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November 12, 2025 | 4:40pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections can now fully focus on preparing for the November 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections following the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the law postponing the polls, Chairperson George Garcia said Wednesday, November 12.

“This, hopefully, would finally put an end to endless speculations concerning the BSKE. Now that the SC has spoken, the COMELEC can now focus on our timelines and our preparations,” Garcia said in a statement. 

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that Republic Act 12232, which postponed the Barangay and SK elections from December 1, 2025 to November 2026, is constitutional. The decision allows incumbent barangay and SK officials to remain in office until their successors are elected.

According to the high court, Congress has the sole authority to set the term of office for barangay officials under Article X, Section 8 of the Constitution. The Constitution does not explicitly limit barangay officials to three consecutive terms, unlike other local officials.

The Supreme Court also ruled that Congress has the authority to define the terms of office of barangay officials. This “includes the power to decide when the new term begins.”

According to the ruling, there was also no violation of the public’s right to vote because RA 12232 does not abolish or indefinitely suspend the barangay elections.

The law is also not discriminatory, the Supreme Court added, noting that it does not favor barangay officials with treatment that the Constitution itself does not require.

November 12, 2025 | 4:35pm

MANILA, Philippines — After back-to-back typhoons hit the country within days, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered declogging operations in waterways and drainages across the country. 

Marcos launched the “Oplan Kontra Baha” in a clearing operation in Balihatar Creek in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City. Simultaneous launches were held in Manila, San Juan and other cities in Metro Manila. 

The president said that the operation is projected to reduce flash floods to more than half its current rate. 

“Ang estimate ng ating mga siyentipiko ay sabi nila mababawasan ng up to 60% ang pagbaha kung ito ay maging maayos na,” Marcos said in a media interview. 

(Our scientists estimate that flooding in the region could be reduced up to 60% once these are fixed.) 

Marcos said that all of the spillways, estuaries and other waterways must be cleared to let the water flow properly. 

The president also noted that there were cases where pumping stations were put in the wrong locations. This caused even more problems, he said. He said that cleanup was only one part of the plan.

Some of the long-term solutions that Marcos put forward are developing watersheds or impounding the water upstream. 

The declogging operations will also take place in Cebu, Bacolod, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Pangasinan, Cotabato, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and other places that are often flooded, Marcos said. 

With him were business tycoons Ramon Ang and Manuel V. Pangilinan. Marcos said that the two of them have pledged their support in the unclogging operations. 

Hundreds of people have died as a result of the two back-to-back typhoons that struck the country. Cyclone Tino ravaged Visayas, killing more than 200 people, with at least 100 more still missing.

Meanwhile, Uwan has killed at least 14 people. 

November 12, 2025 | 4:11pm

MANILA, Philippines — Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III, who caught the ire of citizens when he told his constituents to chill and pray during the typhoons, has admitted to asking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appoint his wife as the country’s ambassador to Japan so that his province could have easier access to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aid.

The Philippine Ambassador to Japan is Garcia-Albano, who also has an extensive history in law and politics.

In an interview on ANC, Albano explained his “chill” statements, talking about disaster response in Isabela.

Isabela is one of the largest provinces in the Philippines. It sits in Cagayan Valley, a region that often finds itself on the path of cyclones.

This is why, Albano reasoned, it made sense for his wife to be the ambassador to Japan. His province would have easier access to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) studies.

“Nakakalamang nga kami sa Isabela. ‘Yun nga ‘yung hiningi ko sa presidente nung pag-upo niya kasi…gusto ko makuha ‘yung mga JICA studies para doon sa Cagayan,” Albano said.

(We do have an advantage in Isabela. That is what I asked for from the president when he sat down… because I wanted to get the JICA studies for Cagayan.)

Cagayan’s river basin has never received a JICA study, Albano claimed.

He admitted that it may be unfair, but Albano said that he would include other governors in the JICA studies.

Albano also said that he will be heading to Japan soon with his wife for a seminar on tsunami awareness. As of November 11, Albano is in Germany. He was absent for the duration of Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong), leaving the vice governor to lead response efforts.

Asked about his closeness to the president, Albano said it was just a “request,” and that it was still up to Marcos to decide who to appoint.

JICA is Japan’s means of providing official development assistance (ODA) to developing countries such as the Philippines. An ODA can come in different forms, either through grants or loans.

Before an ODA loan is granted for a project, however, a feasibility study is undertaken.

Despite Albano’s claim that the Cagayan basin had never had a JICA study, the agency had already finished a feasibility study as early as 2002. The study was for a flood control project at the lower Cagayan River.

