Category: Philippine Star

For many Filipinos, the dream of earning a global education often comes at a cost-literally and figuratively.

It’s a dream that often feels out of reach. The idea of studying abroad entails high tuition fees, long distance and being far from home and loved ones. But what if you could earn an international degree without ever leaving the country?

The collaboration between Mapúa University’s E.T. Yuchengco School of Business, School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences and School of Nursing, and Arizona State University® (ASU) is making the dream of earning a global degree at home possible. Students in the Philippines can now access innovative, world-class, and internationally recognized education without the hefty price tag or the need to move overseas.

‘Through the collaboration, we are able to strengthen our efforts to providing future-ready and globally competitive learning that responds to changing demands of the evolving market. We are preparing our students to be global citizens and this collaboration allows them to work with international peers, adopt global perspectives, and understand how to thrive in diverse environments,’ said Dr. Dodjie Maestrecampo, president and CEO of Mapúa University.

The modern path to global learning

The collaboration delivers transnational education, a modern approach to learning that involves cross-border ties between two educational institutions. It allows students to take programs and degrees from another university without relocating. By bridging higher education institutions across different countries, transnational education makes global education more accessible to students worldwide. It brings the world’s top universities and their expertise into local campuses and translates their learnings into the context of a student’s home country.

In the Philippines, global education is gaining traction with the government passing the Transnational Higher Education Law in 2019 to expand ‘access to educational services.’ It aims to ‘modernize the Philippine higher education sector and bring international quality standards and expertise into the country.’ This is now redefining what it means to earn a global degree in the Philippines.

The collaboration between Mapúa University E.T. Yuchengco School of Business, School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences and School of Nursing, and ASU® provides students with access to ASU®’s world-class programs and curriculum in the country. Also, the faculty has access to ASU®’s content repository to enhance their teaching materials and practices. This has eliminated economic, geographic and cultural constraints, making global learning accessible to students in the Philippines.

For students aspiring to study abroad, this model presents a compelling alternative: the prestige and intellectual challenge of an international degree, at a fraction of the price. It helps Filipino families achieve global ambitions without uprooting their lives. Beyond cost savings, it also promotes cross-border engagement, improves cultural competence, and prepares students for work in multicultural environments.

Innovation-driven learning

In addition to the integration of global curricula, what makes the collaboration stand out and innovative is the cultural and knowledge exchange between two recognized educational institutions. Mapúa University, and its subsidiaries Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, were all equipped and designed with respective Global Classrooms, enabling students to attend cross-boundary classes in real-time virtually.

Through the Global Classroom, Mapúa students engage with faculty from ASU® and the ASU®-Cintana Alliance network and peers, helping broaden their international perspective and culturally immerse themselves in an international learning environment. This prepares them to tackle real-world challenges while developing cross-border skills that are highly sought by multinational and international employers.

The collaboration also uses cutting-edge technology to enrich learning experiences. Mapúa’s virtual learning environment, augmented by ASU®’s new and relevant practices, allows for highly interactive and immersive learning.

As technology evolves, with remote working and global mobility changing the face of industries across the board, innovative transnational education becomes necessary for graduates to thrive in the workplace of tomorrow. The collaboration positions students at the forefront, imparting the technical and adaptive skills they need.

A global future that starts at home

Students today increasingly seek advanced programs that offer flexibility, local and international relevance, and global competence. Mapúa University addresses this head-on, inviting Filipino students and their families to invest in a future with endless global opportunities.

As Mapúa University’s transnational education continues to evolve, it sets the benchmark for how other universities around the region, and beyond, would deliver global learning. Technology is continuing to blur national borders, and transnational education is now becoming a way forward into accessible, innovative, and future-ready global education for Filipinos.

It was almost a year ago that MREIT first talked about diversifying its portfolio with some retail assets, and while shareholders would obviously prefer to have had this deal completed in the first half of the year, late is better than never. Unfortunately for MREIT holders, nothing has changed. At its heart, this is just a press release that reiterates MREIT’s interest in acquiring retail assets. There’s no approved deal, and in fact, just more hype about MEG’s massive bag of commercial real estate and half-massive portfolio of mall assets. I’m not an MREIT shareholder, but if I were, I’d obviously prefer my management team to spend the REIT’s value on acquiring high-value mall assets as opposed to a massive batch of commercial office buildings amid the long-term decline of the commercial sector. MREIT shareholders are basically flat (excluding dividends) in terms of stock price action since that original announcement was made, far below its non-Villar office/mall combo rivals like AREIT (+8% since November 2024) and RCR (+26% since November 2024).

