Category: Philippine Star

Improving nutrition is no longer just about encouraging healthier choices-it is about making those choices easier, more accessible and more practical for Filipino families.

Addressing the Philippines’ ongoing nutrition challenges requires removing the barriers families often face, ranging from nutrition literacy and affordability to physical accessibility.

Turning dialogue into action

With the understanding that creating healthier food systems requires more than product innovation, Monde Nissin convened leaders from nutrition, community development and the industry for “The Better Food Conversation: Nourishment on Every Filipino Plate.”

The event featured an expert panel with Dr. Clarissa Juanico, president of the Philippine Stakeholders for Nutrition and Dietetics; Cloyd Masaudling, executive director of Aguhon Movement for Governance; Jo Sebastian, registered nutritionist-dietitian and content creator; and Atty. Olive Misa, head of Corporate and Government Affairs at Monde Nissin Corporation.

Attending the event were notable stakeholders from the Philippine food and nutrition sector, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), Philippine Association of Nutrition, Philippine Stakeholders for Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutritionist Dietitians’ Association of the Philippines Foundation, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network, University of the Philippines Los Baños, and many more who share a common vision for improved nutrition in the country.

The discussion explored the realities shaping food choices among Filipino families and reinforced the importance of evidence-based nutrition communication.

Panelists agreed that creating healthier food environments requires sustained efforts across government, food and nutrition experts, communities, academia and the private sector, positioning the initiative as an open platform to encourage dialogue, strengthen partnerships and inspire practical solutions.

“Better nutrition is not only about knowing what to eat. It is also about whether families can afford the food, find it where they usually shop, and understand how it can fit into their everyday meals,” said Kevin Carpio, nutrition advocacy manager of Monde Nissin.

“When every sector works together, we can create environments where healthier choices are not only available but also accessible and achievable for everyone,” added Dr. Clarissa Juanico, president of the Philippine Stakeholders for Nutrition and Dietetics.

Registered nutritionist-dietitian Jo Sebastian emphasized the importance of helping people feel secure and empowered in their food choices.

“We need to focus on making additions rather than restrictions. Something as simple as adding cabbage and an egg to instant noodles can make a difference. These small additions matter because they can help us get the nutrition we need without making healthy eating feel impossible.”

A long-term commitment to better foodAt the event, Monde Nissin launched its response to the nutrition challenge: Better Food Forward (BFF), an advocacy that brings together science, product innovation, nutrition education, and multi-sector partnerships to help bring better food within reach of Filipino families.

Built on three interconnected pillars-Products, Programs and Partnerships-Better Food Forward strengthens Monde Nissin’s efforts to continuously improve the nutritional quality of its portfolio, empower consumers through practical nutrition education, and foster partnerships that support healthier food environments.

Carpio emphasized that BFF represents Monde Nissin’s long-term commitment to helping improve nutrition through measurable action, recognizing that no single organization can solve the country’s nutrition challenges alone.

As part of this commitment, Monde Nissin shared the progress it has already made across its portfolio. Today, 73% of the company’s revenue comes from fortified products, 32% of its products have reduced sodium, and 100% of its portfolio is free from trans fats.

In 2025 alone, Monde Nissin products delivered 2 billion servings of Vitamin A, 3 billion servings of iron, and 542 million servings of Vitamin C to Filipino consumers.

The company also introduced the Monde Nissin Nutrition Criteria, a science-based internal tool that guides product innovation and renovation while supporting its ambition to expand its portfolio of healthier products by 2030.

Current initiatives include sodium reduction across selected products, proprietary air-fried noodle technology that lowers fat and calories, and continued food fortification to address key nutrient gaps among Filipino consumers.

For Monde Nissin, Better Food Forward is designed to evolve through science, innovation, and continuous engagement with stakeholders as a long-term advocacy rather than a one-time initiative.

“Today’s launch is not the end point. It is an invitation to continue the conversation and identify where our respective expertise, reach, and capabilities can complement one another. We hope to work alongside partners to shape priorities, co-create practical nutrition solutions, and develop credible ways to measure progress together,” stated Rico Gonzales, Monde Nissin’s chief business officer.

