Category: Business Mirror

Uniqlo’s in-store sustainability initiative Re.UNIQLO Studio introduced its newest embroidery collection, in collaboration with California-based Filipino artist and photographer Geloy Concepcion.

The collection, titled ‘Notes to Self,’ presents five empowering phrases, often left unsaid, stylized as handwritten notes by the artist himself. Each one serves as thoughtful invitations to daily mindfulness and self-expression, which can now be sown onto LifeWear pieces, including the 2026 Fall/Winter UNIQLO Jeans line-up, at RE.UNIQLO Studio until November 7.

Designs include ‘I hope you choose your own happiness,’ ‘I’ve got too much love for one life,’ ‘Learn to take up space and be louder,’ ‘Don’t let the hard days win,’ and ‘Dream a little more, my friend.’

Concepcion is known for capturing raw, human stories through intimate film photography. In 2019, he posted a simple question on his personal social media account, ‘What are the things you wanted to say but never did?’ Vulnerable confessions came in by the droves, kicking off his most acclaimed project that now extends to his partnership with UNIQLO.

The ‘Notes to Self’ collection is available at Re.UNIQLO Studio in several stores nationwide, namely, UNIQLO Manila Global Flagship Store, UNIQLO SM Mall of Asia, UNIQLO BGC High Street, UNIQLO Ayala Center Cebu and UNIQLO Davao Roadside Store.

WHEN a sports team (or in the case of the Ateneo Blue Eagles) goes through a team building ‘boot camp’ in preparation for a tournament or upcoming season, one of the primary objectives is for the players to bond and develop a form of understanding and chemistry.

The team building lasts several days with follow up sessions in the intervening weeks.

And a part of this is the toughening up process where a team goes through rigorous training and even cross training in other sports. I have shared a video of the Philippine Men’s National Football Team playing foot tennis while in preparation for the 2010 Suzuki Cup.

While there is no record of our current Filipina wunderkind Alex Eala doing cross training, tennis players usually engage in jump rope and cycling among others for high intensity interval conditioning (among others) to mirror the stop-start nature of the game.

When the Ateneo Blue Eagles went into the shallow waters on the beaches of Dipaculao, in the early afternoon of June 8, it was to train without putting stress on their joints. Water buoyancy supports body weight and prevents impact injuries. Water resistance helps build muscle strength as well.

The waters were calm (and that can be checked on tide-forecast.com) that afternoon, but sadly, two rogue waves swept the team and took the lives of Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia.

The team was briefed on the rip currents and how to combat it. But was it adequate? And sadly, safety devices for the activity were woefully inadequate.

In the wake of the tragedy, many non-sports fans wondered why train in the water? Hindi naman Navy Seals training ang pinasok nila kung hindi basketball. So, what does running in the water have to do with basketball especially in an area such as Dipaculao? Why not train in the pool where it is safer?

They were in Dipaculao not just to train in the water, but there were other activities.

Furthermore, Ateneo isn’t the only school-based team that trains in the shallow water of beaches. You might be surprised which teams do or have done that.

Let me go back to that inane ‘Navy Seals’ remark.

While in preparation for the 1999 Brunei Southeast Asian Games and the qualification for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, our national taekwondo team did exactly something that approximates Navy or even Marine training.

A few of the members of the national team were from the Navy and Marine branches and they were tasked in preparing a training program that approximated their training-and get this-for eight days.

Yes, every single member of that team including the coaches participated.

They were dumped some distance from the shore and had to swim back to the beach. Not everyone knew how to swim so there were trained servicemen to assist them in case of trouble.

They even had to rappel down a wall lizard-style meaning headfirst with a rifle on their backs!

Now what does that have to do with taekwondo?

It was meant to toughen the team up as well as bond through adversity and hardship.

The result?

Taekwondo had the biggest haul for any Philippine team to the 1999 SEA Games with four gold, four silver and six bronze medals. As for Sydney, four of our taekwondo practitioners qualified.

Training camp in Dipaculao for the Ateneo Blue Eagles ended immediately after two teammates drowned. They were not able to achieve most of the training objectives for obvious reasons.

