Category: Philippine Star

The Philippine women’s football team is in a good position to make the quarterfinals for a second consecutive time, downing Hong Kong, 2-0, in their Matchday 2 clash of the 20th Asian Games on Thursday, September 17, at the Nagaragawa Stadium in Gifu, Japan.

The win moved the Filipinas to second place in Group G ahead of their showdown against 2022 bronze medalist China and with four points, the Filipinas have earned a high possibility to advance to the next round.

PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez hailed the result as a timely confidence boost for the team.

‘The girls have earned every bit of this. What I love most is seeing our veterans and rising stars feed off each other’s energy – the fighting spirit of Natalie Collins in her game saving goal against Uzbekistan and the steady leadership of Hali Long, Jaclyn Sawicki, and Carleigh Frilles-that’s the kind of team spirit we’ll need against China and, hopefully, in the quarterfinals,’ Gutierrez said.

Forward Skye Leach opened the scoring in the 12th minute, converting off Tsang Pak Tung’s block of winger Inday Tolentin’s header strike. It was the first international goal for Leach, a recruit from the June 2026 San Diego talent identification camp, coming on just her second cap.

Forward Mallie Ramirez doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, finishing off substitute winger

Megan Murray’s cross from a tight angle for her third international goal.

‘Any goal I get to score for this national team, it’s special every time. Being able to score in

such a crucial game is a cool experience for me,’ said nRamirez, who scored two goals in the 2025

Southeast Asian Games.

The Filipinas face China on September 21 at 3 p.m. Philippine time to close the group stage.

For as long as Cebu City and other LGUs will continue the paradigm and the linear consume-throw-dispose road, the past and present problems of increasing waste volume, costly collection and disposal, not to mention the health and environmental hazards posed by unsegregated waste, will persist.

On May 6, 2026, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival issued an executive order that declared a state of solid waste management emergency, triggered by continuing waste volume, its attendant health/environmental risks, and, soaring daily garbage disposal costs due to lack of a proximate disposal site.

The January 8, 2026 disaster closed nearby Binaliw as Cebu City’s waste disposal site. The alternative site, Aloguinsan, requires Cebu City to pay a hauling fee of ?3,906 per ton and to spend about ?3 million for the city’s daily 700 tons!

Cebu City now faces the logistical crisis of straining its annual waste budget beyond its past ?600 million annual allocation!

Mayor Nestor’s May 6th executive order already clearly specifies Cebu City’s solid waste management roadmap.

If it is strictly implemented/complied with, Cebu City will finally take this long-awaited, yet to be travelled and much-needed circular waste management road.

The EO mandates reduction, diversion, regulation of waste for the city, starting with waste segregation at source.

Like Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, IF practiced and complied with, the EO requires barangays, institutions (schools, offices, others), residences, private establishments, businesses/industries and other waste generators to segregate their waste, minimize waste, especially biodegradable and plastic wastes, through recycling, reusing and the other R’s, and only residual wastes to be collected for disposal.

Again, IF seriously implemented and complied with throughout the city, daily disposal costs will significantly be lower, health/environmental costs and risks reduced, and more stakeholders, more participants and partners, not just government, united in resolving the waste problem, crisis, and emergency!

At the start of Cebu City’s taking this new circular waste management road, was there any baseline data made not only about the total waste volume of the city, but about the volume of waste, by types for the various waste generators throughout the city?

If the city wants to reduce the daily 700 tons collected, does the city know where this daily waste volume comes from?

If the city wants to have only residual wastes collected and disposed (to reduce the huge daily waste disposal budget), does the city have data of volume of segregated waste, by waste types, for barangays and other sources/generators of waste?

Mayor Nestor’s road map, already present in his May executive order and even showcased in the city’s ecostation at the South Road Properties, can be strengthened and supported by waste-related data mentioned above.

Without reliable waste-related data (baseline/past/recent), the end of the road, the solution of the waste crisis/emergency cannot be complete and achieved.

Rapid data collection and research about waste and waste characterization SHOULD be done/commissioned immediately. The research output will be able to clearly show how much, what type of wastes are generated by whom, by which generators, and where.

Such result can identify the multiple stakeholders the city government can tap as partners for united, comprehensive waste reduction, segregation, diversion (through recycling and other R’s).