A police lieutenant accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in Ginatilan town, Cebu, is now the subject of a manhunt by the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO).

The victim, a Grade 9 student from Barangay Poblacion II, Malabuyoc, accused Police Lt. Jephte D. Bariga, officer-in-charge of Malabuyoc Police Station, of sexual assault. The incident allegedly happened in Barangay San Roque, Ginatilan, around 12:20 a.m. on September 28.

Later that day, at around 10:30 p.m., the victim and her family reported the incident to the Ginatilan Municipal Police Station. Authorities immediately launched a hot pursuit operation until 8 a.m. the following day but failed to locate the suspect at his police station.

On September 30, CPPO confirmed that manhunt operations are ongoing after initial follow-up efforts yielded no results. The case was already elevated to Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, regional director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-7, who immediately ordered Bariga’s relief effective September 28.

The suspect was also directed to surrender his service firearm and Philippine National Police (PNP) identification card.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Headquarters and the Women and Children Protection Desk assisted the victim in her medical examination and provided her and her family with security detail.

To prevent Bariga’s escape, lookout bulletins were issued to all seaports and airports across Cebu. CPPO has also coordinated with local officials and the suspect’s family for his surrender.

CPPO officer-in-charge Police Colonel Abubakar Mangelen Jr. assured the public of accountability in handling the case.

‘The Cebu Police Provincial Office remains committed to upholding justice, accountability, and integrity. We assure the public that justice will be served,’ said Mangelen.

Bariga is set to face administrative and criminal charges for violations of Republic Act 8353, or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, as amended by Republic Act 11648 on statutory rape.

La Salle held on to a 74-72 triumph against the listless Far Eastern University to bounce back from its deflating defeat to University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

The Green Archers banked on their defensive fangs in the clutch after going scoreless in the final minute and nearly losing a five-point lead as Jorick Bautista muffed a game-tying lay-up in the last seven seconds for the win.

La Salle, which beat Adamson, 60-58, but wasted a 12-point lead against the host and dark horse UST, 93-84, thus improved to 2-1. It is behind for solo fourth place unbeaten Ateneo, UST and National University nearing the halfway mark of the first round in its title redemption bid.

Doy Dungo led the way with 17 points on three triples, while Mason Amos, Jacob Cortez and EJ Gollena churned out 14 points each for La Salle, which made it up for the quiet scoring team captain Mike Phillips with only six points on 1-of-7 clip.

Phillips bounced back in other departments though, collaring 13 rebounds and dishing nine assists as the Green Archers almost squandered a lead as high sa 58-44 in the third quarter.

“You really want to win coming off a loss and we had parts in the game where we’re playing really well for that bounce back win but you cannot say that you’re gonna have an easy win in the UAAP,” said assistant coach Caloy Garcia. “FEU came back in the fourth and we just had to figure out our struggles from there.”

Like its last match against the Growling Tigers with a 12-point lead in the third quarter, the Green Archers appeared headed into a blowout but their inexperience with a young core following the departure of two-time UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao showed down the stretch.

La Salle was outscored by FEU, 21-10, in the fourth but its 74-69 cushion on Dungo’s jumper in the 1:22 mark proved to be enough for still a good momentum entering a gigatic duel against archrival Ateneo that’s been on tear at 3-0 after a Final Four miss on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Janrey Pasaol’s 25 points along with the efforts of Mo Konateh (14), Kirby Mongcopa (13) and Jorick Bautista (10) went for naught anew as the Tamaraws slid to 0-3 for a tie at the cellar with University of the East.

Meanwhile, FEU (1-1) scraped past La Salle (1-1), 73-72 in women’s basketball behind MG Manguiat and Amyah Espanol with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The scores:

First Game

DLSU 74 – Dungo 17, Amos 14, Cortez 14, Gollena 14, Phillips 6, Marasigan 5, Pablo 2, Abadam 2, Daep 0, Melecio 0.

FEU 72 – Pasaol 25, Konateh 14, Mongcopa 13, Bautista 10, Owens 6, Daa 2, Ona 2, Bagunu 0, Montemayor 0, Salangsang 0, Amos 0.

Quarterscores: 21-14, 37-30, 64-51, 74-72

It was not easy, but Alex Eala is heading to the quarterfinal round of the WTA Suzhou Open in China after hacking out a 7-6(5), (3)6-7, 7-5 victory over Greet Minnen Wednesday in China.

