Category: Philippine Star

Big man Quentin Millora-Brown is now officially part of Gilas Pilipinas’ expanded pool, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) said, ahead of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.

Millora-Brown, who was reclassified as a local by FIBA earlier this year, will now be part of the Gilas pool before it takes on Guam in the first window on November 28 and December 1.

He is one of four players added to the 12-man roster that saw action in the recently concluded FIBA Asia Cup.

‘We’re excited to have QMB in the pool,’ SBP President Al Panlilio said in a statement posted on Facebook Wednesday evening.

‘We got a close-up look at what he can do when he played for the Macau Black Bears and talking to coach Tim, he’s certain a guy like QMB can shine in the system that we have,’ he added.

Joining him in the now 16-man pool are Barangay Ginebra guard RJ Abarrientos, naturalized player Ange Kouame and injured big man Kai Sotto.

The 12-man Gilas squad that competed in the Asia Cup included Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Dwight Ramos, Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Quiambao, Justin Brownlee, Carl Tamayo and AJ Edu, who will stay in the pool.

‘Continuity is still the main priority of coach Tim Cone but we saw it fit to add a couple of pieces to the training pool,’ Panlilio said.

‘Obviously, Justin will still be the top choice in terms of having a naturalized player in the lineup but we need to take advantage of actually having multiple naturalized players,’ he added.

Kouame and Abarrientos have not yet played for Gilas head coach Cone, but they have joined practices. Millora-Brown, meanwhile, will be a newcomer.

Sotto has suited up for Gilas a number of times in the past before sustaining a knee injury in January.

The first game of the first window will be played in Guam, while the December 1 game will take place in the Philippines.

The Philippines and Guam are joined by Australia and New Zealand in Group A of the Asian Qualifiers. Only the top three teams will make it to the next stage.

You might have already seen photos online of a modern Public Utility Jeepney stuck under a pedestrian overpass in Raintree Mall in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Cebu City, after its driver decided to divert from the usual route and take a ‘shortcut’ to avoid heavy traffic.

The modern PUJ got wedged in under the overpass morning the other day after the driver misjudged the vertical clearance of his vehicle. Seven feet of vertical clearance was okay, the modern PUJ was slightly taller than that. Damage was caused to both the vehicle and the overpass. While no injuries were reported as a result of the incident, we are sure it caused traffic in that road for a while.

Sure, it’s a funny thing to happen, but it’s also a symptom of something else; drivers with old traditional PUJ attitudes handling new vehicles.

Yes, we now see a lot of modern PUJs plying different routes in our streets, and they are convenient. They are much roomier, with air-conditioning, the option to pay cashless, and closed off from the street; who wouldn’t mind forking over a few more pesos to ride them, rather than suffer being overcrowded and exposed to the heat, dust, and dirt of the road in a traditional PUJ?

But then again, many of the people behind the wheel of a modern PUJ are still of a mindset that they are driving traditional PUJs. So at times we can see them racing against each other, stopping where they shouldn’t to pick up or drop off passengers, packing passengers in like sardines in a can, and taking liberties –read that as shortcuts– when it comes to avoiding traffic.

Which was what happened here.

New vehicles and old attitudes don’t mix. Modern PUJ drivers should realize they are no longer driving traditional PUJs, but much bigger and heavier vehicles that can cause more damage or result in more injuries, or worse, if mishandled. They should be more mindful of the rules of the road and what is and isn’t allowed.

Since his ouster as Senate president, Francis Escudero has largely kept to himself. Until last Monday, when he came out swinging – against resigned House speaker Martin Romualdez.

What got Senator Chiz in a fighting mood, it seems, was Romualdez being spared (so far) from recommendations for criminal indictments in connection with the mangling of the national budget and flood control corruption.

Romualdez has also not been mentioned among the lawmakers who are being probed by the Commission on Elections for receiving campaign contributions from contractors doing business with the government.

Pro-Duterte senators have complained that a witness presented at a Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta (reportedly without the courtesy of a heads up to panel chair Panfilo Lacson) has not been taken seriously by probers.

