Category: Philippine Star

Getting fiber internet at home can now be as easy as ordering food delivery. Globe AT HOME and Grab are expanding the country’s first order-and-install WiFi-on-demand model to more customers across Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao.

Following its initial rollout in Pasig, GFiber Prepaid on GrabMart is now available in more cities, allowing households to order directly through the Grab app and get an installer visit in as fast as two hours, subject to serviceability.

Starting at P699, customers can enjoy seven days of unli internet with speeds of up to 300mbps, giving them a more accessible and convenient way to get connected at home. This makes GFiber Prepaid a practical option for work-from-home professionals, renters, gamers, streamers, and young households who need reliable internet without the long application process.

‘GFiber Prepaid is bringing the country’s first ‘order-and-install’ WiFi-on-demand to even more Filipinos nationwide,’ said Abby Cardino, vice president and head of Globe’s Broadband Brand Management.

‘Customers can skip the lines and the traditional application process, order their WiFi seamlessly online and get an installer almost immediately. More than expanding our reach, this initiative reflects our commitment to continuously innovate and adapt around the evolving digital lifestyle of Filipinos,” Cardino added.

For customers balancing remote work, online learning, gaming, streaming and everyday digital life, GFiber Prepaid on GrabMart offers a more immediate and accessible way to get connected. It is a fresh take on home internet that feels more on-demand, more flexible and more in step with how Filipinos live today.

A police official testified Monday, September 28, that 51 firearms with a combined market value of more than P7.2 million are registered to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.

This was shared by prosecution witness Police Maj. Joericson Sanggalang, records chief of the Philippine National Police’s firearms and explosives office, during the impeachment trial on Monday.

The unfurling of evidence in the trial of the vice president, however, has appeared to slow down in the eyes of some senator-judges. Sen. Migz Zubiri at one point likened the prosecution’s recent presentation of evidence as a “big firework” fizzling out into a “kwitis (small rocket).”

Prior to the direct examination of Sanggalang, Zubiri and other senator-judges asked the prosecution why it deemed relevant to present a witness who will testify to Duterte’s firearms, for Article II, which accuses her of possessing unexplained wealth.

Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero eventually allowed the prosecution to complete its presentation of the witness but asked it to shorten its line of questioning.

Here are the three highlights from today’s proceedings.

1. Police official testifies on VP’s firearms

At least 22 firearms are registered to Duterte and 29 to Carpio, Sanggalang said during the direct examination, led by House prosecutor Rep. Ysabel Zamora (San Juan). He put the market value of the vice president’s firearms at P2,184,550.

Sanggalang said three of Duterte’s rifles are Class A light weapons, which have fully automatic functions.

He said the firearms law allows law enforcement agencies such as the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to acquire such weapons. Individuals who owned them before the law took effect may keep them registered.

Sens. Zubiri, Erwin Tulfo, Tito Sotto, and Alan Cayetano questioned the relevance of the testimony. Zubiri and Sotto said officials commonly declare firearms as personal property in their statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN). “Many of us are firearms owners here, if not all members of the Senate,” Zubiri said.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo later called the testimony “a waste of time.”

Escudero, prior to making a ruling, said he himself was “headed towards excluding this witness.” He noted that P7 million would be “well within the SALN [Duterte] submitted of P88 million as of the latest.”

Zamora said however SALN guidelines require registered firearms to be declared individually. The defense said those guidelines apply only to SALNs filed from 2026.

Escudero decided to press on with Sanggalang’s presentation but, like other senators, was candid in expressing his doubts on its relevance to the impeachment case.

“We find this witness not as convincing with respect to ill-gotten wealth as would be others,” Escudero said.

Sanggalang confirmed that the values presented before the court were based on current market prices, not on the actual acquisition cost.

The defense did not cross-examine him.

2. PhilGEPS official: 11 of 15 Davao City contracts with GenCorp not publicly bid

During the first half of the proceedings today, Sopeña told Sen. Risa Hontiveros that 11 of the 15 Davao City contracts with GenCorp went through negotiated small value procurement. That method is used for low-value contracts and does not require public bidding.

