Category: Philippine Star

Following the flag-raising rites performed by personnel of the China Coast Guard (CCG) in the area, an official of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) maintained that the Philippines has sovereign rights over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

In a post on his X account yesterday, PCG spokesman on West Philippine Sea (WPS) issues Commodore Jay Tarriela wrote: ‘The ceremonial flag-raising by China Coast Guard officers at Bajo de Masinloc underscores the continuing unlawful activities of the People’s Republic of China in the West Philippine Sea,’ referring to the Philippine traditional name of Panatag.

He cited the ‘unanimous 2016 Arbitral Award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,’ which declared that ‘China had unlawfully interfered with the Philippines’ traditional fishing rights at the shoal’ and that ‘China’s claims of historic rights had no legal basis where they conflicted with UNCLOS.’

‘The Award further affirmed that Bajo de Masinloc is a rock under Article 121(3) of UNCLOS and, therefore, does not generate an exclusive economic zone of its own. Accordingly, the waters surrounding the shoal, beyond its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, lie entirely within the Philippines’ EEZ, measured from Luzon’s baseline,’ he added.

Panatag Shoal is situated within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile EEZ that also makes up the WPS.

Tarriela also dismissed China’s earlier declaration of making Panatag Shoal a ‘national nature reserve.’

He quoted the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that maintained ‘Beijing’s action ‘clearly infringes’ upon the Philippines’ rights and interests under international law, including UNCLOS and the 2016 Award.’

‘The DFA reiterated that Bajo de Masinloc is a longstanding and integral part of Philippine territory, over which the country exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction. Declarations of this nature are misleading and serve as pretexts for asserting control, rather than genuine efforts to conserve or protect the marine environment,’ he said.

Tarriela wrote his X post in response to another X post by Chinese state publication Global Times, which reported the flag-raising ceremony held by the CCG aboard its vessel Dahao while patrolling Panatag Shoal last Wednesday in line with China’s National Day.

‘We stand guard over these blue waters, assuring the nation of our unwavering commitment. Recently, CCG officers, who were conducting routine patrols on CCG vessel Dahao in the waters of Huangyan Dao national nature reserve in the South China Sea, held a solemn flag-raising ceremony on the frontlines of safeguarding China’s maritime territories,’ Global Times reported, referring to China’s name for Panatag Shoal.

National U shoots for the solo lead against struggling reigning champion UP in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball today at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

Action sizzles at 4:30 p.m. for the main game of the twin-bill that also features Santo Tomas’ goal for a quick rebound after losing to NU when it meets winless UE at 2 p.m.

The Bulldogs share pole position with Ateneo at 3-0 in a massive turnaround for both squads after finishing at the bottom last season, potentially pushing them into an even better position midway through the first round.

And NU has all the confidence to do the feat, riding on two blowout wins against Far Eastern U, 84-68, and UE, 72-57, laced by a 76-69 comeback on Santo Tomas which beat top title contenders UP and La Salle.

”Yung character kasi, hindi na para kuwestiyunin ko sa mga players ko,’ said head coach Jeff Napa.

In 2018, Rex Wallen Tan of the Government-Academe Industry (GAIN) network declared that ‘while the consensus is that the Philippines is superior to its neighboring countries in terms of English proficiency, the advantage is greatly at risk with the improvement of English literacy in other countries such as Singapore and Thailand.’

This distressing news prompted Sen. Pia Cayetano to say that ‘just by looking at the data, the English proficiency of our college students is the same as Malaysian Grade 6 students and Japanese taxi drivers. Nakakahiya, nakakaawa tayo.’

For decades, English proficiency has been our primary advantage, fueling economic pillars that provide essential middle-income jobs and opening opportunities worldwide for our professionals. However, this advantage now faces a two-front challenge: aggressive educational reforms in neighboring countries and a persistent foundational skills gap at home.

The Billion-Dollar English Imperative

Our national economy’s growth engines are critically dependent on English-driven industries.

IT-BPM sector: The information technology and business process management industry is a powerhouse, closing 2024 with $38 billion in revenue and employing 1.82 million Filipinos.

OFW remittances: Remittances from overseas Filipino workers, a lifeline for millions, reached a record $38.34 billion in 2024, secured by Filipinos whose English skills make them globally sought after.

Digital economy: Up to 1.5 million Filipino online freelancers leverage their English abilities on international platforms, making the country a top global destination for digital work.

These sectors require a consistent supply of talent with high-level communication skills to continue thriving.