But one crucial aspect was achieved albeit in a most unexpected and painful way-the team bonded in a shared tragic experience for everyone. They lost no one to defections. In fact, they are often together on and off the court. They feel more at ease with each other because no one outside the team remotely knows what that tragedy felt like.

Now, their physical training has begun.

As for those who claim that they should not be playing because of the ongoing process, well, the sitting Vice President has a number of stacked legal cases against her. And there is an impeachment hearing going on. Does her office stop what it is doing?

Encouraging customers to mend worn clothes instead of buying new ones might seem like a self-defeating sales strategy.

But in-store repairs and sewing workshops are becoming essential retail services for clothing brands as they try to appeal to young consumers who want to save money and the planet.

While luxury fashion houses and select specialty retailers like Patagonia have offered product repairs for decades, the concept has caught on. Jeans giant Levi Strauss and Co., casual wear chain Uniqlo and budget retailer Primark are some of the apparel companies hoping to win over Generation Z shoppers with a needle and thread.

Levi’s created a hand-stitching course for high school students after determining that many Gen Zers lacked the sewing skills to match their interest in thrift store shopping and sustainability. Employees spend 90 minutes instructing teenagers on four tasks: sewing on a button, hemming, patching a hole and fixing a tear.

The Wear Longer program, which the San Francisco-based company is expanding across the U.S., builds on the repair and customization services Levi’s offers at hundreds of stores worldwide.

‘We think it’s important to empower the people who buy our clothes with the skill sets to maintain them, to get them to that second life,’ Paul Dillinger, Levi’s head of global design innovation, said.

Detroit resident Chloe Halprin, 25, is the kind of consumer retailers hope to attract with a ‘fix it, don’t ditch it’ message.

In high school, Halprin shopped at inexpensive, trendy stores. Fixing a big rip felt beyond her limited sewing ability. If she damaged a top or skirt from Forever 21, ‘I might just throw it away.’

These days, Halprin buys most of her clothes secondhand. She recently learned to hem with a sewing machine and hopes to tackle projects like turning a skirt into a shirt. ‘I try to be conscientious of my carbon footprint,’ Halprin, a nonprofit grant writer, said. ‘I really don’t like waste. I’m trying to save money as well.’

A tiny part of cutting the world’s mountains of textile waste

The evolution of mending from an economic necessity and traditional craft to a method for cultivating customers didn’t happen overnight. The fashion industry as a whole has come under intensifying pressure to reduce its contributions to environmental pollution and climate change.

Textile waste-which includes manufacturing remnants, unwanted clothes and linens, and unsold products-is one of the industry’s most pressing challenges. Each year, the world generates fabric waste at a rate equivalent to a garbage truck’s worth getting dumped or incinerated every second, the United Nations Environment Program estimates. Researchers broadly agree that repairing and reselling clothes can reduce a garment’s environmental impact, especially if it delays or replaces a new purchase. But many caution the practices remain too limited to offset continued growth in clothing production and consumption.

Clothing production roughly doubled between 2000 and 2015, while the average number of wearings per garment declined by about 36 percent, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The sustainability nonprofit estimated that less than 1 percent of discarded clothing material got recycled into new apparel.

Enter Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012. It’s the generation that grew up with fast fashion and e-commerce, then had school years and young adulthoods shaped by the coronavirus pandemic and post-pandemic inflation.

IF not for an online jab by Converge’s Juan Gomez de Liaño about this player who’s embraced the monicker ‘Mr. Never Heard,’ Raymond Aguilar won’t be enjoying a popularity that his team, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, is legendary known for.

Aguilar who? He’s the other Aguilar on head coach Tim Cone’s bench, the other being the more popular and many-time national team player Japeth.

Speaking of the Ginebra bench, Aguilar’s warmed his spot at the farthest end, waiting for that call from Cone to do what he does best-defend and hustle the opponent.

So who’s Aguilar and why is he in an Ginebra uniform?

Aguilar is now 39 years old and is the only remaining player besides San Miguel Beer’s Chris Ross-who’s shown signs he’s headed for an assistant coach’s job-from the 2009 Rookie Draft who’s actively plying his trade in the 50-year-old league.

