Category: Philippine Star

Recognizing the challenges brought by high fuel prices, Sen. Bong Go distributed financial assistance to tricycle drivers and operators in San Isidro, Davao Oriental on Wednesday.

The aid distribution was part of Go’s continuing efforts aimed at supporting workers in the transport sector.

Go described transport workers as unsung heroes who keep communities moving despite economic hardships.

A native of Davao Oriental, Go acknowledged the difficulties faced by tricycle drivers and operators, particularly the impact of fuel price hikes on their daily income.

To help ease their burden, Go provided assistance to 500 tricycle drivers and operators.

Joining the senator during the activity were board members Don Montojo and Rotchie Ravelo, San Isidro Mayor Maria Angelica Go-Dayanghirang, Vice Mayor Sherlyn Casama, Lupon Vice Mayor Christian Lawrence ‘Chrence’ Go, and members of the municipal council.

Go thanked local officials for their continued support and partnership in serving the transport sector and the entire community.

Prior to the distribution, Go visited vendors and purchased from them local delicacies to encourage support for small entrepreneurs and local businesses.

Go personally presented a beneficiary, who is a person with disability, with a new walking cane.

After the event, Go led the inauguration of a Super Health Center in Maco, Davao de Oro.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara yesterday led a dialogue with learners, parents, teachers and alumni of Parañaque National High School, amid efforts to ensure safety of students following the Tacloban shooting incident that left three students dead and about 20 others injured.

Angara assured teachers of full support, as he called for strict accountability in cases of campus abuse and harassment.

‘Our dialogue with parents, teachers, student leaders and alumni associations is proof that we are united in the goal of protecting our students and guiding them in a safe environment. In line with the directive of President Marcos, we will ensure that our schools become places of healing and hope,’ Angara said.

Aside from the dialogue, Angara led an extensive physical school safety audit at the campus, with the Department of Education saying the inspection is part of a nationwide school safety campaign aimed at fortifying public schools against security threats.

‘The safety of our students is our responsibility, so we will work together to make every school in the country peaceful and protected,’ Angara said.

The Binihining Pilipinas Charities Inc. and Nustar presented the Top 36 delegates in two preliminary competitions, Swimsuit and Evening Gown, at the Novotel Manila Ballroom.

The highest scored delegates will advance to the semifinal round, together with the top voted delegate from the online poll, who will automatically advance to the first cut.

Four crowns – Binibining Pilipinas International and Binibinibg Pilipinas Globe, as well as two runners-up positions – are up for grabs.

Outgoing queens Katrina Ann Johnson (International) and Annabelle McDonnell (Globe), together with runners-up Dalia Varde Khattab and Kathleen Enid Espenido, will crown their respective successors.

As the first Filipina to win the title, Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Aspillera Diaz was bestowed the Hall of Fame crown by the pageant organizers during the event.

The preliminary selection committee was comprised of:

Marjorie Go

Badette Cunanan

Maria Anna Perez

Pia Roxas Ojeda

Miss International 1968 first runner-up Fortune Ledesma

Victoria Araneta-Fores

Binibining Pilipinas 1971 Vida Doria

Dr. Ralph delas Alas

Alex Barcelo

Eric Amigo

Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2016 Nicole Cordoves, and Miss Universe Philippines 2014 MJ Lastimosa will host this year’s grand coronation night at the Araneta Coliseum on July 18. Stay tuned!

Thousands are expected to join the rally dubbed the White Ribbon March at the People Power Monument tomorrow as religious and civil society groups continue to call for accountability amid corruption scandals in the country.

In an interview with dzBB, White Ribbon March convenor Bishop Efraim Tendero said the rally, organized by Catholic, Muslim, evangelical and Protestant leaders, aims to continue to call all Filipinos to unite against corruption.

‘Our call is for the ombudsman, who really has the power to investigate, (to have) no discrimination and I hope the Senate and Congress will unite. If now there is an impeachment trial, the impeachment trial will continue but it must be fair, and the (Senate) Blue Ribbon investigation in aid of legislation will continue as well,’ Tendero said.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Interreligious Leaders’ Council for National Transformation lead convenor Bishop Colin Bagaforo has said that the rally will be a continuation of the Trillion Peso March.

Tendero said everybody is invited to attend the rally but politicians will not be allowed to deliver speeches.

He also said that Catholics, led by Bagaforo, will hold a mass at the EDSA Shrine at noon.

‘The march will start between 1 to 1:30 p.m. The program will start at 2:30 on Sunday. We will march to the People Power Monument and the program will start at 2:30 p.m.,’ Tendero said.