He added that at the heart of this journey is one simple belief: better food should always be within reach, not just for some, but for every family.

As Better Food Forward begins its journey, Monde Nissin aims to deepen collaboration across sectors to make nourishing food choices more accessible and easier to adopt for every Filipino family.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued cease and desist orders against investment firms for violating laws against unauthorized solicitation from the public.

The SEC yesterday said it has ordered Nego Food Solution Corp. and Uptrade Alliance to stop their respective businesses that lure unsuspecting investors looking for guaranteed returns.

The SEC, through its Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (EIPD), also ordered both parties to stop moving any funds in the deposit accounts used for their investment schemes.

According to EIPD’s investigation, both Nego Food Solution and Uptrade Alliance were selling unregistered securities in the form of investment contracts to the public. Uptrade Alliance is also operating without any registration with the SEC as a corporation or partnership.

Uptrade Alliance deceives investors into placing amounts between P300 and P1,000. The investors are promised a guaranteed return of 12 percent in five days and 60 percent in 15 days.

The seller of unauthorized securities also offers referral commissions of up to five percent based on the capital placed by individuals referred by an investor.

The EIPD also found out that Uptrade Alliance is running an online platform that handles crypto trading activities, also without authority.

Nego Food Solution, on the other hand, sells co-ownership deals on food outlets in exchange for P849,000, promising quarterly income to investors.

The SEC issued the cease and desist orders against Nego Food Solution and Uptrade Alliance in violation of the Securities Regulation Code. Under Section 8 of the law, it is prohibited to sell or distribute securities without proper registration filed with the SEC.

Likewise, Section 28 requires all persons engaged in buying or selling securities to register with the SEC. They have to be a broker, dealer or salesperson to transact securities.

Further, the order against Nego Food Solution covers certain individuals named Noel Andres, Mark Marquez and Jocelyn Manzanero.

The SEC also said the investment schemes developed by the two parties count as fraudulent acts punishable under the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act.

Malacañang explained on Wednesday, September 16, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. set politics aside in appointing Rey Joseph ‘RJ’ Nieto, a former supporter of the Dutertes, to a Cabinet position.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press briefing that Marcos looked beyond Nieto’s past affiliation with the Dutertes in assigning him a role directly under the Office of the President.

‘Even before, sinabi po natin na ang pangulo po ay hindi tumitingin sa kulay,’ Castro said. (Even before, we have said that the president does not look at political colors.)

The former pro-Duterte vlogger behind the deactivated Thinking Pinoy blog was appointed assistant secretary at the Office of the Cabinet Secretary earlier Wednesday.

Castro said Marcos can appoint anyone to the government as long as such a person will serve the public first and not the people they previously supported.

‘Kung kayo po ay makikitang magiging asset sa gobyerno para mas maging maganda ang serbisyo ng isang ahensya, hindi po mag-aatubili ang pangulo na kayo ay kunin,’ Castro said. ‘Provided na ang puso po ninyo kahit ano ang inyong kulay dapat ay sa taong bayan at sa bansa, hindi sa isang tao o sa isang dati niyong tinataguyod.’

(If you are seen as an asset to the government to improve the service of an agency, the president will not hesitate to bring you on board. Provided that your heart, regardless of your political colors, is for the people and the country, not for one individual you previously supported.)

Castro had not disclosed the specific tasks that come with Nieto’s role yet, but noted that he will most likely be involved in delivering services to Filipinos in far-flung areas.

‘Definitely alam naman natin kung anong pinakatrabaho ng CabSec. Ito ay para mas maabot ‘yung ating mga kababayan sa mas pinakasulok pa na parte ng Pilipinas,’ Castro said.

(We definitely know what the job of the CabSec is. That is to reach our fellow countrymen from the most remote areas in the Philippines.)

Miguel Tabuena and Carl Corpus boost their build-up for the Asian Games as they lead a strong Philippine challenge in the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship, which gets under way Thursday, Septembe 17, at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei.

