Category: Philippine Star

The world’s top pickleball player underscored the importance of health, driving the key message as her sport continues its meteoric rise in the Philippines.

World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters attributes her on-court success to a combination of hard work and a maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“Everything I do on and off the court comes down to focus, discipline and performing at my best,’ said Waters, who has been unveiled as the latest sports brand ambassador for health and wellness firm IAM Worldwide.

‘You cannot achieve true success without taking care of your health first,’ she added.

Sweeping across continents from North America to Asia, the paddle sport has transcended casual recreational play to become a full-blown global cultural phenomenon.

Across Metro Manila, the sport’s accessible, fast-paced, and highly social nature has ignited a nationwide obsession. With dedicated complexes opening nationwide and thousands of local “picklers” joining the movement, the sport is capturing the hearts of active Filipinos across every generation.

This pickleball boom has led IAM Worldwide to strike a partnership with Waters, noting their ‘shared standard of excellence and an unyielding commitment to purpose.’

“Partnering with IAM Worldwide felt entirely natural for me,” said Waters, who, as the face of the brand’s athletic push, will officially champion the firm’s organic barley gummies offering.

For its part, the health and wellness firm said Waters is a perfect fit for their brand.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Anna Leigh Waters to the IAM Worldwide family,” IAM Worldwide said in a statement. “Anna Leigh represents the absolute pinnacle of dedication, athletic achievement, and integrity. Her mindset perfectly mirrors our belief that real success is built on a foundation of health and intentional purpose. Having her represent our flagship barley line of products will inspire young athletes to prioritize their physical well-being as they chase their dreams.”

Motorists and drivers of public utility vehicles are about to face higher costs of petroleum products this week starting Tuesday, September 15.

This is after the Department of Energy announced the following upward price adjustments on Monday, September 14:

Diesel: up by P4.31 per liter

Kerosene: up by P4.62 per liter

Gasoline: up by P5.68 per liter

The price increase will remain valid until Monday next week, September 21.

The energy department has earlier said that continuing conflicts in the Middle East, the intensified tensions between the United States and Iran affecting the operations in Hormuz Strait, and the recent Red Sea attacks have contributed to the rising global oil prices, and affected local pump price costs.

Here are the estimated new prices of local oil and fuel products for September 15 to 21:

Nigerian student-athlete Divine Adili’s parents have arrived in the Philippines, months after he and Rene Baterbonia drowned in Aurora, the Ateneo de Manila University said.

Adili’s parents will visit Ateneo, meet with the men’s basketball team and watch the Blue Eagles’ first two games in UAAP Season 89.

‘As the team begins a season dedicated to the memory of Adili and Baterbonia, we are grateful that Divine’s parents can be here with the teammates, friends and community who shared an important part of his life,’ Ateneo said.

Adili and Baterbonia drowned on June 8 during a training camp in Dipaculao, Aurora.

Ateneo and former Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin must pay over P4.9 million for violating work permit rules, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.

Charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide have been recommended by the National Bureau of Investigation against Baldwin, six assistant coaches and a physical therapist.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) said it is standing firmly behind Alex Eala as the Filipina tennis superstar faces possible sanctions from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for choosing to represent her country in the 20th Asian Games in Japan than play in the China Open.

‘Para sa bayan ito at malinaw ito sa isip at puso ni Alex,’ said PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio Tuesday.

Eala, World No. 18 and the current craze in women’s tennis, has decided to play in the Asian Games and shoot for the coveted gold after bringing home a bronze medal from the the Hangzhou Asiad in 2023.

While competing in WTA events remains a priority, the opportunity to give the Philippines its first Asian Games gold in tennis since Johnny Jose ruled the men’s singles in 1962 in Jakarta is also part of Eala’s dreams.

‘That is why we admire and support her 100 percent. Alex is the epitome of a world-class Filipino athlete. Atin po itong tularan. Para sa bayan, laging lalaban,’ added Gregorio.

The WTA, however, has announced that Eala faces a fine of $10,000 if she skips the star-studded China Open, a mandatory WTA 1000 event for women and ATP 500 tournament for men.

Tennis competitions in the Asian Games fire off on September 27 with Eala as one of the heavy favorites while the China Open kicks off on September 30 with Jannik Sinner of Italy and Amanda Anisimova of the United States as the reigning champions.

Eala is now facing a monetary fine by not participating in the China Open. But her handlers have filed an appeal for exemption from the China Open and are hoping for the best so she could focus on her Asian Games campaign.

