Category: Philippine Star

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remains in effect over Batanes and the northeastern portion of the Babuyan Islands as Typhoon Rosal (international name: Champi) maintained its strength while moving northwestward over the sea east-northeast of Batanes, the state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin on Friday, October 23, PAGASA said Rosal was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 190 kph.

The typhoon was last spotted 275 kilometers east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northwestward at 15 kph.

Strong to typhoon-force winds extend up to 900 kilometers from the center.

Warning signals

PAGASA raised the following tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 2

Luzon

Batanes

Northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan, Panuitan, Calayan and Camiguin islands)

Residents in these areas may experience gale-force winds ranging from 62 to 88 kph within the next 24 hours, posing minor to moderate threats to life and property.

Signal No. 1

Luzon

Rest of the Babuyan Islands

Mainland Cagayan

Northeastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Santa Maria, Cabagan, San Pablo and Palanan)

Ilocos Norte

Apayao

Residents in these areas may experience strong winds ranging from 39 to 61 kph within the next 36 hours, posing minimal to minor threats to life and property.

The northeast monsoon and Rosal’s outer circulation will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas:

Friday, October 23: Most of Luzon and the Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental.

Saturday, October 24: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Polillo Islands, Bicol Region, Romblon, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.

Sunday, October 25: Batanes and Babuyan Islands.

Sea conditions

A gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

Very rough to very high seas, with waves reaching up to 12 meters, are expected along the northern and eastern seaboards of Batanes.

Waves may reach up to 9 meters along the remaining seaboards of Batanes and up to 8 meters along the northern and eastern seaboards of the Babuyan Islands and the northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan.

Seas may reach up to 6 meters along the remaining seaboards of the Babuyan Islands and mainland Cagayan, the seaboard of northern Isabela and the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte. Waves may reach up to 5.5 meters along the remaining seaboard of Isabela and up to 5 meters along the remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte.

Waves may reach up to 4.5 meters along the seaboards of northern Ilocos Sur and northern Aurora, the northern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, and the northern and eastern seaboards of the Polillo Islands and Catanduanes.

PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky for all types of vessels in areas where very rough to very high seas are expected. Mariners were advised to remain in port or seek shelter in a safe harbor until winds and waves subside.

Operators of small vessels, including motorbancas, were also advised against venturing out to sea under rough conditions, especially if their vessels are ill-equipped or they lack experience.

Track, intensity

Rosal is expected to continue moving generally northwestward until Saturday, October 24, before moving northward and then north-northeastward between Saturday and Sunday, October 25.

On its forecast track, the typhoon is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by early Saturday.

PAGASA said Rosal is forecast to weaken gradually within the next 24 hours before weakening rapidly. It may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm by Saturday morning and further weaken into a tropical storm by Saturday evening.

Following a report that China was mulling the removal of a grounded Philippine warship, Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro Jr. warned that any use of force against the BRP Sierra Madre would be an act of war against the Philippines.

“Any threats against BRP Sierra Madre will be taken very seriously, because it will be an act against a military vessel of the Republic of the Philippines,” Teodoro said in an interview with reporters Friday, October 23.

Chinese Commercial News, a Chinese-language broadsheet in the Philippines with ties to Beijing, earlier reported that China was considering pulling the Philippines’ naval outpost from Ayungin Shoal as retaliation for Manila’s “recent actions.”

Asked whether the military would update its rules of engagement for troops aboard the ship to prevent it from being boarded by another nation’s troops, Teodoro declined to discuss “operational matters.” He instead restated the vessel’s status.

“The BRP Sierra Madre is a ship of the Republic of the Philippines. If anything is attempted against it, or anything happens to it through the use of force, that is an act of war against the Republic of the Philippines,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.

The defense chief was careful to clarify that any action taken by China toward the aging warship would be an “act of war” but not a “state of war.”

Under the 1987 Constitution, only Congress, by a two-thirds vote of both chambers voting separately, can declare the existence of a state of war. Acts of war refer to hostile action done by a foreign state against another.

The 10 countermeasures. The report, published this week by Chinese Commercial News, said Beijing was losing patience with Manila and was considering 10 countermeasures.

The Binondo-based newspaper said Chinese authorities had not confirmed the measures and that it was unclear whether they had entered Beijing’s formal decision-making process.

The options being weighed purportedly include towing the Sierra Madre away, blocking resupply missions to its crew, sanctioning Filipino politicians seen as hostile to China, and cutting oil and fertilizer supplies to the Philippines.