Under Albano’s term, the plan for the project was updated years later. On July 30, Albano and other local officials were presented with the Flood Control Master Plan for Cagayan River Basin. Philstar.com has reached out to the Palace for a comment, but they have yet to respond as of writing.

Asked for a response, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines declined to comment. — with reports from Cristina Chi

November 12, 2025 | 4:04pm

NEW YORK, United States — The New York Knicks’ gamble to replace longtime coach Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown in a bid to modernize their offense is paying off early — and in spectacular fashion.

For the first time in franchise history, the Knicks have scored 130 points or more in three straight games, capped by a 133-120 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies before a roaring, sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

It marked the Knicks’ seventh consecutive home win — their best start at the Garden since the 2012-13 season, when they opened 10-0 and went on to capture their last Atlantic Division title.

Brown’s fast-track offense sparks Knicks revival

Hired in the offseason to replace the defense-first Thibodeau, Brown has quickly transformed the Knicks into one of the NBA’s most dynamic scoring teams.

Under Brown, who previously revitalized the Sacramento Kings and won Coach of the Year in 2023, the Knicks now rank as the second-best offense in the league.

Their ball movement and tempo were on full display against Memphis: New York rained down 22 three-pointers on 40% shooting, assisted on 35 of their 47 field goals, and showed a level of offensive fluidity rarely seen during the Thibodeau era.

“We felt we were a good team,” Brown said after the win. “I had a chance to be a good team from the beginning. We just didn’t have a lot of time together before we went out on the road. I made some mistakes, but we cleaned it up and were able to spend some time together.”

Brunson leads the way; Clarkson hits milestone

All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson orchestrated the Knicks’ attack with 32 points and 10 assists, marking his 14th game as a Knick with at least 30 points and 10 assists — the most in franchise history.

Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson also played a pivotal role off the bench, scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while adding three rebounds and two assists.

Clarkson reached another personal milestone, surpassing Vinnie Johnson to enter the Top 10 all-time bench scorers since tracking began in 1968–69. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year now has 8,140 career points as a reserve.

“Yeah, the ball was moving,” Brunson said. “We were playing with each other, playing ball. When the ball is moving like that and we’re making shots… It’s great to see.”

Knicks keep rolling despite missing key big man

Even without Mitchell Robinson, their top rim protector and rebounder, who sat out to rest on the front end of a back-to-back set, the Knicks relied on their offensive firepower to dismantle Memphis.

Mikal Bridges added 22 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 21 as six Knicks finished in double figures.

The Knicks jumped out early, closing the first quarter on a 12-0 run to seize control after the Grizzlies tied it at 30. Clarkson then erupted for 10 straight points in the second quarter, pushing New York’s lead to 23.

Memphis rallied late, cutting the deficit to 10 with just over four minutes remaining, but Brunson’s dagger 3-pointer silenced any comeback hopes.

Home dominance, road challenges ahead

All three of the Knicks’ losses this season have come on the road. With a 7-3 record, they sit second in the Eastern Conference standings behind the Detroit Pistons, the team they beat in the first round of the playoffs last season.

The Knicks will play two more home games before embarking on a five-game road trip that will test whether Brown’s fast-paced, high-efficiency offense can travel.

“We’re clicking,” Brunson said. “Most importantly, we’ve got to finish games better. When we’re subbing on offense, there are going to be times we’re not making shots. We’ve got to be better defensively — no matter what. That has to be our focus moving forward.”

—

Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for US-based publication Heavy.com.

November 12, 2025 | 3:52pm

MANILA, Philippines — Even with a small drop in monthly profits from the August e-wallet delinking, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) reported a 17.4% growth in its electronic gaming sector in the third quarter.

In a statement on Tuesday, November 11, the state gaming regulator reported gross gaming revenues of P94.51 billion as of September, nearly matching 2024’s figure, which was just about P100 million higher.

PAGCOR attributed the slight dip primarily to recent government adjustments and reforms in the gaming industry, including stricter rules on digital payments as Congress moves to limit online gambling activity.

This explains why, despite efforts to curb the social and financial impact of online gambling, the e-gaming sector continues to outperform, generating over two-fifths (44.4%) of PAGCOR’s gross gaming revenue. 

From July to September, electronic games had generated P41.95 billion, up from P35.71 billion last year, making it the second-largest revenue contributor behind licensed casinos, which earned P45.56 billion or 48.2% of total revenue.

The revenue growth comes despite PAGCOR reporting last month a nearly 49% decline in monthly revenue since August, which Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengo said was mainly due to the exceptionally high revenue in June and July.

During this time, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) e-wallets were still able to redirect users to online gambling platforms through links and icons within their applications. 