The witness, ex-Marine bodyguard Orly Guteza, had tagged both Romualdez and Zaldy Co in alleged massive kickbacks delivered to their homes in cold cash. Guteza was reportedly introduced to Marcoleta by former Quezon City congressman Michael Defensor, a Cabinet member during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, no fan of Romualdez.

Guteza must face state prosecutors or the National Bureau of Investigation to assess his testimony for possible criminal indictments against those he implicated. But he was a no-show at the NBI last week, and has made himself scarce.

Both Escudero and Romualdez are casualties of the flood control mess. Before their fall from their leadership posts in Congress, the two had already been pointing fingers at each other’s chambers in the scandal over the ‘most corrupt budget ever,’ the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Escudero, in his fighting speech last Monday, sounded petulant in the theme of his message: why single out senators? Why only me?

He’s not alone though in wondering aloud why Romualdez has not been questioned, at least in connection with the mangling of the national budget during the 19th Congress.

The House speaker at the time can’t pin the blame for this mainly on Co, the chairman of the committee on appropriations, who has been conveniently missing in action since the start of the 20th Congress.

Rubbing salt into Escudero’s wound must have been Lacson’s disclosure over the weekend that ‘almost all’ senators in the 19th Congress had budget insertions totaling over P100 billion in the 2025 GAA.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III had to undertake some damage control within the chamber, pointing out that such insertions are part of the normal budget process and are not all tainted with corruption.

Lacson, who has been likened to a suicide bomber in his anti-corruption crusade, agreed with his former running mate Tito Sen. To further assuage those who were hit by his bato-bato sa langit statement, Lacson also clarified that the House budget insertions in the GAA were far greater, with more lawmakers involved.

And just to dispel accusations of singling out his fellow senators, Lacson announced yesterday that the Blue Ribbon committee would invite Romualdez and Co to its hearing on the flood control anomalies. Romualdez can decline; Co, now a civilian who is believed to be looking for a safe haven abroad from prosecution, can be subpoenaed if he fails to show up.

The Blue Ribbon chaired by Lacson will be one step ahead of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which has yet to summon Romualdez.

People wanted Congress to stop its probes on the budget and flood control anomalies once the ICI started its work, since lawmakers are seen to be deeply involved in the scandal.

But now that ICI proceedings have turned out to be top secret, defying the avowed push toward transparency, accountability and all that blather, people are back to relying on Lacson and the Blue Ribbon for peeling the layers of corruption for all to see.

Deals are struck and justice is influenced or bought behind closed doors. This is not just perception; it is often the reality in our looted country. This valid concern is what ICI chair Andres Reyes Jr. can’t get in the clamor to open its proceedings to the public. Reyes seems to think he’s still working as an associate justice in the Supreme Court. The ICI executive director, Brian Hosaka, is also a former spokesman for the SC.

Incidentally, there’s a scuttlebutt that the SC has decided to stand firm on its invalidation of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, never mind if a critical argument used in the decision is based on fake news. It’s a self-serving decision that rewrites the rules and makes it nearly impossible to impeach the impeachable including SC members.

If this turns out to be true, it could intensify perceptions of institutional damage in the judiciary, which even a former head of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines has described as ‘part of the problem’ in endemic corruption.

The ICI was created because there were doubts about the impartiality of government prosecutors under the Department of Justice, which is part of the executive branch. But now with its secrecy, the ICI is looking like a redundant body, simply duplicating the work of state prosecutors.

Already there are speculations swirling that the body is merely out to throw several expendables under the bus while protecting untouchables, among them Romualdez.

As of yesterday, the Palace position was that it would not interfere in the ICI’s decision to conduct its proceedings behind closed doors. But at the rate the ICI is going, it might soon find itself facing mass protests for its lack of transparency.

The Discaya couple faced the ICI yesterday and, according to their lawyer, gave a ‘tell-all plus plus.’

‘Wala na kaming tinatago’ – they are not hiding anything anymore, lawyer Cornelio Samaniego III told reporters, but declined to give details. ‘Tell all na kami ng lahat (We’re telling everything).’

Only the ICI is doing the hiding this time.

Let’s just wait for the next Blue Ribbon hearing.