Jaro Archbishop Midyphil Billones endorsed the White Ribbon Movement following the call of the CBCP to various churches in the country to back the mobilization.

Billones asked churchgoers to actively participate in the initiative by wearing white during Sunday masses tomorrow and by displaying white ribbons in churches, chapels, Catholic schools and institutions throughout the archdiocese.

Activist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) will also join the rally to amplify calls to end corruption and impunity in government.

Bayan secretary general Raymond Palatino said the march reflects the people’s clamor to hold accountable corrupt government officials and their cohorts such as those involved in the flood control scandal.

He said they are backing the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, stressing the senators should convict her for betrayal of public trust.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police has vowed to ensure the safety of protesters.

National Capital Region Police Office spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo said all five police districts in Metro Manila went on full alert status yesterday starting at 5 p.m.

‘There is no threat, this is proactive deployment,’ Asilo told reporters.

With the Philippine waste crisis underscored this year by several

landfill disasters across the country, the clamor for solutions has only become louder. Each tragic outcome and dangerous turn of events has led to Filipinos demanding action and calling for accountability. It’s high time we look at the problems not as isolated cases, but as symptoms of a systemic failure to address the waste and plastic pollution crises at source. In doing so, we not only prevent these incidents from recurring and address the crisis, but also avoid falling into the trap of false solutions.

The government and companies cannot wait for the next tragedy or public health threat to take action, but the solutions and measures we adopt must also be safe, just and environmentally sound. The recent disasters have resulted in an influx of waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration proposals, an alarming trend that has followed every landfill incident.

Waste-to-energy projects are alarming for many reasons. They harm health, pollute our environment and worsen climate change while being highly inefficient. The incineration process releases hazardous pollutants like heavy metals, dioxins and furans, which are linked to respiratory diseases, reproductive issues and cancer. Burning waste, especially plastic, emits substantial amounts of greenhouse gases, actively contributing to the climate crisis.

These facilities also exacerbate existing social inequities by being disproportionately located in marginalized, low-income communities, subjecting them to degraded air quality and health burdens. Beyond these risks, WTE is an expensive and inefficient power source that creates long-term debt for local governments and discourages essential zero waste approaches. Also, instead of motivating cities to reduce and prevent waste, WTE actually demands the continuous generation of waste.

To make matters worse, waste-to-energy also enables the business-as-usual systems at the root of the plastic and waste crisis.

Our waste management problem is rooted in a corporate-driven crisis of plastic overproduction. Waste management systems are overwhelmed by an exploding volume of single-use plastics, a direct result of businesses hooking consumers on a sachet economy and disposable culture. Instead of finding ways to reduce waste and curb plastic pollution, WTE allows corporations to continue externalizing the lifecycle costs of their single-use products and packaging.

But what are the options left for our cities? The answer has been around since the beginning. Reuse systems, including returnable packaging and refill models, were the norm before single-use formats were introduced.

Before plastic, the Philippines historically practiced a tingi-tingi culture that relied on reusable containers and refilling goods from larger storage.

Today, this tradition is still visible in various forms, such as water refilling stations and drinks in reusable glass bottles, which are accessible throughout the country. Modern reuse models can build upon this cultural foundation by formalizing and scaling refill systems for consumer goods, providing Filipinos with an alternative to sachets and single-use plastics.

Reuse and refill systems are considered superior upstream solutions because they prevent pollution at the source by reducing production and the overall volume of single-use plastics in circulation. Unlike downstream waste management, which struggles to handle the sheer volume of plastic waste, these systems eliminate harmful outcomes across the entire lifecycle of a product – including climate, public health and biodiversity impacts – before they even develop.

This World Refill Day, we have to recognize that reuse systems like refill models are the real solutions Filipinos need. They provide environmental and socioeconomic benefits while curbing the systemic

dependence on single-use plastics. What we need from the government and corporations now is to reduce plastic production and begin a just transition to a reuse economy that benefits all.

You have always cooked with olive oil and drizzled the extra virgin variant on fresh green salads, but you have never baked with it.

You’ve always believed in the delicious result that using butter achieves, both in your baked products and in the healthy savory dishes that you cook, and you are right. Except that, despite the common practice of using butter when baking cakes, you can actually use olive oil as a lighter and more beneficial substitute for butter.

Ask Chef Jill Sandique, easily one of the metro’s most talented pastry chefs, and she will tell you how good a cake baked with olive oil is. She has done so many times in the past, and she has done it again with this Innobake Chocolate Olive Oil Cake.