A report said Indonesia’s Janice Tjen of Indonesia, also a pre-tournament favorite, has pulled out of the Asian Games after the WTA denied her bid for an exemption from the China Open.

Gregorio said the government sports agency is heeding the call of Senators Bong Go and Erwin Tulfo to support Eala and ensure a positive outcome.

‘The PSC is in close coordination and communication with Philippine Oympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino and PHILTA (Philippine Tennis Association) Secretary-General and Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco. They have informed me that the official request (for exemption) has already been submitted to the WTA,’ added Gregorio.

‘Rest assured of the PSC’s all-out support. We will continue to assist Alex, PHILTA, and the POC in every way we can,’ he said.

The PSC has gotten in touch with Tulfo’s office and extended its appreciation of the senator’s ‘concern and support’ for Eala, whose rise to tennis stardom over the past year or two has caught the fancy and admiration of Filipinos around the world.

The PSC also assured Go, chairman of the Senate committee on sports and a staunch supporter of Filipino athletes from all sports, that it is coordinating closely with PHILTA and the POC as Eala’s appeal before the WTA is ‘undergoing the proper procedure.’

‘We pray she is granted consideration despite the consequences prescribed in standard rules. Alex Eala’s heart and love for the country is golden,’ Gregorio added.

“I join the Philippine Tennis Association in respectfully appealing to the WTA to consider the exceptional circumstances of Alex’s case and grant her the requested exemption from any penalty or sanction,” said Go in a report by ABS-CBN.

“The Asian Games is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and forms part of the Olympic movement. Our athletes compete in these Games not merely as individuals, but as representatives of their respective countries. Sa palagay ko po, hindi dapat maparusahan ang isang atleta dahil pinili niyang katawanin ang ating bandila at bansa,” Go said.

“We appreciate Senator Bong Go’s support for Alex and PHILTA’s appeal to the WTA,” Tiangco said. ‘Alex has made her decision to represent the Philippines at the Asian Games, and we fully support her.’

“We hope the WTA recognizes the exceptional circumstance of an athlete choosing to compete for her country. Representing the flag should be supported and celebrated,’ he added.

“Kung pagmumultahin siya dahil pinili niyang kumatawan sa ating bayan, hindi ba nararapat lamang na magpaabot ng tulong o suporta ang gobyerno sa kanya? Ten thousand dollars may be a significant amount, but compared to the honor of having one of our best athletes represent our country, I believe it is a price worth paying for,” Tulfo said in the ABS-CBN report.

“Kaya hinihikayat ko po ang Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, at iba pang concerned government agencies na humanap agad ng legal at maayos na paraan upang matulungan ang ating kampeyon na si Alex,” he added.

‘Para sa bayan ito,’ Gregorio stressed

The captain of MV June Aster, missing since a fire tore through the ferry off Coron, Palawan and killed 76 people, showed up at the shipping company’s office on Monday, September 14.

This was confirmed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in a statement issued Tuesday, September 15, where it also said it now plans to gather more details from him about the fire that blazed MV June Aster and his whereabouts after the incident.

Capt. Roel Sarmiento went on his own to the Palawan office of Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., the vessel’s operator, on September 14, the PCG said Tuesday.

Dindo Macalinao, a human resources manager of the company, accompanied him.

PCG spokesperson Comm. Noemie Cayabyab said investigators will ask Sarmiento about “the circumstances surrounding the incident, including his whereabouts following the fire and what transpired before his appearance.”

With Sarmiento accounted for, the PCG now counts 44 survivors, 76 recovered dead and 12 missing among the 132 people aboard.

Search and retrieval operations are still ongoing for the 12 missing.

The ticket manifest listed 134, but two people later said they did not board the ferry.

Authorities have not determined what caused the fire, though survivors told investigators they heard explosions from the cargo hold before the flames spread.

The fire started in a cargo hold carrying an electric vehicle, motorcycles and a forklift.

The ferry had passed a pre-departure inspection in Manila and a Vessel Safety Enforcement Inspection in March.

The Maritime Industry Authority has opened its own probe into the incident.

The June Aster left Baseco port in Manila at 8:13 p.m. on September 8 and was due in Coron at 6 p.m. the next day. Fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. on September 9, about 2.2 kilometers northeast of Barangay Marcilla.

Smoke and heat kept responders off the ship for almost 40 hours, until the PCG declared the fire out on the morning of September 11.

