army Captain Jefferson Mariano, chief of the Army’s Public Affairs Office in Eastern Visayas, told Rappler that soldiers were deployed to help bring the wounded policemen from Barangay Mahayag to the Calbayog Hospital.
Mariano said the military has mobilized a group to help in going after the suspects and get rid of other private groups that have affected the peace and order situation in Samar.
“It is also our responsibility to support the operations of the PNP,” he said.
Limbauan, for his part, vowed to bring Ampoan and the other suspects to justice.
“The sacrifice made by [our policemen] fuels our passion to seek justice. We also honor our wounded comrades who fought,” Limbauan said.
The activities of private armed groups have created a climate of fear in Samar. Some of these groups, with records of harassing civilians, have leaders who are said to have close associations with warring political parties in the province. – Rappler.com
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After CNN PH closure, Manny Pangilinan’s TV5 launches RPTV on Channel 9 | gdecastro0289 | 1/2/2024 11:54 | PARTNERSHIP. Manny Pangilinan's TV5 launches RPTV on February 1, 2024 following the closure of CNN Philippines the day prior.
TV5 press release
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan’s TV5 has entered into a partnership with broadcast firm Nine Media Corporation following the closure of CNN Philippines (CNN PH), which used to air on RPN’s free tv Channel 9.
In a press statement, TV5, owned by Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings, announced that it had launched RPTV, the “newest free-to-air channel offering sports, news and entertainment.”
“February 1 marks another historic milestone in Philippine broadcasting as TV5 launches RPTV,” the television channel said.
“The birth of RPTV is aligned with our commitment to elevate the standards of entertainment, sports and public service broadcasting in the Philippines,” said TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero.
Under the deal, TV5 is a content provider to Nine Media through the latter’s airtime agreement with RPN, which uses Channel 9 on analog television.
RPTV will now be the new “free-to-air Home of the PBA.” It will air all PBA games live, including its 3×3 league, D-League, as well as “key sports offerings such as the PVL [Premier Volleyball League] and games of Gilas Pilipinas.”
Based on the RPTV’s schedule obtained by Rappler, it will air PBA games, replays or live, from 4 pm to 10 pm, Mondays to Fridays, and from 3:30 pm to 10 pm, Saturdays and Sundays.
RPTV will also air the noon show, EAT…Bulaga, the news and public service morning show of Ted Failon and DJ Chacha, and Senator Raffy Tulfo’s afternoon show, Wanted Sa Radyo.
Here’s RPTV program schedule as of Thursday:
Monday to Friday:
Saturday
Sunday
On analog tv, RPTV is available on Channel 9 in Manila, Cebu, and Davao; Channel 5 in Zamboanga, Channel 12 in Baguio, and Channel 8 in Bacolod.
On pay tv, it is carried by Cignal TV, SatLite, GSat, and 300 cable satellite providers nationwide. It also streams live via Cignal Play’s OTT app. Depending on the area, RPTV may be available on digital set-top boxes Channel 19 and Channel 18.3.
Nine Media, the company behind CNN PH, used to pay RPN, a former government-controlled TV network, at least P8 million monthly in airtime fees. Since opening in 2015, CNN PH had never been able to turn a profit. Its losses had ballooned since opening in 2015, including P107 million in 2022, leading to its closure on Wednesday. CNN Philippines’ website and social media presence were also no longer available on Thursday.
RPTV appears to be Pangilinan’s accommodation of the PBA, after TV5 dropped last year the airing of live PBA games to put more focus on news and entertainment, especially after comedians Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon moved EAT…Bulaga to the Kapatid network starting July 1. The trio had a bitter dispute with TAPE Incorporated’s owner, former congressman and ex-convict Romeo Jalosjos, on how to run Eat Bulaga!
Pangilinan is the Philippines’ biggest sports patron, especially to the Philippine national team, Gilas Pilipinas. He has three teams in the PBA – Meralco Bolts, TNT Tropang Giga, and NLEX Road Warriors.
PBA games used to be carried live on TV5, but it got in the way of ABS-CBN’s popular teleseryes shown on TV5, which affected the Kapatid channel’s prime time ratings.
