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Marcos’ POGO dilemma: Economic managers never backed Chinese online gambling | Ralf Rivas | 12/07/2024 19:16 | The adverse economic impact of kicking out Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) has been repeatedly used by proponents to defend the contentious industry.
From job losses to a real estate bubble burst, revenue losses have been repeatedly raised in congressional hearings.
But the country’s economic architects – the Cabinet officials in charge of improving the Philippines’ fiscal position – were never really on board. In fact, they recommended an outright ban amid criminal activities surrounding POGOs.
With all the controversies hounding POGOs, why is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. still keeping them around?
The Duterte administration saw the biggest gains in the POGO industry. From contributing over P660 million to the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation’s (Pagcor) total gaming income in 2016, the amount peaked to P6 billion in 2018, representing an 809% increase in just three years.
After 2018, income derived from POGOs declined, hitting a low of P2.2 billion in 2022.
The Department of Finance has also cited lower economic returns from POGOs. Tax collections hit an all-time low of P1.7 billion in 2022 from a high of P8 billion in 2019, representing a 78.8% decline from the peak.
But in 2023, Pagcor’s income from POGOs jumped by 43.2% to P3.15 billion year-on-year.
Pagcor's gaming income has helped shore up government revenues. In 2023, Pagcor dividend remittances reached P4.6 billion. Excluding financial institutions like Land Bank of the Philippines, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Pagcor ranks second in dividend remittances, just behind the Philippine Ports Authority.
Latest data from Pagcor showed that there are 45 registered POGOs, seven of which operate with provisional licenses.
Here’s what the Philippines’ economic managers previously said about POGOs:
Ralph Recto, Finance Secretary: “Frankly, I’m not a fan of gambling and two, I’m not a fan of POGOs, really. But if they were not doing any hanky panky and they’re paying taxes, fine with me. But I think there are many issues already surrounding the POGO industry.”
In a chance interview, Recto said the economic team has transmitted a letter to Marcos, urging him to go for a total ban.
Arsenio Balisacan, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary: “We don’t think that the benefits in terms of the revenues generated and the additional…and the impact [on] the economy are worth the cost.” He added, “What we want to encourage are very…legitimate investments, good investments, quality investments.”
Benjamin Diokno, former finance secretary: “China has discontinued POGO. Even Cambodia. It also has reputational risk. People will ask, ‘Why are they going to the Philippines, it is discontinued in China. Why are they going to the Philippines?’ Maybe because we are loose, we are not strict on our rules.”
Pagcor is firm that it will come out with better regulations, nearly a decade since they were tasked to regulate POGOs.
In a DZBB interview, Pagcor chief Alejandro Tengco said they are set to release new guidelines, where they will ban POGOs in establishing hubs.
“Doon po nagaganap ang mga criminal activities. Napakahirap po kasing i-monitor sila sapagkat una, they are confined in a specific area, malalaking mga hektaryang lupa and they are walled. Ang perimeter fence sila, security fence ang dating. They are gated and it is confined na sila lang halos ang nakakalabas at makakapato,” Tengco said.
(Criminal activities are happening there. It's very difficult to monitor them because, first, they are confined to a specific area – large hectares of land that are walled. Their perimeter fence is like a security fence. They are gated and it is confined, almost only they can go in and out.)
Recall, however, that it was former Pagcor chief Andrea Domingo who wanted these hubs.
Domingo said self-contained hubs for Chinese online gambling workers would serve only to provide their basic needs and not segregate them from the population.
“When we refer to POGO hubs as self-contained communities, what we mean is that these hubs will have all the basic needs of the foreign employees of POGO,” Domingo said in a text message to reporters last August 8, 2019.
She said these hubs would have office and residential spaces, food establishments, wellness and recreational facilities, and service shops.
“They are free to go anywhere they want to, without any limitation on their personal rights or liberties,” Domingo added.
The Chinese embassy has repeatedly expressed concern over POGO hubs, as they could infringe on the basic legal rights of its citizens.
Pagcor has only accredited only one POGO hub, namely the one owned by First Orient International Ventures Corp. in Cavite.
Prior to recent developments in the Senate, Pagcor was already grilled by lawmakers for their lack of detailed roadmap for the online gaming industry.
In a November 2022 Senate hearing, Pagcor said it intends to grow POGO revenues to P10 billion by 2027, higher than the P8 billion earned in 2019, or during the peak of POGO activities. It added that they aim to have a 100% market share of the online gambling industry in Southeast Asia.
Pagcor’s roadmap for POGO growth was only four pages long. They have yet to make public any updated plans, two years since that hearing.
Pagcor, so far, has canceled some 69 POGO licenses and 272 service provider licenses. Most have left the Philippines during the pandemic, while some licenses were canceled due to alleged illegal activities.
The gaming regulator, as well as the police and local government units, are struggling with law enforcement.
"Isang hamon sa law authorities natin na tugisin at hanapin ang mga iligal na 'yan sapagka't wala na pong mga lisensya 'yan, 2023 pa. Kaya naniniwala po ako, 'yung kinansela namin na himigit-kumulang 250, 'eh nandito lang po kung saan-saan na lugar sa ating bansa. Dahil...mahirapan na pong bumalik 'yan sa country of origin nila," Tengco said.
(It is a challenge for our law authorities to pursue and find those illegal entities because they have not had licenses since 2023. Therefore, I believe that the approximately 250 licenses we canceled are still scattered in various places in our country. It will be difficult for them to return to their country of origin.)
Since 2018, or since the Duterte administration, nearly 3,000 Chinese citizens implicated in cases have been repatriated through the efforts of both the Philippines and China.In the past year alone, China has assisted the Philippines in shutting down five POGO hubs and repatriated nearly 1,000 Chinese citizens.
“POGO is detrimental to both Philippine and Chinese interests and images as well as China-Philippines relations,” the Chinese embassy said in a statement last June. – Rappler.com
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Marcos put his foot down on jeepney consolidation. Was it a success, and what’s next? | lkyu0285 | 01/07/2024 8:25 | Nico Villarete/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – A few weeks before the controversial deadline for jeepneys to consolidate, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised that this time, there would be no more extension.
“Asahan ninyo, wala na pong extension ‘yung modernization. Kailangan na kailangan na natin ‘yan (Believe me, there will be no more extension for modernization. We really need it),” he told a cheering crowd of transport leaders.
In his second year in office, this was perhaps Marcos’ most important declaration regarding the transport sector. Until that point, some jeepney operators, manufacturers, and financiers were still second-guessing the government’s commitment to the transport modernization program. After all, the first step of the entire modernization program – industry consolidation – had already been extended at least six times.
But the April 30 deadline went and came, and the government stood firm. Now, over a month later, questions remain: has consolidation truly been effective, and where does the modernization program go from here?
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) considers industry consolidation a success. Latest figures provided by the DOTr show that 159,914 out of 191,730 (83.41%) public utility vehicles (PUVs) consolidated before the deadline.
Consolidation involves operators of individual jeepneys forming either transport cooperatives or corporations. So far, 1,749 transport cooperatives with around 262,870 members, and 1,088 corporations have been formed.
"Consolidation should have ended 2020 pa siguro (perhaps). But [with] seven or eight extensions, it reached after April 30. Finally, it's done," DOTr Undersecretary of Road Transport and Infrastructure Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said on June 17.
Studies of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) show that a consolidation rate of 65% is already sufficient since there is an “oversupply of public utility jeeps.” The modern jeepneys that will eventually replace traditional ones will also be able to seat up to 30% more passengers, according to Ortega.
Since talks about consolidation began heating up again in early 2023, protesting transport groups have held multiple strikes, often led by PISTON and Manibela. Their concerns mainly revolved around the costs of forming a consolidated entity and purchasing modern jeepneys. Other jeepney drivers also told Rappler that they disliked being "forced" into cooperatives and losing direct ownership of their franchise and vehicle. (READ: Anti-poor? How gov’t defends PUV modernization, why jeepney stakeholders oppose it)
That has prompted the government to go back on its word and extend the deadline multiple times after what was supposed to be the "final" extension. But the government finally stuck to its April 30 deadline because in their eyes, jeepney operators had been given long enough time to comply.
“Based on the extension from December to April 30 which the president extended, I would say, lahat ng totoong interesado, lahat ng gustong sumama, nasa loob na po. I need to say it kasi nasa back of our mind, kawawa naman yung mga iba hindi nakasama. Hindi po. Lahat ng gusto nakasama na po,” Ortega told reporters during the Monday Circle Financial Forum, a forum for market research analysts, private sector heads, government executives, and reporters.
(Everyone who is truly interested, who wanted to join, are now part of the consolidation. I need to say it because at the back of our mind, we feel bad for those that were not able to join. No. Everyone who wanted to join is in.)
Ortega has dealt with the problems surrounding consolidation firsthand. Before recently taking his position as undersecretary, he sat as chairman of the Office of Transport Cooperatives, the lead government agency tasked with consolidating jeepney operators into cooperatives.
During that time, Ortega attempted multiple times to negotiate with the two groups most vocally opposed to consolidation, Manibela and PISTON. Certain members of the group remain unconsolidated until now.
“If we see certain groups or personalities na nasa labas, kahit anong extension, they will never join. Tapos na po yung consolidation (that remain outside, whatever extension we give, they will never join. Consolidation is done),” he said.
According to Ortega, whether an operator opts to consolidate or not is a “business decision.”
“My mindset when this consolidation was happening, it is a business decision by the operator. And we should respect their decisions,” he said. “‘Ay, matanda na ako, retired na ako.’ That's fine. ‘Ay, I'll change business from operator. I'll just do business sa palengke or sari-sari store.’ Pwede.”
('Oh, I'm getting old, I'll retire.' That's fine. 'Oh, I'll change my business as an operator. I'll just do business as a wet market vendor or a sari-sari store owner.' Sure.)
There were also other operators who described the idea of cooperatives and corporations as too “complicated” for them.
“For them, parang komplikado ang tingin nila sa kooperatiba o korporasyon. Ayaw po nila maging sa ilalim ng isang organisasyon. Ang jeepney driver-operator ang kanilang mas gustong sistema, which is one-on-one, so ayaw nila sumama sa isang bagay na parang komplikado,” Ortega explained in a Senate hearing on the PUV modernization program last June 21.
(For them, they view cooperatives and corporations as complicated. They don’t want to be under an organization. They prefer the jeepney driver-operator system, which is one-on-one, so they don’t want to join something like this which seems complicated.)
But for some operators, the issue of consolidation highlights an ideological divide about how a public service like transportation should be managed. PISTON, which brands itself as a “progressive and anti-imperialist federation” has long opposed franchise consolidation, fearing that it would lead to the “corporate capture of mass transportation.”
“The government’s insistence on consolidation is unjustified. They are just rushing to benefit their accomplice businessmen and corporations in public transport,” Mody Floranda, PISTON national president, said in a statement weeks after the supposed December 31 deadline passed.
In Bacolod, opposition to consolidation is especially strong. Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition president Lilian Sembrano claimed that more than 50% of jeepney operators remain unconsolidated in the city. Sembrano also alleged during the Senate hearing that officials from the local government unit (LGU) and the LTFRB connived to grant routes to those close to them. (READ: Bacolod legislators make last-ditch effort to avert jeepney crisis, unrest)
“‘Yung 81%, kahit ipatawag natin dito sa Kongreso ‘yung mga operator, magsasabi ‘yan na ‘napilitan lang kami mag-consolidate kasi mawawalan na kami ng kabuhayan after April 30,’” the local transport leader said.
(The 81%, even if we call the operators to Congress, they will say, 'We were forced to consolidate because we would lose our livelihood after April 30.')
Whether jeepney operators were threatened by the state into consolidation or not is a question that the Senate hearing is likely to pursue. Still, figures show that the majority of jeepneys in the country have consolidated. And for those that have done so, they continue to cling on to the President’s word.
“Si Presidente na po ang nagsabi na wala nang extension. Ang tanong ko lang po, papaano naman po kaming sumunod?” ALTODAP president Boy Vargas said during the Senate hearing.
(The President has already said there will be no more extensions. My only question is, what about those of us who complied?)
“Madidismaya naman po kami o madidisorganize kung sakaling i-extension pa po ito (We will be diswayed and disorganized if this gets extended again),” he said. “Dito po sa consolidation, ‘yun po ‘yung gusto ng gobyerno natin (Consolidation is what our government wants).”
For Marcos, making this jeepney modernization program successful is more than just about continuing an old government policy, which has its roots in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. (READ: Duterte to jeepney drivers, operators: Modernize by year-end or get out)
In many ways, the PUV modernization program can be viewed as a continuation of what prominent transport groups believe is former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s “legacy” in the transportation sector. It was Marcos Jr.’s dictator father who established the Office of the Transport Cooperative in the 1970s and 1980s. Marcos Jr. appealed to this memory during his 2022 presidential campaign, capturing the support of many of the major transport groups in the country.
“Talagang binigyan ng pansin ni Pangulong Marcos ang transportasyon, kami sa Pasang Masda ang kauna-unahang nagkaroon ng jeepney for the drivers, sa tulong ‘yan ni Pangulong Marcos,” Pasang Masda national president Obet Martin, a long-time Marcos loyalist, said in 2022 about Marcos Sr.
(President Marcos gave attention to transportation. Pasang Masda was the first to have a jeepney for drivers program with the help of President Marcos.)
Getting past the consolidation phase is a delicate balance of allowing just enough extensions while also exerting the political will necessary to enforce the deadline. Marcos, however, seems to have weathered the political backlash that might arise from the transport sector. When the President announced that the government would stick to its April 30 deadline, he was greeted with cheers from transport leaders in attendance, many of whom had pledged to support him during the 2022 elections.
PISTON, however, remains strongly opposed to the Marcos administration's decision to stick with the current modernization program.
“The Marcos government has yet to lay out concrete plans for supporting and sustaining the livelihoods of PUV drivers and operators who fail and refuse to consolidate their franchises. This underscores the failure of the corporate-driven and foreign-oriented public transport modernization program – a program that has left many transport workers and commuters in dire straits,” PISTON said in a statement two weeks after the April 30 deadline.
Now that the consolidation deadline is over, the DOTr is shifting its focus to route rationalization. Undersecretary Ortega said that LGUs in the Philippines are still finalizing their local public transport route plans (LPTRP), which outline the number of PUV units assigned per route. Under the modernization program, jeepneys are supposed to follow these new routes.
So far, only around 24% of LPTRPs in all LGUs have been approved. Ortega said that the government is giving itself until 2026 to finish all LPTRPs since many local governments still need to be capacitated on how to come up with a rationalized route plan.
So, when will operators be required to buy expensive modern jeepneys? According to Ortega, cooperatives and corporations are only required to modernize their fleets after they obtain their LPTRP. From that point on, they will have 27 months to get modern jeepneys.
“Just to be clear, wala pa pong bilihan ngayon ng sasakyan (there's no requirement to buy vehicles right now),” Ortega told reporters on June 17.
The DOTr estimates it may take until 2030 before the majority of jeepney fleets are modernized.
“We expect it to happen 2030. And we're talking about upgrading almost or more than 150,000 vehicles. That’s how many they are. That's why it's not something that could be done in a few years,” Ortega said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Within that timeframe, manufacturers are expected to be able to scale up and meet demand, lowering the price of jeepneys. Time will tell whether famed local manufacturers, like Francisco Motors and Sarao Motors, can bring a modern look to the aging King of the Road. – Rappler.com
This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth stories assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024).
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[In This Economy] Marcos Year 2: Missed targets, missing reforms | Chay Hofilena | 05/07/2024 12:00 | We’re past the two-year mark of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. But so far, it’s been…underwhelming.
Nothing substantial is happening by way of economic recovery and reforms. Funnily, Marcos is also making little to no progress on his avowed priorities.
For starters, the price of rice averages P51 to P56 per kilo, more than double the P20 per kilo Marcos promised in the 2022 campaign trail.
Even though inflation has gone down from a peak of 8.7% in January 2023 to 3.7% in June 2024, rice turns out to be the single biggest culprit explaining why inflation is still quite high – accounting for nearly three-fourths of food inflation.
If only Marcos had done a better job at tempering rice prices, overall inflation today would be much, much lower.
It’s not as if the government has been doing nothing. Most recently, the economic managers pushed for a reduction of rice tariffs from 35% to 15%. The Department of Agriculture is also launching “Program 29,” which entails selling rice at P29 per kilo in select areas.
But let’s face it: these are all stopgap measures to hide the fact that they’ve failed miserably to deliver on the original campaign promise of P20 per kilo.
Not much is happening as well with Marcos’ pet project, the Maharlika Investment Fund. Its head, Rafael Consing Jr., was appointed in November 2023. But until now, Maharlika is still just composed of its board of directors.
Reportedly, Maharlika is still requesting approval for its proposed organizational structure. Until they can get such approval from the Department of Finance and the Governance Commission for GOCCs, they won’t be able to push through with any of the investments promised to spur economic growth and development.
Another priority that seems to have stalled is economic charter change. From saying that it’s “not a priority” in 2022, Marcos put charter change high on his 2024 agenda.
Congress managed to railroad a resolution pushing for the liberalization of three specific sectors (higher education, advertising, and public services). But this effort seems to have been successfully blocked by the Senate, whose very existence is threatened by the planned modalities of pursuing charter change (the issue of voting separately or jointly).
But even without the Senate’s intervention, Marcos himself doesn’t seem to care too much about economic charter change these days.
All said, he seems to be taking it easy – which is not at all out of character for him.
Maybe Marcos’ inaction on his pet projects is a blessing in disguise: we’re spared from the ill effects of Maharlika and economic charter change, as warned by economists (including us at the UP School of Economics) and other analysts in the past two years.
But we should be more alarmed that the economy has permanently failed to get back to its pre-pandemic trajectory.
From 7.7% when Marcos took office, economic growth has dropped to 5.7% in the first quarter of 2024. That’s lower than the 6-7% target they’re aiming for this year.
I’ll never tire of saying this: for us to get back to our pre-pandemic growth trajectory by the end of Marcos’ term, we will need no less than 10.3% growth yearly from 2024 to 2028. That’s impossible at the rate we’re going. So the chances of a full recovery are now nil.
The reasons for anemic growth? A slowdown of just about all major spending categories in our economy. Even the government is having a hard time spending (believe it or not).
Of course, another reason is that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has raised its policy interest rate significantly since 2022. You see, higher interest rates discourage spending. But who can blame the BSP for pursuing this policy? Higher rates are their standard response to a steep acceleration of prices.
What this means is that if only the Marcos administration did a better job in managing inflation, maybe the BSP need not have increased their policy rate so much. And maybe our economy won’t be growing as slowly as it is now.
Everything boils down to urgent and decisive (economic) governance – something that Marcos failed to deliver in his first two years.
Marcos also missed the mark when it comes to the promise of attaining upper-middle income country (UMIC) status. On July 2, the World Bank released its updated classification of countries based on income status. Alas, we’re still deemed a lower-middle income country – we’ve been like that since 1987, when the World Bank first made such a classification. We’re stuck in a rut.
Just last year, Indonesia made the fateful crossing to UMIC status. Vietnam, much poorer than us just a few decades ago, is also set to transition soon.
When Marcos took office, Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority projected that we might achieve UMIC by 2024. That didn’t come true.
Then in 2023, he said we might achieve UMIC by 2025. Most recently, on July 27, he again revised his projection, saying now that UMIC might come true “towards the latter part of 2025 or early 2026.” This echoes the latest estimate of the World Bank itself.
Hence, apart from record inflation, you can safely say that anemic growth is a hallmark of the economy during Marcos’ first two years.
At least on the investment issue, Marcos has tried his darndest to attract investors with his globetrotting: bringing him across the world, from an F1 race in Singapore to as far as the Czech Republic.
Said the Department of Trade and Industry, Marcos’ wanderlust yielded $61.3 billion worth of foreign investment pledges as of June 2024, and nearly a third of that ($19 billion) has allegedly pushed through. But nobody has released the investment list for vetting. For its part, the Labor Department said that those investments will likely generate about 200,000 jobs.
The problem is that for all we know, they could be pulling numbers from thin air!
Even supposing the investment figures are accurate, why aren’t they reflected in the official statistics? In fact, foreign direct investments have been constantly dropping since 2021!
So Marcos has broken big promises, and the economy in his two years is just coasting along.
But perhaps the most frustrating thing is that Marcos is not leveraging his substantial political capital to push for much-needed, game-changing reforms.
For instance, he appointed Vice President Sara Duterte as education secretary, who delivered close to nothing because she also knew nothing about education to begin with. (Her stint was most memorable perhaps for her unusual request for confidential funds for the Department of Education or DepEd.)
With Duterte leaving DepEd recently – good riddance! – Marcos appointed another politician, Senator Sonny Angara, who for context couldn’t run again for the Senate in 2025. He’s an improvement for sure, but do we really need another politician leading DepEd? And will he come anywhere close to reducing the dire 90% learning poverty rate of the country? This remains to be seen.
Marcos could also be using his clout to abate the fiscal crisis staring us in the face because of ballooning military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pensions. But this seems to be low on (if not totally absent from) Marcos’ priority list.
Many other issues demand the President’s attention: the looming depletion of Malampaya’s natural gas reserves, the planned construction of more destructive expressways (like those along the Pasig River and Laguna de Bay’s lakeshore), climate change, the crime-ridden POGO hubs, shenanigans in the national budget, continuing discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, and much, much more.
What, instead, is Marcos focused on? The whitewashing and rehabilitation of his family’s murderous and corrupt name. And he seems to be succeeding: fewer and fewer people seem willing to hold accountable the Marcoses for the atrocities dealt by their dictator-patriarch, Ferdinand E. Marcos.
If there’s one thing to be lauded, though, it would be Marcos’ stance on the West Philippine Sea. Sure, it’s a vast improvement. But never forget that his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, set the bar pitifully low.
As we enter Marcos’ third year in office, his clout and influence as president are diminishing faster than he might realize. The space for meaningful and earth-shaking reforms is also fast dwindling.
Best to pursue these reforms now, before politics distracts and gobbles up everyone starting next year. – 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. In 2024, he received The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award for economics. JC’s views are independent of his affiliations. Follow him on Twitter/X (@jcpunongbayan) and Usapang Econ Podcast.
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I greatly appreciate Prof. JC Punongbayan for providing an accurate and realistic description of the Philippine economy during the first two years of President Marcos Jr.’s administration. He pointed out that the economy was experiencing inflation and was sluggish. Additionally, he cautioned that although the Presidential Wanderlust may seem to have attracted real investments and created jobs, these statistics are likely not credible. Finally, it wouldn’t be surprising if President Marcos Jr. fails to pursue reforms that benefit society, as his true intention appears to be protecting his family’s interests.
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[Vantage Point] BBM Year 2: Hits and misses | Mia Gonzalez | 30/06/2024 12:22 | Raffy de Guzman
The seed of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s return to Malacañang was planted way before the May 9, 2022, elections. Whoever engineered his rebranding – widely believed to be Cambridge Analytica – took advantage of the early days of social media. Facebook, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and other platforms which had yet to gain entry in the Filipino psyche, were peppered with messages of revisionism with the end view of rebranding the image of the Marcos family.
It was in 2013 when I first stumbled upon a YouTube video titled “The Truth About Hacienda Luisita” about the alleged “sins” of the late president Cory Aquino. The video was viewed a million times by Filipinos who many analysts suspect were made up mostly of millennials or Generation Y, who were born between 1981 and 1996. It was obvious that the rebranding campaign targeted the Aquino family which was blamed for whatever ills – imagined or otherwise – the country was suffering from. The campaign also exalted the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos who was painted to be “the best president” the Philippines ever had. It was Marcos Sr. who signed Proclamation No. 1081 on September 21, 1972, marking the beginning of a 14-year period of one-man rule which effectively lasted until he and his family were exiled from the country on February 25, 1986.
Marcos Jr. may have lost his bid for the vice presidency in 2016, but the seed had grown. The hate campaign against Marcos Jr.’s political adversaries was relentless, so much so that the Liberal Party had to change its signature Cory Aquino “yellow” to “pink” during the 2022 presidential campaign which pitted former vice president Leni Robredo against Marcos Jr. The combined political war chest of the camps of former president Rodrigo Duterte and the Marcoses dwarfed that of Robredo’s who suffered unimaginable vitriol from paid trolls. Her 15 million votes were not enough to overcome Marcos Jr.’s 31 million votes.
Former Cambridge Analytica employee-turned-whistleblower Brittany Kaiser revealed to Rappler that the Marcoses had approached the now-defunct consulting firm to rebrand the family’s image. In her book Targeted, she talked about rampant microtargeting or “the practice of manipulating an individual’s thoughts and sentiments through disinformation tactics and the use of available personal data.” She described the Marcoses’ efforts to rebrand their family as “historical revisionism fueled by the use of online data.” Kaiser’s revelation was vehemently denied by the Marcos camp.
Marcos Jr. retook Malacañang as the country’s 17th president, parrying all talks of a rigged election. He faced a complex and multifaceted landscape during his first two years in office, all the while navigating through an alley of suspicion among those who believe that he was not duly elected by the Filipino people.
When he ran for the presidency, one major concern raised was how he, the son of an autocrat, would manage his relationships with political elites both here and abroad. Would he attempt to fulfill his father’s ideological goals? Did he have any ill will towards the families and conglomerates that could have acted against him, or had abandoned his family in the 1980s? Would the issue of the “unexplained” Marcos wealth continue to hound him?
The answer eventually proved to be in the negative. Marcos Jr. has seemingly avoided controversy. To bring the political elites over to his side, he abandoned – and probably never even considered – the violent and controversial drug war of Duterte, and swung Philippine foreign policy towards its traditional western allies.
For Roberto M. Herrera-Lim, managing director of New York-based global CEO advisory firm Teneo, it was a key move. He told Vantage Point, “Apparently, many urban and upper-income Filipinos, as well as the traditional institutions such as the press, were more uncomfortable and disdainful of the Duterte administration’s worst impulses compared to the faded and now somewhat diffused history of the Marcos family.”
In short, Duterte had set the bar so low for the president who would come after him that he is now proving to be Marcos Jr.’s best public relations (PR) agent.
One of the central pillars of President Marcos Jr.’s agenda has been economic revitalization. Like many countries, the Philippines faced severe economic disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He prioritized economic recovery through infrastructure development, investment in technology, and agricultural sector support. His administration’s push for infrastructure development is part of the “Build, Build, Build” program initiated by his predecessor. Under Marcos Jr., this initiative has seen continued expansion, aiming to improve transportation networks, digital infrastructure, and urban development. These projects are expected to stimulate job creation and economic activity in the country.
In the first quarter of 2024, the national economy grew by 5.7% from 5.5% in the previous quarter. Instead of the previously set 6.5% to 7.5%, the government adjusted its 2024 economic growth targets downward, aiming for 6% to 7%. This also falls below the median forecast of economists at 5.9% and the slowest start of the year growth rate since the pandemic (Q1 2021 at -3.8).
Government spending on the demand side rallied in Q1 2024, increasing by 1.7% after a contraction of -1.0% in the previous quarter. There was a slowdown, however, in household spending, from 4.6% compared to 5.3% last quarter. Investment (gross capital formation) contracted substantially to 1.3% from 11.6% in Q4 2023. On the other hand, exports of goods and services showed positive growth at 7.5%, while Imports of goods and services expanded to a more moderate 2.3%. On the supply side, services grew by 6.9%, industry by 5.1%, and agriculture by 0.4%.
Although these results were lower than expected, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan noted that the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is still in a good position regionally. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Philippines Country Director Pavit Ramachandran even described the Philippines as “one of the frontrunners in the growth leaderboard in the region, anchored on strong macroeconomic and fiscal policy effectiveness.”
Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) chairman Jose T. Pardo told Vantage Point that the local market had a total of seven initial public offerings of primary and secondary shares since June 30, 2022, that generated a total of ₱18.41 billion capital.
“We expect macroeconomic fundamentals to continue flourishing under President Marcos and his economic team, which should redound to higher growth of our listed companies” he said, expressing hope that “these will encourage and translate to even more companies considering to raise capital through the stock market, which will help further accelerate their expansion while fostering greater inclusive growth through the creation of more jobs and additional investment opportunities in the Philippines.”
The local bourse registered ₱2.63 earnings per share (EPS) in the second quarter of 2023, compared to ₱2.09 of the same period in 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, EPS was ₱2.50, compared to ₱2.51 in the same quarter in 2022. For the full year of 2022, EPS was ₱9.12, compared to ₱11.33 in 2021.
In 2023, the PSE reported around 1.91 million market accounts, which is an increase from the previous year. About 80% of these accounts were online trading accounts. Earnings of Filipino listed companies grew by 23% per year over the past three years, while revenues have grown 17% per year. At the beginning of the current year, the main index (PSEi), was down by 151 points, or 2.34%
In a phone interview, First Metro Securities vice president Andoy Beltran said that one of the upsides of the local market moving forward is the growing popularity of Real Estate Investment Trusts or REITs among investors. The Real Estate Investment Trust Act of 2009 established the legal and regulatory framework and provided an enabling market environment for the development of Philippine REITs. It was one of the landmark pieces of legislation approved during the 14th Congress, aimed primarily at allowing both small and large investors to participate in the direct ownership of real estate – an alternative investment instrument to foreign and local investors. It also provides real estate companies a cheaper source of capital, while promoting economic development, growth in tourism, and liquidity in the capital markets.
Beltran called the successful launch of REITs in the Philippines as a boon to the property market and the Philippine economy in general since it will likely attract local and foreign investments. He explained that REITs should also stoke the construction sector which has significant multiplier effects on the economy because “the REITs segment is going to provide additional support to the country’s economic growth beyond the pandemic.”
REIT also places the Philippines on par with other Asian economies that have fully developed capital and real estate markets. Its continued implementation will result in the further differentiation and innovation of property development projects which should eventually benefit Filipino investors and end-users.
US-based Institutional Investor fund manager Eric Jurado and Vantage Point analyzed key areas where Marcos Jr. has succeeded and failed so far.
Successes
1. Philippine market’s performance (259 companies) from June 30, 2022, to June 21, 2024:
2. Consumer Discretionary (28 companies)
This sector includes industries such as automotive, luxury goods, entertainment, retail, restaurants, and leisure products. Companies in this industry tend to be more sensitive to economic cycles, thriving in times of economic prosperity when consumers are more willing to spend on non-essential items, but often struggling during economic downturns as consumers prioritize essential spending.
3. Hospitality (17 companies)
The hospitality industry is a broad category of fields within the service sector that focuses on providing services to guests and includes lodging, food and beverage, event planning, theme parks, travel, and tourism. It encompasses hotels, restaurants, resorts, cruise lines, and other businesses that provide comfort, entertainment, and customer service. The industry is highly reliant on customer satisfaction and experience, often requiring a high level of service and attention to detail. The hospitality industry plays a crucial role in the economy, contributing significantly to employment and economic growth, and is heavily influenced by factors such as economic conditions, seasonality, and global travel trends.
4. Technology (9 companies)
The technology industry comprises businesses and organizations involved in the research, development, and distribution of technologically based goods and services. This sector includes companies specializing in electronics, software, computers, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, telecommunications, and internet-related services and products.
Failures
However, while Marcos Jr.’s administration has undertaken various initiatives to promote economic prosperity, there have been several challenges and areas where it has faced criticism or fallen short. Some of the notable failures or criticisms include:
1. Inflation and rising prices
2. Slow bureaucratic reforms
3. Public debt and fiscal deficit
4. Agricultural sector struggles
5. Persistent poverty and inequality
6. Environmental and Disaster resilience
7. Human rights and governance issues
These challenges highlight the areas where the administration’s efforts have been insufficient or where more focused and effective measures are needed to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
As far as domestic policy is concerned, managing inflation remains the foremost challenge. While the government’s baseline forecast assumes that inflation will return to within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ target range in 2024-2026, short-term risks remain tilted to the upside, due primarily to an unexpected increase in commodity prices brought about by the intensification of geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions.
The prolonged episode of climate events such as El Niño and La Niña could also weigh on the domestic food supply and lead to an upswing in inflation. To effectively manage inflation, non-monetary measures must be used to complement sound monetary policy to ensure better supply-and-demand management, and timely and adequate food imports. The government must likewise continue to provide social assistance to vulnerable groups that are disproportionately affected by high food inflation.
It is the successful containment of inflation and the transition toward a more accommodative monetary policy that will bolster private domestic demand. Despite ongoing fiscal consolidation, public investment will likely be above 5% of GDP and remain supportive of growth. Meanwhile, export demand, led by robust service exports, is projected to strengthen over the forecast horizon. Through the improvement in global growth over the forecast horizon, goods trade activity is expected to bounce back between 2024 and 2026.
The risks to the growth outlook remain tilted to the downside. Externally, these risks stem from heightened geopolitical tensions, further fragmentation in global trade policy, and weaker-than-expected growth in China.
Heightened geopolitical tensions could lead to higher energy prices, which would reduce households’ disposable incomes. Further fragmentation of trade policies and increased trade protectionism would weigh on trade and could lead to increased global commodity prices.
Domestically, a prolonged episode of El Niño and a stronger than expected La Niña could lead to damaged farm output, which could place upward pressure on food prices. Persistent high inflation could lead to reduced private consumption growth. In addition, it could result in further delays in monetary policy normalization which will diminish growth prospects. Lastly, delays in passing key reforms for fiscal consolidation could dampen the medium-term outlook.
In order to sustain poverty reduction in the country, there must be robust growth and continued labor market improvements to boost growth in household incomes. This positive economic outlook, coupled with quality job generation, will likely further improve household welfare. In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), for example, progress in poverty reduction will depend on sustaining the region’s inclusive growth momentum.
Marcos Jr.’s presidency so far still lacks a defining idea or narrative. Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) appears to be it, but there is little clarity as to what it means in terms of tangible and real outcomes, especially for the marginalized. For many Filipinos, the path to financial security still takes them foreign shores, as they search for stable and meaningful jobs.
Marcos Jr.’s seemingly laidback style also raises the question of whether he is willing to pursue difficult but necessary political and economic reforms, from anti-corruption to reducing the distortive power of domestic vested interests – whether they be his allies’ or those of influential business groups and conglomerates. The President has maybe two, at most three, more years, to establish his administration on rock-solid ground because breathing down his neck are the Duterte patriarch and children, who see themselves as shunned and targeted by this administration, and they are out to exact political vengeance, first in 2025 and then in 2028. – Rappler.com
This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth reports assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024).
Val A. Villanueva is a veteran business journalist. He was a former business editor of the Philippine Star and the Gokongwei-owned Manila Times. For comments, suggestions email him at mvala.v@gmail.com.
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In the second year of BBM’s presidency, there have been significant successes that have mainly benefited the wealthy and failures that have disproportionately affected the poor. I disagree with the statement that “Marcos Jr.’s presidency lacks a defining idea or narrative.” It is clear that there is a defining idea, which is to demonstrate Marcos Jr.’s style of governance as part of the “Bagong Pilipinas” narrative, aiming for progress and providing government services to the Filipino people, particularly the marginalized. However, this multi-layered concept appears to prioritize his allies and influential business groups, and at its core, there seems to be a hidden agenda to protect his family’s interests.
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LIST: Modern jeepney models and what to expect | lkyu0285 | 21/07/2024 18:36 | MODERN. Drivers and mechanics of an automotive corporation inspect modern Dongfeng jeepneys imported from China at a plant in Project 4, Quezon City, on January 31, 2024.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – What will the modern “King of the Road” look like?
Now that the consolidation phase for jeepneys is over, operators are expected to slowly upgrade their fleets of traditional jeepneys with modern units. The government expects to upgrade most of the country’s 150,000 jeepneys by 2030. (WATCH: [Under 3 Minutes] When will we see modern jeepneys on the road?)
These new models must comply with the Philippine National Standard for public utility vehicles (PUVs), which is set by the Department of Trade and Industry. These outline specific requirements for the size and safety features of different PUV classes. They also require modern jeepneys to have either Euro-4-compliant, electronic, or hybrid engines, or better.
As of June 20, 2024 there are 33 models of Class 2 PUV — the vehicle type most closely resembling jeepneys — that are approved by the government. Of these, 14 are imported, while 19 are considered locally manufactured or assembled. Note that a vehicle is already classified as “local” so long as at least 25% of its components are manufactured or assembled in the Philippines. That’s why models from Japanese brands such as Hino or Isuzu are considered local.
Right now, there is the big problem of price. Government officials estimate the average price of a modern jeepney to be around P2.5 million, though it could be even higher. Using a list provided by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Rappler obtained an average price of P2.905 million based on the declared suggested retail price of at least 23 approved Class 2 PUV models. Some electric modern jeepneys imported from China cost over P6 million.
This is far above the budget of many operators, even with the paltry P280,000 in government subsidies to offset the cost. For comparison, an average brand-new traditional jeepney costs P1.2 million only, industry sources tell Rappler. (READ: Could Maharlika Fund’s investment in a jeepney manufacturer save PUV modernization?)
Some experts and manufacturers fear that the high cost of the units could raise jeepney fares, with operators struggling to pay for the monthly amortization of their new fares.
“‘Yung jeepney price po na P2.5 million, mag-i-increase ang fare natin, possibly from P27 to P40 per [passenger]. So ‘yung sinasabi ng DOTr, LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] na walang fare increase with modernization, hindi po yata totoo ‘yon,” said retired University of the Philippines professor and scientist Teodoro Mendoza.
(With a jeepney price of P2.5 million, our fares will increase, possibly from P27 to P40 per [passenger]. So what the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board are saying, that there will be no fare increase with modernization, I don’t believe that’s true.)
However, there is still hope that modern jeepneys will become more affordable. In fact, the government is banking on increased competition from local manufacturers to drive down price in the coming years.
For instance, local manufacturer Francisco Motors is developing a new fully electric modern jeepney, and it plans to sell the first 1,000 units for just P985,000. Francisco Motors chief executive officer Elmer Francisco told Rappler that their latest prototype will be submitted to the DOTr for certification within July.
“The 2025 model is not yet in that list, and our price is P1,997,000. This model has a range of 250 kilometers in one full charge using LiFePO4 battery already,” Francisco told Rappler on July 3.
DOTr Undersecretary of Road Transport and Infrastructure Jesus Ferdinand Ortega has also stressed that operators need not rush to purchase the still-pricey modern jeepneys since they will be given about six years to slowly upgrade their fleets.
“Just to be clear, wala pa pong bilihan ngayon ng sasakyan (there’s no requirement to buy vehicles right now),” Ortega said on June 17 at the Monday Circle Financial Forum.
He also acknowledged that some modern jeepney models — including those imported from China — still lack materials for vehicle repair and maintenance here in the Philippines. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Chinese Taipei-Blue – Jones Cup 2024 | jisaga0269 | 21/07/2024 18:45 | Strong Group Athletics/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group-Pilipinas reclaimed the William Jones Cup crown for the Philippines after a thrilling 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue in the virtual championship match on Sunday, July 21.
American import Tajuan Agee proved to be a stabilizer, while locals Kiefer Ravena and RJ Abarrientos delivered timely hits as Strong Group won the Philippines its seventh Jones Cup title by going unbeaten in eight games.
Steady at the line, Agee finished with 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 free throw clip to go with 9 rebounds, while Abarrientos and Ravena chipped in 14 and 9 points, respectively, on a combined 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
Chris McCullough struggled with 12 points on a paltry 4-of-16 shooting and fouled out in the extra period, but his basket off a goaltending gave Strong Group an 80-78 edge – a lead big enough to fend off the Taiwanese.
DJ Fenner added 15 points and 9 rebounds for Strong Group, which became the first team from the Philippines to rule the Jones Cup since Mighty Sports won in 2019.
All hope seemed lost for Strong Group in regulation after the hosts grabbed a 71-64 lead before the visitors unloaded a 9-0 run capped by a clutch Ravena three-pointer to seize the upper hand at 73-71.
But Chinese Taipei-Blue knotted the score at 73-73 after a Gil Baker putback and eventually forced overtime after Ravena missed his potential game-winning jumper.
Chinese Taipei-Blue absorbed its first loss and finished with a 7-1 record.
Strong Group-Pilipinas goes for gold in its highly productive 2024 William Jones Cup campaign as it stakes its undefeated 7-0 record against fellow top squad Chinese Taipei-Blue in Taiwan on Sunday, July 21.
Already beyond avenging Rain or Shine-Philippines’ lackluster run last year, the undermanned yet talented Strong Group looks for a perfect finish this time around as the likes of super import Chris McCullough and all-around guards Jordan Heading and RJ Abarrientos continue to fire on all cylinders.
Even without naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame, Fil-Am veteran Caelan Tiongson, defense-first import Tajuan Agee, and Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando in the active roster, the Charles Tiu-coached squad proved it has more than enough firepower after last blasting Chinese Taipei-White, 96-70.
McCullough lived at the line for 25 points on 10-of-13 free throws, while backcourt partners Kiefer Ravena and Abarrientos scored 14 and 13, respectively, to help keep Strong Group undefeated in the weeklong tournament with a brutal daily schedule, where the team with the best record at the end of the single round-robin bags the title.
Expect the same core to keep up its stellar play as the prime Chinese Taipei team comes knocking on Sunday evening, carrying its own unbeaten slate.
But Tiu said Abando and Kouame will play through their injuries, while Agee will be a game-time decision as the American import was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after suffering from food poisoning.
“Rhenz’s hand is still swollen and the same goes for Ange’s knee, but they will play through it since this is an all-or-nothing game,” said Tiu. “They know how important this game is for the country.”
Tiu added: “We will be watching Agee’s minutes closely since he has been very dehydrated because of the gastro issues he suffered. His health is important, but his presence on the court is also crucial for us.”
Strong Group aims to keep its 43rd Jones Cup run spotless until the very end, while home team Chinese Taipei-Blue looks to ruin the visitors’ party with a last-minute golden heist.
Tip off is at 7 pm. – Rappler.com
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[ANALYSIS] High noon for Marcos | Miriam Grace Go | 28/06/2024 18:30 | Nico Villarete/Rappler
In an interview, former president Ferdinand Marcos once described his children this way: Imee was his “intellectual twin” and Irene was “everybody’s sweetheart.” When it came to Bongbong, Ferdinand Jr., journalist Paulynn Sicam recalls that the dictator paused and said, “He has, um, good muscle coordination.” He then added that “like his mother,” Bongbong liked to party.
Bongbong has come a long way from the party-loving son disparaged by his father, rising to the presidency in 2022 on the crest of about 60% of the vote – giving him the strongest mandate for president since his father’s rule.
Two years into his presidency, Marcos has stepped up and has remarkably shown that he has a lot more than “muscle coordination.” He has laid out a foreign policy anchored on international law, standing up to China, and gathering international support for the Philippines’ bid to uphold its sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea.
In enforcing the hard-won arbitral ruling debunking China’s nine-dash-line claim over the South China Sea, the Philippines has shown to the world that it is a gritty David going against a brutal Goliath, shining the light on Beijing’s dangerous maneuvers at sea to block resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal and scare off Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippines, which, in a way, isolated itself from the West during the Duterte administration, has returned to the international stage.
Marcos has strengthened the alliance with the US as well as strategic partnerships with Japan, Australia, and Vietnam, and forged security cooperation with like-minded countries, among them Canada, France, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, and New Zealand. India and South Korea have recently joined the fold of countries supporting the 2016 arbitral ruling.
Twice, the G7 – its leaders as well as foreign ministers – expressed serious concern over China’s dangerous actions towards Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, showering support for Manila.
In what has been a hyperdrive of building friendships, the Philippines entered into new arrangements, primarily the much-heralded trilateral cooperation of the US, Japan, and Philippines, and the developing quadrilateral security cooperation of the US, Japan, Philippines, and Australia.