He estimated the 11 contracts at P7 million to P8 million in total, out of about P34 million in Davao City contracts with the company.

Sopeña said none of the 11 exceeded P2 million. He said all carried the title “food and catering services” but were published and awarded on different dates.

Under cross-examination by defense counsel Roberto Batungbacal, Sopeña confirmed that 34 of GenCorp’s 49 contracts were awarded by PhilHealth Region 11 and OWWA Region 11, not by Davao City.

Lead prosecutor Rep. Jinky Luistro argued that GenCorp’s participation in the city’s bidding was a conflict of interest under Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution.

Escudero noted that Duterte’s SALN declares her a GenCorp stockholder, while Securities and Exchange Commission Director Gerardo Del Rosario previously testified that the company’s records do not list her.

“So that is one difference that still has to be reconciled at some point,” Escudero said.

He said he expects both sides to address the discrepancy.

Sen. Ping Lacson meanwhile urged the defense to reconsider its approach of relying purely on technical questions, as these were not registering well with senator-judges.

The questions suggest the standard is proof beyond reasonable doubt, the level required in criminal cases, “which I believe is not the case in this impeachment trial,” Lacson said.

3. Baste Duterte to testify Tuesday; rulings due

Escudero granted Davao Mayor Baste Duterte’s request to testify on Tuesday and Wednesday instead of Monday.

In a letter, the mayor said he needed time to gather, organize, authenticate, and reproduce the documents covered by his subpoena, including contracts that Davao entered with GenCorp.

The prosecution also dropped PhilHealth witness Gary Samonte, a lawyer.

The court will rule Tuesday on the prosecution’s request for admission on Duterte’s bank records and other documents. A request for admission asks the other side to admit or deny matters so they need not be proven through witnesses.

Rep. Chel Diokno said the request would spare the court from hearing 20 more witnesses. However, lead defense counsel Sheila Sison argued that it runs against the constitutional right to remain silent.

The court will also rule on show cause orders issued last week to certain House prosecutors under the sub judice rule, which restricts public comment on pending cases.

After Baste Duterte, the prosecution will present two Davao City register of deeds officials and Atty. Ronnel Buenaventura, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat.

Whole-day trials begin October 1.

The well-travelled Filipino is no stranger to Läderach. Who wouldn’t be lured into their chocolate shops filled to the brim with every type of chocolate you could ever imagine?

Sourced from the finest cocoa beans and meticulously crafted under the eye of a literal World Chocolate Master, Läderach offers fresh chocolate unlike any other.

Luckily, Filipinos need not go far as the brand expands its hold in the Philippines by opening in Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

Founded in 1962 by the Läderach (pronounced lay-der-akh) family, the company is now in the hands of the third-generation brothers Johannes, Elias and David Läderach.

Läderach offers different ways for customers to experience their chocolate. From customizing your own bag by scooping individually wrapped bonbons to requesting your favorite FrischSchoggi broken by hand, there is something in a Läderach chocolatier that will surely spark joy.

The chocolatier’s pride and joy are showcased by the counter chillers and will easily entice any passerby.

Different stacks of large chocolate slabs called FrischSchoggi (pronounced frish-shog-gee) which literally translates to ‘fresh chocolate.’ The slabs are made with carefully sourced, quality ingredients and come in a variety of flavors that’ll suit any preference.

From trendy flavors such as the Dubai Dark or the Confetti Milk to more classic ones such as the Macadamia Milk, Rocher Almond Milk, Caramel Salé Milk Dark, there’s no wrong answer because everything tastes exquisite.

For the more adventurous ones, the Raspberry-Blackberry White or the Orange-Almond Dark might be more to your liking. Your only struggle will be choosing one (or more) to take home.

Luckily, they are also available in an assorted box of individually wrapped FrischSchoggi to lock in the freshness.

