Category: Philippine Star

A special matchup for a special kickoff.

The PBA raises the curtains on its golden season tonight with fireworks from Manila Clasico, the fabled rivalry born during the late ’80s era of old-school hoops, short shorts, barreling drives and kalawit rebounds that stays burning in the hearts of the current generation.

Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia, archrivals with a large, passionate fan base, re-engage tonight to fire the opening salvo for the Season 50 Philippine Cup wars at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

And what makes the 7:30 p.m. tiff at the Big Dome – where the first PBA game was played back on April 9, 1975 – even more interesting are the men at the helm. It’s the Gin Kings’ multi-titled coach Tim Cone against his long-time player and coaching pupil LA Tenorio, who has jumped over to the Hotshots as mentor and reserve player after their Season 49 collaboration.

‘He’ll be a great coach because he is a great communicator and great with relationships,’ said Cone of Tenorio, with whom he has won seven PBA championships.

Amid all the hoopla, the debuting Tenorio is keeping his focus.

‘Yes, it’s the Manila Clasico. But at the end of the day, it’s just an ordinary game. It’s the same game we’re going to play the next day. It’s just a game. We just have to play it the right way,’ he told One Sports.

Both master and student are leading teams on a redemption tour.

Cone and the Gin Kings had their chance to win the Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup trophies last season, but were foiled by TNT each time.

Tenorio’s new charges, meanwhile, failed to get past the quarterfinals of the last four conferences to see their title drought extended to a seventh year or since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.

‘We were right there. We’re not too upset where we are as a team at this point. We know we can contend, we know we can compete,’ said Cone. ‘I think those things that happened to us last season will make our team stronger this season.’

Apart from clutch player Tenorio, Ginebra also lost wingman Jamie Malonzo (now in Korea) in the off-season.

The Small Basketeers Philippines-Passerelle Twin Tournaments organized by the BEST Center blasted off last week at the Claret School of Quezon City with 12 teams competing.

Milo Sports Head Carlo Sampan and Fr. Victor Sadaya, Claret School Director, helped usher in the long-running competition for grade school basketball hopefuls that has been recognized in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.

Vying for the SBP crown are Claret School of QC, Colegio San Agustin, La Salle College Antipolo, La Salle Greenhills, Lourdes School Queon City and Lourdes School Mandaluyong

Competing in the Passerelle Division are Claret School of QC, Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati

La Salle Greenhills, Lourdes School of Mandaluyong, Paref Southridge School and University of Santo Tomas.

The twin tournaments are sponsored by Milo.

Cagers 9 to 11 years old are playing in the SBP while their 12 to 15-year old counterparts play in the Passerelle.

The government has waived the auction requirement for the Philippines’ first commercially developed nuclear power plant (NPP), allowing it to directly forge supply deals with distribution utilities (DUs).

In a landmark move, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin signed a department circular establishing a comprehensive framework for the integration of nuclear energy into the country’s power generation mix.

Under the circular, DUs are required to ensure a ready market for the available capacity of the pioneer nuclear power plant (NPP), which will be exempt from the conduct of a competitive selection process (CSP).

The CSP is a government-mandated bidding mechanism that requires DUs and electric cooperatives (ECs) to procure their power supply from generation companies offering the most cost-effective rates.

Consumer group National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc. (Nasecore), however, expressed ‘grave concern’ on the CSP exemption of the pioneer NPP.

‘This provision is blatantly contrary to law and jurisprudence,’ Nasecore president Pete Ilagan said in a statement sent to The STAR, saying the move violates the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and the Supreme Court rulings on CSP.

By allowing the power supply procurement without a CSP, Ilagan said the Department of Energy would ‘effectively (deny) consumers their legal right to least-cost power and undermine the regulatory safeguards that EPIRA established.’

Nasecore also warned that implementing the provision could lock consumers into costly long-term contracts and weaken transparency and public trust in the energy sector.

For the power supply contracts, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is mandated to establish a minimum 25-year term starting from the pioneer NPP’s commercial operation, with an option to extend for another 25 years.

‘Consumers deserve a power supply that is safe, lawful, affordable and procured through open and transparent bidding – not imposed by executive fiat,’ Ilagan said, urging Congress and the Judiciary to strike down the provision.