Veteran journalist and newspaper publisher Eugenia Duran Apostol, a prominent figure in the fight for press freedom during the Martial Law era, died on Sunday, September 13. She was 100.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation described Apostol as a ‘fearless champion of truth and press freedom’ in a Facebook post announcing her death.

Apostol received the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts for her contributions to Philippine journalism.

The foundation described her as ‘a courageous Filipino journalist whose various writings and publications were instrumental in planting seeds of hunger for democratic rights during the Philippine Martial Law era.’

In 1981, Apostol became part of the so-called ‘mosquito press,’ a group of publications that carried reports and commentaries critical of the dictatorship of then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Following the assassination of former Sen. Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. in 1983, Apostol published a special edition of Mr. and Ms. that documented Aquino’s assassination and burial amid growing opposition to the Marcos administration.

Two years later, in 1985, Apostol, Betty Go-Belmonte and Max Soliven founded the Philippine Daily Inquirer as the country faced a deepening political crisis.

Apostol also served as an editor of The Manila Times and The Manila Chronicle.

She later founded Pinoy Times, a tabloid known for reporting allegations of corruption involving the administration of former President Joseph Estrada.

For her contributions to journalism and press freedom, Apostol received numerous honors. In 1999, the University of Santo Tomas recognized her with the Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Award for Media.

Apostol was born on September 29, 1925, in Sorsogon.

She graduated magna cum laude in 1949 with a Bachelor of Literature in Journalism degree from the former Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas.

As a student, she was also a writer and columnist for The Varsitarian, the university’s official student publication.

Apostol’s career spanned decades of Philippine history, with her work often reflecting her commitment to independent journalism and the defense of press freedom.

Following its efforts in August to make preventive healthcare more accessible, Watsons Philippines continues to bring free health services closer to Filipinos this September.

With many of the services continuing into the month, the initiative gives consumers more opportunities to make routine health checks part of their everyday lives, whether they are monitoring existing concerns, checking potential health risks, or simply staying informed about their overall well-being.

Customers can avail themselves of the following free health services at participating stores:

Cardiometabolic and Free Physician Consultation

Watsons Matalino PHC – September 21

Watsons SM Fairview – September 17

Free Iron Blood Test

SM Novaliches Mall 1 – September 18-20

SM San Lazaro Mall 1 – September 18-20

Nerve Screening

Eastwood 1800 – September 19-20

North EDSA The Block – September 19-20

Ever Gotesco Commonwealth – September 19-20

Forbeswood Parklane – September 19-20

SM City Fairview 1 – September 19-20

FBS and SUA Screening

SM San Jose del Monte Mall – September 17, 12-5 PM

Free Medical Consultation, Bone Screening and Anemia Screening

SM San Jose del Monte Mall – September 17, 12-5 PM

The services are designed to make basic health checks easier to access and incorporate into everyday routines. Whether it is getting a screening, speaking with a healthcare professional, or simply gaining a better understanding of certain health indicators, these small steps can help encourage a more proactive approach to personal wellness.

For many Filipinos, taking care of their health does not necessarily have to begin with a major lifestyle change. Sometimes, it can start with making time for a simple check and using the information gained from it to make more informed decisions about one’s health.

‘Taking care of your health is an ongoing commitment, and it doesn’t always have to involve a separate trip to a clinic or hospital. By continuing to offer free health services in our stores, we hope to make regular health checks easier to fit into everyday routines and encourage more Filipinos to stay informed, take action early and make their health a continuous priority,’ said Danilo S. Chiong, managing director of Watsons Philippines.

Through initiatives that bring health services closer to communities, Watsons continues to support Filipinos in making health and wellness a more regular part of everyday life. Beyond providing access to health, wellness and beauty products, Watsons remains committed to helping customers make informed choices through accessible services, expert guidance and health education.

The rain is pit-pattering as I write this piece from the third floor of a school in Lapu-Lapu City. Here I am, finding myself once again in this city but this time for another mission –to speak about crisis communication. The Andam Lapu-Lapu series, which I have been regularly a part of, teaches young children and people’s organizations on what to do before, during, and after a disaster. Communication might just be one of the most vital elements that one needs in case something happens.

I listen to the rain and remember the many times we were inundated in the past. In 2025, we weren’t spared from the typhoons that battered us in many ways. If it weren’t for a timely and organized way of presenting the information about Typhoon Tinio, my family and I wouldn’t have prepared for the worst. That is why we cannot just dismiss early warnings in any medium and platform.