Right beside their FrischSchoggi display is dreamy glass case of truffles in every way you can have them: praline, nougat, caramel, honey and more varieties are available and sold per piece. It’s perfect for a loved one or a quick pick-me-up after a long day.

While the brand knows that the Filipino market is notorious for having a sweet tooth, the culture of pasalubong is also ingrained in our DNA, which is why they offer a variety of gifting products to choose from, ideal for special occasions or just-because moments.

Choose from heart-shaped chocolates with messages like ‘thank you,’ ‘I love you,’ or ‘happy birthday.’ Whoever you’re gifting for, they’re bound to appreciate any Swiss sweet treat from Läderach’s.

Läderach’s handcrafted chocolate creations are available from 260 chocolate shops across 30 countries. Two of their chocolateries are now in the Philippines; their debut shop is in the SM Mall of Asia and the second one has freshly opened at Greenbelt 5.

The third one is set to open at SM Megamall. The chocolate franchise is brought into the Philippines through Valiram, one of Southeast Asia’s leading luxury retailers with nearly a century of specializing in luxury retail and over 600+ stores across multiple industries.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is proposing a gradual increase on imported pork duties as farmgate prices for local hogs continue to decline.

The DA’s proposal calls for an incremental tariff increase, starting with an initial 10-percentage-point hike on the current in-quota rate of 15 percent and the out-quota rate of 25 percent.

Duties for imported pork will result in rates of 25 percent for in-quota and 35 percent for out-quota.

The total allowable import volume for pork currently stands at 204,210 metric tons (MT), which are subject to lower tariff rates.

The agency noted that farmgate prices for live hogs decreased to P150 per kilo in August from P215 per kilo in June last year.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told reporters the pork tariffs could revert to the previous rates of 30 percent for in-quota imports and 40 percent for out-quota shipments as early as next year.

Executive Order 62, which lowered tariff rates for imported pork, is set to expire in 2028.

Tiu Laurel said the phased hike in pork tariffs is meant to prevent sudden shocks to the market.

He added that the proposal has already been submitted to the Tariff Commission, noting that once the review begins, the agency has up to 200 days to impose a temporary safeguard measure.

‘Once that is triggered and depending on the situation at that time, if needed, we will do quantitative restrictions,’ Tiu Laurel said.

Quantitative restrictions are measures a country imposes to limit either its imports or exports of a specific item or commodity.

The DA is also seeking higher tariff rates on frozen pork jowls, which it says have become a major import item due to their lower duty treatment and growing competition with local pork in retail and food service.

Pork imports rose by five percent year-on-year to 602,655 MT in the January to August period, up by five percent from 573,091 MT the previous year, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry.

The Philippine Coast Guard has accused a Chinese ship of deliberately broadcasting a false location to hide its movements in the waters off Batanes.

The Chinese ship, Jia Hai Ke 7, had been holding its position in waters crossed by undersea cables, which the PCG said was consistent with an unauthorized seabed survey.

“A seabed-survey vessel hiding its position while holding station in this corridor raises serious concern over the security of the country’s undersea communications infrastructure and the potential military use of the data collected,” the PCG said in a statement.

The PCG checked the ship’s movements using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection system. The ship’s Automatic Identification System, the transponder that broadcasts a vessel’s identity and position, showed it leaving Xiamen in China’s Fujian province past midnight on September 21.

By 8:10 p.m. that day, its signal placed it somewhere off Bindari, Papua New Guinea, more than 2,000 nautical miles away.

The PCG called the trail “physically impossible” and said the ship falsified its location to hide its movements from Philippine authorities.

A PCG monitoring station in Itbayat detected the ship. On Monday morning, a patrol plane sent by Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, the coast guard commandant, confirmed it was about 38 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat, inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Itbayat is the country’s northernmost municipality and is around 160 kilometers from Taiwan.

The PCG said its aircraft crew radioed the Chinese ship several times to explain its presence and stop any unauthorized activity. The ship did not respond.

