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Tight fights seen in chase for National Am titles at Pradera Verde

A lean yet talent-stacked ladies field and a big men’s roster will tee it up on Wednesday when the NGAP’s National Stroke Play Championship gets off the ground at the wide-open Pinatubo layout of Pradera Verde in Lubao, Pampanga.

The brightest teen stars led by Tashana Balangauan, Precious Zaragosa, Crista Therese Minoza and the Sarines twins Mona and Lisa headline the small ladies field that will gun for the title to join the champions roll of the event won by the likes of Rianne Malixi and Mafy Singson in the past.

Minoza was a dominant junior force up until last year in the Junior PGT series, while Mona, Balangauan and Zaragosa have all won 15-18 division legs and are definitely battle-tested for a 72-hole tournament.

Jules Gaerlan is the most experience bet in the ladies’ field, having played in several professional LPGT events as an amateur for the past several years now.

Meanwhile, Jet Hernandez and Rolando Bregente, who finished in a fourth place tie in the Singapore Amateur Open two weeks ago, will be leading the big men’s field that has two second generation players seeking to duplicate championships won by their fathers.

Dads as champs

Zach Villaroman, whose dad, Carito, was the 1984 PH Am champion that was a mix of stroke play and match, is one of the players to watch in the men’s bracket. Coached by his father, Zach will be shooting to win the biggest tournament of his career starting on Wednesday.

John Robert Bernis will also be shooting to win a national title like his father Jun, who became a standout for Canlubang in the Interclub before playing in the Philippine Golf Tour for several years. The younger Bernis is still in high school, but already has the game to duplicate his dad’s 2004 win at Canlubang.

Another interesting player to watch is Ralph Batican, the best from Bukidnon who has the revered Frankie Minoza as mentor. The teener, who sharpened his game at Del Monte under the watchful eyes of the legendary Minoza, is definitely a talent that is ripe to win.

A notable absence on the men’s field is Shin Suzuki, who is still in the United States campaigning in that country’s championship.

Wounded Caraga cop receives bravery medal, financial aid

A police officer injured during a checkpoint operation in Surigao City received a medal of bravery and financial assistance from the Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13).

Brig. Gen. Marcial Mariano Magistrado IV, PRO-13 regional director, visited on Monday Patrolman Benjie Banaybanay at the Butuan Doctors Hospital and conferred on him the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting (Wounded Personnel Medal) for injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Banaybanay was injured on July 22 while manning a checkpoint along Borromeo Street in Barangay Taft, Surigao City.

According to police, a tricycle driven by a man identified only by the alias ‘Alvyn’ failed to slow down as it approached the checkpoint and struck a warning sign, injuring Banaybanay.

The officer was initially taken to the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City for emergency treatment before being transferred to the Butuan Doctors Hospital for further medical care.

The medal was awarded under National Police Commission Memorandum Circular No. 2025-007 and Philippine National Police Memorandum Circular No. 2022-043.

Magistrado also provided financial assistance to the wounded officer, saying the police organization remains committed to supporting personnel injured while performing their duties.

‘Every police officer who puts his life on the line deserves not only recognition but also the full support of the organization,’ Magistrado said.

He was joined during the hospital visit by Col. Marlon Kamatoy, chief of the Regional Comptrollership Division; Col. Pobleo Mariano Magistrado V, chief of the Regional Education and Training Division; and other PRO-13 officers.

Tinubu urged to sign Port Regulatory Agency Bill

Maritime lawyers have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently assent to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, saying it will accelerate reforms and improve efficiency in the country’s maritime sector.

The President of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association, Chief Michael Igbokwe, made the call at the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Justices in Abuja.

He said the bill, which seeks to establish an independent economic regulator for Nigeria’s ports, has been forwarded to the president twice and should be signed into law without further delay.

He said the proposed law will strengthen the regulatory role of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, improve port operations and boost investor confidence in the maritime sector.

‘We call on Mr President to expedite assent to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, which has come before him twice.

‘Its implementation by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will enable the government and Nigerians to enjoy the full benefits of ongoing port reforms,’ Igbokwe said.

He also urged the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to establish an admiralty registry and further strengthen the court’s admiralty division in line with the Admiralty Jurisdiction Procedure Rules 2023, saying specialised judicial structures are essential for speedy resolution of maritime disputes.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the Tinubu administration had laid the institutional, regulatory and economic foundations for a thriving marine economy.

He said the government had developed Nigeria’s first National Policy on the Marine Economy to provide a framework for sustainable sectoral growth.