The Philippine Navy deliberately ran the World War II-era ship aground at Ayungin in 1999 to assert Manila’s sovereign rights.

The shoal lies about 200 kilometers from Palawan, within the country’s exclusive economic zone. It was a frequent flashpoint for confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels until both sides reached an “arrangement” in 2024 to de-escalate tensions.

The report by Chinese Commercial News surfaced amid a widening diplomatic row between Beijing and Manila.

The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan over his October 19 remarks that China could easily win a military conflict. Lawmakers have since filed resolutions urging the president to declare him persona non grata.

‘No one has the right’

Teodoro also rejected Chinese claims that Manila sought Beijing’s approval for Wednesday’s rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.

The China Coast Guard said the Philippines delivered supplies to the ship with Chinese approval, and that it verified the Philippine vessel and monitored the whole operation, according to the state-run news outlet Global Times.

The newspaper later published a video it said showed a Philippine boat cooperating with a coast guard inspection.

“No one has the right to ask the Republic of the Philippines to ask for permission for a resupply of Sierra Madre. So that is false,” Teodoro said.

“We have no obligation to say what is on board, or what the cargo is, of a ship of the Republic of the Philippines,” he said in Filipino.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, confirmed Thursday that the military did not ask China for permission prior to the conduct of the resupply mission.

There is a natural temptation in public commentary to treat foreign policy as a high-altitude game of chess – an abstract battle of doctrines and diplomatic summits. Yet, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hosts foreign leaders at the ASEAN Summit in Manila before flying to Shenzhen for the APEC Leaders’ Meeting, I believe the reality of Philippine statecraft cannot be separated from what happens on the water. Beyond diplomatic parlance, the West Philippine Sea dispute is an urgent issue of daily survival, food security and national energy independence.

For centuries, trade and communal fishing flowed freely between our shores. China stands today as our largest overall trading partner – our primary source of imports and a major market for our electronics and agriculture. Our cultural heritage is profoundly shared with Spain, with whom we have maintained a longstanding friendship and historic partnership, alongside a rich Chinese-Filipino heritage deeply woven into our national fabric. Just as the Intramuros-Binondo Bridge spans the Pasig River to physically link our Spanish colonial roots with our vibrant commercial enclaves, our national identity is built upon honoring all facets of our shared heritage.

Yet today, the physical reality on the water has shifted dramatically. At the center of the dispute are our local fisherfolk – coastal families in Zambales, Pangasinan and Palawan whose livelihoods are directly disrupted by water cannons, acoustic weapons and maritime blockades.

Simultaneously, the dispute directly impacts our nation’s energy future. Offshore features like Recto Bank hold significant untapped natural gas reserves within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). With the Malampaya gas field facing eventual depletion, securing access to our own seabed energy resources is critical to preventing severe electricity supply shocks across Luzon. Under international law, anchored by the 2016 Hague Arbitral Award, these resources belong to the Filipino people.

This tension reflects a long-standing debate within Philippine leadership over how best to deal with Beijing. Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo advocated an economic-first approach, advising leaders to concentrate on economic ties rather than maritime disputes. During her administration, Arroyo championed the 2005 Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) with China and Vietnam – a deal ultimately struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2023 for compromising national sovereignty over our EEZ.

It is deeply concerning when certain public officials – particularly lawmakers – issue inflammatory, bellicose statements against China that are fundamentally far from choosing peace. Elected representatives have a sworn duty to legislate for the welfare of the people, not to posture for political grandstanding by beating drums of hostility. Reckless rhetoric from the halls of power does nothing to defend our fishermen or secure our energy reserves; instead, it closes off vital diplomatic off-ramps, heightens miscalculation risks and sabotages regional stability. True leadership demands the discipline to defend our sovereign rights with unwavering resolve while speaking with the measured prudence required to keep our nation out of avoidable conflict.

Every country must have its own distinct identity; every nation must be both nationalistic and patriotic in safeguarding sovereignty. Yet true love of country must never exist in isolation. At the forefront of our national conscience, we must choose peace, recognizing that in our modern world, all countries rely on one another in a deeply interdependent way.

As Confucius famously taught, ‘In practicing propriety, a value is placed on harmony,’ reminding us that true strength is rooted in balance and mutual respect. This wisdom echoes the ministry of Jesus Christ, who embodied active reconciliation and declared in the Beatitudes, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’ (Matthew 5:9).

