Author: Nouman Ali

Philippines-University of Santo Tomas star Josh Ybañez is back on his throne with a third Most Valuable Player award in the UAAP men’s volleyball tournament.

After missing out on individual honors in Season 87 due to injuries, Ybañez returned to peak form in Season 88, leading the league with 90.192 statistical points (SP) to become the first UST men’s volleyball player to win three MVP awards.

The 23-year-old senior dominated in all departments, ranking fourth in spiking with a 45.19 percent success rate, second in aces with 0.35 per set, and second in receptions with a remarkable 65.68 percent efficiency.

He also finished as the league’s second-leading scorer with 278 points built on 244 spikes, 16 blocks, and 18 aces.

Ybañez will likewise secure his third Best Outside Spiker plum after finishing with 329 ranking points (RP), while National University’s Michaelo Buddin earned the other nod-his second-with 269 RP. Buddin led the UAAP in aces at 0.48 per set while also placing eighth in spiking with a 41.27 percent success rate.

NU’s Leo Ordiales will capture his first Best Opposite Spiker award after finishing with 232 RP, backed by strong all-around numbers ranking third in spiking (46.12 percent), sixth in blocking (0.67 per set), and seventh in aces (0.21 per set).

La Salle’ Issa Ousseini (196 RP) and Far Eastern University’s Lirick Mendoza (191 RP) will be named Best Middle Blockers.

The Cameroonian Green Spiker finished as the highest-scoring middle blocker with 191 points-eighth-best overall-on 139 attacks, 39 blocks, and 13 aces. He also ranked fifth in blocking with a 0.71 per set average and fourth in aces at 0.24 per set.

Mendoza, meanwhile, emerged as the league’s top blocker with 46 total kill blocks and a 0.87 per set average.

FEU’s Ariel Cacao edged out Ateneo’s Enzo Gutierrez for the Best Setter award, while Tamaraws teammate Vennie Ceballos ran away with the Best Libero plum.

Cacao finished with 200 RP, just 13 ahead of Gutierrez, to claim his first positional award. The Tamaraw playmaker led the league in setting with a 6.3 average per set while also emerging as the only setter inside the top 50 in scoring with 44 points.

Ceballos, meanwhile, topped the reception charts with a 70.67 percent efficiency rate and ranked second in digging with 2.13 per set.

National University clinched the No. 2 seed and a crucial bye in the first round of the step-ladder after rallying past University of Santo Tomas, 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13, in the final elimination round playdate of UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

In finishing second behind outright finalist La Salle, the defending champions also gained a prolonged break as the Golden Tigresses dropped into a tie for fourth spot with Far Eastern at 8-6 and both will figure in a KO duel for the right to play third-ranked Adamson in another you-or-me match.

That means more than a week of rest and recalibration-with the battle for the second title series slot slated for May 2-for the Lady Bulldogs, who are coming off two five-set games, the other a heartbreaking setback to the Lady Spikers over the weekend.

The Lady Bulldogs willed their way back from a two-set deficit, riding the troika of Arah Panique, rookie Sam Cantada and the seasoned Vange Alinsug, before National U wrapped it all up when Angge Poyos sent an off-pace spike wide when the pressure was at its highest.

Alinsug then promptly drilled the game-winning kill.

‘I’m very proud, not just of this game, but even the last one. Even when we lost, we gave everything,’ said NU coach Regine Diego. ‘From that point, I knew these girls would play their best because we’ve already seen what we’re capable of.

‘We proved we can fight until the end.’

Panique led NU with 24 points built on 21 attacks, two blocks and an ace, while Cantada delivered 20 points, 17 excellent receptions and nine digs as the Lady Bulldogs closed out the eliminations at 10-4.

Alinsug added 13 points and 10 digs. Chams Maaya chipped in nine points, highlighted by three aces in the fourth set that sparked the comeback.

‘This experience showed me that the team is still developing, [and] they’re improving every day,’ Diego continued. ‘These players aren’t made yet, they’re still gaining experience. But you can really see how fast they’re growing with every game.

‘A lot of challenges’

‘It hasn’t been easy, we’ve faced a lot of challenges and obstacles. But they’re much stronger now compared to our first game.’

Setter Lams Lamina orchestrated the offense with 24 excellent sets and five points, while libero Shaira Jardio anchored the floor defense with 33 excellent receptions and 16 digs.

Cramping up in the fifth set, Poyos still paced the Tigresses with 24 points, 15 receptions and nine digs, while Reg Jurado added 21 points and 16 digs. Jonna Perdido and Avril Bron contributed eight points each.