The Philippines, barely past the triple storms of September, braces anew as the 16th tropical cyclone, ‘Paolo,’ formed east of Catanduanes on Wednesday morning, October 1.

According to PAGASA, Tropical Depression Paolo was last spotted 760 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, carrying maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 55 kph.

Paolo developed around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, only 12 hours after the low-pressure area entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

It is currently moving westward at 25 kph, with strong winds extending outwards up to 360 kilometers from the center.

No wind signals have been raised as of 11 a.m., but PAGASA said Signal No. 1 may be hoisted as early as Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Although the tropical depression is unlikely to affect local weather immediately within the next 24 hours, heavy rains are expected by Friday, October 3.

Forecast track

PAGASA said Paolo is projected to make landfall on Friday, either in Isabela or northern Aurora by morning or afternoon. While the current forecast shows the storm crossing Luzon, the weather bureau noted that its track could still shift southward.

The cyclone is expected to intensify further over Philippine waters, possibly reaching severe tropical storm strength by Friday and even strengthening into a typhoon before landfall.

Wind Signal No. 3 may be the highest warning raised as Paolo crosses the country, though Signal No. 4 is possible if it intensifies into a typhoon.

PAGASA also said as many as four tropical cyclones may enter PAR this October.

Employees of a store inside a mall at South Road Properties in Cebu scrambled for safety after part of the establishment collapsed during the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that jolted the province Tuesday night, September 30.

The quake killed dozens and injured more than 100 people in in Cebu City and northern Cebu, toppling buildings and leaving casualties and widespread damage. Rescue operations continue in affected areas.

The Palawan Group of Companies reached a new milestone with the successful staging of its inaugural Marketing Summit, ‘Palawan NEXTGEN: Marketing in the Age of AI, CX and Innovation’ at Valle Verde Country Club, Pasig City.

The two-day summit united an elite roster of experts in finance, marketing, advertising, consumer research, technology and artificial intelligence. It featured leaders from global giants like Google and TikTok, industry pillars such as Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and key government institutions including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The event became a high-impact exchange of ideas designed to shape the future of Palawan Group’s marketing strategies and reinforce its position at the forefront of innovation.

Karlo Casto, president and CEO of Palawan Group of Companies, described the summit as a catalyst for growth, collaboration and innovation among marketing professionals: ‘This summit is a platform for dialogue-a space where we can exchange ideas, learn from each other and build stronger strategies together. In today’s fast-moving environment, open collaboration is the key to staying effective and competitive.’

‘In this Marketing Summit, our first ever, our focus is clear: how to better embrace technological advancements and maximize new tools and new ways of thinking to serve our customers better. We are particularly looking at the power of artificial intelligence, and how AI can help us design better marketing strategies, run smarter promotions and create a more personalized and meaningful customer experience. Ultimately, every step we take and every innovation we drive is dedicated to one purpose: creating more value for our Sukis,’ Castro shared.

On the first day, under the theme ‘Foundations of Growth: Finance Industry and Consumer Trends,’ Palawan Group set the stage with powerhouse discussions that deepened its grasp of macroeconomic forces, financial inclusion, consumer behavior and breakthrough opportunities for innovation across life stages.

The program went beyond surface insights, examining shifts in market dynamics, the fast-changing media habits of younger generations, and the rising expectations in financial services. These insights laid a bold and future-ready foundation for Palawan Group’s next-generation strategies as it continues to advance its innovative brick-tech model, seamlessly combining the strength of over 3,500 Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala branches with the digital reach of PalawanPay, now trusted by more than 21 million users.

On the second day, under the theme ‘AI: The Future of Palawan Marketing,’ highlighted how artificial intelligence is transforming the finance and marketing landscape.

Sessions covered AI’s role in enhancing customer experience, creative campaigns and product innovation, with discussions on emerging technologies from global platforms and solution providers. The talks showcased Palawan Group’s bold vision to harness AI as a game-changing force that will transform the way it connects with and serves millions of Sukis nationwide and even globally.