Batanes sits between northern Luzon and Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. In June, Chinese scholars argued that Batanes is a natural extension of Taiwan, a claim vehemently rejected by the Philippine government.

This comes days after Chinese navy and coast guard ships interfered with a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal on September 24, an incident the United States condemned on Sunday, September 27.

The Philippines and Cyprus have signed a cooperation agreement in higher education and research.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Cyprus Foreign Affairs Minister Constantinos Kombos signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation, which will allow both countries to strengthen their partnership and strategic collaboration in higher education, teaching, student learning and research.

The two ministers met on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday to discuss prospects for further cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

During the meeting, Lazaro and Kombos reaffirmed their commitment to elevate the longstanding relations between the Philippines and Cyprus, highlighting more than 45 years of cooperation.

They discussed ways to strengthen political and economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and exchanged views on regional and global developments.

At the same meeting, Kombos conveyed Cyprus’ decision to endorse the Manila Declaration on Seafarers’ Human Rights, Safety and Well-being

Seeing no legal impediment in adopting various universities’ policy, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is open to issuing a measure recognizing students’ lived names during graduation rites.

Provided that official records will not be altered, the CHED ‘does not see any restrictions needed for this,’ Makati Rep. Monique Lagdameo said on Sept. 23.

During House deliberations on the CHED’s proposed 2027 budget, Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña explained that lived names are important to queer people ‘as the names on their birth certificates may not be what they live with.’

Many schools have allowed the use of lived names during graduation rites, including the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Philippine Normal University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and University of the Philippines, Cendaña said.

Power projects totaling over 17.8 gigawatts were endorsed to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) for system impact studies (SIS) in the first half, according to the Department of Energy.

Latest DOE data showed that 137 projects secured SIS endorsements from January to June, more than half of which were battery energy storage systems at 85.

The list also included 18 wind, 16 solar with battery storage, eight hydropower, one waste-to-energy and three biomass projects.

Also seeking grid impact assessments were one natural gas-fired, two diesel-fired and three coal-fired power projects.

The SIS determines whether the national grid has sufficient capacity to accommodate a new connection and identifies any upgrades needed, including additional transmission lines, transformers or substations.

As the country’s sole transmission operator, the NGCP is responsible for the operation, maintenance and development of the state-owned power grid.

NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said transmission and generation planning must go hand in hand, calling for a more holistic approach to developing the country’s energy infrastructure.

‘The new generation must be located, connected and timed in coordination with transmission development. Building generation in an area where the network cannot evacuate the output creates stranded capacity,’ Alabanza said.

Globe posted its strongest network performance so far this year in August, recording its highest overall score and fastest average download speed in the latest Telco Report Card of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

The results build on Globe’s continued network investments and ongoing collaboration with the government, including the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to improve the quality and reliability of telecommunications services across the country.

Globe received an overall score of 81.5, up 4.4 points from January, while average download speed reached a 2026 high of 45.9 Mbps. This was 5.1% faster than July and 26% higher than the 36.5 Mbps recorded at the start of the year, with network quality also improving to 71.2 from 69.2 and latency holding at 20 milliseconds.

The gains come as the NTC continues to work with telecommunications providers to promote service quality and strengthen connectivity for Filipinos. Globe supports this shared push through sustained network investments, technology upgrades and targeted interventions aimed at improving customer experience, particularly in areas where connectivity remains challenging.

‘Customers need a network they can depend on every day, and that goes beyond speed. It means being able to stay connected consistently, including during periods of high demand, disruptions and emergencies,’ said Atty. Froilan Castelo, Globe general counsel. ‘The progress we are seeing shows that our investments are making a difference, but there are still communities where the experience needs to be better. That is where we need to keep pushing.’

Globe invested P26.3 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of 2026, with 91% directed to data-related initiatives. Its focus on network consistency has earned Globe recognition as the Most Consistent Mobile Provider four consecutive times, based on Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data covering 2H 2024 to 1H 2026.