Tabuena, coming off a season-long campaign on LIV Golf, and Corpus, who replaced fellow PGA Tour campaigner Rico Hoey on the Philippine Asiad roster, are using the $1.2-million championship and next week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters as their final competitive tune-up for the Asian Games.

The Asiad golf competitions will run from September 30 to October 3 at the Kasugai Country Club’s East Course in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Justin delos Santos, the third member of the Philippine men’s golf team, will also be in action over the next two weeks, competing on the Japan Golf Tour as he fine-tunes his game for the continental showcase.

Tabuena and Corpus will face a strong international cast in the Yeangder, the 10th leg of this year’s Asian Tour and the first of two consecutive Asian Tour events being staged in Taiwan.

The Mercuries Taiwan Masters, also offering a $1.2-million purse, follows September 24-27 at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.

Also carrying winning form into the 72-hole Yeangder championship is Angelo Que, who heads into the event brimming with confidence after capturing his 21st career title in the ICTSI Summit Point Championship in Batangas last week.

Que’s victory came against a field featuring several of the Philippine local tour’s leading young guns and seasoned campaigners, further underscoring the veteran’s sharp form heading into the Asian Tour stop.

The Philippines will also be represented by Justin Quiban and Aidric Chan, giving the country a deep five-man contingent in the tournament.

They will test themselves against a quality international field that includes Chinese Taipei aces Chie-Po Lee and Wei Hsuan Wang; Japan’s defending champion Kazuki Higa; Americans Peter Uihlein and Sihwan Kim; Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond; Australia’s Travis Smyth; and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho.

With the Asian Games only two weeks away, the Yeangder provides Tabuena and Corpus with another opportunity to sharpen their competitive edge against a strong Asian Tour field, while Que and the rest of the Philippine contingent look to make their mark in one of the region’s premier events.

Tears to cheers.

That was what the Philippine Blu Girls are hoping for as they shoot for a breakthrough Asian Games medal when women’s softball action unfurls on September 26 at the Anjo Sports Park in Aichi, Japan.

‘This Asian Games, we’re promising our tears in the past editions would turn into happy tears this time,’ vowed national team captain Charlotte Sales after their solid performance in the World Cup in Lima, Peru two months ago.

Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines President Jean Henri Lhuillier has high hopes for the squad.

‘The Blu Girls have consistently shown they have the talent, discipline, and heart to compete with the best in the world,’ said Lhuillier. ‘We have seen how much this team has grown through every international competition, and I am confident that they will carry that same fighting spirit in Aichi-Nagoya.’

‘We are behind them all the way as they pursue a historic medal for the Philippines,’ he added.

The Philippines launches its bid versus World No. 1 Japan on September 26; four-time Asiad silver winner Chinese Taipei the next day; South Korea September 28; Thailand September 29; Singapore September 30 and Hong Kong October 1.

The top two nations after the single-round robin elimination will surge through the gold medal round while the third and fourth battle it out for the bronze.

The Blu Girls came close to earning a historic podium finish in the quadrennial event in the last three editions when they made it to the battle for bronze but faltered and settled for fourth place each time.

There is a big chance that their time will come in Aichi.

Gazini Ganados continues to appeal for help in bringing her Palestinian father and his family out of Gaza, months after she first made a public call for assistance.

The Miss Universe Philippines 2019 titleholder and actress reiterated her plea in an interview with Arab News journalist Baker Atyani published Tuesday, September 15.

Gazini said she has struggled to communicate with her father Ghassan, who is a dentist, since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023.

According to Gazini, her father’s dental clinic was destroyed amid the conflict, while basic necessities, such as water and electricity, have also become difficult to access.

‘Water was cut off, electricity’s cut off. Everything, their livelihood, is destroyed,’ Gazini told Arab News.

‘And what else is there? Even their dreams and hopes are shattered every single day,’ she added.

Gazini acknowledged that helping her father and his family leave Gaza has been difficult, as their evacuation requires coordination and approvals from several governments and diplomatic offices.

‘It has to undergo a lot of interventions and approvals from the government of the Philippines, and the Egypt and Palestine Embassy. It’s very draining to think about,’ she said.