Oyetola also said the Deep Blue Project had helped eliminate piracy in Nigeria’s territorial waters for four consecutive years, making the country’s maritime domain safer for international navigation and commerce.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said the Renewed Hope Agenda has made the blue economy a strategic priority, adding that the government remains committed to unlocking the maritime sector’s potential for trade, investment, job creation and economic diversification.

NSDC unveils 4-point plan to boost sugar infrastructure devt

The Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr Kamar Bakrin, has unveiled a four-point plan aimed at reducing Nigeria’s high cost of production, warning that the country must lower the cost of manufacturing and boost infrastructure development or risk losing both domestic and African markets to more competitive economies.

Speaking at the technical session of the 17th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment (NCITI) in Enugu, Bakrin said Nigeria’s factories currently pay between two and ten times more than competitors in countries such as Vietnam and China for electricity, credit and logistics, making locally manufactured goods less competitive.

He described the situation as a ‘cost-of-production problem’ rather than a demand problem, stressing that the solution lies in deliberate policy actions that lower production costs.

According to him, while manufacturers in Vietnam pay about eight US cents per kilowatt-hour for industrial electricity and those in China pay around 10 cents, Nigerian manufacturers pay about 15 cents when connected to the national grid, with costs rising to nearly 30 cents whenever they rely on diesel-powered generators.

He noted that manufacturers spent an estimated N1.34tn generating their own electricity last year as well as building other physical inftrastructure to improve production

Bakrin further disclosed that working capital costs range between 27 and 35 per cent in Nigeria, compared to about nine per cent in Vietnam and three per cent in China.

He also cited the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, which ranks Nigeria 88th out of 139 countries, behind Vietnam at 43rd and China at 19th.

Bakrin argued that the timing for industrial reforms was ideal, noting that recent macroeconomic reforms had restored greater stability, with inflation falling significantly from its peak and external reserves rising to about $51bn, the highest level since 2009.

He said the improved macroeconomic environment gives manufacturers greater confidence to plan and invest, even as global supply chains continue to shift.

He warned that AfCFTA presents both opportunities and risks for Nigeria.

To demonstrate that industrial transformation is achievable, Bakrin pointed to Nigeria’s urea industry, which expanded from about 500,000 tonnes of production capacity in 2005 to 6.5 million tonnes today, making Nigeria one of the world’s top ten exporters of nitrogen fertiliser.

He attributed the success to the decision to price natural gas as an industrial input rather than simply as a revenue source.

Bakrin further proposed the introduction of an annual State Industrial Competitiveness Index that would publicly rank states based on power supply, access to land, levies and logistics performance.

In addition, he advocated strict enforcement of Nigeria First procurement policies at both federal and state levels, supported by quarterly compliance dashboards.

‘Every resolution needs a named owner, a date and a way to measure it. Otherwise it becomes another document that gets filed, framed and forgotten,’ he said.

More than the right answer

My dad comes from a family of math lovers who enjoy sharpening their skills by trying to outdo one another at chess. For those unfamiliar with the game, planning how to move your pieces across a 64-square board draws on many of the same cognitive processes used to solve math equations. It requires logical calculation, pattern recognition, and branching logic to map out several hypothetical choices before choosing the best path.

I, on the other hand, can still remember the moment I stopped believing I was good at math. My teacher posted a sheet of manila paper on the blackboard containing several algebraic formulas and quickly discussed them one by one. While I had a basic grasp of what each rule meant, I couldn’t really understand how they fit into the bigger picture or why they were important. So I just dutifully copied each one into my notebook.

But like many other children who rely on rote learning to get through the subject, I never truly mastered algebra. Or the more advanced mathematics that followed. Without a conceptual anchor, it became too difficult to remember what all the rules were and how to apply them. Eventually, I lost interest altogether.

‘Fluency is not the same as recall,’ explained Dr. Debbie Marie Verzosa, an esteemed professor at the University of Southern Mindanao and former president of the Philippine Council for Mathematics Teacher Educators. ‘When students learn Math by memorizing steps without understanding how they work, they struggle to adjust when a problem is presented differently. They get confused or forget altogether the moment they encounter more advanced problem-solving.’

To illustrate this, Verzosa shared findings from a study that examined whether Philippine public school students truly understood the concept of one-half. When shown a circle that’s divided VERTICALLY into two equal parts, with one side shaded, 97 percent of Grade 2 students and 90 percent of Grade 3 students correctly identified the shaded portion as one-half.

However, when the same concept was presented with half of the circle shaded DIAGONALLY, those who got it correctly dropped to 71 percent among Grade 2 students and 73 percent among Grade 3 students. The change in orientation should not have affected their answer. Instead, it revealed that many students had learned just to recognize a familiar image rather than fully understand the concept behind it.

