Author: gqSbgCfmna

November 13, 2025 | 5:24pm

Games Saturday

(Ynares Center Montalban)

1:30 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs Galeries Tower

4 p.m. – PLDT vs Chery Tiggo

6:30 p.m. – Capital1 vs Petro Gazz

MANILA, Philippines — Cignal drew strength from Erika Santos in the first two sets and then Vannie Gandler in the third as it dealt ZUS Coffee its first defeat, 25-12, 26-24, 25-23, to bolster its quarterfinal bid in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday.

Santos, the PVL on Tour MVP, sizzled with 19 points, including 13 on kills and three on blocks, while Gandler came off the bench and chipped in seven, mostly coming in the third set when the Super Spikers’ foiled the Thunderbelles’ threat of forcing another set and staying alive.

The win — the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise’s fourth in seven outings — pushed Cignal one victory closer to making the quarters. But it would have to beat powerhouse Creamline Tuesday at the Ynares Center Montalban.

And Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos knows they will need to have all hands on deck — including import KT Trebichavska — to pull the rug from under that proud Cool Smashers franchise.

“She was a big help in this game even though she is still adjusting,” said Delos Santos on the Slovakian spiker, who chipped in 13 hits on this one. “Skills wise (from one to 10), she’s eight or nine in terms of performance but is only six going seven in terms of what we expect from her.”

“Hopefully she’ll play 10 or even 11 in our next game, which is a must-win,” he added.

ZUS drew another strong effort from Anna DeBeer, who had 26 points, but she couldn’t do it alone as none of her teammates could score six points or more.

“We put an effort to stop her (DeBeer) but she still scored 26. Good thing we stopped the locals, that’s a plus factor,” said Delos Santos.

The Thunderbelles dropped to 6-1.

Meanwhile, Akari slammed sibling rival Nxled, 25-13, 25-17, 25-22, to likewise close in on a spot in the quarters.

Annie Mitchem dropped a match-best 22 points in powering the Chargers to their fourth win against three defeats.

One more triumph — versus Choco Mucho Tuesday in Montalban — would catapult Akari to the Last Eight.

The Chameleons slipped to 0-7.

November 13, 2025 | 4:57pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by several vloggers claiming that the congressional hearing on disinformation and “fake news” violated their right to free speech.

In a 31-page decision promulgated on July 8 but released on November 13, the high court ruled that the inquiry, which invited mostly pro-Duterte vloggers, did not infringe on any constitutional right.

It said that an invitation to attend the House Tri-Committee’s hearings as a resource person was not, in any form, a regulation of one’s freedom of speech and expression.

“Congress, as part of its functions, only wanted to gather information for crafting laws, not to punish anyone for spreading ‘fake news’ or to suppress speech,” the Supreme Court said in a statement.  

The high court also ruled in favor of the House of Representatives, saying the “perceived chilling effect had no leg to stand on” because the invited vloggers or social media personalities were not restrained from sharing their thoughts and opinions.

It is because of this lack of proof of prior restraint that the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by the likes of political commentators Ernesto “Jun” Abines, Mark Anthony Lopez and Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) host Lorraine Badoy was dismissed. 

“Too, we cannot prohibit Congress from inviting resource persons to legislative inquiries solely because the subject matter involves speech,” the decision read. 

Congress’ right to probe

The Supreme Court also explained that there are forms of speech that are not protected by the Constitution, such as those that “bring about a general disorder” or threaten the State “with a clear and present danger.”

Congress has the constitutional power to legislate penalties for unprotected speech. Still, since no bill or law has been enacted concerning speech as a result of the inquiry, the argument that the vloggers’ freedom of speech and expression was violated was considered “premature.” 

For the Supreme Court, it is within the House of Representatives’ right to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation “to find ways to address the spread of false or misleading information,” given its role in eroding public trust and threatening social stability. 

“The dangers of the proliferation of false information and narratives are not difficult to imagine, and the need to address this issue most promptly is truly imperative,” the decision read. 

The high court also noted how the House Tri-Comm resulted in proposed measures seeking to define “fake news” and punish peddlers of disinformation, which is the deliberate spread of false information to cause public disorder or manipulate public opinion.

RELATED: Anti-fake news bill seeks up to 12-year jail time, P2M fine for disinfo peddlers | Bill targets troll farms, sets jail time for election disinformation

Congress exercising free speech

The vloggers filed the petition on February 4, the same day the House Tri-Committee held a hearing attended by only three invited resource persons.

Beyond the congressional probe, the petitioners also took issue with former Rep. Ace Barbers’ privilege speech during a plenary session, in which he referred to social media personalities as “paid trolls” and “malicious vloggers.”

The Supreme Court, however, ruled that Barbers was exercising his freedom of expression, which does not constitute a prohibition or regulation of speech.