A new competitive landscape: The Asean race

While historically a leader in English, our ASEAN neighbors are rapidly closing the gap through deliberate national initiatives, which threaten our competitive edge and ability to attract high-value jobs.

It seems that we have grown complacent with our perceived advantage in English proficiency and cannot accept that other nationalities are catching up or have already surpassed us.

Malaysia’s National English Language Roadmap (CEFR B2 for College), Vietnam’s National English as a second language project (2025 to 2035) and Thailand’s mandatory adoption of the CEFR English language tests are prime examples of this strategic push. Beyond ASEAN, nations like Taiwan and Japan are also prioritizing English, intensifying the global competition for talent where English proficiency is the key battleground.

The foundational skills gap at home

This external pressure from our neighbors is compounded by a severe educational crisis at home. International assessments such as Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed in 2022 that over 75 percent of Filipino students are low performers in mathematics, science, reading and creative thinking. In 2022, compared to 81 countries, the Philippines ranks sixth lowest in both mathematics and reading, while it now ranks third lowest in science.

This foundational weakness persists throughout the educational system, leading to a shocking outcome that millions of Filipinos have finished high school despite being functionally illiterate.

A national response to a global threat

Recognizing this urgent threat in 2018, I met with the GAIN Network led by Lyceum University president Peter Laurel and Rex Wallen Tan to discuss this distressing issue.

We started laying the foundational groundwork to enhance the nation’s global competitiveness. The first crucial step was forming the Technical Working Group for the National Roadmap for Global Competitiveness in Communication Skills (TWG-NRGCCS) and providing a grant to fund the meetings with educational stakeholders.

While some sectors and universities wanted CHED to require the inclusion of mandatory English in the curriculum, I argued that this was not a language issue. Instead, we should view English proficiency as a strategic advantage for Filipino graduates, especially in fields such as engineering and technology, medicine and allied health, tourism management and teacher education. These are degree programs where our graduates are highly recognized and tend to practise their professions worldwide.

This TWG-NRGCCS was instrumental in rolling out a multi-pronged national strategy that includes:

Democratizing education: CHED provided a grant to develop free Open Educational Resources (OERs) covering CEFR proficiency levels A2 to B2, which are now publicly accessible on the IAS CHED YouTube channel. In parallel, TWG-NRGCCS members led by Rex Wallen Tan volunteered their expertise to help create the Duolingo ‘English for Tagalog Speakers’ course, which now provides free learning to more than one million users.

Standardizing proficiency: The TWG successfully oriented 94 percent of all state universities and colleges (SUCs) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), establishing a unified, international benchmark for language skills across the country.

Driving national adoption: The influence of this framework has expanded beyond higher education. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has now adopted the CEFR for all language programs under its National Language Skills Center (NLSC), ensuring a consistent standard for both academic and technical-vocational tracks.

A strategy for economic survival

This CHED-industry-academe collaboration is not merely educational upgrades; these are critical to our national economic survival. By elevating English proficiency, the Philippines can directly address the skills gap, reinforcing the very foundation upon which our most vital industries are built and sustained.

This initiative must now be rolled out to cover more universities nationwide and expand across academic disciplines.

Securing our economic future depends on winning this global competition.

Metro Pacific Water (MPW) is scaling up its footprint in Iloilo with more than P11 billion in new projects, on top of the P4.2 billion it has already poured into rehabilitating the province’s aging water system.

‘MPW has been a partner of the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) for several years, and we recognize that the road to addressing Iloilo’s water challenges has not been easy,’ MPW President and CEO Andrew Pangilinan said.

‘We are not here to offer a quick fix. Quick fixes are what left Iloilo struggling in the first place. We are here to build a system that can stand for decades – one that future generations will not need to question.’

The planned capital program will fund both short- and long-term upgrades, according to Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW), the joint venture company serving Iloilo City and seven neighboring municipalities.

‘Short-term projects include pipe replacements and upgrades in HS Jaro, Diversion, Q. Abeto, Iloilo City Proper, Mansaya, Bo. Obrero, and Sinikway,’ said MPIW Commercial Support Services Department head Annie Mae Salonga.

‘For the long-term, we have started developing the 66.5 million liters per day (MLD) Desalination Plant and a 5 MLD modular facility to help secure Iloilo’s water supply.’

Salonga said the utility has also standardized more than 28,000 meters to ensure fair and accurate billing.

‘Old meters degrade over time and no longer provide accurate readings. Standardization ensures that the consumption recorded is exactly what the customer is charged – no more, no less,’ she said.