The spike in revenue is mirrored in DigiPlus Interactive Corp.’s trading price by mid-2025. The company runs several leading online gambling platforms in the Philippines, such as BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, SpinPlus, and GameZone.

By August and September, the digital entertainment firm saw its stock price drop to less than P30, coinciding with the BSP’s enforcement order and rising congressional and public concern over online gambling.

“The delinking of e-wallets resulted in a short-term decline in activity toward the latter part of the quarter,” Tengo said. “However, these measures are vital to protect players and ensure secure, transparent transactions.”

While the e-gaming sector posted a revenue increase, PAGCOR’s three other major segments saw declines. 

PAGCOR-operated casinos, which account for just 3.4% of total revenue, fell by 11.6% to P3.22 billion; licensed casinos dropped by 10.2% despite being the top revenue generator; and bingo revenues decreased by 16.2% to P3.79 billion.

Tengco, however, is optimistic that the gaming industry would bounce back and regain momentum once players “adapt to new e-wallet protocols” and the government enforces new regulations — especially against illegal gambling platforms. 

November 12, 2025 | 3:50pm

MANILA, Philippines — Over 16,000 police officers will be deployed during the three-day rally of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday, November 12. 

National Capital Region Police Office Spokesperson Police Major Hazel Aquino said there will be a total of 16,433 policemen deployed during the rally from November 16 to 18, according to a DZBB report. 

Among these PNP personnel, 8,642 will come from Metro Manila, while the rest will be an augmentation from other police regional offices. 

In a report by the STAR on November 11, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said that it will deploy 1,000 of its personnel to the rallies. 

QCPD spokesperson Lt. Col. Febie Madrid said the group is anticipating about 300,000 attendees each day.

The QCPD is likewise working with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to manage traffic buildup along EDSA, similar to the situation experienced during the Trillion Peso March on September 21.

The INC will hold its three-day rally at Rizal Park in Manila to call for transparency and accountability in the government. 

Philstar.com

November 12, 2025 | 3:18pm

MANILA, Philippines — The holiday season is a time for giving, sharing and showing love—and for millions of Filipinos, that love is often sent through a padala.

To help you send malasakit (care) to your loved ones wherever they are in the Philippines, Palawan Group of Companies’ Palawan Express Pera Padala is made even more affordable with lower domestic remittance fees.

Until December 31, Palawan Express Pera Padal sukis can enjoy a 1% service fee on every domestic remittance send-out transaction. That means you only pay P1 for every P100 sent! For transactions of P20,001 or more, the regular service fee will apply. Customers who use PalawanPay can also enjoy a 1% fee when remitting to any Palawan branch via the app!

Whether it is for noche buena (Christmas Eve meal), aguinaldo (Christmas gift), or a simple, “thinking of you” gift, Palawan Express Pera Padala ensures that your money goes further—helping bridge the gift between you and the people you hold dearest! For us at Palawan Group, every padala is more than just money—it is a tangible reminder that love surpasses distance.

Palawan Group CEO Karlo Castro remarked, “Palawan Group is a proud 100% Pinoy company. We are run by Filipinos to serve fellow Filipinos, and deeply ingrained in our culture is a padala being more than just money—it’s a message of love, care and connection. Through our mas pinababang fees promo, we want to make it easier for families to send love this Christmas season, no matter the distance. Palawan Express Pera Padala has always been part of the Filipino family’s story, and this is our way of giving back—by helping them stay close even when they are physically far apart.”

Behind every padala, a story of love

Across thousands of Palawan Express Pera Padala branches and outlets across the Philippines, each padala carries out a common theme: love and sacrifice.

There’s a mother in Manila who sends her 13th-month pay to her parents in Cagayan so they can stock up the fridge as the grandchildren flock in for Christmas. We have heard of a son working in Cebu who sends a little extra to his siblings in General Santos City for their new shirts and slippers. There is also a grandmother in Bicol who uses padala service to send money for her grandchildren’s toys.

“These seemingly small but powerful acts of love and giving are what inspire us to keep doing what we do best—to become the bridge of malasakit among Filipino families, to remain mura, mabilis at walang kuskos-balungos (affordable, fast and hassle-free),” said CMO Bernard Kaibigan.

The peak time for sending pagmamahal at malasakit (love and care) is right here! With Palawan Express Pera Padala and PalawanPay, let remittance carry not just money but a piece of your heart this Christmas. Together, let us make every padala a reminder to your family that distance will never stop you from being part of their holidays, laughter and every salu-salo shared around the table.

Editor’s Note: This press release is sponsored by PalawanPay. It is published by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.