‘But these things that I’m going through are nothing compared to what they’re going through,’ she added.

Gazini said she remains determined to help her family despite the challenges.

‘I’m willing to wait until the end of my breath,’ she said.

The beauty queen also revealed that she lost some endorsement opportunities because of her advocacy for Palestine and her decision to speak publicly about the ongoing violence.

Gazini previously made her appeal for her father and his family during her participation in the Miss Grand International All Stars in May 2026.

Her connection with her Palestinian father has also been a long and complicated journey.

Gazini had not seen her father for years before they were eventually reunited in the Philippines.

She first learned how to communicate with him after her father saw an interview she gave on television following her victory at Miss Universe Philippines in 2019.

During the interview, Gazini showed a photograph of her father and her Filipina mother when they were still together. Her father later used the photo as a way to reach out to her.

The father and daughter finally met in person when he returned to the Philippines in January 2020.

Since then, Gazini has continued to speak about her Palestinian roots and her efforts to help her father and his family amid the conflict in Gaza.

Some 700 Moro villagers evacuated to safe areas after two rival partisan groups clashed in a politically troubled barangay in Nabalawag town in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area in Cotabato province on Wednesday morning, September 16.

Local officials and traditional Moro datus told reporters at noon Wednesday that the two groups traded shots in Sitio Bentad in Barangay Olandang in Nabalawag using assault rifles and had supported rival candidates during the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Monday.

Captain Steffie Salanguit, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters that a policeman in a team dispatched to investigate the incident was wounded in the ensuing crossfire.

Patrolman Alfadz Umal of PRO-BAR’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14 sustained a bullet wound in his right leg. He was immediately brought by his companions to a hospital for treatment.

The barangays covered by the newly established Nabalawag municipality in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area originally belonged to Midsayap town in Cotabato, a component province of Administrative Region 12.

Local executives in Midsayap and officials of the Cotabato Provincial Police Office told reporters the hostilities in Sitio Bentad in Barangay Olandang forced no fewer than 700 Moro villagers to evacuate to faraway barangays, fearing an escalation of the election-related hostilities.

We first learned about the maritime disaster involving MV June Aster from friends and relatives in the Netherlands aka Holland. The news of the fire on board MV June Aster and the multiple deaths that resulted apparently broke and spread all over Europe and the world.

It is important to remember that many Filipino seafarers are based in the Netherlands, particularly in Rotterdam, while many of the vessels they man also berth in the port of Scheveningen in The Hague, which is where the ICC prison and president Rodrigo Duterte is currently located.

Our kin in Holland all remember that seven years of our lives were spent in Northern Palawan, where I worked as the project manager during the construction of Club Paradise, now known as Discovery Paradise.

From there, I built a small bed and breakfast on a rocky point looking out to sea. It was during that time that Mt. Pinatubo erupted and no planes could fly in or out, and the only way back to Manila was on board a batil or wooden cargo ship reminiscent of Noah’s Ark.

I shuddered while reading the news of so many dead and missing on MV June Aster as I remembered that my wife Karen had once taken a wooden boat back to Manila right after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. Looking back, I would not let her do it again.

The MV June Aster disaster is another terrifying reminder that maritime regulation and management in the Philippines does not meet the required level of safety and competence.

There are many Coast Guard personnel who count heads, check for life jackets, illegal contraband and over-loading. But beyond that we have few trained professional maritime experts who can rule on whether a ship is fit to sail.

To be fair, it becomes difficult to follow strict international standards of safety and eligibility to sail if most of the inter-island ships in the Philippines are second hand or third hand vessels no longer allowed to operate in their original home ports.

Engine and electrical fires have been cited as causes of past maritime incidents attributed to poor maintenance, which in turn can be attributed to the poor state of a ship’s engine room.

On land, we call dilapidated deadly cars and buses ‘coffins on wheels.’ Out at sea, the equivalent in terms of ships is ‘floating incinerators and cemeteries’ because the number of injured or casualties is almost always high.