Since PBA games generally rate well only when Barangay Ginebra plays, it was not bringing in enough advertisting revenues to TV5, which then thought it best to just give it up and look for other free tv platforms for PBA games. TV5 used to be focused on sports and news under former Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes, but this programming ended up as a big flop and forced the network to shift back to entertainment and news.
In October 2023, TV5 entered into a deal with evangelist Brother Eddie Villanueva’s Zoe Network wherein the latter would air PBA games live on its A2Z channel starting in November 2023 for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Last December 22, TV5 also entered into a deal with Nine Media on airing the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Season 48 and E.A.T.…Bulaga on CNN Philippines’ weekend programmng starting January 6, 2024. This has now been expanded with the launch of RPTV.
RPTV could improve the PBA live games’ and E.A.T.…Bulaga’s ratings, but perhaps only minimally due to RPN Channel 9’s limited reach. Since EAT…Bulaga moved from GMA-7 to TV5 last July, it’s ratings edge over TAPE’s now-renamed noon show on GMA-7, Tahanang Pinakamasaya, and ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime has not been significant enough to advertisers.
RPTV also signifies the growing content of MVP’s MediaQuest Holdings, which allows TV5 to experiment with programming on free tv. On Thursday, RPTV aired a rerun of BuKo Channel’s gag news show BalitaOneNan starring comedians Alex Calleja as “Seph ‘Patola’ Balimbing,” Jervi Li as “Kaladkaren Dadilat,” Wally Bayola as “Migs ‘Reaksyon Man’ Mamaril” prior to EAT.…Bulaga.
This pre-programming tack may be able to help improve E.A.T…Bulaga’s ratings. BuKo Channel is Cignal TV and APT Entertainment’s comedy channel.
Whether the launch of RPTV will improve TV5’s and Nine Media’s bottomlines remains to be seen given that advertisers continue to put more money on digital platforms than on television. MediaQuest has been trying to make TV5 a profitable venture since acquiring it for P5 billion from ABC Development Corporation in 2009.
Television viewership has plateaued in recent years, even declined, especially after ABS-CBN lost its broadcast franchise in 2020. GMA Network’s GMA-7, with its stronger reach on analog as well as digital tv, now dominates the broadcast industry followed by Pangilinan’s TV5. ABS-CBN, meanwhile, has become a content provider to various platforms, including A2Z, GMA Network, and TV5.
Aside from TV5, Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings’ media interests includes Cignal, Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, Radyo5, One Sports, Sari-Sari Channel, National Broadcasting Corporation, Unitel Straightshooters, and Epik Studios. – Rappler.com
(Editor’s note: Earlier versions of this story reported that the agreement on RPTV was between TV5 and RPN. A MediaQuest/TV5 press release sent to Rappler on February 6 said the agreement is between MediaQuest/TV5 and Nine Media through the latter’s airtime agreement with RPN.)
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Sleepless nights pay off for Magnolia, but nightmare San Miguel matchup awaits in finals | delfin.dioquino editor | 31/01/2024 23:56 | VETERAN MOVES. Mark Barroca in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Chito Victolero and Magnolia earned the right for a good night’s rest.
The Hotshots get to celebrate at least for one night as they claimed their place in the finals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup after hurdling stubborn Phoenix with an 89-79 win at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, January 31.
With import Tyler Bey and veteran guard Mark Barroca taking turns, Magnolia wrapped up the best-of-five semifinals in four games and set up a championship duel with San Miguel that starts on Friday, February 2, at the same venue.
Although the series did not go the distance, Victolero admitted having a hard time going up against the Fuel Masters.
“It was a battle. There were sleepless nights. We’re just not used to Phoenix being in the final four but they gave us a good fight,” said Victolero in Filipino.
Bey delivered a 20-point, 20-rebound double-double on top of 4 assists and 2 steals, while Barroca put up 21 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds as they both hit timely buckets in the fourth quarter to keep Phoenix at bay.
The Fuel Masters got buried by as deep as 21 points, 74-53, early in the final salvo before they went on a 15-4 run capped by back-to-back Sean Manganti triples to inch within 10 points with under five minutes left.