Santo Tomas libero Detdet Pepito impressed with 20 excellent receptions out of 22 attempts and 16 digs, but the Tigresses fell short in the deciding set after surrendering late momentum.

The Lady Tamaraws stayed alive in semifinal slot hunt after a come-from-behind 22-25, 23-25, 25-12, 25-21, 15-10 win over the also-ran Ateneo in the first game.

Far Eastern also came back from two sets down to finish with an 8-6 record and catch the Tigresses as Gerz Petallo led the comeback with 17 points, 16 digs and 11 excellent receptions. Kyle Pendon contributed 13 points off six blocks, five spikes and two aces.

A mother-and-daughter duo, both classified as high-value individuals (HVIs) in the regional drug trade, was arrested by authorities following a midnight buy-bust operation in Jaro district here on Tuesday.

Personnel from the Iloilo City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU) conducted the sting at around 12:05 a.m. on April 21, in Barangay Simon Ledesma. The operation resulted in the seizure of roughly 70 grams of suspected shabu (meth) with a total estimated street value of P476,000.

The arrested individuals were identified by police under the aliases ‘Welnie,’ 64, and her daughter ‘Pani,’ 37. Both suspects are residents of Iloilo City and are currently unemployed. According to investigators, the pair had been under intense surveillance for nearly a month prior to the arrest.

The coordinated effort involved multiple units, including the Iloilo Maritime Police Station, the ICPO Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, and the Station Drug Enforcement Team of Police Station 9.

In addition to the 10 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing the suspected narcotics, authorities recovered the marked buy-bust money and various non-drug related items from the scene.

Police Brigadier General Josefino D. Ligan, Regional Director of Police Regional Office 6, lauded the joint task force for the successful operation.

Welnie and Pani are currently in police custody.

The Bangsamoro government extended its gratitude to former presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. for his dedicated public service.

‘The Bangsamoro Government extends its sincere gratitude to Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. for his dedicated service and commitment as Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity,’ Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abuldraof Macacua said in a statement.

Galvez bowed out of public service on Tuesday, ending a 46-year career in government, starting as a soldier. He said he would focus on his family.

Galvez was replaced by former Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento.

Macacua also welcomed the appointment of Sarmiento, who took his oath of office before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday.

Macacua said he is looking forward to working closely together with Sarmiento.

‘I hope to build a strong partnership based on trust, respect, and a shared commitment to sustaining the gains of the peace process, especially in the Bangsamoro region,’ Macacua said.

‘I am hopeful that, under the new leadership, we can sustain the momentum and complete the remaining priorities of the transition, so that the benefits of peace can be felt by all Bangsamoro people,’ he added.

Ukay-ukay has always been a great part of everyday life. For a long time, it has simply been a game of finding treasure: going into stores to find and buy clothes that were definitely more affordable than something you’d pick out at a mall. You go in to find racks and racks of clothes and pieces that were new to you, with price tags that weren’t so painful to look at.

This system hasn’t changed for a long time. But somewhere down the road, the appeal of ukay-ukay or thrifting expanded to more than just a lower price. It reached a newer, bigger demographic of creative and eco-conscious youth.

Unpredictability is part of the appeal

Now, people don’t only go to ukay out of necessity-they go because they want to. There’s something about it that feels therapeutic and feels different from regular shopping. It’s not predictable, it’s a little less polished, and a lot more personal.

What sets ukay-ukay apart is the way you move through everything. There’s no clear system, no guarantee of finding something specific. Sometimes the clothes are all packed tightly together, the styles overlap, and the sizing is iffy at best. It’s the kind of place where you have to be patient and go through everything thoroughly.

That unpredictability is part of the appeal, though. Finding something good looks completely different to everyone. So, it isn’t given that you’ll find something to your taste-but when you do, it feels more considered and intentional. A

‘tsamba’

comes down to the right place and the right time. And because of that, the pieces people end up with feel more personal.

A ‘tsamba’ comes down to the right place and the right time. And because of that, the pieces people end up with feel more personal

People aren’t dressing the same way anymore

This shift has also happened with what the rise in ukay-ukay means socially. It has changed the way people think about style and experimenting with new types of fashion. Because the pieces are affordable, there’s much less pressure to get them ‘right.’ You can always try something different, pick up something you won’t usually go for, and see how well it works for you.

Because the pieces are affordable, there’s much less pressure to get them ‘right.’ You can always try something different

It also means that people aren’t dressing the same way. Unlike mall brands and fast fashion companies, where trends are repeated across racks, ukay offers a mix of everything. You’ll see more personal styles and outfits that are put together in a way that reflects individual taste rather than what the current norm is.