“His speeches were not meant to silence or punish anyone. He delivered the speeches in his official capacity as a Member of the House, addressing a serious social problem — the deliberate spread of misinformation that harms not only public officials, but also ordinary citizens,” the statement read. 

While the Supreme Court largely rejected the petitioners’ arguments, it pointed out that some lawmakers’ interpellations questioning the vloggers during the Tri-Comm hearings were “unduly harsh or demeaning.”

Even as Congress holds the exclusive power to discipline unparliamentary behavior during hearings, the Court stressed that resource persons must still be treated with dignity and respect.   

The House Tri-Committee’s probe, however, was held in the 19th Congress and terminated before it adjourned, which Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said would render the petition “moot.” 

Lawmakers of the 20th Congress, however, may refile the anti-fake news bills proposed as a result of the probe or seek to revive the inquiry should they deem it necessary.  

RELATED: Walking the tightrope: Can laws tame disinformation, ‘fake news’ without crushing free speech?

November 13, 2025 | 4:57pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by several vloggers claiming that the congressional hearing on disinformation and “fake news” violated their right to free speech.

In a 31-page decision promulgated on July 8 but released on November 13, the high court ruled that the inquiry, which invited mostly pro-Duterte vloggers, did not infringe on any constitutional right.

It said that an invitation to attend the House Tri-Committee’s hearings as a resource person was not, in any form, a regulation of one’s freedom of speech and expression.

“Congress, as part of its functions, only wanted to gather information for crafting laws, not to punish anyone for spreading ‘fake news’ or to suppress speech,” the Supreme Court said in a statement.  

The high court also ruled in favor of the House of Representatives, saying the “perceived chilling effect had no leg to stand on” because the invited vloggers or social media personalities were not restrained from sharing their thoughts and opinions.

It is because of this lack of proof of prior restraint that the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by the likes of political commentators Ernesto “Jun” Abines, Mark Anthony Lopez and Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) host Lorraine Badoy was dismissed. 

“Too, we cannot prohibit Congress from inviting resource persons to legislative inquiries solely because the subject matter involves speech,” the decision read. 

Congress’ right to probe

The Supreme Court also explained that there are forms of speech that are not protected by the Constitution, such as those that “bring about a general disorder” or threaten the State “with a clear and present danger.”

Congress has the constitutional power to legislate penalties for unprotected speech. Still, since no bill or law has been enacted concerning speech as a result of the inquiry, the argument that the vloggers’ freedom of speech and expression was violated was considered “premature.” 

For the Supreme Court, it is within the House of Representatives’ right to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation “to find ways to address the spread of false or misleading information,” given its role in eroding public trust and threatening social stability. 

“The dangers of the proliferation of false information and narratives are not difficult to imagine, and the need to address this issue most promptly is truly imperative,” the decision read. 

The high court also noted how the House Tri-Comm resulted in proposed measures seeking to define “fake news” and punish peddlers of disinformation, which is the deliberate spread of false information to cause public disorder or manipulate public opinion.

RELATED: Anti-fake news bill seeks up to 12-year jail time, P2M fine for disinfo peddlers | Bill targets troll farms, sets jail time for election disinformation

Congress exercising free speech

The vloggers filed the petition on February 4, the same day the House Tri-Committee held a hearing attended by only three invited resource persons.

Beyond the congressional probe, the petitioners also took issue with former Rep. Ace Barbers’ privilege speech during a plenary session, in which he referred to social media personalities as “paid trolls” and “malicious vloggers.”

The Supreme Court, however, ruled that Barbers was exercising his freedom of expression, which does not constitute a prohibition or regulation of speech.

“His speeches were not meant to silence or punish anyone. He delivered the speeches in his official capacity as a Member of the House, addressing a serious social problem — the deliberate spread of misinformation that harms not only public officials, but also ordinary citizens,” the statement read. 

While the Supreme Court largely rejected the petitioners’ arguments, it pointed out that some lawmakers’ interpellations questioning the vloggers during the Tri-Comm hearings were “unduly harsh or demeaning.”

Even as Congress holds the exclusive power to discipline unparliamentary behavior during hearings, the Court stressed that resource persons must still be treated with dignity and respect.   

The House Tri-Committee’s probe, however, was held in the 19th Congress and terminated before it adjourned, which Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said would render the petition “moot.” 

Lawmakers of the 20th Congress, however, may refile the anti-fake news bills proposed as a result of the probe or seek to revive the inquiry should they deem it necessary.  

RELATED: Walking the tightrope: Can laws tame disinformation, ‘fake news’ without crushing free speech?

Philstar.com

November 13, 2025 | 4:49pm

MANILA, Philippines — Medals awarded to the winners of international sports competitions are often distinct and unique, and those crafted for the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships will be no different from the rest.