Even the embattled Volodomyr Zelenskyy, fighting for his country’s survival, squeezed a visit to Manila to meet with Marcos, an unequivocal signal of where the President stands in the global geopolitics.
Today, however, the escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea tests Marcos’s leadership as the China Coast Guard intensifies its maneuvers – blocking, intimidating, ramming, and spraying water cannons – against Philippine boats, injuring Navy personnel.
The most violent skirmish, which took place on June 17, revealed a weak side of Marcos: his inability to harness his security team and handle a near-crisis.
What happened that fateful day? For the first time, the China Coast Guard boarded a Philippine Navy ship, brandishing knives and machetes, puncturing inflatable boats, and seizing rifles. In the melee, a Navy man lost his thumb. The Navy failed in its mission to resupply the troops in the BRP Sierra Madre, the derelict ship that stands guard in Ayungin Shoal.
This physical assault was a result of China’s new regulation that mandates its coast guard to detain foreign persons and vessels that trespass through the entire area it claims in the South China Sea.
As it turned out, the June 17 mission was a unilateral move of the armed forces and the defense department, without the usual coast guard escorts, keeping the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea in the dark. The NTF-WPS usually coordinates Rotation and Resupply (RORE) missions in these contested waters.
Far from the usual prompt reporting by the NTF-WPS on incidents at sea, this caught them unawares. It took the National Security Council more than 12 hours after China’s attack to issue a statement, but with sparse details.
It was only two days later when Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner gave the entire picture of the assault.
China’s attack on the Navy showed a fissure in the President’s security team, giving rise to questions:
It also showed the ineptness of the leader of the National Maritime Council, a high-level policy-making body meant to strengthen the country’s maritime security. In a hastily called press conference, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the council, appeared clueless and called the attack a “misunderstanding…[of] an accident.”
This was shot down days later by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who said it was deliberate and an “aggressive use of illegal force.”
China is mounting a war of attrition. It will continue to pound Manila and pressure it until it gives up Ayungin Shoal. This will be a long drawn-out conflict.
Thus, Marcos needs to run a tight ship.
First, he needs to harness his security team in the Cabinet, make them march to the same beat and be clear on policies.
Second, he has to decide on the role of the US military in the routine resupply missions. Should they join these ROREs?
Third, he has to make a decision on how best to secure Ayungin Shoal.
As he enters the third year of his presidency, Marcos has to make tough decisions to prevent flashpoints in the West Philippine Sea from flaring up – and Ayungin Shoal is only one of these. – Rappler.com
This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth stories assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024).
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I agree about President Marcos Jr.’s weak spot: “his inability to harness his security team and handle a near-crisis.” Consequently, I doubt his ability to make “tough decisions to prevent flashpoints in the West Philippine Sea from flaring up.” However, he can and must improve his decision-making skills and attitude towards national security issues; otherwise, it is expected that the flashpoints in the West Philippine Sea will not only flare up but may even explode.
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How the queens of Binibining Pilipinas 2024 bagged their crowns | Jairo Bolledo | 21/07/2024 18:00 | DIAMOND QUEENS. The winners of Binibining Pilipinas 2024 pageant: (L-R) 1st runner-up Christal dela Cruz, Binibining Pilipinas International Myrna Esguerra, Binibining Pilipinas Globe Jasmin Bungay, and 2nd runner-up Trisha Martinez.
Binibining Pilipinas
Myrna Esguerra set her eyes on becoming a national titleholder and representing the Philippines in an international pageant. She clinched the top crown, the Binibining Pilipinas International title, during the pageant’s finals night on July 7.
Myrna was easily a standout because of her golden complexion, towering height, fierce eyes, and long, straight black hair. During the swimwear competition, she strutted down the runway like a supermodel in a pink crystal-encrusted swimsuit. For the evening gown portion, she wore a silver crystal gown with a high slit that emphasized her figure.
She won both the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards, joining the leagues of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2022 Gabrielle Basiano, and other Binibining Pilipinas titleholders who won both major awards during their Binibini stints.
Myrna’s win was also quite historic as she shares the same name with the first ever Binibining Pilipinas winner, Myrna Panlilio, who was crowned in 1964.
For Myrna, her victory was a testament to how she overcame challenges in life. Growing up, she was not confident of her skin color because of many Filipinos’ preference for fair-skinned women. But as she grew up and was exposed to different types of beauty, she learned to embrace her skin color and appreciate her beauty.
“And it’s really beautiful because being a morena represents every Filipino. So I think that’s really something that we should always remember when talking about skin color. So being crowned by Angelica Lopez, it’s empowering,” Myrna said in a Rappler Talk interview on July 18.
“My story is also a story of other people. Having dark skin, having morena skin. And I think it’s about time that we look beyond the skin color. But we [have to] look at what the girls can offer: What can she do? What’s her purpose? And I think that is what helped me to win [the] Pilipinas International crown.”
Myrna was crowned by her predecessor, Binibining Pilipinas 2023 Angelica Lopez, who will represent the Philippines in Japan later this year. It was quite symbolic because Angelica and Myrna are both morenas, making them the most recent winners of Binibining Pilipinas International title who do not fit in the so-called Miss International prototype.
Every competition has what fans call a “mold,” which means certain prototypes that the pageants use as standards for choosing their winners. Miss International, a Japan-based pageant, often crowns a “kawaii” queen or a candidate who has fair complexion and has doll-like features.
The last Binibining Pilipinas International winners before Angelica and Myrna had doll-like features and fair skin, which conformed to the so-called prototype. But both Angelica and Myrna will display their golden skin in the international arena and will give their best to win the seventh and eighth Miss International crowns for the Philippines.
Myrna said her victory indeed broke this so-called prototype, adding that not conforming to the prototype will also work to her advantage because “being different is going to make you stand out.”
“And you really have to embrace who you are…[be] confident of who you are as a person, not just about your physical appearance, but what you can bring to the table,” Myrna said.
Myrna also emphasized that, beyond being a pageant titleholder, a Miss International winner should understand that she has a job to help and inspire others, and promote the advocacies of the Miss International pageant, which include the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals. (READ: How Nicole Borromeo nailed Miss International 2023’s Q&A round)
There are not many queens from Abra, a province located north of the Philippines, which Myrna represented. Abra Governor Joy Bernos said Myrna was the first Abrenian to represent and win in Binibining Pilipinas. That’s why when she clinched the top crown, her entire province, even the Cordillera region, celebrated.
Myrna came home to Abra on July 15, a special day both for Myrna and her home region, the Cordilleras, because her homecoming coincided with the 37th Cordillera Day. Abrenians, led by its officials, welcomed Myrna with a community dance accompanied by gongs and drums.
The queen shared with Rappler that, like any other pageant run, hers was not smooth either. All the preparations — like pasarela and public speaking training, among other things — were challenging. But when the competition started, Myrna said she felt the love and support of her fellow Abrenians.
“I can really hear their support on social media. And I’m really grateful for that,” Myrna said. “We are very proud as Abrenians. Because even though we’re far away from the city, people [now] know that Abra exists, Abrenians exist. And we can do so much more. And I think that the people should watch out for that. I’m really expecting a lot of beauty queens coming from my province now that we’ve started it.”
For Myrna, she did not only win the crown for her province, but also paved the way for other people to appreciate the beauty of Abra. This, she said, was among the powers of pageants: to promote a tourist spot and its people.
Myrna was consistent in promoting her province all throughout the competition. For her tourism video, she featured Lusuac Springs in Lagayan and Mount Bullagao, also known as the Sleeping Beauty of Abra. She also promoted her province’s loom weaving industry.
If there’s one thing that she learned from her home province, Myrna said it would be resilience. Abra has faced a lot of natural calamities and is often hit by earthquakes. Despite these, its people get up and start anew each time, Myrna said.
“Because being in Binibining Pilipinas, we’ve faced lots of challenges…it’s important to remind yourself, as I’ve said before, to stick to your roots,” the Binibining Pilipinas International 2024 told Rappler. “And always remember your reason for being there. Because that’s going to be your fuel to continue.”
“Silent killer” was the word used by pageant analysts to describe Jasmin Bungay. She is consistent all throughout the pageant’s duration, but she particularly shone during the pageant night. She won the other title during the finals night, Binibining Pilipinas Globe, and will represent the country at the Miss Globe pageant in Europe later this year.
In an interview with Rappler, Jasmin said her ultimate goal was to represent the Philippines at the Miss International pageant. In college, she would tell her friends that she wanted the Binibining Pilipinas International title, even though the Miss Universe Philippines crown was still under the Binibining Pilipinas at the time.
Jasmin said the previous format of the Miss International enticed her. Previously, the pageant had no question and answer (Q and A) round, unlike other pageants. Miss International only had a prepared speech round before.
But don’t get it wrong, the question and answer round was actually Jasmin’s strong suit and what solidified her victory. She wowed the judges and audience alike during the finals night with her powerful response to the question, “If you were given 30 minutes to talk to the public, what would you talk about?”
Jasmin responded: “If I would be given 30 minutes to talk to the public, I would like to talk about the passing of the SOGIESC bill. Because, in celebrations such as pageants, this community has contributed so much. And, in this regard, we can give back to them by supporting this cause because as an individual, it is our responsibility that we ensure that everyone is treated equally despite their SOGIE.”
There is a bill that seeks to penalize discrimination based on someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression or SOGIE. But the proposed law has been languishing in Congress for over two decades.
Jasmin said there were two things on her mind at the time: her story as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) or SOGIE bill, and she chose to speak about the latter. While backstage during the finals night, Jasmin realized that most, if not all, the people who helped them prepare were part of the LGBTQ+ community, so she made sure to express her gratitude to them by using her platform to spread their message.
“I just had a moment where it was like a surge of gratitude towards these people. They were so passionate. They were so passionate. They were also very emotional. They were very passionate about pageantry,” Jasmin told Rappler.
“And I told myself that all the people there will see my performance. It’s an ode to them. It’s because of them. And it’s my way of giving back to them.”
At 19 years old, Jasmin competed in Miss Millennial Philippines, a pageant organized and aired by noontime show Eat Bulaga! She won the Miss Pampanga pageant in 2016, earning the right to represent the Central Luzon province in the said pageant. She placed in the top 10, with Camarines Sur’s Julia Gonowon winning the crown.
At the time, Jasmin said she did not take the competition seriously because she was very young and she just enjoyed it. There, she learned that, if you are not focused on winning and are half-hearted, you will not achieve victory.
“So this year, when I decided to join Bilibining Pilipinas, I really took time to prepare myself in all aspects and tapped the right people,” Jasmin said.
Before she joined the Binibining Pilipinas 2024 pageant, Jasmin was a successful model in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She spent years there as an OFW, but left everything behind to pursue her Binibini dreams.
The Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2024 titleholder’s work as an OFW helped her financially, as pageants also have financial requirements for gowns, national costume, and all. Aside from that, her exposure to modeling helped her in presenting herself on stage in front of thousands of people.
While away from home, Jasmin used her time to contemplate joining. Every year in the last few years, she would ask herself if she would join or not. 2023 was the time she chose to fulfill her Binibini dreams.
“So maybe that’s what fueled me, my wait for four years…. Everything that happened during those four years, [I hoped] it would translate to something…. Eventually, it was worth it,” Jasmin said.
A heavy fan favorite, Christal Jean “Tala” dela Cruz did not disappoint as she clinched the first runner-up title. Inside the Araneta Coliseum, her fans were among the liveliest, chanting Tala’s name every time the candidate would be called.
Tala swept many awards, such as Binibining Pizza Hut, Binibining Ever Bilena, Binibining Beautederm, and Binibining Creamsilk. Her performance was a solid one, from the swimsuit to evening gown rounds, where she donned a flowy sky blue gown.
It was not Tala’s first pageant as she had already won the Supermodel International Philippines title in 2023. Unfortunately, she was not able to compete abroad, so Tala and her handlers decided that she would join Binibining Pilipinas instead.
“So, why not join now? Because the pageant, it keeps on moving. And the momentum is there. And I really wanted to use that momentum, that adrenaline for me to perform. And [turn] all the things that I practiced into reality. So, we decided to go for it,” Tala told Rappler.
In her hometown, she competed in the 2023 Binibining Zambales, where she met Anita Rose Gomez, Miss Universe Philippine 2024 top 10 finalist. Tala said her prior experience in other pageants shaped her as a woman and taught her to represent herself and her home province well.
“That’s why I’m so grateful that I get to have all those experiences in my province and other pageants. Because [they] really honed me. I think all of us can agree that all the pageants that we’ve been through, [they] really shaped us into improving. Like every pageant that we go to, we improve, we change, and we become better,” she said.
If there’s one thing Tala has learned from her Binibini run, it would be the importance of believing in oneself.
“It should be about you. Because if you just think about what others think…it’s going to be their story. And what you want is to show yourself. Because if you show yourself, that’s when you get the inspiration, the drive to share it to other people. And that’s how you became a beauty queen that has truly the heart for everyone.”
Trisha Martinez was a repeater. She joined Binibining Pilipinas 2023, won the best in evening gown award, but fell short of placing as a winner or runner-up. In the diamond edition, Trisha joined again and eventually clinched the second runner-up title.
Trisha said her first try humbled her and changed her mindset. She realized that joining was not about winning awards, but rather showing the best version of oneself. She told Rappler she thought of closing her doors to pageantry because she was already satisfied with her previous runs.
But people around her pushed and inspired her to battle it out one more time. Trisha realized that joining again was also for herself.
“But I’ve realized lately that my participation, my comeback, it’s more of self-love. It seemed I’d forgotten myself in the process. When I pushed myself, my mindset, and fortitude, that’s when I realized that I could do more,” Trisha said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Trisha is a licensed dentist. When she was asked in the Q and A portion about how she manages and balances her other duties with the demands of the pageant, she talked about her life as both a dentist and beauty queen.
“How I manage my time? I got it from my purpose. I got it from my heart. I really want to contribute to the 60 amazing glorious years of Binibining Pilipinas, and that’s how I manage my time with the demands of a Binibini. And I am ready. After all, that is the Binibini I aspire to be — with the heart and dignity for the community,” Trisha said during the Q and A portion.
Binibining Pilipinas was not Trisha’s first national pageant. She joined the Miss World Philippines in 2021, where she was crowned Miss Tourism Philippines. Trisha said she prepared for her international pageant at the time, and her family was equally excited, too. However, the international pageant did not push through and Trisha was not able to compete.
Unlike Myrna and Jasmin, Tala and Trisha will not represent the country internationally because the Binibining Pilipinas pageant only holds the franchise for Miss International and Miss Globe. But for Trisha their journey is far from over.
“But let’s see in the future…. You’ll never know. Suddenly, something might happen, right? So at least Tala and I are ready,” Trisha said. – Rappler.com
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[Newspoint] Where Marcos has taken us since Duterte | Mia Gonzalez | 29/06/2024 11:00 | David Castuciano
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has just about completed the second year of his six-year presidential term, and he seems to have not done badly – especially by himself and his family. Of the only two things he publicly, specifically committed himself to doing, it’s the self-serving one he gets to do, and that is, in his very words, “to protect my family.”
Concededly, the other promise is much harder to fulfill. First of all, it’s in the nature of prices that you find yourself falling behind, always, and, second of all, the poor state of the economy does not allow for subsidy. So, how can you ever hope for the price of rice to come down to the P20 per kilo Marcos has promised? Its price now is more than two or three times that.
Keeping the family protected, on the other hand, is a mere matter of predisposition to self-indulgent use of power, which is central to the Marcos character. In fact, even before coming to power this second time around, the Marcoses remained scarcely touched, despite the gravity of their crimes. For one thing, none of them went to jail. And after all these nearly 40 years since the dismantling of their patriarch’s dictatorship, only half of the $10 billion worth of plunder they amassed has been recovered.
President now, Ferdinand Jr. has been able to keep the collectors away altogether. For instance, he has avoided paying the P200-plus billion in estate taxes he has long owed, notwithstanding a Supreme Court ruling affirming the assessment. He also has been able to keep his mother, a graft convict, out of jail – she was sentenced in 2018 to serve from six to 11 years.
In a way, Marcos is lucky to have come after Rodrigo Duterte, who left the country in so fine a mess it looked impossible for his successor to do worse. Duterte’s indiscriminate war on drugs left thousands dead. During the COVID-19 pandemic, business slackened, livelihoods disappeared, and the poor subsisted on scanty state aid under lockdown. Duterte cronies, meanwhile, made a killing brokering for ridiculously overpriced medicines and other health supplies, from China mostly.
Duterte also favored China with public-works contracts and as a creditor, in both cases on odious terms, so that when he left office the Philippine debt had ballooned to P12.79 trillion, from P5.9 trillion. Even the one potential source of the nation’s economic hopes has been compromised – the mineral-rich West Philippine Sea. Duterte surrendered control over it, again to China, even after the Philippine territorial claim on it had been affirmed in arbitral proceedings China had itself agreed to as the rival claimant, only to reject the arbitrator’s ruling and proceed with its own aggressive ways.
President Marcos himself could not have been expected to even begin to turn things around. He came in as a close Duterte ally and with a Duterte daughter as his vice president. Furthermore, he had no track record of public service, never mind public leadership – he was most known as Ferdinand Sr.’s spoiled brat. True, he did sit in the Senate, but he only, mainly sat. He and his family focused their efforts on falsifying and deodorizing their smelly past – efforts that obviously paid off with his election as president.
Having now broken with the Dutertes, President Marcos has taken up a subsequent preoccupation – dynastic entrenchment in power, for which much groundwork actually has been laid. Son Sandro is now a member of the House of Representatives and first cousin Martin Romualdez its Speaker. Eldest sister Imee is herself in the Senate, although, an apparent family castaway, she has aligned herself with the Dutertes.
Still, Ferdinand Jr.’s dynastic primacy appears secure, and his political strategizing quite sound.
He has been able to divert public attention from his pursuit of self-interest by conceding to the popular mood when he can, although he tends sometimes to bite off more than he can chew. The P20 per kilo of rice is precisely such a case, and, because it hits consumers right in the gut, he is reminded of it now and then.
But he more or less gets away with certain graver imprudences, because they are just too abstract for the general public to grasp and therefore bother with. One is the P1.8 trillion he already has added to the nation’s debt, bringing its total to 14.62 trillion, and another is the fund he is raising from state banks to invest for promised quick gains but at underplayed risks.
Possibly the most likely reason Marcos has escaped reproach he otherwise would have deserved is that he has made an arguably fair account of himself on what has proved the most emotive issue for Filipinos – China. After all, these postwar generations have not faced any threat of subjection so overt and wanton as that from China – its bullying of Philippine patrols, fishermen, and scientists and researchers in their own territorial waters and the dispatch of its nationals in numbers for the apparent establishment of its own bailiwicks inland.
Polls show that 76% of the nation – that’s three of four Filipinos – approve of Marcos’ assertive stance toward China, a complete reversal from Duterte’s submissiveness. The approval appears to extend to American soldiers’ being allowed again to station themselves in the country, in some cases right inside Philippine military camps. After hosting American army, air force, and naval bases for nearly a century, the Philippines expelled them in 1992, in a surge of anti-colonialist sentiment, refreshed apparently by the United States’ sponsorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s 14-year martial rule.
Evidently, in any case, where China’s own expansionist designs are at issue, pragmatic thinking prevails in favor of the US – and in favor of Marcos too. Normally, taking 24 trips to 17 countries – a trip a month! – would have incited criticisms of insensitive footlooseness amid economic hardships, and it did, in the beginning. But now that he seems able to show something for it, the criticisms have died down.
Marcos has succeeded in rallying other democracies to the West Philippine Sea cause. Among them, in addition to the US, are Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany – the European Union has proclaimed its support in a declaration of its own. For a show of united force, some of them send troops for joint drills with their Filipino counterparts and also warships to linger in those waters. It does help that the Philippines has a treaty with the US that commits one to the other’s defense in the event of a foreign military attack and also that the West Philippine Sea is a waterway, as such designated by international law to allow safe passage to everyone.
Apart from the wealth under it, the sea has a strategic attraction to China: it connects the Philippines by a convenient route to Taiwan, the breakaway democracy China has been threatening to muscle back into its communist embrace. But whether China will risk grabbing the West Philippine Sea once and for all, by armed force, is a question only China’s despotic central committee can answer. The question relevant to us is whether we’re up to the challenge – with Marcos in command.
As it is, China appears to have succeeded in exploiting a flaw in the Filipino character – a culture of corruption and a consequent vulnerability to co-optation. For how explain China’s quick and easy successes? It didn’t need to fire so much as a warning shot to be able to impose much of its will in the West Philippine Sea – it only needed a collaborationist Duterte – neither to set up inland stations – it only needed inside official connections.
No wonder Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has been just about the only official voice heard openly to declare China a serious national security problem. Not even the police would agree with him, but then, not a few of their own have been found carrying on with Chinese operating gaming and other businesses suspected to be listening posts or sleeper fronts. Asked how he managed to navigate those differences and the confusion they inevitably caused, Teodoro told me the government was finally getting its act together.
Sure enough, President Marcos himself has just made a public delineation of where the “red line” lies. A Filipino death at Chinese hands would come “very close…to an act of war,” he said, adding, presumably as a signal to the US, “Our treaty partner, I believe, also holds that same standard.” Obviously, a Filipino soldier getting a finger crushed, as exactly happened when a Chinese Coast Guard boat recently rammed a Philippine Navy supply craft, does not quite come up to standard.
Marcos may not have sounded as definite and confident as you and I might have liked it, but, again, I’ve heard the remark made all too often these days: Would you have preferred Duterte to Marcos and China to the United States? – Rappler.com
This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth stories assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024).
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I am grateful to Sir Vergel for helping me understand the true essence of the Marcos Jr. administration. I didn’t initially grasp it, but after reading Sir Vergel’s writing, the “core” has become evident to me. Once again, thank you, Sir Vergel.
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Why Fil-Am hurdler Lauren Hoffman made the big Philippine leap | Jasmine Payo | 21/07/2024 17:57 | While scrolling her time away on social media, Lauren Hoffman had a realization – she could actually represent the Philippines in international athletics events.
A track star from Duke University, the Filipino-American Hoffman found out that her personal athletics records weren’t far off the Philippine marks, thus setting in motion a path that quite quickly landed her a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I had followed a lot of the (Philippine) sprinters and hurdlers and pole vaulters. So, I really looked up to them for a long time,” Hoffman told Rappler in an online interview.
“And my sophomore year of college, I ran somewhat close to the Philippine national record [in hurdles]. And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s exciting.’ I was thinking since I was so close to that national record as a sophomore in college, I was really excited to be a part of the team.”
“I have the potential to be something great,” Hoffman added. “I’m on track to do something great. And I would love to represent the Philippines while I’m competing professionally. So that was the first moment where I was like, ‘I want to represent the Philippines,’ when I knew I was good enough to start competing internationally.”
At that time, Hoffman had never been to her mom Laura’s home country. But, she grew up in Virginia learning the Filipino culture – “making mano (gesture of respect)” to her ninong (godfathers) and ninangs (godmothers), eating a lot of Pinoy food in gatherings, while belting her favorite tunes in karaoke.
Most of all, what kept the Philippines close to Hoffman’s heart was the strong sense of family.
After discovering her international potential, Hoffman decided to link up with Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA), then led by former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Philip Ella Juico.
Hoffman first competed locally during the Philippine Athletics Championships, also known as the National Open, in Ilagan, Isabela, in February 2023, where she was able to bring along her mom and ninong.
Things rolled quickly from there as she represented the country internationally in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in October 2023, ending up fifth in the meet with a time of 57.21 seconds in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
Returning to the US, she sustained her competitive streak, resetting the 400m hurdles Philippine record during the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational in Miami at 56.39, just a tad better than the previous mark of 56.44 by Robyn Brown.
In April 2024, Hoffman then blew away the 15-year-old Philippine record of 13.65 seconds set by Sheena Atilano in the women’s 100m hurdles by tallying 13.41 at the Duke International in Durham, North Carolina.
But less than a month later, while competing in her second Philippine meet, Hoffman shattered the record anew at 13.34 seconds during the National Open at the PhilSports track in Pasig, where she was cheered on by relatives from Navotas and Antipolo.
Hoffman’s sporting milestones didn’t stop there, just over a year since donning the Philippine colors.
By July 2024, the 25-year-old Hoffman made history again by qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, earning just enough points in the world rankings to reach the cutoff mark in the women’s 400m hurdles.
“I am one of the only 400 [female] hurdlers to, like ever… make it to the Olympics,” she said. “I think I’m only the second ever [from the Philippines]. So I feel there’s like a lot of history to be made.”
“And I think we’re definitely getting better and better every year,” she added. “You know, coming off Hidilyn Diaz’s gold medal [in the Tokyo Olympics], I think that just inspired the country, too.”
Growing up in the small, sleepy town of Haymarket, Hoffman first competed in running during her elementary school days, where she would participate in events like the 5km run.
At 13 years old, Hoffman then decided to shift to hurdling, which she recalled loving right at the moment she leapt her first obstacle.
In Battlefield High School, she was named a New Balance Nationals All-American, winning the state championship in the 4x400m relay and finishing fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles in 2017.
The 5-foot-6 athlete also played volleyball, but was likewise relentless in academics, graduating summa cum laude.
Heading into college, Hoffman had two choices – Harvard University over in the northeast, or Duke University, about 260 miles away southwest of her hometown.
“It was a really tough decision for me because they’re both great universities. I knew I would get a great education, get good degrees,” recalled Hoffman.
“But it came down to where I felt more at home. You know, who I vibed with, the ones who gave me a good feeling, which team felt like family. So, I just fell in love with the Duke track team.”
Taking up evolutionary anthropology with the intention of taking up medicine afterwards, Hoffman made her mark with the prestigious sporting program under the tutelage of coach Mark Mueller, who coaches her up to this day.
She was named to several All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) First and Second Teams and was hailed as part of the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America First Team in the 2021 season.
Hoffman was also recognized by the conference as part of its all-academic team, balancing her act well as a student and an athlete.
As of February 2024, the Filipino-American track star remains the university’s standard in the 400m hurdles (55.47 seconds), and the owner of the best mark at Morris Williams Track and Field Stadium at 56.00, which she set as a management studies post-graduate student in 2022.
She also clocked 56.58 seconds in the same event to set a Duke invitational record last April 13.
Her 55.47-second finish earned her the bronze medal, and USTFCCCA All-America First Team honors, which broke the school record for the fourth time during that season.
But from the school track, she now takes her act to the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Hoffman will debut in the Olympics along with fellow hurdler John Cabang Tolentino, a Filipino who grew up in Spain who likewise qualified via world rankings.
“I like the expectations. I think the pressure is good… We have high expectations for ourselves because we want to be great,” said Hoffman.
“We’re snowballing. The success is snowballing. I think Team Philippines is on the way up.”
Although this will be the biggest competition of her life, Hoffman opts to see it as just another tournament.
“This is the same race I’ve done since college. [Some of my opponents will be the same] women I’ve competed against before. So, I feel like there’s an element of, ‘I’m here and I belong here. I’m an experienced runner,’” Hoffman said.
“I’m reminding myself that I’m ready to do this, as well as also, taking in all the new factors as well.” – Rappler.com
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Marcos Year 2: In Bongbong’s Bagong Pilipinas, the promise of unity falls apart | Dwight de Leon | 30/06/2024 10:00 | Photos courtesy of Jasmin Dulay/Rappler, Lakas-CMD/Uniteam; Graphics by David Castuciano/Rappler
Elders say you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. In the run-up to the 2022 elections, the media-elusive Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. snubbed debates, avoided specific questions on platforms, and mainly stuck to his message of unity.
Unity was his motherhood statement, but it’s one that, for better or for worse, captured the imagination of the Filipino public. It was also his most striking – if not, only – campaign promise.
Two years into his presidency, even that, he may have failed to keep.
Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator, is entering his third year in office with the threat of political instability looming over his shoulder, in the form of Vice President Sara Duterte, his 2022 running mate and now-resigned Cabinet member. The duo, scions of major political families, forged a formidable alliance more than two years ago, one that was too high-maintenance to keep until it could no longer be saved.
His third year in office is now shaping up to be a challenging political road for the President, who has been consolidating his allies to ensure success in the midterms, a vote that will be seen either as an affirmation or rejection of his administration’s policy direction.
Analysts point to numerous clues that spelled the end for the so-called Uniteam, but no bigger single-day spectacle could match the January 28 showdown rallies in Manila and Davao between the two families.
Held in the Philippine capital was the so-called Bagong Pilipinas (literally new Philippines) concert, a multimillion-peso event mounted by Malacañang to formally launch the administration’s supposed new brand of leadership. It was, as critics put it, a PR blitz that remains the subject of criticism up to this day, and was reminiscent of how Bongbong’s father, Ferdinand E. Marcos, resorted to buzzwords to keep the façade of good governance during the dictatorship years.
The Dutertes matched that concert in Manila with their own rally in their hometown, attended not only by their most loyal supporters but also by former allies of the incumbent administration. The event sought to protest the government’s charter change agenda, but it also became an avenue for Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte to engage his successor in a bitter word war.
It has been a downward spiral since then. Months later, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos would publicly admit her ill-feelings towards the Vice President, who allegedly laughed during that Davao City rally when her father accused the President of taking illegal drugs.
Other signs painted a picture of a tumultuous situation within the administration – the Vice President’s public opposition to the revival of peace talks, her rift with House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and the removal of confidential funds from her office, among others.
Just a week before the Marcos administration turned two, Sara Duterte put the final nail in the coffin of their alliance by resigning as deputy of the country’s anti-communist task force, and secretary of education.
“Marcos won based on the framework of Uniteam even if it was just a hot air balloon, so it is important for him to pay lip service to the Uniteam. It wasn’t a simple win, it was a historic win because 61% of voters picked him,” former presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas told Rappler.
“He wanted to maintain that status semblance to manage that,” he added. “But now, he can no longer manage it.”
In Philippine politics, the dissolution of a marriage of convenience like that of Bongbong and Sara was not difficult to imagine. In fact, many had boldly predicted it even before the two officials took their oaths of office.
The two families – dynasties in their bailiwicks – go way, way back, but the Dutertes’ relationship with Marcos Jr. is remarkably fragile. Insiders say Bongbong and Sara didn’t really have a solid foundation of friendship to begin with before they ran as a tandem. The Duterte patriarch, meanwhile, admired the senior Marcos, but not the son, whom he called “weak.”
It was also, however, not far-fetched to assume that Bongbong would become a continuity president, having run his campaign alongside allies of the Dutertes. Raised by an authoritarian, Bongbong could have also had a worldview that aligned with his predecessor’s leadership style.
But once Marcos Jr. took helm of Malacañang, he gradually distanced himself from what made the old man from Davao a pariah in the international arena.
The latter set a very low bar on human rights, it didn’t take long for Marcos to overcome it.
Drug war deaths under Duterte neared 20,000 in his first two years only, based on human rights groups’ tally; the number was down to under 400 after Marcos’ first year as president. Duterte touted a shoot-to-kill rhetoric; Marcos said he is against addressing the drug menace by confrontation and violence.
Duterte coddled Apollo Quiboloy; now that Marcos is president, the fugitive doomsday preacher is in hiding and could not get special treatment.
Duterte persecuted former senator Leila de Lima and journalist Maria Ressa, who were among his staunchest critics; under Marcos, charges are slowly being dropped against them, and De Lima is completely free.
“Under BBM, we are given the opportunity to make use of a democratic space in transition from the authoritarian regime that was Duterte’s,” De Lima said in February.
Duterte’s government nurtured an environment that allowed Philippine offshore gaming operators to thrive; Marcos’ anti-crime body in Malacañang has doubled down on its crackdown on POGO hubs.
Duterte fostered closer ties with Beijing and set aside an important arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea; Marcos has toughened the line on China and clung to the Philippines’ Hague victory.
It’s a funny irony that Marcos would share similarities with former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. While both hail from the ruling elite, their fathers were rivals in Philippine history, with one being accused of orchestrating the assassination of the other.
But Marcos’ second year in office was accentuated by their parallels. Like his late predecessor, Marcos showed a certain resolve in asserting Manila’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, and tried to rally nations in support of the Philippines against China’s expansive claims in the disputed waters.
“I don’t see it. I don’t see it at all, because, well, I just don’t see it,” Marcos said emphatically, when asked about the comparisons to Aquino during an interview with Philippine media in Washington in April.
His pivot from China towards the US has made him a new rockstar of sorts on the global stage, despite sporadic and embarrassing reminders about his family’s history of excesses. He secured prestigious speaking engagements, delivering high-profile speeches before the Australian parliament and the premier defense forum Shangri-La Dialogue, where he was introduced as “one of Asia’s most dynamic leaders.”
“The Philippines will not give a single square inch of our territory to any foreign power,” Marcos would say, over and over, as tensions in the West Philippine Sea took a turn for the worse.
Marcos got to visit the US four times since he became president, something he could not do in the past due to the risk of arrest in connection with his father’s Martial Law sins.
He was able to return to Hawaii, the land of his exile, in November as a seemingly triumphant man with the power of reframing the years surrounding his family’s downfall in 1986. “We landed here with nothing,” he said, even though all the jewelry they brought to the island would say otherwise if only they could talk.
In his last trip to Washington, he rubbed elbows with Japan’s Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden, in a landmark trilateral summit that sought to address their mutual China problem.
He became the new poster boy for international rules-based order, and was included in TIME Magazine’s annual list of the world’s most influential people.
“Bongbong has stood steadfast against Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea and bolstered his nation’s alliance with the US,” the publication wrote. “By trying to repair his family name, Bongbong may reshape his country too.”
Whether or not defending Philippine territories against foreign power would become a campaign issue in 2025 remains to be seen, although some surveys have shown that the West Philippine Sea is a lesser priority for Filipinos than economic concerns, such as arresting inflation, creating more jobs, increasing workers’ salaries, and reducing poverty.
The Marcos government has packaged his constant travels – for which his office had a billion-peso budget this year – as a means to woo foreign investors to the country, but it’s uncertain how the public resonates with that justification.
While he continues to have majority support, Marcos has seen his approval score tumble, based on Pulse Asia’s most recent numbers. Sara faces a similar predicament – an indication that she’s not as invincible as her populist father – although she continues to be the country’s most trusted in government.
In that same survey, Marcos’ trust rating saw its biggest drop in Mindanao – a whopping 32-percentage points – while Sara’s numbers remained steady in the region.
Managing the Dutertes, just like how it has been in the last two years, continues to be a recurring theme – or headache – of the Marcos presidency, casting a long shadow on elections that are decided not only by how effective aspirants are in presenting themselves as the solution to the country’s most pressing problems, but also by how they counter their opponents.
The Dutertes are a wildcard for the 2025 midterms. If Sara were to be believed, her father and her two siblings will all gun for the Senate at the same time, a scenario that puts into question who will be left in their hometown to take charge of the city hall that they haven’t given up in more than two decades. There are a lot of ways to position themselves – as underdogs, especially in the face of Duterte’s potential arrest by the ICC for his anti-drug campaign; as the bullied, in light of budget cuts for Representative Paolo Duterte and Vice President Sara’s offices; as the new opposition, to maintain their relevance on the national stage.
Sara’s regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, which was part of the 2022 Uniteam alliance, is unlikely to be part of the 2025 coalition that the Marcos administration is building. His political vehicle, the young Partido Federal, has been coalescing with older, more established parties composed of the same, old dynasties in Philippine politics.
Opposition forces since 2016 have not fully established their plans for 2025, but the Liberal Party of the late president Aquino has not closed its doors to the idea of teaming up with Marcos’ party. It’s a possibility that would taint LP’s long anti-Marcos history, but one that could also strengthen the anti-Duterte network heading to 2025.
Such an option – which was unthinkable years ago – offers a chance for Marcos to reinvent the promise of unity he declared over and over during his campaign, in a “new Philippines” that he supposedly wants to achieve.
“Bagong Pilipinas is not a new partisan coalition in disguise,” he asserted in January. “Bagong Pilipinas serves no narrow political interest. It serves the people.” The President has yet to prove that these are more than just words.
If a presidency is defined by promises kept and promises broken, how can Marcos carve his legacy?
– with reports from Kaycee Valmonte/Rappler.com
This article is part of “Marcos Year 2: External Threats, Internal Risks,” a series of analyses and in-depth reports assessing the second full year of the Marcos administration (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024).
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Marcos Year 2: Status of the administration’s promises, progress, and backlogs | mjmcatequista0325 | 21/07/2024 17:30 | Bpngbong Marcos/Facebook
Two years since his election, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to deliver on a number of promises and plans he made to woo voters, from lowering rice prices to a fostering genuine national unity.
As the President delivers his 3rd State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 22, Rappler’s community partners — the #FactsFirstPH, #AtinAngPilipinas, and #CourageON: No Lockdown on Rights coalitions — collaborated to identify compile the promises made by Marcos and his administration, and key issues in their sectors.
Bookmark this list to track the status of these promises and plans going into the President’s third year in office.
In 2022, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) aimed to build 1 million houses per year or 6 million housing units by 2028. In 2024, the government slashed the goal to 3 million houses by the end of the Marcos presidency, citing funding concerns.
Marcos requested Pag-IBIG to make home loans more accessible. DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar mentioned that P20.17 billion was approved to aid the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program for the construction of 17,791 houses.
In June, DHSUD sought for funding guarantees for the project and to certify as urgent the bill seeking to institutionalize the 4PH program.
For fiscal year 2024, the General Appropriations Act (GAA) allocated P750.81 million for the 4PH interest subsidy. Senate bills 2409 and 2108 by Senators JV Ejercito and Christopher Lawrence Go, respectively, seek to institutionalize the 4PH program. Both bills are pending at the committee level.
The Marcos administration allocated over P541 million from the People’s Survival Fund for six new climate adaptation initiatives in 2024.
In February, President Marcos facilitated a deal with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) for the Philippines to receive international aid for climate adaptation. On July 9, the country was selected to host the board of the Loss and Damage Fund, a global fund that will help vulnerable nations deal with the adverse effects of climate change.
The Department of Energy (DOE) reported that, as of April, it was on track to add 1,984.775 megawatts of solar energy to the nation’s grid this year.
According to the United States’ Department of Agriculture January 2024 Rice Outlook, the Philippines is projected to overtake China as the world’s top rice importer.
Projects of the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture intended to boost the farming sector include the introduction of D4AgPH, an online platform for optimizing agriculture practices, and rice irrigation strategies called “Alternate Wetting and Drying” and “Quick Turn Around” to help farmers conserve water for continuous crop production during El Niño.
In the first quarter of 2024, crop production volume reached 25.07 million metric tons from 23.89 million metric tons in the same period of 2023. This increase was driven by the 17.2% increase in sugarcane production.
Based on government figures, 5.45 million international visitors arrived in the Philippines in 2023, significantly surpassing the 4.8 million visitors targeted by the Department of Tourism (DOT). They brought in P480 billion.
The country’s tourism receipts from January 1 to March 31, 2024, added up to around P157.62 billion, which is an estimated 120.70% recovery rate from the revenue gained from the same period in 2019.
As of April 24, 2024, a total of 2,010,522 international visitors entered the country, 15.11% higher than the international arrivals recorded in the same period last year.
The President’s many foreign trips brought in a reported P4 trillion in investments to the country, as of December 2023, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). However, about a third of this money was still in the planning stage, the department said at the time. In February, Malacañang said that $14 billion of these investments had been “actualized.”
Clark International Airport remains underutilized.
The national government has allotted P22.98 billion to improve health facilities in 2024.
In June, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) board approved the increase of Konsulta Package’s financial assistance for the dialysis of diabetic patients from P2,600 to P4,000 per treatment.
The increase still falls short of PhilHealth’s initial aim of providing P5,200 per dialysis session.
The Department of Finance (DOF) is on track to meet its three medium-term fiscal framework (MTFF) goals:
In September 2023, the Philippines’ House of Representatives approved a bill seeking to reform the military and uniformed personnel pension system with the following improvements:
The Presidential Communication Office (PCO) launched a Media and Information Literacy (MIL) campaign on August 14, 2023.
The campaign features an MIL summit and a community campus caravan, but fact-checking is not part of its focus.
Based on recent update, the PCO met with New Zealand journalists to discuss the MIL campaign, the Philippine media landscape, and combating disinformation.
According to Ilog Pasiglahin, the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD) or any related government agency has yet to hold a community consultation on the Pasig River rehabilitation project.
There is also no community member or local government unit representative in the IAC-PRUD to ensure that the Pasig River rehabilitation will be people-centric.
Aside from the garbage clean-ups and Pasig River Esplanade (PARES) phases 1 and 2 in Ermita and Intramuros, respectively, there are no other specific projects lined up as of yet for the river’s improvement.
The master plan submitted by Housing Secretary Acuzar, who chairs the IAC-PRUD, has been approved by Marcos. Acuzar unveiled the plan in August 2023, months after the creation of the inter-agency council.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Edu Punay said preparations for the full implementation of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) are underway after a successful six-month pilot implementation in several parts of the country.
Punay said FSP will be implemented in 10 regions and 21 provinces with an initial target of 300,000 families who were validated and registered in June.
Beneficiaries will use Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to purchase select food commodities from eligible partner merchant stores.
In April, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla described the country’s electricity situation as a disaster after the national power grid successively went under red and yellow alerts.
Full electrification is estimated to require P72 billion in funding.
Meanwhile, the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection and the Cebu-Negros Panay Link are aimed at improving power distribution and accessibility across regions, ensuring a more stable power supply.
In April 2024, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) launched the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Phase 1 Project, which will expand the internet capacity of 14 provinces across Northern Luzon and Central Luzon.
During the Build Better Infrastructure Forum in New Clark City, Tarlac, last July 14, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said that the country now has an overall Internet penetration of 73.6% after their implementation of the Common Tower Policy.
The Broadband ng Masa Program, which establishes the national fiber backbone and middle-mile connectivity, and the Free Public Internet Access Program provide free, secure internet at 13,462 sites nationwide, according to Uy.
The Marcos administration is hopeful that a total of 9.8 million users can benefit from free internet services in 125,000 sites nationwide by 2028.
The classroom shortage figures nationwide are at 165,444, Tara Rama, director III of the Department of Education (DepEd) Government Assistance and Subsidies Office, confirmed during a hearing by the Senate panel on basic education last March 20.
Students from Kinder to Grade 12 in Calabarzon, National Capital Region, BARMM, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas are among those most affected.
Meanwhile, the MATATAG Curriculum has been rolled out in 35 schools out of 47,678 schools in the Philippines. DepEd reported that 267,900 teachers and personnel had been trained for its implementation.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said this new curriculum is focused on improving both coverage of competencies and student confidence.
This year, Marcos ordered that skills development be integrated into the K-12 curriculum, and vowed to remain committed to providing free education in state universities and colleges.
In March, Marcos assured the public that the Philippines would maintain its independent foreign policy.
In the context of the West Philippine Sea dispute, he clarified that the Philippines will act according to its own interest, making foreign policy decisions that prioritize the wellbeing of the nation.
“We continue to chart an independent foreign policy in keeping with our constitutional mandate. We pursue [this] through international engagements that seek to strengthen existing alliances [and] build new partnerships with like-minded states,” Marcos told diplomatic corps in a vin d’honneur in Malacañang last June 12.
The main office of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) moved to The Upper Class Towers along Quezon Avenue corner Scout Reyes in Quezon City for a more accessible location and to enhance bureaucratic efficiency.
The office offers the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) for Filipino emigrants and the Guidance Counseling Program (GCP) for partners and spouses of foreign nationals.
In a press release, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced that it allocated P15.3 billion for the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which includes the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Emergency Repatriation Program to assist forcibly repatriated overseas Filipino workers.
According to LILAK, a collective of women advocates for indigenous women’s rights, indigenous women farmers and small food producers in different parts of the Philippines continue to experience hunger while lacking response and support from the Marcos administration.