It is a dessert that brings back so many wonderful memories for the talented chef, who has always loved baking since she was a child. Back then (and up to now), she looked forward to family gatherings because, as she put it, ‘I knew that the best desserts were to be served – Dark Chocolate Cake, Sans Rival, Brazo de Mercedes, Natilla, Crème Española, Lychee Gelatin, and a lot more. Those were indeed the desserts of yesteryears.’

Now that we’re in the digital age, she still draws wonderful memories from her childhood by baking cakes, such as this Innobake Chocolate Olive Oil Cake.

‘I’d like to share a recipe that’s close to my heart. It’s easy, no-fuss, and outright delicious, and it brings back so many wonderful memories,’ the chef said.

Happy baking!

Innobake Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Vermuyten Topping Royale

1/4 cup fresh or full cream milk

1 1/2 tsps. vinegar

3/4 cup + 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup + 3 tbsps. Innobake Premium Cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup Beaoliva Olive Oil

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsps. instant coffee, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water

For the chocolate frosting:

90 grams Patissier 61% Artisan Dark Couverture

100 grams unsalted butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tsp. instant coffee, dissolved in 2-3 tsps. rum or brandy (or water)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease, line, grease, then flour an 8-inch round layer pan. Set aside briefly.

2. In a non-reactive container, combine Vermuyten Topping Royale, fresh or full cream milk and vinegar. Stir then set aside for at least 5 minutes.

3. For the cake, sift together flour, granulated sugar, Innobake Premium Cocoa and the remaining dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add Beaoliva Olive Oil, egg and vanilla extract. Mix well, then stir in hot coffee. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Unmold the cake from the pan and cool completely.

4. For the frosting, melt Patissier 61% Artisan Dark Couverture in a double boiler or microwave oven. Set aside to cool slightly. In a mixer bowl, combine butter and vanilla, and beat until light. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix for another 2 minutes. Stir in dissolved coffee and melted chocolate. Blend well.

5. To assemble, put the chocolate cake on a serving platter. Spread the chocolate frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Chill for at least 2 hours, then serve.

Yield: One 8-inch cake.

Rina Andrea delos Santos of Ballesteros, Cagayan bested 31 other delegates to emerge as this year’s winner of the Miss Philippines Earth title.

Reigning Miss Earth winner Natalie Puskinova of the Czech Republic crowned the beauteous Cagayan beauty from Region 2.

Andrea was also proclaimed Miss Hana before the Top 15 was announced.

Her elemental court is composed of:

Rina Joy Alamban, Tumauini, Isabela (Miss Philippines Air 2026)

Alyssa Mildred Villarina, Mandaluyong City (Miss Philippines Water 2026)

Patricia Anne Bangug, Agoo, La Union (Miss Philippines Fire 2026)

Roveelaine Eve Castillo, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte ( Miss Philippines Ecotourism 2026)

The remaining five delegates from the Top 10 were all declared as runners-up. They are:

Hana Tiffany Christen (Passi, Iloilo)

Kirsten Dawn Delerio (Cebu City)

Mary Ganaba (Tupi, South Cotabato)

Nicole Grace Locsin Ampong (Malaybalay City, Bukidnon), and

Alyssa Rae Zabala (Marikina City), automatic placer for winning the People’s Choice Award

It is not just a win for Ballesteros but also for the Cagayan Valley Region, as the other delegate in the Top 2 is from the province of Isabela.

The other delegates who made it to the first cut were:

Mikyla Kirkness (Filipino Community of Queensland, Australia)

Phamel Castillo Detumal (Valencia City)

Angel Polines Teruel (Pototan, Iloilo)

Esther Angelika Francisco (Zamboanga City), and

Raihjja Japor Lames (Tayabas, Quezon Province)

The medalists for the Best Cultural Costume award were:

Mae Khyla Garcia (Gold), Cabanglasan, Bukidnon

Kirsten Dawn Delerio (Silver), Cebu City

Princess Dee Maghinay (Lapantan, Bukidnon)

While all of last year’s elemental queens were present during the coronation rites, strangely, it was outgoing queen Joy Barcoma who was in absentia.

Hosted by James Deakin, the 26th Miss Philippines Earth coronation night, showcased in fabulous staging and production, was streamed to a global audience through Carousel Production’s channels on Facebook and YouTube.

An official of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has warned the public against what he described as ‘fake and misleading’ reports on the June 25 peace rally organized by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP).

Bangsamoro Minister of the Interior and Local Government Jordan Bayam said exaggerated attendance figures and questionable images were being used to distort public perception.

Bayam said reports claiming that about 400,000 people attended the rally were inconsistent with the official crowd estimate of the Philippine National Police, which placed the attendance at around 30,000.

