Category: Philippine Star

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has initiated a dialogue with the UAAP regarding the supposed pay gap for referees calling the men’s and women’s games in the collegiate league.

The SBP, in a statement Saturday morning, said they have reached out with the UAAP for a dialogue ‘on how to improve the situation for all stakeholders.’

‘Both organizations stay committed to making the sport as inclusive as possible and advancing women’s basketball in the Philippines,’ the SBP said.

UAAP basketball commissioner Jai Reyes has been in hot water the past week after a story by sports news website Spin.ph revealed a ‘pay gap’ between referees calling men’s and women’s games.

The report bared that ‘referees assigned to women’s games allegedly received reduced rates, with the supposed cuts diverted to boost the pay of those handling men’s matches,’ with those calling men’s matches receiving P3,000 per game, while those in the boys’ division given P2,500 per game.

Last season, referees who call games regardless of division are paid P2,500.

Those who will call the women’s and girls’ divisions games will reportedly receive P2,000 per contest.

Speaking to the news website, Reyes said that the men’s games are ‘faster’ so it is harder to call.

This received a lot of backlash from players, coaches, fans and even some politicians.

The UAAP then explained that the referees’ fees follow a ‘tiered, merit-based structure that allows officials – regardless of gender – to perform well in order to officiate crucial games.’

The UAAP said that it will maintain a tiered system, but moving forward, there will ‘be no diminution of fees across all divisions from previous seasons.’

The SBP also called on stakeholders to ‘stay united.’

‘We can only elevate Philippine basketball to its highest levels if we grow it for everyone,’ it added.

UAAP action returns this Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers and condoled with victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday night.

Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy yesterday said he received a message from Papal Nuncio Charles John Brown that the pope has expressed sympathy and is praying for the quake victims.

‘The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown, called me to convey the Holy Father’s heartfelt sympathies for all the survivors of the earthquake, and his prayers for the eternal repose of the victims,’ Uy said.

He said the pope assured the faithful of his spiritual closeness as communities grieve and begin recovery efforts.

In his homily for the Feast of the Guardian Angels, Uy urged the faithful to embody the mission of angels by helping people in need.

‘In these difficult days, we are invited to show the spirit of angels by sharing whatever we can: food, clothing, shelter, prayers and even our time. Every act of generosity becomes a way of guarding, guiding and comforting others,’ Uy said.

He said to be an angel for someone is protecting the weak, comforting the lonely and giving hope to those who have lost much.

‘This is the best way to honor our guardian angels, by imitating their missions of love,’ he said.

On Wednesday, Uy visited parishes severely affected by the earthquake.

He offered prayers at the Daanbantayan District Hospital where several quake victims are being treated for injuries.

The wholesale prices of goods increased at a slower pace in August from the previous month due mainly to the movement in prices of chemicals, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Data released by the PSA yesterday showed the growth in the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level eased to 2.4 percent in August from the previous month’s 3.1 percent.

The latest GWPI growth, however, was faster than the 1.9 percent uptick in August last year.

The PSA attributed the latest GWPI growth primarily to the slower increase in prices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats at 8.1 percent in August from 12.8 percent in July.

In addition, crude materials, inedible except fuels registered a lower increment of 40.2 percent from 90.7 percent.

Also posting slower increases in August were manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials (0.6 percent from the previous month’s 0.9 percent) and machinery and transport equipment (0.9 percent from 1.1 percent)

On the other hand, those with higher mark-ups in August were food (1.8 percent from the previous month’s 1.6 percent) as well as beverages and tobacco (4.1 percent from 3.6 percent).

Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials registered 0.2 percent growth in August from a 2.6-percent drop in July, while miscellaneous manufactured articles retained the July growth rate of 0.4 percent in August.

Meanwhile, data also showed that wholesale prices of building materials in Metro Manila declined at a slower pace in September from the previous month.

The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region registered a 0.2-percent decline in September from 0.5 percent in August.

The PSA said the slower decline in CMWPI was primarily driven by the 0.2-percent increase in the heavily weighted index of concrete products in September from a 0.6-percent decline in the previous month.

A faster increment was also observed in tileworks at 1.6 percent from 1.5 percent and asphalt at 5.5 percent from zero growth.

Other commodity groups with slower decreases in September are cement, electrical works as well as fuels and lubricants.

On the other hand, those with slower increases include hardware, lumber G.I. sheet, doors, jambs, and steel casement and painting works.

