Author: user user

As the Alas Pilipinas team came out of the locker room to warm up for its clash against defending champion Japan, an unexpected sight greeted them on Saturday in the second AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship.

In the stands of Princess Sumaya Hall, a group of Filipinos proudly waved Philippine flags and cheered for the national high school players from different provinces, who are competing internationally for the first time.

‘We didn’t really expect it because we only saw a few interactions on social media [about our tournament],’ team captain Xyz Rayco told the Inquirer in Filipino. ‘But when we got there, there were so many people.

‘We were so excited to see them watching and cheering. It really made us proud.’

Inspired by the Filipino crowd, Rayco and Nadeth Herbon delivered nine points each, as Alas put up a gallant stand, highlighted by a strong second-set win, before yielding a 17-25, 25-21, 16-25, 20-25 result in Pool B.

The Alas supporters were overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Jordan, who flocked to the venue after the Philippine Embassy announced that the national youth team was competing here.

Siola Might Acedo, who has worked here for the last 14 years-just around the same time when some of the Alas players were born-was simply happy getting a slight taste of home.

‘I support Team Philippines because I’m a fan of our volleyball players. I also play volleyball here in Jordan,’ Acedo, who works as a nanny for a Dutch family in Amman, told the Inquirer in Filipino. ‘And I know that it really means a lot for them to see us supporting them as their kababayans.

‘Every Filipino here in Jordan dreams of seeing Filipinos represent the country in international leagues,’ added Acedo

A sports utility vehicle registered in the name of a police officer figured in a vehicular crash at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday that left three people-including two minors-injured in Maguindanao del Norte, police here said.

Lt. Colonel Jopy Ventura, police spokesperson for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said the highway mishap happened at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday along the Cotabato to General Santos highway.

According to the police, the vehicle was speeding during moderate rain when it crashed into a house beside the highway in Barangay Tambak, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. Three people identified as Bai Ali Guiapal Sumagkang, 39, and her two children, aged 5 and 2, were asleep when the vehicle rammed into the house, resulting in their injuries.

Ventura said the driver of the black Mitsubishi Montero (NFH-4717) fled and abandoned the vehicle, but they later found out that the vehicle was registered under the name of Rofil Falconete Zason, a member of the Philippine National Police and a resident of Marikina.

Police also found 14 cases of smuggled cigarettes in the car

Patrick Coo went home with a bronze medal from the tough Asian BMX championships in Japan over the weekend, a finish that makes him an automatic favorite for the gold in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand that gets going next month.

The national federation for cycling is excited at the prospect of Coo winning as the body can improve on a two-bronze effort cyclists contributed to the medal cache of the Philippines in the Cambodia Games two years ago.

Japanese Asuma Nakai and Ryo Shimada-who both won’t be in Thailand-delivered before home fans at Nagoya Keirin Stadium BMX Race Course in Aichi Prefecture to bag gold and silver, respectively, in the eight-athlete race where Filipino Niño Martin Eday was last.

The event also featured riders from Indonesia, Hong Kong and South Korea.

Conspicuously absent was Thailand ace Komet Sukprasert, who won the race and time trial gold medals the last time BMX racing was on the SEA Games program during the 30th edition in 2019.

‘He’s a strong potential for the gold and improve on the two bronze medal our sport got in Cambodia two years ago,’ said Bambol Tolentino, the PhilCycling head who is also president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, referring to Coo.

Jeanne Soleil Cervantes, meanwhile, was fourth in the Women Junior race.

Alas Pilipinas girls proved they belong in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship, stunning Iran with a 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 sweep on Sunday at Princess Sumaya Hall here.

After coming up short against defending champion Japan, the under-16 national youth team came out with a sense of urgency, taking down the taller Iran in a must-win game to qualify for the next round. Xyz Rayco powered the team composed of players from different provinces to finish Pool B with a 1-1 record with 13 points off nine kills, three blocks, and an ace.

Team captain Rayco put on the finishing touches in the last two sets to send the Philippines to the next round, depending on the result of the final Pool B game between Japan and Iran on Monday. They will face either the top seed or the No. 2 team in Pool D, which will be disputed by unbeaten teams Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

‘I’m really happy because we didn’t expect this. Iran is such a strong team, but we still found a way to win,’ Rayco said in Filipino.