‘The public deserves truthful reporting, not exaggerated narratives designed to create a false impression of overwhelming public support,’ Bayam said.

According to the minister, the huge discrepancy between the police estimate and the published attendance figure raises serious questions about the credibility of the reports and underscores the importance of relying on official and verifiable information.

Bayam also expressed concern over social media posts that circulated photographs and drone footage purportedly showing a massive crowd during the June 25 gathering.

He alleged that several of the widely shared images appeared to have been taken from the ‘moral governance and anti-corruption’ rally held on June 23 by supporters of a former BARMM official, two days before the UBJP event.

‘If verified, using photographs from a different political gathering to portray another event would amount to misleading the public and undermining the integrity of public discourse,’ Bayam said.

The minister called on media organizations and social media users to exercise greater responsibility in verifying photographs, videos and attendance figures before publication, particularly amid the increasingly polarized political climate in BARMM.

Bayam said the spread of misinformation during such a politically sensitive period only serves to deepen public division and distract from pressing governance issues confronting the Bangsamoro government.

He urged both supporters and critics of the regional administration to engage in responsible political discourse anchored on facts rather than propaganda, emphasizing that democratic debate should be guided by transparency, accountability and respect for the truth.

‘The people of BARMM are best served when public discussion is based on verified facts instead of manufactured narratives,’ Bayam said.

As of press time, organizers of the June 25 peace rally had not publicly responded to Bayam’s statements regarding the attendance figures and the alleged use of misleading images circulating on social media

From countless awards to a commemorative stamp and a trophy named in his honor, basketball legend Ramon Fernandez has finally reached what he calls ‘the summit of his sporting career’ with his installation into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) House inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila just recently.

The 72-year-old Fernandez is no stranger to the spotlight, but this honor carried him back to his roots in Maasin, Southern Leyte where a young boy with nothing more than a ball and boundless ambition first chased a dream.

He was inducted alongside a remarkable batch of athletes from across disciplines: Olympic boxer Onyok Velasco, sprinter Isidro del Prado, gymnast turned taekwondo jin Bea Lucero-Lhuillier, tennis great Cecil Mamiit, para powerlifter Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, and the late Eduardo Pacheco, who donned the country’s tri-colors in both football and basketball.

Fernandez now joins a select group of basketball immortals in the Hall of Fame, including Carlos Loyzaga and the storied 1954 national basketball team that played in the FIBA World Championship in Brazil, Edgardo Ocampo, Mariano Tolentino, Kurt Bachmann, Loreto Carbonell, Ambrosio Padilla, Dionisio Calvo, and Robert Jaworski – a reminder that basketball has always been central to the Filipino sporting identity.

Together they formed a mosaic of Filipino greatness, but Fernandez’s induction carried a special resonance.

In his acceptance speech, he spoke with humility and conviction despite his commanding aura.

‘For any athlete, this is the summit,’ Fernandez said, thanking the PSC, the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the media who chronicled his journey.

He dedicated the honor to his wife Karla, his number one supporter, and left a message for the next generation.

‘Talent may open doors, but character, humility, and consistency determine how far you go.’

Fernandez emphasized that ‘no athlete reaches this stage alone’, sharing the honor with coaches, teammates, opponents, fans, friends, and family who stood by him throughout his journey.

His words carried the weight of experience forged in countless battles against rivals like Robert Jaworski in the Toyota-Crispa duels that defined an era, and in the grind of wearing the national jersey from the 1972 ABC Under 18 Championship to the 1990 Asian Games.

This latest accolade reflects the sheer scale of his career: 19 PBA championships, four MVP awards, nearly 19,000 career points, and records in rebounds, blocks, and minutes played that remain untouched.

Nicknames bestowed by fans and media-‘The Franchise,’ ‘El Presidente,’ ‘Don Ramon’ – captured both his dominance and elegance on the court.

Yet Fernandez reminded everyone that the true measure of an athlete lies not in trophies but in the lives inspired.

Even after his playing days, Fernandez has continued to give back.

He served as commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, staged the El Presidente Charity Golf, and organized outreach programs through RKF Solar and the RSF Sports and Youth Foundation.

In one outreach program in Argao, his wife’s hometown prior to his induction into the Hall of Fame, Fernandez spoke to children about ambition, hard work, and the importance of education alongside sports.

‘There are no shortcuts,’ Fernandez told them, urging the youth to dream big, study hard, and use sports not only for health but as a pathway to opportunity.

Fernandez’s induction was not just a personal triumph – it was a national moment.

It proved that a ‘probinsyano’ can rise from humble beginnings, honor God, and stand among the greatest names in Philippine sports.