It’s down to the last four queens in the inaugural season of “Drag Race Philippines Slaysian Royale.”

Three Filipina queens – drag sisters Brigiding and Viñas Deluxe of “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1, and Season 2 runner-up Arizona Brandy – and he sole international queen Suki Doll, from “Canada’s Drag Race,” will battle it out for the crown.

The recently aired eighth episode culminated with an epic lip sync battle between Viñas and Season 3 runner-up Khianna, two of the best lip syncers of the entire “Drag Race Philippines” franchise to date, with the former emerging victorious.

Philstar.com spoke to Viñas in an exclusive interview where she described her reaching the Top 4 as amazing, pressuring and deserving.

Back on her original season, she was eliminated at the seventh episode, making it a personal win for the drag queen.

“I think my edge is showing who the real Viñas is, all my sides, everything I can as a drag artist: designing, performing, being a sister,” said Viñas. ” Everyone deserves to be on top but I think I am more relatable, in some aspects. I want to inspire people to achieve their dreams.

Viñas took time to praise Khianna, calling her an amazing performer and admitted being worried to go up against her.

“Sino ba ang kayang tumapat kay Khianna diba?! Napunta sa akin ang baraha and I’m so lucky to be that person. Khianna deserves more than this. I’m so happy na Top 4 ako ngayon,” the drag queen.

Of the remaining queens, Viñas shared being nervous facing Arizona as she believes the latter can “do camp on a higher level” than her.

She did also call her drag sister Brigiding “the most experienced” in Top 4, but Viñas is more worried about her “inner saboteur” tendencies.

Brigiding and Viñas are members of the Divine Divas along with “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1 winner Precious Paula Nicole, who served as a guest judge on the seventh and eighth episode of “Drag Race Philippines Slaysian Royale.”

The eigthth episode saw Suki and Arizona jointly winning Ru badges for their Dragcon Slaysian maxi challenge perfomances.

It marked Suki’s first maxi challenge win and just the second time an international queen earned a Ru badge after Yuhua who was eliminated before Khianna. Arizona meanwhile now has two badges, as many both Viñas and Brigiding.

Viñas is hopeful that the Philippines will one day host its own Dragcon, pointing out the local drag community is very talented and deserves to be noticed.

“I hope I am making you proud. I am doing my best to make the Philippines proud and sana nagta-transcend ito sa likod ng mga camera,” Viñas said in her message to fans, sharing that more happens behind the scenes and the hour-long episodes viewers watch.

She appealed to fans to remain calm, be more appreciative and spread only love, this as many believe the Pambansang Bunganga is huge frontrunner to take the Slaysian crown.

“You are making me stronger everyday, dahil sa support niyo lumalaki ang drag industry sa Philippines, dahil ‘yan sa inyo,” Viñas ended.

Mapua rode on the stellar performance of Clint Escamis as it turned back an upset-conscious Arellano University, 90-87, on Saturday to seize the solo lead in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Season 99 MVP unloaded a 29-point barrage, including a perfect four-and-four from beyond the arc, and laced it with three rebounds and the same number of assists and steals.

It was a bounce-back effort for Escamis after a forgettable eight-point performance in their 90-89 double overtime victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University in last Wednesday’s inaugurals at the Big Dome.

‘I just want to make up for that bad game,’ said Escamis, who is on his final tour of duty.

‘I know my teammates got my back, but I really want to perform for them,’ he added.

It was another come-from-behind win for the back-to-back title-seeking Cardinals, who trailed by as much as 13 points in the second quarter before turning the tables around in their favor in the second half.

‘We showed the never-say-die mentality that we’re used to and our heart of a champion that refuses to lose,’ said Escamis.

Escamis said they still have more to give.

‘We haven’t reached our full potential yet, we still have lapses offensively and defensively and improve on our decision making more,’ he said.

The scores:

Mapua 90 – Escamis 29, Cuenco 14, Gonzales 12, Nitura 10, Sapasap 9, Reyes 5, Concepcion 5, Lazarte 4, Recto 2, Gulapa 0, Igliane 0, Delos Reyes 0, Ryan 0.

AU 87 – Valencia 13, Abiera 12, Hernal 11, Ongotan 10, Libang 10, Camay 8, Cabotaje 6, Borromeo 5, Vinoya 4, Geronimo 4, Demetria 4, Acop 0, Buenaventura 0, Miller 0.