I hear a lot of people say that they chose a certain profession or college course to escape from math. As it turns out, math is omnipresent in daily life, and fluency in its language gives people a significant advantage.

Mathematical fluency means being able to work flexibly with numbers and concepts, and use one’s knowledge to explore problems and opportunities in the world. The emphasis in the classroom, then, should not solely focus on whether students got the final answer. According to Verzosa, that approach teaches students that they’re not allowed to make mistakes, which discourages them from trying multiple solutions and figuring things out on their own.

Instead, teachers must focus on the students’ reasoning. ‘Ask students, ‘How did you get this?” she said. ‘Children’s answers should not be based on what they think their teacher wants to hear, but should be based on their own thinking.’

Mindset also has a powerful influence. A large-scale study of future math teachers across 14 countries found that 45.1 percent of Filipino participants viewed mathematical ability as a product of talent rather than effort. This matters because teachers’ beliefs can shape the expectations they set for their students. When difficulty is interpreted as a lack of natural ability, some children may be labeled as ‘not a math person’ or ‘slow learner’ instead of being given different explanations, creative activities, and enough time and practice to improve.

We live in an era where many math problems can be easily answered by artificial intelligence. Recently, an OpenAI reasoning model even successfully disproved the Erdos unit distance conjecture, an 80-year-old unresolved problem in discrete geometry.

But this breakthrough does not make mathematical thinking less valuable. Now more than ever, the true value of mathematics is not simply knowing the final answer but the skills you gain in the process of getting there. It develops thinking strategies to approach and unpack a problem, the grit to persist when the initial solution doesn’t work, and the creativity to discover meaningful connections.

Somewhere between memorizing formulas and fearing the wrong answer, I had lost the confidence to explore. A part of me wishes my younger self had a passionate teacher like Verzosa so I wouldn’t have disengaged from my lessons. Through our school’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, my commitment now is to help teachers and students approach math with wonder and to develop a deeper desire to master its language. And perhaps, through witnessing their excitement and love for the subject, I will also begin to find my way back.

Three arrested as Mob beats 25-year-old man to death in Jos

The Plateau State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the mob killing of a 25-year-old man allegedly beaten to death by a group of youths over the suspected theft of an iPhone 12 in Jos.

The command condemned the incident, describing jungle justice as unlawful and warning residents against taking the law into their own hands.

Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, disclosed in a statement on Monday that the victim, Ibrahim Mbaya, a resident of Rayfield in Jos South Local Government Area, was allegedly attacked by the mob on Sunday.

According to Alabo, the Lamingo Police Division received a distress report from a Good Samaritan after the unconscious victim was rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital.

Police operatives immediately visited the hospital, where medical personnel confirmed that Mbaya was dead on arrival.

Alabo said detectives swiftly launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of three suspects identified as Rinji Daniel Fwanji, Emmanuel Newyear and Nensemka Fwanji.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Newyear was captured in a viral video allegedly striking the deceased with a large wooden plank, while photographs obtained by investigators also placed him at the scene of the attack.

‘The suspects admitted attacking the deceased instead of reporting the alleged theft to law enforcement authorities,’ the police spokesman said.

He disclosed that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Jos for further investigation, while security operatives have intensified efforts to apprehend other suspects who fled after the incident.

The police said the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Condemning the growing trend of mob justice, Alabo stressed that no individual has the legal authority to assault or kill anyone suspected of committing an offence.

He urged residents to report criminal activities to security agencies and allow due process to take its course, warning that anyone found engaging in jungle justice would face the full weight of the law.

Government scrambles to respond to looming El Niño

The country is once again facing another El Niño episode this year, this time hitting even more harder than the last, bringing little rains that would dry up fields and drain water reservoirs.

With the threat of an incoming El Niño this year, the government has been scrambling to respond to the possible effect of the weather phenomenon, especially on the country’s food production and water supply.

The climate disruption is now present over the tropical Pacific and could likely intensify over the next few months and persist until early next year, according to an advisory from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Based on the state weather bureau’s latest forecast, there is a 69 percent chance that a strong El Niño episode would likely emerge during the months of August, September or October.

PAGASA also said there is also a 62 percent chance that a ‘very strong El Niño’ would happen during the months of October and would last until January next year.

Tiu Laurel

The weather event would likely bring prolonged dry spells, drought and severe heat waves throughout various parts of the country. Higher than average ocean temperatures may also risk stronger typhoons in the country, despite fewer rainfall episodes.