At the heart of this diplomacy is people-to-people engagement. Governments may lock horns over maritime boundaries, but everyday citizens keep the true spirit of neighborliness alive. Generations of Chinese-Filipino families, scholars, artists and business owners have proven that our shared history runs deeper than transient geopolitical storms. Fostering grassroots connections reminds us that while states can be rivals on the water, human beings can still choose dialog, empathy and mutual respect over hostility.

Indeed, in a region where a single tactical miscalculation could draw superpowers into open military confrontation, peace remains the single best option for the Philippines. War would inflict devastating humanitarian costs, destroy regional trade routes and cripple our developing economy. Asserting sovereignty must never be confused with warmongering; rather, defending international law, exercising disciplined communication and nurturing people-to-people ties maintain a credible deterrence – a shield ensuring that peace prevails on our terms, not through submission.

This commitment to peaceful resolution frames President Marcos’ attendance at the APEC Summit in Shenzhen as a necessary exercise in calculated statecraft. Participating in a multilateral economic forum allows Manila to protect trade access, advocate for regional stability and maintain vital diplomatic hotlines to prevent crisis escalation at sea.

True statecraft requires holding an unyielding line in defense of our fisherfolk, our food supply and our energy future, while remaining unconditionally committed to peaceful dialogue and human connection where national interests intersect.

Words are cheap, but working towards world peace is an active duty that should be embraced by all. After all, whether under the same sun over Manila Bay or the morning skies of Fujian, we share the same fragile earth and the same enduring hope that our children will inherit bridges, never battlefields.

P.S. I am Pro-Philippines, Pro-Filipino and Pro-Peace.

Manila Central University shocked a hastily formed La Salle Team B, while defending champion University of the Philippines and Letran won convincingly at the start of the PGFlex Invitational Tournament 2026 Quintana Cup on Thursday, October 22, at the Paco Arena in Manila.

With 6-foot-10 Nigerian David Odior imposing his frame inside the paint, the MCU Supremos blasted the Archers, 94-70, in a win that sent shockwaves through the basketball community.

Equally impressive in the preseason tournament were the Maroons, who dumped the Diliman College Blue Dragons, 88-47, and the Knights, who drew inspired games from Mark Belmonte, Thirdy Malaga, Gabriel Nepacena, Jack Turner, and Santi Romero to demolish St. Clare, 95-74.

Surprisingly quick and efficient despite his size, Odior posted a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds, apart from tallying two steals, two blocks and one assist in a little over 24 minutes of brilliance, which somehow rubbed off on his teammates.

After racing to a 29-16 first quarter lead, the Supremos were never threatened as they even hiked their lead to a commanding 70-52 advantage going into the last 10 minutes despite the red-hot shooting of Agjanti Miller. The former San Beda star scattered 27 points.

Three other MCU players scored in double figures, with Ralph Tadeo adding 18 points, while Juan Carlos Espinosa and Ivan Ngando Eyoum combined for 22 points in the event backed by by Smart, Puso.com, Hapee Toothpaste, Mighty Bond, Spalding, Maruyama, Gerry’s Grill, Crane, Vital Purified Water and Akari.

Belmonte buried three triples on the way to 21 points, with Malaga and Nepacena chipping in 15 and 14 points, respectively. Romero and Turner combined for 15 points.

UP’s win was likewise smooth as they took a 21-6 first quarter lead and never looked back – thanks to Irish Coquia, Joshua Coronel, CJ Singson, and Joshua Jamias.

Coquia led the Maroons with 25, followed by Coronel with 21, while Singson and Jamias combined for 25 points

President Biden on different occasions, called Russian President Vladimir Putin a ‘killer’ and ‘murderous dictator’. Indeed because of his decisions to wage war on Chechnya, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Syria, Mali, Central African Republic, Libya, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger several million people, aggressors and defenders alike, have lost their lives.

A murderer is a person who kills another person with deliberate intent inflicting grievous bodily harm. That is what Putin was aware of when he launched all those wars. But is Putin the worst murderer in human history? Well-known mass killers in newer times are: Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Hideki Tojo, Pol Pot, King Leopold, and Napoleon. How about the older times?