Energy Undersecretary Mario Marasigan, meanwhile, told The STAR the least-cost principle for nuclear integration could still be maintained even in the absence of competitive bidding.

‘Our (circular) provides that the ERC has to determine and promulgate a rate determination mechanism that will ensure viability of nuclear power generation, especially the pioneer project that may be contracted by DUs/ECs,’ Marasigan said.

‘The price-setting rules and guidelines will also consider the consumers,’ he said.

What was supposed to be joyous occasions last September 28 during the arrival of then Archbishop-designate Alberto Uy in Cebu and later on during his installation as archbishop on September 30 were marred by alleged violence by a group of parish volunteers against members of the media.

According to the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists, members of the Kabalikat 940 Metro Cebu Chapter harassed and forcefully removed members of the media who were covering the events. They also allegedly struck them with instruments and took pictures of their Press ID cards.

“What should have been a solemn and historic occasion for Cebu was tainted by the shameful treatment of media workers, including those affiliated with the Church. Instead of being recognized as professionals documenting a milestone for the Catholic faithful, they were treated as security threats. This incident occurred despite an existing agreement with Church officials that designated coverage protocols and media areas were already in place,” the federation said in a statement published on social media.

We have yet to hear the side of the parish volunteers in this story. But from what we are seeing for now, they either became too zealous in their assigned duty or some of them developed a grudge against members of the media.

It could have been chalked up as a one-time event if this only happened during Uy’s arrival on September 28. But since it reportedly happened again two days later during his installment as Cebu archbishop, we can’t help but think there was some grudge involved.

Granted that the group wasn’t familiar with the coverage protocols or didn’t know the reporters regularly covering the Church beat, there was still no reason for them to behave like they were duly deputized to attack and harass others.

But then again, like we said, it would seem the group hasn’t issued any statement yet regarding the said incidents. Not that we can compel them to, but perhaps it would help if they explained to clear up the issue.

Motorcycle-riding assailants shot dead a barangay kagawad in Alaminos town in this province on Thursday night.

Darwin Tolentino, 55, was tending his shop in Barangay Poblacion when two men on a motorcycle pulled over at past 6 p.m.

Probers said one of the riders barged into the shop and shot Tolentino at close range.

Relatives rushed Tolentino to the San Pablo Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.

Witnesses said the gunman was wearing a red shirt, white shorts pants and a black cap.

Probers have yet to determine the motive for the killing.

Almost 6,000 aftershocks have been recorded in Northern Cebu, state seismologists Phivolcs said on Sunday, October 5.

According to Phivolcs, there have been 5,982 recorded aftershocks from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake, which occurred on Sept. 30, 2025.

The latest number of plotted aftershocks reached 1,219 and 25 were felt by the public, according to state seismologists.

The strongest aftershock on Sunday, as of writing, was recorded at a magnitude of 4.4, with a depth of 10 kilometers in the City of Bogo, Cebu.

Reported intensities included Intensity II in Daanbantayan, Cebu, and Intensity I in Villaba, Abuyog, and Carigara, Leyte.

Geologist Mahar Lagmay, the director of Project Noah, explained that a large earthquake typically triggers many aftershocks because the fault is still adjusting.

He noted that these aftershocks may last for a month or more, but with a weakening trend.

‘Nag-aadjust pa ang fault. It may last for a month or more, but with a weakening trend,’ Lagmay said in an X (formerly Twitter) post.

(The fault is still adjusting. It may last for a month or more, but with a weakening trend.)

Death toll. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recorded a death toll of 71 individuals and 559 injured due to the powerful quake.

Affected individuals and damaged properties. There were also 455,631 individuals, or 128,464 families, affected by the quake across 15 cities and municipalities.

Evacuated individuals reached 26,542, with 25,291 outside evacuation centers and 1,251 inside them.

Additionally, there were 713 reported cases of infrastructure damage, along with 18,154 damaged houses.

There is no International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest for Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa.

‘Until we see the arrest warrant, then there is none,’ Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told reporters when asked if the Department of Justice was preparing for such a move.

As for contingency plans, he said authorities are not discussing it yet.

‘We’ll cross the bridge when we get there,’ Remulla said.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who was recently in The Hague, said ICC arrest warrants could be issued in early 2026 against Dela Rosa and Sen. Bong Go.