Interestingly, he wasn’t drafted in that batch that included Ross, then No. 2 overall pick Rico Maierhofer who’s now a vlogger, Jervy Cruz and Ronnie Matias and it took five years for the collegiate journeyman from San Sebastian and National University to finally get to play in the Philippine Basketball Association.

TNT Tropang 5G signed him up in 2014-2015-primarily because of his relentless energy and not exactly what he contributes in terms of scoring-and then found himself at Kia (now Terrafirma) and Blackwater.

Amazingly, he was traded to Ginebra in 2017 from the Bossing in a deal that involved Art de la Cruz for Chris Ellis and Dave Marcelo.

He wore the Gin Kings colors alright, but most of the time, he’s assigned to bang it up with the top players in practice and was called to duty on rare occasions by Cone.

‘I never asked anybody why? I just love my role, and I embrace whatever they told me to do,’ said Aguilar, a true blue Marikeño who now resides in Antipolo City. ‘I really love what I do and am so satisfied with what the management is giving me. You must not lose your confidence.’

Despite his limited minutes, Aguilar, an Information Technology graduate of NU, is a family man off the court to wife Princess, a Tourism graduate at Lyceum University of the Philippines, and kids Raymond John Jr. (11), Rayver (10), Raynicia Juliana (6), Rayyan Jrew (3) and Raybron (2).

While not in practice or in a game, Aguilar always puts to heart his love of the game.

‘I coach kids in a youth league, including my sons,’ said Aguilar, who’s into construction and buy-and-sell of cars.

Just how long Aguilar’s been in the Philippine basketball scene is validated by the fact that he’s a veteran of the then semi-pro league, Philippine Basketball League, that folded way back in 2011-he played for Pharex, Pacific Pipes and Cebuana Lhuillier.

The 6-foot-5 Aguilar has so much gratitude for Cone, Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua and San Miguel Corp. boss Ramon S. Ang for recognizing his worth as a player.

‘So thankful to coach Alfrancis, who is my mentor, for helping me through the years, and to Sir RSA (Ramon S. Ang), and coach Tim Cone,’ he said. ‘My commitment is to be in the best of shape every single day and never miss practice.’

‘Basketball is really my passion and I challenge my sons to excel. I have nothing to go but where basketball brings me,’ he said. ‘But after basketball, I aim to prosper in business, I’m hands on all the time … and we never know how long we’ll be playing the sport we love.’

So Mr. Never Heard, really?

Here’s a few facts-he scored a career-high 16 points in Ginebra’s 100-96 win over San Miguel Beer on January 28, 2018, in the Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the same points he made-but having gone 4 of 6 from beyond the arc-with Blackwater on January 20, 2017, in a 90-99 Philippine Cup loss to Ginebra.

This guy may have warmth the bench long enough but envy this-he’s an eight-time PBA champion (six consecutive years from 2016 to 2022 and the latest, this season’s Commissioner’s Cup).

ALEX EALA improved to 8-1 won-lost matches in her North American hardcourt swing after Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired with an ankle injury while trailing 6-1, 3-0, in the Cincinnati Open on Saturday in Mason, Ohio.

‘I think that I was playing well, I think I felt the ball good, was really focused and tried to keep myself in the zone, I think I did a good job of that,’ Eala, seeded 17th in the tournament, told the media. ‘Of course, nobody likes to finish a match with a retirement, first and foremost, I just want to wish Gabriela-Ruse a speedy recovery, injuries aren›t fun, so I hope she recovers soon.’

The Filipina has won eight of her past nine matches-she captured her first Women’s Tennis Association singles title in Washington before reaching the fourth round of the National Bank Open in Toronto. This marks her first career win in Cincinnati.

‘I do think that my days have gotten a little more packed with the commitments and spending time with you guys, but obviously in a very good way, and I’m enjoying it a lot,’ Eala said about her run over the past few weeks. ‘I think it’s a good sign, and it’s helping me become, I guess, a stronger player and be more kind of established on tour.’

Eala will next face No. 9 seed American Amanda Anisimova-who defeated Zeynep Sonmez, 6-2, 6-3, earlier in the day-in the third round on Monday.