But Bey and Barroca answered with a dunk and a three-pointer in succession for a commanding 83-68 lead as the Hotshots reached the finals for the first time since the 2021 Philippine Cup.
“We dream of another journey to the finals. We prepared hard for this conference,” said Victolero, whose squad went unbeaten in the PBA On Tour exhibition series and finished the elimination round as the No. 1 seed with a 9-2 card.
Ian Sangalang supplied 12 points in the win, Aris Dionisio and Rome dela Rosa added 8 and 7 points, respectively, while Paul Lee chimed in 6 points and 6 assists.
Sleepless nights, though, are far from over for Magnolia as it faces a nightmare of a matchup in the form of the Beermen, who are riding on a blazing nine-game winning streak going into the best-of-seven finale.
Its star-studded local cast bolstered by highly talented import Bennie Boatwright, San Miguel is coming off an unprecedented semifinal sweep of Barangay Ginebra.
“There will be no sleep for us again. We’ll try to think what we need to do against this powerhouse team,” said Victolero.
Import Johnathan Williams posted 17 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals for Phoenix, which failed to weave the same magic of its Game 3 win where it fought back from a 21-point deficit to stay alive.
The Fuel Masters came oh-so close a couple of times, especially when they trimmed a 43-26 deficit to just 53-51 midway through the third quarter.
Bey, though, answered with an and-one play on the next possession, sparking a 15-0 blast that restored order for the Hotshots.
RR Garcia paced all Phoenix locals with 15 points, RJ Jazul had 11 points, and Manganti netted 10 points.
Magnolia 89 – Barroca 21, Bey 20, Sangalang 12, Dionisio 8, Dela Rosa 7, Lee 6, Tratter 6, Jalalon 5, Laput 4, Reavis 0, Ahanmisi 0, Abueva 0.
Phoenix 79 – Williams 17, Garcia 15, Jazul 11, Manganti 10, Perkins 6, Alejandro 5, Tio 5, Muyang 4, Tuffin 3, Rivero 3, Soyud 0, Mocon 0, Verano 0, Camacho 0.
Quarters: 29-16, 49-38, 70-53, 89-79.
– Rappler.com
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Career-high ranking bolsters Alex Eala, off to winning W50 Indore start | Jasmine Payo | 31/01/2024 22:34 | HIT. Alex Eala goes for a forehand in singles action.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – A new career-high world ranking means a more inspired and composed Alex Eala.
Now at her best-ever singles rating of 184th in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, the Filipina teen tennis star came out with mean intentions in thumping Zhibek Kulambayeva of Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-4, in the opening round of the Indore ITF World Tennis Tour W50 on Wednesday, January 31, at the Indore Tennis Club in India.
Eala – who likewise rose to a doubles world ranking of 302, 63 places higher from her previous standing – also just came off her first career doubles pro title in the ITF Pune.
The 18-year-old Eala displayed both precision and poise against Kulambayeva, overcoming a slow start and her struggles on her serves with her pinpoint and powerful groundstrokes.
Falling behind 0-2 in the opening set after getting broken in the very first game of the match, Eala recovered to catch up with Kulambayeva at 3-3. The third-seeded Eala did not drop serve the rest of the way and finished the first set in the ninth game, 6-3.
It was Eala’s turn to go up 2-0 when the second set opened. But the 23-year-old Kulambayeva, 490th in the world, showed she also had some fight in her, rallying to even the score at 3-3.
Though Eala dropped serve anew once in the second set, she made up for it by breaking her Kazakh foe twice. Eala then ended the set in the 10th game, 6-4.
Despite winning in straight sets, Eala had to labor through one hour and 34 minutes before prevailing to advance to the second round. Eala again had problems with her serve, which has been the waterloo of her pro career. She committed seven double faults and had only 57% of her first serves go in.
Next up for Eala is a matchup on Thursday, February 1, against 30-year-old qualifier Ekaterina Yashina of Russia.
The veteran Yashina scored a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over promising 17-year-old wildcard entry Diva Bhatia of India.