The beautiful clam-shaped medals awarded to the gold, silver and bronze medalists of the blue-ribbon competition set from Nov. 20 to 24 at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom inside the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City will be cherished mementoes forever by those who earned them, according to Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion.

“We recognize the hard work and effort of our young athletes in striving to gain glory for flag and country. So we created these attractive medals in tribute to their achievements at the world juniors,” Carrion said.

“More than anything else, every time they look at their medals, our top performers  will feel and sense that their feats were worthy of the struggles and challenges they went through in achieving them,” she stressed.

Similar in design to the official competition logo, the sparkling medals have the FIG emblem as the “pearl” centerpiece with the “3rd” insignia wrapped around its edges, while silhouettes of a male gymnast on the rings and a female gymnast flipping on the balance beam are above them.

The location, Pasay City, and dates are also engraved into the medals of the meet supported by Office of the President, President Sports Commission and Department of Tourism.

Carrion revealed that aside from the medals that the men’s and women’s medalists will each receive a  plushie of the official mascot — Bughaw for the boys winners and Lila for the girls — in the competition likewise supported by Smart/PLDT and Cignal TV as the official broadcast partner.

“These cute and cuddly mascots are part of our exclusive package in recognizing the gallant feats of these young athletes, who will emerge as the next generation of world gymnastics stars,” she said.

Among those aspiring to stand out in the tournament is the younger brother of Paris Olympic Games Carlos Edriel Yulo, Karl Edlrew.

The younger Yulo is currently training intensively in Tokyo, Japan, the GAP chief said, and is keen on excelling in front of hometown fans in the championships that has Philippine Airlines is the official carrier and St. Luke’s Hospital the official partner for medical services.

No less than renowned Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, who groomed the older Yulo for a long time in becoming a world and Olympic champion, has been preparing Karl Eldrew in excelling in the global junior gymnastics spectacular. 

The competition is also backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Milo and Pocari Sweat. The Manila Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Manila, Hilton Manila, Belmont Manila, Hotel Okura, Savoy Hotel and Hilton Express are the official hotel partners. (GAP pool story)

November 13, 2025 | 4:44pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Independent Commission for Infrastructure still has no firm commitment on when it will begin streaming its hearings online, nearly a month after its chairman first promised to open proceedings to the public. 

ICI Chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. told reporters on Thursday, November 13, that the commission is still “studying” the matter and may have an update next week. But he suggested livestreaming could depend on whether resource persons agree to appear on camera.

“We might ask the person if he wants a livestream,” Reyes said at a press conference. “Because they are potential witnesses, and if they feel a threat to their safety… there is still no yes or no on that. We are still evaluating.”

This comes three weeks after the ICI clarified Reyes’ remarks at a Senate hearing that the body will begin livestreaming in the week that followed, “once we have the technical capability.” The commission then said the following day it needed to first draft rules to protect witnesses and resource persons, and that no hearings were scheduled due to ICI Commissioner Babes Singson’s unavailability.  

The ICI has conducted all hearings behind closed doors since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created it on September 11 to investigate corruption and irregularities in government infrastructure projects, particularly flood control works.

Reyes had initially defended the need to keep hearings private, saying it would prevent “trial by publicity, political grandstanding, sensationalism, and disinformation.” But he acknowledged public pressure for transparency during an October 22 Senate hearing on a bill to expand the commission’s powers. 

The commission has not set a target date for when livestreaming will begin. It has a hearing scheduled for November 17. 

November 13, 2025 | 4:34pm

MANILA, Philippines — As countries convene in Brazil for COP30, developing nations may now apply for financial support from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), where the Philippines serves as a board member.

The fund has opened its first call for requests to help implement planned interventions for climate-vulnerable countries during the 20th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30).

In a statement Thursday, November 13, the FRLD said its start-up phase — the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM) — is now accepting applications to support developing nations in addressing losses and damages caused by climate change.

With an initial pool of $250 million (~P14.8 billion), the fund is set to back climate and disaster response programs from 2025 to 2026, targeting nations most vulnerable to climate-induced damage.

“The Board has allocated $250 million in initial grants for the BIM. Developing countries are invited to submit funding requests aligned with their priorities,” FRLD Co-Chair Jean-Christophe Donnellier said. 

The BIM was established to provide grants ranging from $5 million to $20 million to vulnerable nations, particularly in the Global South, where extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, rising sea levels and temperatures have caused severe casualties and economic losses.

The FRLD said the start-up funding follows a bottom-up, country-led approach, allowing nations to design their own responses to climate loss and damage. The goal, it added, is to ensure that interventions reflect each country’s social, economic, and cultural realities instead of being dictated by external groups.