Aside from the urgent waste data collection and research, cannot the city government immediately explore hiring daily waste segregators per sitio/other locations to reduce waste volume per source, to ensure waste segregation so that only residuals will end up in disposal sites (hence, reduced volume/costs for hauling)?

Instead of hiring waste segregators at SRP Ecostation, why not hire daily waste segregators in situ, inside barangays and communities, so no wastes, except residual are collected, transported to disposal sites?

Doing so will generate employment/income, reduce poverty/hunger, allow for healthier, sustainable constituents and communities and a better/win-win, pro-people/pro-planet sustainable waste management solution/model!

Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina finally found their groove, firing identical four-under 68s Friday (Saturday Manila time) to put the Filipinas in strong contention in the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout at the Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Arizona.

The ICTSI-backed aces, coming off a string of underwhelming campaigns, delivered the kind of opening rounds that had eluded them in recent starts, moving into a share of third place just three strokes behind early leader Kate Smith-Stroh of the US.

Pagdanganan was particularly sharp, putting together a bogey-free round highlighted by four birdies.

Starting on No. 10, the power-hitting Pagdanganan wasted little time making her presence felt, birdieing the 10th and 13th before taking advantage of the par-5 No. 18 to make the turn at three-under.

She cooled off somewhat on the front nine, missing a couple of birdie opportunities, but regained her touch on the ninth, where another birdie completed a flawless 68.

The solid start was a welcome turnaround for the 28-year-old Pagdanganan, who tied for 22nd in last week’s Guardian Championship after missing the cut at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic. She had not finished higher than eighth in her previous 11 tournaments.

Her opening-round performance also bodes well for her preparations for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in two weeks, where she is set to spearhead the Philippine team alongside fellow ICTSI-backed player Pauline del Rosario and amateur Rianne Malixi.

Ardina, a two-time Olympian, also came alive on the back nine, recovering from a bogey on No. 13 with four birdies, including three in a row from Nos. 16 to 18.

Like Pagdanganan, however, Ardina found the front nine more challenging, managing just one birdie to close with a 33-35 card.

The two Filipinas trailed Smith-Stroh, who surged into the lead with a 65 after making four birdies from No. 12. She holds a one-stroke advantage over South Africa’s Kaleigh Telfer, who carded a 66 on matching 33s.

Tomi Arejola also produced a solid start, making four birdies against three bogeys for a 71 that left her tied for 16th, six strokes off the pace.

Two-time Epson Tour winner Clariss Guce, however, faced an uphill battle after opening with a 76, marred by three bogeys and a double bogey against just one birdie, leaving her in danger of an early exit.

As the Philippines grapples with the twin pressures of the raging Middle East war and persistent power supply constraints, additional support may lie just across the sea – in neighboring Malaysia.

Malaysian state-owned energy giant Petronas has reaffirmed its interest in supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Philippines, eyeing an opportunity in the latter’s growing demand for reliable fuel.

‘We are engaging ourselves directly with some of the players in the Philippines with regard to how we can work together and support LNG requirements for the Philippines,’ Petronas LNG Ltd. CEO Rosdi Ab Rahman said on the sidelines of Gastech 2026 here in Thailand’s capital.

Ab Rahman did not identify the companies involved, but said ‘a lot of discussion is ongoing now’ as talks over potential LNG contracting strategies continue.

Petronas has previously delivered spot LNG cargoes to the Philippines from its massive LNG complex in Bintulu, Sarawak in Malaysia.

Ab Rahman said LNG cargoes from Malaysia could reach the Philippines in around two days. That proximity could prove valuable as buyers seek greater flexibility amid heightened volatility in global energy markets.

Petronas is banking on its geographic advantage to position itself as a reliable LNG supplier to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian markets.

While Petronas could not meet the region’s entire LNG demand amid ongoing supply disruptions in the Middle East, Ab Rahman said the company is doing everything it can to help fill part of the gap.

This includes accelerating upstream production to strengthen gas supply and investing in a modern fleet capable of delivering LNG safely and reliably to partners.

‘These are the things that we are really focusing on to make sure that we are always ready to provide the necessary support to all of our friends in Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines,’ he said.