This will be the first meeting between Eala and Anisimova.

Novak Djokovic’s stay at the Cincinnati Open, meanwhile, was a short one-It also might be his last.

The 24-time major champion fell to Thiago Agustin Tirante, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, on Saturday in a match that took twp hours and 44 minutes in hot and humid conditions.

A 25-year-old from Argentina, Tirante is ranked No. 50 in the world.

Djokovic-a three-time Cincinnati champion and No. 5 in the rankings-was playing for the first time since his loss to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Up next for Djokovic is the US Open, which starts August 30 in New York.

Djokovic appeared to struggle physically in the heat and had his 10-match winning streak in Cincinnati snapped and the 39-year-old told reporters that an unspecified health condition made it difficult for him to play in hot and humid weather.

‘It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years,’ Djokovic said. ‘A lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot. I did anticipate it [would be humid], but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.’

Djokovic has had plenty of success in Cincinnati, with a 45-13 record and titles in 2018, 2020 and 2023. But he wasn’t sure he would return.

‘I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately,’ Djokovic said. ‘But let’s see what the future brings.’

Djokovic saved 13 of the 15 break points he faced. Tirante broke Djokovic’s serve in the ninth game of the final set and then served it out.

‘I think this is the best win of my career,’ Tirante said. ‘I think I really did a good job inside the court. I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak.’

American Jessica Pegula-ranked third in the tournament won the crown in 2024-beat Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2, improving her record to 25-6 on hard courts in 2026.

A Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Balik Scientist supported his host institution, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), to use biomimicry and bioinspired innovations to advance Philippine health, sustainability, and innovation.

Dr. Hernando S. Salapare III is a distinguished Filipino physicist and chemist, recognized for his contributions to plasma physics and chemistry, biomaterials, biointerfaces, and bioinspired materials.

He earned his BS Graduate Degree and MS in Physics from the University of the Philippines-Diliman, where he also earned his doctorate, with an exchange doctoral mobility program in Chemistry at the Côte d’Azur University in Nice, France.

Salapare provided technical expertise to PLM in sustainable biomaterials and bioinspired materials through collaborative research and development (RandD) on nanocellulose hydrogels, nitrogen-doped (N-doped) carbon sensors, and bioinspired food coatings, while establishing advanced research practices and quality assurance practices.

He was also instrumental in developing a grant proposal to establish a Bioinspiration Laboratory in PLM. Through this laboratory, Philippine local university can advance interdisciplinary research and innovation based on biomimetic and bioinspired approaches.

‘The engagement of Doctor Salapare expands the Philippines’ capacity to develop solutions that address pressing needs across health, environment, industry, and education,’ said Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr.

‘As the global shift toward sustainable energy accelerates, we can leverage the expertise of our Balik Scientists to advance technologies in green buildings, transport, and healthcare-driving greater energy efficiency and fostering healthier, more sustainable communities,’ Solidum explained.

Among the ongoing RandD projects supported by Salapare, includes the ‘Bioinspired cellulose-alginate hydrogel from water hyacinth.’

The study is developing a bioinspired cellulose-based hydrogel from invasive water hyacinth, mimicking natural plant polymer networks and extracellular matrix environments to create a sustainable wound-healing biomaterial.

Another project is the ‘Ultrasound-assisted solvothermal synthesis of N-doped carbon dots derived from water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) for gas sensing.’

The study develops bioinspired nitrogen-doped carbon dots from invasive water hyacinth, mimicking natural carbon frameworks and biological electron-transfer mechanisms to create sustainable nanomaterial-based carbon monoxide sensors.

On food and nutrition RandD, DSalapare is also supporting the ‘Bioinspired sustainable pectin coatings from Philippine fruit peels for banana preservation.’

aThe study develops a bioinspired edible coating derived from plant cell wall pectin to mimic natural fruit protective barriers and delay the ripening of lakatan banana using sustainable local fruit peel sources.