Quarterscores: 20-22; 46-51; 67-64; 90-87

The Cebu City Government has approved Supplemental Budget (SB) 2 amounting to ?81 million, which will be allocated for the livelihood program, the increasing number of beneficiaries of senior citizen financial aid, and the asphalting of various city streets.

The Committee on Budget and Finance stated that this will be charged against the savings of the city government which is about ?489 million in the third quarter after cutting expenses on ‘unnecessary’ spending such as foreign travels by employees and government officials.

In an interview yesterday, Committee on Budget and Finance Chairman Councilor Dave Tumulak enumerated the breakdown of the recently-approved SB2, which totals around ?81,395,000.

At least ?550,000 of this amount is for the livelihood program to be introduced by the Office of the Mayor in the last quarter of the year. However, Tumulak said they do not yet know what kind of livelihood program will be launched.

Another ?40 million is intended to reinforce the financial aid for senior citizens in the last quarter of the year.

‘Nahinloan na ni (list of beneficiaries), gikuha natong mga deceased,’ said Tumulak.

He said they had to request an additional budget after discovering that the previously-approved budget for seniors’ aid was insufficient due to the increase in the number of beneficiaries in the second quarter of this year.

Another item under SB2 is road asphalting in preparation for the Yuletide season and the Sinulog celebration, which also amounts to ?40 million.

‘For the past days we experienced heavy rain, nangabuslot na ni atoang mga main roads,’ said Tumulak.

He also highlighted that Cebu City was able to save at least ?489 million in the third quarter. According to him, to save more, the city cut local and foreign travels of employees and officials, as well as ‘unnecessary projects and programs.’

Meanwhile, Tumulak said the executive department has yet to send its budget proposal for 2026. He added the City Council has already passed a resolution urging the executive to submit its proposals earlier to allow the conduct of budget hearing marathons in October.

Tumulak further said they are targeting to finish the budget deliberations by the end of November.

‘We urge the executive to submit right away kay ma-busy man gud sad ta sa preparations sa Sinulog,’ said Tumulak.

He also mentioned that they are aiming to have the annual budget approved earlier.

The approval of SB 2 was made during a special session. In the same session, the Cebu City Council also approved ?20 million in financial assistance for areas heavily affected by the earthquake, namely the Bogo City, San Remigio Town, and the municipalities comprising Bantayan Island.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Government is reminding all senior citizens that the final day to claim their financial assistance for the current distribution cycle is on Thursday, October 9, 2025.

Beneficiaries may proceed to the Cash Disbursement Division, 2nd Floor, City Treasurer’s Office at City Hall to receive their aid after a week in their respective barangays.

The City Treasurer’s Office reiterates its advisory: ‘To all our Lolos and Lolas, please be informed that the last day to claim the Senior Citizen’s Financial Assistance is on Thursday, October 9, 2025. Claim at the Cash Disbursement Division, 2/F, City Treasurer’s Office.’

This round of distribution, which began on September 27, covers the third quarter of the year and amounts to ?3,000 per qualified senior citizen, representing ?1,000 per month for July, August, and September.

Following the completion of the senior citizens’ payout, the distribution of financial assistance for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) will commence on October 10 or 11, to be conducted at their respective barangays using the same disbursement scheme.

After the latest distribution, Mayor Nestor Archival floated the idea of shifting from the current quarterly release to a monthly payout system, citing budget sustainability and the need to discourage ineligible claimants.

‘If we give it monthly, dili kayo mabug-atan ang panudlanan,’ Archival said, adding that a monthly schedule could help weed out non-residents who continue to claim benefits.

However, Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr., chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Senior Citizens, has called the proposal impractical.

Alcover emphasized that the quarterly scheme was adopted for logistical efficiency, especially given the growing number of beneficiaries –now over 90,000 registered seniors in Cebu City.

‘Sauna tingali madala pa og monthly-monthly kay naa ray 20,000, 30,000, kaya pa kaayo i-monthly. Pero karon unsaon nimo pag-monthly ana nga 90,000 plus naman na,’ Alcover said. He also cited the burden of preparing thousands of payroll pages and deploying disbursing officers across barangays.

Alcover said he plans to file an amendment ordinance to formalize the quarterly distribution, aligning it with the preferences of senior citizens’ associations that favor fewer trips to claim aid.

Latest market surveys say that one can buy illicit cigarettes for P3 to P4 per stick. In contrast, the lowest priced legal brand goes for P7 per stick.