At the forefront of the incoming El Niño are the country’s farmers, whose livelihood hinges on a good harvest which could be threatened by dried-up fields and lower water supply for irrigation, causing shrinking yields and lower earnings.

President Marcos has ordered relevant agencies to intensify preparations for the incoming drought and accelerate funding for irrigation and water-management projects to support farmers to cope with lower rainfall activity.

Marcos also tasked the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to support and provide technical assistance to farmers in transitioning to drought-resistant crops.

‘We have already advised some farmers to plant high-value commercial crops such as watermelon, ginger, ube, peanuts and eggplant instead of rice, which requires more water,’ he said earlier.

The government is also increasing funding to create more solar-powered irrigation pumps and water recycling systems in drought-prone areas, following the President’s orders.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier said the looming climate episode could cut the country’s rice production by 700,000 metric tons (MT) this year, or about 3.5 percent of the DA’s target harvest for the year.

The DA said earlier that rice harvest could reach 19.87 million MT this year, a downgrade from the agency’s initial 20.3 million MT goal earlier in the year.

‘Based on our latest El Niño study, we checked our past experience in 2024 and indications showed that El Niño will be hitting hard in Luzon, while Visayas and Mindanao it doesn’t look like it will be affected that much,’ Tiu Laurel said.

There are 16 provinces in Luzon that could face drought episodes this year, including some of the country’s top rice producing areas, according to PAGASA’s climate model as of June 21.

These include Nueva Ecija, the country’s single-largest rice producing province, generating 1.6 to two million MT of rice annually, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed. Other rice production hubs include Isabela, Pangasinan and Cagayan, among others.

The Philippines last experienced El Niño from late 2023 to mid-2024, which caused heavy damage to agriculture. Farm losses were estimated at P57.78 billion, with overall production dropping by 2.2 percent.

The country’s crop output took the hardest hit, falling by 4.2 percent, according to a report from the PSA.

‘For those that will not be hit hard by El Niño, the DA will double down by providing more fertilizer and planting materials to increase production, while maintaining also our support for areas that will be affected,’ he said.

‘What we lose there, maybe we can gain back here in the areas where there will be rain,’ he added.

The agriculture department has also reactivated its El Niño Task Force that would allow the agency to respond to the looming weather crisis on farmers and fisherfolk. It will also ensure the effective coordination of other government agencies.

Tiu Laurel said that among the agency’s priority in response to the El Niño episode this year would focus on funding better water irrigation and expanding cold-storage networks.

He added that the DA is targeting to allocate P1 billion as assistance to farmers and fisherfolk, P1.6 billion in funding for solar irrigation projects, while an additional P1 billion will be for more solar pumps for next year.

Tiu Laurel had earlier ordered concerned DA officials to fast-track the construction of irrigation, water impounding facilities and climate adaptation projects to sustain the livelihood of farmers ahead of the incoming drought.

The DA will also set up cold storage, blast freezers and logistics facilities to store and maintain farm produce and make distribution of aid more efficient.

No water interruptions

On the other hand, local water service providers, Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc. assured their customers of ample water supply ahead of the incoming weather change.

Reduced rainfall activity has caused Angat Dam levels, Metro Manila’s major water source, to drop to below its 160-meter critical level, reducing water allocations for services. Current data showed that the dam was at 158.75 meter as of July 5.

The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has lowered water allocations for service providers to 48 cubic meters per second (cms) from 52 cms amid the dam level reduction.

The West Zone concessionaire noted that it has scaled up its preparations for the incoming weather event through the construction of water treatment plants, new water facilities and deep wells to reduce the service provider’s dependence on Angat Dam.

‘Angat Dam remains our main raw water source, but we now have more supplemental sources, lower water losses, expanded storage, and improved network management capabilities to help manage tighter raw water conditions,’ Maynilad COO Christopher Jaime Lichauco said.

For its part, Manila Water, which supplies the East Zone, also assured its customers uninterrupted service, as it had augmented its water supply from Laguna Lake and its Wawa Dam facilities.

The company said its Kaysakat Project is projected to add 220 million liters per day to water supply once it is completed by October, while the East Bay Phase 2 Water Supply Project will provide an additional 200 MLD once it its commissioned by September.

Tiu Laurel said he expects the ongoing southwest monsoon to bring more rainfall and provide more water supply to the country’s dams, like the Angat Dam which has reached below critical levels.

‘We expect more rains before the real El Niño sets,’ Tiu Laurel said, stressing that he does not see a reason yet to reduce water allocation for farmers serviced by Angat Dam.