For the long-term. Since the BIM is still a start-up, Donnellier said the first proposals would serve as a test to help shape the fund’s long-term model. 

“Innovation is key: for example, the FRLD will leverage entities already accredited by other funds, avoiding duplicate processes and accelerating FRLD operational readiness while promoting coordination and coherence,” she added. 

COP30 has provided the FRLD a platform to promote the BIM, which allows partners, crucial stakeholders and organizations to come up with a plan as to how often money can be requested and what criteria countries will need to meet to apply for funding.

Countries can submit their applications starting December 15. It will run for six months. 

The loss and damage fund was first agreed upon in 2023 during COP27 and established in 2024, with 2025 marking the first call for funding requests, which the board calls a “testament to the global solidarity” in support of combating the effects of climate change. 

“This call, while significant, reminds us of the need for significantly more resources to meet the vast scale of need on the ground. As we operationalize the BIM, we will also be working to mobilize additional resources to support our long-term ambitions,” FRLD Executive Director Ibrahima Cheikh Diong said. 

Negotiations. COP30 is currently underway in Belém, Brazil, from November 10 to 21, with more than 190 countries holding weeks of talks and negotiations on how to curb global warming. The annual summit stems from a treaty that led to the Paris Agreement, where nations pledged to keep temperature rise below 2°C above pre-industrial levels — and ideally within 1.5°C.

The United Nations has since warned that the 1.5°C target is slipping out of reach as countries fall behind on climate action.

At last year’s COP29 in Azerbaijan, nations agreed to raise USD 300 billion in annual climate financing by 2035, with a long-term goal of mobilizing USD 1.3 trillion.

November 13, 2025 | 4:16pm

MANILA, Philippines — League of Legends history was made last Sunday, November 9, in Chengdu, China, when South Korea’s T1 defeated KT Rolster, 3-2, to win its third consecutive world title and cementing its status as the greatest dynasty in the scene.

For Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, the victory marked his sixth League of Legends World Championship — a record that could turn out to be unbreakable — further confirming his status as League of Legends’ greatest of all time.

But the road to the top had not always been easy for the esports great.

Having started his career back in 2013, Faker and his team, then known as SK Telecom T1, were on the cusp of getting their three-peat of world titles, only to see heartbreak — coincidentally also in China, at the Beijing National Stadium. Faker and SK Telecom T1 lost 0-3, causing them to miss out on the world stage the following year.

Such a struggle may lead most players to consider calling it quits. But for the South Korean player, it only fueled him to go on.

“I believe the biggest reason for me to continue playing the game is my passion. I am a person who loves playing games. One of the biggest reasons I signed a contract with T1 in 2029 was I wanted to see how far I could improve, how much I could grow. I wanted to see if I could inspire many people. That was the main reason I decided to sign a contract with T1,” Faker said during the post-match interview as he won his sixth League of Legends crown.

Without regrets, Faker believed that experience helped him become a stronger player.

“Today, when I was coming to the venue, I kinda reminisced about the 2017 finals for a moment. But what I felt throughout the match today was different from 2017. I was able to realize that right now I can focus on the game and concentrate without paying too much attention to the result. So I think that was a moment I kind of realized that I have grown so much as a player. Also, looking back at it right now, I don’t think any of those sad memories and emotions from the 2017 finals kind of remain inside of me. So I just think that those kinds of past events and past experiences were able to help me in the end. I’m just really proud of the path that I was able to go through,” admitted Faker.

Looking ahead, Faker admits that given his age, there are things that he needs to focus on as he wishes to continue playing until his contract ends in 2029.

He explained, “As I get older, I realize that I need to take care of my health. As a pro-gamer, I need to be in the same position all the time. I realized that I need to take care of my health. Even if I’m talking about my next chapter, I have to continue my career as a professional gamer until 2029. My goal is to do my best as a professional gamer.”

The 29-year-old revealed that he had undergone a medical check-up prior to the worlds.

“My health hasn’t been as good as it used to be. It’s not that my health has gotten worse, but it’s just not good. Next year, I’ll take good care of my health. I believe that health is the foundation of [a player’s] performance.”

League of Legends’ Philippine resurgence

While the spotlight was on Chengdu, the Philippines had its own reason to celebrate League of Legends this 2025 season. Local team Inferno Esports captured the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP) Wildcard title, defeating Thailand’s Full Sense, 3-2, to secure a spot in the League of Legends Championship Pacific Promotion Series. 

For a team that had only a month of practice before its debut in Liga Republika, this achievement signifies a new era for the local scene as Liga Republika continues to break barriers for the esports title in the country.

The Philippines also hosted its own League of Legends World Championship watch party at the Samsung Hall inside SM Aura in BGC, Taguig. The event was attended by a total of 750 fans despite the option to refund their tickets given the threats of the typhoon over the weekend.