Messaging becomes a very important part of disaster preparedness. It is not enough that information is released. It has to be clear, timely, accurate, and, most importantly, understood by the people who need it. During a crisis, there is little room for confusion. People need to know where to go, what to bring, what roads to avoid, whether they need to evacuate, and what they should do next. A message that is too technical, too long, or released too late can be almost as useless as no message at all.

This is why I always emphasize that crisis communication does not begin when a disaster strikes. It begins much earlier. We prepare the messages, identify the channels, know who will speak, and determine where people can get verified information. We practice before we need to communicate under pressure. Preparedness is not only the responsibility of government offices or emergency responders. It is also a household concern. Families should know where their important documents are, have emergency supplies ready, agree on where to meet, and make sure everyone knows what to do when communication lines are down. Communities, too, have a role in looking after the most vulnerable among them.

Perhaps, this is where resilience truly begins. Not when we are already standing in floodwaters, waiting for help, but when we still have the time and the opportunity to prepare. As the rain continues to fall outside this classroom, I am reminded that disasters will always be uncertain. We cannot always stop the rain, the wind, the earthquake, or the rising water. But we can decide how prepared we are when they come. We can listen, verify, and prepare. We can also share the right information with the people who need it.

When disaster comes, resilience is not simply about surviving the event. It is about having the knowledge, the systems, and the community support to recover and move forward. For now, the rain keeps falling. May it be a reminder that every message we send today helps someone prepare for whatever tomorrow may bring.

Prosecutors zoomed in on key documents on Tuesday, Sept. 15, showing that Vice President Sara Duterte’s declared net worth rose from P7.25 million in 2007 to P98.66 million in 2025.

The records also show she declared no cash on hand or in the bank from 2019 onward.

Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Ombudsman’s Central Records Division, read the figures from Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). On cross-examination, the defense had Batu confirm that SALN forms have no separate line for cash and no column for the acquisition cost of business interests. Batu also said her office does not verify the veracity of what officials declare.

Tuesday was the second day of evidence presentation under Article II, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth, making false SALN declarations and keeping her business interests as vice president.

Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero reiterated that SALNs filed before 2022 serve only as a baseline, since Duterte faces charges only for acts during her term.

Here are the three highlights from today’s proceedings.

1. Declared net worth rose; cash declarations stopped in 2019

Batu read Duterte’s declared net worth based on her own SALNs. It was P7.25 million in 2007, P65,04 million in 2021, her last filed SALN before becoming vice president, and P98.66 million in 2025.

Batu said Duterte declared cash on hand and in bank in her SALNs from 2007 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2018, in amounts from P2 million to about P6.37 million. She said the 2019 and 2020 SALNs declared none. “For SALNs 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, no cash on hand or in bank was declared,” Batu said.

Batu also read the business interests declared by Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio. The 2024 SALN lists 10, including Metro City Chow Foods Corp. and Gencorp Industries Inc., among others.

Asked who swore to the SALNs, Batu said, “The vice president herself.”

2. Escudero, defense cite gaps in SALN form

Counsel to the prosecution James Bryan Ibrahim Alih argued that Section 8 of Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, requires personal property, including stocks, to be declared with its acquisition cost. “It has to be itemized,” he said.

Under Escudero’s questioning, Batu confirmed that the SALN form has no space for the acquisition cost of business interests. “You’re correct in the law, but even if the official wanted to, where and how will he put it when we’re supposed to fill out a prescribed form?” Escudero asked Alih.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the missing values for the acquisition cost, could mean Duterte’s declared net worth is understated. “Without concluding anything, yes, it can be a possibility,” Alih said.

On cross-examination, defense lawyer Justin Nicol Gular had Batu confirm that the CSC’s 1994, 2013, 2015 and 2025 forms have no separate cash line and no business acquisition-cost column.

Asked about the 2025 rules, she said there was “no prohibition on lumping.” Alih noted that the 2013 guidelines allow collective declaration for personal properties collectively acquired or of minimal value.

Alih told Sen. Risa Hontiveros, “I do not recall any law that would specifically say that it has to be separate.”

Earlier, Batu told Sen. Joel Villanueva that in her own experience, cash was declared separately even before the 2025 rules.

3. Ombudsman does not review SALN contents; no record of Duterte’s 2013 exit SALN

Batu said her office, as repository, checks only that SALNs use the correct form and are signed, dated and paginated. “But the contents, your honor, we do not review,” she told Sen. Erwin Tulfo.

She said the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office has no access to submitted SALNs unless it requests them for an investigation.