The choice is obvious. The three-to-four-peso difference seals the deal for many Filipinos. It also makes cigarettes cheaper for minors who are experimenting with and exploring tobacco at their tender age and the poor.

One of every five cigarettes sold in the country today comes from illegal sources, untaxed and unregulated. In just four years, illicit cigarette trade in the Philippines has more than tripled, from 7.4 percent of total volumes in 2021 to 20.9 percent in 2025. This reflects a staggering 182 percent increase in just four years, equivalent to an average annual growth of almost 30 percent.

As a result, smoking prevalence has risen for the first time in 15 years, from 18.5 percent of adults in 2021 to 23.2 percent in 2025, reversing years of progress under the Sin Tax Law.

More alarmingly is the doubling of youth smokers (10 to 19 years old) from 2.3 percent to 4.8 percent over the same period.

Of this number, Mindanao continues to be the hotbed of illicit cigarette products with over 50 percent incidence followed by Luzon (7.4 percent) and Visayas (4.8 percent) as of end-2024.

These developments pose threats to our economy, to public health, to national security and to the livelihood of many Filipinos.

Illegal cigarette trade has caused the government to lose revenue. Collections dropped from P176 billion in 2021 to an estimated P113 billion in 2025. The Bureau of Internal Revenue estimates annual losses of at least P50 billion due to smuggling and illegal manufacturing.

The government slaps an excise tax on tobacco products. This is implemented progressively, and the tax for this year is P66.15 per pack. This is intended to curb smoking, on the one hand, and sustain government revenues on the other.

Legitimate manufacturers and importers of cigarettes suffer from lower volumes, translating into lower excise and value-added taxes for the government. This means less funding for Universal Health Care (PhilHealth) and the Department of Health (DOH)’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program. Lost revenue from tobacco excise taxes deprives millions of Filipinos of essential health services.

Equally worse is the fact that these cheap illicit cigarettes contain harmful chemicals such as cadmium, lead and contaminants like insect parts and human waste. Furthermore, the rise of counterfeit products like ‘tuklaw’ cigarettes, which contain synthetic cannabinoids, has led to severe health issues, including seizure-like symptoms.

And then, there is the effect of illicit cigarettes on the lives and livelihoods of tobacco farmers in the Philippines. There are currently 2.2 million Filipinos dependent on the tobacco industry, according to the National Tobacco Administration, whose families depend on their earnings from locally grown tobacco to sustain their families and help send their children to school.

Legal cigarette production has dropped from 62.6 billion sticks in 2021 to 39.1 billion in 2025, leading to lower tax contributions and reduced economic activity.

Illicit cigarettes also fuel organized crime and are linked to corruption, drug and arms smuggling, human trafficking and terrorism.

The rise of illicit trade undermines the objectives of Republic Act 11346 or the Sin Tax Law and undermines the DOH’s goal of achieving a 30 percent relative reduction in tobacco use in the Philippines.

To be sure, the trend has not just been observed in the Philippines. Other countries have also had their share of problems fueled by illicit cigarette trade.

For instance, sharp duty hikes have incentivized smuggling in Hong Kong, thus halving revenues from legitimate tobacco trade. Seizures of illicit cigarettes have tripled.

Malaysia, for its part, experienced a significant rise in illicit cigarette trade following an increase in excise taxes. While Malaysia did not double the excise tax, it raised the rate from RM280 per 1,000 sticks to RM400 per 1,000 sticks in 2015. The steep and substantial 43 percent increase in excise taxes in 2015 led to a 42 percent rise in the consumption of illicit cigarettes, with no significant decline in overall cigarette consumption (16.7 billion sticks in 2015 vs. 15.1 billion in 2024).

As a result, the illicit cigarette market now accounts for half of all cigarette sales in Malaysia, costing its government a staggering RM5 billion annually or P68 billion.

Australia has a more daunting situation, with illicit tobacco trade going beyond mere revenue loss. Rather, the trade has been directly linked to organized crime and terrorism. Syndicates are now using arson as a weapon. Worse, these have also been connected to foreign state-backed destabilization efforts.

What is happening in the Philippines and in other countries transcends fiscal or regulatory issues. Urgent and decisive action is needed.

What, then, can be done about the proliferation of illicit tobacco products in the Philippines?