Yes, Jeju Island of South Korea has successfully kept its borders closed to pork from without, all these years, to be able to preserve the purity of its prized BLACK pork breed. The island province also managed to do creative marketing by giving black pig a status as the ‘black pork’ to be had at any tourist restaurant. It, after all, entertains 30,000 domestic tourists and 5,000 international tourists a day – yes, every single day.

Blessed with many wonders of nature, Jeju has famous oranges and tea for tourists to try and maybe also take home. The oranges are called hallabong after the word ‘halla’ which means mountain. They also have the popular department stores and supermarkets you find in other major cities like Seoul and Busan, but with prices surprisingly a little cheaper. So think Korea at a good price and value for money.

Jeju boasts of four distinct UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cutural Organization) designations: World Natural Heritage Site and one of the few in the world with the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Global Geopark and Intangible Cultural Heritage. How can a province do this? A lot of political will is the answer. Jeju is bigger than Seoul and Busan, three times the size of Singapore yet only lists 600,000 people as its population. There, indeed, is a lot of room to breathe and take in Nature. The different sections can be reached by car in two hours (one end of the island to another, for example) but there are so many tourist places, you will need a day or two to go and visit the main attractions.

That is exactly how we planned to explore the eastern side and the southwestern side. Allocate two days for being a simple tourist and leave a day or two to explore the city. And on all days, discover local fare – pork barbecue, of course, and different kinds of side dishes called ban chan. These appetizers and palate cleansers can range from steamed vegetables to preserved kimchi and sometimes also served with a potato salad, steamed egg and seaweed soup. If you do not eat much pork and skip the meat choices, try the stewed kimchi with mackerel. Every restaurant has their daily offer of ban chan and with the vegetable choices, the possibilities are endless. If you crave for fish, Jeju boasts of two fish choices – the red tilefish or okdom which we had plainly grilled and the hairtail or cutlassfish called galchi, about a meter long which is similar to our espada or swordfish.

I have to share a new discovery, a Jeju specialty which is like a bubbling anchovy sauce served with the barbecue pork slices. You dip the grilled pork in this sauce, which is a cross between patis and bagoong balayan. It also has garlic and chili and some say mixed with some soju (Korean wine). Whatever the house recipe is, it complements the grilled black pork freshly-cut (with scissors) into dainty pieces which makes it so easy to eat, with fresh lettuce leaves, pickled radish slices and shredded green onions. Another extra feature of the black pork set meal is how the fat drips onto kimchi on the barbecue pan (one restaurant had a closed pan for the grill, instead of a grate), now drenched in liquid pork fat. The taste is glorious and worth coming back for. So that is another lesson to remember: grilling can be done on a closed pan.

I went around the fish sauce section of the biggest supermarket to find this sauce to bring home but realized every restaurant had their house version. Nothing compares to eating it in Jeju itself. Further, they have a street called ‘Black Pork Street’ where each restaurant serves only this Jeju specialty – black pig or its meat, black pork.

Another indulgence I did not expect to have is abalone. Women divers, now famous as they have become a tourist attraction, dive in shallow waters without scuba gear and harvest these mollusks for their livelihood. These free divers called haenyeo can go to depths of 10-20 meters without oxygen tanks to harvest abalone, sea urchins and octopus. They, however, come up every two to three minutes to catch some air and then go down again. Most if not all are over 60 years old and sadly, none of their children have followed suit. So this special occupation will soon disappear as one of Jeju’s interesting tourist attractions.

The abalone, which is quite a pricey seafood, can be had in Jeju for a song. I had porridge with abalone, bibimbap with abalone and many soups and hot pots come with an assortment of seafood that includes this specialty. You can say I had my fill of the various fish and shell fish while in Jeju. To balance your caloric intake, you can have grilled pork at lunch and fish for dinner.

For snacks one can have their fill of fruits from the Dongmun market. Jeju takes pride in growing Hallabong and Cheonghyehyang oranges, mangoes and all kinds of berries, too.

The tour we took also brought us to fields of green tea run by the O’sulloc tea company and a tea museum where you will need to stop yourself from buying everything – there is matcha tea, green tea and many other products for health and beauty.

What I enjoyed is being able to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits and meat which are mostly probiotic, healthy and offers a balanced meal at all times. Even when we were told we would have a vegetarian buffet, there was cutlass fish and boiled pork for the non-vegetarians.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a new destination in Jeju. It is visa-free for Filipinos, though the effort is in connecting flights as there is no direct flight to the island from Manila. Other than that minor drawback, it remains a beautiful option for those who love Nature, Korean food and everything natural and eco-friendly.