There is also the ‘no choice’ reality on certain routes where the passenger and cargo load is so low or so cheap that operators will bring on anything and anybody just to make a profit. Last but not least, there is no turning away desperate passengers wishing to come on board.

So what solutions are there? In my view, inter-island ferry should be a national concern and a shared obligation between the national government and the provinces or LGUs being serviced and the private sector.

Inter-island shipping remains limited or stagnant because there are no serious investments, incentives and competition. Except for one or two big corporate investors, many inter-island ferry operators are small to medium businesses which have limited funds.

Unlike mega corporations that can bid, build and operate highways and expressways, the acquisition, operation and management of inter-island boats are expensive, tedious, not to mention weather dependent. Like resorts and tourist spots, their business is also seasonal.

One option is for the Philippine government to undertake a ‘government-to-government’ procurement of new or slightly used ships. At this level, brokers and middlemen are automatically removed.

From there, the ships can enter the Philippines tax exempt as government acquisition for public use. Each ship can then be made available to bidders/operators under a partnership agreement, where the government offers the boats as well as income tax exemption for the operator.

The government in return can split or do a 70/30 share with operators. The goal is not necessarily profit, although that would be ideal, but to establish an improved, safe and modernized inter-island shipping industry.

Alongside the acquisition and operation of the vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard or maritime authorities can slowly train or send potential regulators to study rules and systems abroad so that the industry can be monitored by genuinely trained government personnel.

Speaking of training, it may be time for training and certification of maritime crew similar to the licensing of commercial truck drivers abroad and aircraft personnel. One of our readers Margarita S wrote:

‘I hope you will write about safety in inter-island trips. I took a Fastcraft from Tagbilaran, Bohol to Cebu City last April 14 and again last Aug. 26, 2026. I noticed that unlike in airplanes, where the stewards/stewardesses demonstrate what to do in case of an emergency, including how to wear the life vest, in my two trips, there was no such demonstration. I believe this should be made mandatory before it sails to give instructions on how to wear the life vest and how to go about towards the exit.’

Recalling some of the trips I’ve taken on inter-island vessels usually overnight, I now wonder if the emergency exit is clearly marked ‘in the unlikely event that the captain declares abandon ship’ or if I could find my life jacket in a panic. Yes, the crew really needs to instruct passengers well because our lives depend on it.

Former pro-Duterte vlogger Rey Joseph ‘RJ’ Nieto, who was behind the now-unpublished Thinking Pinoy blog, has been appointed assistant secretary at the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

In a letter dated Sept. 1, 2026, Marcos said Nieto may qualify and perform the duties of the office upon furnishing the Office of the President and the Civil Service Commission with copies of his oath of office.

Nieto confirmed his appointment in a Facebook post, where he shared his appointment letter and said he had yet to take his oath of office.

“There are still a few formalities to complete before I begin work,” Nieto said.

He said Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos would decide his exact portfolio, adding that the Cabinet Secretary’s office monitors whether government programs are being properly implemented and whether services are reaching the public.

Nieto said he is unlikely to work in communications, describing the position as not a spokesperson role.

“From what I understand, much of the work will be closer to my academic training. That suits me. Mahal ang Botox, kaya bawal ma-stress unnecessarily,” he said.

Nieto became known for his Thinking Pinoy blog, which he started in 2015 and used to publish political commentary.

In October 2018, Nieto pleaded not guilty before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 111 to a libel complaint filed by then-Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Trillanes accused Nieto of libel over a social media post claiming that then-US President Donald Trump had called Trillanes a ‘narco,’ or drug lord.

Nieto was eventually acquitted in the case in June 2021.

In a separate case, blogger Jover Laurio, who ran Pinoy Ako Blog, filed a complaint against Nieto in 2018 over the publication of her personal information, including her full name, user credentials and law school.

The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 132 later ruled in Laurio’s favor in the data privacy case. Nieto was ordered to pay P300,000 in damages and P50,000 in attorney’s fees and litigation expenses for violating the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Nieto previously served as a part-time instructor at Bulacan State University and a columnist for Manila Bulletin.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with first-class honors from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in June 2026. He is also pursuing a part-time MSc in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy at University College London.