We need greater collaboration between the public and private sectors. Any excise hike beyond five percent per annum carries the risk of fanning illicit trade. There should also be laws that would close legal loopholes and deter the activities of smugglers and illegal manufacturers. Increased inter-agency cooperation for tracking, tracing and enforcement should be institutionalized.

Alongside efforts to ensure that the people’s taxes are spent prudently as planned, instead of lining the pockets of corrupt officials, we must also pay attention to arresting the detrimental effects of illicit cigarette trade on our public coffers. Much can be done with the revenues being lost. We hope the government listens and cracks down on illegal manufacturers and traders who are sapping the life out of our industries and our people.

A new agreement has been signed between FIBA and long-standing broadcast partner Cignal, which will continue to provide basketball content on multiple platforms and channels in the Philippines.

The deal will play a role in continuing to help grow the game, reinforcing an already fruitful partnership that will now extend into a second decade, with Cignal having been a FIBA rights-holder since 2017.

An exciting multi-platform approach for this next broadcast period is expected to maximize the exposure of the sport by showcasing FIBA tournaments to both traditional television audiences and fans who prefer to consume basketball digitally.

Cignal has consistently delivered eye-catching ratings for FIBA events, particularly for games featuring Gilas Pilipinas.

Former Las Piñas-Muntinlupa district engineer Isabelo Baleros was arrested in his office at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Port Area, Manila for multiple counts of estafa, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos said yesterday.

According to Santos’ office, Judge Tammy Ann Reyes Mendillo of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 22 issued a warrant for Baleros’ arrest on Sept. 30 for violations of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.

Bail for Baleros’ temporary liberty was set at P48,000.

Police officers, who briefed Santos on the case, said Baleros’ co-accused – Ferdinand Villar, Dennis Aguilar and Tony Espi – remain at large.

According to Santos’ office, they are investigating whether Ferdinand Villar is related to former senators Manny and Cynthia Villar and are verifying if Dennis Aguilar is a former Las Piñas councilor.

‘This is the tip of the iceberg. If DPWH really wants to prove it is serious about reforms, they must not only fire but also jail these officials. The P450 million stolen from Las Piñas is not just a number – it’s the people’s hard-earned money. We will not let this go unanswered,’ Santos said in a statement.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon earlier issued a show-cause order against Baleros and nine other engineers over allegations of lavish lifestyles and involvement in substandard projects.

The officials were given five days to submit their explanations.

In medical emergencies, response teams conduct triage, assessing who among the patients have the most urgent need for attention.

The Supreme Court may want to implement a similar system in dealing with the many cases that call for its action. The SC can start with the legal challenge against yet another one-year postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections or BSKE.

President Marcos signed into law last August Republic Act 12232, which not only reset the BSKE from Dec. 1 this year to Nov. 2, 2026, but also gave BSK officials a longer term of four years from the current three.

RA 12232 effectively extended the terms of the current BSK officials by a year through an overly long postponement of the vote. These are acts that the SC had struck down as unconstitutional the first time that Marcos signed an earlier law, RA 11935, which postponed the BSKE scheduled in December 2022.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, who successfully challenged RA 11935 before the SC, is also spearheading the legal challenge against RA 12232, the latest move of the 19th Congress and the executive to pander to their grassroots political operators.

A key argument in the postponement of the BSKE this year is to give full attention to the first-ever parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The BARMM vote, however, is no longer pushing through, after the SC struck down the redistribution of seats in the BARMM parliament following the exclusion of Sulu from the region.

Bowing to the SC, Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia said the BARMM vote has been reset to March 31, 2026. With the postponement, P1 billion worth of ballots, other election paraphernalia and Comelec preparations have gone to waste, Garcia said. Replacing the wasted items will also require additional funds, which could be greater than P1 billion.

In the case of the BSKE this December, a one-year postponement will cost taxpayers an additional P4.3 billion, Garcia said last month.

In the absence of a temporary restraining order from the SC, the Comelec has stopped preparations for the BSKE. But the SC might issue a ruling similar to the one on RA 11935, in which case it will save billions in public funds – and a lot of confusion – if it would issue a TRO on this year’s BSKE postponement.

Better yet, the SC might want to hand down its ruling on the case, giving the Comelec and other stakeholders sufficient time to prepare if the decision favors Macalintal’s challenge.

Trillions in public funds have already gone down the drain due to corruption in flood control projects. If only to save several precious billions, the BSKE postponement case deserves urgent judicial action.