Since 2017, Petronas has delivered more than 200 LNG cargoes across the region, building a growing network of 34 existing buyers and 87 active contracts.

In the Philippines, LNG is viewed as a transition fuel, helping reduce its heavy dependence on coal while providing a more flexible pathway toward cleaner power sources.

In the central and southern parts of the country, the simultaneous shutdown of several large, aging coal-fired power plants has triggered rotating brownouts and driven electricity prices higher.

The possibility that an electric vehicle was involved in the explosion aboard the fire-hit MV June Aster has prompted shipping companies and government agencies to evaluate safety protocols for transporting EVs and hybrid vehicles by sea.

Since last week, Philippine Coast Guard investigators have been trying to determine the cause of the incident following survivors’ accounts that they heard a loud explosion from the ship’s cargo deck before the fire broke out.

The Coast Guard said it is looking into several possibilities, including a terrorist attack or an explosion involving the EV aboard the vessel.

The MV June Aster was carrying one EV, five motorcycles, a forklift, a pickup truck and other cargo when it was engulfed in flames on September 9.

Authorities stressed that they have not determined the cause of the fire, as the investigation remains ongoing.

Developing safety guidelines

This week, at least two shipping companies announced restrictions on EVs and hybrid vehicles aboard their vessels.

In a memorandum dated September 16, Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc. announced that hybrid and electric vehicles would no longer be allowed aboard its passenger and cargo vessels across all routes.

“The measure is being implemented as a preventive safety precaution to minimize the risk of fire, explosion, thermal runaway, and other potential hazards associated with electric and hybrid batteries during vessel operation,” the memorandum read.

Another shipping company, Island Water, also released a memorandum on September 17 restricting EVs and hybrid vehicles aboard its passenger vessels.

“In consideration of marine safety standards and risk management regarding alternative powertrain technologies and high-capacity battery systems, this measure is enacted to ensure the utmost safety and protection of all passengers, crew, and cargo during transit,” it said.

The Department of Energy (DOE), meanwhile, said Thursday, September 17, that it recognizes the safety concerns raised over the transport of EVs by sea.

The agency said it is coordinating with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and other concerned agencies to develop broader safety guidelines for transporting EVs aboard vessels.

Before the 2026 Asian Games could formally open, Team Philippines already has a medal.

Women power delivered it.

Bannered by Bien Zoleta and Christy Sanosa, the women’s soft tennis squad assured Team Phl a podium finish in the Aichi-Nagoya Asiad, barging into the semifinals yesterday at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

It is a breakthrough, long years in the making.

Never since soft tennis became a medal sport in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad had the Philippines won a medal. On the eve of the Nagoya Games opening ceremonies, the drought ended.

The Nationals made the semis by punching a 2-1 win-loss record in the group play.

They opened with a statement against Mongolia, with Zoleta and Princess Catindig winning their doubles match to set the tone. Inspired by the doubles pair, Sanosa blasted her singles rival to complete the 3-0 sweep.

They followed it up with a gritty 2-1 win over Thailand before being stopped by powerhouse Chinese-Taipei, 0-3.

The 2-1 card put the Philippines at second in Group B behind Chinese-Taipei and into the semis – and with it, an automatic bronze as there is no playoff for third in soft tennis.

The men’s team couldn’t keep up with the women and bowed to fancied Korea in the quarterfinals, 0-3.

For Zoleta and her teammates, waiting in the semifinals is world champion and reigning Asian Games champion Japan, which topped Group A.

In men’s football at Minato Soccer Field, the Philippines U23 fell to Vietnam U23, 0-2, for its second straight loss in Group C that virtually doomed its bid for the KO rounds.

By this time of year, many of us in the Philippines are accustomed to seeing alerts on our phones warning of heavy rains and the risks of flooding and landslides. Such warnings have become part of life during the typhoon season. But however familiar they may be, the risks they signal remain very real.

In response to severe flooding across Luzon, the EU is providing 150,000 euros (approximately P10.87 million) to help more than 32,000 people in the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon and Metro Manila. Through the Philippine Red Cross, this funding will provide essential household items, meals, safe drinking water and health services, including mental health support and disease prevention. It forms part of the EU’s contribution to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund.