“As they face the challenges of climate change and rising commodity prices, the influx of applications for corporate-driven projects such as in the extractive industries that will destroy the environment and the entry of energy projects within agricultural and ancestral lands.” LILAK said.
According to the June 2024 Mines & Geosciences Bureau report, 38 mines across the country have been approved and registered since 2021, and 148 more applications are being processed.
President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 51, creating a special committee on LGBTQIA+ affairs.
In a statement on December 23, 2023, Malacañang said the President saw the need to “reinforce the Diversity and Inclusion Program (DIP) and reconstitute its Inter-Agency Committee to ensure the country’s continuous compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
The SOGIESC equality bill remains excluded from the updated priority measures in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council as of June 25, 2024.
Many Filipinos continue to face challenges due to low wages. As of June 2024, the average daily nominal minimum wage across all regions stands at P442, while a family of five should receive a living wage of P1,210 per day to live decently. The scarcity of decent work and sustainable livelihoods are also driving more Filipinos into hunger and poverty.
According to IBON Foundation, the informal employment population estimate is at 20.4 million workers.
When it comes to health workers’ Health Emergency Allowance, the DBM said that it would release the remaining P27.4 billion and COVID-19 sickness and death claims of healthcare workers on July 5, 2024.
By July 9, the Department of Health received the sub-allotment release order, and the allowance will soon be received by the healthcare workers who served the country during the pandemic.
Marcos ordered the completion of water projects countrywide to mitigate the impacts of the drought and improve water security, acknowledging that water scarcity is now a constant threat due to climate change.
Last July 10, President Marcos celebrated the completion of the construction of the Upper Wawa Dam, which, as a part of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, will fill the needs of Metro Manila residents that the Angat Dam is not capable of.
The President continuously calls on leaders of both public and private sectors to work together to make clean water available to the 40 million Filipinos who currently do not have access.
Under Executive Order 62, Marcos cuts the tariff on imported rice to 15% to lower the rice prices. However, several farmer groups reject the proposal since reduced rice tariffs only lead to more rice imports.
As of the first phase of April 2024, the average retail price of rice was at P51.39, higher than the rice prices during the first and second phase of March, at P51.14 and P51.21, respectively.
In September 2023, Marcos imposed a price ceiling on rice. Under Executive Order No. 39, the price ceiling of rice is P41 for regular milled rice, P45 for well-milled rice, and P52 for imported rice. The price ceiling remains unless lifted by the President.
Since the original deadline of June 2020 for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), the deadline for consolidation was extended six times following multiple transport strikes. No extension was given after April 30, 2024.
July 2024 figures provided by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) show that 159,914 out of 191,730 (83.41%) public utility vehicles (PUVs) consolidated before the deadline.
Meanwhile, 1,749 transport cooperatives with around 262,870 members, and 1,088 corporations have been formed. Additionally, only 24% of local public transport route plans (LPTRPs) in all LGUs have been approved, which are needed before fleets are modernized.
The DOTr estimates it may take until 2030 before the majority of jeepney fleets (150,000 vehicles) are modernized. Transport groups are still hoping for the program to be scrapped.
Since the deadline, fewer jeepneys have been operating in Cagayan de Oro.
In Bacolod, Undoc-Piston said at least 1,700 of its members could no longer operate and drive jeepneys legally, and Bacod-Manibela said around 10,000 of their dependents were suffering from the “negative economic impact” of the PUVMP.
The jeepney operators forced to consolidate have not received any proper training and support from the government to navigate the complexities of operating within consolidated transport service entity (TSE).
Meanwhile, Marcos held a public town hall about traffic concerns. He talked about alternatives to alleviate the traffic situation.
To improve mass transport in Metro Manila, the administration thinks of improving commuter railways and highways. Marcos also presented updates to key infrastructure projects, including railway developments and the Metro Manila Subway project.
In a meeting with stakeholders last June 5, Metro Manila train operators presented how they would address the problems of the train systems failing PWDs.
Marcos created a “super body” to enhance the protection of human rights. However, Human Rights Watch senior researcher Carlos Conde stated that he fears this special committee would only serve as propaganda to defend the administrations against human rights abuses.
According to Amnesty international, they see no progress regarding human rights issues under the Marcos administration. Dahas Project reported that about 329 people in 2023 were killed.
The Marcos administration has consistently said that it would not cooperate in the International Criminal Court’s probe into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war as it does not recognize its jurisdiction over the Philippines.
– Rappler.com
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Why society needs to address loneliness | Chito de la Vega | 21/07/2024 15:48 | Doctorxgc/wikimedia commons
Several scientific studies have found that loneliness can lead to poor physical and mental health.
The absence of high-quality social connections has been linked to depression, dementia, cardiovascular diseases and even early death. Chronic loneliness can have the same effect on your physical and mental health as obesity, physical inactivity and smoking.
According to the US Surgeon General, the mortality effect of loneliness is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The World Health Organization has described loneliness as “a pressing health threat”.
Loneliness rose alarmingly during the COVID-19 pandemic because of physical isolation, lockdowns and remote work and education.
Although people may seem more connected via social media, research shows that while these platforms may help people connect with each other, those using social media to maintain relationships feel lonelier than those who use it for other reasons.
Social isolation is not limited to certain age groups. The WHO estimates that between 5 and 15% of adolescents experience loneliness.
Research has shown that overall loneliness is more prevalent in the young than the middle-aged and more in the middle-aged than older people; more in men than women and more in those living in individualistic societies rather than collectivist ones.
There is also a high prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among transgender and gender diverse people and those with disabilities.
Loneliness can have an acute impact on the wellbeing of older adults as they live longer and have to contend with declining health, poor family support and limited social engagement.
A society or community’s safety, prosperity and effective governance depend greatly on the quality of the social connections within its neighborhoods, communities, workplaces and schools.
Although loneliness and social isolation have serious impacts on physical and mental health, there is no pharmacological intervention for treating them. There is also no one-size-fits-all social intervention.
However, solutions do exist in different cultures and societies to counter loneliness.
Dealing with the loneliness epidemic, therefore, needs national policies, community initiatives and personal practices. These could include volunteering, consciously connecting with friends and family routinely, having a regular exercise regime and psychological interventions designed to tackle individual needs as required. – 360info/Rappler.com
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
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Angara vows support for teachers’ salary raise, career progression | Bonz Magsambol | 21/07/2024 12:43 | File photo of Education Secretary Sonny Angara during a budget deliberations at the Senate
Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines – While he thumbed down proposals to raise entry-level salary of teachers to P50,000, newly installed Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed confidence that teachers would see a better compensation package under the Marcos administration.
“It’s only a question of how much and when tataas ‘yan, pero I’m confident during the Marcos administration na tataas ang suweldo nila,” Angara said on the sidelines of his oath-taking ceremony in Malacañang Palace on Friday, July 19. (It’s only a question of how much and when it will be raised, but I’m confident that it will happen during the Marcos administration.)
Improving the welfare of teachers was one of the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Angara. The President emphasized that the government should financially support teachers who have families to feed.
Teachers’ groups have been asking the government for a better compensation package. Currently, those who have Teacher 1 designation earn P27,000 per month. For years, many of them have been leaving the country in their quest for better pay and working conditions.
But Angara said that it is impossible to give teachers a P23,000 increase, adding that the government cannot afford it.
“Kung P23,000 [increase] times 900,000 [teachers], mas mataas pa ‘yun sa national budget, sa totoo lang,” he said. (If we give them a P23,000 increase, multiply that by 900,000 teachers, then the total amount would be higher than the national budget, truth be told.)
Aside from better compensation package, the education chief vowed to fix the career progression of teachers.
“Narinig natin ‘yung mga reklamo na ‘yung mga labing limang taon, Teacher 1 pa lang sila. So, ayusin namin ‘yung promotion system sa gobyerno. Tingnan natin ‘yung mga benepisyon nila, ‘yung teaching load nila,” Angara said during a separate event in Quezon City on Saturday, July 20.
(We heard complaints that there are teachers who have been in service for 15 years, yet still at Teacher 1 level. So we will fix the promotion system of the government. We will check their benefits and teaching load.)
Recognizing that teachers are the biggest input to students’ learning, Angara promised to provide more trainings to them so they could improve their teaching quality.
According to a World Bank study in 2016, the knowledge of teachers and the method they use to teach a subject were “important determinants of student learning outcomes in the Philippines.” The study showed that “knowledge of subject matter among elementary and high school teachers is low in most subjects.”
For instance, the World Bank study revealed that a mathematics teacher in high school was only able to answer 31% of the questions “completely correctly,” far from even half of the questions.
“Since the tests are closely aligned with the curriculum, the results suggest that teachers face significant challenges in teaching a considerable portion of the current K to 12 curriculum,” the study said.
Angara replaced Vice President Sara Duterte as education chief. She stepped down on June 19, effectively leaving the Marcos Cabinet. Duterte had said that she was resigning “out of concern for teachers and the Filipino youth.” – Rappler.com
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IN PHOTOS: Our favorite looks at the GMA Gala 2024 | Ysa Abad | 21/07/2024 13:51 | GMA GALA 2024. Kapuso celebrities grace the annual charity event.
Bianca Umali, Gabbi Garcia, Julie Ann San Jose's Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — Some of the country’s biggest and brightest stars came together on Saturday, July 20, for the 2024 GMA Gala Night at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Newport, Pasay City.
Notably, GMA’s most well-known talents, particularly from their in-house agency Sparkle, were not the only ones who graced the annual event; even Kapamilya celebrities from ABS-CBN were also present.
With the theme “Bling,” this year’s edition saw these celebrities show off their glamorous black-and-white ensembles and sparkling accessories.
Here are some of our favorite looks:
Marian Rivera has long perfected the art of pulling off classic and minimalist ensembles. For this year’s gala, she wowed fans again in a custom Nicole + Felicia couture strapless black gown. The crystal-studded rosettes adorning the neckline elevated the seemingly simple piece.
A fashion list wouldn’t be complete without style icon Heart Evangelista. The socialite was a vision in white, thanks to a creation from Italian house Giambattista Valli. Her halter-style gown is characterized by a high neckline, floral and ribbon detailing, embellished sides, and a balloon skirt.
Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee went for a subtle, sexy look in her black strapless sheer gown with tulle skirt from Francis Libiran.
Encantadia star Glaiza de Castro was a standout in her silver strapless gown. The sheer piece was adorned with fringes and sparkly embellishments. She completed her look with a mesh shawl.
You can never go wrong with a classic, and Barbie Forteza knows that. The custom strapless white ball gown by Mak Tumang featured a deep neckline and floral appliques at the skirt’s hems.
Leave it to Bianca Umali to put a chic spin on menswear. Designed by Joey Samson, the reimagined tuxedo featured a high-collared pleated top with a black bow tie. The whole piece was completed by a high-waisted asymmetrical maxi skirt and pointed heels.
Donning an Alaïa creation, Bea Alonzo looked ethereal in the classic white turtleneck and long-sleeved gown. Her silhouette was highlighted by the large textured floral embellishments on the hip part of the bodice.
Even with her previous GMA Gala looks, Gabbi Garcia was never the one to shy away from dramatic sillhouettess. For this year, she was a sight to behold in a metallic structural gown by Rick Owens.
Always the one to command attention, Vice Ganda was a sight to behold in a black strapless leather gown.
Kyline Alcantara looked captivating in her nude gown with symmetrical cording.
Actress-singer Julie Anne San Jose channeled old Hollywood with her feathered gown from Michael Cinco.
Who are the other stars that made it to your best-dressed list? – Rappler.com
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Redemption run: Rianne Malixi rules US Girls’ Junior Championship in record fashion | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 13:51 | CHAMPION. Rianne Malixi lifts the trophy after winning the 2024 US Girls' Junior Championship.
Mike Ehrmann/USGA
MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi refused to be on the receiving end of another heartbreak.
The Filipina ruled the US Girls’ Junior Championship a year after settling for runner-up, toppling Asterisk Talley in the final at the El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 20 (Sunday, July 21, Manila time).
Prepared for her big moment, Malixi won in record fashion, with her 8-and-7 triumph over the American being the biggest winning margin in tournament history.
Malixi, 17, redeemed herself from a stinging one-hole loss to Filipino-American Kiara Romero last year as she became the second golfer representing the Philippines to capture the championship after Princess Superal first achieved the feat in 2014.
“I’m getting pretty emotional right now because I know how much hard work I’ve put in the past years,” said a teary-eyed Malixi. “I’m not the only one who made a lot of sacrifices. I’d like to credit my family, especially my dad.”
“He sacrificed a lot of time for me, just to accompany me training, and just really providing what is best for me to become a better player.”
Malixi came out with guns blazing in the first half of the 36-hole clash, taking a commanding 6-up lead by the 18th after firing nine birdies.
Talley cut her deficit to 5-up by the 24th hole, but Malixi got the job done as she birdied the 25th and 27th holes then went for par at 29th, which the American bogeyed, to go 8-up and clinch the crown with seven holes to spare.
Malixi sank 14 birdies in total and recorded no bogeys.
“I was just really playing good golf this week. I was not expecting it today. My putter was just so hot all day. Credit to my putter,” said Malixi.
Finishing stroke play as the second seed, Malixi beat Annie Jin in the round of 64, Kennedy Swedick in the round of 32, Yanling Elaine Liu in the round of 16, Madison Messimer in the quarterfinals, and Jasmine Koo in the semifinals.
Her victory over Talley earned Malixi a spot in the 2025 US Women’s Open, where Japan’s Yuka Saso – who won the major for the Philippines in 2021 – seeks to defend her crown.
Malixi plans to attend Duke University in 2025. – Rappler.com
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Here’s how Filipinos can achieve ‘Freedom’ to build their future savings | gbarrientos0280 | 19/07/2024 15:41 | In this day and age, the effects of inflation are palpable from month to month. It hits every aspect of our lives, from food costs, to housing, to utilities, down to transport. As these rising costs of living continue to pile up, how are you preparing for the future?
According to the 2024 Manulife Asia Care Survey, 58% of Filipinos surveyed are planning to delay their retirement because of familial financial responsibility. 43% of Filipinos also shared that having passive income after retirement is their top financial goal. All while thinking about their futures, 81% of Filipinos are burdened in the present with worries about inflation.
It’s clear that to navigate an economy like this, it’s wise to start planning for 20 years from now, today. To help reach these goals, Manulife designed an insurance plan built to help protect your health, and provide guarantees that can help you save up for the future.
The Manulife Asia Care Survey revealed that Filipinos’ financial goals are security after retirement, savings for healthcare needs, and freedom from debt. Manulife’s Freedom and Manulife China Bank Life (MCBL)’s Assure Max are built with Filipinos’ stability in mind.
Manulife’s plans are designed to help make your dreams become a reality. Whether it’s helping to sustain your growing family or building financial freedom to pursue your passions, Manulife’s insurance with investment plans can be your long-term partner for financial preparedness.
Manulife’s Freedom lets you build a stable financial investment despite life’s unpredictability. It’s available in two models: a 20-year length or until age 65. It also has flexible payment terms, available in five or 10-year payment plans.
With this plan, there are guarantees. First, it protects you through life insurance coverage during your chosen plan’s length that will provide 200% of your plan’s face amount. Second, it guarantees long-term savings through a lump-sum cash benefit released upon plan maturity, helping secure your life after retirement.
It also provides cash payouts equal to 10% of the face amount given every two years after full payment of the plan. This can help you keep up with the costs of your child’s growth or even go on your dream travels every other year. Alternatively, you can opt to reinvest these payouts for bigger lump-sum benefits at plan maturity.
Want more out of Freedom? You can also boost your plan to secure supplementary benefits for health emergencies, accidental death, or disability.
For China Bank and China Bank Savings customers, Manulife has made it more convenient to enjoy Freedom’s similar features with the MCBL Assure Max plan. It also serves as a reliable savings fund to help you with your expenses, while kick-starting your journey towards a rewarding retirement.
With your goals in mind, do you want to find out where ‘better’ can take you? Visit the Manulife website or the MCBL website, and talk to a financial advisor today. – Rappler.com
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[OPINION] Rodrigo Duterte and his ‘unconditional love’ for China | Jairo Bolledo | 21/07/2024 10:00 | DIALOGUE. Then-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting in Beijing on August 29, 2019.
Malacanang
Senator Risa Hontiveros delivered the following speech at the book launch of “Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace,” authored by Rappler editor-at-large Marites Vitug and former Rappler reporter Camille Elemia, at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni on July 18, 2024.
A very good afternoon to everyone. To Marites Vitug and Camille Elemia, a huge congratulations for this book.
If any of you have followed our interventions in the Senate when it comes to China’s incursions into the West Philippine Sea, I almost always refer to Marites’s earlier work, Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China.
It gave me a much, much deeper appreciation not only for the significance of the 2016 arbitral award but also for all the people who were in the frontlines of this legal and diplomatic battle – people like the esteemed former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, who has continued to inspire in us the drive, grit, and courage to stand up to a bully.
Rock Solid is such a rich resource, a treasure trove of facts and stories that serves like a bible of sorts for those who want to defend our sovereignty. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that Marites has started working on a new book; this time with another terrific journalist, Camille.
Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace, as I have written in my blurb for the book, is a damning record of the former President’s long-running relationship with China. It affirms what we have already known: that there has been no President in the history of the Philippines that has so brazenly, so openly, so shamelessly sold our country out to China like Duterte did.
That the former President loves China is not a surprise. What the book has revealed — and is quite shocking — is how deep and long this affair with China has been going on. It’s as though the Filipino people was duped into a relationship with Duterte in 2016, without fully knowing that his loyalty and affection was for somebody else.
It should have already been a bright red flag when, on July 12, 2016, as we received news of the landmark Hague Ruling, the Duterte administration chose to stay mum. To act as if this victory didn’t put our country in the annals of history. To diminish the power that it has given the Philippines in this difficult and grating intergenerational fight against China.
Fresh from being elected to the highest of the land, his deafening silence on the 2016 arbitral award was a premonition of things to come — not only in terms of our foreign policy, but also in terms of national governance and politics.
As soon as he took office, it became clear that he was going to pivot away from our traditional allies who’ve had longstanding collective commitments to uphold human rights and the international rules-based order.
As soon as he was President, Duterte, riding on the populist wave, persisted with his single-issue message on the war on drugs — a message that created a climate of fear, impunity, and violence among our people. A narrative that allowed him to employ classic political theatrics by persecuting political enemies, with former senator Leila de Lima as a central figure. A story that created villains out of journalists, the media, us in the Opposition, and all other democracy-loving nations who condemned and sought accountability for his murderous drug war.
As part of the minority during the Duterte administration, it was frustrating to witness how very rarely he or China was called out by other colleagues. It felt like we, in the Minority, were alone in pushing back against his proclivity towards autocratic regimes.
In fact, when Duterte announced that the Philippines was going to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), only the six of us in the then-Minority resisted. Only the six of us — former senators Frank Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan, Leila de Lima, Bam Aquino, Sonny Trillanes, and me — asked the Supreme Court to void the Duterte-mandated withdrawal from the ICC.
But our effort was essentially pushed aside. Duterte, resting easy on the loyalty of his acolytes in the Legislature and the Judiciary, had his way. When the Philippines did terminate our relations with the ICC, it established Duterte’s image as an international pariah and resulted in him relying on China even further.
Nonetheless, we kept pushing back. Kept resisting. Kept calling him out. I remember, when he downplayed the 2019 incident in which Chinese crewmen abandoned Filipino fishermen after a collision in the Recto Bank, I demanded that he apologize to the Filipino people for lawyering for China, that he stop being subservient to China, and that he actually fight for our national interest.
But, as this book clearly portrays, Duterte’s unconditional love for China knows no limits. All throughout his presidency, he doggedly defended China — even when hundreds of Chinese ships were seen swarming the Julian Felipe Reef in the middle of the pandemic, even when Filipino ships were constantly harassed and threatened by the Chinese Coast Guard, even when promises of China funding infrastructure projects went awry.
What is worse, even well after his presidency, the ghost of his China pivot still looms large over us. Just a few months ago, the Chinese Embassy in Manila alleged that there was a “Gentleman’s Agreement” between Duterte and Beijing.
An “agreement” that agreed to Philippine vessels and aircraft refraining from coming closer than 12 nautical miles from Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, just over 120 nautical miles away from mainland Zambales, and well within our exclusive economic zone.
An “agreement” to not repair or build structures at Ayungin shoal, to not reinforce our biggest sovereign marker, the BRP Sierra Madre.
If true, these were agreements that were kept secret…and hidden away from the Filipino people. This is why I filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 984 to look into this treasonous “Gentleman’s Agreement” and I have done so because these are serious — potentially divisive — allegations.
These are serious because the first “Gentleman’s Agreement” effectively diminishes our sovereignty by conceding a “no-go” zone for Philippine ships and aircraft inside our own EEZ, as well as the unlawful occupation of Panatag Shoal by a foreign power.
The second risks our tenuous toehold in Ayungin. If we do not repair and reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre, it will fall to wind and wave, and with it our control of Reed Bank — which may hold as much as 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The news about this so-called “Gentleman’s Agreement” came out after I already received the first manuscript of this book, which only goes to show how there may still be more that we do not yet know about Duterte’s special relationship with China. Perhaps we might need to watch out for “Unrequited Love Part 2!”
But of course, this book in itself is already a revelation. It details how a “small-time” mayor from the south of the Philippines long nurtured a relationship with a big-time superpower. How he curated a space where local politics, business interests, and international relations can all intermingle to suit his personal ambitions. How the relationships he’s built became the bane of an entire nation’s existence.
The extensive historical and contextual information in the book is highly commendable. The authors were even able to trace how the notorious Michael Yang became part of Duterte’s inner circle. Michael Yang who became his economic presidential advisor. The same Michael Yang who was implicated in the Pharmally scandal. The same Michael Yang who seems to also have ties with criminal-infested POGOs.
In fact, in our most recent expose, we found that Michael Yang’s brother, Yang HongJiang, has a joint bank account with one Yu Zheng Can, an incorporator of the raided POGO in Bamban, Tarlac. Yes, we discovered that the company of the infamous Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping has direct transactions with this joint bank account. In short: Michael Yang’s brother was funding the POGO in Bamban.
And according to our research, during Duterte’s time, the Yang brothers went to Beijing to attend a “Chinese Communist Party-sponsored conference” as Philippine representatives of the All China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese.
It is truly outrageous that until now – even with Duterte out of power – the dark shadows of his administration still follow us. A darkness that can still return in the 2025 elections. A darkness that can once again envelope our nation for the years to come.
The threat of a Duterte comeback is why books like Unrequited Love should be read and shared and explained and repeated as many times and as widely as possible.
Unrequited Love is an important record of the sins of a Philippine president. Of his unfaithfulness to his mandate. Of his betrayal of the Filipino people.
We need this record to make him accountable for his actions.
We need this so we learn our lessons.
Again, congratulations at maraming salamat (and thank you so much), Marites and Camille, for this book, for this historical record. We will do our best to make good use of this work.
Salamat po sa panahon at sa pakikinig (Thank you for the time and for listening). – Rappler.com
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Tropical Storm Carina strengthens again, seen to affect Batanes, Cagayan | Acor Arceo | 21/07/2024 14:05 | CARINA. Satellite image of Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) as of July 21, 2024, 11 am.
JMA
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) continued to intensify over the Philippine Sea on Sunday morning, July 21, and is already on track to reach severe tropical storm status within the day.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 11 am on Sunday that Carina’s maximum sustained winds increased from 75 kilometers per hour to 85 km/h.
The tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 115 km/h from the previous 90 km/h.
It was last spotted 350 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, moving west at a faster 20 km/h from only 10 km/h earlier.
Carina is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, but its outer rainbands will affect the provinces of Batanes and Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands. PAGASA warned that the rain may trigger floods and landslides.
Below is the weather bureau’s updated rainfall forecast for the tropical storm.
Sunday noon, July 21, to Monday noon, July 22
Monday noon, July 22, to Tuesday noon, July 23
Tuesday noon, July 23, to Wednesday noon, July 24
PAGASA might also raise Signal No. 1 for extreme Northern Luzon and the northeastern part of mainland Cagayan by Sunday evening or Monday, July 22, “in anticipation of strong winds associated with Carina.”
By Monday evening, Carina could already be a typhoon. “Rapid intensification within the forecast period is possible,” according to the weather bureau.
Carina is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.
Here is PAGASA’s latest rainfall forecast for the enhanced southwest monsoon, with more areas — including Metro Manila — possibly rainy on Monday, the day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address.
Sunday, July 21
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Floods and landslides are likely, too.
The enhanced southwest monsoon will also bring strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas:
Sunday noon, July 21, to Monday noon, July 22
Monday noon, July 22, to Tuesday noon, July 23
Tuesday noon, July 23, to Wednesday noon, July 24
In addition, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate seas in the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon (waves 1 to 2.5 meters high), western seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon (waves 1.5 to 2.5 meters high), and eastern seaboard of the country on Sunday (waves 1 to 2.5 meters high).
PAGASA advised small boats to take precautionary measures, or if possible, avoid sailing altogether.
Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, July 24, or early Thursday morning, July 25, while moving near the islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago.
It is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024. The second, Tropical Depression Butchoy, left PAR on Saturday morning, July 20.
Butchoy and Carina both developed on Friday evening, July 19. By that time, Butchoy was already moving away from Philippine landmass, with no direct impact. But as a low pressure area, it had affected parts of the country earlier in the week, alongside the southwest monsoon.
PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones in July. – Rappler.com
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IN PHOTOS: Our favorite looks at the GMA Gala 2024 | Ysa Abad | 21/07/2024 13:51 | GMA GALA 2024. Kapuso celebrities grace the annual charity event.
Bianca Umali, Gabbi Garcia, Julie Ann San Jose's Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — Some of the country’s biggest and brightest stars came together on Saturday, July 20, for the 2024 GMA Gala Night at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Newport, Pasay City.
Notably, GMA’s most well-known talents, particularly from their in-house agency Sparkle, were not the only ones who graced the annual event; even Kapamilya celebrities from ABS-CBN were also present.
With the theme “Bling,” this year’s edition saw these celebrities show off their glamorous black-and-white ensembles and sparkling accessories.
Here are some of our favorite looks:
Marian Rivera has long perfected the art of pulling off classic and minimalist ensembles. For this year’s gala, she wowed fans again in a custom Nicole + Felicia couture strapless black gown. The crystal-studded rosettes adorning the neckline elevated the seemingly simple piece.
A fashion list wouldn’t be complete without style icon Heart Evangelista. The socialite was a vision in white, thanks to a creation from Italian house Giambattista Valli. Her halter-style gown is characterized by a high neckline, floral and ribbon detailing, embellished sides, and a balloon skirt.
Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee went for a subtle, sexy look in her black strapless sheer gown with tulle skirt from Francis Libiran.
Encantadia star Glaiza de Castro was a standout in her silver strapless gown. The sheer piece was adorned with fringes and sparkly embellishments. She completed her look with a mesh shawl.
You can never go wrong with a classic, and Barbie Forteza knows that. The custom strapless white ball gown by Mak Tumang featured a deep neckline and floral appliques at the skirt’s hems.
Leave it to Bianca Umali to put a chic spin on menswear. Designed by Joey Samson, the reimagined tuxedo featured a high-collared pleated top with a black bow tie. The whole piece was completed by a high-waisted asymmetrical maxi skirt and pointed heels.
Donning an Alaïa creation, Bea Alonzo looked ethereal in the classic white turtleneck and long-sleeved gown. Her silhouette was highlighted by the large textured floral embellishments on the hip part of the bodice.
Even with her previous GMA Gala looks, Gabbi Garcia was never the one to shy away from dramatic sillhouettess. For this year, she was a sight to behold in a metallic structural gown by Rick Owens.
Always the one to command attention, Vice Ganda was a sight to behold in a black strapless leather gown.
Kyline Alcantara looked captivating in her nude gown with symmetrical cording.
Actress-singer Julie Anne San Jose channeled old Hollywood with her feathered gown from Michael Cinco.
Who are the other stars that made it to your best-dressed list? – Rappler.com
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Redemption run: Rianne Malixi rules US Girls’ Junior Championship in record fashion | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 13:51 | CHAMPION. Rianne Malixi lifts the trophy after winning the 2024 US Girls' Junior Championship.
Mike Ehrmann/USGA
MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi refused to be on the receiving end of another heartbreak.
The Filipina ruled the US Girls’ Junior Championship a year after settling for runner-up, toppling Asterisk Talley in the final at the El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 20 (Sunday, July 21, Manila time).
Prepared for her big moment, Malixi won in record fashion, with her 8-and-7 triumph over the American being the biggest winning margin in tournament history.
Malixi, 17, redeemed herself from a stinging one-hole loss to Filipino-American Kiara Romero last year as she became the second golfer representing the Philippines to capture the championship after Princess Superal first achieved the feat in 2014.
“I’m getting pretty emotional right now because I know how much hard work I’ve put in the past years,” said a teary-eyed Malixi. “I’m not the only one who made a lot of sacrifices. I’d like to credit my family, especially my dad.”
“He sacrificed a lot of time for me, just to accompany me training, and just really providing what is best for me to become a better player.”
Malixi came out with guns blazing in the first half of the 36-hole clash, taking a commanding 6-up lead by the 18th after firing nine birdies.
Talley cut her deficit to 5-up by the 24th hole, but Malixi got the job done as she birdied the 25th and 27th holes then went for par at 29th, which the American bogeyed, to go 8-up and clinch the crown with seven holes to spare.
Malixi sank 14 birdies in total and recorded no bogeys.
“I was just really playing good golf this week. I was not expecting it today. My putter was just so hot all day. Credit to my putter,” said Malixi.
Finishing stroke play as the second seed, Malixi beat Annie Jin in the round of 64, Kennedy Swedick in the round of 32, Yanling Elaine Liu in the round of 16, Madison Messimer in the quarterfinals, and Jasmine Koo in the semifinals.
Her victory over Talley earned Malixi a spot in the 2025 US Women’s Open, where Japan’s Yuka Saso – who won the major for the Philippines in 2021 – seeks to defend her crown.
Malixi plans to attend Duke University in 2025. – Rappler.com
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The making of Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico’s Cinemalaya entry ‘Tumandok’ | Ysa Abad | 21/07/2024 10:22 | Still from ‘Tumandok,’ longtime collaborators Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico’s debut feature at this year’s Cinemalaya.
Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico
After making the laureled short film Dribol for Cinemaybank, a film festival of Maybank Philippines, in 2018, filmmakers Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico, also romantic partners in real life, have since made a pact to never direct a film separately.
This, despite the former pinning her hopes on becoming a writer and working abroad. “Like an Emily in Paris kind of vibe,” Sumagaysay tells me. “It was Richard who really wanted to become a filmmaker since he was in high school.”
At the time, Sumagaysay was still a mass communication student at Central Philippine University, while Salvadico already completed his digital media and interactive arts degree at the same institution.
Since then, they have worked on several shorts such as Chok (2019), Utwas (2020), and Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras (2022) – projects that in many ways informed them what it means to truly build communities and to see filmmaking as a gesture of care.
Their collaboration in Dribol, shot in an Ati community in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, would lead them to create more work for the municipality and visit seven more Ati communities, including Sitio Kabarangkalan, where they filmed Tumandok, their debut feature at this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Utwas and Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras were their previous entries in the festival’s short film competition.
“In 2019, we went to have a cultural mapping in the municipality, and that was the first time that we had been to Sitio Kabrangkalan and met the real En-en who inspired the lead character in our film,” says Sumagaysay.
She adds, “As we were having a Q&A session with the community, En-en stood up and said that there were lowlanders entering their community and threatening them. At that moment, we suddenly felt guilt – the guilt of not trying hard enough to hear the stories of these communities.”
Sumagaysay’s initial response was to write a fiction based on what they had heard, but realized later on that the community’s stories overpowered what she thought would best help them.
“We decided to try seeing the story from the perspective of the community and of En-en, our translator, our tour guide, our interviewee who later on became our friend,” shares the director.
The duo then consulted the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to learn more about the issues of the community and discovered that the tribe needed about half a million to a million Philippine pesos to fast-track the processing of their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) – a process that has been in place since 2007.
The Atis of Sitio Kabarangkalan are among many indigenous communities in the country who have long been struggling to exercise their right to self-determination and safeguard their ancestral lands and identities, especially against corporate mining giants, as previously reported by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and Rappler.
“We aren’t millionaires, nor do we have the right connections to make such an amount. So, we decided to use our privilege to be able to make films for a higher purpose and use the power of cinema and Cinemalaya to reach out to potential sponsors and to shed light on the stories of the community,” explains Sumagaysay.
This is chiefly the reason why the directors were in tears when they received the email from Cinemalaya stating that they made the cut. “We have gone through so much crafting this film,” admits Salvadico.
Tumandok, a docu-fiction film, tracks the life of “a 16-year-old chieftain’s daughter as she fights tooth and nail with her people for their ancestral land.” True to its commitment in recognizing its genesis, the film centers on first-time, all-Ati actors, led by Jenaica Sangher and Felipe Ganancial.
Its visual lexicon is shaped by Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland (2020), Sarah Polley’s Women Talking (2020), and Alejandro Loayza Grisi’s Utama (2022).
“Nomadland for the production setup (we were just a small crew) and cinematography (the use of largely available light); Women Talking for the lengthy but gripping conversations, although Sarah Polley had the convenience of doing a scene for so many takes and we didn’t; and Utama obviously because we are dealing with the story of an indigenous people,” says co-director Salvadico.
Sumagaysay worked on the script alongside Arden Rod Condez, of Cinemalaya 2019 best film John Denver Trending – a gestation period that she describes as “tedious” and “very brain-wrenching.”
“He would often ask me to rewrite and clarify things for him because I would often have typos, and he forgives me for that. We have had multiple days of lock-ins in Pasig and Iloilo, where we would spend time writing and jotting down our ideas. He would sometimes pinch my arm for slacking,” she says of Condez, who also served as producer for Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras.
Particularly challenging for the text, apart from the four revisions it has gone through, notes Sumagaysay, is the shift between languages. “After finalizing the script, we had to translate it from Filipino to Hiligaynon and then to Inati, the language of the Ati. I can understand and speak a few words of their language, but to be sure, we gave the script to En-en and let the community read it. So I would like to believe that they are also writers of the film.”
Sumagaysay says further that working with a non-professional acting ensemble factors into the artistic process. “Especially the actors of the Ati community, because some of them have yet to know how to read and even count. So we would often stay up until 11 at night to dictate their lines and teach them techniques on how to throw lines naturally. Most, if not all of them, are also aloof from lowlanders and outsiders; understandable because of the threats that they have been experiencing from lowlanders or uta as they call them.”
While the film, accompanied by a terrific poster from Justin Besana, was shot for only seven days, the director and the rest of her team lived in the community two months prior to the shoot to establish trust and rapport.
“One of the main issues I had to consider was whether my participation might be tantamount to exploiting the Ati community when involving them as actors. This concern has preoccupied me since pre-production until now. We kept asking each other if their stories were presented true and respectfully.
We have always asked: How can we make sure that the community’s involvement in this film could be termed empowering rather than exploitative? This made us think twice about everything starting from securing informed consent to ensuring equitable and fair pay, up to ensuring that they are comfortable with their roles, wardrobe, and scene.”
Sumagaysay adds, “Then, there were very difficult personal questions regarding how one can amplify the Ati community’s voice yet respect their privacy and dignity. It forced us to figure out how to honestly depict their experiences without exaggerating their hardships or reducing their lives to mere storylines for the screen.”
Salvadico also weighs in on this. “I think the most important thing that we did to address this was to spend two days with them before shooting. We gathered the community and explained to them thoroughly the main purpose of the film [and] they wholeheartedly agreed with it. Even those who were hesitant to go near were suddenly participative during production. I’d like to say that it has become a bayanihan or dagyaw for them. That’s why I always say that this is theirs, not ours.”
“Walang halong showbiz, doing the film with them was such a soul-enriching journey,” he points out.
At a time when environmental plunder is heightened due to corporate greed and state violence and surveillance, displacing our indigenous peoples in the process, the directors ultimately hope that, by putting the struggles of the Atis to the screen, audiences can look past their resilience and actively forged better conditions for them and all oppressed sectors at large. More than anything, Tumandok is a demonstration of the power of community, an insistence that a more humane, livable world is possible now.
“Hopefully, it will inspire more people to take action and support efforts to secure land rights for indigenous communities,” says Sumagaysay. – Rappler.com
This year’s Cinemalaya is set to run from August 2 to 11 at select Ayala malls.
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Angara vows support for teachers’ salary raise, career progression | Bonz Magsambol | 21/07/2024 12:43 | File photo of Education Secretary Sonny Angara during a budget deliberations at the Senate
Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines – While he thumbed down proposals to raise entry-level salary of teachers to P50,000, newly installed Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed confidence that teachers would see a better compensation package under the Marcos administration.
“It’s only a question of how much and when tataas ‘yan, pero I’m confident during the Marcos administration na tataas ang suweldo nila,” Angara said on the sidelines of his oath-taking ceremony in Malacañang Palace on Friday, July 19. (It’s only a question of how much and when it will be raised, but I’m confident that it will happen during the Marcos administration.)
Improving the welfare of teachers was one of the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Angara. The President emphasized that the government should financially support teachers who have families to feed.
Teachers’ groups have been asking the government for a better compensation package. Currently, those who have Teacher 1 designation earn P27,000 per month. For years, many of them have been leaving the country in their quest for better pay and working conditions.
But Angara said that it is impossible to give teachers a P23,000 increase, adding that the government cannot afford it.
“Kung P23,000 [increase] times 900,000 [teachers], mas mataas pa ‘yun sa national budget, sa totoo lang,” he said. (If we give them a P23,000 increase, multiply that by 900,000 teachers, then the total amount would be higher than the national budget, truth be told.)
Aside from better compensation package, the education chief vowed to fix the career progression of teachers.
“Narinig natin ‘yung mga reklamo na ‘yung mga labing limang taon, Teacher 1 pa lang sila. So, ayusin namin ‘yung promotion system sa gobyerno. Tingnan natin ‘yung mga benepisyon nila, ‘yung teaching load nila,” Angara said during a separate event in Quezon City on Saturday, July 20.
(We heard complaints that there are teachers who have been in service for 15 years, yet still at Teacher 1 level. So we will fix the promotion system of the government. We will check their benefits and teaching load.)
Recognizing that teachers are the biggest input to students’ learning, Angara promised to provide more trainings to them so they could improve their teaching quality.
According to a World Bank study in 2016, the knowledge of teachers and the method they use to teach a subject were “important determinants of student learning outcomes in the Philippines.” The study showed that “knowledge of subject matter among elementary and high school teachers is low in most subjects.”
For instance, the World Bank study revealed that a mathematics teacher in high school was only able to answer 31% of the questions “completely correctly,” far from even half of the questions.
“Since the tests are closely aligned with the curriculum, the results suggest that teachers face significant challenges in teaching a considerable portion of the current K to 12 curriculum,” the study said.
Angara replaced Vice President Sara Duterte as education chief. She stepped down on June 19, effectively leaving the Marcos Cabinet. Duterte had said that she was resigning “out of concern for teachers and the Filipino youth.” – Rappler.com
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Sports under Marcos Year 2: More help needed | delfin.dioquino editor | 20/07/2024 11:54 | Cignal TV
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine sports has enjoyed a steady rise over the past years.
The number of Filipino participants in the Paris Games is enough proof to that notion, with the Philippines sending 22 athletes for its biggest Olympic delegation since 1992.
And hopes of exceeding or matching the Philippines’ historic four-medal haul in the previous Tokyo Games, which included a breakthrough gold, two silvers, and one bronze, is no longer a lofty goal as the likes of pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial provide promising chances.
But the lack of support for Filipino athletes remain.
Even President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. admitted to be “embarrassed” of the insufficient financial backing Filipino athletes receive from the government that he doubled the cash incentives for medalists in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games.
“I am always a little embarrassed when I see that we are not supporting our athletes and our coaches and our trainers and all the support groups, even the families,” said Marcos.
“[C]onsidering the honor and the pride that you bring to the Philippines, it seems that it is not commensurate for the great service that you do to our country and to our people.”
“We need to repay the sacrifice and the honor that you gave our beloved Philippines,” Marcos added in Filipino. “Rest assured that this administration will do everything to support and bring out the athletes’ talent and skills.”
As usual, though, Filipino athletes continue to pull through and deliver – no matter the circumstances.
The SEA Games in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia, saw the Philippines net its biggest overseas gold-medal haul in the biennial showpiece in nearly four decades as it won 58, its most since capturing 59 in the 1987 edition.
In total, the Philippines bagged 260 medals, including 85 silvers and 117 bronzes, to finish fifth overall.
Yulo emerged as the Philippines’ best performing athlete for the third straight SEA Games, churning out two golds and two silvers despite a medal limit imposed by host Cambodia in gymnastics.
Also rising to the occasion, Gilas Pilipinas regained SEA Games supremacy after overcoming a souped-up Cambodian squad bolstered by five naturalized players from the United States in the final.
Para athletes were phenomenal as well.
The Philippines produced its best campaign in ASEAN Para Games history by capturing 34 golds on top of 33 silvers and 50 bronzes for a total of 117 medals.
Para chess standout Darry Bernardo starred for the Philippines with six golds, while para swimmer Angel Otom made a splash, claiming four golds.
Respectable results in the international scene will not be possible without a consistent grassroots program.
Under Marcos’ administration, Palarong Pambansa made its comeback in 2023 after being shelved for four years due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Marikina City serving as host.
Marcos underscored the importance of nurturing the Philippines’ future sports heroes.
“I assure you that this government remains steadfast in developing the prowess of our young athletes and in championing their wellbeing. This administration believes in a transformative power of sports, not only in improving one’s strength and agility, but also in building up character and discipline,” Marcos said.
“These kinds of events, the Palarong Pambansa, the Palarong Panlalawigan, our regional meets, these are where we find our future champions.”
“With consistent and diligent effort, I am confident that they will eventually bring glory to our nation, not only in the field of sports, but also in other endeavors that they will choose to pursue.”
The 2024 Palarong Pambansa hosted by Cebu City then saw the debut of student-athletes from the National Academy of Sports (NAS), which opened classes in 2021 after being signed into law by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2020.
As NAS was established during the pandemic, it held only virtual classes starting September 2021. Construction of the campus, too, got delayed and physical classes started only in January 2024.
Fielding 47 student-athletes, the NAS – which is located in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, and overseen by the Department of Education and Philippine Sports Commission – nailed one gold, five silvers, and two bronzes for a total of eight medals in the Palaro.
With hardly any surprise, National Capital Region maintained its Palarong Pambansa dominance by clinching its 17th straight overall championship on the back of a 98-gold, 66-silver, 74-bronze haul.
“This event is more than just an inter-school, an inter-regional competition. It is also a platform where we discover, where we develop and hone future professional athletes, Olympians, and servant leaders,” said Marcos.
Perhaps the biggest sporting challenge of Marcos’ second year in office was the Philippines’ co-hosting of the FIBA World Cup with Japan and Indonesia.
Coincidentally, it marked the first time the country hosted the global hoops showdown since 1978, when his father and late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was also the president.
The price of hosting was originally pegged at P800 million by the government, but reportedly ballooned to over P1 billion. Most of it was expectedly spent on logistics and operational cost, with Marcos also creating an inter-agency task force for the monumental event.
“The successful organization and hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 requires the involvement, coordination, and support of all concerned government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and the private sector,” the administrative order said.
Marcos tasked agencies such as the Foreign Affairs, Internal and Local Government, Public Works and Highways, Transportation, Health, and Tourism departments, Customs and and Immigration bureaus, Philippine National Police, and the Metro Manila Development Authority, with the duty of “streamlining, integrating, harmonizing, and coordinating” all government efforts for the hosting.