The first militaristic dictatorship was the Assyrian Empire under Ashurnasirpal II around the years 2000 BC. In the Old Testament of the Bible, we learn about all the battles the Israelites fought to conquer the Land of Promise. Then in history lessons, we heard of Alexander the Great’s conquests, the Persian and Roman Empires. The Arabs subjugated with fire and sword North Africa and Spain. In Asia existed Genghis Khan’s Mongol Empire, the Timurid Empire, the Golden Horde and the middle kingdom of China. The Inca, Maya, and Aztec Empires ruled in central and southern America. History is full of violence, atrocities, injustices, sufferings and gore.

We had the division of the world between the two superpowers Spain and Portugal by Pope Alexander VI in 1494. Portugal was allowed to subject Africa, India and later Brazil while Spain got Mexico, South America and the Pacific up to the Philippines.

European colonization began in the late 16th century with stronger nations occupying the opposite coast. England conquered Ireland and Sweden invaded Germany 1630-1648 in the Thirty Years’ War. Full-scale colonization took place after the Napoleonic Wars: France colonized Algeria and Africa from west to east, Indochina and Canada. England subjugated Africa, India, and North America. Belgium’s King Leopold II took his Congo Free State. The Netherlands seized Indonesia. The German Empire became the third-largest colonizer conquering territories in the Pacific, China, and Africa. The Third German Reich under Hitler caused between 70 and 80 million fatalities worldwide in WWII.

The Italians colonized Albania on the opposite coast and in northeast Africa Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia.

The first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan in 1552. The empire subjugated and exploited by and by about 200 ethnic groups in Siberia. The successor states Soviet Union and Russian Federation try to expand the territory belligerently up to today in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.

Among the non-European colonizers, the Turks established the Ottoman Empire that at its peak in the 17th century spanned across parts of Europe, Asia and North Africa. It encompassed over 40 modern-day nations. The Japanese subjugated Taiwan, Korea, parts of China and Russia and the Philippines. The Chinese added to their country Tibet, East Turkestan (Xinjiang), and a part of Mongolia. Their leader plans to conquer Taiwan. Finally, the United States of America –after gaining Independence from England– displaced the indigenous population in a form of settler colonization and then colonized Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa and the Philippines.

The question who is the worst among all the ruthless rulers cannot be answered. But we know that on September 9, the number of Russian dead, wounded and missing soldiers exceeded 1,500,000. Ukrainian fallen fighters may amount to 460,000. Trump’s Epic Fury cost the lives of estimated between 10,000 and 18,000 people from nine countries mostly Iranians.

The government dangled a P20-million reward for information leading to the capture of gambling tycoon Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang.

If estimates of his earnings from gambling were accurate, Ang probably offered 10 times that amount to evade arrest over the kidnapping and suspected murder of dozens of cockfighting enthusiasts between 2021 and 2022.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, whose department has jurisdiction over the Philippine National Police, announced recently that Ang had slipped out of the country through the southern backdoor and was last seen in Cambodia. This story has been circulating since Ang went missing following his indictment, but Remulla said that this time, it appeared to be true.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the Bureau of Immigration, which is under his department, has no record of Ang’s departure from the country. But with an arrest warrant for a non-bailable offense, Ang is unlikely to have exited the country through BI-controlled gateways or ports.

He is not the first high-value fugitive to slip out of the country through the backdoor. Alice Guo, the former mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, reportedly left the country for Malaysia in July 2024 through a yacht that she boarded in the city of Manila.

At the time, Guo was already wanted for multiple offenses including qualified human trafficking related to Philippine offshore gaming operations in Bamban.

POGO links also led to an arrest warrant for human trafficking for former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who surfaced in the United Arab Emirates in September 2024 and is currently seeking asylum in Europe.

The immigration bureau also has no record of Roque’s departure, but he was reportedly spotted in Tawi-Tawi shortly before he was seen in the UAE.

Guo’s escape by yacht highlighted the porousness of the country’s borders, and the ease of slipping out through unregulated and poorly policed private ports.

The problem persists, not only allowing fugitives to flee but also facilitating the smuggling into the country of all sorts of contraband, from guns to drugs and even motorcycles.

If ever the arm of Philippine law reaches Ang, authorities must determine how he left the country. Those who abetted his escape must also face the harshest penalties.

The Philippine peso sank to a fresh record low of P63.615 to $1 on Friday, October 23, marking the 31st time this year that it closed at an all-time low.

The peso weakened by 9.5 centavos from Thursday’s P63.52 finish, which had set the previous record.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said Thursday that the central bank was not raising interest rates to support a particular exchange rate.

The central bank, however, may step into the foreign-exchange market to curb sharp swings that could fuel inflation.