Labor group says Marcos’ Sona skipped key labor reforms

Labor coalition Sentro criticized President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) for focusing on financial assistance while leaving out key labor reforms such as ending contractualization and legislating a nationwide wage increase.

In a statement following Marcos’ Sona on Monday, July 27, Sentro said job fairs and short-term employment programs could provide immediate assistance but were not substitutes for secure employment.

‘President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2026 State of the Nation Address was long on ayuda but short on the structural reforms that working Filipinos have long demanded,’ Sentro said.

‘The President said nothing about ending contractualization, legislating a meaningful nationwide wage increase, establishing a robust public employment program, or pursuing a genuine industrial policy that can generate quality jobs and rebuild domestic industries,’ it added.

Sentro said programs such as job fairs and TUPAD ‘may provide temporary relief, but they cannot substitute for stable, secure, and productive employment.’

The coalition nevertheless welcomed the proposed expansion of income tax exemptions for the middle class but called for a wealth tax and other progressive fiscal measures.

It also welcomed plans to expand PhilHealth benefits and coverage, while saying these should be accompanied by sustained public funding for PhilHealth and the public health system.

‘Expanding benefits must be matched by a firm commitment to fully fund PhilHealth and strengthen the public health system,’ Sentro said.

On energy, the coalition backed Marcos’ commitment to renewable energy and proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) aimed at stopping system losses from being passed on to consumers.

Sentro however, opposed the administration’s renewed push for nuclear power, citing concerns over dependence on imported technology, fuel and expertise, as well as radioactive waste management.

‘Ultimately, the President’s speech offered relief but not transformation. It expanded assistance but avoided the hard reforms needed to address the roots of poverty, inequality, and economic insecurity,’ the coalition said.

Osun: Armed thugs attack INEC officials, cart away packs of PVCs

Armed hoodlums have attacked officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State and carted away three packs of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The police announced the incident, the latest in a series of violence that have characterised the run up to the August 15 Osun governorship election in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement issued in Osogbo by the spokesperson Osun command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the suspected thugs, numbering about 10, attacked INEC officials who were distributing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

Ojelabi said the hoodlums reportedly fired sporadically into the air to scare the INEC officials away before carting away the three packs of PVCs.

Ojelabi said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ibrahim Gotan, condemned the incident and has directed a comprehensive investigation, with a view to identifying, arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators.

‘Tactical and intelligence assets have been deployed, and efforts have been intensified to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen PVCs,’ Ojelabi said.

He reiterates the command’s commitment to professionalism and strict adherence to the rule of law in the discharge of its responsibilities.

The command’s spokesperson urged members of the public to remain calm, law-abiding and refrain from any action capable of causing further breach of peace.

Ojelabi appealed to residents and eyewitnesses with credible information that may assist the ongoing investigation to promptly report to the nearest police station or contact the command through its emergency lines.

He warned that anyone found exploiting the incident to foment violence or disrupt public order will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Ojelabi also said operatives of Osun command had restored peace in Ile-Ife after suspected thugs, that gathered around the Mayfair Garage area, became unruly, resulting in a temporary disruption of public peace and order.

He assured residents of the police unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property, as well as maintaining peace, law and order.

Firm named best investment bank at 2026 Euromoney Awards

Iron Capital, one of Africa’s leading investment banking and asset management firms, has been named Nigeria’s Best Investment Bank for Financing Solutions at the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026.

The announcement recognises Iron Capital’s masterful transaction architecture and its profound impact on the African financial landscape.

Securing this highly coveted institutional honour just seven years into its operational history, Iron Capital in a statement said it has successfully displaced legacy institutions by engineering a new global standard for capital mobilisation, advisory, and asset preservation.

‘This recognition from Euromoney validates our core philosophy of intentionality, depth, and quiet authority,’ stated Jubril Enakele, CEO at Iron Capital.

He added, ‘We do not measure our legacy simply by the passage of time, but by the transformative impact of the capital we structure. Over the past seven years, we have quietly and methodically built an institution capable of delivering complex, cross-border financial solutions that meet global standards while addressing the unique realities of the African market.’

The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are widely considered the definitive benchmark for the global banking industry, rewarding institutions that demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and momentum in their respective markets.

Iron Capital’s victory in the Investment Banking (Financing Solutions) category underscores the firm’s unparalleled capability in executing high-stakes, multi-billion-naira infrastructure bonds, capital market issuances, and innovative debt structuring.

Operating seamlessly across financial advisory, capital markets, and asset management, Iron Capital has successfully structured over N3.11 trillion in transformative capital across the continent.