Science Undersecretary for RandD Leah J. Buendia said: ‘With his interdisciplinary expertise in physics, materials science, and chemistry, Doctor Salapare bridges the gap between fundamental research and real-world applications, enabling institutions like PLM to harness his knowledge and drive meaningful, high-impact innovations.’

‘The contribution of our Balik Scientists go beyond research outputs-they strengthen institutions, mentor the next generation of innovators, and forge global linkages that boost national competitiveness,’ Buendia pointed out.

‘Doctor Salapare exemplifies the impact of this program not only through his significant contributions to plasma science, biomaterials, and bioinspired technologies but also through his strong commitment to mentorship, collaboration, and nation-building,’ said DOST-PCIEERD Deputy Executive Director Niñaliza H. Escorial.

‘As a Balik Scientist, his body of work clearly shows how science is guided by service and innovation; it can become a powerful driver of sustainable progress and a better future for generations of Filipinos,’

To date, the Balik Scientist Program has supported 709 Balik Scientists, with 956 engagements.

Some Catholic Church leaders and a group in the Philippines have contributed their voices in raising serious concerns regarding the proposed United States-led Pax Silica Project in the Philippines.

The country’s largest network of Catholic schools, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP); Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, president of Caritas Philippines, the Church’s social action and advocacy arm in the country; and Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David have identified significant gaps about the planned huge project in the country.

Skepticism brought by lessons from past projects

CEAP urged government leaders to build trust through transparency, environmental responsibility and meaningful community participation.

It said public skepticism about the project reflects the lessons from past extractive industries that promised economic progress but often left communities with environmental damage, weak oversight and few lasting benefits.

‘These concerns should not be dismissed as opposition to development but recognized as important questions about intergenerational equity, environmental sustainability, and national economic strategy,’ CEAP said in a statement.

The educators said past extractive projects promise prosperity but leave behind environmental degradation, weak regulatory enforcement, limited community benefits and little local industrial development, making public skepticism ‘both understandable and legitimate.’

‘Opposes the hub in its present form’

Meanwhile, Caritas Philippines ‘opposes’ the proposed Pax Silica Industrial Hub in Capas, Tarlac, ‘in its present form,’ according to a statement from Bishop Alminaza, saying the large artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor hub is moving forward without answers on who will control it or who will pay for it.

‘It is being advanced without clear public answers on who will control it, where its enormous energy and water requirements will come from, how much public money and land will be committed, and which communities will bear its environmental and social costs?’ Alminaza said.

Questions based on popes’ encyclicals

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David said in a Facebook post that for the Philippines the real question is whether Pax Silica ‘will help build Filipino scientific capability, technological innovation, and industrial resilience? Or will it primarily serve the strategic interests of others while Filipinos provide the land, natural resources, water, energy, tax incentives, and labor?’

These are legitimate questions, he explained, ‘not because we oppose foreign investment, but because genuine partnership should strengthen the nation that hosts it.’

The cardinal said ‘prudence requires transparency, technology transfer, meaningful participation of Filipino scientists and industries, responsible stewardship of the environment, and a clear commitment to moving our country up the value chain rather than remaining merely a source of raw materials and cheap labor.’

David quoted the popes’ encyclicals ‘to raise an even deeper question.’

He cited ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ (‘Magnificent Humanity’)-the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV that is concerned with safeguarding the human person in the age of AI.

It reminds that what is important is not what AI can do, ‘but what kind of human beings we are becoming.’

‘Technology must remain the servant of humanity, never its master,’ he said

In ‘Fratelli Tutti’ (‘All Brothers’), Pope Francis’ encyclical, reminds that ‘humanity cannot build its future on the logic of competing national interests alone.’

‘The digital revolution must not become another arena where technological power is used for domination rather than cooperation,’ he said.

The cardinal said the Catholic Church, as a communion of local Churches that transcends national borders ‘remains one of the few truly global institutions capable of offering a moral vision that rises above geopolitical rivalries.’

‘She does not ask nations to abandon their legitimate interests, but to place them at the service of the common good of the entire human family.’

He pointed out that the ultimate question ‘is not simply whether Pax Silica will make economies stronger or [AI] more powerful.’