“We do intervene a little bit in the foreign exchange market, but that’s mainly to avoid swings in the exchange rate that tend to be inflationary. We have estimates of how much the peso has to move before it becomes inflationary, and that’s when we tend to intervene,” Remolona said.

His remarks followed the Monetary Board’s decision to raise the BSP’s benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 5.5%, its fourth consecutive increase.

The BSP described the larger move as a response to broadening price pressures and further risks to the inflation outlook, rather than an attempt to defend the peso.

A weaker currency can make dollar-priced imports, including fuel, more expensive in peso terms and add to inflation. That gives the central bank reason to limit disorderly exchange-rate swings even as it allows the market to determine the peso’s level.

Police are hunting down dismissed colleagues who are allegedly working as henchmen of scam operators.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. vowed to pursue accountability for any PNP personnel protecting clandestine Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hubs.

‘Any active or dismissed PNP personnel caught enabling or shielding these rogue outfits will face swift criminal prosecution and total institutional purge,’ Nartatez said in a statement.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said scam hubs are using dismissed police officers and military personnel as muscle for their operations despite the government’s ban on POGOs.

PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said yesterday that any police officer, whether active or no longer a member of the police force, should not get involved in scam operations and other illegal activities.

‘If it is proven that they are acting as henchmen, as reported or as stated by our secretary, we will enforce the law and all legal proceedings against them,’ Co said.

On our way to work, me and my wife Denise usually pass by the NBC network office at the Rockefeller Center along 48th St. as there is a cheap Chinese take-out diner in the vicinity. After we bought our food last Monday morning, there was a sizeable crowd gathered around a pop-up store on 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Since we still had a little time, we checked what it was all about.

It was the final two days of the NBA Tip-Off Comic Drop showing limited-edition superhero inspired comic books featuring stars of all 30 NBA teams. This is NBC Sports’ promotional campaign celebrating Year 2 of the NBA on NBC and was the first time that a network had telecasted an NBA Tip-Off triple header. Yes, I completely forgot about this as the comic giveaways began in the first week of October in selected areas around Manhattan.

The promotional issue has five collectible covers with designs that show the triple header opening night matchups, the New York Knicks starting five and the main stars of the opening night matchups on three other covers – Cade Cunningham (DET) and Jayson Tatum (BOS), LeBron James (PHI) and Jalen Brunson (NYK) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) and Victor Wembanyama (SAS).

We didn’t know that they were already giving away those comic books early that morning, so we proceeded to work. Denise got off early afternoon and on the way home, she passed by the area and decided to line up. After an hour and 15 minutes on the line, she got a copy. Clueless, she sent me a photo asking me who’s the player inside the booth. It was Ron Artest/Metta World Peace interacting with the crowd.

The contents mainly are a recap of the previous Finals and a preview of all 30 teams done in typical comic book artwork. LeBron has overstuffed biceps, Stephen Curry as a Roman warrior, Kyrie Irving looks like a western gunslinger, Kevin Durant depicted like a Voltes 5 hybrid, Tatum looking like a toned-down Green Lantern, Wemby as an elongated Django and Luka Doncic looks like Iron Man who forgot his mask.

We went early the next day and when we got to 30 Rock before 9am, there was already a long line. Denise asked the first guy on the line what time he was there and said he came in a little past 7am. The things you do for freebies. Long story short, we got our comic books, a copy of the NYK starting five and three copies of the tip-off matchups as you can’t choose which.

For the love of the game and for collectibles, I lined up. Denise, since she got off earlier than me, lined up again in the afternoon. Not for the love of the game but for the love of the husband. Charot.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is investigating how fugitive businessman Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang managed to elude law enforcement authorities and leave the country.

Ang, the alleged mastermind in the kidnapping and killing of cockfighting aficionados or sabungeros, has fled the Philippines and is reportedly in Cambodia, according to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said there is an ongoing probe on Ang’s reported departure in coordination with other concerned government agencies.

‘We will be investigating all circumstances surrounding this development,’ he said at a news briefing in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Ang is accused of ordering the systematic murder of hundreds of sabungeros who allegedly cheated in cockfight games, with most of the bodies allegedly buried in Taal Lake, Batangas.

Co assured the victims’ families they will not stop until Ang is arrested and brought to court to face trial.

‘Regardless of his current whereabouts the PNP remains committed to serving the warrant of arrest, bringing him before the courts to answer for the charges against him,’ he said.