MPIW Chief Operating Officer David Berba emphasized that customer trust underpins the expansion.

‘Water is not just a commodity – it is life itself. It is the mother cooking rice for her family, the student washing before school, the worker refreshing after a long day. That is why trust is so important in this service. And trust is not built by words – it is built when Ilonggos turn on their taps and water flows, day after day,’ he said.

Despite the heavy investment pipeline, Salonga clarified that any adjustments in water rates would be determined by MIWD and regulated by the Local Water Utilities Administration. She noted that rates have not changed since 2018 despite rising operating costs.

‘With the improvement of water services through service level projects, customers will enjoy 24/7 safe and reliable water supply and will feel that their payments are truly worth it,’ she said.

MPW, through MPIW, entered Iloilo in 2019 to take over what it described as a heavily strained and outdated network.

The company now serves more than 860,000 people across Iloilo City and seven municipalities, stretching over 572 square kilometers and the Tigum-Aganan Watersheds.

Rolling out these projects, the company added, requires coordination with multiple regulators – including MIWD, LWUA, and the National Water Resources Board – as well as the priorities of eight local governments.

Every job has its share of after-work pains, including daily 9 to 5s behind a desk (plus overtime for some).

“Sitting is the new smoking,” quips Ma. Elena Lourdes R. Tan of Makati Medical Center’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. “That means the lack of activity increases your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers – conditions associated with regular tobacco use.”

Beyond those conditions, another risk that could occur from being hunched over a desk is musculoskeletal pain, with Dr. Tan pointing out common issue among office workers is lower back pain.

Because people have curved postures when they’re seated, pain is also felt in the shoulders and neck.

Dr. Tan describes it as “tech neck” or “text neck” as it’s common among those who frequently use gadgets, “It’s stress caused from keeping your shoulders and head slumped forward and your chin practically touching your chest.”

The hands and wrists may also feel pain or weakness, especially when using a computer, and the doctor says that it is likely carpal tunnel syndrome.

“The carpal tunnel is a space in your wrist bone that serves as a passageway for tendons, ligaments, and nerves to reach your hand,” Dr. Tan explained. “When the median nerve in your carpal tunnel is irritated or damaged due to repetitive motions, it sends pain to your hand, wrist, and fingers.”

Speaking of computer use, hours of looking at a screen can affect one’s eyes leading to blurred vision, dryness, and headaches.

As such, Dr. Tan listed down a number of tips to avoid the risks of office-related pains and to work more comfortably.

Sitting right

Dr. Tan advises using a chair that supports the spine, and its height can be adjusted.

“Feet are flat on the floor, knees at the same level as the hips, and head straight, not bent forward,” she reminded.

The doctor added ensure one is at arm’s length from the computer, the wrists are straight and the hands level with the elbows.

Breaks

A five-minute break, not long ones, every 30 minutes can relax and recharge the body and brain, as well as give the eyes a rest.

How one spends their break varies – go for a walk, meditate, stretch, listen to music, read, eat, or chat with an officemate.

Ergonomic products

Standing desks are in these days because, as Dr. Tan points out, one isn’t hunched over when using one so the posture is more aligned.

“Still, you might have to take walking and sitting breaks with this type of desk, as standing for too long can be tough on your joints and the soles of your feet,” she added.

Other ergonomic products could be footrests or laptop risers, all of them designed to make the work environment more comfortable.

Exercise

Dr. Tan said exercise improves posture by strengthening the muscles that support the back, shoulders, and core.

Excercising also releases mood-enhancing endorphins that lift the spirit to relax oneself after a long day.

The doctor advises simple stretches like neck shoulder rolls, chest stretches, and torso twists, as well as quick exercises such as squats and triceps dip using a chair, seated movements like calf raises and knee to chest, and wall push-ups and sits.

Cebu’s resort town Moalboal, famed for its sardine runs and coral reefs, joined the global International Coastal Cleanup Day with a rare public-private initiative that underscores how developers and hoteliers are embedding sustainability into their growth strategies.

For the first time, the coastal town held two coordinated cleanups. Municipal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron led local government workers in clearing debris along the seawall, wharf and reclamation areas near the town proper.

In parallel, Club Serena Resort mobilized a consortium of private companies, safety officers and volunteers for a beach and underwater cleanup in Saavedra, one of Moalboal’s most-visited white sand stretches.

The private-sector initiative, spearheaded by Cebu-based developer AppleOne Properties Inc. (API) and its hospitality arm One Root Hospitality, drew participation from barangay officials, police, coast guard, fire protection units, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as scuba divers from local resorts.