‘The real question is whether it will help build what Pope Leo calls a civilization of love rather than a culture of power-a future in which technological progress serves human dignity, social fraternity, care for our common home, and peace among nations.’

Calls for transparency, public participation

Like Bishop Alminaza, Cardinal David and other skeptics, the educators also called for stronger transparency, meaningful public participation, independent environmental monitoring, fair benefit-sharing, and ‘clear commitments to local processing and value-added industries’ before the project advances.

CEAP said countries get their greatest long-term benefits from strategic minerals when they invest beyond extraction in manufacturing, research, innovation, skilled workers and strong public institutions.

‘The long-term success of high-purity silica development depends less on the resource itself than on the strength of governance, regulatory institutions, environmental stewardship, and industrial policy,’ CEAP said.

‘A project that does not give people lasting benefit is not progress’

The hub is envisioned as a 1,620-hectare technology zone inside New Clark City, built under Pax Silica, a 23-member, US-led coalition formed in December to secure supply chains for semiconductors, AI and critical minerals.

Alminaza said the site is not empty land-it is home to Aeta Indigenous families, farmers and rural communities whose rights and livelihoods ‘must come before corporate and geopolitical interests.’

The project aims to position the Philippines as a supplier of high-purity silica, a critical mineral used in semiconductor wafers, fiber-optic cables, photovoltaic cells and other technologies supporting artificial intelligence, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.

The government estimates project the venture could attract $40 billion to $70 billion in investments and create more than 130,000 high-quality jobs for engineers, scientists, technicians, researchers and other skilled workers.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. touted the hub as a centerpiece of his economic agenda in his fifth State of the Nation Address on July 27, saying it would ‘create an eco-system that will have AI at its core’ and ‘bring quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness, and revitalize our economy.’

It was described as an advanced manufacturing and logistics center within the Luzon Economic Corridor, positioning the Philippines in the global AI and technology value chain.

Alminaza said the project must not become a pretext for land conversion, displacement, destructive mining or the diversion of electricity and water away from public use.

The real question, he said, is not whether the Philippines should industrialize, but what kind of industrialization benefits Filipinos.

‘The Philippines cannot call it industrialization if we remain suppliers of raw materials, low-value components and cheap labor,’ Alminaza said.

Genuine development, he argued, should build Filipino ownership, technology and manufacturing capacity rather than extract resources for foreign-controlled supply chains.

Caritas said it supports industrial growth but it should respect human dignity, environmental integrity, national sovereignty and the participation of affected communities.

It said any project that takes from the land and its people without giving them lasting benefit ‘is not progress.’

LOS ANGELES-For a billionaire and a tech investor who also has one of the US’ best-known surnames, Josh Kushner has managed to stay off the front pages and out of the world’s broader discourse to a remarkable degree.

That’s all changed this summer, at least in the parts of the world with a passion for sports.

The 41-year-old Kushner and his partner, former Disney CEO Bob Iger, reached a stunning agreement this week to buy the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Los Angeles Lakers from Mark Walter at a valuation of $12.5 billion-the highest ever for a team sports sale.

It’s been a wild two weeks for the 41-year-old Kushner, who followed up his failed attempt to purchase a stake in future World Cup profits in a much-criticized plan orchestrated by FIFA President Gianni Infantino by acquiring the glamorous Lakers in a shockingly swift deal.

Until this month, many people didn’t even know that Jared Kushner-President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and his longtime lieutenant in government-had a younger brother with a thriving business empire, a supermodel wife and a passion for basketball.

While Josh Kushner avoids the spotlight and rarely grants interviews, the success of his venture capital investment firm, Thrive Capital, has boosted him to mogul status in the past few years. Forbes estimates Kushner’s net worth at about $5 billion.

Kushner’s partner in this historical venture is no secret to anybody, at least in Los Angeles or the entertainment industry or the larger business world. The 75-year-old Iger ran The Walt Disney Co. for two stints over the past two decades, leading the Hollywood behemoth into the streaming age before he stepped away from the Mouse earlier this year.