The Philippines served home to 16 of the 32 qualified squads in the group stages from August to September 2023, including powerhouses USA and Serbia, with the last teams standing from Japan and Indonesia also converging in Manila to play the final phase.
Germany, led by tournament MVP Dennis Schroeder, lifted the Naismith Trophy after an enthralling run that saw it survive Latvia in the quarterfinals, stun the USA in the semifinals, and edge Serbia in the finale for its first-ever World Cup crown.
The USA missed the podium for the second straight edition after bowing to Canada in the bronze-medal game – a loss that forced the Americans to bring out the big guns as they tapped NBA superstars LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant for their title-retention bid in the Paris Olympics.
Gilas Pilipinas, meanwhile, delivered a performance to remember at home by beating China for its first World Cup win since 2014.
In danger of becoming the first World Cup host to go winless since Colombia failed to notch a victory in 1982, the Philippines rode on the hot hands of NBA player Jordan Clarkson as it ended a nine-game skid in the World Cup.
While the World Cup satisfied Filipino fans’ hoop passion, with NBA stars Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards all representing their countries, and basketball greats Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, and Luis Scola all coming to the Philippines as ambassadors, there were quite a few hitches.
The low fan turnout in some games due to the high ticket cost at the Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena stood out, prompting FIBA to admit “unsuccessful” ticket pricing.
Still, Filipinos made sure to support its home team as a FIBA record 38,115 – including Marcos – watched Gilas Pilipinas’ opener against Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
But in the end, the hosting delivered gains in the economic front as the hosting showcase gave “the country a much-needed infusion following three years of constrained business activities during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to several tycoons, including Manny V. Pangilinan and Ramon S. Ang, who put in major stakes in the global basketball event.
All eyes are now on Filipino athletes who will compete in Paris as the Philippines celebrates its 100th year of Olympic participation since it debuted in 1924 in the same French capital.
Obiena, Yulo, Petecio, Paalam, Marcial, golfer Bianca Pagdanganan, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, weightlifter Elreen Ando, and swimmer Kayla Sanchez, formerly of Canada, return for their second Olympic stints, while the rest of the Philippine delegation see action in the Games for the first time.
This group of Filipino athletes bear the weight of immense pressure and expectation, especially after weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz ended the Philippines’ long search for an Olympic gold when she reigned supreme in the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Diaz fueled the Philippines’ biggest medal haul in Olympic history as Petecio and Paalam each contributed a silver and Marcial added a bronze.
But with Diaz missing the Olympics after four consecutive appearances, the task of building on the Philippines’ gains in Tokyo now falls on the shoulders of its Olympic holdovers and first-timers.
While the PSC, the government’s sporting arm, funded the campaign, the Filipino bets also got a boost from the private sector, like the Philippine Olympic Committee and Cignal TV organizing a monthlong training camp for the first time in Metz, France to help the athletes’ Paris 2024 buildup.
“As you step on to the global stage, hold our flag high and show the world what a Filipino is made of,” said Marcos when he sent off Team Philippines on June 21. “We believe in you, we are proud of you, and we will be with you every step of this remarkable journey.”
With the promised support, from moral to financial, hopefully it won’t be another waiting game for some of the country’s best. – Rappler.com
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Shorthanded Creamline averts disastrous start to PVL Reinforced tilt; PLDT, Chery rise to 2-0 | jisaga0269 | 20/07/2024 21:36 | BOUNCED BACK. The Creamline Cool Smashers huddle after a point in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines – Perennial PVL contender Creamline averted a disastrous start to its 2024 Reinforced Conference campaign after powering past upstart Farm Fresh in a four-set breakthrough, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21, 25-16, at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday, July 20.
Import Erika Staunton redeemed herself after a somewhat muted 20-point debut in the Cool Smashers’ five-set loss to PLDT, rallying with a better 26-point outing on 23 attacks and 3 blocks to go with 14 excellent receptions against the Foxies for a 1-1 record.
Still without former PVL MVPs Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, and Alas Pilipinas national team commit Jema Galanza, Creamline’s local cast found its leader in veteran hitter Michele Gumabao, who supported Staunton with 21 points on 19 attacks, 1 block, and 1 ace.
Reigning All-Filipino Best Setter Kyle Negrito commanded the offense with 20 excellent sets as Bernadeth Pons recorded an all-around line of 9 points, 19 excellent receptions, and 12 excellent digs.
Import Yeny Murillo paced Farm Fresh’s second straight loss with a game-high-tying 26 points, as local opposite hitters Caitlin Viray and Trisha Tubu each supplied 12 points.
Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers rolled to an easier decision, cruising over the Nxled Chameleons, 25-16, 25-20, 25-23, for a 2-0 start to the conference.
Import Khat Bell led all scorers with a 21-point eruption in just three sets, while veteran Ara Galang, donning a Slam Dunk-inspired Hanamichi Sakuragi red hairdo, scrapped her way to an 11-point finish built on 7 attacks and 4 blocks to go with 11 excellent digs.
Wingers Lycha Ebon and Jho Maraguinot paced Nxled’s slide down a 1-1 slate with 8 and 7 points, respectively.
Lastly, the PLDT High Speed Hitters rolled to the triple-header’s most lopsided affair as they pummeled the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-19, 25-16, 25-17, to rise alongside Chery Tiggo with identical 2-0 cards atop Pool A play.
Super scorer Lena Samoilenko posted a game-high 14 points on 11 attacks and 3 blocks. Fiola Ceballos scored 10, while Kath Arado led the defensive end with 16 excellent digs and 9 excellent receptions.
France Ronquillo paced Galeries’ second straight loss with 11 points. – Rappler.com
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The making of Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico’s Cinemalaya entry ‘Tumandok’ | Ysa Abad | 21/07/2024 10:22 | Still from ‘Tumandok,’ longtime collaborators Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico’s debut feature at this year’s Cinemalaya.
Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico
After making the laureled short film Dribol for Cinemaybank, a film festival of Maybank Philippines, in 2018, filmmakers Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico, also romantic partners in real life, have since made a pact to never direct a film separately.
This, despite the former pinning her hopes on becoming a writer and working abroad. “Like an Emily in Paris kind of vibe,” Sumagaysay tells me. “It was Richard who really wanted to become a filmmaker since he was in high school.”
At the time, Sumagaysay was still a mass communication student at Central Philippine University, while Salvadico already completed his digital media and interactive arts degree at the same institution.
Since then, they have worked on several shorts such as Chok (2019), Utwas (2020), and Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras (2022) – projects that in many ways informed them what it means to truly build communities and to see filmmaking as a gesture of care.
Their collaboration in Dribol, shot in an Ati community in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, would lead them to create more work for the municipality and visit seven more Ati communities, including Sitio Kabarangkalan, where they filmed Tumandok, their debut feature at this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Utwas and Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras were their previous entries in the festival’s short film competition.
“In 2019, we went to have a cultural mapping in the municipality, and that was the first time that we had been to Sitio Kabrangkalan and met the real En-en who inspired the lead character in our film,” says Sumagaysay.
She adds, “As we were having a Q&A session with the community, En-en stood up and said that there were lowlanders entering their community and threatening them. At that moment, we suddenly felt guilt – the guilt of not trying hard enough to hear the stories of these communities.”
Sumagaysay’s initial response was to write a fiction based on what they had heard, but realized later on that the community’s stories overpowered what she thought would best help them.
“We decided to try seeing the story from the perspective of the community and of En-en, our translator, our tour guide, our interviewee who later on became our friend,” shares the director.
The duo then consulted the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to learn more about the issues of the community and discovered that the tribe needed about half a million to a million Philippine pesos to fast-track the processing of their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) – a process that has been in place since 2007.
The Atis of Sitio Kabarangkalan are among many indigenous communities in the country who have long been struggling to exercise their right to self-determination and safeguard their ancestral lands and identities, especially against corporate mining giants, as previously reported by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and Rappler.
“We aren’t millionaires, nor do we have the right connections to make such an amount. So, we decided to use our privilege to be able to make films for a higher purpose and use the power of cinema and Cinemalaya to reach out to potential sponsors and to shed light on the stories of the community,” explains Sumagaysay.
This is chiefly the reason why the directors were in tears when they received the email from Cinemalaya stating that they made the cut. “We have gone through so much crafting this film,” admits Salvadico.
Tumandok, a docu-fiction film, tracks the life of “a 16-year-old chieftain’s daughter as she fights tooth and nail with her people for their ancestral land.” True to its commitment in recognizing its genesis, the film centers on first-time, all-Ati actors, led by Jenaica Sangher and Felipe Ganancial.
Its visual lexicon is shaped by Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland (2020), Sarah Polley’s Women Talking (2020), and Alejandro Loayza Grisi’s Utama (2022).
“Nomadland for the production setup (we were just a small crew) and cinematography (the use of largely available light); Women Talking for the lengthy but gripping conversations, although Sarah Polley had the convenience of doing a scene for so many takes and we didn’t; and Utama obviously because we are dealing with the story of an indigenous people,” says co-director Salvadico.
Sumagaysay worked on the script alongside Arden Rod Condez, of Cinemalaya 2019 best film John Denver Trending – a gestation period that she describes as “tedious” and “very brain-wrenching.”
“He would often ask me to rewrite and clarify things for him because I would often have typos, and he forgives me for that. We have had multiple days of lock-ins in Pasig and Iloilo, where we would spend time writing and jotting down our ideas. He would sometimes pinch my arm for slacking,” she says of Condez, who also served as producer for Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras.
Particularly challenging for the text, apart from the four revisions it has gone through, notes Sumagaysay, is the shift between languages. “After finalizing the script, we had to translate it from Filipino to Hiligaynon and then to Inati, the language of the Ati. I can understand and speak a few words of their language, but to be sure, we gave the script to En-en and let the community read it. So I would like to believe that they are also writers of the film.”
Sumagaysay says further that working with a non-professional acting ensemble factors into the artistic process. “Especially the actors of the Ati community, because some of them have yet to know how to read and even count. So we would often stay up until 11 at night to dictate their lines and teach them techniques on how to throw lines naturally. Most, if not all of them, are also aloof from lowlanders and outsiders; understandable because of the threats that they have been experiencing from lowlanders or uta as they call them.”
While the film, accompanied by a terrific poster from Justin Besana, was shot for only seven days, the director and the rest of her team lived in the community two months prior to the shoot to establish trust and rapport.
“One of the main issues I had to consider was whether my participation might be tantamount to exploiting the Ati community when involving them as actors. This concern has preoccupied me since pre-production until now. We kept asking each other if their stories were presented true and respectfully.
We have always asked: How can we make sure that the community’s involvement in this film could be termed empowering rather than exploitative? This made us think twice about everything starting from securing informed consent to ensuring equitable and fair pay, up to ensuring that they are comfortable with their roles, wardrobe, and scene.”
Sumagaysay adds, “Then, there were very difficult personal questions regarding how one can amplify the Ati community’s voice yet respect their privacy and dignity. It forced us to figure out how to honestly depict their experiences without exaggerating their hardships or reducing their lives to mere storylines for the screen.”
Salvadico also weighs in on this. “I think the most important thing that we did to address this was to spend two days with them before shooting. We gathered the community and explained to them thoroughly the main purpose of the film [and] they wholeheartedly agreed with it. Even those who were hesitant to go near were suddenly participative during production. I’d like to say that it has become a bayanihan or dagyaw for them. That’s why I always say that this is theirs, not ours.”
“Walang halong showbiz, doing the film with them was such a soul-enriching journey,” he points out.
At a time when environmental plunder is heightened due to corporate greed and state violence and surveillance, displacing our indigenous peoples in the process, the directors ultimately hope that, by putting the struggles of the Atis to the screen, audiences can look past their resilience and actively forged better conditions for them and all oppressed sectors at large. More than anything, Tumandok is a demonstration of the power of community, an insistence that a more humane, livable world is possible now.
“Hopefully, it will inspire more people to take action and support efforts to secure land rights for indigenous communities,” says Sumagaysay. – Rappler.com
This year’s Cinemalaya is set to run from August 2 to 11 at select Ayala malls.
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Alex Eala bags doubles crown, reaches singles final of W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz | Jasmine Payo | 21/07/2024 9:46 | CHAMPS. Alex Eala and Estelle Cascino celebrate winning the W75 Croissy-Beaubourg doubles title.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala and Estelle Cascino showed their partnership has become even more lethal as the Filipino-French partners captured their second doubles crown in the ITF W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain on Saturday, July 20.
Seeded No. 3, Eala and Cascino proved steadier when it mattered to ward off the tough challenge from Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria and Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, 6-3, 2-6, 10-4, in the women’s doubles final at the Peña Vitoriana Tenis Club.
The first time Eala and Cascino of France teamed up in the ITF W75 Croissy-Beaubourg last March, they were an unseeded pair who surprised the field and copped the championship after upsetting the second seeds in the quarterfinal and the top seeds in the finale.
This week in Spain, Eala and Cascino showed their partnership has become deadlier as they waylaid all their opponents in straight sets en route to a spot in the championship round.
The unseeded Karatancheva and Marcinkevica, though, were looking to duplicate their performance in the semifinal where they stunned top seeds Eden Silva of Great Britain and Valeriya Strakhova of Ukraine, 3-6, 6-3, 12-10.
Eala and Cascino would have none of it.
They buckled down to work early by opening a 4-2 lead in the first set, breaking serve twice to sandwich the fourth game where Cascino dropped her serve. They breezed through the set the rest of the way to win, 6-3.
But Karatancheva and Marcinkevica came back in the second set with bad intentions. They broke Eala twice and Cascino once to score a breakaway victory, 6-2, and extend the final to an appropriate conclusion, a super tiebreak.
Yet the deciding set proved anti-climactic as it was anything but close. From 1-1, Eala and Cascino scored the next seven points to pull away, 8-1. The closest they allowed their Bulgarian and Latvian foes was at 9-4.
It was all over after an hour and 12 minutes as Eala and Cascino remained undefeated as a duo and with their second ITF doubles trophies in tow.
Eala will have a chance for a double victory celebration as she also made the final of the singles competition after a straight-set victory over Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez of Mexico, 6-2, 6-1, also on Saturday.
The fifth-seeded Eala never dropped her serve the entire match while breaking Portillo Ramirez five times.
Eala, who just hit a career-high ranking at world No. 155, has not dropped a set this entire week in singles.
And Eala looks to sustain that in the women’s singles finale on Sunday at 6 pm, Philippine time, in a battle featuring a tantalizing matchup between two promising teen prospects.
The 19-year-old Filipina will face off against 18-year-old Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva of Andorra, who posted an impressive 6-2, 6-2 win over second seed Jessika Ponchet of France in the semifinal.
While Eala is a former US Open girls singles champion and former No. 2 junior player in the world, Jiménez Kasintseva won the Australian Open girls singles and became the No. 1 junior player when she was just 14 years old.
Both Eala and Jiménez Kasintseva have won four ITF singles titles apiece and will be quite familiar with each other’s game.
The two teamed up as doubles partners in the 2021 ITF W25 Madrid where they reached the quarterfinals.
Over in Thailand, the Philippines’ top men’s doubles player Francis Casey Alcantara and Thai teen standout Maximus Jones won the championship of the ITF World Tour M6
The duo defeated Adil Kalyanpur and Vishnu Vardhan of India, 2-6, 7-5, 10-8, in the final also on Saturday at the Walailak University Tennis Centre in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
This is the second title in two weeks and third straight finals appearance in three weeks for the 32-year-old Alcantara and the 19-year-old Jones. They emerged champions of last week’s ITF World Tour M5 at the same venue. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Chinese Taipei-Blue – Jones Cup 2024 | jisaga0269 | 21/07/2024 18:45 | Strong Group Athletics/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group-Pilipinas reclaimed the William Jones Cup crown for the Philippines after a thrilling 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue in the virtual championship match on Sunday, July 21.
American import Tajuan Agee proved to be a stabilizer, while locals Kiefer Ravena and RJ Abarrientos delivered timely hits as Strong Group won the Philippines its seventh Jones Cup title by going unbeaten in eight games.
Steady at the line, Agee finished with 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 free throw clip to go with 9 rebounds, while Abarrientos and Ravena chipped in 14 and 9 points, respectively, on a combined 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
Chris McCullough struggled with 12 points on a paltry 4-of-16 shooting and fouled out in the extra period, but his basket off a goaltending gave Strong Group an 80-78 edge – a lead big enough to fend off the Taiwanese.
DJ Fenner added 15 points and 9 rebounds for Strong Group, which became the first team from the Philippines to rule the Jones Cup since Mighty Sports won in 2019.
All hope seemed lost for Strong Group in regulation after the hosts grabbed a 71-64 lead before the visitors unloaded a 9-0 run capped by a clutch Ravena three-pointer to seize the upper hand at 73-71.
But Chinese Taipei-Blue knotted the score at 73-73 after a Gil Baker putback and eventually forced overtime after Ravena missed his potential game-winning jumper.
Chinese Taipei-Blue absorbed its first loss and finished with a 7-1 record.
Strong Group-Pilipinas goes for gold in its highly productive 2024 William Jones Cup campaign as it stakes its undefeated 7-0 record against fellow top squad Chinese Taipei-Blue in Taiwan on Sunday, July 21.
Already beyond avenging Rain or Shine-Philippines’ lackluster run last year, the undermanned yet talented Strong Group looks for a perfect finish this time around as the likes of super import Chris McCullough and all-around guards Jordan Heading and RJ Abarrientos continue to fire on all cylinders.
Even without naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame, Fil-Am veteran Caelan Tiongson, defense-first import Tajuan Agee, and Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando in the active roster, the Charles Tiu-coached squad proved it has more than enough firepower after last blasting Chinese Taipei-White, 96-70.
McCullough lived at the line for 25 points on 10-of-13 free throws, while backcourt partners Kiefer Ravena and Abarrientos scored 14 and 13, respectively, to help keep Strong Group undefeated in the weeklong tournament with a brutal daily schedule, where the team with the best record at the end of the single round-robin bags the title.
Expect the same core to keep up its stellar play as the prime Chinese Taipei team comes knocking on Sunday evening, carrying its own unbeaten slate.
But Tiu said Abando and Kouame will play through their injuries, while Agee will be a game-time decision as the American import was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after suffering from food poisoning.
“Rhenz’s hand is still swollen and the same goes for Ange’s knee, but they will play through it since this is an all-or-nothing game,” said Tiu. “They know how important this game is for the country.”
Tiu added: “We will be watching Agee’s minutes closely since he has been very dehydrated because of the gastro issues he suffered. His health is important, but his presence on the court is also crucial for us.”
Strong Group aims to keep its 43rd Jones Cup run spotless until the very end, while home team Chinese Taipei-Blue looks to ruin the visitors’ party with a last-minute golden heist.
Tip off is at 7 pm. – Rappler.com
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HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Chinese Taipei-Blue – Jones Cup 2024 | jisaga0269 | 21/07/2024 18:45 | Strong Group Athletics/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group-Pilipinas reclaimed the William Jones Cup crown for the Philippines after a thrilling 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue in the virtual championship match on Sunday, July 21.
American import Tajuan Agee proved to be a stabilizer, while locals Kiefer Ravena and RJ Abarrientos delivered timely hits as Strong Group won the Philippines its seventh Jones Cup title by going unbeaten in eight games.
Steady at the line, Agee finished with 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 free throw clip to go with 9 rebounds, while Abarrientos and Ravena chipped in 14 and 9 points, respectively, on a combined 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
Chris McCullough struggled with 12 points on a paltry 4-of-16 shooting and fouled out in the extra period, but his basket off a goaltending gave Strong Group an 80-78 edge – a lead big enough to fend off the Taiwanese.
DJ Fenner added 15 points and 9 rebounds for Strong Group, which became the first team from the Philippines to rule the Jones Cup since Mighty Sports won in 2019.
All hope seemed lost for Strong Group in regulation after the hosts grabbed a 71-64 lead before the visitors unloaded a 9-0 run capped by a clutch Ravena three-pointer to seize the upper hand at 73-71.
But Chinese Taipei-Blue knotted the score at 73-73 after a Gil Baker putback and eventually forced overtime after Ravena missed his potential game-winning jumper.
Chinese Taipei-Blue absorbed its first loss and finished with a 7-1 record.
Strong Group-Pilipinas goes for gold in its highly productive 2024 William Jones Cup campaign as it stakes its undefeated 7-0 record against fellow top squad Chinese Taipei-Blue in Taiwan on Sunday, July 21.
Already beyond avenging Rain or Shine-Philippines’ lackluster run last year, the undermanned yet talented Strong Group looks for a perfect finish this time around as the likes of super import Chris McCullough and all-around guards Jordan Heading and RJ Abarrientos continue to fire on all cylinders.
Even without naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame, Fil-Am veteran Caelan Tiongson, defense-first import Tajuan Agee, and Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando in the active roster, the Charles Tiu-coached squad proved it has more than enough firepower after last blasting Chinese Taipei-White, 96-70.
McCullough lived at the line for 25 points on 10-of-13 free throws, while backcourt partners Kiefer Ravena and Abarrientos scored 14 and 13, respectively, to help keep Strong Group undefeated in the weeklong tournament with a brutal daily schedule, where the team with the best record at the end of the single round-robin bags the title.
Expect the same core to keep up its stellar play as the prime Chinese Taipei team comes knocking on Sunday evening, carrying its own unbeaten slate.
But Tiu said Abando and Kouame will play through their injuries, while Agee will be a game-time decision as the American import was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after suffering from food poisoning.
“Rhenz’s hand is still swollen and the same goes for Ange’s knee, but they will play through it since this is an all-or-nothing game,” said Tiu. “They know how important this game is for the country.”
Tiu added: “We will be watching Agee’s minutes closely since he has been very dehydrated because of the gastro issues he suffered. His health is important, but his presence on the court is also crucial for us.”
Strong Group aims to keep its 43rd Jones Cup run spotless until the very end, while home team Chinese Taipei-Blue looks to ruin the visitors’ party with a last-minute golden heist.
Tip off is at 7 pm. – Rappler.com
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Alex Eala bags doubles crown, reaches singles final of W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz | Jasmine Payo | 21/07/2024 9:46 | CHAMPS. Alex Eala and Estelle Cascino celebrate winning the W75 Croissy-Beaubourg doubles title.
ALEX EALA FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala and Estelle Cascino showed their partnership has become even more lethal as the Filipino-French partners captured their second doubles crown in the ITF W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain on Saturday, July 20.
Seeded No. 3, Eala and Cascino proved steadier when it mattered to ward off the tough challenge from Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria and Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, 6-3, 2-6, 10-4, in the women’s doubles final at the Peña Vitoriana Tenis Club.
The first time Eala and Cascino of France teamed up in the ITF W75 Croissy-Beaubourg last March, they were an unseeded pair who surprised the field and copped the championship after upsetting the second seeds in the quarterfinal and the top seeds in the finale.
This week in Spain, Eala and Cascino showed their partnership has become deadlier as they waylaid all their opponents in straight sets en route to a spot in the championship round.
The unseeded Karatancheva and Marcinkevica, though, were looking to duplicate their performance in the semifinal where they stunned top seeds Eden Silva of Great Britain and Valeriya Strakhova of Ukraine, 3-6, 6-3, 12-10.
Eala and Cascino would have none of it.
They buckled down to work early by opening a 4-2 lead in the first set, breaking serve twice to sandwich the fourth game where Cascino dropped her serve. They breezed through the set the rest of the way to win, 6-3.
But Karatancheva and Marcinkevica came back in the second set with bad intentions. They broke Eala twice and Cascino once to score a breakaway victory, 6-2, and extend the final to an appropriate conclusion, a super tiebreak.
Yet the deciding set proved anti-climactic as it was anything but close. From 1-1, Eala and Cascino scored the next seven points to pull away, 8-1. The closest they allowed their Bulgarian and Latvian foes was at 9-4.
It was all over after an hour and 12 minutes as Eala and Cascino remained undefeated as a duo and with their second ITF doubles trophies in tow.
Eala will have a chance for a double victory celebration as she also made the final of the singles competition after a straight-set victory over Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez of Mexico, 6-2, 6-1, also on Saturday.
The fifth-seeded Eala never dropped her serve the entire match while breaking Portillo Ramirez five times.
Eala, who just hit a career-high ranking at world No. 155, has not dropped a set this entire week in singles.
And Eala looks to sustain that in the women’s singles finale on Sunday at 6 pm, Philippine time, in a battle featuring a tantalizing matchup between two promising teen prospects.
The 19-year-old Filipina will face off against 18-year-old Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva of Andorra, who posted an impressive 6-2, 6-2 win over second seed Jessika Ponchet of France in the semifinal.
While Eala is a former US Open girls singles champion and former No. 2 junior player in the world, Jiménez Kasintseva won the Australian Open girls singles and became the No. 1 junior player when she was just 14 years old.
Both Eala and Jiménez Kasintseva have won four ITF singles titles apiece and will be quite familiar with each other’s game.
The two teamed up as doubles partners in the 2021 ITF W25 Madrid where they reached the quarterfinals.
Over in Thailand, the Philippines’ top men’s doubles player Francis Casey Alcantara and Thai teen standout Maximus Jones won the championship of the ITF World Tour M6
The duo defeated Adil Kalyanpur and Vishnu Vardhan of India, 2-6, 7-5, 10-8, in the final also on Saturday at the Walailak University Tennis Centre in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
This is the second title in two weeks and third straight finals appearance in three weeks for the 32-year-old Alcantara and the 19-year-old Jones. They emerged champions of last week’s ITF World Tour M5 at the same venue. – Rappler.com
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Poet, translator Marne Kilates dies at 71 | Ysa Abad | 20/07/2024 19:12 | REST IN PEACE. Filipino poet Marne Kilates died.
Marne Kilates' Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Multi-awarded Filipino poet and translator Marne Kilates passed away on Saturday, July 20. He was 71.
The Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, the largest organization of Filipino writers in the country, made a post on Kilates death on its Facebook page. He was a member of the UMPIL board of directors.
National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario was among those who paid tribute to his fellow poet.
“Ang ating kaibigan at dakilang makata at tagasalin, MARNE KILATES, dakilang anak ng Bikol, ay pumanaw ngayong hapon, Hulyo 20. Nawalan ang ating bayan ng isang malikhain at makabayang tinig sa panitikan. Hinihiling ko ang panalangin ng pakikiramay sa pamilya,” Almario wrote in a Facebook post, adding details on how the public can send financial donations to the bereaved family.
(Our friend, a great poet and translator, MARNE KILATES, outstanding son of Bicol, passed away this afternoon, July 20. Our country has lost a creative and patriotic literary voice. I ask for your prayers and condolences for his family.)
In a separate Facebook post on Sunday, July 21, Almario also shared a poem he wrote for Marne.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda mourned the passing of Kilates, describing the poet as a “guiding light to Albay in our ethnographic efforts.” Kilates was born in Daraga, Albay,
Kilates has six books of poetry: Children of the Snarl (Aklat Peskador, 1987), Poems en Route (UST Publishing, 1998), Mostly in Monsoon Weather (UP Press, 2007), Pictures and Poems and other (Re)visions (UST Publishing, 2012), Time’s Enchantment & Other Reflections (Ateneo de Naga University Press, 2014), and Lyrical Objects: New and Selected Poems (UST Publishing House, 2015).
He translated the works of fellow Filipino poets Virgilio Almario, the late National Artist Bienvenido L. Lumbera, Rogelio Mangahas, and Fidel Rillo, among others.
Kilates won the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and the Manila Critics Circle’s National Book Award for Poetry for his works. His other recognitions include the Southeast Asian Writers Award, Poet of the Year at the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards, Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, and the Bulawanan na Bikolnon Award from the Ateneo de Naga University.
Kilates received the Most Outstanding Albayano for Literary Arts award in 2014. – Rappler.com
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Tropical Storm Carina slightly intensifies over Philippine Sea | Acor Arceo | 21/07/2024 8:40 | CARINA. Satellite image of Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) as of July 21, 2024, 5 am.
NOAA
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) slightly strengthened over the Philippine Sea before dawn on Sunday, July 21, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 65 kilometers per hour to 75 km/h.
The tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from the previous 80 km/h.
As of 4 am on Sunday, Carina was located 490 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, moving west northwest at only 10 km/h.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 am bulletin that Carina is still expected to remain far from the country’s landmass.
The tropical cyclone’s outer rainbands, however, may affect some northernmost areas in the next two days. Floods and landslides are possible.
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
PAGASA added that it might raise Signal No. 1 for extreme Northern Luzon and the northeastern part of mainland Cagayan by Sunday evening or Monday, July 22, “in anticipation of strong winds associated with Carina.”
Carina is still projected to strengthen into a severe tropical storm by Monday, and into a typhoon by Tuesday, July 23.
“Rapid intensification within the forecast period is possible,” the weather bureau warned.
Carina is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.
In a separate advisory at 11 pm on Saturday, July 20, PAGASA provided this rainfall forecast for the enhanced southwest monsoon:
Sunday, July 21
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
The weather bureau warned that floods and landslides are likely in areas to be affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon.
The southwest monsoon will also bring strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas:
Sunday, July 21
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
In addition, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate seas in the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon, western seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon, and eastern seaboard of the country on Sunday.
Waves are 1 to 2.5 meters high, so small boats must take precautionary measures, or if possible, avoid sailing altogether.
Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, July 24, while moving near the islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago.
It is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024. The second, Tropical Depression Butchoy, left PAR on Saturday morning.
Butchoy and Carina both developed on Friday evening, July 19. By that time, Butchoy was already moving away from Philippine landmass, with no direct impact. But as a low pressure area, it had affected parts of the country earlier in the week, alongside the southwest monsoon.
PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones in July. – Rappler.com
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SGA-Pilipinas blasts Taipei-B for 7-0 Jones Cup card, sets up virtual gold match vs Taipei-A | jisaga0269 | 20/07/2024 19:38 | IN THE ZONE. Strong Group-Pilipinas guard RJ Abarrientos in action against Chinese Taipei in the 2024 William Jones CuP.
STRONG GROUP ATHLETICS/JONES CUP
MANILA, Philippines – It’s seventh heaven for Strong Group-Pilipinas after it hiked its 2024 William Jones Cup record to 7-0 off a 96-70 blowout of Chinese Taipei-White in Taiwan on Saturday, July 20.
Super import Chris McCullough made a living at the line to finish with 25 points on 10-of-13 free throw shooting, while veteran guard Kiefer Ravena sparked the bench mob with 14 points.
New Ginebra rookie guard RJ Abarrientos continued his overseas audition of sorts with 13 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds, as Strong Group next faces Chinese Taipei-Blue in the virtual gold-medal match on Sunday, July 21, 7 pm.
Despite missing the services of naturalized Filipino center Ange Kouame, import Tajuan Agee, and Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando, super-stacked Strong Group hardly noticed its personnel issues after setting the tone with a 20-5 blast right from the opening tip.
The upstart Taiwanese never threatened to upend the game’s fate from that early point as Strong Group created as high as a 31-point separation, 94-63, off an Abarrientos long bomb with the game all but decided in the latter half of the fourth quarter.
Filipino-American DJ Fenner added 12 points and 5 rebounds in the easy win, backstopped by 11 from Jordan Heading and a 6-point, 10-board outing from Geo Chiu.
Chang Chia He paced the loss with 16 points on a perfect 7-of-7 clip and 2-of-2 from three, while Lin Yan Ting scattered 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as Chinese Taipei-White fell to a 3-4 slate in the weeklong, daily tournament.
Strong Group-Pilipinas 96 – McCullough 25, Ravena 14, Abarrientos 13, Fenner 12, Heading 11, Chiu 6, Ynot 6, Manalili 4, Ildefonso 3, Liwag 2.
Chinese Taipei-White 70 – Chang 16, Lin 12, Mbaye 8, Kuan 8, Chen Y. 8, Chen L. 6, Yu A. 4, Wu 3, Hu 2, Yu F. 2, Chiang 1, Wang 0.
Quarters: 30-15, 57-31, 80-54, 96-70.
– Rappler.com
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Palaro to Paris: Joanie Delgaco aces volleyball to rowing jump | Jasmine Payo | 14/07/2024 18:25 | For almost the entirety of her teenage years, Joanie Delgaco was hungry for a volleyball break.
Standing at 5-foot-5 when she was 17 years old, Delgaco was not exactly tall enough for the sport. But she stood out as a setter for Camarines Sur in the Palarong Pambansa, attracting volleyball scouts, including one, she said, from NCAA’s University of Perpetual Help.
Despite receiving interest, Delgaco, who eventually became the first Filipina rower to qualify in the country’s 100-year history in the Olympics, felt her chance to shine in volleyball was slim.
“In volleyball back then, I couldn’t see myself excelling [long-term],” Delgaco said in Filipino.
From age 11 to 17, Delgaco had a volleyball career in sight, even idolizing former UAAP star Alyssa Valdez. But eventually, the Iriga native gave herself a reality check.
She felt the need to try something new, so when an opportunity to try out and train for a different sport in Manila came, a teenaged Delgaco took a leap of faith.
Convinced by a rowing coach, Delgaco jumped into her new sport, betting on her physical tools and innate strength, which her mentors believed to be her biggest asset.
“He really talked to me and my parents. I said alright, if I could do well in rowing, maybe this is really for me,” she said.
Starting without any knowledge of the sport, Delgaco traveled to Manila for the first time in her life. She did not even bring a travel bag with her, using instead a cardboard box to pack her clothes and relocate to the city.
Slowly, she grasped the fundamentals of rowing, building herself up to go for an Olympic standard 2,000-meter race.
Rowing techniques included sculling backward, requiring leg and arm strength in pulling back the paddle – a stark contrast to dragon boat, which propels the boat forward.
From orchestrating plays for her volleyball team, Delgaco aced captaining her racing shell, the term used for competitive rowing boats.
“When I started rowing, in under one year, I already won a medal,” shared Delgaco. “That’s when I felt like this is where I am going to excel. And then, every year after that, the blessings did not stop.”
By 2024, her biggest blessing came. Delgaco booked a ticket to the Paris Olympics after placing fourth in the women’s single sculls in the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, last April 21.
The feat made her only the fourth rower – and just the first female – in Philippine history to advance to the Olympic games after Edgardo Maerina (1988 Seoul Games), Benjamin Tolentino Jr. (2000 Sydney Games), and Cris Nievarez (2022 Tokyo Games).
“Isang malaking karangalan na makapasok sa Olympics lalo na sa sport namin na hindi talaga masyado alam (It is a big honor to advance to the Olympics, especially in a sport that many may not be familiar with),” Delgaco said.
It took the 26-year-old three tries, though, noting she tasted defeat in her two previous Olympic attempts.
In 2016, when she was only 18 years old, Delgaco lost her bid for an Olympic ticket, then fell short again in 2021 where she finished just a second shy of qualifying.
Part of her up-and-down journey in the sport also saw her snagging the 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold in Manila, and then bowing out in last year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
But whichever way her campaigns end up, Delgaco always makes sure to represent the country well. More so now that she’s in the sport’s biggest stage.
“Bihira lang mga atletang nakakapasok dito sa Olympic competition (It’s rare to be a part of this),” said Delgaco. – Rappler.com
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Who is Krishnah Marie Gravidez, Miss World Philippines 2024? | Ysa Abad | 20/07/2024 15:38 | WINNER. Baguio's Krishnah Marie Gravidez is Miss World Philippines 2024.
Miss World Philippines' Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Krishnah Marie Gravidez bested 32 other candidates to take home the title of Miss World Philippines 2024 during the coronation night held at the Mall of Asia Arena, on Friday, July 19.
The 23-year-old stunner from Baguio, succeeded Miss World Philippines 2022 Gwendolyne Fourniol to clinch her second crown from a national pageant.
Describing her family situation as “far from ideal,” Krishnah said in her Miss World Philippines introduction video that she had to “step up out of necessity” as the eldest child in her family.
The beauty queen revealed in a May 2019 Wowowin episode that her parents had been separated for 10 years and that she and her siblings had been living with their grandmother, their “mamalo.” In an Instagram post, she penned an appreciation post for her, saying her grandmother had dedicated her life to taking care of her and her cousins.
“If I were to be asked who’s one of my biggest inspirations, without a doubt, it would be her. She’s the loveliest, most caring, and thoughtful person I know,” she said. “The thought of 11 years of her life that were given mainly to us without asking anything in return is unimaginable.”
Despite their unusual set-up, Krishnah remained family-oriented. In an Instagram post, she recalled that her family had been supportive of her dream of becoming a beauty queen ever since she was six years old.
“As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that it’s all about the sacrifices of our parents, on how selfless they will be for us. How far they will go just to make our dreams happen,” she said. “I am so grateful that I have had the support of my parents, my relatives, and friends from years ago until now. They hold a piece of my dream, and I will forever cherish them.”
Pageantry, Krishnah said, also played a big role in her financial situation, saying that she used her prize money in beauty pageants to pay for her tuition fee. She’s currently studying civil engineering — her dream course.
Aside from joining competitions, Krishnah also started selling lip tints and ukay-ukay (pre-loved) clothes for extra allowance, and even worked in a fast-food chain. Now, the university student is also working as a model, content creator, and ad specialist.
“I’ve been self-sufficient since I was 14. That shows that I’m a hard working and resilient woman. That’s why I want to impart to the youth that they are capable of greater things if they work hard for it,” she said in her personality interview for the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 pageant.
She again echoed the same sentiment in her Miss World Philippines video, saying: “Although poverty seemingly limited my options, it did not limit my dreams. It opened the window to a world full of possibilities and kindness.”
Her experience, she added, drove her to start an initiative called “Color the world with Kindness” to support youth welfare.
Outside of pageantry, Krishnah continues to explore her musical passion and take care of her eight furbabies. “If you’ll ask me what’s my breather, it’s simply dogs,” she said in the Her Story video. “They hold a special place in my heart as they’ve seen me in my most vulnerable point.”
Krishnah first made her presence known in a major pageant through the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 competition.
However, in an August 2022 Instagram post, the Baguio native said that she almost gave up pageantry. “Three years ago, I let my doubts invade me, to the extent of making the decision to give up all the ambitions I have for pageantry,” she said. But Krishnah shared that she decided to continue as she’s been called for a “certain purpose.”
While the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 competition was Krishnah’s first foray in a major local pageant, her stellar performance landed her a Top 5 finish. She was eventually named Miss Charm Philippines 2023.
Although many pageant fans were looking forward to seeing Krishnah represent the Philippines on the international stage, she surprised her supporters in June 2024 when she announced that she was relinquishing her spot for the Miss Charm International competition.
At the time of her announcement, Krishnah didn’t disclose any reason for her withdrawal. Days later, it was revealed that she was a candidate for the Miss World Philippines 2024 pageant.
Krishnah was one of the early frontrunners from the start of the competition. She was among the delegates who topped several fast-track events, eventually winning the Miss Multimedia and Top Model fast-track competitions during the coronation night.
At the finals ceremony, Krishnah continued to dominate the competition and earned the title of this year’s “hakot” (haul) queen after sweeping nine special awards apart from the crown. Her pageant performance earned her the recognition of Miss Photogenic, Best in Swimsuit and Evening Gown, as well as five more awards from sponsors.
During the question and answer segment, Krishnah was asked: “Should inclusivity be a top priority among pageants? Yes or no? Explain your answer.”
Her winning answer: “Pageantry is a platform where we express ourselves as women and men. I feel like this is a platform to promote our advocacies, the cause we are fighting for, and the things that we love. I think that in a world [that’s] evolving, we as humans, we should evolve too.”
Krishnah will be representing the Philippines in the Miss World 2024 pageant, in hopes of clinching the country’s second Miss World crown. – Rappler.com
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DTI suspends online sale of vape products | Mia Gonzalez | 20/07/2024 14:48 | DTI OFFICIALS. (Left to right) DTI-Fair Trade Group Assistant Secretary Agaton Uvero, DTI-Communications Undersecretary Ed Sunico, DTI Secretary Fred Pascual, DTI-Consumer and Legal Affairs Undersecretary Amanda Nograles
DTI
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Saturday, July 20, ordered the immediate suspension of the online sale of vape products, citing their “significant threat” to the health of minors, in particular.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual signed on Saturday Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 24-03, series of 2024, which “suspends the online sale of vapor products, vapor product devices, and vapor product systems on marketplaces, effective immediately,” DTI said in a press statement.
“The protection of our youth is non-negotiable. The proliferation of vapor products on online marketplaces has made these harmful substances easily accessible to minors, posing a significant threat to their health and well-being. This suspension is a necessary step to curb this alarming trend,” Pascual said.
DTI said that Pascual issued the order following dialogues with high-level stakeholders in the industry including manufacturers, importers, and distributors.
“We want businesses to thrive, but it must be in line with the law. Let’s not profit from selling to minors. As long as you comply, we will support you. However, you must prove that you are preventing minors from buying these illegal products,” Pascual was quoted in the DTI statement as saying.
Health experts have been calling for stricter rules against electronic cigarettes and vape pens, citing the aggressive sale and marketing promotion of these products to the youth.
In December 2023, the World Health Organization called for “urgent measures” to control vapes. (READ: Ban flavored vapes, WHO says, urging tobacco-style controls)
DTI said Pascual also cited the need for “(1) robust tracking systems to oversee product movement from importers to retailers, (2) holding manufacturers and importers responsible for illegal or defective products, not just retailers, and (3) ensuring that distributors educate retailers on the law’s limitations and restrictions to ensure compliance.”
“Moreover, the DTI chief acknowledged concerns raised by manufacturers regarding unused inventory, noting that some had stopped ordering 90-day stock since the transitory period began. While the DTI prefers to avoid imposing new regulations, Secretary Pascual made it clear that severe consequences will result from non-compliance,” DTI said.
DTI said DAO 24-03 is in line with Republic Act No. 11900 or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act.
“This law mandates measures to prevent minors from accessing vapor products, particularly through online channels. The suspension also aligns with the government’s commitment to promoting a healthy environment and protecting citizens from potential hazards associated with these products,” the department said.
Since it was formed in April, DTI’s Task Force Kalasag has issued 78 notices of violation and confiscation of 64,359 violative vape products, valued at P29,487,100. – Rappler.com
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‘Unrequited Love’: Why Filipinos should hold Duterte accountable for his China pivot | Bea Cupin | 20/07/2024 21:00 | UNREQUITED LOVE. Book authors Marites Vitug and Camille Elemia are joined by Senator Risa Hontiveros, retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, and journalist Christian Esguerra, during the book's launch on July 18.
Risa Hontiveros
MANILA, Philippines – Two years after Rodrigo Duterte exited Malacañang, former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio, the Philippines’ leading legal expert on the West Philippine Sea, is the first to admit that experts and pundits have fallen short of explaining to the public just how badly the former president positioned the country in its maritime and territorial disputes against superpower China.
“Duterte remained popular, I think, because the Filipino people are not blaming Duterte for the actions of China. They are blaming China. We have not been successful so far in explaining to the people that Duterte is also responsible for that,” said Carpio on Thursday, June 18, in a panel discussion on Marites Vitug and Camille Elemia’s new book, Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace.
The book, officially launched on Friday, July 19, chronicles not only Duterte’s “pivot to China,” but the origins of the former Davao mayor’s close ties with China. Journalists Vitug and Elemia’s painstaking research and field work chronicles the many promises China made to Duterte, and the betrayals the Davaoeño president made in the hopes of keeping close ties with Beijing — especially when it came to the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Carpio, who was joined by Vitug, Elemia, and Senator Risa Hontiveros in the panel, was answering a question from a college student: Given the Filipino public’s negative sentiment towards China and its actions in the West Philippine Sea, why isn’t it translating into “large-scale criticism” towards Duterte?