Globe is also strengthening network resilience through automation. Its Automated Outage Response technology can retain up to 50% of data connectivity during outages, compared with less than 10% without it, by automatically optimizing nearby cell sites to help keep customers connected during disruptions.

Extending reliable connectivity to harder-to-reach communities remains part of the same effort. Last July, Globe brought mobile connectivity to 52 previously unserved Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), completing its commitment to activate services across all 180 project locations under the DICT connectivity initiative.

A social media graphic portraying Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Rep. Chel Diokno as taking opposing positions on school shootings is misleading.

In a September 23 post on X, a graphic compared the supposed stances of Hontiveros and Diokno, who are both affiliated with Akbayan, following a series of deadly school shootings in the country.

Diokno currently represents Akbayan in the House, while Hontiveros previously represented the party-list group and remains affiliated with the party. The image shared by X user @ALEXG00NCAYA0 shows Diokno alongside the statement, “It’s the gun!” while Hontiveros’ is accompanied by the text, “It’s the phone!”

The graphic was shared with a caption favoring Diokno’s supposed position over Hontiveros’:

Chel Diokno > Risa Hontiveros for acknowledging the basic fact that the guns from shooters came from govt officials No guns, no shooting, no matter how much e-grooming you get. Social alienation will not be fixed through “child safety” laws, but through fostering community.

Rating: This is misleading.

Facts

The post presents a false either-or framing of the lawmakers’ positions by presenting them as being on opposing sides of the issue following school shooting incidents in the country.

Hontiveros’ position. Hontiveros called for tighter firearms regulation, saying the June 22 Tacloban school shooting may have been linked to online extremist group 764, which allegedly coerces children into violence and pornography.

In a July 1 hearing of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, Hontiveros said an alleged “adult groomer” may have recruited two minor suspects in the Tacloban shooting.

“Posibleng may mas malawak na network, at kailangang mahuli ito bago pa magkaroon ng susunod na mabibiktima,” the senator said.

However, Hontiveros backed calls for stricter gun laws in an interview with ANC.

“I am also willing to bet na kung higpitan lang talaga ‘yung pag-isyu at paglisensya ng firearms, mababawasan, baka makakalahati agad ‘yung mga gun-related violence natin,” she said on August 25.

In response to the South Cotabato school shooting on September 18, Hontiveros called to address different aspects that cause harm to the youth, which include gun access, alongside mental health, nihilistic violent extremism, and the role of online platforms.

“Panimulang hakbang na ang Sagip Bata Act na aming trinatrabaho sa Senado, na magpapalakas sa mga law enforcers sa pagsugpo sa NVE. But one measure will never be enough. Government needs to do a real accounting of how we are failing our children,” she said in a statement on Facebook.

Diokno’s position. Along with fellow Akbayan Party-list representatives Percival Cendaña and Dadah Ismula, and Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Diokno filed a resolution at the House of Representatives to conduct a nationwide safety audit, inspection, and inventory of all firearms issued, owned, or possessed by government officials and employees.

“Simple lang ang layunin nito: tiyakin na walang baril ang mapupunta sa maling kamay; panagutin ang mga nagpapabaya; at ayusin ang mga patakaran ng pamahalaan tungkol sa pagmamay-ari ng armas,” Diokno said in a Facebook statement on September 24.

Are the two different? The positions of Hontiveros and Diokno therefore overlap on both gun access and the need to examine other factors behind school violence. The viral graphic strips away that broader context by presenting their views as mutually exclusive.

Why we fact-checked this

Three deadly school shootings have been reported in different parts of the Philippines since June.

On September 18, three students, including the shooter, died and six others were wounded in a shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato.

On August 18, two students, including the shooter, were killed in a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Nine others were reported injured. Investigators said firearms linked to the shooter’s father, a Bureau of Customs employee, were used in the attack.

On June 22, three students were killed in a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. Later reporting placed the number of injured at 20. Investigators also examined how the minor suspects obtained their firearms and whether online networks influenced their actions.

As of September 28, the X post had garnered more than 300 reposts, 1,900 likes and 51,500 views.