‘The annual ICC Day brought together people from all walks of life to care for the sea and celebrate Moalboal’s love for nature and culture,’ Cabaron said.

He added that the initiative, part of a global campaign themed ‘Clean Seas Against the Climate Crisis,’ builds on year-round local efforts to preserve the town’s beaches and marine ecosystems.

AppleOne, which has expanded its footprint in property and hospitality across Cebu and the Visayas, positioned its leadership role in the cleanup as part of a broader sustainability agenda.

‘AppleOne’s leadership in this year’s ICC is our public statement on sustainability even as we pursue property and tourism development in the countryside,’ said Samantha Manigsaca, API’s vice-president for hospitality.

She noted that the multi-sector participants signed pledges after the cleanup to support the protection of Tañon Strait, the country’s largest marine protected seascape.

Moalboal, situated on Cebu’s southwestern coast and a finalist in the Department of Tourism’s Philippine Tourism Awards, has seen rising visitor numbers driven by its rich biodiversity, sardine runs and diving sites.

Business leaders in the town said environmental stewardship is vital to maintaining its global reputation as a marine tourism hub.

Gunmen killed a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman and wounded two others, including a policeman, in an ambush at a busy thoroughfare in this city at noon on Saturday, October 4.

Prince Mohaz Rafsanjanie Matanog, SK chairman of Barangay Poblacion 5 and a third-year engineering student at Cotabato City State University, died instantly from multiple gunshot wounds.

His relative, Muamar Salvador Matanog, was seriously wounded in the attack.

The two were aboard a red Toyota Raize and were reportedly on their way to an undisclosed location when gunmen opened fire at the intersection of Jose Lim Sr. Street and Sinsuat Avenue – just a short distance from Cotabato City Police Precinct 1.

Also injured was Patrolman Norsaiden Laguiali, who was on duty and had responded to the incident when he was shot by the suspects.

The gunmen fled on motorcycles before police reinforcements arrived.

Cotabato City police director Col. Jibin Bongacayao and Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said investigators are coordinating with Matanog’s relatives and barangay officials to identify the assailants.

Police forensic teams recovered 92 empty bullet shells from the scene.

Unquestionably, this year has been marked with unforgiving catastrophes. Just this week, in fact, two unrelated tremors hit the country. First was in the Visayas (epicenter was in Bogo City, Cebu) at 9:59 PM on September 30, 2025 and in just a little over four hours, Taal Volcano erupted.

Though Taal Volcano’s eruption was a bit trivial, Bogo City, Cebu and its surrounding municipalities suffered horribly. At 6.9 magnitude, several structures collapsed and scores of lives never made it. Apart from these sad tales, more than five hundred were reported injured. Dejectedly, both happened while we are still trying to fend off the damages brought about by Typhoon Opong in other parts of the country.

Just like many tragedies in the past, however, the recent one also brought about the best character in most of us, generosity. While some sectors took some religious spins on these catastrophes, the fact remains that scientifically, natural tragedies do happen once in a while and depending on their strengths, may or may not bring about destruction to anyone. If it does happen, however, the weaker structures will suffer the most.

Notably, to some extent, nature has also conspired with well-meaning citizens, to do good as well, in unearthing potential anomalies. For instance, the tremor that hit the Visayas in 2013. To recall, as photos revealed, some kilometers of damaged concrete roads and bridges in Bohol didn’t have or have insufficient steel bars. Apparently, poorly built, these roads, bridges and structures were not able to withstand tremors of such magnitude. Thus, certainly, some unscrupulous people must have siphoned enough money and rendered the projects destruction-bound. The same is also true this week as some roads and bridges are rendered unusable.

With this in mind, as reconstruction begins in these badly hit areas, we have more reasons to worry. It is a known fact that politicians wield so much power especially in the countryside. Most of them are astute businessmen too. They are mostly into construction and other related businesses like hardware and sand and gravel. With the LGUs’ Bids and Awards Committees (BACs) under their total control and co-bidders downright cohorts, they’ll surely win, albeit, under cover of their distant relatives’ or close friends’ names. Consequently, undertaken projects, most likely, will be either overpriced or substandard.

Thus, absorptive capacity theory must come into play. Among others, there are salient points in this theory that we must all learn and, hopefully, adhere to. These are, ability to use funds, budget utilization and program implementation. So self-explanatory, isn’t it. However, there are lots of obstacles that hinder absorptive capacity. Among many, in our country’s situation, poor capacity, structural issues as well as efficiency and accountability stand out the most.