“Why do people still like Duterte despite his pro-China policy?” said Vitug. “I don’t think that foreign policy figures in people’s minds when they vote for candidates, maybe a very minor number. That’s why it’s separated from Duterte as a person and foreign policy.” She pointed out that Pulse Asia surveys, through the years, show that foreign policy — issues concerning the West Philippine Sea, to be specific — never rank high among the top concerns of Filipinos. Instead, gut issues such as inflation, hunger, employment, and worker’s pay are consistently top concerns.
Elemia highlighted the role of the Filipino public — who were not in favor of a pivot to China and do not appreciate its aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea — in keeping popular politicians like Duterte in check. “If we have a solid Filipino electorate or public that is aware of what’s happening, then whatever people in power want to do won’t be transferrable to the public,” she added.
Hontiveros, who has been a member of the Senate minority since the Duterte administration, sees Filipino sentiment against Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea as a “unifying issue,” as affirmed by public surveys.
“But, and we feel this especially every time we’re preparing for elections, and especially now, still, the top of mind or heart or stomach issues are economic. So, even on the economic front, we still have to show how Duterte’s misgovernance was responsible for that and how it’s tied in also with the issues of corruption including in POGOs [Philippine offshore gaming operations],” she said.
Under Duterte and all the way up to the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration, most Filipinos think the Philippine government should assert the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea, or part of the South China Sea that includes the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Two years after Duterte’s exit from the Palace, the Philippine government’s stance on the West Philippine Sea has changed rather dramatically. From refusing to uphold the 2016 arbitral award, which deemed China’s sweeping claim of the South China Sea invalid, among others, the Philippines refers to it as part of the foundation it stands on in arguing for its sovereign rights in those waters.
The Marcos administration has also rallied allies and partners abroad — both old and new — to stand behind the Philippines in its efforts to uphold its sovereign rights as well as the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea.
But Manila, after all, is playing catch-up on the six years that the arbitral ruling languished, left untouched by Duterte because he wanted to keep good ties with Beijing.
Unrequited Love does not provide a solution to the puzzle of Duterte, and the popularity that he and his ilk continue to enjoy, but it’s part of a bigger attempt to make sure the history books get it right, and that we learn from the actions of leaders past.
“It’s still a story in progress. Our relations with China, however, is a story that will be with us for generations,” said Vitug. – Rappler.com
The book is now available via Ateneo Press’ official Shopee or Lazada accounts, as well as through the Ateneo Press Bookshop inside the Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Heights campus.
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‘Hardest goodbye’: 3 young professionals on coping with grief, loss of parents | Steph Arnaldo | 20/07/2024 19:24 | MANILA, Philippines – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21.
I first encountered this verse on my brother’s epitaph when I visited his final resting place as a child. Walking through the cemetery, I noticed this verse on many headstones, a testament to its deep resonance with those mourning their loved ones.
My brother passed away when he was just 5 years old, after a brave battle with acute myelogenous leukemia, a form of blood and bone marrow cancer. In the 1990s, medical technology was not as advanced as today.
Although I was born five years after his death, his story deeply touched me. Because of that, I dreamed of becoming a pediatric oncologist, inspired by the memory of my brother.
Losing a loved one is a deeply personal and often isolating experience. The pain can be overwhelming, and each individual’s healing journey is unique. Grief can create a profound sense of loneliness, making it difficult to connect with others who haven’t experienced a similar loss. The world seems to move on, while your life feels like it has reached a standstill.
This harsh reality means that even in the depths of mourning, we must find the strength to carry on, mask our pain, and navigate the complexities of daily existence. It’s not easy, and many struggle to cope. How can we try to move forward, amid life’s daily tasks and struggles?
Rappler reached out to registered psychologist Shiela Manjares-Bulus to help answer three young professionals’ greatest questions on grief. Manjares-Bulus provides insights into the process of mourning, offering real-life advice to cope with loss.
Together with the stories of these three young adults, we will find that the difficult path of grief can be navigated, through strength and comfort in shared experiences.
Civil lawyer Jaybesar Tante, 27, is known for offering pro bono services to indigent clients. His background in psychology has significantly aided him in coping with personal loss and understanding the complexities of human behavior in his legal practice.
However, Tante’s path to success was marked by profound tragedy. When he was 16, he lost his father unexpectedly. That fateful day began like any other: After a long day of Bible study, his father cooked dinner for the family and even agreed to let Tante go to Enchanted Kingdom with his friends the next day.
Tante was excited about the trip, but life took a devastating turn when he woke up to his father’s unusual snoring. The family rushed him to the hospital, only to face the heartbreaking news that his father was dead on arrival.
“I was so mad at the doctors that I told my friends anyone brought to that hospital would die, even if they had a 100% chance of surviving,” Tante recalled, still feeling the deep hurt and devastation when the doctors failed to revive his father.
Manjares-Bulus, reflecting on such losses. “Typically, people initially experience shock or denial, but as the reality sinks in, feelings of guilt, regret, sadness, and helplessness can overwhelm.”
After his father’s sudden passing, Tante was plagued with worries about the future. “How will we survive college?” he questioned. “Should I quit college and work? Who would hire a 16-year-old skinny boy only in his second year of college? What should I do to ease everything for Mom?”
Amidst these doubts, Tante discovered a source of strength. He realized that despite his worries, “God’s grace is sufficient.”
Navigating the challenges of adulthood and grief, Tante found solace in the company of good friends. “Finding good company, truly good company, can help you through the rough patches of life,” he shared. “They may not be able to help financially, but spending time with them offers a much-needed breather and emotional support.”
Support systems are crucial in helping individuals feel that they still belong and have someone to lean on. “We must validate their feelings and avoid pressuring them to ‘move on.’ Grieving timelines differ for everyone,” Manjares-Bulus said.
Tante emphasized the importance of balance as he reflected on his journey through grief. Tante discovered a vital lesson that there are things beyond his control and those that should not control him; this newfound perspective became a cornerstone of his approach to life and coping with loss.
“God helped me see what to celebrate in life, even amidst the loss in our family.” In his grief,
Tante shared a poignant insight that losing a parent is a part of life. Moving on is not an option because our parents will always be a part of our lives. This perspective underscores parents’ enduring presence and influence, even after they are gone.
He also said that when losing someone, “acceptance is always the first step” — the pivotal role of acknowledging one’s emotions and seeking support as essential components of the healing process after experiencing a significant loss.
This sudden loss profoundly impacted Tante and shaped him into the compassionate and determined lawyer he is today. His journey through grief and resilience has fueled his commitment to justice and service in the legal field.
“Maaasahan kang lagi, maging hanggang wakas nitong buhay.” (You can always be counted upon, even till the end of this life.)
This was a line in the last song of Psalm Dominic Gregorio’s father before the latter’s death in August 2023. In an intimate reflection on loss and resilience, the 24-year-old Gregorio shared the profound impact of losing his father amidst the highs and challenges of his budding career.
Joy and sorrow marked Gregorio’s journey. “The week I learned I would graduate with Latin honors, ranking second in my batch, was also the week we received confirmation of my father’s esophageal cancer diagnosis,” he said.
Navigating the demands of preparing for board exams while working proved daunting. “With my first salary, I treated myself to fast food. As I sat alone, surrounded by happy families, the contrast hit me — my mom and dad were in the hospital,” he recalled.
He had an emotional exchange with his father on the eve of his board exam. “Before leaving for the board exam, my father needed oxygen. I placed it on him and asked, ‘Daddy, papasa ako, ‘no (I’ll pass, right)?’ With great effort, he replied, ‘Oo naman (Of course).’ That goodbye was the hardest,” he said.
Gregorio’s father died just days before the release of the results of the Psychometrician Licensure Exam. “God allowed my father’s words, ‘Oo naman (Of course),’ to come true,” he said, finding solace in aligning his personal milestones with his father’s hopes.
Gregorio needed to step forward for his family, especially for his younger sister, Mariah, and navigate his family toward healing and acceptance.
Manjares-Bulus said: “The loss of a parent means the loss of guidance, security, and protection, especially in our Filipino setting.” This often leads to family members assuming new roles, which brings new challenges while they are still grieving.
Gregorio found solace in coping mechanisms, including connecting with others and keeping the faith. “My work as a guidance advocate gives me purpose through pain,” he shared. “Discovering my father’s Bible with annotations on [the book of] Job and learning about his last song have brought me comfort and strength.”
His father’s memory motivated Gregorio to excel in his career and in his pursuit of a master’s degree in guidance and counseling. He said his further studies is “driven by the promise I made to my father to complete my education.”
For those who had lost a parent, Gregorio said: “Balance your responsibilities with family time. Don’t use work or studies to avoid grieving. Seek a support system and cherish those around you. And if grief becomes overwhelming, seek help.”
Manjares-Bulus said therapy can significantly aid in processing grief. “As trained professionals, we use evidence-based techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and acceptance commitment therapy to help individuals navigate their grief. Our goal is to guide them towards independence post-therapy.”
She added: “While achieving milestones without our parents is heartbreaking, we must cherish their memory and the loved ones still with us. Take time to grieve, embrace your feelings, and remain hopeful for tomorrow. One day, understanding will come, and we will feel their warm embrace again.”
Chrusita Maning, a 27-year-old corporate manager, recounted her late father’s courageous three-year battle with Stage 4B adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer linked to his work environment. The diagnosis came amid a global pandemic. “We were affected and shocked at that time since this is the first time we encountered cancer in our immediate family,” she shared.
Maning recalled that during her father’s wake, she “found it hard to cry amidst the bustling activities and constant stream of visitors.” The weight of her loss became palpable in quieter moments, as she sought comfort in memories captured in photographs and her father’s cherished belongings like his jackets.
As a client manager with a busy schedule, going through the grieving process while meeting the demands of adult life was a “constant struggle,” she said. “To create space for grieving amidst daily work pressures and the absence of my father’s daily presence is hard.”
Manjares-Bulus stressed the importance of going on a bereavement leave. “Gradually returning to work allows individuals to desensitize and resume responsibilities without compromising their mental health.”
Central to Maning’s coping mechanisms was embracing her emotions rather than suppressing them. “My sister’s reminder is to allow ourselves to cry,” she said. Sharing her feelings with loved ones and drawing strength from her faith played crucial roles in her journey. “Knowing my father’s faith sustains me, I find comfort in the belief that he rests in a better place.”
Manjares-Bulus debunked several myths about grief, including the notion that strong people don’t grieve or that time alone heals all wounds. “Grieving is a natural response, and seeking help is okay. Time can soften grief, but active coping is essential.”
“We experienced the outpouring of love and learned to trust God’s plan,” Maning shared. Her advice to others facing a similar loss? “Everyone grieves differently; it’s okay to seek help and lean on faith during these times.”
“You’re not alone,” she said. “Grieving isn’t about rushing through the pain but acknowledging the depth of your loss while gradually finding ways to navigate life without them. It’s a process that reveals each person’s uniqueness and usually helps us grow and mature.”
From the anguish of sudden goodbyes to finding solace in cherished memories, all their stories are testaments to the enduring impact of love and loss. Their journeys remind us that with the right support mechanism, grief can pave the path toward healing and resilience. – Kila Orozco/ Rappler.com
Kila Orozco is a Rappler intern.
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US dining chain Dave & Buster’s to open first PH branch in OPUS Mall | Steph Arnaldo | 20/07/2024 18:08 | Dave and Buster's Instagram
MANILA, Philippines – The Bistro Group is bringing Dave & Buster’s, the famous entertainment and dining chain from the US, to the Philippines!
Hailing from Coppell, Texas, Dave & Buster’s is an arcade, drinks, and food destination, all-in-one. The brand is opening its first Metro Manila branch at the new OPUS Mall in Bridgetowne, Quezon City in 2025, set to take up a large area of the luxury mall’s third floor.
Dave & Buster’s was founded in 1982 and has over 165 locations across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Its first foray into the Philippines is part of its global expansion strategy.
“We were impressed by Dave & Buster’s holistic offering in the hospitality industry where guests can eat, drink, play, and watch sports all in one location. It’s a pioneering concept for the Philippines,” Jean Paul Manuud, president of The Bistro Group, said in a statement.
“It’s a place for everyone — parents can eat while their kids play games, young adults can dine, drink, and enjoy interactive games, and others can watch sports by the bar,” Manuud said. In the US, its attractions include bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and virtual reality.
For its Philippine outpost, Antonio Bautista, chief international development officer at Dave & Buster’s, said they will tailor the menu for the local market with exclusive Filipino dishes. They will also host local entertainment, private events, and late-night programs.
While typical store sizes in the US range from 2,500 to 5,000 square meters, the Philippine store will look into a minimum space of 1,500 square meters, depending on the location.
Dave & Buster will be one of the latest additions to The Bistro Group, a homegrown restaurant arm behind other international franchises like Denny’s, Italianni’s, TGIFridays, Randy’s Donuts, Hard Rock Cafe, and more. – Steph Arnaldo/Rappler.com
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‘Unrequited Love’: Why Filipinos should hold Duterte accountable for his China pivot | Bea Cupin | 20/07/2024 21:00 | UNREQUITED LOVE. Book authors Marites Vitug and Camille Elemia are joined by Senator Risa Hontiveros, retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, and journalist Christian Esguerra, during the book's launch on July 18.
Risa Hontiveros
MANILA, Philippines – Two years after Rodrigo Duterte exited Malacañang, former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio, the Philippines’ leading legal expert on the West Philippine Sea, is the first to admit that experts and pundits have fallen short of explaining to the public just how badly the former president positioned the country in its maritime and territorial disputes against superpower China.
“Duterte remained popular, I think, because the Filipino people are not blaming Duterte for the actions of China. They are blaming China. We have not been successful so far in explaining to the people that Duterte is also responsible for that,” said Carpio on Thursday, June 18, in a panel discussion on Marites Vitug and Camille Elemia’s new book, Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace.
The book, officially launched on Friday, July 19, chronicles not only Duterte’s “pivot to China,” but the origins of the former Davao mayor’s close ties with China. Journalists Vitug and Elemia’s painstaking research and field work chronicles the many promises China made to Duterte, and the betrayals the Davaoeño president made in the hopes of keeping close ties with Beijing — especially when it came to the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Carpio, who was joined by Vitug, Elemia, and Senator Risa Hontiveros in the panel, was answering a question from a college student: Given the Filipino public’s negative sentiment towards China and its actions in the West Philippine Sea, why isn’t it translating into “large-scale criticism” towards Duterte?
“Why do people still like Duterte despite his pro-China policy?” said Vitug. “I don’t think that foreign policy figures in people’s minds when they vote for candidates, maybe a very minor number. That’s why it’s separated from Duterte as a person and foreign policy.” She pointed out that Pulse Asia surveys, through the years, show that foreign policy — issues concerning the West Philippine Sea, to be specific — never rank high among the top concerns of Filipinos. Instead, gut issues such as inflation, hunger, employment, and worker’s pay are consistently top concerns.
Elemia highlighted the role of the Filipino public — who were not in favor of a pivot to China and do not appreciate its aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea — in keeping popular politicians like Duterte in check. “If we have a solid Filipino electorate or public that is aware of what’s happening, then whatever people in power want to do won’t be transferrable to the public,” she added.
Hontiveros, who has been a member of the Senate minority since the Duterte administration, sees Filipino sentiment against Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea as a “unifying issue,” as affirmed by public surveys.
“But, and we feel this especially every time we’re preparing for elections, and especially now, still, the top of mind or heart or stomach issues are economic. So, even on the economic front, we still have to show how Duterte’s misgovernance was responsible for that and how it’s tied in also with the issues of corruption including in POGOs [Philippine offshore gaming operations],” she said.
Under Duterte and all the way up to the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration, most Filipinos think the Philippine government should assert the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea, or part of the South China Sea that includes the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Two years after Duterte’s exit from the Palace, the Philippine government’s stance on the West Philippine Sea has changed rather dramatically. From refusing to uphold the 2016 arbitral award, which deemed China’s sweeping claim of the South China Sea invalid, among others, the Philippines refers to it as part of the foundation it stands on in arguing for its sovereign rights in those waters.
The Marcos administration has also rallied allies and partners abroad — both old and new — to stand behind the Philippines in its efforts to uphold its sovereign rights as well as the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea.
But Manila, after all, is playing catch-up on the six years that the arbitral ruling languished, left untouched by Duterte because he wanted to keep good ties with Beijing.
Unrequited Love does not provide a solution to the puzzle of Duterte, and the popularity that he and his ilk continue to enjoy, but it’s part of a bigger attempt to make sure the history books get it right, and that we learn from the actions of leaders past.
“It’s still a story in progress. Our relations with China, however, is a story that will be with us for generations,” said Vitug. – Rappler.com
The book is now available via Ateneo Press’ official Shopee or Lazada accounts, as well as through the Ateneo Press Bookshop inside the Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Heights campus.
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Shorthanded Creamline averts disastrous start to PVL Reinforced tilt; PLDT, Chery rise to 2-0 | jisaga0269 | 20/07/2024 21:36 | BOUNCED BACK. The Creamline Cool Smashers huddle after a point in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference
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MANILA, Philippines – Perennial PVL contender Creamline averted a disastrous start to its 2024 Reinforced Conference campaign after powering past upstart Farm Fresh in a four-set breakthrough, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21, 25-16, at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday, July 20.
Import Erika Staunton redeemed herself after a somewhat muted 20-point debut in the Cool Smashers’ five-set loss to PLDT, rallying with a better 26-point outing on 23 attacks and 3 blocks to go with 14 excellent receptions against the Foxies for a 1-1 record.
Still without former PVL MVPs Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, and Alas Pilipinas national team commit Jema Galanza, Creamline’s local cast found its leader in veteran hitter Michele Gumabao, who supported Staunton with 21 points on 19 attacks, 1 block, and 1 ace.
Reigning All-Filipino Best Setter Kyle Negrito commanded the offense with 20 excellent sets as Bernadeth Pons recorded an all-around line of 9 points, 19 excellent receptions, and 12 excellent digs.
Import Yeny Murillo paced Farm Fresh’s second straight loss with a game-high-tying 26 points, as local opposite hitters Caitlin Viray and Trisha Tubu each supplied 12 points.
Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers rolled to an easier decision, cruising over the Nxled Chameleons, 25-16, 25-20, 25-23, for a 2-0 start to the conference.
Import Khat Bell led all scorers with a 21-point eruption in just three sets, while veteran Ara Galang, donning a Slam Dunk-inspired Hanamichi Sakuragi red hairdo, scrapped her way to an 11-point finish built on 7 attacks and 4 blocks to go with 11 excellent digs.
Wingers Lycha Ebon and Jho Maraguinot paced Nxled’s slide down a 1-1 slate with 8 and 7 points, respectively.
Lastly, the PLDT High Speed Hitters rolled to the triple-header’s most lopsided affair as they pummeled the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-19, 25-16, 25-17, to rise alongside Chery Tiggo with identical 2-0 cards atop Pool A play.
Super scorer Lena Samoilenko posted a game-high 14 points on 11 attacks and 3 blocks. Fiola Ceballos scored 10, while Kath Arado led the defensive end with 16 excellent digs and 9 excellent receptions.
France Ronquillo paced Galeries’ second straight loss with 11 points. – Rappler.com
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Left something at NAIA? Don’t lose hope, as this Swedish traveler learned | Mia Gonzalez | 20/07/2024 8:00 | NAIA. Passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 line up on June 16, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
Swedish traveler Jouko Rantaniemi was at the Beijing Airport for a connecting flight to Stockholm on Thursday, July 18, when he realized that he had left his laptop at the final security check at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA 1) hours earlier.
Aware of past widely-reported incidents of theft committed by security personnel at the Manila airport, Rantaniemi was resigned that he would have to pay back his company for the office-issued laptop.
“I had already lost it,” he told his Filipina wife, Ruby Gonzalez, who was with him.
Gonzalez, a journalist, told Rappler that she had “50-50 hope” that her husband would get back the gadget. As they prepared to board their flight to Stockholm, the couple reached out to their family in the Philippines to try to contact NAIA authorities, and this was when they found out that NAIA had an official lost and found page on Facebook.
The page, which seeks to help people who left personal items in all terminals of the Manila International Airport Authority, provides contact numbers. One can also send them a message to report the lost item.
Before boarding their flight, Rantaniemi sent a message through the Facebook page to inform NAIA about his laptop, and got a prompt response that listed the details he must provide to aid the search.
Over an hour later, he was informed that an item that fit the description he provided was among those turned over to the NAIA Lost and Found Section. He also received instructions on how to retrieve it through a representative since he was abroad. At the time, however, they were already en route to Stockholm and he only managed to check his messages once they landed.
The NAIA Lost and Found Section Facebook page posts photos of all items turned over to them by airport staff, ranging from small items like earphones and ballpens to luggage. The laptop was among those featured on the page in a post on Thursday, July 18, alongside bags of Duty Free items, AirPods, and mobile phones, among other items.
“It was like winning a small lottery,” Rantaniemi said, when he saw the photo of his laptop on the NAIA Lost and Found page. They were already on the flight to Stockholm when the photo was uploaded.
Getting back a laptop left at an airport may not even be something to write about in most other countries, but not in the Philippines, where security screening officers at NAIA 1 had been caught stealing cash and a watch from tourists in separate incidents the past year. In September 2023, a viral video of NAIA security personnel swallowing three $100 bills that she had stolen from a passenger further highlighted the theft problems at the airport.
While there have been many instances when airport workers turned over far more valuable items – like a bag with $10,000 in cash or a pair of socks stuffed with $18,000 – these acts of honesty often get overshadowed by the appalling schemes of some bad eggs in NAIA.
NAIA has been listed as among Asia’s worst and “most stressful” airports – an “improvement,” considering that it was deemed the world’s worst airport in 2013. In September, the consortium led by Ramon Ang’s San Miguel Corporation will take over as the new NAIA operator, raising hopes about a new and improved international gateway. (READ: Ramon Ang wants an even bigger NAIA terminal than promised. Can he deliver?) – Mia M. Gonzalez/Rappler.com
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In major change, PBA adds 4-point line starting next season | delfin.dioquino editor | 22/07/2024 22:56 | BIG SHOT. Robert Bolick in action for Team Mark in the 2024 PBA All-Star Game.
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MANILA, Philippines – The PBA is bringing a major change as it adopts a four-point line starting in the 49th season, with hopes of luring back fans into the games.
League commissioner Willie Marcial said on Monday, July 22, that the board of governors agreed to add the four-point arc, which is 27 feet from the basket, during its planning session in Osaka, Japan.
The PBA implemented the four-point line in the last two All-Star Games, with Robert Bolick completing a historic five-point play that allowed Team Mark to force a draw with Team Japeth in the previous Bacolod City edition.
“It has been successful in the All-Star and the governors decided to make it a new innovation,” said Marcial in a mix of Filipino and English. “We’ll see.”
As the last All-Star Game showed, the four-point line allows teams to build big leads, as well as come back from huge deficits in a short span of time.
Making it rain from the four-point stripe, Team Japeth mounted a lead as big as 32 points before Team Mark fought back as the All-Star Game ended in a 140-140 tie, with Bolick knocking down a pair of four-pointers in the final minute as part of a personal 9-0 run.
The two teams combined for 21 four-pointers.
But it is expected to be different in an actual game as teams play defense more seriously and employ schemes to deny shooters.
In the previous Philippine Cup, only two teams shot at least 35% from the three-point line: San Miguel with 35.5% and Terrafirma with 35.1%.
Marcial said the four-point arc will encourage players to extend their range.
“It will help the development of our shooters, especially when it comes to those who play for the national team,” said Marcial.
Back to a three-conference format, the league returns to action in August as it stages the import-flavored Governors’ Cup. – Rappler.com
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Marcos’ drug war not as ‘bloodless’ as he claims in SONA 2024 | Jodesz Gavilan | 22/07/2024 18:22 | SONA. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers the State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives on July 22, 2024.
Screenshot from RTVM
MANILA, Philippines – The anti-illegal drug campaign under Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is nowhere near “bloodless” as he claimed during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
On Monday, July 22, the President said that “our bloodless war on dangerous drugs adheres, and will continue to adhere, to the established ‘8 Es’ of an effective anti-illegal drugs strategy” and that “extermination was never one of them.”
This is inaccurate, at least according to independent monitoring by the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center.
There were at least 701 drug-related killings during the first two years of the Marcos administration as of June 30, 2024. Out of this number, 283 or 40.4% were committed by state agents, including the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The total number of drug-related killings under Marcos now stands at 712 as of July 7.
Marcos’ statement during his SONA mirrors his efforts to distance himself from the violence that marked the administration of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. The PNP now uses a new circular — the Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation thru Reinforcement and Education (ADORE) — different from Duterte’s Oplan tokhang.
Marcos had said that Duterte’s “focus on enforcement” resulted in “abuses by certain elements in the government.” At least 6,252 people were killed in police operations alone between July 2016 and May 2022, a month before Duterte ended his term, according to government data. Human rights groups estimate the number to reach between 27,000 and 30,000 to include those killed vigilante-style.
Only a handful of cases have led to conviction. A Rappler investigation found that the much touted reinvestigation of 52 cases had dismal results, with at least 32 being closed without the filing of a criminal complaint.
There is not much difference under the Marcos administration. Drug war victims’ families pin their hopes on the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose Office of the Prosecutor is currently investigating Duterte’s drug war.
The ICC’s appeals chamber in June 2023 rejected the Philippine government’s appeal, paving the way for ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s next move, including possibly the request for an arrest warrant or summons.
The Marcos administration, however, continues to be publicly indecisive in its stance on cooperating with the ICC. But all eyes are on how the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte from the Marcos Cabinet — the end of their Uniteam — will translate to accountability over Duterte’s drug war killings. – Rappler.com
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Marcos announces ban on POGOs during SONA | Dwight de Leon | 22/07/2024 17:37 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers the State of the Nation Address during the opening of the 19th Congress, at the House of Representatives on July 22, 2024.
RTVM
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. capped off his over 80-minute long State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, with the bombshell announcement of a complete ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators.
“Effective today, all POGOs are banned. I hereby instruct Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year,” Marcos said.
The order heeds the call of various groups to put a stop to POGO operations which have been plagued with scandals related to money laundering, immigration bribery, illegal recruitment, and human trafficking.
It also followed a months-long probe by the Senate into offshore gambling activities, which thrust Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who has been linked to POGOs in her jurisdiction, into the national spotlight.
Questions surrounding her identity and citizenship have complicated the matter, with Senator Risa Hontiveros even suggesting at one point that she was a Chinese spy tasked to infiltrate local politics.
In his speech on Monday, Marcos said he would task the labor department to find jobs for countrymen who will be displaced by his tall order.
“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into elicit areas farthest from gaming such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder,” Marcos asserted.
“The grave abuse and great disrespect to our system of laws must stop,” he added.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto also expressed his support for the ban, citing the “reputational risks” brought by POGOs to the country. According to Recto, the social costs of allowing POGOs to operate far outweigh the benefits that the country can gain from tax and fees.
“Sa totoo lang, mas malaki ang lugi natin sa POGO kaysa sa kinikita natin dahil nagbabayad nga ng buwis ‘yun, pero malaki naman ang gastos sa ‘tin, halimbawa sa PNP, dahil sa krimen. Kaya ‘pag isuma-total mo ‘yan dun sa rekomendasyon ko sa Pangulo na i-ban ‘yung POGO, pinakita rin namin kung ano ‘yung mga cost-benefit analysis dyan. Sa palagay ko, tama ang desisyon ng Pangulo,” Recto said in a post-SONA interview with PTV4.
(In truth, we incur more losses from POGOs than what we earn from them, since they do pay taxes, but our we spend a lot, for example, the PNP, because of the crimes. So when you sum it all up in my recommendation to the President to ban POGOs, we also showed the cost-benefit analysis of it. In my opinion, the President’s decision is correct)
The Philippines under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte began processing licenses for POGO firms in 2016, in a bid to find another source of revenue for the government.
By 2019, the number of POGO hubs soared to as high as 300. Despite reports of their involvement in criminal activities, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s report that P14 billion in POGO transactions were related to suspicious activities, Duterte did not ban offshore gambling. (READ: IN NUMBERS: Risks, benefits of POGO operations)
Many POGOs are backed or operated by Chinese nationals, who can’t run such businesses in their home country, where it is illegal.
The Chinese government has repeatedly called on the Philippines to put an end to POGOs.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality that led the investigation into POGOs, called Marcos’ decision “a huge victory for the entire country.”
“POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country. I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” she said, adding that this is an “important first step” in holding accountable those who facilitated the entry of POGOs and their crimes in the country.
“Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said.
She expressed gratitude to all of the resource persons – victim-survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies – who cooperated in the Senate investigation “to expose the mystery surrounding POGOs.”
“We owe you this victory. And to all POGOs — legal or illegal — goodbye,” she said.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who earlier said POGOs should be banned, hailed Marcos’ statement in his third SONA.
“It is God’s answer to our prayers for what is best for the country. I thank the President for listening to the pleading of the victims of POGO-caused criminality,” Villegas said, even as he called for continued vigilance. – With reports from Paterno Esmaquel II, Lance Yu/Rappler.com
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‘The Philippines cannot waver’ in West Philippine Sea, Marcos vows in 2024 SONA | Bea Cupin | 22/07/2024 18:41 | CHINESE HARASSMENT. The China Coast Guard brandishes weapons, uses sirens, and threatens Filipino soldiers already moored alongside the BRP Sierra Madre during a June 17, 2024 resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, that focused on his administration’s anti-poverty plans and projects, it was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s brief mention of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) that drew one of the longest rounds of applause and at least two standing ovations.
“The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver,” said the President, referring to China’s incursions in the WPS.
“Ang West Philippine Sea ay hindi isang kathang-isip natin lamang. Ito ay atin. At ito ay mananatiling atin, hangga’t nag-aalab ang diwa ng ating mahal na bansang Pilipinas,” said Marcos to vigorous applause from the audience. (The West Philippine Sea is not a figment of our imagination. It is ours. And it will remain ours as long as the spirit of our beloved Philippines continues to burn bright.)
And then he thanked the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, and fisherfolk – frontliners in facing China’s aggressive actions — for their “vigilance and sacrifice.”
The 2024 SONA is the first since the Marcos administration firmed up its policy in the West Philippine Sea – to be more assertive in upholding its sovereign rights and sovereignty claims.
In his first SONA in 2022, Marcos promised he would “not preside over any process that will abandon even one square inch of territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power.” Last year, Marcos promised to “protect our sovereign rights and preserve our territorial integrity, in defense of a rules-based international order.”
The Philippines, in the past year, has forged closer defense and economic ties with treaty-ally the United States, as well as emerging partners such as Japan, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand, among others. The military is also in the process of finalizing its Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept.
Marcos said two proposed laws, on maritime zones and archipelagic sea lanes, “will make sure that this intergenerational mandate — this duty — will firmly take root in the hearts and minds of our people.”
The Maritime Zones Act has been approved at the bilateral committee level and needs to be approved by both chambers of Congress before it can be sent to the Palace for signing. The Archipelagic Sea Lanes bill, meanwhile, has been approved by the House and is pending before the Senate.
The Maritime Zones Act would define the country’s maritime areas, while an Archipelagic Sea Lanes law would designate the sea areas and air space where foreign vessels and aircraft may pass, in order to facilitate trade and innocent passage.
Marcos’ words came as the Philippines tries to bring down tensions — both at sea and in diplomatic spaces — over disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea.
The superpower claims almost all of the South China Sea as its own, ignoring a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that invalidated this claim and affirmed the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The China Coast Guard (CCG) almost always harasses Filipino vessels — including fisherfolk aboard small, wooden vessels — in key areas in the West Philippine Sea, or part of the South China Sea that’s within Philippine EEZ.
In early July, Manila hosted the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea, weeks after a mission to rotate troops and bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal turned violent, with the CCG destroying the Navy’s rigid hull inflatable boats. One soldier lost his finger because of the CCG’s ramming.
A day before the SONA, the Philippines announced it had reached an “arrangement” with China on Ayungin Shoal — a move that’s hoped to bring tensions down and avoid confrontations similar to the one on June 17.
Marcos made no explicit mention of these efforts, but said the Philippines “continuously try to find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas with our counterparts, without compromising our position and our principles.”
“I know that our neighbors too are doing their very best to make this work,” he added.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 23, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military “fully supports the President’s strategy of a fair and pacifist approach, emphasizing a rules-based international order and efforts toward de-escalation.”
“We believe in the importance of maintaining peace and stability through diplomatic means and constructive dialogue,” said Brawner, who also attended the SONA. – Rappler.com
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View from Manila: Who’s lying about the PH-China ‘arrangement’ in Ayungin Shoal? | Bea Cupin | 22/07/2024 20:39 | AGROUND. An aerial view shows the BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, March 9, 2023.
Reuters
MANILA, Philippines – In a span of around 15 hours, the Philippines went from announcing an “understanding on the provisional arrangement” with China on resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal to issuing a statement blasting Beijing’s foreign spokesperson an “inaccurate” statement about the bilateral deal.
Despite this, the arrangement apparently still stands.
For the past month, the marching order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the defense-security-diplomacy apparatus has been clear: bring tensions down in the West Philippine Sea. As such, Philippine talking heads – even the feistiest – have turned more cautious and deliberate than usual.
Marcos further spelled this out during his third State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 22, which was hours after the latest exchange between the foreign ministries of Beijing and Manila. The President stressed that the Philippines would “continuously try to find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas with our counterparts, without compromising our position and our principles.”
“I know that our neighbors too are doing their very best to make this work,” he added, without saying who those neighbors were.
But what’s in the bilateral arrangement? We don’t know so far.
In press statement sent at 6:03 pm on Sunday, July 21, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Teresita Daza announced that the “The Philippines and the People’s Republic of China have reached an understanding on the provisional arrangement for the resupply of daily necessities and rotation missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.”
The DFA spokesperson added: “This was achieved after a series of consultations following the frank and constructive discussions between the two sides during the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Manila on 2 July 2024.”
“Both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation and agree that the agreement will not prejudice each other’s positions in the South China Sea.”
In a statement released at 12:42 am on Monday, July 22, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the provisional arrangement was made through consultations rooted on three “principled positions.”
Beijing’s position was that:
In Beijing’s mind, the arrangement is skewed in their favor.
The DFA denied this eight hours later.
In a statement sent at 9:27 am on Monday, July 22, Daza said her Chinese counterpart’s “statement… regarding prior notification and on-site confirmation is inaccurate.”
“I want to stress that the agreement was concluded with the clear understanding by both sides that it will not prejudice our respective national positions,” said the Filipino diplomat.
She added: “For the Philippines, this means that we will continue to assert our rights and jurisdiction in our maritime zones as entitled under UNCLOS, including in Ayungin Shoal which is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.”
Reporting from the Associated Press ahead of China’s early morning statement indicated that China’s apparent demands – for Manila not to bring construction materials and to give “advance notice” and the right to inspect ships – did not make it to the draft deal.
So to summarize: the Philippines said the deal does not compromise the Philippine position, and that because Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippine EEZ, China has no right to say what cannot be brought to the shoal or to demand inspections, among other things.
China said its “principled positions” — in direct opposition to ours — informed their negotiations.
The notes exchanged between the two sides are unlikely to be published. The DFA seldom makes public the full text of recent bilateral deals or agreements. Maritime agreements with Vietnam and Brunei were never officially made public. It was Japan that published in full the text of the landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA).
The media has been asking the DFA to release the arrangement in full — after all, it concerns regular missions to the BRP Sierra Madre that often turn violent. Last month’s iteration resulted in the destruction of Philippine Navy equipment, and the loss of one soldier’s right thumb.
There was no sense of jubilation among officials, at least in the Philippines, after the agreement was announced. No public comments were made as well — the Philippine Coast Guard deferred all comments to the DFA, and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said he’d yet to be briefed on the arrangement, and therefore did not want to comment.
“I am certain that the DFA is conscious of those parameters that it cannot exceed and I have no reason to doubt that such parameters were not heeded in coming into this arrangement or agreement with China,” Teodoro told ANC.
It’s not surprising for officials to be lukewarm toward the deal.
China’s record when it comes to bilateral agreements in the West Philippine Sea isn’t exactly stellar. China lied when it claimed in 1995 that it had only built a fisherman’s shelter in Mischief Reef. The supposed shelter has morphed into a military outpost. It’s why the BRP Sierra Madre is there in the first place.
In 2012, after a US-brokered agreement for both the Philippines and China to pull out of Scarborough Shoal to end a standoff, it was only Manila that complied. Beijing has occupied the reef, a heartbeat away from resource-rich Recto Bank and roughly 130 nautical miles away from Palawan.
China claims it has no reason to trust us, too. Beijing claims to not understand why the Philippines shifted so dramatically from the supposed “status quo” agreement forged under former president Rodrigo Duterte. They’ve claimed the existence of new deals, or models, or agreements, under Marcos. The Philippines said they don’t exist — or that they weren’t made through the proper channels and personalities.
But let’s zoom in on a vague but key term from the first Philippine statement: that the arrangement pertains to the “resupply [of] daily necessities.”
Does this refer to only food and medicine (and the occasional treat, like cigarettes, or betel nut, or instant coffee)? Or are construction materials – brought in to make sure soldiers are as comfortable as possible – considered a daily necessity?
We’ll know when another rotation and resupply mission – already quite overdue – takes place before July ends. – Rappler.com
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How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/philippines/view-manila-about-the-arrangement-with-china-ayungin-shoal/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR05Q4pUfvt5tJMgGW7MIryg8tZFfxS11kmLGLHDxAhHUk_kfU4hB8KOtaQ_aem_H6ZbYUiFx6OiW_k9qdwKTQ | Credible |
SCHEDULE: Team Philippines in 2024 Paris Olympics | delfin.dioquino editor | 22/07/2024 21:24 | MANILA, Philippines – Twenty-two brave athletes represent the Philippines in the Paris Games as the country celebrates its 100th year of participation in the Olympics.
Sending its biggest Olympic delegation in over three decades, the Philippines hopes to exceed its historic campaign in the previous Tokyo Games, where it won a breakthrough gold on top of two silvers and one bronze.
Here is the schedule of Filipino Olympians, Philippine time:
Joanie Delgaco (women’s single sculls)
Carlos Yulo (men’s artistic gymnastics)
Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, Levi Jung-Ruivivar (women’s artistic gymnastics)
Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg)
Nesthy Petecio (women’s 57kg)
Eumir Marcial (men’s 80kg)
Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg)
Carlo Paalam (men’s 57kg)
Samantha Catantan (women’s individual foil)
Kiyomi Watanabe (women’s -63kg)
Kayla Sanchez (women’s 100m freestyle)
Jarod Hatch (men’s 100m butterfly)
EJ Obiena (men’s pole vault)
Lauren Hoffman (women’s 400m hurdles)
John Cabang Tolentino (men’s 110m hurdles)
Bianca Pagdanganan, Dottie Ardina (women’s individual stroke play)
John Ceniza (men’s 61kg)
Elreen Ando (women’s 59kg)
Vanessa Sarno (women’s 71kg)
– Rappler.com
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WATCH: Who gave Marcos a standing ovation over POGO ban announcement? | Miriam Grace Go | 22/07/2024 21:24 | RTVM screenshot
It was definitely the highlight of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA). Just when we thought the speech, which was running for about an hour and 20 minutes already, would sustain its unexciting delivery of the President’s accomplishment report, he said it: “Effective today, all POGOs are banned.”
Several seconds before that, however, Marcos already got a standing ovation from lawmakers when he prefaced the topic with the crimes that Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) had been responsible for.
“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder. The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop,” the President said to cheers from the House of Representative plenary hall.
So guess who was among the lawmakers who rose to their feet? Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, whose committee has uncovered precisely these POGO-linked crimes in a still ongoing investigation. She called it a huge victory for the entire country.
“Bilang tagapangulo ng Senate committee on women na nanguna sa imbestigasyon tungkol sa mga krimeng nakakabit sa POGO, hindi ko matatawaran ang saya at ginhawa ng pagpapabawal ng POGO sa bansa,” Hontiveros said in a statement after the SONA.
(As chairperson of the Senate committee on women, which spearheaded the investigation into crimes linked to POGO, I am overjoyed and cannot be more relieved by this ban on POGOs from the country.)
“POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country. I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” she added.
Saying he had heard public clamor against POGOs, Marcos instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation “to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year.”
The President and Hontiveros were on the same page as to what happens or can be done next:
The senator said her committee will continue its hearings, even as she thanked the victims, survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies that cooperated in the Senate probe. “We owe you this victory,” she said.
And to POGOs both legal and illegal, Hontiveros had this to say: “Goodbye.” – Rappler.com
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How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/video-marcos-jr-pogo-ban-standing-ovation-sona-2024/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2NCSk4or82PQFAcurE249kaGv4j4jYBF3cogL_QJ-1CxTfYy5BxPUal-8_aem_-Qk_u61Is6EHI-FU8yqBzA | Credible |
POGO probe turns to ex-CIDG chief for ‘firing’ raiding team | Lian Buan | 22/07/2024 20:22 | CIDG CHIEF. Major General Romeo Caramat was appointed CIDG chief in January 2023. Photo from CIDG Facebook Page
Instead of commending police officers for a job well done, why were personnel of the Criminal Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) relieved and reassigned instead when they raided hubs of the shady Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac?
That’s what lawmakers want to know.
It was former CIDG chief Major General Romeo Caramat Jr. who ordered the reassignments, according to documents that Rappler has seen.
“There were some instances that [reassignments of personnel who assisted in the raid] happened, I was not yet the director at the time, but today the collaboration with other agencies is strong,” Major General Leo Francisco, the new CIDG chief who replaced Caramat weeks after the relief orders, told the House committee on Wednesday, July 17.
“Our term in the PNP for transfer is ‘sinibak’ [fired], instead of given commendation or award, minalas pa (met with bad fortune),” said 1-Rider Partylist Representative Bonifacio Bosita.
Caramat appeared in the next House hearing on Wednesday on July 31, to confirm the reassignments in a tense exchange with lawmakers.
Caramat maintained that he did not order the reassignment of the March 2024 raiding team in Bamban.
“But you signed it. But there are orders coming from the higher-ups, is that what you are trying to say?” asked House committee chair Representative Dan Fernandez.
“That’s correct, your honor,” said Caramat.
In March 2024, when the Bamban raid happened, the PNP chief was still General Benjamin Acorda.
The government raid on Zun Yuan (formerly named Hongsheng) POGO in Bamban, Tarlac, was done in the wee hours of March 13. This followed close coordination between the main POGO busters, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and their law enforcement partners, the CIDG.
The operation had some flaws because before operatives arrived, foreigners had already started leaving the compound of Baofu, the real estate firm that leased its property to the POGO, and which was co-owned by the now infamous Mayor Alice Guo. This has since led to brewing speculations that there were leaks.
“We have vetted our personnel who are joining the operations, coordinating with PAOCC to provide us the necessary education…I am positive that my CIDG personnel are not the suspects on those leaks,” said Francisco during the House hearing.
Still, despite the flaws, the operation was successful because they seized evidence that blew the lid open on the problem of illegal scam hubs masquerading as POGOs.
But afterwards for three consecutive days, on April 17, 18, and 19, Major General Caramat relieved his men and reassigned them somewhere else. The chief of CIDG-National Capital Region (NCR), Colonel George Buyacao, was relieved first, according to documents seen by Rappler. At least nine more CIDG-NCR personnel were relieved immediately after. These were all on Caramat’s orders.
Caramat said the March 2024 operation was done without his knowledge. “I was not informed of that particular operation,” he said.
“Hindi mo ba napapansin na hindi ka na-iinform sa operation? (Don’t you notice that you are not informed of operations?) Why is that so?” said Representative Fernandez on July 31.
“It’s only the former chief of the PNP who can answer that,” said Caramat.