Eala is aiming to improve on her quarterfinal finish last week in the Necc-Deccan $40,000 ITF Pune, also in India. She is hoping to gain some momentum as she gears up for the WTA Mubudala Abu Dhabi Open from February 3-11 in the United Arab Emirates. – Rappler.com
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How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/sports/tennis-results-alex-eala-zhibek-kulambayeva-indore-itf-world-tennis-tour-w50-january-31-2024/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1_PCUOJpoQwFMCvzx0O5C_hg93uxh-VrdkI472H1OSvC28WUt87iw4WsA_aem_4z6mo1nzlkzpI51pM8644w |
Dwight Ramos drops season-high in Japan after Gilas roster inclusion | Jasmine Payo | 31/01/2024 23:12 | TOP FORM. Dwight Ramos in action for the Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B. League.
JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – After recently being tapped by Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone to be part of his 12-man national team, Dwight Ramos delivered his best game yet for the Levanga Hokkaido in the 2023-2024 Japan B. League season on Wednesday, January 31.
Playing inspired basketball, Ramos put on an offensive clinic and exploded for a season-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, to go along with 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in over 34 minutes.
His all-around numbers, however, went for naught as Hokkaido suffered a 94-82 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders at the Hokkai Kita-yale.
The 6-foot-4 guard Ramos is one of three B. League imports named to the newly formed Gilas Pilipinas roster, together with big men Kai Sotto of the Yokohama B-Corsairs and AJ Edu of the Toyama Grouses.
Only Ramos saw action on Wednesday as Sotto was listed inactive in Yokohama’s 75-74 victory against the Seahorses Mikawa, while Edu remains out for Toyama due to a torn meniscus injury he suffered last November.
In contrast to Ramos’ Hokkaido, Ray Parks’ Nagoya Diamond Dolphins and Thirdy Ravena’s San-En NeoPhoenix both emerged triumphant on Wednesday.
Parks finished with 12 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in Nagoya’s 86-77 win over the Osaka Evessa at the Dolphins Arena.
On the other hand, Ravena produced 7 markers, 7 boards, and 4 dimes in San-En’s 75-62 beating of RJ Abarrientos and the Shinshu Brave Warriors at the White Ring.
Abarrientos had a forgettable performance for Shinshu in the loss as he went scoreless in nearly 19 minutes of action, missing all his seven attempts from the field.
With their 12th straight win, Ravena and the NeoPhoenix broke their deadlock with the Alvark Tokyo and rose to solo first place in with an impressive 30-4 record. – Rappler.com
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How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/sports/japan-b-league-game-results-dwight-ramos-thirdy-ravena-january-31-2024/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0ha3UP3Dm_aUFS7j1EkZt8lboK6izYUzcfU3s7_VkSPFwB22jehab0uls_aem_TS7q37OUijzJ77XTL15OMA |
CNN Philippines website, social media presence erased after closure of operations | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 8:38 | CNN PHILIPPINES. The news channel announces on January 29, 2024, the shutdown of its operations.
Sourced photo
MANILA, Philippines – Nearly all traces of CNN Philippines’ website and social media presence – including its trove of stories and posts on Facebook and X, have been scrubbed following the news organization’s closure on January 31.
All that remains of CNN Philippines as of writing are the cached search results pointing to the website, which states it is “unavailable” when visited. Aside from this, snapshots of the site remain as archived on The Wayback Machine of The Internet Archive.
The erasure of the CNN Philippines website and social media posts comes as a blow to its staff and to those archiving the stories and content published by the news group.
In a post on X, Lara Tan, former digital executive producer for CNN Philippines, remarked, “Nine years of working for CNN Philippines started and ended on the website and our social media pages to deliver content that is fair, accurate, and balanced. Erased just like that. Allow me to grieve this loss.”
She added, “Sa huli, hindi lang kaming mga empleyado ang talo, kung hindi ang taumbayan.” (In the end, it’s not just us the employees who lose out, but also the people.)
Sa huli, hindi lang kaming mga empleyado ang talo, kung hindi ang taumbayan. Nabawasan tayo ng isang maghahayag nang malaya, magmamatyag nang masinsinan, at kukwestiyon nang walang takot. Karangalan naming makapaglingkod sa inyo.