‘We just kept a positive mindset on the court. Whatever we could do, we gave it our all.’

Madele Gale also stepped up big time with nine points, as she scored three consecutive points for a 19-15 lead in the third set before Rayco caught fire with four straight points en route to match point, 24-20. Iran saved two points but Gale ended the match with a game-winning joust. Resty Jane Olaguir continued to shine in running the plays of coach Edwin Leyva, as Nadeth Herbon and Merish Beltran contributed with seven and six points, respectively.

‘We were hoping to at least take a set against Iran, and we started off with a good score. We just told ourselves to take it one set at a time. And it worked,’ said Alas U16 coach Edwin Leyva. ‘From the first set to the second, we kept the momentum going. We honestly didn’t expect to win in straight sets because Iran is a strong and tall team.’

Alas fought back from a 13-17 deficit in the second with Herbon igniting a 5-0 run to take the lead, 18-17.

Iran tied it at 21, Rayco checked in and scored three consecutive points for the set point, 24-21, followed by service errors from both sides to take a 2-0 lead.

The Philippines came out strong with a 14-7 start and extended it to a 19-16 lead. Iran made it a one-point game, 22-21, only to commit two crucial errors before Beltran sealed the first-set win for Alas.

Iran was led by Bani Bogari Aynaz, who was the lone double-digit scorer with 12 points.

Authorities recovered at least 13.5 kilos of ‘kush’ or high-grade marijuana in Balayan town, Batangas, on Sunday morning.

In a report on Monday, the Calabarzon police said that barangay chairman Roderick Delos Reyes of the coastal village of San Piro alerted the local police at 9:40 a.m. after discovering six abandoned sacks.

Upon inspection, the sacks were found to contain 27 packs of kush with an estimated value of P1,620,000. Police investigators are working to identify those responsible for the illegal drugs.

Balayan lies along the Verde Island Passage, a busy maritime route separating Batangas from Mindoro island province, which authorities said is sometimes exploited for smuggling activities

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. created a government body to coordinate efforts in developing and promoting sports tourism.

Marcos, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, signed Administrative Order No. 38, creating the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC).

The AO was signed on Oct. 29 but its copy was released only on Monday.

The NST-IAC shall harmonize, coordinate and oversee the development, promotion and implementation of sports tourism initiatives.

These include the bidding for and hosting of strategic, high-level, and high-impact international sporting events, and the facilitation of large-scale domestic sports tourism activities.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairs the committee, with the Department of Tourism (DOT) serving as vice chair.

Members of the NST-IAC include the heads of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), and two private-sector representatives from the tourism industry.

It may invite other concerned government agencies, as well as local government units (LGUs), nongovernment organizations, civil society groups, members of the academe, and other stakeholders as observers and/or resource persons.

The NST-IAC shall advise the President on policies and programs for sports tourism development; identify and pursue bids for international sports events; and formulate marketing strategies to maximize economic and cultural benefits. It is also tasked with overseeing funding and infrastructure planning for sports-related projects; and monitor and evaluate sports tourism initiatives across government agencies.

Through the PSC, the NST-IAC can also enter into contracts, agreements or partnerships with other government agencies or private entities and individuals to support sports tourism projects and activities.

It may also accept donations, contributions, grants, bequests or gifts from domestic or foreign sources.

Funding for the committee’s initial operations will come from the existing budgets of member agencies and government-owned and -controlled corporations, including Tieza and Pagcor, with subsequent allocations to be included in their annual budget proposals.

Severe Tropical Storm Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) intensified into a typhoon Monday morning, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa said Tino was tracked some 340 kilometers east-southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 150 kph while moving west-southwest at 25 kph.

The typhoon is forecast to make landfall in Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, or the Dinagat Islands early Tuesday, the state weather bureau said.

Pagasa also did not rule out the possibility of Tino developing even further into a super typhoon ‘based on alternate scenarios and climatological data.’

What’s worse than corruption?

For many construction firms keeping tabs on the ongoing food control brouhaha, the bigger nightmare isn’t finding the rotten eggs in the food control saga-it’s having construction come to a standstill.

Zero action is worse than corruption, the head of a big construction and engineering firm told Biz Buzz.

Indeed, these companies now feel the pinch from the slowdown in infrastructure spending that we are starting to see in the official government data-the same trend that economists fear would drastically curb economic growth.