PAOCC chief Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said that before the 2024 Bamban raid on Zun Yuan, the February 2023 raid on the same POGO earlier named HongSheng also led to the reassignment of the raiding CIDG team. “In the first raid in 2023, the region 3 command of CIDG was wiped out,” said Cruz.
Caramat said that the chief of CIDG Region 3, Colonel Joshua Alejandro, was already due to be reassigned even before the raid. He said it was his discretion as the new CIDG chief at the time to put his trusted men on command.
“In the case of Colonel Alejandro, his relief has no connection to the operation in Bamban. Before the operation in February 2023, Colonel Alejandro was already informed of the impending reshuffle,” said Caramat on July 31, and added that it “was a normal rotation of regional chiefs.”
Alejandro, who was also present in the July 31 hearing, confirmed that he had been informed of his rotational assignment even before the raid happened in February 2023.
“Nagtrabaho sila, may magandang resulta, sinibak pa. Dapat maimbestigahan ito properly. Kung hindi natin po-protektahan ang police personnel na may dedikasyon, kapalit mamalasin pa, eh parang sinasabi natin huwag silang magtrabaho,” said Bosita.
(They did their jobs, it had a good result, yet they were fired. This should be investigated properly. If we do not protect dedicated police personnel, and in exchange they suffer a bad fate, it’s as if we’re telling them not to do their jobs.)
“That’s our quandary now, the investigators of our raid in Bamban are now dispersed in several units, some not even in CIDG, which makes it difficult for them to appear in our court proceedings,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio told the House committee.
By the time Caramat appeared before the House committee, the general had already been identified as one of the police officials “under suspicion” by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is investigating Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
Caramat was the chief of Bulacan police during Duterte’s time, whose team conducted the one-time big-time operation that killed 32 drug suspects in one night in 2017.
Caramat was appointed CIDG chief in January 2023 by former PNP chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
Before Caramat’s interpellation ended, Fernandez brought out a photo of Caramat with businessman Jan Patrick “JP” Samson, Alice Guo’s co-incorporator of a company called Westcars.
Caramat said the photo does not mean a deep association with Samson. “As far as I know, I don’t know a JP Samson. As a CIDG director, many invite you, we are just like politicians, anybody can take a photo with us,” he said.
In May 2024, weeks after Caramat’s relief orders covering the POGO raiders, newly installed PNP chief General Romeo Francisco Marbil reassigned Caramat to the area police command of Northern Luzon. Francisco took over CIDG.
What is going on in the PNP?
– Rappler.com
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How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/cidg-cops-raided-bamban-pogo-fired-from-posts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0ufmgULbBQTQXwfYpVDjjDT7CbICCdDqGa5l74QH1ONh5d-UwwRvtrnas_aem_AfEKVcYfAZQ1km7uX36Uug | Credible |
SCHEDULE: Team Philippines in 2024 Paris Olympics | delfin.dioquino editor | 22/07/2024 21:24 | MANILA, Philippines – Twenty-two brave athletes represent the Philippines in the Paris Games as the country celebrates its 100th year of participation in the Olympics.
Sending its biggest Olympic delegation in over three decades, the Philippines hopes to exceed its historic campaign in the previous Tokyo Games, where it won a breakthrough gold on top of two silvers and one bronze.
Here is the schedule of Filipino Olympians, Philippine time:
Joanie Delgaco (women’s single sculls)
Carlos Yulo (men’s artistic gymnastics)
Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, Levi Jung-Ruivivar (women’s artistic gymnastics)
Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg)
Nesthy Petecio (women’s 57kg)
Eumir Marcial (men’s 80kg)
Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg)
Carlo Paalam (men’s 57kg)
Samantha Catantan (women’s individual foil)
Kiyomi Watanabe (women’s -63kg)
Kayla Sanchez (women’s 100m freestyle)
Jarod Hatch (men’s 100m butterfly)
EJ Obiena (men’s pole vault)
Lauren Hoffman (women’s 400m hurdles)
John Cabang Tolentino (men’s 110m hurdles)
Bianca Pagdanganan, Dottie Ardina (women’s individual stroke play)
John Ceniza (men’s 61kg)
Elreen Ando (women’s 59kg)
Vanessa Sarno (women’s 71kg)
– Rappler.com
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How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/sports/paris-olympics-team-philippines-games-schedule-2024/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1TZ_U83ITLC9iQ_P8OhGTX8r7zj-stfEbM6mpju2iwjF0zluPKzsriPSk_aem_L9JX7LocwX1GxC9URENNQA | Credible |
RESULTS: July 2024 Licensure Examination for Interior Designers | lfangeles0309 | 22/07/2024 21:06 | The following is a press release from the Professional Regulation Commission.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 119 out of 400 passed the Licensure Examination for Interior Designers given by the Board of Interior Design in NCR and Cebu this July 2024.
The members of the Board of Interior Design who gave the licensure examination are Hon. Sonia Santiago Olivares, Chairman; Hon. Maria Carlota D. Hilvano and Hon. Vincent Louie V. Tan, Members.
The results were released in twelve (12) working days after the last day of examination. Starting September 9, 2024, registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will be done on-line. Please go to www.prc.gov.ph and follow instructions for initial registration. Those who will register are required to bring the following: downloaded duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, notice of admission (for identification only), 2 pieces passport sized pictures (colored with white background and complete name tag), 2 sets of documentary stamps and 1 piece short brown envelope. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals.
The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the new successful examinees in the said examination will be announced later.
None qualified to be included in the top performing schools.
Here’s the full list of passers:
– Rappler.com
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[In This Economy] Part 2 | POGOnomics: Are we banning POGOs out of fear, outrage, not rational thought? | Chay Hofilena | 10/06/2024 8:30 | Raffy de Guzman/Rappler
Second of 2 parts[In This Economy] Part 1 | POGOnomics: Weighing the costs and benefits of POGOs
Last week we revisited the benefits and costs of POGOs since they first flourished under the Duterte administration. And we mentioned that as far as the economic managers are concerned, the costs outweigh the benefits.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, for instance, is persuading President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ban POGOs outright. Balisacan said, “We don’t think that the benefits in terms of the revenues generated and the additional…and the impact [on] the economy are worth the cost.” He added, “What we want to encourage are very…legitimate investments, good investments, quality investments.”
Former finance secretary Benjamin Diokno also previously supported a ban on POGOs, because of their social and reputational costs. He said in June 2023, “Let’s get rid of POGOs. We can get revenues from lots of other sources.”
The tricky thing, of course, is that while the economic benefits of POGO are quantifiable, the social costs are much harder (if not nearly impossible) to quantify. Like, how can we measure the ill repute we gain by harboring POGOs?
The illegal activities caused by POGOs are also inherently illicit; we can only make educated guesses about their true extent.
This dilemma was pointed out in Senate hearings in 2022. Senator Chiz Escudero, for example, quizzed the NEDA and Department of Finance officials: “How did you compute social cost? At what point should we be earning, for example, from POGOs for you to say the benefits will overcome the social costs; and how did you come up with the figure on social costs being far weightier than the income or revenue derived by government or the country? Can you put a figure to it?”
When the representatives could not provide solid answers, Escudero added, “So where is it based? If it’s not based on figures, where is it based? Interviews? Surveys? Perception? Emotion? Fear?”
I remember reading from Freakonomics, a popular economics book published back in 2005, a simple yet powerful formula: “risk = hazard + outrage.” This means that the perceived risk from an event can be thought of as the combination of that event’s actual hazard and the outrage it generates.
That is why humans tend to exaggerate the risks from shark attacks and airplane crashes – exceedingly rare but traumatic events, and the trauma they cause makes them more fearsome than warranted.
I think something similar might be going on with the POGO controversies of late. To what extent are we overinflating the risks from POGOs? To what extent are the risks from POGOs overinflated by Filipinos’ historically racist attitudes toward Chinese mainlanders?
Of course, I’d be the last to condone the crimes proven to be linked to some POGO operations. But Senator Escudero made a valid point that other tolerated forms gambling generate crimes, too, from prostitution to kidnapping – remember the sudden disappearance of sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) from 2021 to 2022? Because of this, Escudero suggested that we might as well ban all forms of gambling!
Having said that, though, I have a hunch that each dollar spent on usual forms of gambling generates fewer crimes than each dollar spent on POGOs. Maybe this is the better way of couching the social costs of POGOs. Exactly how many torture chambers and secret tunnels have been linked to e-sabong operations or the glinting golden casinos along Manila Bay?
Escudero added that if we ban POGOs altogether, we will lose a lot of revenues, and this could mean higher taxes.
This is a bit of a stretch. In 2022, we collected just P8.8 billion from POGOs. To put that in perspective, the unpaid estate taxes of the Marcoses amount to at least P203 billion (or 25 times more than the POGO revenues).
How Filipinos share the blame
Remember that POGOs receive provisional licenses from Pagcor. But how exactly does Pagcor vet incoming POGOs? The government needs to overhaul Pagcor’s approval processes.
More crucially, we should also be asking: To what extent are POGO-related crimes enabled by Philippine law-enforcement agents themselves?
On June 6, it was reported that 157 foreigners left the premises of a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga just before authorities came to visit. Authorities suspect they were tipped off by police. Shortly before that, all 50 members of Bamban’s police force were sacked amid the Alice Guo scandal.
In the case of Bamban, POGO flourished largely because the mayor herself gave permits for POGOs to do business there. Heck, the very land of the POGO hub was previously hers.
But I’m just wondering: How many other POGOs nationwide (and the criminal activities they did) have been allowed right under the noses (and in fact under the protection) of Filipino politicians and police? And did POGOs gravitate to the Philippines precisely because they knew that our officials are easily corruptible?
Remember that POGOs flourished in the Philippines just as Filipinos turned a blind eye to the tens of thousands of Filipinos killed during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. That they happened at roughly the same time is no coincidence. – 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. In 2024, he was given The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award for economics. JC’s views are independent of his affiliations. Follow him on Twitter/X (@jcpunongbayan) and Usapang Econ Podcast.
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Our politicians are preparing for the 2025 and 2028 elections, and POGOs are crucial sources of campaign funds; hence, they are expected to stay. Unless they make the mistake of going against Speaker Romualdez as SMNI did, POGOs will be with us for a long time as IGLs.
How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/in-this-economy-pogonomics-banning-pogos-out-of-fear-outrage-not-rational-thought-part-2/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1bmsY_SJaNgBPkMBNJ7zN9-nXk-M1dNCIMn7ghWrwnAw5elDmTw0JHSQ8_aem_0GZxiZ8HVtOhZAESbMdhJQ | Credible |
[In This Economy] POGOnomics: Weighing the costs and benefits of POGOs | Chay Hofilena | 07/06/2024 19:00 | If you step back from the teleserye-like recounting of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo’s idyllic life at an infamous “farm”– that somehow led her to owning a piggery and helicopter – the bigger question we should be asking is: What should we do with Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators, more commonly known as POGOs?
Just like any other thing in economics, POGOs have benefits and costs, and we need a more sober discussion on them moving forward.
First, the benefits. Undeniably, POGOs brought in economic activities that led not just to new investments and new buildings being erected (from the Manila Bay Area to a town as nondescript as Bamban, Tarlac), but also to Filipinos being employed.
Back in October 2022, it was reported by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) that 19,671, or nearly half, of POGO workers then were, in fact, Filipinos. That didn’t yet include Filipinos hired as cooks or househelps catering to the needs of the influx of Chinese immigrants.
Recently, it was alleged by the Association of Service Providers and POGOs (ASPAP) that about 23,000 jobs would be destroyed by a total POGO ban.
All this adds up to the POGOs’ contributions to the country’s gross domestic product or GDP.
If you recall from your high school economics, GDP is nothing but the peso value of all goods and services produced in a country per quarter or year, regardless of the nationality of people who produced such goods and services – Filipino, Chinese, etc. So in principle, POGOs must reflect in GDP.
The government actually came out with numbers. Professor Sarah Lynne Daway-Ducanes, a colleague of mine at the UP School of Economics (UPSE) and a former assistant secretary at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), testified in Congress that POGOs likely contributed about 0.2% of GDP (a fifth of 1%) in 2023. That amounted to about P42 billion.
That’s puny by itself, and lower than the 0.3% of GDP in 2022 and the 0.7% in 2019 (just when POGOs were at their full might during the Duterte administration).
By the way, in Bamban alone, a whopping P6.1 billion was spent for the 10-hectare POGO hub situated on the land previously owned by Mayor Alice Guo. Initial POGO investments like that also generate multiplier effects, meaning a cascade of economic activities surrounding POGO hubs (think of the restaurants and convenience stores catering to POGO workers).
With economic activity comes tax revenues. POGO collections by PAGCOR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) peaked at P14.4 billion in 2019, but have since dwindled, according to data shared by Professor Cielo Magno, a former undersecretary of the Department of Finance and another colleague at UPSE.
Another major source of economic activity would be real estate rentals, from office spaces to residential units. In 2019, POGOs reportedly occupied more than a million square meters of office space, or “about 10% of total leasable office space in Metro Manila.” That’s a lot. But of course such demand has since diminished.
Now let’s move on to the costs of POGOs, which are plentiful (maybe too many to mention here).
First, the significantly higher demand for real estate units drove up prices of condo units and office spaces, to the detriment of Filipinos wishing to use them. In 2019, one report by ANC indicated that in some instances condo costs per square meter more than tripled because of POGOs.
But even as POGOs have exited in earnest since the start of the pandemic, new properties are just being finished. And the glut of vacancies is driving real estate prices down. You can just imagine that such wild swings in real estate prices are not good news for the real estate sector.
Much more important are the social costs of POGOs, which have resulted in too many reports of links to criminal activities such as human trafficking, online scams, and even torture.
On June 5, it was reported that a woman in a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga was “tortured and sold online for sexual services.” Meanwhile, in November 2023, authorities discovered a “torture chamber” in an internet gaming license hub in Pasay City, where some victims were “hit with a stick” or “kicked and punched several times for not meeting the quota set by management.”
In August 2023, some 28,000 SIM cards were discovered in a POGO hub in Parañaque City, allegedly involved in online scams. This, despite the passage of the SIM Registration Act. Other POGOs are suspected to be involved in “love scams” and cryptocurrency scams.
Then, of course, in the sprawling, 10-hectare POGO hub in Bamban town in Tarlac province, authorities discovered a “secret tunnel” that connected villas and was allegedly used by the operators to escape before authorities raided the facility. If their operations were above board, why the need for a secret tunnel?
POGOs have also been suspected of harboring money laundering activities. Back in 2020, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reported that of the recorded P54 billion worth of POGO transactions then, P14 billion (easily a fourth) were tagged as “suspicious activities.” As for the P6.1 billion POGO investments in Bamban, the AMLC allegedly could not trace such flows.
There are environmental costs, too, as shown by an island in Cavite province – a wildlife sanctuary – that was turned into a POGO hub around 2019. (To be concluded) – 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. In 2024, he was given The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award for economics. JC’s views are independent of his affiliations. Follow him on Twitter/X (@jcpunongbayan) and Usapang Econ Podcast.
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Carina strengthens into typhoon while ‘meandering’ offshore | Acor Arceo | 22/07/2024 18:35 | CARINA. Satellite image of Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) as of July 22, 2024, 5 pm.
NOAA
MANILA, Philippines – Carina (Gaemi) intensified from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon on Monday afternoon, July 22, while “meandering” or wobbling over the Philippine Sea.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 pm bulletin on Monday that Carina now has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour from the previous 110 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 150 km/h from 135 km/h.
PAGASA added that rapid intensification remains likely for Carina.
The typhoon was last spotted 420 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, at 4 pm on Monday. It is slowly moving north northeast.
Carina will continue to stay far from Philippine landmass, but wind and rainfall warnings are in effect due to the size of the typhoon.
Signal No. 1 remains raised in these areas as of 5 pm on Monday:
The following areas also have rain from Carina’s outer rainbands:
Monday afternoon, July 22, to Tuesday afternoon, July 23
Tuesday afternoon, July 23, to Wednesday afternoon, July 24
Wednesday afternoon, July 24, to Thursday afternoon, July 25
Floods and landslides are possible.
Carina also continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat. PAGASA had issued a separate advisory for the enhanced southwest monsoon at 11 am on Monday, with rain seen in the following areas:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will also be felt in these regions and provinces:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
For coastal waters, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon (waves 2 to 4 meters high), as well as the western seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Western Visayas (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high) on Monday. PAGASA advised small boats not to venture out to sea.
The weather bureau added that moderate seas are expected in the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao (waves 1.5 to 2 meters high) on Monday. Small boats must take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.
Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, July 24, or early Thursday morning, July 25.
PAGASA said the typhoon may pass near or over the southern islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago before leaving PAR, then pass close to the northern part of Taiwan after its exit from PAR.
“From Thursday onwards, Carina will move over the East China Sea towards southeastern China,” added the weather bureau.
Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024 and the second for July. PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com
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Biggest pro win: Alex Eala sweeps W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz singles, doubles titles | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 21:44 | FOCUSED. Alex Eala readies to return a serve in the ITF W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain.
RAFA NADAL ACADEMY
MANILA, Philippines – In the biggest singles finals of her pro career against a foe who came in with impressive pedigree, Alex Eala stepped up to the plate and delivered a clinical display of relentless aggression combined with patient execution.
The fifth-seeded Eala won her first-ever W100-level event when she disposed of Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva of Andorra, 6-4, 6-4, in a battle between two hard-hitting, left-handed teenagers in the women’s singles final of the ITF Vitoria-Gasteiz on Sunday, July 21.
Eala’s title romp came just a day after the Filipina teen standout also bagged the doubles championship with French partner Estelle Cascino after warding off Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria and Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, 6-3, 2-6, 10-4, in the finale.
“This win means the world to me, it even made me ugly cry,” Eala posted on her social media accounts on Monday, July 22.
“I am so proud because this represents the culmination of so much hard work. Securing my biggest tittles yet in both singles and doubles is a fairytale finish, and I’m overwhelmed with emotion.“
“This will always have a special place in my heart, and I leave here with a pocket full of great memories and the will to work harder,” added Eala.
The singles final matchup at the Peña Vitoriana Tenis Club in Spain between the two former junior standouts who have had similar career trajectories has long been awaited by hardcore tennis fans.
World No. 155 Eala, who turned 19 last May, captured the US Open girls’ singles title in 2022 and was ranked the No. 2 junior player in the world.
Jiménez Kasintseva, who will turn 19 years old in August, was the 2020 Australian Open girls singles champion and became the No. 1 junior player in the world when she was 14.
The title match delivered the anticipated fireworks, with Eala matching her foe’s powerful groundstrokes while pushing Jiménez Kasintseva to be constantly on the move.
The Filipina sent a strong message right off the bat when she broke Jiménez Kasintseva in the very first game of the opening set, then opened a 2-0 lead.
She broke Jiménez Kasintseva anew in the fifth game and went up 5-2, but the Andorran managed to claim the next two games to inch closer at 4-5.
Eala, though, made sure that was the nearest Jiménez Kasintseva would get, with the Filipina closing the opening set in the 10th game after going up 40-15 on her serve.
The second set saw Eala once again erecting an early 2-0 advantage. But Jiménez Kasintseva found her groove and secured the next three games for her first taste of the lead at 3-2. Eala then showed her composure and maturity.
Not only did she tie the count on her serve the very next game, but she broke Jiménez Kasintseva in the seventh game to regain the lead at 4-3.
Although she lost her serve in the eighth game, Eala answered back in the ninth with her own service break, then held serve after to finish the final in 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Both Eala and Jiménez Kasintseva were seeking their fifth career singles title in the pro tour, although their previous high title conquests were in W25-level events.
Both were coming off impressive semifinal victories the previous day, with Eala blasting Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez of Mexico, 6-2, 6-1, and Jiménez Kasintseva making short work of second seed Jessika Ponchet of France, 6-2, 6-2.
This week marked the best week of Eala’s pro career as she achieved the rare feat of winning both the singles and doubles titles. – Rappler.com
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[EDITORIAL] Apat na taon na lang Ginoong Marcos, ‘di na puwede ang papetiks-petiks | Lilibeth Frondoso | 22/07/2024 12:39 | Nico Villarete
Sa araw ng ikatlong State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., umatras si US President Joe Biden sa paglahok sa eleksiyon at sa halip ay inendorso ang Vice President niyang si Kamala Harris bilang nominee.
Ito ang nakalululang galawan sa entabladong internasyonal na haharapin ni Marcos sa papasok na ikatlong taon niya sa puwesto. Ano ang implikasyon ng isang Harris administration, kumpara sa isang Trump administration?
Habang hindi mahirap hulaan na ipagpapatuloy ni Harris ang umiiral na foreign policy ng US sa Asya, hindi malinaw kung magiging reliable na kaalyado ang US sa ilalim ni Trump laban sa tumitinding agresyon ng Tsina, lalo na’t “America First” ang hugot nito sa mga global alliance.
Pero tila least of his problems ang foreign policy kung saan tumatamasa siya ng papuri.
Kapag pumunta tayo sa internal na mga problema, sangkot pa rin ang Tsina — kaya nga tinawag ni Val Villanueva na may “silent invasion” ng Tsina sa Pilipinas. Hanggang ngayon, hindi malinaw ang tindig ni Marcos sa mga Philippine offshore gaming operators o POGO — na habang nagdulot ng bilyon-bilyong revenue sa Duterte administration ay nagbibigay din ng bilyon-bilyong sakit ng ulo kay Marcos dahil sa social cost ng human trafficking, online scams, at kriminalidad.
Marami nang nanawagan, kasama riyan ang mga legal luminaries na sina dating Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio, dating ombudsman na si Conchita Carpio-Morales, at dating justice at human rights secretary na si Leila de Lima. Mismong mga finance managers ni Marcos ay hindi sumusuporta sa pananatili ng mga POGO. Tignnan natin mamaya kung may konkretong aksiyon dito si Marcos.
Ayon sa survey, ang pinaka-urgent na concern ng mga PIlipino ay “taming inflation.” At imbes na inflation ang napaluluhod, tila tayo ang lumuluhod dito — patuloy ang paghihigpit natin ng sinturon sa harap ng mataas na halaga ng bilihin lalo ng bigas.
Sa kabila ng malaking disappointment sa inflation, tila nangangarap pa rin ang administrasyong Marcos. Tinawag ni JC Punongbayan sa video na ito na “delulunomics” lang ito, dahil delusional o hindi nakatapak sa realidad ang projections na malapit na tayong maging upper middle-income country. (PANOORIN In this Economy: Delulunomics)
At kung si Biden, natanggap na, na ang karapat-dapat na tagapagmana ay si Harris, baliktad naman sa Pilipinas. Lalo pang tumitindi ang agwat ng dating recently divorced sa pulitika na si Marcos at Vice President Sara Duterte. At maraming puwedeng kahulugan ang binitiwang salita ni Sara na siya ang “designated survivor” — tingin ba ng pinakamatandang anak na babae ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, magsu-survive siya sa open hostility nilang dalawa? Sa totoo lang puwede, lalo na kung ikokonsidera ang mga resulta ng survey na nagsasabing namamayagpag pa rin si Sara kahit umexit na sa Gabinete.
Pero napag-uusapan na rin lang si Sara, muli naming ipagdidiinan ang kapalpakan ni VP na ayusin ang learning poverty sa bansa — bagay na hindi lamang dapat singilin kay Sara kundi pati na rin sa nag-appoint sa kanya na si Marcos na ginagawang political reward ang puwesto at hindi nagtalaga ng honest-to-goodness educator.
Ngayon, all eyes are on Sonny Angara, ang bagong kalihim ng edukasyon. Maliban sa vague na pangako na itataas ang suweldo ng mga titser, wala na tayong naririnig na malinaw na atake sa higanteng problema ng learning poverty.
Totoo, susi sa pag-igpaw sa kumunoy ng learning poverty ang pagsasaayos ng kalidad ng pagtuturo, na may domino effect naman sa kalidad ng mga estudyante. Mantakin ninyo, ang mga 15-year-old noong 2018 ay hindi nakauunawa ng simpleng teksto. Pero maliban sa teacher’s pay, ano ba ang buong istratehiya, Ginoong Angara?
Anong aasahan natin sa SONA mamaya? Sa totoo lang, ang haba ang wishlist namin. Sa larangan ng civil liberties at media freedom: idecriminalize ang libel, ipasa ang Freedom of Information act, at itigil ang red-tagging.
Atupagin ang mga pangako at apurahin ang backlogs. (BASAHIN: Marcos Year 2: Status of the administration’s promises, progress, and backlogs)
Maliban sa economic reform, seryosohin ang paglaban sa kahirapan: lumayo sa dole-outs at itaguyod ang tunay na social welfare mula kalusugan hanggang edukasyon. Magpatupad ng inclusive transportation. (PANOORIN: Be The Good: Expectations, reality check before SONA)
Sa bandang huli, kung gusto ni Marcos ng “Bagong PIlipinas” hindi ‘yan madadaan sa hymn at pledge — madadaan ‘yan sa puspusang pagtatrabaho (emphasis sa puspusan), pag-tap ng expertise ng academe at professionals, at hindi delulu na plano na maganda lang sa blueprint. Apat na taon na lang Presidente Marcos — di na puwede ang papetiks-petiks. – Rappler.com
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Marcos announces ban on POGOs during SONA | Dwight de Leon | 22/07/2024 17:37 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers the State of the Nation Address during the opening of the 19th Congress, at the House of Representatives on July 22, 2024.
RTVM
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. capped off his over 80-minute long State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, with the bombshell announcement of a complete ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators.
“Effective today, all POGOs are banned. I hereby instruct Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year,” Marcos said.
The order heeds the call of various groups to put a stop to POGO operations which have been plagued with scandals related to money laundering, immigration bribery, illegal recruitment, and human trafficking.
It also followed a months-long probe by the Senate into offshore gambling activities, which thrust Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who has been linked to POGOs in her jurisdiction, into the national spotlight.
Questions surrounding her identity and citizenship have complicated the matter, with Senator Risa Hontiveros even suggesting at one point that she was a Chinese spy tasked to infiltrate local politics.
In his speech on Monday, Marcos said he would task the labor department to find jobs for countrymen who will be displaced by his tall order.
“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into elicit areas farthest from gaming such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder,” Marcos asserted.
“The grave abuse and great disrespect to our system of laws must stop,” he added.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto also expressed his support for the ban, citing the “reputational risks” brought by POGOs to the country. According to Recto, the social costs of allowing POGOs to operate far outweigh the benefits that the country can gain from tax and fees.
“Sa totoo lang, mas malaki ang lugi natin sa POGO kaysa sa kinikita natin dahil nagbabayad nga ng buwis ‘yun, pero malaki naman ang gastos sa ‘tin, halimbawa sa PNP, dahil sa krimen. Kaya ‘pag isuma-total mo ‘yan dun sa rekomendasyon ko sa Pangulo na i-ban ‘yung POGO, pinakita rin namin kung ano ‘yung mga cost-benefit analysis dyan. Sa palagay ko, tama ang desisyon ng Pangulo,” Recto said in a post-SONA interview with PTV4.
(In truth, we incur more losses from POGOs than what we earn from them, since they do pay taxes, but our we spend a lot, for example, the PNP, because of the crimes. So when you sum it all up in my recommendation to the President to ban POGOs, we also showed the cost-benefit analysis of it. In my opinion, the President’s decision is correct)
The Philippines under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte began processing licenses for POGO firms in 2016, in a bid to find another source of revenue for the government.
By 2019, the number of POGO hubs soared to as high as 300. Despite reports of their involvement in criminal activities, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s report that P14 billion in POGO transactions were related to suspicious activities, Duterte did not ban offshore gambling. (READ: IN NUMBERS: Risks, benefits of POGO operations)
Many POGOs are backed or operated by Chinese nationals, who can’t run such businesses in their home country, where it is illegal.
The Chinese government has repeatedly called on the Philippines to put an end to POGOs.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality that led the investigation into POGOs, called Marcos’ decision “a huge victory for the entire country.”
“POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country. I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” she said, adding that this is an “important first step” in holding accountable those who facilitated the entry of POGOs and their crimes in the country.
“Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said.
She expressed gratitude to all of the resource persons – victim-survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies – who cooperated in the Senate investigation “to expose the mystery surrounding POGOs.”
“We owe you this victory. And to all POGOs — legal or illegal — goodbye,” she said.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who earlier said POGOs should be banned, hailed Marcos’ statement in his third SONA.
“It is God’s answer to our prayers for what is best for the country. I thank the President for listening to the pleading of the victims of POGO-caused criminality,” Villegas said, even as he called for continued vigilance. – With reports from Paterno Esmaquel II, Lance Yu/Rappler.com
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New Cibo Rapido serves resto favorites but cafeteria-style in OPUS Mall | Steph Arnaldo | 22/07/2024 14:19 | MANILA, Philippines – It’s Cibo, but make it rapido.
The homegrown Italian restaurant has introduced a quicker way of enjoying your favorite Cibo dishes with its new concept Cibo Rapido, designed to cater to on-the-go diners who want a speedy twist on a good-quality Italian meal. Think Cibo, but upscale cafeteria-style!
Located at The Marketplace of the new Opus Mall in Bridgetowne, Quezon City, Cibo Rapido’s medium-sized space offers a streamlined dining experience, where you can choose your preferred viands, sides, and meals on-the-spot, and receive them hot and fresh in a minute.
With founder and Chef Margarita Forés’ touch, this new “instant dining” format combines convenience with Cibo’s familiarity.
Since it’s a new concept, the ordering process may take a while to understand, but Cibo Rapido’s staff is ready to help. Check the menu for the day, choose your “package,” and slide your tray from the left up to the ordering counter for payment, pointing out your dish, drink, and dessert choices to the staff along the way.
The presentation and serving sizes may differ from the restaurant’s, but you’re still getting Cibo’s standard recipes, with a few new Rapido-exclusive items on the menu, at slightly lower but roughly the same prices as the restaurant. You’d still need a mid-range budget to dine.
How it goes: You can customize your meal by choosing two items for P489 (one main dish and one additional dish), three items for P649 (one main dish and two additional dishes), or four items for P969 (two main dishes and two additional dishes). Cibo Rapido’s setup makes it optimal for sharing.
The “main dish” includes a portion of pasta or a rice meal, while the “additional dish” includes pizza Romana, an appetizer, Cibo di Strada, a salad, or panna cotta. If you want to add something extra, options like iced tea, coffee, or tiramisu are available.
Prefer to mix and match? Cibo a la carte menu offers Antipasti/Starters in solo and sharing sizes, like Taralli (P129, P255) and Potato Chips (P129, P255).
The Insalate/Salads include Palm Heart Salad (P249), Tuna Salad (P249), and Seafood Salad (P349).
The street food options, or Cibo di Strada, include Mozzarella Sticks (P99), Risotto Balls Telefono (P139), and deep-fried, crispy Beef Crocchettes (P139) with a garlicky aioli – an exclusive to Cibo Rapido.
For the Pasta options, there’s Classic Lasagna (P399), Seafood Lasagna (P589), and the best-selling Baked Telefono (P399), but this time, it’s baked with extra sauce slathered on top, which makes it even better than its resto counterpart for me – the already comforting pasta dish is made creamier and cheesier, with an extra hint of fresh tomato tartness.
The Pizza Romana options include all meat (P135), four cheese (P135), all-veggies (P135), and bolognese (P135), which tastes similar to the pasta sauce and comes with a fresh tomato slice on top. The Roman-style pizza is made from housemade focaccia and comes in rectangular slices that are airy and light, and slightly crisp on the edges.
For heartier meals, Margarita’s Mains offers solo dishes that come with parsley rice pilaf, like Roast Organic Chicken (P399); crispy, dry-rub, Italian-style Baked Chicken Wings (P399) that are new on the menu; Pork Ribs (P399), and Roast Pork Roman-style (P745 for 200g).
The Roast Organic Chicken is seasoned with fresh, Italian herbs, featuring thin rotisserie-style skin and moist meat, nicely complemented by a light lemony gravy and a squeeze of lemon on top.
Sharing options include Baked Chicken Wings (2 pcs for P159, 12 pcs for P949), Roast Organic Chicken (whole for P1,199, half for P605), Pork Ribs (solo for P699), and Roast Pork Roman-style (400g for P1,299).
For desserts, Cibo’s Panna Cotta (P199) is available in chocolate, caramel, or mango flavors, and so is the Tiramisu (P379).
Cibo Rapido also offers coffee, wine, and the iconic Cibo iced tea (P149) in takeaway bottles with Chef Margarita’s face on them, made a tad sweeter than the restaurant’s freshly brewed version.
Cibo Rapido is the latest innovation from Cibo, the beloved name for modern Italian cuisine since it was founded by Margarita “Gaita” Forés in 1997. With Cibo Rapido, Forés aims to bring Cibo’s same quality to a faster-paced, ready-to-eat, cafeteria-style setting.
Cibo Rapido is now open at The Marketplace, Opus Mall, Bridgetowne, Quezon City. The mall is open from 10 am to 10 pm daily. – Rappler.com
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On SONA day, Cabinet officials refute video of Marcos allegedly using drugs | Dwight de Leon | 22/07/2024 15:44 | AID FOR CARAGA. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks before local officials and beneficiaries of a government aid program in Butuan City on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
Butuan City PIO
MANILA, Philippines – Members of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet came to his defense on Monday, July 22, after a circulating video showed the chief executive allegedly using drugs.
The Department of National Defense (DND) under Secretary Gibo Teodoro’s leadership said it was an “obviously fake video” that supposedly originated from a Maisug gathering in Los Angeles.
The agency is referring to Hakbang ng Maisug, a group linked with the Duterte family which has been staging anti-government protests across the Philippines.
“[It] is a maliciously crude attempt to destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. They will not succeed!” the DND statement read.
“Even the release of the contrived video in the USA is a cowardly attempt to escape Philippine criminal jurisdiction,” it added.
In a quick interview with reporters at the Batasang Pambansa hours before the start of the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin described the circulation of the video as “malicious.”
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, in a press conference earlier in the day, also instructed the Philippine National Police to form a task force that would probe the circulation of the supposedly fake video.
“I’ve long known the President, and his features are not like [those in the video],” Abalos was quoted as saying by state-run media PTV.
“It’s so unfair to the person. And why did they upload it in time for the SONA?” the interior chief added in a separate ambush interview.
Marcos’ alleged drug use has long been the subject of speculations, and is an accusation that former president Rodrigo Duterte amplified earlier this year.
In a rally in Davao, Duterte, without evidence, accused Marcos of being a drug addict. When asked to respond, the incumbent president said he “won’t dignify the question,” while blaming his predecessor’s erratic behavior on fentanyl. – Rappler.com
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Rappler Recap: House opens third regular session of 19th Congress | Kaycee | 22/07/2024 13:06 | MANILA, Philippines – Members of the House of Representatives on Monday, July 22, reconvened for the third regular session of the 19th Congress.
In his opening speech, House Speaker Martin Romualdez proudly announced the chamber’s “100%” rating in approving priority measures of the administration, saying that again, the House has “done [its] homework.” Romualdez also took note of ongoing investigations in the lower chamber, particularly on the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and illegal substance use.
There were no surprises or major announcements made during Romualdez’s speech, only a reiteration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s message of unity. “Our unwavering commitment to unity and progress has paved the way for transformative laws that uplift and empower every Filipino,” he said.
The Speaker also vowed to continue working on measures identified by the President, particularly, those identified during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on June 25.
These are the following:
The lower chamber also approved several resolutions informing the Senate and the Office of the President that it had already performed duties after the break. It’s part of the House’s standard operating procedure ahead of the President’s third State of the Nation Address at 4 pm on Monday.
House members who are part of the joint committee with the Senate to notify the President are:
While the House session has been adjourned until 3 pm on Tuesday, July 22, House lawmakers were directed to head back to the session hall at 3 pm on Monday for the SONA. – Rappler.com
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Philippines says it will still assert South China Sea rights after resupply deal with China | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 22/07/2024 16:01 | STAKING CLAIMS. A Philippine flag flutters from BRP Sierra Madre, a dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that has been aground since 1999 and became a Philippine military detachment on the disputed Ayungin Shoal, on March 29, 2014.
Erik de Castro/Reuters
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will keep asserting its rights in the South China Sea after it reached a “provisional arrangement” with China about its resupply missions to the contested Second Thomas Shoal, the foreign ministry said on Monday, July 22.
While neither the Chinese foreign ministry nor the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) provided details of the arrangement, Manila said it “will not prejudice our respective national positions.”
“In our desire to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea to manage differences in a peaceful manner, we emphasize that the agreement was done in good faith and the Philippines remains ready to implement it,” the DFA said in a statement.
“We urge China to do the same.”
The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed the “temporary arrangement” with the two sides agreeing to jointly manage maritime differences and de-escalate the situation.
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines maintains a rusty naval ship, the Sierra Madre, that it deliberately grounded in 1999 to reinforce its maritime claims.
Manila regularly sends supply missions to sailors stationed at the shoal, turning it into a flashpoint with Beijing.
The Chinese foreign ministry reiterated its demand for the Philippines to tow away the grounded warship, and said it would not accept Manila shipping large amounts of building materials to the shoal.
“Between now and when the warship is towed away, should the Philippines need to send living necessities to the personnel living on the warship, China is willing to allow it in a humanitarian spirit if the Philippines informs China in advance and after on-site verification is conducted,” it said in a statement.
The Philippine has previously said it was against informing China in advance about its resupply missions, which it maintains are lawful, and said this had not changed under the new deal despite the statement from the Chinese ministry.
“The principles and approaches laid out in the agreement were reached through a series of careful and meticulous consultations between both sides that paved the way for a convergence of ideas without compromising national positions,” the Philippines’ DFA said.
“The spokesperson’s statement therefore regarding prior notification and on-site confirmation is inaccurate,” it added.
China rejects a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that Beijing’s expansive claims had no basis under international law. The case was brought to the court by the Philippines. – Rappler.com
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Jones Cup MVP Chris McCullough refutes game-fixing claims in Strong Group title game | delfin.dioquino editor | 22/07/2024 13:02 | SOAR. Chris McCullough in action for Strong Group in the 2024 William Jones Cup.
Strong Group Athletics Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group import Chris McCullough called allegations of game-fixing “ridiculous” after receiving criticism for his struggles in the virtual championship match for the William Jones Cup crown.
The former NBA player finished with a tournament-low 12 points on a cold 4-of-16 shooting in an 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue that allowed Strong Group to deliver the Philippines its seventh Jones Cup title.
It was a showing that proved to be a far cry from his previous performances as McCullough led Strong Group in scoring in each of its first seven games, averaging 22.4 points.
But McCullough said he simply had an off night.
“I always rep the flag wherever I played so for some of you fans who’s saying all of this nonsense is ridiculous,” McCullough wrote on X.
“Because I didn’t have the best game in a championship game, now I fix games? Come on now. It happens and it is what it is. It’s always the next man up.”
With McCullough firing blanks, fellow import Tajuan Agee rose to the occasion for Strong Group, churning out a team-high 21 points with 9 rebounds as he steadied the ship late in regulation and in the extra period.
Agee went a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
“T stepped up big tonight! That’s next man up mentality. He picked up my slack and got the job done!” said McCullough.
Despite his struggles in the final game, McCullough still earned tournament MVP honors as he powered Strong Group to an unbeaten run with averages of 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
McCullough also bannered the Mythical Team that included Brandon Gilbeck and Ying-Chun Chen of Chinese Taipei-Blue, Mouhamed Mbaye of Chinese Taipei-White, and former Ateneo player Joseph Obasa of Malaysia. – Rappler.com
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Duterte’s drug war killings: Cases closed, no action | Jodesz Gavilan | 22/07/2024 13:02 | Raffy de Guzman/Rappler
Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs killed an estimated 30,000 people, according to the count of human rights groups. Of the 30,000, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has admitted to killing 7,000 in legitimate anti-drug operations.
The Philippine government — both under Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — claims that local justice is working in exacting accountability on behalf of those killed without due process.
Data, however, say otherwise. Of the 7,000 killed in police operations, only 52 cases were revived for reinvestigation in 2020. These cases range from as early as 2016 to as late as 2020. The year 2020 is significant because that was when the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation was looming large over pending cases.
Under ICC rules in the Rome Statute, indications or signs of a working local justice system can move the court in The Hague to step aside. They did not. The ICC investigation is ongoing, and the threat of an arrest warrant being issued has been rumored for months already. Nothing has moved so far.
After seven months of continuous freedom of information (FOI) requests, Rappler is now able to present visual data of the 52 reinvestigated cases. The 52 cases involve 59 victims, and 162 police suspects.
Four years after this reinvestigation was launched, the results have been dismal. Most of the cases, or 32 of them, were closed without the filing of a criminal complaint.
There has only been one case of conviction, and even one case of acquittal. The government was able to file three other cases in court, their trials still ongoing as of today. There were eight cases filed before prosecutors. There are seven cases still undergoing reinvestigation.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) did the reinvestigation. According to them, there were cases where the police did not cooperate. Many cases were closed allegedly due to uncooperative families. Rappler has spoken to at least two families who have a different narrative — they wanted to cooperate, but they were being asked to produce evidence themselves. We are withholding their identities upon their request.
They tell Rappler of their frustration in their pursuit of justice, afraid to see no results. They have been subjected to pressure and continue to live in fear.
We have requested the PNP for their side, and sent numerous requests to different offices, including the office of the PNP chief, but have received no response. We have also requested the NBI for an interview to ask follow-up questions, but received no response besides acknowledgment of our request.
Missing information in this visualization is due to missing information in the NBI database itself. We can only fill out missing details if the information is available in other open-source materials.
If you know the victims or their families in this database who want to share their story, please send a message to investigative@rappler.com or the authors of this story.
Scroll down to see information about the 52 cases involving 59 victims. The cases resulted in either of the following: conviction, acquittal, ongoing trial or reinvestigation, filed in court, pending before prosecutors, or closed. Of the cases that reached court, for example, nine were victims. As you scroll down, red marks will indicate the number of victims under each case status. Click on the name of the victim to discover more details about each individual case.
– Rappler.com
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Cebu Pacific confirms talks of possible AirSWIFT acquisition | lkyu0285 | 22/07/2024 15:01 | NEW PLANE. Cebu Pacific receives a brand-new A320 neo plane assembled in Tianjin, China.
Photo by Lance Spencer Yu/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific isn’t done making blockbuster deals as it now confirms that it’s in “exploratory talks” to acquire the Ayala Group’s boutique airline AirSWIFT.
“Cebu Pacific (CEB) is always on the lookout for opportunities to grow and expand its network, including partnership with other parties. We confirm that CEB is currently engaged in exploratory talks with Ayala Land Inc. but nothing definitive has been agreed upon,” the Gokongwei-led airline said in a clarification of news reports filed through the Philippine Stock Exchange.
The clarification was made in response to a report by The Philippine Star that said Cebu Pacific could finalize the acquisition of AirSWIFT within the next two months. This could allow Cebu Pacific to finally crack into the El Nido market on top of its other routes to Coron and San Vicente, Palawan.
“CEB’s track record of success means other businesses do prefer partnering with Cebu Pacific when it comes to aviation initiatives. Should any opportunity move from a proposal to a firm business undertaking, we will make the proper disclosures,” Cebu Pacific said on Monday, July 22.
AirSWIFT is fully owned by Ayala Land. The boutique airline serves the requirements of the different resorts under Ayala Land’s management. Crucially, AirSWIFT also serves El Nido Resorts, which has 187 rooms across its four island resorts in Pangulasian, Lagen, Miniloc, and Apulit.
This wouldn’t be the first time that the Zobels and Gokongweis have been in talks to acquire a company from the other. Throughout 2023, the two mega conglomerates have been working to finalize the merger between BPI and Robinsons Bank, which would see the Ayala-led bank absorb the smaller Gokongwei-owned entity.