“I spent the past years studying mathematics in the University of Bristol. That training taught me to look carefully at evidence, systems and complex problems. Sana magamit ko iyon sa trabaho,” Nieto said.

(I spent the past years studying mathematics in the University of Bristol. That training taught me to look carefully at evidence, systems and complex problems. I hope I can use that in my work.)

He also acknowledged that he still has much to learn, saying, ‘government is not a classroom.’

“Marami pa rin akong kailangang matutunan,” he said.

(I still have a lot to learn.)

Divine Adili’s parents have long wanted to watch their son play in a UAAP game.

On Wednesday afternoon, they were able to see the Ateneo Blue Eagles in action, but under different circumstances.

Exactly 100 days since the tragic team building that killed Adili and Rene Baterbonia, the foreign student-athletes’ parents, Ifeoma and Elias, were in attendance at the Mall of Asia Arena to watch Ateneo.

On Wednesday, the Blue Eagles, with ‘DA | BR’ patches on their jerseys, swooped down on the University of the East Red Warriors in dominant fashion, 101-74.

‘I’m delighted to be here, but I wish I am watching my son. But I really appreciate what I see because I know that my son is there. Divine and Rene, they are there. They might be invisible, but I know my son is there,’ an emotional Ifeoma told reporters.

‘But I wish to come to the Philippines to watch my son play because that’s what I’ve been desiring. And I know my son desired that, to bring us to the Philippines to come and watch him live, though we have been watching every one of his games,’ he added.

Adili first suited up for Ateneo in the UAAP last season. It turned out to be his only year in the collegiate league.

‘We have been watching every [one] of his games since he came to the Philippines, and he desired to bring us here. But it’s unfortunate that we come to the Philippines to watch other of his [teammates] without him. But it’s fine. It’s good. God knows the best.’

As expected, the Adilis bared that the past 100 days have been tough for them.

‘Honestly, to be honest with you, it has not been easy. I tried to move on. But honestly, it has not been easy for me. Even as I entered the Philippines, the moment I stepped in at the airport, I felt so emotional. And I prayed to God to always, since three days that we have been in the Philippines, I have been praying that God should give me the heart,’ Ifeoma said.

‘But I don’t want to cry. But unfortunately today, the moment I stepped into the [arena,] I saw myself crying. But it’s fine.’

Elias also had a poignant response.

‘Since the 18th of June, the date of the incident, I can tell you that men do cry. But their tears flow into their hearts. It flows into their hearts. And that’s why we die early. But I thank God for sustaining me up to this moment,’ he said.

‘If you see tears in my eyes, it’s another flow of the tears in my heart. So we have to live with it. There’s nothing we can do. We can’t bring him back. We have cried, we have shed tears, we have complained. But there’s nothing we can do.’

Elias and Ifeoma arrived in the Philippines earlier this week. But they went to the country not just to watch the UAAP, but also to know the truth that will ‘set us free.’

‘We talked to the teammates. Because they are the ones that will tell us what happened, because they were present at the place of scene. So they explained everything,’ Elias said.

‘That’s where we saw clips. Clips from some people. How the two escaped, how the two saved their own lives, how Divine and Rene couldn’t make it. And we heard from them. That was our purpose of coming. To see the team. To talk with them. To tell us the truth.’

And while they have heard from his son’s teammates, Ifeoma bared that former Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin spoke to them ‘very late.’

‘We talked with the coach that took them to that place. But honestly, to be honest with you, I don’t know about my husband, I’m talking about myself. He spoke to us very late. About four days after the incident, which is not proper,’ she said.

‘I am not okay with that. But to be honest with you. Since then, we’ve not heard from him. And, it’s okay, it’s okay. It’s okay.’

Elias said that Baldwin apologized to them for what happened.

Ateneo earlier said they are dedicating this season to Baterbonia and Adili.

With rookie star Kieffer Alas leading the way, they had an explosive debut in the UAAP over the Red Warriors.

Ateneo will take on University of the Philippines on Saturday.