Big firms can survive, no doubt, the construction magnate said, as they have a robust pipeline of contracts with the private sector. Without the multiplier effect from big government projects, however, the private sector can’t do the heavy lifting for long, they said.

Other legitimate contractors share the same sentiment. They all hope that the departments that could catalyze development, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways, will be able to move on and fulfill with their real mandate.

‘Let the ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) handle the rest,’ the construction magnate said.

With only three years to go, the administration should not be distracted from pursuing other much-needed projects, they added.

Similarly, they feel that the Department of Transportation should pick up the pace. After the privatization of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, nothing big has been put into motion.

On a brighter note, our sources are happy with how the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development is pushing mass housing developments in the country.

But for other agencies with huge potential to create a multiplier effect on the economy, whatever happened to our Build Better More (BBM) promise? -Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

Forging ahead

Investor morale has taken a hit amid recent corruption scandals in the Philippines, but this has not deterred these firms from moving forward with their investment plans.

Michael Tan, president and COO of Asia Brewery Inc., said companies are still interested in investing in the country despite these issues.

‘The business sentiment right now is down but we still have to help our country, right? Pay the right taxes, and make sure that we hold them accountable those who are spending (taxpayers’ money),’ said Tan, also the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s vice president for industry.

Since the flood control saga in Manila began in June this year, several business groups and organizations have urged the Marcos administration to investigate the alleged anomalies in government projects and penalize those involved in the anomalies.

For now, it’s still business as usual-at least for most investors. Some of them are still in a wait-and-see mode, while others are feeling the pinch in sales.

With more revelations looming, discussions about corruption in the country are unlikely to end soon. Hopefully, investments won’t

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico on Monday said charges were filed last Tuesday before the Department of Justice against at least 97 individuals over violent incidents during the Sept. 21 anti-corruption rallies.

The cases were for violations of the Revised Penal Code, particularly Articles 136, 139, and 142, which pertain to conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion or insurrection, sedition, and inciting to sedition, respectively, Morico said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Who are the respondents? The CIDG director answered, ‘The instigators, including yung mga nagfu-fund and those who are behind the planning. Ongoing yung investigation natin. Walang sisinuhin.’

(The instigators, including those who funded it and those who are behind the planning. Our investigation is ongoing. No one will be spared.)

Last Thursday, however, Morico said the CIDG is filing charges against 40 persons.

Asked to clarify, Philippine National Police (PNP) public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the cases against the 97 individuals are apart from possible cases against the 40 persons.

‘This is just the first batch. Those who have been issued a subpoena are in batch two,’ Tuaño explained.

While the CIDG has consistently declined to identify the supposed respondents, at least six individuals have either identified themselves online or have been identified through copies of the subpoenas:

Aldrin Kitsune – film student, De La Salle University – College of Saint Benilde; officer, anti-corruption group Kabataan Kontra Korapsyon

Park Alamada Pangawilan – vlogger, also known as Kuya Park

Jacob Baluyot – journalism student, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Sta Mesa; associate editor, PUP student publication The Catalyst

Joaquin Buenaflor – political science student, University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman; chairperson, UP Diliman University Student Council

Tiffany Brillante – political science student, PUP Sta. Mesa; president, PUP Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral

Harry Angping – former Manila 3rd District representative; former chairman, Philippine Sports Commission

All six respondents have denied involvement in the riots.

The net income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) surged by 49 percent to ?14.32 billion in the first three quarters of the year.

The gaming regulator said its revenues from January to September had amounted to P84.09 billion, marking a 5.87-percent year-on-year increase.

Similar to last quarter, the bulk of the top line came from gaming operations, which accounted for P75.93 billion, while P8.16 billion came from other related services and income.

According to Pagcor chair and CEO Alejandro Tengco, the surge in net income was primarily due to modernization efforts.

‘Our financial performance is a clear reflection of Pagcor’s renewed focus on governance, digital transformation, as well as sustainable and responsible gaming,’ Tengco said.

Data from Pagcor also show that its total contributions to nation-building reached P54.26 billion, an 11-percent increase from the P48.88 billion in the same period last year.

The gambling regulator funded P11 billion worth of socio-civic projects, and paid P3.79 billion and P609.87 million in franchise taxes and corporate income taxes, respectively.