Eala and Minnen battled each other in three hours and 18 minutes, but the Filipina finally grabbed the win as she broke her opponent’s serve in the 12th game.

After a hard-fought victory in the first set, the pride of Belgium went toe-to-toe with Eala in the second frame as she won the tiebreak.

It was more of the same in the third set, as the two tennisters could not get enough separation.

Minnen, ranked 106th in the world, tied things up at 5-all in the 10th game, before the World No. 58 held her serve and took the 6-5 advantage.

The Rafa Nadal Academy graduate then denied Minnen from forcing the tiebreak, digging deep to grab the victory.

Eala punched in 50 receiving points compared to her opponent’s 35. Minnen, though, won 84 service points compared to Eala’s 77.

The Belgian player, however, committed 10 double faults which offset her nine service aces.

Eala will now be taking on Viktorija Golubic in the quarterfinals. The Swiss tennister, ranked 70th in the world, defeated Linda Fruhvirtova in the Round of 16.

A low pressure area east of Philippine waters could develop into a tropical cyclone within the next two days, the state weather bureau PAGASA said Tuesday, September 30.

In its 5 p.m. forecast, PAGASA said the system has a medium chance of strengthening into a tropical depression and is likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday evening.

The low pressure area was last spotted 1,070 kilometers east-northeast of Eastern Visayas at 3 p.m.

PAGASA’s tropical cyclone-threat potential report also indicated a high chance of a storm crossing Luzon this week, from September 29 to October 5.

Weather specialist Charmagne Varilla said Northern Luzon, Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Legazpi City can expect overcast skies and rain from Thursday, October 2, lasting until Saturday, October 4, before conditions improve.

A second tropical cyclone-like vortex (TCLV) may form by the second week of October. By October 6 to 12, the first storm is expected to exit PAR toward the Vietnam-Hainan area, while the second storm may enter the northeastern boundary of PAR.

The report further forecasts that tropical cyclones forming in October could make landfall in provinces across Northern, Central and Southern Luzon, as well as Visayas.

Some systems developing in the western Pacific may enter PAR but are expected to recurve northward, moving toward Japan or Korea.

More rain

Although the low pressure area has not yet directly impacted the Philippines, warm easterly winds are expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms on Wednesday, October 1, in the following areas:

Metro Manila

CALABARZON

MIMAROPA

Bicol Region

Aurora

Pampanga

Bulacan

Zambales

Bataan

Northern Samar

The rest of the country is forecast to experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies, with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

The Philippines is still reeling from the aftermath of severe flooding caused by the combined effects of tropical cyclones ‘Mirasol,’ ‘Nando’ and ‘Opong,’ along with the southwest monsoon.

Several provinces and cities have declared a state of calamity to prioritize rehabilitation efforts as thousands remain displaced.

Four coaches face their baptism of fire when hostilities in the PBA’s 50th season get going Sunday.

Pampanga Vice Gov. Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda serves as the new shots-caller for Converge as he joins fellow debutants LA Tenorio (Magnolia), Willy Wilson (Phoenix) and Ronald Tubid (Terrafirma) in pitting coaching skills against the likes of TNT’s Chot Reyes and Barangay Ginebra’s Tim Cone in the league’s golden season.

‘Malaking challenge po,’ said Pineda, who previously led the Pampanga Giant Lanterns to back-to-back MPBL titles en route to winning a pair of Coach of the Year awards.

‘Masaya, siyempre ito ‘yung best league sa atin dito sa Pilipinas, isa sa pinakamalaking liga sa buong Asya. Talagang mixed emotion po. Medyo mabigat na challenge po sa mga babanggain naming mga teams plus ‘yung mga coaches na makakabangga namin talagang nakaka-nerbyos pa rin po,’ he added.

Tenorio, Wilson and Tubid rose from the players’ ranks before taking their head coaching jobs.

‘It’s still something that I’m growing into, I’m adjusting to. As far as how long before I become comfortable (with the position), I really don’t know. I’m not really looking down the road. I’m just looking at the next step right in front of me and trying to be the best at taking that step,’ said Wilson.

The prospect of battling his coaches during his playing years is ‘quite overwhelming’ for Wilson.

‘The daunting task of coaching across the court from those guys (veteran mentors), it’s very, very humbling and at times, I start asking myself kung para sa akin ba ito. So it’s a mixture of that, but obviously thankful and anxious to go out and take this challenge,’ he said.

Tenorio, who may assume the dual role of player-coach during the campaign, said it’s been a pleasant learning experience.