Our DPWH and LGU Engineering Departments have unequivocally shown these deficiencies in capacity and structural issues in their respective organizations. Absolutely, apart from nature’s wrath, the Senate and ICI hearings have also uncovered that. More importantly, even COA wasn’t able to adequately perform their role as guardian of the public funds. Explicitly, it is its mandate as granted by the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Its auditors are supposed to ‘examine, audit, and settle all government accounts and expenditures to ensure that public resources are used legally, efficiently, and for their intended purposes, preventing their misuse or misappropriation.’

On the other hand, a question on absorptive capacity is supposed to be dug deeply when such term was mentioned by Sen. Lacson in one of the hearings of the Senate’s Blue-Ribbon Committee. Remember the P51 billion infrastructure budget of the First District of Davao City in the last three years of Pres. Duterte’s presidency? Yes, it should have been given value. Why? If true, the local economy will be largely affected. Yes, infra development will boost the local economy as industries related to construction will rake in a lot. Sadly, however, there are other industries that might be getting the shorter end of the stick here too.

Kapuso actress Barbie Forteza and host-comedienne Melai Cantiveros-Francisco have chipped in P100,000 each to help victims of the recent earthquake that struck Cebu.

A 6.9 earthquake hit Cebu last September 30, with aftershocks the last couple of days, resulting in hundreds of injuries and several fatalities.

Save the Children Philippines shared online that Barbie, who has been an ambassador of the non-governmental organization since last year, donated the amount to aid in the group’s cause supporting urgent relief and children’s education.

The organization also posted a social card featuring a statement by Barbie, who said that “children have the right to protection and education, even in the most difficult circumstances.”

“I hope more people will come together to support the children of Northern Cebu, because they deserve to feel safe, cared for, and hopeful again,” Barbie added.

Both Barbie and Save the Children Philippines are still calling on the public to help children in need.

Bisaya content creator Randolph Valmoria, also known as Run Dolph Vibes, shared on Facebook that Melai had donated P100,000 to the fundraising they were a part of.

Randolph shared the message Melai sent them for transparency, and called on others doing fundraising to do the same and not be fooled by corrupt politicians.

The creator also thanked Melai for her humility and generosity, dating back to when Randolph was organizing relief operations during the pandemic.

The 21st edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is now underway, finding a new home this year at the Shangri-la Plaza mall in Mandaluyong.

With Cinemalaya’s main home the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) still in renovation, the renowned festival has been shifting locations the past couple years, setting up shop in the Philippine International Convention Center and Parañaque’s Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

Shangri-la Plaza hosted the festival’s opening ceremony last October 3 ahead of 10 days of screenings, an honor it shares with select cinemas across Metro Manila including Gateway Cineplex and U.P. Town Center.

Actress-singer Julia Clarete, Directors Showcase Best Supporting Actress winner of Cinemalaya 2011 for “Bisperas,” hosted the ceremony which culminated in a screening of Indian film “Ha Lyngkha Bneng (The Elysian Field)” by Pradip Kurbah.

This year’s edition bears the theme “Layag sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos” which CCP president Kaye Tinga said reflects how festival entries “capture movements to moments in space and time.”

Deputy festival director Tess Rances noted in her speech that five of last year’s entries, led by Best film winner “Tumandok” and Special Jury Prize winner “Alipato at Muog,” received numerous accolades in different competitions.

“While millions of taxpayers are skimmed by politicians who are supposed to be in service of them, artists scrape the bottom of the pot to bring their ideas to life,” said Rances, taking a dig at lawmakers recenty tagged in corruption.

Rances urged the government to allocate funds for the arts, particularly for programs dedicated to film, “Laban po lahat ang korupsyon at suportahan ang sining.”

Veteran actress and Cinemalaya Foundation president Laurice Guillen, in formally opening this festival’s edition, noted in her own speech that 197 films by 165 filmmakers have been screened since Cinemalaya began back in 2005.

Echoing Rances’ words, Guillen recalled how National Artists Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal reflected Philippine society in their films during 1970s and 1980s.

Guillen said Bernal’s films, regardless of genre investigated the human condition and articulated such through his characters while noting that Brocka described the injustices of his time as “madness” and his characters “fought against all odds to bring sanity back in a world gone mad.”

“Every voice can bring hope, every voice that believes in the triumph of the human spirit is a spark that can bring change,” Guillen ended. “That is the challenge for the creative industry, for our filmmakers, and for Cinemalaya.”

The 21st Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival runs until Oct. 12, 2025.