Cebu Pacific also recently announced its intention purchase up to 152 aircraft from Airbus. Based on list prices, the total bill for the A321neo and A320neo planes could reach up to P1.4 trillion in what would become the largest aircraft order in Philippine history. – Rappler.com
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Cebu Pacific to launch Cebu-Osaka flights starting October 15 | lkyu0285 | 22/07/2024 13:42 | BUDGET AIRLINE. A Cebu Pacific aircraft parked on a tarmac.
Cebu Pacific
MANILA, Philippines – Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific is launching direct flights from Cebu to Osaka, Japan.
Starting October 15, 2024, Cebu Pacific will operate flights between the two destinations four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Cebu Pacific is also offering a Piso Sale promotion until July 31. Travelers can book flights from Cebu to Osaka for as low as P1 one-way base fare, exclusive of fees and surcharges. The travel period will run from October 15, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
With the new route, travelers can fly straight from the bustling area of metro Cebu to Osaka, where they can enjoy the city’s seafood specialties, take pictures at the Glico Running Man sign, or visit the rides and attractions at Universal Studio Japan.
“We are thrilled to launch direct flights from Cebu to Osaka. With Japan being a top-of-mind destination for many Filipino travelers, the new route will surely give them the opportunity to visit one of the country’s dynamic cities. We also hope that this launch can encourage more travelers from Japan to explore the beauty of the Philippines,” Xander Lao, Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer, said in a press release on Monday, July 22.
Cebu Pacific also has daily flights between Cebu and Narita, Japan. The Gokongwei-led airline currently flies to 35 domestic and 25 international destinations. – Rappler.com
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PH poverty magnitude back to pre-pandemic level as family poverty rate falls to 10.9% | lkyu0285 | 22/07/2024 12:01 | POVERTY. High-rise buildings dwarf residential shanties in Barangay Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City, on January 17, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has seen a decline in family poverty rates, dropping to 10.9% in 2023, an improvement from the 13.2% recorded in pandemic-hit 2021.
However, in terms of magnitude, the 2023 figure translates to about 3 million poor families, which merely mirrors the pre-pandemic level of 3 million poor families in 2018. This suggests that there was no decrease in the actual number of families classified as poor in the six years between 2018 to 2023.
On an individual level, the poverty rate also showed improvement, decreasing from 18.1% in 2021 to 15.5% in 2023. This reduction means that approximately 17.54 million Filipinos fell below the poverty threshold in 2023, down from nearly 20 million in 2021. Yet, this number remains close to the 17.67 million individuals classified as poor in 2018.
During the pandemic year of 2021, the poverty incidence rose to as high as 23.7%, the equivalent of 26.1 million Filipinos.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) defines the poverty rate, or poverty incidence, as the “proportion of Filipino families with incomes that are insufficient to buy their minimum basic food and non-food needs as estimated by the poverty threshold.”
Food poverty, which refers to incomes insufficient to meet basic food needs, also saw a decline.
In 2023, 2.7% of Filipino families were classified as food poor, an improvement from 3.9% in 2021 and 3.4% in 2018. Similarly, 4.3% of individuals were considered food poor in 2023, down from 5.9% in 2021 and 5.2% in 2018.
“Based on these preliminary poverty statistics, the poverty situation in the country has returned to its pre-pandemic level,” the PSA said in a press release discussing the findings of its Family Income and Expenditure Survey on Monday, July 22.
The decline in poverty rates can be attributed to the increase in mean per capita income, which grew at a faster pace than the annual per capita poverty threshold. (READ: Metro Manila women’s top pre-SONA concerns: Poverty, job creation – survey)
“The poverty threshold, which is mainly affected by changes in the prices of food items in the food bundle, increased by 15.3% in 2023. On the other hand, the mean per capita income, particularly of the second decile, or families near the poverty threshold, increased by 22.9%, which is higher than the increase in the poverty threshold. These resulted to the decreases in the poverty incidences among families at 2.3 percentage points and among population at 2.6 percentage points in 2023,” the PSA said. – Rappler.com
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Marcos lauds Biden for exiting US presidential race | Dwight de Leon | 22/07/2024 13:15 | US President Joe Biden with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., walks through the colonnade of the White House in Washington DC, before the bilateral meeting, on May 01, 2023.
KJ Rosales/PPA Pool
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. chimed in on US politics on Monday, July 22, following the decision of US President Joe Biden not to seek reelection in November.
In a statement posted on his social media accounts, Marcos lauded his American counterpart for exiting the presidential race.
“President Biden’s decision to withdraw from his candidacy is a demonstration of genuine statesmanship,” he said.
“We thank him for his constant and unwavering support for the Philippines in a delicate and difficult time. We wish him well for the rest of his presidency and for all his future endeavors,” Marcos added.
Biden dropped out from the race on Sunday as calls for him to withdraw intensified after his poor debate performance against rival Donald Trump last month.
The Democratic leader is already 81, and had he pushed through with his reelection bid and won, he would have have finished his second term at 86 years old.
Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris – his 2020 running mate – for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination.
Under the Marcos presidency, the Philippines back to the United States from China, a marked departure from the foreign policy pursued by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
Manila’s embrace of Washington comes amid the increasing threat posed by Beijing in the West Philippine Sea. – Rappler.com
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Philippines, China OK ‘arrangement’ on resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 19:40 | AGROUND. An aerial view shows the BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, March 9, 2023.
Reuters
MANILA, Philippines – More than a month after the China Coast Guard attacked Filipino soldiers during a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in mid-June 2024, the Philippines announced on Sunday, July 21, that it had “reached an understanding on the provisional arrangement” with China on these missions.
“The Philippines and the People’s Republic of China have reached an understanding on the provisional arrangement for the resupply of daily necessities and rotation missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement.
The DFA did not release details of the said arrangement, but said “both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation and agree that the agreement will not prejudice each other’s positions in the South China Sea.”
According to a report from the Associated Press, two Chinese demands did not make it to the draft deal.
The AP said Beijing wanted Manila not to bring construction materials, and to give “advance notice and the right to inspect the ships.” The Philippines rejected China’s demands, and the final arrangement did not include these provisions, said the AP quoting a Philippine official.
These conditions are not new. Beijing has insisted on these provisions before – in its deals with the previous administration, and in demands it has made to Manila under Marcos.
In a statement released late Sunday, July 21, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the two countries “reached [a] provisional arrangement with the Philippines on humanitarian resupply of living necessities.”
“The two sides agreed to jointly manage maritime differences and work for deescalation in the South China Sea,” it added.
Beijing also said that its negotiations with the Philippines were anchored on its stand that the BRP Sierra Madre’s presence violates Chinese sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Beijing said it is “willing to allow” Manila to “send living necessities… in a humanitarian spirit” as long as the Philippines “informs China in advance and after on-site verification is conducted.”
“China will monitor the entire resupply process,” added the MOFA.
Beijing also said it “will absolutely not accept” and will stop missions if Manila “were to send large amount of construction materials to the warship and attempt to build fixed facilities or permanent outpost.”
The BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting warship that was run aground in the shoal back in 1999, is a flashpoint for tensions between the two countries. A handful of Philippine Navy personnel – usually the Marines – are deployed to stand watch for months at a time.
At least once a month, the Western Command hold RORE or rotation and resupply missions to the shoal to bring provisions for soldiers there, and to rotate personnel.
Beijing especially opposes Philippine missions to bring construction supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre. Military officials have said their goal is to make sure the dilapidated warship is as habitable as possible.
China has, more often than not, harassed these missions. Beijing claims the shoal as its own, even if it is just over 100 nautical miles away from Palawan and is well within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.
The June 17 incident was the most violent to death, leading to fears that tensions in the West Philippine Sea would only get worse.
The DFA said the “arrangement” was made through consultations after Manila hosted the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea on July 2.
Philippine officials had promised that RORE missions to Ayungin will push through – though they have been sparse on how.
The shoal is a crucial feature in the West Philippine Sea – is it close to Mischief Reef, which China started controlling in 1995. The reef has since turned into a military outpost for Beijing.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the Philippines’ actions in and rhetoric on issues in the West Philippine Sea have been more forceful – he has publicly promised that the Philippines would not “yield” even as China continued to be more aggressive in those waters.
The Philippines is a treaty-ally of the United States, though Filipino officials have said they don’t see the need American help, or see a reason to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty. – Rappler.com
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Here we go again. The “DFA did not release details of the said arrangement” and “Beijing especially opposes Philippine missions to bring construction supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre.” Is there anything new here?
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On SONA day, Cabinet officials refute video of Marcos allegedly using drugs | Dwight de Leon | 22/07/2024 15:44 | AID FOR CARAGA. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks before local officials and beneficiaries of a government aid program in Butuan City on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
Butuan City PIO
MANILA, Philippines – Members of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet came to his defense on Monday, July 22, after a circulating video showed the chief executive allegedly using drugs.
The Department of National Defense (DND) under Secretary Gibo Teodoro’s leadership said it was an “obviously fake video” that supposedly originated from a Maisug gathering in Los Angeles.
The agency is referring to Hakbang ng Maisug, a group linked with the Duterte family which has been staging anti-government protests across the Philippines.
“[It] is a maliciously crude attempt to destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. They will not succeed!” the DND statement read.
“Even the release of the contrived video in the USA is a cowardly attempt to escape Philippine criminal jurisdiction,” it added.
In a quick interview with reporters at the Batasang Pambansa hours before the start of the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin described the circulation of the video as “malicious.”
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, in a press conference earlier in the day, also instructed the Philippine National Police to form a task force that would probe the circulation of the supposedly fake video.
“I’ve long known the President, and his features are not like [those in the video],” Abalos was quoted as saying by state-run media PTV.
“It’s so unfair to the person. And why did they upload it in time for the SONA?” the interior chief added in a separate ambush interview.
Marcos’ alleged drug use has long been the subject of speculations, and is an accusation that former president Rodrigo Duterte amplified earlier this year.
In a rally in Davao, Duterte, without evidence, accused Marcos of being a drug addict. When asked to respond, the incumbent president said he “won’t dignify the question,” while blaming his predecessor’s erratic behavior on fentanyl. – Rappler.com
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DILG targets over 200 illegal online gaming operators with new task force | Joann Manabat - CMS | 22/07/2024 12:33 | STF SKIMMER. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos talks to various national government agencies and local government units on their combined efforts to map out criminal activities related to illegal IGLs which was held in Clark Freeport, Pampanga on July 20, 2024.
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CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) launched in Pampanga a special task force to crack down on over illegal internet gaming operations and scam farms, which the Philippine National Police (PNP) blamed for over a hundred serious crimes committed in the country since 2019.
The PNP said it documented 136 crimes which included kidnappings, human trafficking, serious illegal detention related to illegal internet gaming licensees or Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), and scam farms within five years.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos launched the Special Task Force Skimmer at the Royce Hotel in Clark Freeport, Pampanga on Saturday, July 20, two days ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Abalos said there are 43 groups licensed to engage in online gaming operations in the country, but more than 200 others are operating illegally and are scam farms.
Data presented by PNP chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil showed that over 5,800 victims had been reported due to such crimes between January 2019 and July 2024. Most of the victims were Filipinos at 2,317 followed by Chinese with 1,931.
The task force aims to crack down on the illegal activities and network of groups engaged in illegal online gaming operations and scams through enhanced intelligence gathering, coordinated operations, and legal actions.
The group involves the DILG, PNP, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), and local governments.
“What we are going to do here is not to wait for the problem to happen. We will be proactive with all the visitorial powers given to the mayors, and each national and local agency. This will be a combined effort to map out the illegal activities on the ground. This is now the marching orders that we will be giving the LGUs,” Abalos said.
DILG Assistant Secretary Romeo Benitez said local chief executives should assert their right to inspect POGOs and other business establishments, and the local governments should exercise their powers to revoke or cancel licenses.
“The mayor’s power to investigate is not only ministerial. The LGUs can impose reasonable regulations such as daily inspections of establishments for any violation of the conditions of their licenses or permits,” Benitez said.
He told local chief executives in Central Luzon, “You can suspend, revoke, provided there is an existing violation. The mayor can delegate his officers to inspect facilities.”
The launch was attended by officials like Central Luzon Regional Peace and Order Council chairman and Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane, Pampanga Vice Governor Lilia Pineda, and several mayors in Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan, Bulacan, Pangasinan, and Ilocos Sur. A similar event was also held in the afternoon at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
“This gathering is very important. It is the full force of the government,” Abalos said.
Pampanga Vice Governor Lilia Pineda expressed her concerns regarding the adverse effects of illegal online gaming operations and scams in the region. In June, the Pampanga provincial board conducted a separate investigation on POGOs, which highlighted communication and coordination lapses between local and other government agencies. – Rappler.com
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[EDITORIAL] Apat na taon na lang Ginoong Marcos, ‘di na puwede ang papetiks-petiks | Lilibeth Frondoso | 22/07/2024 12:39 | Nico Villarete
Sa araw ng ikatlong State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., umatras si US President Joe Biden sa paglahok sa eleksiyon at sa halip ay inendorso ang Vice President niyang si Kamala Harris bilang nominee.
Ito ang nakalululang galawan sa entabladong internasyonal na haharapin ni Marcos sa papasok na ikatlong taon niya sa puwesto. Ano ang implikasyon ng isang Harris administration, kumpara sa isang Trump administration?
Habang hindi mahirap hulaan na ipagpapatuloy ni Harris ang umiiral na foreign policy ng US sa Asya, hindi malinaw kung magiging reliable na kaalyado ang US sa ilalim ni Trump laban sa tumitinding agresyon ng Tsina, lalo na’t “America First” ang hugot nito sa mga global alliance.
Pero tila least of his problems ang foreign policy kung saan tumatamasa siya ng papuri.
Kapag pumunta tayo sa internal na mga problema, sangkot pa rin ang Tsina — kaya nga tinawag ni Val Villanueva na may “silent invasion” ng Tsina sa Pilipinas. Hanggang ngayon, hindi malinaw ang tindig ni Marcos sa mga Philippine offshore gaming operators o POGO — na habang nagdulot ng bilyon-bilyong revenue sa Duterte administration ay nagbibigay din ng bilyon-bilyong sakit ng ulo kay Marcos dahil sa social cost ng human trafficking, online scams, at kriminalidad.
Marami nang nanawagan, kasama riyan ang mga legal luminaries na sina dating Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio, dating ombudsman na si Conchita Carpio-Morales, at dating justice at human rights secretary na si Leila de Lima. Mismong mga finance managers ni Marcos ay hindi sumusuporta sa pananatili ng mga POGO. Tignnan natin mamaya kung may konkretong aksiyon dito si Marcos.
Ayon sa survey, ang pinaka-urgent na concern ng mga PIlipino ay “taming inflation.” At imbes na inflation ang napaluluhod, tila tayo ang lumuluhod dito — patuloy ang paghihigpit natin ng sinturon sa harap ng mataas na halaga ng bilihin lalo ng bigas.
Sa kabila ng malaking disappointment sa inflation, tila nangangarap pa rin ang administrasyong Marcos. Tinawag ni JC Punongbayan sa video na ito na “delulunomics” lang ito, dahil delusional o hindi nakatapak sa realidad ang projections na malapit na tayong maging upper middle-income country. (PANOORIN In this Economy: Delulunomics)
At kung si Biden, natanggap na, na ang karapat-dapat na tagapagmana ay si Harris, baliktad naman sa Pilipinas. Lalo pang tumitindi ang agwat ng dating recently divorced sa pulitika na si Marcos at Vice President Sara Duterte. At maraming puwedeng kahulugan ang binitiwang salita ni Sara na siya ang “designated survivor” — tingin ba ng pinakamatandang anak na babae ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, magsu-survive siya sa open hostility nilang dalawa? Sa totoo lang puwede, lalo na kung ikokonsidera ang mga resulta ng survey na nagsasabing namamayagpag pa rin si Sara kahit umexit na sa Gabinete.
Pero napag-uusapan na rin lang si Sara, muli naming ipagdidiinan ang kapalpakan ni VP na ayusin ang learning poverty sa bansa — bagay na hindi lamang dapat singilin kay Sara kundi pati na rin sa nag-appoint sa kanya na si Marcos na ginagawang political reward ang puwesto at hindi nagtalaga ng honest-to-goodness educator.
Ngayon, all eyes are on Sonny Angara, ang bagong kalihim ng edukasyon. Maliban sa vague na pangako na itataas ang suweldo ng mga titser, wala na tayong naririnig na malinaw na atake sa higanteng problema ng learning poverty.
Totoo, susi sa pag-igpaw sa kumunoy ng learning poverty ang pagsasaayos ng kalidad ng pagtuturo, na may domino effect naman sa kalidad ng mga estudyante. Mantakin ninyo, ang mga 15-year-old noong 2018 ay hindi nakauunawa ng simpleng teksto. Pero maliban sa teacher’s pay, ano ba ang buong istratehiya, Ginoong Angara?
Anong aasahan natin sa SONA mamaya? Sa totoo lang, ang haba ang wishlist namin. Sa larangan ng civil liberties at media freedom: idecriminalize ang libel, ipasa ang Freedom of Information act, at itigil ang red-tagging.
Atupagin ang mga pangako at apurahin ang backlogs. (BASAHIN: Marcos Year 2: Status of the administration’s promises, progress, and backlogs)
Maliban sa economic reform, seryosohin ang paglaban sa kahirapan: lumayo sa dole-outs at itaguyod ang tunay na social welfare mula kalusugan hanggang edukasyon. Magpatupad ng inclusive transportation. (PANOORIN: Be The Good: Expectations, reality check before SONA)
Sa bandang huli, kung gusto ni Marcos ng “Bagong PIlipinas” hindi ‘yan madadaan sa hymn at pledge — madadaan ‘yan sa puspusang pagtatrabaho (emphasis sa puspusan), pag-tap ng expertise ng academe at professionals, at hindi delulu na plano na maganda lang sa blueprint. Apat na taon na lang Presidente Marcos — di na puwede ang papetiks-petiks. – Rappler.com
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SONA 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 3rd State of the Nation Address | No author found | 23/07/2024 14:25 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at 4 pm on Monday, July 22, at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
The President announced a ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators, asserted the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, acknowledged the challenges in the education sector, and zeroed in on gut issues such as inflation, among others.
The speech came ahead of the candidacy filing period in October for the 2025 midterm polls, seen as a referendum on the government’s policy direction and performance.
View this page for updates, videos, fact checks, and analyses on Marcos’ third SONA. Watch Rappler’s special coverage below:
Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address, PANTAY national convener Vince Liban says “equality and non-discrimination ought to be staples in the national agenda.” #SONA2024RELATED: https://t.co/AprESujK4w pic.twitter.com/FXs3RjjCC1
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who earlier said POGOs should be banned, hailed Marcos’ statement on POGOs in his third SONA.
“It is God’s answer to our prayers for what is best for the country. I thank the President for listening to the pleading of the victims of POGO-caused criminality,” Villegas said, even as he called for continued vigilance.
Read more.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality that led the investigation into POGOs, called Marcos’ decision to ban POGOs “a huge victory for the entire country.”
“POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country. I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” she said, adding that this is an “important first step” in holding accountable those who facilitated the entry of POGOs and their crimes in the country.
“Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said.
She expressed gratitude to all of the resource persons – victim-survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies – who cooperated in the Senate investigation. “We owe you this victory. And to all POGOs — legal or illegal — goodbye.”
Read more.
Akbayan Party said President Marcos’ ban on POGOs and his pronouncements on the West Philippine Sea in his third SONA “represents a significant triumph for our nation’s sovereignty and the welfare of our citizens.”
“By fortifying our stance on the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos Jr. heeded the collective aspirations of Filipinos to assert our territorial integrity amid China’s violence and harassment against our fishers and frontliners. This declaration not only underscores our dedication to upholding international law but also embodies a formidable defense of our national interests,” Akbayan said.
“Concurrently, the ban on POGOs addresses critical issues of corruption, criminal activities, and their detrimental socio-economic impacts. We call for the strict enforcement of this ban and the holding accountable of all those responsible for the proliferation of POGOs in our country,” it added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during his third State of the Nation Address that key railway projects are making progress.
“Other railway projects such as the MRT7 and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) are likewise progressing. We will make sure the right of way issues are resolved in the most equitable, efficient, and expeditious manner, so that these will not get in the way of our infrastructure development,” he said.
However, Marcos failed to mention that both projects have been under construction since the previous administration. Construction of the MRT7 and NSCR began in 2016 and 2019, respectively. – Rappler.com | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/philippines/updates-highlights-summary-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr-sona-july-22-2024/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR19lHdKi6LHKJz2wmCNS68X7t9-pt6FlejOzIFZ8aOboV6kAtCMMD7RxgU_aem_YeS9oQM1ZC1gXzAtmZEoaw | Credible |
Carina likely to become a typhoon; enhanced southwest monsoon triggers rain | Acor Arceo | 22/07/2024 13:55 | CARINA. Satellite image of Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) as of July 22, 2024, 11 am.
NOAA
MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) continued to strengthen on Monday morning, July 22, while enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.
Carina’s maximum sustained winds increased from 100 kilometers per hour to 110 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 11 am on Monday.
The severe tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 135 km/h from the previous 125 km/h.
PAGASA sees Carina becoming a typhoon on Monday. A typhoon, based on the weather bureau’s classification, has maximum sustained winds of 118 to 184 km/h.
Rapid intensification remains likely for Carina, added PAGASA.
As of 10 am on Monday, Carina was located 340 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, moving northwest at 15 km/h.
The severe tropical storm will not make landfall in the Philippines, but it is affecting parts of Cagayan Valley.
Here are the areas under Signal No. 1 as of 11 am on Monday, which means they will have strong winds from Carina:
The outer rainbands of the severe tropical storm are also causing rain in these areas:
Monday noon, July 22, to Tuesday noon, July 23
Tuesday noon, July 23, to Wednesday noon, July 24
Wednesday noon, July 24, to Thursday noon, July 25
Floods and landslides are possible.
Meanwhile, the enhanced southwest monsoon is bringing rain to several other areas in Luzon and parts of Western Visayas. Below is PAGASA’s updated rainfall forecast.
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
Areas affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon should watch out for floods and landslides.
Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will also be felt in these regions and provinces:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
For coastal waters, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon (waves 2 to 3.5 meters high), as well as the western seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Western Visayas (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high) on Monday. PAGASA advised small boats not to venture out to sea.
The weather bureau added that moderate seas are expected in the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao (waves 1.5 to 2 meters high) on Monday. Small boats must take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.
Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, July 24, or early Thursday morning, July 25.
PAGASA said Carina may pass near or over the southern islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago before leaving PAR, then pass close to the northern part of Taiwan after its exit from PAR.
“From Thursday onwards, Carina will move over the East China Sea towards southeastern China,” added the weather bureau.
Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024 and the second for July. PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com
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Jones Cup MVP Chris McCullough refutes game-fixing claims in Strong Group title game | delfin.dioquino editor | 22/07/2024 13:02 | SOAR. Chris McCullough in action for Strong Group in the 2024 William Jones Cup.
Strong Group Athletics Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group import Chris McCullough called allegations of game-fixing “ridiculous” after receiving criticism for his struggles in the virtual championship match for the William Jones Cup crown.
The former NBA player finished with a tournament-low 12 points on a cold 4-of-16 shooting in an 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue that allowed Strong Group to deliver the Philippines its seventh Jones Cup title.
It was a showing that proved to be a far cry from his previous performances as McCullough led Strong Group in scoring in each of its first seven games, averaging 22.4 points.
But McCullough said he simply had an off night.
“I always rep the flag wherever I played so for some of you fans who’s saying all of this nonsense is ridiculous,” McCullough wrote on X.
“Because I didn’t have the best game in a championship game, now I fix games? Come on now. It happens and it is what it is. It’s always the next man up.”
With McCullough firing blanks, fellow import Tajuan Agee rose to the occasion for Strong Group, churning out a team-high 21 points with 9 rebounds as he steadied the ship late in regulation and in the extra period.
Agee went a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
“T stepped up big tonight! That’s next man up mentality. He picked up my slack and got the job done!” said McCullough.
Despite his struggles in the final game, McCullough still earned tournament MVP honors as he powered Strong Group to an unbeaten run with averages of 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
McCullough also bannered the Mythical Team that included Brandon Gilbeck and Ying-Chun Chen of Chinese Taipei-Blue, Mouhamed Mbaye of Chinese Taipei-White, and former Ateneo player Joseph Obasa of Malaysia. – Rappler.com
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SM Prime bolsters MSME growth and boom in the Philippines | cmorales0331 | 22/07/2024 10:45 | SM Supermalls continues its commitment to empower and enrich the growth of local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by building a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation.
“MSMEs are our local partners in generating value across all the communities we operate in,” said Steven Tan, president of SM Supermalls. “With 99.59% of the local economy composed of MSMEs, the persistence and vibrancy of local trade as well as the generation of jobs on the micro, small, and medium scale hinges on their success.”
In line with this, SM Supermalls continues to implement various programs and plan opportunities for MSMEs to grow their customer base through the vast network of SM malls in the country. With 67% of its tenants being MSMEs, these programs empower entrepreneurs by providing them with accessible and affordable prime retail spaces in SM’s high-foot traffic malls, as well as helpful packages to support their growth.
“Because SM has been an established brand for over three decades, perhaps people have forgotten that we started out as a small enterprise ourselves,” said Tan. “Our own experience emphasizes the value in supporting our MSMEs and has given us valuable insight we can use to further support this crucial sector in line with the government’s efforts.”
Last May, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) introduced the fourth iteration of the national MSME Development Plan geared to reduce operational costs and eliminate barriers for new entrepreneurs. Through the plan’s implementation, the DTI hopes to grow the number of registered MSMEs, improve their contribution to the larger local economy, and support continual job creation.
The “SM for MSMEs” program supports budding entrepreneurs in overcoming three key challenges they usually face: access to a diverse group of customers, the high cost of traditional operational requirements like rent, and competition with established brands for attention and patronage. Serving as a marketplace for entrepreneurs facing difficulties finding the right venue and market, SM aims to be the incubator of the country’s next big brands.
“SM for MSMEs offer scalable packages to businesses in the communities around SM malls. For as low as P500 per day, small scale businesses can rent a booth in SM’s high-foot traffic venues during regular exhibits and special events. The program currently has 633 purveyors nationwide, providing an affordable and strategic platform for entrepreneurs to sell their products and reach the right market.
SM initiated its “StartUp Package” in 2021 to assist MSMEs in opening their first brick-and-mortar stores. The package provides startup-friendly rental rates within SM malls along with the free usage of kiosks and carts. Marketing assistance is also provided through free exposure in SM online assets and ad spaces within the malls with valuable mentorship from its experts on operations and marketing. SM also offers financial assistance with BDO network bank. This program is currently running across five malls with 30 purveyors as of writing. Earlier this year, 44 startup market purveyors successfully transitioned to SM tenants.
On top of these, SM helps support rural communities through opportunities for fair trade that also preserve its cultural heritage. The SM Sunday Market bazaar has been running since last year across 23 active and participating SM malls. Among its 135 purveyors are graduates of SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan program farmers who are local food and produce suppliers.
“Throughout SM’s decades of growth, we are familiar with the work and effort it takes to build a business from the ground up. Thus, with these programs, SM aims to be a catalyst for the success of local MSMEs through support and tailored offers that further foster economic vitality and social wellbeing across all communities we operate in,” said Tan. “Because of the success we’ve been met with, not just on our own operations but with the programs and efforts we have initiated, we continue to pay it forward by supporting this crucial, underserved sector in the local economy.” – Rappler.com
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#WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Monday, July 22, 2024 | Acor Arceo | 22/07/2024 9:35 | MANILA, Philippines – Some areas suspended classes for Monday, July 22, due to expected rain from the southwest monsoon or habagat.
The southwest monsoon is being enhanced by Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi), which remains over the Philippine Sea.
Some private schools already began their academic year 2024-2025, while public schools will start classes on July 29.
This list will be updated once local or national authorities make announcements.
– Rappler.com
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SONA 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 3rd State of the Nation Address | No author found | 23/07/2024 14:25 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at 4 pm on Monday, July 22, at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
The President announced a ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators, asserted the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, acknowledged the challenges in the education sector, and zeroed in on gut issues such as inflation, among others.
The speech came ahead of the candidacy filing period in October for the 2025 midterm polls, seen as a referendum on the government’s policy direction and performance.
View this page for updates, videos, fact checks, and analyses on Marcos’ third SONA. Watch Rappler’s special coverage below:
Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address, PANTAY national convener Vince Liban says “equality and non-discrimination ought to be staples in the national agenda.” #SONA2024RELATED: https://t.co/AprESujK4w pic.twitter.com/FXs3RjjCC1
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who earlier said POGOs should be banned, hailed Marcos’ statement on POGOs in his third SONA.
“It is God’s answer to our prayers for what is best for the country. I thank the President for listening to the pleading of the victims of POGO-caused criminality,” Villegas said, even as he called for continued vigilance.
Read more.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality that led the investigation into POGOs, called Marcos’ decision to ban POGOs “a huge victory for the entire country.”
“POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country. I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” she said, adding that this is an “important first step” in holding accountable those who facilitated the entry of POGOs and their crimes in the country.
“Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said.
She expressed gratitude to all of the resource persons – victim-survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies – who cooperated in the Senate investigation. “We owe you this victory. And to all POGOs — legal or illegal — goodbye.”
Read more.
Akbayan Party said President Marcos’ ban on POGOs and his pronouncements on the West Philippine Sea in his third SONA “represents a significant triumph for our nation’s sovereignty and the welfare of our citizens.”
“By fortifying our stance on the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos Jr. heeded the collective aspirations of Filipinos to assert our territorial integrity amid China’s violence and harassment against our fishers and frontliners. This declaration not only underscores our dedication to upholding international law but also embodies a formidable defense of our national interests,” Akbayan said.
“Concurrently, the ban on POGOs addresses critical issues of corruption, criminal activities, and their detrimental socio-economic impacts. We call for the strict enforcement of this ban and the holding accountable of all those responsible for the proliferation of POGOs in our country,” it added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during his third State of the Nation Address that key railway projects are making progress.
“Other railway projects such as the MRT7 and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) are likewise progressing. We will make sure the right of way issues are resolved in the most equitable, efficient, and expeditious manner, so that these will not get in the way of our infrastructure development,” he said.
However, Marcos failed to mention that both projects have been under construction since the previous administration. Construction of the MRT7 and NSCR began in 2016 and 2019, respectively. – Rappler.com | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/philippines/updates-highlights-summary-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr-sona-july-22-2024/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2tX_zUQeo1mZ44YUR-jnFlCwd3rSn9s0XJRDMEisqxyk5LtRmipPHms6w_aem_8LP0PDXPqUJaHXqXxuIJHg | Credible |
PH poverty magnitude back to pre-pandemic level as family poverty rate falls to 10.9% | lkyu0285 | 22/07/2024 12:01 | POVERTY. High-rise buildings dwarf residential shanties in Barangay Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City, on January 17, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has seen a decline in family poverty rates, dropping to 10.9% in 2023, an improvement from the 13.2% recorded in pandemic-hit 2021.
However, in terms of magnitude, the 2023 figure translates to about 3 million poor families, which merely mirrors the pre-pandemic level of 3 million poor families in 2018. This suggests that there was no decrease in the actual number of families classified as poor in the six years between 2018 to 2023.
On an individual level, the poverty rate also showed improvement, decreasing from 18.1% in 2021 to 15.5% in 2023. This reduction means that approximately 17.54 million Filipinos fell below the poverty threshold in 2023, down from nearly 20 million in 2021. Yet, this number remains close to the 17.67 million individuals classified as poor in 2018.
During the pandemic year of 2021, the poverty incidence rose to as high as 23.7%, the equivalent of 26.1 million Filipinos.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) defines the poverty rate, or poverty incidence, as the “proportion of Filipino families with incomes that are insufficient to buy their minimum basic food and non-food needs as estimated by the poverty threshold.”
Food poverty, which refers to incomes insufficient to meet basic food needs, also saw a decline.
In 2023, 2.7% of Filipino families were classified as food poor, an improvement from 3.9% in 2021 and 3.4% in 2018. Similarly, 4.3% of individuals were considered food poor in 2023, down from 5.9% in 2021 and 5.2% in 2018.
“Based on these preliminary poverty statistics, the poverty situation in the country has returned to its pre-pandemic level,” the PSA said in a press release discussing the findings of its Family Income and Expenditure Survey on Monday, July 22.
The decline in poverty rates can be attributed to the increase in mean per capita income, which grew at a faster pace than the annual per capita poverty threshold. (READ: Metro Manila women’s top pre-SONA concerns: Poverty, job creation – survey)
“The poverty threshold, which is mainly affected by changes in the prices of food items in the food bundle, increased by 15.3% in 2023. On the other hand, the mean per capita income, particularly of the second decile, or families near the poverty threshold, increased by 22.9%, which is higher than the increase in the poverty threshold. These resulted to the decreases in the poverty incidences among families at 2.3 percentage points and among population at 2.6 percentage points in 2023,” the PSA said. – Rappler.com
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Sky Cable partners with Converge to boost network after failed deal with PLDT | lkyu0285 | 22/07/2024 10:18 | MANILA, Philippines – Internet provider Sky Cable has found a new partner in Converge ICT Solutions, confirming a commercial arrangement months after rumors swirled about a potential partnership.
In a joint press release by Sky Cable and Converge, the two internet providers said that the deal “will enable Sky to upgrade its network and improve services to its subscribers.”
The arrangement allows for Sky subscribers to also benefit from Converge’s fiber network, boosting their broadband speeds with fiber connectivity. For Converge, it will maximize their network and increase port utilization.
“This will be a revenue boost for Converge consistent with similar arrangements with other players as we are able to continue to monetize further our excess network capacity,” Converge president and co-founder Maria Grace Uy said on Monday, July 22.
Converge says it has the country’s largest fiber-to-the-home network, with a more than 700,000-kilometer fiber footprint that reaches 16 million homes. As of end-March 2024, Converge had 2.3 million residential broadband subscribers.
The deal does not mention any cash payout, although it did highlight a “Sky transformational program” that calls for “greater financial discipline,” on top of better operational efficiency and organizational improvements. The joint press release also did not mention Sky’s hefty loan obligations .
“We believe that this is the best way to move forward and stay focused on delivering superior customer experience,” said Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer, and concurrent Sky director.
A possible partnership between Converge and Sky Cable had been rumored since February 2024 after the latter’s failed sale to telco giant PLDT. Back then, both companies did not confirm nor deny reports of talks between the two, stating that they were open to “exploring opportunities.”
Before this, PLDT had been set on acquiring Sky Cable in a P6.75-billion deal that would have ended the latter’s paid TV and cable business.
The Lopezes were reportedly selling the company to extinguish the multi-billion loan obligations that it took on as it weathers the financial stress caused by former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades and Congress’ refusal to renew its franchise. Sky Cable had P4.493 billion in interest-bearing loans and borrowings as of March 31, 2024, based on its first quarter report.
The deal was supposed to be finalized in March 2024, were it not for a surprise decision by both companies to scrap the deal on February 22.
Not even the banks of ABS-CBN, the parent company of Sky Cable, were immediately privy to the reasons why the deal fell through. (READ: ABS-CBN, PLDT didn’t tell banks why they scrapped Sky Cable deal) – Rappler.com
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Why Fil-Am hurdler Lauren Hoffman made the big Philippine leap | Jasmine Payo | 21/07/2024 17:57 | While scrolling her time away on social media, Lauren Hoffman had a realization – she could actually represent the Philippines in international athletics events.
A track star from Duke University, the Filipino-American Hoffman found out that her personal athletics records weren’t far off the Philippine marks, thus setting in motion a path that quite quickly landed her a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I had followed a lot of the (Philippine) sprinters and hurdlers and pole vaulters. So, I really looked up to them for a long time,” Hoffman told Rappler in an online interview.
“And my sophomore year of college, I ran somewhat close to the Philippine national record [in hurdles]. And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s exciting.’ I was thinking since I was so close to that national record as a sophomore in college, I was really excited to be a part of the team.”
“I have the potential to be something great,” Hoffman added. “I’m on track to do something great. And I would love to represent the Philippines while I’m competing professionally. So that was the first moment where I was like, ‘I want to represent the Philippines,’ when I knew I was good enough to start competing internationally.”
At that time, Hoffman had never been to her mom Laura’s home country. But, she grew up in Virginia learning the Filipino culture – “making mano (gesture of respect)” to her ninong (godfathers) and ninangs (godmothers), eating a lot of Pinoy food in gatherings, while belting her favorite tunes in karaoke.
Most of all, what kept the Philippines close to Hoffman’s heart was the strong sense of family.
After discovering her international potential, Hoffman decided to link up with Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA), then led by former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Philip Ella Juico.
Hoffman first competed locally during the Philippine Athletics Championships, also known as the National Open, in Ilagan, Isabela, in February 2023, where she was able to bring along her mom and ninong.
Things rolled quickly from there as she represented the country internationally in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in October 2023, ending up fifth in the meet with a time of 57.21 seconds in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
Returning to the US, she sustained her competitive streak, resetting the 400m hurdles Philippine record during the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational in Miami at 56.39, just a tad better than the previous mark of 56.44 by Robyn Brown.
In April 2024, Hoffman then blew away the 15-year-old Philippine record of 13.65 seconds set by Sheena Atilano in the women’s 100m hurdles by tallying 13.41 at the Duke International in Durham, North Carolina.
But less than a month later, while competing in her second Philippine meet, Hoffman shattered the record anew at 13.34 seconds during the National Open at the PhilSports track in Pasig, where she was cheered on by relatives from Navotas and Antipolo.
Hoffman’s sporting milestones didn’t stop there, just over a year since donning the Philippine colors.
By July 2024, the 25-year-old Hoffman made history again by qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, earning just enough points in the world rankings to reach the cutoff mark in the women’s 400m hurdles.
“I am one of the only 400 [female] hurdlers to, like ever… make it to the Olympics,” she said. “I think I’m only the second ever [from the Philippines]. So I feel there’s like a lot of history to be made.”
“And I think we’re definitely getting better and better every year,” she added. “You know, coming off Hidilyn Diaz’s gold medal [in the Tokyo Olympics], I think that just inspired the country, too.”
Growing up in the small, sleepy town of Haymarket, Hoffman first competed in running during her elementary school days, where she would participate in events like the 5km run.
At 13 years old, Hoffman then decided to shift to hurdling, which she recalled loving right at the moment she leapt her first obstacle.
In Battlefield High School, she was named a New Balance Nationals All-American, winning the state championship in the 4x400m relay and finishing fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles in 2017.
The 5-foot-6 athlete also played volleyball, but was likewise relentless in academics, graduating summa cum laude.
Heading into college, Hoffman had two choices – Harvard University over in the northeast, or Duke University, about 260 miles away southwest of her hometown.
“It was a really tough decision for me because they’re both great universities. I knew I would get a great education, get good degrees,” recalled Hoffman.
“But it came down to where I felt more at home. You know, who I vibed with, the ones who gave me a good feeling, which team felt like family. So, I just fell in love with the Duke track team.”
Taking up evolutionary anthropology with the intention of taking up medicine afterwards, Hoffman made her mark with the prestigious sporting program under the tutelage of coach Mark Mueller, who coaches her up to this day.
She was named to several All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) First and Second Teams and was hailed as part of the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America First Team in the 2021 season.
Hoffman was also recognized by the conference as part of its all-academic team, balancing her act well as a student and an athlete.
As of February 2024, the Filipino-American track star remains the university’s standard in the 400m hurdles (55.47 seconds), and the owner of the best mark at Morris Williams Track and Field Stadium at 56.00, which she set as a management studies post-graduate student in 2022.
She also clocked 56.58 seconds in the same event to set a Duke invitational record last April 13.
Her 55.47-second finish earned her the bronze medal, and USTFCCCA All-America First Team honors, which broke the school record for the fourth time during that season.
But from the school track, she now takes her act to the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Hoffman will debut in the Olympics along with fellow hurdler John Cabang Tolentino, a Filipino who grew up in Spain who likewise qualified via world rankings.
“I like the expectations. I think the pressure is good… We have high expectations for ourselves because we want to be great,” said Hoffman.
“We’re snowballing. The success is snowballing. I think Team Philippines is on the way up.”
Although this will be the biggest competition of her life, Hoffman opts to see it as just another tournament.
“This is the same race I’ve done since college. [Some of my opponents will be the same] women I’ve competed against before. So, I feel like there’s an element of, ‘I’m here and I belong here. I’m an experienced runner,’” Hoffman said.
“I’m reminding myself that I’m ready to do this, as well as also, taking in all the new factors as well.” – Rappler.com
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Obiena still optimistic of Olympic medal quest despite ‘physical problems’ | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 20:37 | GAZE. The Philippines' Ernest John Obiena reacts during the men's pole vault final in the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Aleksandra Szmigiel/REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – The road to the Paris Olympics has not been smooth sailing for Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena.
Obiena revealed he has been battling “physical problems” in the lead-up to the Games, but said he remains confident that he can compete at the highest level as he hopes to deliver the Philippines a prized medal.
Ranked second in the world, Obiena is expected to end the Philippines’ medal drought in Olympic athletics since hurdler Miguel White won bronze in the 1936 Berlin Games.
But that goal has been made more difficult as Obiena deals with training setbacks as he needs to undergo a “variety of medical procedures.”
“If you had asked me a year ago, how I would envision the ‘perfect’ Olympic preparation, well it certainly wouldn’t be what has transpired! It has been what can only be termed a bumpy road this season,” Obiena wrote on his social media accounts.
“Despite my best efforts at conditioning, fitness and discipline, I have been battling with various physical problems since April.”
“I know and fully understand this can happen to athletes training at such intensity and no complaints…but why now? This has meant constant stops and stitching training and competition together with my team as well as we could.”
“I have undergone in past months, weeks, and days a variety of medical procedures, to hopefully give myself the best shot at the Olympic Games.”
Obiena started the outdoor season in May in style by striking gold in the Los Angeles Grand Prix in the United States, although the results that followed proved to be a mixed bag.
He finished seventh in the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czech Republic, got back on the podium by sharing second in the Oslo Bislett Games in Norway, then wound up seventh again in the BAUHAS-galan in Sweden.
After nailing a pair of golds in Poland in the Irena Szewińska Memorial, where he posted a year-best clearance of 5.97m, and in the Czeslaw Cybulski Memorial, Obiena missed the podium anew as he placed fourth in the Meeting de Paris – his final competition before the Olympics.
While Obiena has faced struggles in his Olympic buildup, he continues to be optimistic about his chances as he looks to challenge defending champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden.
“Am I feeling confident with my preparation? Well, definitely not as much as I would like! Am I doing the best I can each day? Yes and most definitely yes!” said Obiena.
“Not what I wanted but we’re still standing and I still have a few more days to prepare and sharpen.”
“I know these things happen. All athletes at an Olympic level deal with such adversities. I know not everything is in my control. I am an optimist by nature. Can I perform at the highest level? Yes, I believe I can.”
Obiena said his supporters can expect the best from him.
“I am a proud Filipino and that means I am resilient and have weathered far worse situations. I promise you all I will give not 99% but all 100%,” he said.
The men’s pole vault qualification is schedule on August 3 at the Stade de France. – Rappler.com
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Back on top: Strong Group completes 8-0 sweep to reclaim Jones Cup title for Philippines | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 23:53 | TEAM. Kiefer Ravena (15) in action for Strong Group-Pilipinas in the 2024 William Jones Cup.
Strong Group Athletics Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – The William Jones Cup title is back at the hands of the Filipinos.
After a disappointing seventh-place finish by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the country’s representative last year, Strong Group-Pilipinas reclaimed the Jones Cup crown for the Philippines with a thrilling 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue in their virtual gold-medal showdown on Sunday, July 21, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
The Philippines last ruled the tournament back in 2019, under the Mighty Sports team, which was also coached by Strong Group tactician Charles Tiu.