Los Angeles is still reeling from the surprise of this deal: Just 10 months after Walter-the owner currently presiding over the renaissance of the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers-formally took control of the Lakers, he essentially flipped them for a possible multibillion-dollar profit to two new owners with none of Walter’s sports ownership experience or credibility among Southern California fans.

So who are the two men suddenly in charge of LA’s 17-time NBA championship team?

Kushner, Iger reportedly introduced by their significant others

THE son of a real estate mogul, Josh Kushner founded Thrive Capital in 2009 and health insurance company Oscar Health in 2012. Thrive Capital grew with early investments in OpenAI and SpaceX, among other tech companies. He remains close with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Kushner and Bob Iger reportedly first met eight years ago after they were set up by Iger’s wife, Willow Bay, and Kushner’s then-girlfriend, Karlie Kloss, whom he has since married. What started as a friendly mentorship turned into a business relationship shortly before Iger left Disney for the first time.

Iger joined Thrive Capital in 2022 as a venture partner, with Iger connecting Kushner to the broader business world while Kushner educated Iger on the tech world. Iger left only months later to go back to Disney for another stint, but he stayed in close contact with Kushner, and they teamed up again this year.

The new owners pounced quickly upon hearing about possible sale

Iger confirmed to the California Post on Wednesday that he had teamed with Kushner on pursuing an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, only to pivot dramatically last weekend when they learned Walter might be looking to sell the Lakers.

‘We immediately decided that given the value of the franchise and the iconic nature of the team, that we would be really smart to pursue it,’ Iger said. ‘The deal came together in three days. It’s that simple.’

Iger acknowledged that the deal was finalized so quickly that he and Kushner hadn’t had time to make any long-term plans for the Lakers.

New owners have basketball backgrounds, but not with Lakers

JOSH LUSHNER is new to the Lakers, but not to the NBA. He once owned a minority stake in the Memphis Grizzlies, but sold it to buy into the Miami Heat. He’ll have to sell that stake to complete his purchase of the Lakers. Kushner and Kloss also have been spotted frequently at Knicks games.

Bob Iger is a longtime basketball aficionado-NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reportedly introduced him to Bay, a former NBA journalist, 30 years ago-but his particular background makes his Lakers ownership a bit strange.

Iger grew up a Knicks fan, and after he moved to Los Angeles, he decided he couldn’t support the rival Lakers-so he became one of the Clippers’ most prominent fans, buying season tickets and forming a friendship with former point guard Chris Paul.

Kushner’s political beliefs differ from his brother and father

Thousands of Lakers fans in progressive Los Angeles reacted with a raised eyebrow when they learned the name of their team’s primary new owner Wednesday, but it’s not that simple.

Kushner’s surname is indeed among the most politically weighted in the world, but Josh Kushner and Karlie Kloss both have publicly said they don’t share the conservative beliefs currently espoused by his brother and their father, Charles Kushner.

Josh Kushner has repeatedly donated to progressive political candidates, and he once stated in an interview that ‘liberal values have guided my life.’ Kloss is an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights and other progressive causes.

Iger has described himself as a political independent with progressive personal views. He briefly served in a business advisory forum for Trump in 2017 before resigning over his beliefs in environmental conservation.

Bohol, one of the country’s a world-renowned tourist destination, may soon boost its tourist arrivals with the creation of a new web application.

The Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD) and the Bohol Island State University (BISU)-Balilihan Campus launched a digital solution, the Laag Bohol Web-App: Enhancing Tour Guides and Tourists’ Experience, on July 23, in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

The new tourism web-app, developed by researchers in BISU, brings tourists, tour guides, operators, transport providers, and tourism authorities into one smarter, more connected platform.

It aims to improve access to tourism services, strengthen professional tour guiding, gather visitor feedback, and support evidence-based tourism planning.

‘Through the Laag Bohol web-app, tourism officials can use real-time data on visitor needs and experiences to improve services, make better decisions, and support sustainable growth,’ Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said.

‘This is the kind of technology we want for Filipinos-innovation that solves real problems and creates opportunities for communities,’ Soilidum added.

The platform features Bohol tourism data management, data analytics, a centralized directory of verified tour guides and operators, online training modules for tour guides, direct access to tourism services, visitor feedback collection, and promotional content for Bohol destinations.