These floods are a reminder of the recurring risks facing the Philippines, from tropical cyclones and landslides to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Responding to immediate needs and preparing for future emergencies are both essential to protecting lives and livelihoods.

For three decades, the European Union has stood with vulnerable communities in the Philippines through humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness. Since 1996, EU humanitarian assistance to the country has amounted to around 176 million euros (approximately P12.8 billion at today’s exchange rate), providing food, water and sanitation, health care and other essential support to people affected by disasters and conflict. The new flood response funding comes on top of 2.097 million euros, or approximately P152 million, allocated at the start of this year. Delivered through humanitarian partners, this assistance prioritizes the most vulnerable, including communities affected by conflict in Mindanao with limited access to assistance. This support reflects the EU’s broader approach of combining life-saving humanitarian assistance with efforts that help communities become more resilient to future shocks.

On June 8, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani, affecting communities across parts of Mindanao. EU humanitarian partners provided shelter, food and cash assistance, alongside water, sanitation and hygiene services. The response also included protection and psychosocial support. Through the ACCESS consortium, 4,804 households, or more than 22,700 people, were reached across seven municipalities in Sarangani, Davao Occidental, South Cotabato and Agusan del Sur. I have personally witnessed the positive, even though necessarily partial, effects of this type of assistance and cooperation for Filipino families and people affected by natural disasters during my visits to several affected areas in the Philippines.

The Philippines has well-developed crisis management capacities, but repeated disasters can strain local resources. Alongside emergency assistance, the EU supports efforts to help authorities and communities prepare. In parts of Mindanao, this includes helping communities reduce risks and act on early warnings, as well as supporting a swift response when disasters strike or people are forced to leave their homes. In this way, EU support links immediate emergency response with longer-term work to reduce vulnerability, strengthen local capacities and support recovery over time.

Building resilience also means addressing underlying environmental and structural factors that can increase the impact of disasters on communities. During the rainy season, waste blocking drains and waterways can worsen flooding. Our broader cooperation with the Philippines can support efforts to address these concerns.

Through the Green Economy Partnership between the EU and the Philippines, we are working with communities, 60 local governments and businesses to turn environmental challenges into opportunities.

In Bacolod, the Circular Biohubs Project is exploring ways to process organic waste locally, using black soldier fly larvae to turn food scraps into biomass that could be used in animal feed and earthworms to produce soil enhancers. The project draws on the practical knowledge of waste collectors, barangay workers and market vendors. It also aims to provide training in compost production and garden maintenance, alongside opportunities to develop small enterprises.

Earlier this year, Iligan City, the Island Garden City of Samal and Zamboanga City were also awarded support under the Green Economy Partnership to prepare circular economy projects involving the public and private sectors. The support covers technical assistance, feasibility studies and training in managing these partnerships. The planned projects aim to address local infrastructure and environmental needs, with measures to include informal waste workers. Together, these efforts show how EU humanitarian engagement and broader technical cooperation can complement one another in supporting preparedness, adaptation and sustainable resilience in the Philippines.

In July, the European Union and the Philippines elevated their relationship to an Enhanced Partnership. Both sides agreed to help communities adapt to climate change, improve waste management and prepare for disasters. This includes sharing experience in humanitarian assistance and emergency protection, improving early warning systems and using forecasts and risk information to act before disasters strike.

The joint statement also highlights Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth Observation Program. Its satellite data can help authorities identify hazards, anticipate damage to homes and infrastructure and prepare communities. After disasters, it can help responders assess damage, identify urgent needs and guide assistance and recovery.

These priorities also shaped our engagement at the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience, hosted by the Philippines on Sept. 15-16 under its ASEAN Chairship. The EU also supports ASEAN’s disaster management center, the AHA Center, in monitoring disasters, strengthening preparedness and coordinating responses. This cooperation includes training and exchanges of expertise to help strengthen the region’s ability to respond to emergencies.

The European Union will continue to stand with the Philippines when disaster strikes. Our cooperation will build on the experience of Philippine institutions and communities, supporting their ongoing efforts to prepare for emergencies. The next warning on our phones will remind us why this cooperation matters and why preparing together remains a shared priority.

Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina finally found their groove, firing identical four-under 68s Friday (Saturday Manila time) to put the Filipinas in strong contention in the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout at the Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Arizona.