After missing Strong Group’s past two games due to food poisoning, American import Tajuan Agee carried the Philippines on his shoulders as he produced a game-high 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 clip from the foul line, to go with 9 rebounds.
Filipino-American guard DJ Fenner backstopped the 6-foot-9 Agee with 15 points and 9 rebounds, while Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos stepped up big with 14 markers on 4-of-8 shooting from deep, as Strong Group’s super import Chris McCullough struggled mightily the whole contest.
For the first time in eight outings, McCullough did not lead the Philippines in scoring as he finished with a tournament-low 12 points on a lowly 4-of-16 field goal clip.
Still, McCullough delivered when it mattered most as his lone basket in overtime prior to fouling out gave Strong Group a crucial 80-78 lead with 2:43 left in the game – which the Filipinos kept the rest of the way.
With the erstwhile unbeaten Chinese Taipei-Blue threatening to pull away with a 71-64 advantage with just 1:08 to play in the final frame, Strong Group fought back and went on a huge 9-0 run, capped by a Kiefer Ravena triple, for a 73-71 lead with only 13.2 seconds remaining.
However, Chinese Taipei-Blue’s naturalized player Brandon Gilbeck managed to tie the game in the next play with a putback layup off a blocked shot by Rhenz Abando.
Strong Group had one final chance to win it all in regulation, but Ravena’s potential game-winning midrange jumper failed to hit the mark as time expired.
In overtime, Chinese Taipei-Blue had an opportunity to tie the game once again at 80-all with 14.4 seconds left, but Jianhao Ma could only connect on one of his two free throws.
Jordan Heading and Fenner then sealed the win for Strong Group with three straight charities as they completed the dominant 8-0 sweep of the single round-robin tournament.
Ravena contributed 9 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Abando and Heading chipped in 6 and 4 markers, respectively.
On the other side, Robert Hinton topscored for Chinese Taipei-Blue with 16 points, while Ying-Chun Chen added 13.
Philippines 83 – Agee 21, Fenner 15, Abarrientos 14, McCullough 12, Ravena 9, Abando 6, Heading 4, Kouame 2, Tiongson 0.
Chinese Taipei-Blue 79 – Hinton R. 16, Chen 13, Gilbeck 11, Xiangjun 10, Liu 8, Hinton A. 8, Ma 6, Su 5, Gao 2, Han 0.
Quarters: 16-12, 41-34, 55-50, 73-73 (reg.), 83-79 (OT).
– Rappler.com
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Marcos Year 2: Status of the administration’s promises, progress, and backlogs | mjmcatequista0325 | 21/07/2024 17:30 | Bpngbong Marcos/Facebook
Two years since his election, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to deliver on a number of promises and plans he made to woo voters, from lowering rice prices to a fostering genuine national unity.
As the President delivers his 3rd State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 22, Rappler’s community partners — the #FactsFirstPH, #AtinAngPilipinas, and #CourageON: No Lockdown on Rights coalitions — collaborated to identify compile the promises made by Marcos and his administration, and key issues in their sectors.
Bookmark this list to track the status of these promises and plans going into the President’s third year in office.
In 2022, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) aimed to build 1 million houses per year or 6 million housing units by 2028. In 2024, the government slashed the goal to 3 million houses by the end of the Marcos presidency, citing funding concerns.
Marcos requested Pag-IBIG to make home loans more accessible. DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar mentioned that P20.17 billion was approved to aid the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program for the construction of 17,791 houses.
In June, DHSUD sought for funding guarantees for the project and to certify as urgent the bill seeking to institutionalize the 4PH program.
For fiscal year 2024, the General Appropriations Act (GAA) allocated P750.81 million for the 4PH interest subsidy. Senate bills 2409 and 2108 by Senators JV Ejercito and Christopher Lawrence Go, respectively, seek to institutionalize the 4PH program. Both bills are pending at the committee level.
The Marcos administration allocated over P541 million from the People’s Survival Fund for six new climate adaptation initiatives in 2024.
In February, President Marcos facilitated a deal with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) for the Philippines to receive international aid for climate adaptation. On July 9, the country was selected to host the board of the Loss and Damage Fund, a global fund that will help vulnerable nations deal with the adverse effects of climate change.
The Department of Energy (DOE) reported that, as of April, it was on track to add 1,984.775 megawatts of solar energy to the nation’s grid this year.
According to the United States’ Department of Agriculture January 2024 Rice Outlook, the Philippines is projected to overtake China as the world’s top rice importer.
Projects of the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture intended to boost the farming sector include the introduction of D4AgPH, an online platform for optimizing agriculture practices, and rice irrigation strategies called “Alternate Wetting and Drying” and “Quick Turn Around” to help farmers conserve water for continuous crop production during El Niño.
In the first quarter of 2024, crop production volume reached 25.07 million metric tons from 23.89 million metric tons in the same period of 2023. This increase was driven by the 17.2% increase in sugarcane production.
Based on government figures, 5.45 million international visitors arrived in the Philippines in 2023, significantly surpassing the 4.8 million visitors targeted by the Department of Tourism (DOT). They brought in P480 billion.
The country’s tourism receipts from January 1 to March 31, 2024, added up to around P157.62 billion, which is an estimated 120.70% recovery rate from the revenue gained from the same period in 2019.
As of April 24, 2024, a total of 2,010,522 international visitors entered the country, 15.11% higher than the international arrivals recorded in the same period last year.
The President’s many foreign trips brought in a reported P4 trillion in investments to the country, as of December 2023, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). However, about a third of this money was still in the planning stage, the department said at the time. In February, Malacañang said that $14 billion of these investments had been “actualized.”
Clark International Airport remains underutilized.
The national government has allotted P22.98 billion to improve health facilities in 2024.
In June, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) board approved the increase of Konsulta Package’s financial assistance for the dialysis of diabetic patients from P2,600 to P4,000 per treatment.
The increase still falls short of PhilHealth’s initial aim of providing P5,200 per dialysis session.
The Department of Finance (DOF) is on track to meet its three medium-term fiscal framework (MTFF) goals:
In September 2023, the Philippines’ House of Representatives approved a bill seeking to reform the military and uniformed personnel pension system with the following improvements:
The Presidential Communication Office (PCO) launched a Media and Information Literacy (MIL) campaign on August 14, 2023.
The campaign features an MIL summit and a community campus caravan, but fact-checking is not part of its focus.
Based on recent update, the PCO met with New Zealand journalists to discuss the MIL campaign, the Philippine media landscape, and combating disinformation.
According to Ilog Pasiglahin, the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD) or any related government agency has yet to hold a community consultation on the Pasig River rehabilitation project.
There is also no community member or local government unit representative in the IAC-PRUD to ensure that the Pasig River rehabilitation will be people-centric.
Aside from the garbage clean-ups and Pasig River Esplanade (PARES) phases 1 and 2 in Ermita and Intramuros, respectively, there are no other specific projects lined up as of yet for the river’s improvement.
The master plan submitted by Housing Secretary Acuzar, who chairs the IAC-PRUD, has been approved by Marcos. Acuzar unveiled the plan in August 2023, months after the creation of the inter-agency council.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Edu Punay said preparations for the full implementation of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) are underway after a successful six-month pilot implementation in several parts of the country.
Punay said FSP will be implemented in 10 regions and 21 provinces with an initial target of 300,000 families who were validated and registered in June.
Beneficiaries will use Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to purchase select food commodities from eligible partner merchant stores.
In April, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla described the country’s electricity situation as a disaster after the national power grid successively went under red and yellow alerts.
Full electrification is estimated to require P72 billion in funding.
Meanwhile, the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection and the Cebu-Negros Panay Link are aimed at improving power distribution and accessibility across regions, ensuring a more stable power supply.
In April 2024, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) launched the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Phase 1 Project, which will expand the internet capacity of 14 provinces across Northern Luzon and Central Luzon.
During the Build Better Infrastructure Forum in New Clark City, Tarlac, last July 14, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said that the country now has an overall Internet penetration of 73.6% after their implementation of the Common Tower Policy.
The Broadband ng Masa Program, which establishes the national fiber backbone and middle-mile connectivity, and the Free Public Internet Access Program provide free, secure internet at 13,462 sites nationwide, according to Uy.
The Marcos administration is hopeful that a total of 9.8 million users can benefit from free internet services in 125,000 sites nationwide by 2028.
The classroom shortage figures nationwide are at 165,444, Tara Rama, director III of the Department of Education (DepEd) Government Assistance and Subsidies Office, confirmed during a hearing by the Senate panel on basic education last March 20.
Students from Kinder to Grade 12 in Calabarzon, National Capital Region, BARMM, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas are among those most affected.
Meanwhile, the MATATAG Curriculum has been rolled out in 35 schools out of 47,678 schools in the Philippines. DepEd reported that 267,900 teachers and personnel had been trained for its implementation.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said this new curriculum is focused on improving both coverage of competencies and student confidence.
This year, Marcos ordered that skills development be integrated into the K-12 curriculum, and vowed to remain committed to providing free education in state universities and colleges.
In March, Marcos assured the public that the Philippines would maintain its independent foreign policy.
In the context of the West Philippine Sea dispute, he clarified that the Philippines will act according to its own interest, making foreign policy decisions that prioritize the wellbeing of the nation.
“We continue to chart an independent foreign policy in keeping with our constitutional mandate. We pursue [this] through international engagements that seek to strengthen existing alliances [and] build new partnerships with like-minded states,” Marcos told diplomatic corps in a vin d’honneur in Malacañang last June 12.
The main office of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) moved to The Upper Class Towers along Quezon Avenue corner Scout Reyes in Quezon City for a more accessible location and to enhance bureaucratic efficiency.
The office offers the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) for Filipino emigrants and the Guidance Counseling Program (GCP) for partners and spouses of foreign nationals.
In a press release, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced that it allocated P15.3 billion for the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which includes the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Emergency Repatriation Program to assist forcibly repatriated overseas Filipino workers.
According to LILAK, a collective of women advocates for indigenous women’s rights, indigenous women farmers and small food producers in different parts of the Philippines continue to experience hunger while lacking response and support from the Marcos administration.
“As they face the challenges of climate change and rising commodity prices, the influx of applications for corporate-driven projects such as in the extractive industries that will destroy the environment and the entry of energy projects within agricultural and ancestral lands.” LILAK said.
According to the June 2024 Mines & Geosciences Bureau report, 38 mines across the country have been approved and registered since 2021, and 148 more applications are being processed.
President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 51, creating a special committee on LGBTQIA+ affairs.
In a statement on December 23, 2023, Malacañang said the President saw the need to “reinforce the Diversity and Inclusion Program (DIP) and reconstitute its Inter-Agency Committee to ensure the country’s continuous compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
The SOGIESC equality bill remains excluded from the updated priority measures in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council as of June 25, 2024.
Many Filipinos continue to face challenges due to low wages. As of June 2024, the average daily nominal minimum wage across all regions stands at P442, while a family of five should receive a living wage of P1,210 per day to live decently. The scarcity of decent work and sustainable livelihoods are also driving more Filipinos into hunger and poverty.
According to IBON Foundation, the informal employment population estimate is at 20.4 million workers.
When it comes to health workers’ Health Emergency Allowance, the DBM said that it would release the remaining P27.4 billion and COVID-19 sickness and death claims of healthcare workers on July 5, 2024.
By July 9, the Department of Health received the sub-allotment release order, and the allowance will soon be received by the healthcare workers who served the country during the pandemic.
Marcos ordered the completion of water projects countrywide to mitigate the impacts of the drought and improve water security, acknowledging that water scarcity is now a constant threat due to climate change.
Last July 10, President Marcos celebrated the completion of the construction of the Upper Wawa Dam, which, as a part of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, will fill the needs of Metro Manila residents that the Angat Dam is not capable of.
The President continuously calls on leaders of both public and private sectors to work together to make clean water available to the 40 million Filipinos who currently do not have access.
Under Executive Order 62, Marcos cuts the tariff on imported rice to 15% to lower the rice prices. However, several farmer groups reject the proposal since reduced rice tariffs only lead to more rice imports.
As of the first phase of April 2024, the average retail price of rice was at P51.39, higher than the rice prices during the first and second phase of March, at P51.14 and P51.21, respectively.
In September 2023, Marcos imposed a price ceiling on rice. Under Executive Order No. 39, the price ceiling of rice is P41 for regular milled rice, P45 for well-milled rice, and P52 for imported rice. The price ceiling remains unless lifted by the President.
Since the original deadline of June 2020 for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), the deadline for consolidation was extended six times following multiple transport strikes. No extension was given after April 30, 2024.
July 2024 figures provided by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) show that 159,914 out of 191,730 (83.41%) public utility vehicles (PUVs) consolidated before the deadline.
Meanwhile, 1,749 transport cooperatives with around 262,870 members, and 1,088 corporations have been formed. Additionally, only 24% of local public transport route plans (LPTRPs) in all LGUs have been approved, which are needed before fleets are modernized.
The DOTr estimates it may take until 2030 before the majority of jeepney fleets (150,000 vehicles) are modernized. Transport groups are still hoping for the program to be scrapped.
Since the deadline, fewer jeepneys have been operating in Cagayan de Oro.
In Bacolod, Undoc-Piston said at least 1,700 of its members could no longer operate and drive jeepneys legally, and Bacod-Manibela said around 10,000 of their dependents were suffering from the “negative economic impact” of the PUVMP.
The jeepney operators forced to consolidate have not received any proper training and support from the government to navigate the complexities of operating within consolidated transport service entity (TSE).
Meanwhile, Marcos held a public town hall about traffic concerns. He talked about alternatives to alleviate the traffic situation.
To improve mass transport in Metro Manila, the administration thinks of improving commuter railways and highways. Marcos also presented updates to key infrastructure projects, including railway developments and the Metro Manila Subway project.
In a meeting with stakeholders last June 5, Metro Manila train operators presented how they would address the problems of the train systems failing PWDs.
Marcos created a “super body” to enhance the protection of human rights. However, Human Rights Watch senior researcher Carlos Conde stated that he fears this special committee would only serve as propaganda to defend the administrations against human rights abuses.
According to Amnesty international, they see no progress regarding human rights issues under the Marcos administration. Dahas Project reported that about 329 people in 2023 were killed.
The Marcos administration has consistently said that it would not cooperate in the International Criminal Court’s probe into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war as it does not recognize its jurisdiction over the Philippines.
– Rappler.com
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Biggest pro win: Alex Eala sweeps W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz singles, doubles titles | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 21:44 | FOCUSED. Alex Eala readies to return a serve in the ITF W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain.
RAFA NADAL ACADEMY
MANILA, Philippines – In the biggest singles finals of her pro career against a foe who came in with impressive pedigree, Alex Eala stepped up to the plate and delivered a clinical display of relentless aggression combined with patient execution.
The fifth-seeded Eala won her first-ever W100-level event when she disposed of Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva of Andorra, 6-4, 6-4, in a battle between two hard-hitting, left-handed teenagers in the women’s singles final of the ITF Vitoria-Gasteiz on Sunday, July 21.
Eala’s title romp came just a day after the Filipina teen standout also bagged the doubles championship with French partner Estelle Cascino after warding off Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria and Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, 6-3, 2-6, 10-4, in the finale.
“This win means the world to me, it even made me ugly cry,” Eala posted on her social media accounts on Monday, July 22.
“I am so proud because this represents the culmination of so much hard work. Securing my biggest tittles yet in both singles and doubles is a fairytale finish, and I’m overwhelmed with emotion.“
“This will always have a special place in my heart, and I leave here with a pocket full of great memories and the will to work harder,” added Eala.
The singles final matchup at the Peña Vitoriana Tenis Club in Spain between the two former junior standouts who have had similar career trajectories has long been awaited by hardcore tennis fans.
World No. 155 Eala, who turned 19 last May, captured the US Open girls’ singles title in 2022 and was ranked the No. 2 junior player in the world.
Jiménez Kasintseva, who will turn 19 years old in August, was the 2020 Australian Open girls singles champion and became the No. 1 junior player in the world when she was 14.
The title match delivered the anticipated fireworks, with Eala matching her foe’s powerful groundstrokes while pushing Jiménez Kasintseva to be constantly on the move.
The Filipina sent a strong message right off the bat when she broke Jiménez Kasintseva in the very first game of the opening set, then opened a 2-0 lead.
She broke Jiménez Kasintseva anew in the fifth game and went up 5-2, but the Andorran managed to claim the next two games to inch closer at 4-5.
Eala, though, made sure that was the nearest Jiménez Kasintseva would get, with the Filipina closing the opening set in the 10th game after going up 40-15 on her serve.
The second set saw Eala once again erecting an early 2-0 advantage. But Jiménez Kasintseva found her groove and secured the next three games for her first taste of the lead at 3-2. Eala then showed her composure and maturity.
Not only did she tie the count on her serve the very next game, but she broke Jiménez Kasintseva in the seventh game to regain the lead at 4-3.
Although she lost her serve in the eighth game, Eala answered back in the ninth with her own service break, then held serve after to finish the final in 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Both Eala and Jiménez Kasintseva were seeking their fifth career singles title in the pro tour, although their previous high title conquests were in W25-level events.
Both were coming off impressive semifinal victories the previous day, with Eala blasting Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez of Mexico, 6-2, 6-1, and Jiménez Kasintseva making short work of second seed Jessika Ponchet of France, 6-2, 6-2.
This week marked the best week of Eala’s pro career as she achieved the rare feat of winning both the singles and doubles titles. – Rappler.com
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#WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Monday, July 22, 2024 | Acor Arceo | 22/07/2024 9:35 | MANILA, Philippines – Some areas suspended classes for Monday, July 22, due to expected rain from the southwest monsoon or habagat.
The southwest monsoon is being enhanced by Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi), which remains over the Philippine Sea.
Some private schools already began their academic year 2024-2025, while public schools will start classes on July 29.
This list will be updated once local or national authorities make announcements.
– Rappler.com
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Redemption run: Rianne Malixi rules US Girls’ Junior Championship in record fashion | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 13:51 | CHAMPION. Rianne Malixi lifts the trophy after winning the 2024 US Girls' Junior Championship.
Mike Ehrmann/USGA
MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi refused to be on the receiving end of another heartbreak.
The Filipina ruled the US Girls’ Junior Championship a year after settling for runner-up, toppling Asterisk Talley in the final at the El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 20 (Sunday, July 21, Manila time).
Prepared for her big moment, Malixi won in record fashion, with her 8-and-7 triumph over the American being the biggest winning margin in tournament history.
Malixi, 17, redeemed herself from a stinging one-hole loss to Filipino-American Kiara Romero last year as she became the second golfer representing the Philippines to capture the championship after Princess Superal first achieved the feat in 2014.
“I’m getting pretty emotional right now because I know how much hard work I’ve put in the past years,” said a teary-eyed Malixi. “I’m not the only one who made a lot of sacrifices. I’d like to credit my family, especially my dad.”
“He sacrificed a lot of time for me, just to accompany me training, and just really providing what is best for me to become a better player.”
Malixi came out with guns blazing in the first half of the 36-hole clash, taking a commanding 6-up lead by the 18th after firing nine birdies.
Talley cut her deficit to 5-up by the 24th hole, but Malixi got the job done as she birdied the 25th and 27th holes then went for par at 29th, which the American bogeyed, to go 8-up and clinch the crown with seven holes to spare.
Malixi sank 14 birdies in total and recorded no bogeys.
“I was just really playing good golf this week. I was not expecting it today. My putter was just so hot all day. Credit to my putter,” said Malixi.
Finishing stroke play as the second seed, Malixi beat Annie Jin in the round of 64, Kennedy Swedick in the round of 32, Yanling Elaine Liu in the round of 16, Madison Messimer in the quarterfinals, and Jasmine Koo in the semifinals.
Her victory over Talley earned Malixi a spot in the 2025 US Women’s Open, where Japan’s Yuka Saso – who won the major for the Philippines in 2021 – seeks to defend her crown.
Malixi plans to attend Duke University in 2025. – Rappler.com
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SONA 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 3rd State of the Nation Address | No author found | 23/07/2024 14:25 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at 4 pm on Monday, July 22, at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
The President announced a ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators, asserted the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, acknowledged the challenges in the education sector, and zeroed in on gut issues such as inflation, among others.
The speech came ahead of the candidacy filing period in October for the 2025 midterm polls, seen as a referendum on the government’s policy direction and performance.
View this page for updates, videos, fact checks, and analyses on Marcos’ third SONA. Watch Rappler’s special coverage below:
Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address, PANTAY national convener Vince Liban says “equality and non-discrimination ought to be staples in the national agenda.” #SONA2024RELATED: https://t.co/AprESujK4w pic.twitter.com/FXs3RjjCC1
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who earlier said POGOs should be banned, hailed Marcos’ statement on POGOs in his third SONA.
“It is God’s answer to our prayers for what is best for the country. I thank the President for listening to the pleading of the victims of POGO-caused criminality,” Villegas said, even as he called for continued vigilance.
Read more.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality that led the investigation into POGOs, called Marcos’ decision to ban POGOs “a huge victory for the entire country.”
“POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country. I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” she said, adding that this is an “important first step” in holding accountable those who facilitated the entry of POGOs and their crimes in the country.
“Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said.
She expressed gratitude to all of the resource persons – victim-survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies – who cooperated in the Senate investigation. “We owe you this victory. And to all POGOs — legal or illegal — goodbye.”
Read more.
Akbayan Party said President Marcos’ ban on POGOs and his pronouncements on the West Philippine Sea in his third SONA “represents a significant triumph for our nation’s sovereignty and the welfare of our citizens.”
“By fortifying our stance on the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos Jr. heeded the collective aspirations of Filipinos to assert our territorial integrity amid China’s violence and harassment against our fishers and frontliners. This declaration not only underscores our dedication to upholding international law but also embodies a formidable defense of our national interests,” Akbayan said.
“Concurrently, the ban on POGOs addresses critical issues of corruption, criminal activities, and their detrimental socio-economic impacts. We call for the strict enforcement of this ban and the holding accountable of all those responsible for the proliferation of POGOs in our country,” it added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during his third State of the Nation Address that key railway projects are making progress.
“Other railway projects such as the MRT7 and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) are likewise progressing. We will make sure the right of way issues are resolved in the most equitable, efficient, and expeditious manner, so that these will not get in the way of our infrastructure development,” he said.
However, Marcos failed to mention that both projects have been under construction since the previous administration. Construction of the MRT7 and NSCR began in 2016 and 2019, respectively. – Rappler.com | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/philippines/updates-highlights-summary-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr-sona-july-22-2024/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2K7Uecw_y0ah2-_w-6syBf12A8hzeUVDOZByOF5Sw10Hhbc5DH_qEOiDk_aem_caLFphiMB_Cn3_PPjdVw2Q | Credible |
Traffic advisory: Alternative routes in QC for Marcos’ SONA 2024 | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 23:15 | The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority begins its full implementation of the exclusive motorcycle lane, after a few weeks of dry run, traffic personnel begin to apprehend violators along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 27, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City government’s Facebook page on Sunday, July 21, announced the alternative routes for motorists in light of road closures along Commonwealth Avenue for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address 2024 on Monday, July 22.
The advisory includes alternate routes for those coming from Fairview to the QC Circle and vice versa:
Meanwhile, these are the routes for those coming from C-5 and vice versa:
Rerouting plans for SONA 2024 have also been published:
“Pinapayuhan ang mga motorista na dumaan sa mga sumusunod na alternatibong ruta dahil sa inaasahang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko sa Commonwealth Avenue at sa paligid ng Batasang Pambansa Complex,” the QC government said.
(Motorists are advised to follow alternative routes due to expected heavy traffic on Commonwealth Avenue and around the Batasang Pambansa Complex.)
– Rappler.com
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#WalangPasok: QC classes suspended for SONA 2024 | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 23:09 | MANILA, Philippines – Classes at all levels in private schools in Quezon City are suspended on Monday, July 22, to give residents the opportunity to tune in to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The class suspension will also spare residents from being caught in heavy traffic. Various activist groups will be marching and holding protests in areas near Batasang Pambansa in time for the President’s speech.
Classes in public schools have yet to start, but the city government said Brigada Eskuwela activities — the cleaning and sprucing up activities to prepare for the school opening on July 29 — will stop on SONA Day.
The city government announced it on its official Facebook page, Saturday, July 20. The document for the order can be found here.
– Rappler.com
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Severe Tropical Storm Carina further intensifies as it enhances southwest monsoon | Acor Arceo | 22/07/2024 7:50 | CARINA. Satellite image of Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) as of July 22, 2024, 5 am.
PAGASA
MANILA, Philippines – More areas were placed under Signal No. 1 before dawn on Monday, July 22, as Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) further intensified offshore.
In its 5 am bulletin on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Carina now has maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour from the previous 95 km/h.
The severe tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 125 km/h from 115 km/h.
After being almost stationary from Sunday afternoon to evening, July 21, Carina has started to slowly move north northwest.
It was last spotted 420 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.
Carina is still expected to remain far from Philippine landmass, but it will affect parts of Cagayan Valley due to its size.
The following areas are under Signal No. 1 as of 5 am on Monday, which means they will experience strong winds from the severe tropical storm:
Carina’s outer rainbands will also bring moderate to intense rain to these areas:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
Floods and landslides are possible.
PAGASA added early Monday that Carina is projected to strengthen into a typhoon within 24 hours. Rapid intensification is likely.
Carina is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.
In a separate advisory at 11 pm on Sunday, PAGASA provided the following rainfall forecast for the enhanced southwest monsoon:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will also be felt in these regions and provinces:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
For coastal waters, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high) on Monday. PAGASA advised small boats not to venture out to sea.
The weather bureau added that moderate seas are expected on Monday in the seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon (waves 1.5 to 2.5 meters high) and the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao (waves 1.5 to 2 meters high). Small boats must take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.
Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, July 24, or early Thursday morning, July 25.
PAGASA said Carina may pass near or over the southern islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago before leaving PAR, then pass close to the northern part of Taiwan after its exit from PAR.
“From Thursday onwards, Carina will move over the East China Sea towards southeastern China,” added the weather bureau.
Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024 and the second for July. PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com
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#WalangPasok: QC classes suspended for SONA 2024 | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 23:09 | MANILA, Philippines – Classes at all levels in private schools in Quezon City are suspended on Monday, July 22, to give residents the opportunity to tune in to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The class suspension will also spare residents from being caught in heavy traffic. Various activist groups will be marching and holding protests in areas near Batasang Pambansa in time for the President’s speech.
Classes in public schools have yet to start, but the city government said Brigada Eskuwela activities — the cleaning and sprucing up activities to prepare for the school opening on July 29 — will stop on SONA Day.
The city government announced it on its official Facebook page, Saturday, July 20. The document for the order can be found here.
– Rappler.com
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Traffic advisory: Alternative routes in QC for Marcos’ SONA 2024 | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 23:15 | The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority begins its full implementation of the exclusive motorcycle lane, after a few weeks of dry run, traffic personnel begin to apprehend violators along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 27, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City government’s Facebook page on Sunday, July 21, announced the alternative routes for motorists in light of road closures along Commonwealth Avenue for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address 2024 on Monday, July 22.
The advisory includes alternate routes for those coming from Fairview to the QC Circle and vice versa:
Meanwhile, these are the routes for those coming from C-5 and vice versa:
Rerouting plans for SONA 2024 have also been published:
“Pinapayuhan ang mga motorista na dumaan sa mga sumusunod na alternatibong ruta dahil sa inaasahang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko sa Commonwealth Avenue at sa paligid ng Batasang Pambansa Complex,” the QC government said.
(Motorists are advised to follow alternative routes due to expected heavy traffic on Commonwealth Avenue and around the Batasang Pambansa Complex.)
– Rappler.com
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Traffic advisory: Alternative routes in QC for Marcos’ SONA 2024 | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 23:15 | The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority begins its full implementation of the exclusive motorcycle lane, after a few weeks of dry run, traffic personnel begin to apprehend violators along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 27, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City government’s Facebook page on Sunday, July 21, announced the alternative routes for motorists in light of road closures along Commonwealth Avenue for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address 2024 on Monday, July 22.
The advisory includes alternate routes for those coming from Fairview to the QC Circle and vice versa:
Meanwhile, these are the routes for those coming from C-5 and vice versa:
Rerouting plans for SONA 2024 have also been published:
“Pinapayuhan ang mga motorista na dumaan sa mga sumusunod na alternatibong ruta dahil sa inaasahang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko sa Commonwealth Avenue at sa paligid ng Batasang Pambansa Complex,” the QC government said.
(Motorists are advised to follow alternative routes due to expected heavy traffic on Commonwealth Avenue and around the Batasang Pambansa Complex.)
– Rappler.com
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POGO licenses may be used as fronts for illegal activities – Carpio | lkyu0285 | 21/07/2024 21:35 | Alyssa Arizabal/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio has raised concerns that licensed Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) catering to the mainland Chinese market are merely being used as fronts for illegal activities.
According to Carpio, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) should not have issued any licenses to POGOs operated by China, given that gambling is banned in China. Access to websites of POGOs claiming to cater to the mainland Chinese market would have also been blocked by China’s “Great Firewall,” the country’s powerful censorship machinery.
“Have you heard about the ‘great firewall of China?’ The online POGOs claiming to operate in China are blocked. They get license from PAGCOR saying they operate in China but they are blocked,” Carpio said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum on Saturday, July 20.
The former SC justice alleged that Chinese-run POGOs are using the license as “cover only so they can have buildings, operation with computers.” He said that the firms might instead be engaged in scamming and internet phishing.
Carpio said he hoped President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would speak up against POGOs in his upcoming 3rd State of the Nation Address.
“It is probably good if he can announce he is against the rules of PAGCOR issuing licenses on POGO that cater to the mainland Chinese market,” Carpio said on Saturday.
“Just cancel those licenses. We are just fooling ourselves,” he added.
Carpio, along with former senator Leila de Lima and former SC justice Conchita Carpio Morales, had previously urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cancel the licenses granted to POGOs.
“PAGCOR cannot, and should not, issue a license to any POGO that caters to the mainland Chinese market. Any such license is void ab initio under PAGCOR’s own regulations,” their open letter read.
POGOs first began expanding in the Philippines in 2016 under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, which took a liberal stance in regulating the industry. Although China has repeatedly asked for POGOs in the country to be shut down, the Philippine government has never issued a ban against POGOs, in part due to the economic gains that the POGOs supposedly bring in.
However, the tide has begun to turn under the Marcos administration. Officials on Marcos’ economic team have pointed out that the “social costs” of POGOs outweigh their economic benefits. The Alice Guo saga in the Senate and continued raids on illegal POGOs have also fueled further calls from politicians for a complete ban. – Rappler.com
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#WalangPasok: QC classes suspended for SONA 2024 | Angelo Gonzales | 21/07/2024 23:09 | MANILA, Philippines – Classes at all levels in private schools in Quezon City are suspended on Monday, July 22, to give residents the opportunity to tune in to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The class suspension will also spare residents from being caught in heavy traffic. Various activist groups will be marching and holding protests in areas near Batasang Pambansa in time for the President’s speech.
Classes in public schools have yet to start, but the city government said Brigada Eskuwela activities — the cleaning and sprucing up activities to prepare for the school opening on July 29 — will stop on SONA Day.
The city government announced it on its official Facebook page, Saturday, July 20. The document for the order can be found here.
– Rappler.com
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Davao City bags PSL Global Challenge division crown | Jasmine Payo | 21/07/2024 20:06 | CHAMPS. Players of the Philippines-Davao City NTB Wolves celebrate after winning the championship in the PSL Global Championship Challenge U20 division.
Pilipinas Super League
MANILA, Philippines – John Rodulfa stood tall among towering foes, powering the Philippines-Davao City NTB Wolves past North America, 94-77, to rule the under-20 (Born 2004 division) of the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) Global Championship Challenge on Sunday, July 21, at the FilOil EcoOil Sports Centre.
Rodulfa erupted for 31 points on top of 6 rebounds and 3 assists to lead Davao City, while Karl Benedict Wood also notched 19 points and 8 rebounds in the hard-fought win.
It was a neck-and-neck battle until Davao City asserted its offensive might in third quarter, with a Shem Joshua Bayate triple putting the Philippine squad ahead of North America, 68-57.
Despite North America’s comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, Davao’s defensive pressure and Rodulfa’s timely layup proved to be decisive to expand their lead to nine, 81-72, with 6:23 remaining.
As time expired, the Davao City players gathered in the center court to celebrate their accomplishment as the last Philippine team standing in all divisions – from winning the national competitions to the global challenge – of the league’s inaugural youth tournament.
“As a leader, as a captain, I must be the one who is composed every time we have possession on the court,” Rodulfa said in Filipino during a post-game interview. “I always try to keep myself calm because it is hard if I am the first to have lapses on the court.”
Richmond Casino led North America with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists.
North America, however, dealt the Philippines a heartbreaker in the U16 (Born 2008 division), escaping with a 67-66 nail-biter against Pampanga-Luid.
The Kampampangans led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, but North America’s Jagger Verzosa showed the way and rallied his squad to a comeback victory with a 23-point performance.
In a display of dominance in the other match, Trail International School-Thailand demolished GIGG Canada, 120-83, to bag the U18 (Born 2006 division) title.
Jespher Kurihara took charge for Thailand, dropping a triple-double of 38 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists,
Don Wayde Basadre also starred in the brutal beatdown with 35 points, 6 rebounds, and 14 assists for the Thais. – Jorge Marion Dionisio, Eugero Vincent Liberato, Niño Dominic Ronquillo/Rappler.com
Born 2008 Division
North America 67 – Verzosa 23, Bungar 18, Tuason 12, Albano 8, Cuevas 4, Joaquin 2, Corcuera 0, Telan 0, Tiu 0.
Philippines 66 – Peña 13, Tulabut 12, Zapata 11, Canapi 10, Lagman 8, Sundiang 6, Hilot 4, Castro 2, I. Pineda 0, T. Pineda 0.
Quarters: 23-15, 40-37, 56-60, 67-66.
Born 2006 Division
Trail International School Thailand 120 – Kurihara 38, Basadre 35, Soriano 18, Jenodia 14, Lahoylahoy 7, Relente 3, Aban 2, Tadeo 2, Baltazar 1, Villegas 0, Rangel 0, Navales 0.
GIGG Canada 83 – Belen 34, Palacol 17, Agua 15, Matibag 9, Quintos 8, Lee 0, Ladines 0, Montero 0, Borreta 0.
Quarters: 40-15, 61-38, 92-68, 120-83.
Born 2004 Division
Davao City-Philippines 94 – Rodulfa 31, Wood 19, Albiendo 15, Lulab 12, Marquez 7, Balansag 5, Bayate 3, Adabo 2, Ambuat 0, Uy 0.
North America 77 – Casino 23, Brucal 11, Santos 11, Hines 7, Merchan 7, Obukwelu 4, Alonzo 2, Javier 2.
Quarters: 19-20, 43-46, 70-59, 94-77.
Jorge Marion Dionisio, Eugero Vincent Liberato, and Niño Dominic Ronquillo are Rappler interns.
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Biggest pro win: Alex Eala sweeps W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz singles, doubles titles | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 21:44 | FOCUSED. Alex Eala readies to return a serve in the ITF W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain.
RAFA NADAL ACADEMY
MANILA, Philippines – In the biggest singles finals of her pro career against a foe who came in with impressive pedigree, Alex Eala stepped up to the plate and delivered a clinical display of relentless aggression combined with patient execution.
The fifth-seeded Eala won her first-ever W100-level event when she disposed of Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva of Andorra, 6-4, 6-4, in a battle between two hard-hitting, left-handed teenagers in the women’s singles final of the ITF Vitoria-Gasteiz on Sunday, July 21.
Eala’s title romp came just a day after the Filipina teen standout also bagged the doubles championship with French partner Estelle Cascino after warding off Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria and Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, 6-3, 2-6, 10-4, in the finale.
“This win means the world to me, it even made me ugly cry,” Eala posted on her social media accounts on Monday, July 22.
“I am so proud because this represents the culmination of so much hard work. Securing my biggest tittles yet in both singles and doubles is a fairytale finish, and I’m overwhelmed with emotion.“
“This will always have a special place in my heart, and I leave here with a pocket full of great memories and the will to work harder,” added Eala.
The singles final matchup at the Peña Vitoriana Tenis Club in Spain between the two former junior standouts who have had similar career trajectories has long been awaited by hardcore tennis fans.
World No. 155 Eala, who turned 19 last May, captured the US Open girls’ singles title in 2022 and was ranked the No. 2 junior player in the world.
Jiménez Kasintseva, who will turn 19 years old in August, was the 2020 Australian Open girls singles champion and became the No. 1 junior player in the world when she was 14.
The title match delivered the anticipated fireworks, with Eala matching her foe’s powerful groundstrokes while pushing Jiménez Kasintseva to be constantly on the move.
The Filipina sent a strong message right off the bat when she broke Jiménez Kasintseva in the very first game of the opening set, then opened a 2-0 lead.
She broke Jiménez Kasintseva anew in the fifth game and went up 5-2, but the Andorran managed to claim the next two games to inch closer at 4-5.
Eala, though, made sure that was the nearest Jiménez Kasintseva would get, with the Filipina closing the opening set in the 10th game after going up 40-15 on her serve.
The second set saw Eala once again erecting an early 2-0 advantage. But Jiménez Kasintseva found her groove and secured the next three games for her first taste of the lead at 3-2. Eala then showed her composure and maturity.
Not only did she tie the count on her serve the very next game, but she broke Jiménez Kasintseva in the seventh game to regain the lead at 4-3.
Although she lost her serve in the eighth game, Eala answered back in the ninth with her own service break, then held serve after to finish the final in 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Both Eala and Jiménez Kasintseva were seeking their fifth career singles title in the pro tour, although their previous high title conquests were in W25-level events.
Both were coming off impressive semifinal victories the previous day, with Eala blasting Maria Jose Portillo Ramirez of Mexico, 6-2, 6-1, and Jiménez Kasintseva making short work of second seed Jessika Ponchet of France, 6-2, 6-2.
This week marked the best week of Eala’s pro career as she achieved the rare feat of winning both the singles and doubles titles. – Rappler.com
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Back on top: Strong Group completes 8-0 sweep to reclaim Jones Cup title for Philippines | delfin.dioquino editor | 21/07/2024 23:53 | TEAM. Kiefer Ravena (15) in action for Strong Group-Pilipinas in the 2024 William Jones Cup.
Strong Group Athletics Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – The William Jones Cup title is back at the hands of the Filipinos.
After a disappointing seventh-place finish by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the country’s representative last year, Strong Group-Pilipinas reclaimed the Jones Cup crown for the Philippines with a thrilling 83-79 overtime win over Chinese Taipei-Blue in their virtual gold-medal showdown on Sunday, July 21, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
The Philippines last ruled the tournament back in 2019, under the Mighty Sports team, which was also coached by Strong Group tactician Charles Tiu.
After missing Strong Group’s past two games due to food poisoning, American import Tajuan Agee carried the Philippines on his shoulders as he produced a game-high 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 clip from the foul line, to go with 9 rebounds.
Filipino-American guard DJ Fenner backstopped the 6-foot-9 Agee with 15 points and 9 rebounds, while Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos stepped up big with 14 markers on 4-of-8 shooting from deep, as Strong Group’s super import Chris McCullough struggled mightily the whole contest.
For the first time in eight outings, McCullough did not lead the Philippines in scoring as he finished with a tournament-low 12 points on a lowly 4-of-16 field goal clip.
Still, McCullough delivered when it mattered most as his lone basket in overtime prior to fouling out gave Strong Group a crucial 80-78 lead with 2:43 left in the game – which the Filipinos kept the rest of the way.
With the erstwhile unbeaten Chinese Taipei-Blue threatening to pull away with a 71-64 advantage with just 1:08 to play in the final frame, Strong Group fought back and went on a huge 9-0 run, capped by a Kiefer Ravena triple, for a 73-71 lead with only 13.2 seconds remaining.
However, Chinese Taipei-Blue’s naturalized player Brandon Gilbeck managed to tie the game in the next play with a putback layup off a blocked shot by Rhenz Abando.
Strong Group had one final chance to win it all in regulation, but Ravena’s potential game-winning midrange jumper failed to hit the mark as time expired.
In overtime, Chinese Taipei-Blue had an opportunity to tie the game once again at 80-all with 14.4 seconds left, but Jianhao Ma could only connect on one of his two free throws.
Jordan Heading and Fenner then sealed the win for Strong Group with three straight charities as they completed the dominant 8-0 sweep of the single round-robin tournament.
Ravena contributed 9 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Abando and Heading chipped in 6 and 4 markers, respectively.
On the other side, Robert Hinton topscored for Chinese Taipei-Blue with 16 points, while Ying-Chun Chen added 13.
Philippines 83 – Agee 21, Fenner 15, Abarrientos 14, McCullough 12, Ravena 9, Abando 6, Heading 4, Kouame 2, Tiongson 0.
Chinese Taipei-Blue 79 – Hinton R. 16, Chen 13, Gilbeck 11, Xiangjun 10, Liu 8, Hinton A. 8, Ma 6, Su 5, Gao 2, Han 0.
Quarters: 16-12, 41-34, 55-50, 73-73 (reg.), 83-79 (OT).
– Rappler.com
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Carina now a severe tropical storm; Signal No. 1 up | Acor Arceo | 22/07/2024 0:40 | CARINA. Satellite image of Severe Tropical Storm Carina (Gaemi) as of July 21, 2024, 11 pm.
JMA
MANILA, Philippines – Carina (Gaemi) strengthened from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm on Sunday evening, July 21, while almost stationary over the Philippine Sea.
Carina’s maximum sustained winds increased from 85 kilometers per hour to 95 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a bulletin released past 11 pm on Sunday. Its gustiness remains up to 115 km/h.
With Carina barely moving, it was located 385 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, at 10 pm.
While the severe tropical storm is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, it will still affect some northern provinces due to its size.
PAGASA has raised Signal No. 1 for the northeastern part of Cagayan province, specifically the municipality of Santa Ana, as of 11 pm on Sunday. This means strong winds from Carina will be felt in Santa Ana in 36 hours.
The severe tropical storm’s outer rainbands will also trigger moderate to intense rain in these areas:
Sunday evening, July 21, to Monday evening, July 22
Monday evening, July 22, to Tuesday evening, July 23
Tuesday evening, July 23, to Wednesday evening, July 24
Floods and landslides are possible.
On Monday, July 22, Carina is projected to strengthen into a typhoon. “Rapid intensification within the forecast period is likely,” PAGASA warned.
Carina is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which will continue to affect parts of Luzon in the next three days.
The enhanced southwest monsoon will cause rain — and possibly floods as well as landslides — in the following areas:
Monday, July 22
Tuesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 24
Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will also be felt in these regions and provinces:
Sunday evening, July 21, to Monday evening, July 22
Monday evening, July 22, to Tuesday evening, July 23
Tuesday evening, July 23, to Wednesday evening, July 24
In addition, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of the country (waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high) and the western seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high). PAGASA advised small boats not to venture out to sea.
Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, July 24, or early Thursday morning, July 25, while moving near or over the islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago.
“From Thursday onwards, Carina will move over the East China Sea towards southeastern China,” added PAGASA.
Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024. The second, Butchoy, left PAR as a tropical depression on Saturday morning, July 20. Butchoy has since become a tropical storm and was given the international name Prapiroon on Sunday.
Butchoy and Carina both developed on Friday evening, July 19. By that time, Butchoy was already moving away from Philippine landmass, with no direct impact. But as a low pressure area, it had affected parts of the country earlier in the week, alongside the southwest monsoon.
PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones in July. – Rappler.com
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