The features are expected to support easier access to verified tourism services, better-trained tour guides, smarter tourism planning, and a stronger image for Bohol as a smart destination.

The project amounting to P1 million is funded by the DOST-PCIEERD through its Regional Research Institution (RRI) Program, with a P150,000 counterpart from BISU.

The Department of Economy, Planning and Development’s (DepDev) reported that tourist arrivals in Bohol dropped by 59 percent to 170,016 from 417,142 in the previous year, with domestic arrivals falling by 73 percent and foreign arrivals declining by 40 percent.

Bohol, a Unesco Global Geopark, is one of the country’s major tourist destinations. It is known for its natural landscapes, cultural heritage, biodiversity, and community-based tourism.

‘Through our [RRI] Program, we support researchers in developing solutions that can create tangible benefits for communities and industries. What began as a research initiative at [BISU] has evolved into a digital platform with the potential to strengthen tourism services, support evidence-based decision-making, and contribute to the long-term competitiveness of the tourism sector,’ said Engr. Ninaliza H. Escorial, DOST-PCIEERD Deputy Executive Director and OIC.

SEOUL, South Korea-International human-rights and religious-freedom experts have raised concerns over the state of freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, due process, and the treatment of religious minorities in South Korea, calling for the equal protection of fundamental rights.

Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), together with CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), which has accredited Economic and Social Council status at the United Nations, Forum for Religious Freedom Europe (Foref), Center for Studies on New Religions (Cesnur) and Bitter Winter, held a news conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club focused on freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in South Korea.

Among the issues discussed was the detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee, with experts raising questions about proportionality, humanitarian considerations and due process.

The organizations called on South Korean authorities to ensure that legal and administrative measures involving religious communities remain neutral, proportionate and consistent with international human-rights obligations.

The conference also addressed broader concerns, including the treatment of other religious leaders, conscientious objection, alleged hostility toward minority religious communities.

Concerns have persisted regarding Segero Church in Busan, which has reportedly continued to face harassment and official scrutiny even after Pastor Son Hyun-bo was released from detention.

Questions were raised about conscientious objection and public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation in educational settings.

Over the past decades, HRWF has documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea as conscientious objectors. Although alternative civilian service was later introduced, critics maintain that it has been implemented in a punitive manner rather than as a genuine rights-respecting alternative.

HRWF Associate Director Hans Noot said the issues ‘lie at the heart of democratic society,’ stressing that fundamental rights must apply equally to all, regardless of religious affiliation.

Other experts, including Thierry Valle of CAP CL, Michael Langhans of Foref Germany, Márk Nemes of Cesnur and Massimo Introvigne of Cesnur and Bitter Winter, discussed the legal, humanitarian and social implications of these developments and their potential impact on freedom of religion or belief in South Korea.

Archbishop Ledesma stresses church-state separation

Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, attended the press conference virtually.

In a recent interview on the issue, he reaffirmed the importance of the constitutional principle of separation of church and state as a safeguard for human dignity, freedom of conscience, and freedom of religion and belief.

‘The separation of church and state has been instrumental in safeguarding the dignity and freedom of conscience of everyone,’ Ledesma said.

He emphasized the importance of due process and the presumption of innocence, saying: ‘Everyone has to first be considered innocent until there is some evidence or proof given otherwise.’

Ledesma, who has worked with Chairman Lee Man-hee and Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) in promoting interfaith dialogue and peacebuilding in Mindanao, said he was ‘surprised and shocked’ upon learning of Lee’s detention.

The archbishop said HWPL’s work in Mindanao in promoting dialogue among religious leaders and respect for different religious beliefs help communities ‘live together’ despite their differences.

Ledesma extended his prayers and support to Lee, expressing hope that he would ‘weather this with courage and also with truthfulness’ as he continues working for peace and the cessation of armed conflict.

His message served as a reminder that safeguarding due process, religious freedom, and the constitutional principle of separation of church and state remains a continuing responsibility of democratic societies, including the Philippines.

The conference participants signed a letter calling on the government of South Korea to immediately release Chairman Lee from custody.