Former correspondent Gerg Cahiles, meanwhile said, “Over a decade of reportage, now gone. As if #CNNPhilippines never existed.”
Over a decade of reportage, now gone. As if #CNNPhilippines never existed. #NewsYouCanTrust pic.twitter.com/gm8gxeF96m
The closure of CNN Philippines comes after what it called “significant financial losses sustained over the past years, despite rigorous efforts to adapt and innovate in a rapidly evolving and challenging media landscape.” – Rappler.com
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2 crew members dead, 2 Chinese hurt as vessels collide off Batangas | Herbie G | 1/2/2024 6:13 | MISHAP. Philippine Coast Guard personnel carry an injured Chinese after a maritime collision off Batangas on January 31, 2024.
Philippine Coast Guard
BATANGAS, Philippines – Two Filipino crew members died, while two Chinese were hurt after two passenger vessels collided in the waters off Verde Islands, Batangas, at around 12:30 pm on Wednesday, January 31.
Philippine Coast Guard-Batangas Station Captain Jerome Jeciel said the accident killed the captain and third mate of Hop & Go 1 fast craft.
Two Chinese, both passengers of the ferry, were hurt in the accident.
The Coast Guard sub-station in Puerto Galera, Mindoro, dispatched a team to help 105 passengers, including Swedes and Chinese, and 19 crew members of Ocean Jet 6. All were taken to the Calapan port and are safe.
Initial investigation showed that Ocean Jet 6 was headed to Calapan from Batangas, while Hop & Go 1 was en route to Batangas from Puerto Galera when they collided.
Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, PCG commandant, ordered a further investigation into the collision, while the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) suspended the safety certificates of the two vessels.
MARINA-Region IV Director Joey Victoria said the vessels are prohibited from operating pending investigation results. – Rappler.com
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CNN Philippines website, social media presence erased after closure of operations | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 1/2/2024 8:38 | CNN PHILIPPINES. The news channel announces on January 29, 2024, the shutdown of its operations.
Sourced photo
MANILA, Philippines – Nearly all traces of CNN Philippines’ website and social media presence – including its trove of stories and posts on Facebook and X, have been scrubbed following the news organization’s closure on January 31.
All that remains of CNN Philippines as of writing are the cached search results pointing to the website, which states it is “unavailable” when visited. Aside from this, snapshots of the site remain as archived on The Wayback Machine of The Internet Archive.
The erasure of the CNN Philippines website and social media posts comes as a blow to its staff and to those archiving the stories and content published by the news group.
In a post on X, Lara Tan, former digital executive producer for CNN Philippines, remarked, “Nine years of working for CNN Philippines started and ended on the website and our social media pages to deliver content that is fair, accurate, and balanced. Erased just like that. Allow me to grieve this loss.”
She added, “Sa huli, hindi lang kaming mga empleyado ang talo, kung hindi ang taumbayan.” (In the end, it’s not just us the employees who lose out, but also the people.)
Sa huli, hindi lang kaming mga empleyado ang talo, kung hindi ang taumbayan. Nabawasan tayo ng isang maghahayag nang malaya, magmamatyag nang masinsinan, at kukwestiyon nang walang takot. Karangalan naming makapaglingkod sa inyo.
Former correspondent Gerg Cahiles, meanwhile said, “Over a decade of reportage, now gone. As if #CNNPhilippines never existed.”
Over a decade of reportage, now gone. As if #CNNPhilippines never existed. #NewsYouCanTrust pic.twitter.com/gm8gxeF96m
The closure of CNN Philippines comes after what it called “significant financial losses sustained over the past years, despite rigorous efforts to adapt and innovate in a rapidly evolving and challenging media landscape.” – Rappler.com
Error.
Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines.
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.
How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/technology/internet-culture/cnn-philippines-website-social-media-presence-erased-after-closure/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1zmcmgn_ejoBQXaMCyeXc5GQsJjHXhyFABYhExLLla2sarBkVw_wt5onM_aem_HlKQDHKCzBsTvdBrMgfwzQ |
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