‘As for the warrant (from the ICC), we are only expecting two. One for Bato, another for Bong Go. Maybe the earliest these warrants would be out is early next year,’ he said in an interview with ‘Storycon’ on One News.

Dela Rosa could possibly be cited as detained former president Rodrigo Duterte’s co-conspirator in the drug war killings, with ICC prosecutors, in a July pre-confirmation brief, citing Dela Rosa’s vow to ‘scale up’ the Davao model of killings, his signature on Tokhang directives and his chilling statement: ‘Killings in the name of drugs. This is really about killings in the name of drugs.’

In the systematic theft of public funds, practically all government services suffer.

Those trillions in tax money estimated to have gone down the corruption drain could have expanded public health coverage. Health professionals could have been provided higher pay, preventing them from seeking greener pastures overseas. There could be fewer children growing up physically and mentally stunted due to lack of food and proper nutrients.

Several billions could have built roads maintained by the government and needing no payment of stiff tolls, particularly within traffic-choked Mega Manila. Farm support services including post-harvest and cold chain facilities as well as farm-to-market roads could have been implemented.

Public safety could have been boosted and minimum credible defense capability achieved.

And yes, greater investment in education and innovation could have been made. There would be no backlog of 165,000 classrooms, a teacher shortage of at least 30,000, and a continuing inadequacy of practically all supplies and facilities including clean water in the public school system.

Last Friday, teachers across the country walked out of their classes to protest against the corruption on a grand scale that is now being laid bare. The walkout was staged ahead of World Teachers’ Day today.

The global theme of this special day, co-convened by UNESCO, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Labor Organization and Education International, is ‘recasting teaching as a collaborative profession.’

In the Philippines, however, because of recent developments, the focus of the special day inevitably is on corruption and its pernicious impact on education.

Seeing those massive piles of cash stolen from the people, which supposedly went to the kickbacks of crooked public officials, hearing public works engineers blowing millions in casinos, and watching contractors flaunting ill-gotten wealth have triggered widespread public outrage.

The still unfolding scandal over corruption in the budget process and flood control is giving the nation a clearer picture of the quality of political representation in this country.

Making informed choices in elections is critical in good governance and strong democratic institutions. For the younger generations, making informed choices will depend a great deal on the quality of education, in which teachers obviously play a critical role. Greater investment in education, including teachers’ welfare, is one of the best foils against corruption.

A Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman was killed while two others were wounded in an ambush by motorcycle-riding assailants in this city yesterday.

Prince Mohaz Matanog, SK chairman in Barangay Poblacion 5, was declared dead on arrival in a hospital due to multiple gunshot wounds in the body.

Reports said Matanog and his brother Muamar was in a Toyota Raize when the assailants ambushed them at past 10 a.m. at the intersection of Jose Lim Sr. street and Sinsuat Avenue.

The gunmen also shot and wounded Pat. Norsaiden Laguiali who responded to the incident.

Muamar and Laguiali were taken to a hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

Probers recovered 92 bullet shells at the scene of the ambush.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed a new bishop in the Diocese of Boac in Marinduque, the Vatican said on Saturday, October 4 (Manila time).

The pontiff has appointed Edwin Oracion Panergo, a priest from the Diocese of Lucena, as the new prelate of the Marinduque-based diocese, who has been in ‘sede vacante’ since November 2024.

He replaces Bishop Marcelino Maralit Jr., who was installed as the Bishop of the Diocese of San Pablo in Laguna in November last year, following his appointment as the prelate of San Pablo in September 2024.

While the position remained vacant, the Boac diocese was overseen by Diocesan Administrator Elino Esplana.

Who is Panergo? Panergo, a native of Lucena City, currently serves as the rector of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Seminary in Sariaya, Quezon and directs the Diocese of Lucena’s Commission on Vocation.

His academic background includes philosophy studies at St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary in Lipa City and theology at St. Alphonsus School of Theology in Lucena.

Ordained a priest at Lucena Cathedral on Sept. 8, 1997, he further specialized with a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from St. Louis University in Baguio City and a licentiate in sacred theology from Notre Dame de Vie in Venasque, France.