The ICTSI-backed aces, coming off a string of underwhelming campaigns, delivered the kind of opening rounds that had eluded them in recent starts, moving into a share of third place just three strokes behind early leader Kate Smith-Stroh of the US.

Pagdanganan was particularly sharp, putting together a bogey-free round highlighted by four birdies.

Starting on No. 10, the power-hitting Pagdanganan wasted little time making her presence felt, birdieing the 10th and 13th before taking advantage of the par-5 No. 18 to make the turn at three-under.

She cooled off somewhat on the front nine, missing a couple of birdie opportunities, but regained her touch on the ninth, where another birdie completed a flawless 68.

The solid start was a welcome turnaround for the 28-year-old Pagdanganan, who tied for 22nd in last week’s Guardian Championship after missing the cut at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic. She had not finished higher than eighth in her previous 11 tournaments.

Her opening-round performance also bodes well for her preparations for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in two weeks, where she is set to spearhead the Philippine team alongside fellow ICTSI-backed player Pauline del Rosario and amateur Rianne Malixi.

Ardina, a two-time Olympian, also came alive on the back nine, recovering from a bogey on No. 13 with four birdies, including three in a row from Nos. 16 to 18.

Like Pagdanganan, however, Ardina found the front nine more challenging, managing just one birdie to close with a 33-35 card.

The two Filipinas trailed Smith-Stroh, who surged into the lead with a 65 after making four birdies from No. 12. She holds a one-stroke advantage over South Africa’s Kaleigh Telfer, who carded a 66 on matching 33s.

Tomi Arejola also produced a solid start, making four birdies against three bogeys for a 71 that left her tied for 16th, six strokes off the pace.

Two-time Epson Tour winner Clariss Guce, however, faced an uphill battle after opening with a 76, marred by three bogeys and a double bogey against just one birdie, leaving her in danger of an early exit.

Work in government offices is suspended on Sept. 28 starting at 1 p.m., to allow state workers to celebrate the 34th National Family Week.

Malacañang said the shortened work hours apply to all government agencies and instrumentalities under the executive branch including government-owned and controlled corporations as well as state universities and colleges.

The suspension order is provided under Memorandum Circular 136 signed on Wednesday by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto by the authority of President Marcos.

‘Agencies whose functions involve delivery of basic and health services, disaster preparedness and response, and other vital services must continue their operations,’ the memorandum read.

The order encouraged government workers to fully support activities related to the observance of National Family Week.

It also allows the suspension of work in other branches of government and independent commissions or bodies as well as in the private sector to give families time to celebrate the occasion.

The circular was issued pursuant to Proclamations 60 and 326 issued in 1992 and 2012, respectively.

Proclamation 60 declared the last week of September as Family Week, while Proclamation 326 declared the fourth Monday of the same month as ‘Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga’ Day.

Government subsidies to state-owned corporations fell by 30.5 percent in July, largely reflecting lower support for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

The Bureau of the Treasury showed subsidies to government-owned and-controlled corporations (GOCCs) totaled P6.76 billion in July, down from P9.74 billion a year earlier.

The government grants subsidies to GOCCs to cover operational expenses not supported by their own revenues.

The decline was partly due to the non-recurrence of the P4.43 billion subsidy extended to the PRA in July 2025.

The NIA still received the largest subsidy among GOCCs during the month at P2.23 billion, although this was 33.8 percent lower than the P3.38 billion it received last year.

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. followed with P880 million in subsidies in July from zero last year.

The National Dairy Authority came in third with P564 million in July, a large increase from P28 million it received in July 2025.

Among the top subsidy recipients during the month were the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, National Food Authority, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Coconut Authority, Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. or IBC-13, Philippine National Railways, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

The Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority received P4 million, the smallest subsidy during the month.

By categories, subsidies for other government corporations declined by 29.7 percent year-on-year to P3.86 billion in July, accounting for 57 percent of the total subsidies during the month.

Budgetary support for major non-financial government corporations also went down by 31.5 percent to P2.91 billion during the period.

From January to July, total subsidies surged by 95 percent to P121.34 billion from P62.23 billion in the same period in 2025, driven by the P60 billion injected to restore the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. fund.