‘As much as the team is learning now the new system, the new culture, mas natututo ako sa kanila. I have a lot of learning every day,’ said the former Ginebra stalwart.

‘I’m just enjoying my time right now. I don’t want to think about what’s going to happen next, what’s going to happen this coming opening or this season. I just like what I’m seeing sa team namin, how they work hard every day, both vets and young players,’ he added.

From team manager, Tubid takes over the helm for the Dyip.

‘We’re building the team right now. Can’t promise (anything) but we need to compete. Sabi ko sa kanila, basta makapag-compete kami, more chances of winning,’ he said.

Notes: The TNT Tropang 5G dropped a 74-93 loss to reigning UAE titlist Al Sharjah at the start of the Abu Dhabi International Basketball Championship early yesterday (Manila time). The imports-laden Emirati club unleashed a 26-18 closing barrage to take the opening win against all-Filipino TNT. Rey Nambatac led the Tropang 5G with 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. The reigning PBA Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup kingpins seek a bounceback against another home club, Al Dhafra, at 1 a.m. Wednesday (Manila time).

The Department of Migrant Workers is working to confirm whether a Filipino seafarer was among crew members injured after a suspected Houthi attack on the Dutch-flagged cargo vessel Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden.

Several crew members were hurt and evacuated following the attack, and a Filipino sailor may be among them, the DMW said in a statement Tuesday, September 30.

The agency is coordinating with the ship operator, employer, manning agencies, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, including Philippine consulates, to verify whether Filipinos were aboard the affected vessel.

If confirmed, the DMW says it will provide medical assistance and repatriation, if needed. It will also provide counseling and psychological support, and legal aid for the seafarer and family.

‘Para sa ating mga tripulante at kanilang pamilya: hindi po kayo nag-iisa (To our sailors and their families: you are not alone),’ the DMW statement said. ‘Kasama ninyo ang pamahalaan, kasama ninyo ang DMW (The government and DMW is with you.)

The DMW said it is strengthening protection for seafarers in high-risk areas like the Gulf of Aden

The department will release updates once details are confirmed.

Dangerous route. The Gulf of Aden connects the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea and sits between Yemen and Somalia, regions that have seen armed conflict and piracy for years.

Houthi rebels in Yemen have been launching missile and drone attacks on Israel and on ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for its assault on Gaza, saying these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians.

Filipinos make up over a quarter of seafarers globally. In 2024, at least half a million Filipino seafarers were deployed overseas.

There’s officially a new PBA team.

The Titan Ultra Giant Risers will be debuting in the PBA Season 50, after the league’s board of governors approved Pureblends Corporation’s purchase of the NorthPort Batang Pier franchise.

‘They will be entering the 50th season of the PBA, and their team will now be known as ‘Titan Ultra’ team,’ PBA board treasurer Raymond Zorrilla said during the pre-season press conference Wednesday at Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig.

Giant Risers team governor Emilio Tiu said they have a roster that can compete against stronger teams.

‘We waited for this event at mga taon, tinaymingan namin yung 50 years because ibang klase itong 50 years sa PBA. And we expected na when we join, we will learn so many things and we can also expand together with PBA,’ Tiu said.

‘For the composition of the team, I have to admit that we are still young, but we have a complete lineup. We will give the strong teams fight without saying ‘kuya.’ Kami, lalaban din kami,’ he added.

The Titan Ultra squad will be coached by Jhonedel Cardel. Former NorthPort head coach Bonnie Tan is a consultant, while Rensy Bajar, Raymund Tiongco, Lester Alvarez, Maverick Chua and Raymond Valenzona are the assistant coaches.

Veterans Calvin Abueva and Joshua Munzon will spearhead the Giant Risers, along with young guns Cade Flores, Fran Yu, Mario Barasi and Chris Koon.

Meanwhile, the PBA announced that former NorthPort team manager Pido Jarencio is the new governor of the Terrafirma Dyip.

Beyond its massive aquariums and immersive tunnels, the newly opened Singapore Oceanarium carries a deeper purpose: to amplify the often-drowned-out voice of the ocean.

Located on Sentosa Island, this marine destination – formerly known as the S.E.A. Aquarium – opened to the public on July 24, 2025.

It now spans 22 immersive zones, making it three times larger than its predecessor, and takes visitors through the ocean’s past, present and future.

Highlights include digitally magnified plankton and sea jellies representing the ocean’s ancient past, as well as sharks, manta rays, and other marine life showcasing its present.

The journey ends with an interactive pledge, inviting guests to take part in protecting the ocean and shaping its future.