On cross, Batu said she has “no personal knowledge on the listed personal properties” beyond what the SALNs state.

She agreed she is not competent to say whether Duterte’s SALNs are irregular. Escudero had ruled earlier that Batu was “not testifying as to the truth of the content stated therein.”

Batu said the Ombudsman has no record of Duterte’s 2013 and 2014 SALNs, as relayed to them by its Mindanao office. “For 2013, she has no exit SALN,” Batu said.

Escudero noted that Duterte’s term as Davao City mayor ended June 30, 2013.

Escudero said that as far as he knew, Duterte corrected her 2016 and 2019 SALNs by letter on minor matters. Batu said the Ombudsman’s records show only one amendment, to the 2025 SALN, filed in June.

The court will hold no trial tomorrow, September 16. It will instead hear retired Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban and Reynato Puno and retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna on the 16-vote conviction threshold. Retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. submitted a written memorandum.

Testimony from Gerardo del Rosario of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on companies linked to Duterte and Carpio was moved to September 21 and 22.

Batu said the SALNs presented in court were redacted to hide the names of Duterte’s minor children.

GCash has moved a step closer to the Philippine stock market after the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the proposed initial public offering of its parent company Mynt, which the company says could raise as much as P92.32 billion and become the country’s largest IPO (Initial Public Offering).

Mynt said the proposed offering, if fully subscribed at the maximum offer price, could become the largest initial public offering in Philippine history, marking a landmark listing for one of the country’s most prominent technology and financial services companies.

The SEC approval covers up to 1.61 billion primary common shares and 6.42 billion secondary shares, with an overallotment option of up to 1.20 billion shares, according to Mynt. The maximum offer price is P10 a share.

At the maximum offer size, the transaction would have a potential value of about P92.32 billion, based on the company’s proposed share offering.

Mynt expects to raise approximately P14.95 billion in net proceeds from the primary offering, which it plans to use to expand its digital financial services, develop products and fund general corporate requirements, the company said.

The proposed offering would give Mynt an estimated initial market capitalization of about P668.96 billion, according to the company.

A landmark deal for Philippine fintech

If completed at its maximum size, the IPO would, according to Mynt, surpass previous Philippine IPOs in terms of offer value.

The claim puts the proposed flotation in a different league from most recent listings on the Philippine Stock Exchange and highlights the growing scale of the country’s technology and financial-services sector.

The deal would also bring one of the Philippines’ most recognizable consumer technology brands into the public market, potentially giving investors direct exposure to the expansion of digital financial services in the country.

Mynt’s proposed listing comes as GCash has evolved from a mobile wallet into a broader financial platform offering payments, savings, credit, insurance, investments and other services.

Through its operating companies, G-Xchange Inc. and Fuse Financing Inc., Mynt has expanded beyond digital payments into a wider range of financial products.

The company’s growth reflects the increasing adoption of digital financial services in the Philippines, where consumers and businesses are shifting more transactions towards mobile platforms.

Testing investor appetite

The proposed IPO would also provide a closely watched test of investor appetite for large technology-driven companies in the Philippine capital market.

GCash’s familiarity among consumers could give the offering unusually high visibility among retail investors, potentially bringing more first-time investors into the IPO market.

But a widely used consumer platform does not in itself establish an investment case. Investors will need to assess Mynt’s valuation, financial performance, growth prospects and risks based on the company’s formal disclosures and IPO prospectus.

The SEC approval is a regulatory milestone and does not constitute a recommendation to invest in the offering, Mynt said.

The transaction also comes after changes to the SEC’s public-float rules. Under the updated framework, companies with exceptionally large market capitalization may qualify for a minimum initial public float of 12 percent.

That provision could allow large companies such as Mynt to access the public market while selling a relatively smaller proportion of their equity than would otherwise be required.

Listing targeted for October

Mynt is targeting an IPO offer period from October 6 to 12, 2026, followed by a listing on the Philippine Stock Exchange Main Board on October 20, under the ticker GCASH, according to the proposed timetable.

The schedule remains subject to the applicable regulatory and market requirements.

If the offering reaches its maximum size, Mynt expects it to set a new record for the largest IPO in Philippine history, adding a major technology-led company to the local equity market.

For Mynt, the flotation would mark the next stage in GCash’s transformation from a payments service into a diversified digital financial platform.

Meanwhile, for the Philippine capital market, the proposed deal could provide a significant test of investor demand for large technology businesses and potentially deepen retail participation in equities