At the same time, with the growing awareness of current eco-crises and environmental concerns, people are now more aware of how much they consume. Ukay fits into this shift perfectly, making being eco-conscious feel effortless. Buying secondhand and pre-loved clothes and extending their lives has become part of how people approach fashion-not in an overly conscious way, but as something that just makes sense.

Thrifting now also works as a kind of social space. It’s common to go with friends, looking through the racks together, asking for opinions, and doing a try-on haul at the changing rooms. In a way, it fills a gap. Nowadays, there aren’t many casual, low-cost places to just spend time in, especially for the younger people, and ukay doesn’t ask for much. You walk in, you browse, you chat, and spend your time creatively. It makes it easy to treat it as less of an errand and more of a fun pastime.

What makes it work is how low-pressure it is. There’s no expectation to buy anything, no rush to decide. That alone feels like the best part. It feels like slowing down and pausing in a world where hustle culture is extremely present.

What makes it work is how low-pressure it is. There’s no expectation to buy anything

READ MORE: The local creatives championing thrift shopping and sustainable fashion

Ukay is forever relevant

Ukay-ukay has even found its way to creating small businesses. Many online clothing shops now start the same way with pieces sourced from ukay, then resold with a bit more creativity. It’s less about changing the clothes and more about presenting them differently-making do with what you’re given, and building a style around it.

In that sense, the concept of ukay doesn’t just shape personal wardrobes. It feeds into how people approach the selling and styling of the clothes as well.

What people also look for tends to shift-one week it’s oversized jackets, the next it’s baby tees or cargos. And because of this cycle, ukay also follows this process. But instead of getting them directly from the store, people look for versions of them in ukay.

All of this happens without much structure. There’s no fixed way to approach it, no single reason people keep going back. Some go for practicality, some for style, some just to see what’s there. And that’s really what keeps ukay-ukay relevant. It works in different ways for different people, and it doesn’t try too hard to be anything more than that.

The national government’s budget deficit widened in March by nearly 2 percent from a year earlier to P349.7 billion, on higher energy spending amid the Middle East war.

According to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), the Marcos administration spent P654.8 billion during the month, up 5.23 percent year on year.

Spending was driven in part by allocations to the Department of Energy, which received P20 billion to fund measures aimed at cushioning the impact of the energy crisis.

Revenues, meanwhile, rose 9.25 percent to P305.1 billion, supported by gains in both tax and nontax collections.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs contributed P187.3 billion and P84.8 billion, respectively.

Nontax revenues surged 45.54 percent to P28.5 billion, boosted by the early remittance of dividends from government-owned and controlled corporations.

For the first quarter, the government’s budget deficit narrowed by 20.3 percent to P355.5 billion.

Customers of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) can expect a bigger rebate as regulators ordered the swift implementation of P14.17-billion remaining refunds beginning May, as Filipinos reel from rising prices due to the Middle East war.

Based on a document posted on its website, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) directed the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led firm to hasten the rollout of the remaining refunds out of the original amount of P19.96 billion.

This is part of an earlier order that declared July 2022 to December 2024 as a lapsed period.

The true-up calculation shows the gap between Meralco’s actual weighted average tariff and the regulator-approved rate for the period under review.

The refund program started a year ago, initially covering P5.8 billion at a rate of P0.1189 per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Now, the ERC has mandated a higher average refund rate of P0.2511 per kWh.

Residential customers, in particular, will see a reduction of P0.4278 per kWh.

Immediate relief

‘By expediting the refund, we are providing more immediate relief to Meralco consumers, particularly in the face of rising electricity costs driven by global and domestic factors,’ ERC chair and CEO Francis Saturnino Juan said in a statement on Wednesday.

‘The true-up mechanism is a safeguard embedded in our regulatory framework, ensuring that tariffs remain cost-reflective and reasonable at all times,’ he added.

The ERC said the remaining amount would be refunded over a shorter period of 12 months instead of the original 36 months.

According to the ERC, the refund will be under a separate line item in their power bills, allowing consumers to check the amount being returned to them.

In February, Meralco sought regulatory approval for a capital spending of P272 billion for a five-year period, or until 2030.

Rate reset

Under a rate reset process, a regulated entity such as Meralco must submit to the ERC its spending and proposed projects over a certain period, usually five years, unless extended by the regulator. This will then be the basis of the rate that will be passed on to consumers.

Meralco is the country’s biggest power distributor, delivering electricity to over 8.2 million consumers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, including the municipalities of Sto. Tomas, Batangas City and San Pascual.

Since being appointed as Blackwater’s interim coach, Pat Aquino has given Sedrick Barefield all the green light he needed to shine.

On Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, that trust finally paid off with a 126-120 win over San Miguel Beer in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Barefield led all locals in the scoring column with 29 points to help the Bossing improve to a 2-6 card and more importantly, give Aquino his first dub as Blackwater’s tactician.

‘Coach Pat gives me the ultimate confidence but at the same time, he tells me how to be smart or when I need to be doing something better,’ said Barefield, who also had eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal.

‘I wasn’t necessarily shooting the ball well so it means a lot to me that he believed in me.’

Barefield struggled a bit, going 11-for-23 from the field, but import Robert Upshaw III was present to make up for it with a double-double of 35 points and 17 rebounds.

In three games under Aquino’s tutelage, Barefield wreaked havoc on offense with averages of 22.6 points, 4.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per outing.

‘His message was to believe, be confident and we kept fighting,’ Barefield said.

Aquino looks to see Barefield flourish even more under his system on Friday when the Bossing take on Barangay Ginebra at Araneta Coliseum.

The Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have partnered to advance forest restoration, community-based forest management, and climate initiatives across the region, officials announced on Thursday.

The collaboration was formalized with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on April 16, between FFP and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) in Makati City.

MENRE Minister Akmad Brahim signed the MOA along with lawyer Badr Salendab, Director General of Environment and Natural Resources, and lawyer Jose Canivel, FFP executive director.

In a statement, Brahim said the BARMM’s advocacy of protecting the environment and natural resources is ‘not just a mandate but a sacred obligation.’

‘Our forests are the lifeblood of our region. They provide the water that feeds our lands, the air we breathe, and the heritage we pass on to the next generation of Bangsamoro,’ Brahim said.

‘The challenges we face-climate change, deforestation, and the need for sustainable livelihoods-are too vast for any single agency to tackle alone. This is why this MOA is so vital,’ he added.

The collaboration also aims to strengthen long-term environmental policy in the region, supporting policy development, program implementation, and project co-financing.

Canivel underscored the ecological importance of the Bangsamoro region. ‘It is the Bangsamoro that holds vast, dense forests and mangroves,’ he said.

‘These resources position the region to contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation and the Philippines’ global commitments,’ he added.

FFP is a non-stock, non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides grants and technical assistance to organizations and individuals that empower people to protect and conserve the forests.

In January this year, MENRE-BARMM implemented a reforestation initiative under the Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program (IBGP), aiming to restore ecological balance and protect natural resources for future generations.

BARMM interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua approved the P168-million allocation for the reforestation of 2,600 hectares across BARMM.

Macacua emphasized that environmental protection remains a cornerstone of BARMM’s development agenda, particularly in addressing the growing impacts of climate change.

‘We will create safe and sustainable living conditions through resilience programs that will strengthen our communities physically and environmentally,’ Macacua added.

The program is also expected to bring social and economic benefits, including the preservation of biodiversity, protection of watersheds, and the creation of livelihoods for local communities.

As of 2024, BARMM’s forest cover was approximately 299,195 hectares. This represented roughly 45 percent of the region’s total land area of 1,293,552 hectares, MENRE said.

According to the Climate Change Commission, the lead government policy-making body on climate change, Mindanao accounts for approximately 32.36 percent of the Philippines’ total forest cover (over 7.22 million hectares as of 2020/2022).

Arah Panique redeemed herself by leading National University to the No.2 spot ahead of the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball stepladder semifinals, anchoring the defending champion’s five-set comeback against University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Last Sunday, Panique’s costly net fault sealed La Salle’s five-set win to complete a 14-game sweep and clinch an outright Finals berth, sending the rest of the field into a stepladder.

The senior opposite spiker admitted she blamed herself for the crucial error.

‘I couldn’t help but blame myself before because it really was my fault,’ said Panique in Filipino. ‘So this game, I just gave my best to make up for the team and to help us secure that No. 2 spot so we won’t have a harder path and can also get some rest.’

‘I think we all know we could’ve won that game. We just fell short in closing it out. It also comes down to how we play together as a team,’ she added.

Against UST on Wednesday, Panique unleashed 24 points off 21 kills, two blocks, and an ace to help save NU from a two-set deficit en route to the 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13 win.

‘For me, the main thing was to bounce back from our last loss. That’s really what motivated us. We’re also happy because you can really see our team effort and teamwork in this game,’ she said.

NU finished the elimination round with a 10-4 record and will have enough time to prepare for the last phase of the stepladder, where the finals berth against unbeaten La Salle is at stake.

UST and Far Eastern University will fight for the last semis berth on Saturday, with the winner taking on Adamson next on April 29.