In his concluding speech, Palawan Group chief marketing officer Bernard Kaibigan urged the participants to pause and reflect on the summit’s key takeaways: ‘Over the past two days, we did not just talk about trends, AI and customer experience. We reimagined the future of financial services, and more importantly, the role that the Palawan Group of Companies will play in shaping that future for millions of Filipinos. With over 3,500 branches and more than 21 million users in our app, we are not just witnesses to change, we are the drivers of it.’

With finance insights and AI-driven innovation at its core, the Palawan Group of Companies Marketing Summit 2025 paved the way for bolder strategies, stronger consumer connections and a future-ready organization. Beyond keynotes and panel discussions, the event fostered collaboration across Palawan Group’s marketing, sales, operations, customer service and management teams-creating a dynamic space where fresh ideas could flourish.

By blending industry leaders’ expertise with the company’s commitment to innovation, the event became a defining milestone that reinforced the company’s vision of growth, innovation and customer-focused service. And at the heart of it all lies the company’s mission: maximizing technology and innovation not for their own sake, but to deliver greater financial inclusion, deeper value and more meaningful service to its Sukis.

Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday backed the claim of a former member of the Philippine Marines who testified that he personally delivered ‘basura’ or suitcases containing millions of pesos to the residence of then House speaker Martin Romualdez.

‘When I was asked this morning on whether I believe the reports of enormous suitcases of money being delivered to the house of Martin Romualdez, my answer was yes. Yes, because this fits the previous reports of him accepting bribes,’ Duterte said in a statement.

During his testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Master Sergeant Orly Regala Guteza, a former member of the Philippine Marines, claimed to have worked as security consultant to resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

It was Sen. Rodante Marcoleta who introduced Guteza as a witness, and even appeared to coach him into sticking to his prepared sworn affidavit.

Guteza claimed he personally delivered 46 Rimowa luggage bags, each containing P48 million, to the posh residences of Co and Romualdez.

Guteza called the cash ‘basura’ or trash, a common law enforcement term for contraband, which in this case was the congressmen’s alleged illegal proceeds from flood control projects.

‘His name has surfaced time and again whenever questions of corruption are raised. Even in the Delaware Court proceedings involving the Okada Manila casino, evidence was presented that he was the ‘common friend’ used to intervene, with references to heavy luggage brought to him as part of a dubious bargain,’ Duterte added.

She noted the Delaware court’s ruling in 26 Capital Corp v Tiger Resort Asia Ltd. docketed as C.A. No. 2023-0128- JTL, which revealed that ‘Martin Romualdez was mentioned no less than 17 times – thrice on Page 37, thrice on Page 38, seven times on Page 39, twice on Page 40, once on Page 58 and once again on Page 63.’

‘In sum, the court refused to be swayed by the implausible claim that the heavy luggage delivered to Martin Romualdez only contained documents,’ she said.

According to Duterte, these are not mere coincidences, but rather ‘form a disturbing pattern.’

Duterte said she repeatedly questioned the judgment of President Marcos in choosing Romualdez as speaker of the House of Representatives, especially after the Delaware court ruling was issued.

‘Sadly, President Marcos continues to display this flawed judgment by merely changing the leadership in both houses of Congress, while keeping a stranglehold on the flood-control probe through the creation of what is supposed to be an Independent Commission on Infrastructure that is clearly under his control,’ she said.

Romualdez denied the allegation, calling the testimony a ‘complete fabrication’ and ‘a product of coaching.’

Meanwhile, following Co’s resignation from the House, his fellow Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, Jr. and Cebu 5th district Rep. Duke Frasco clashed on the issue of accountability.

Frasco cited that under Section 141 (h) of the House rules, ‘A member shall not acquire or receive any personal pecuniary interest in any specific business enterprise which will be directly and particularly favored or benefited by any law or resolution authored by the member that is approved or adopted by Congress during the member’s term.’

Yet as a shareholder of construction firms that secured contracts funded by the General Appropriations Act and as co-conspirator in the insertion of billions for projects that benefited himself and his cohorts, Frasco said that Co clearly breached this rule, among other existing laws.

In response, Garbin said that Frasco’s press release alleging ‘impunity’ on the part of Co and the Ako Bicol party-list rests on conjecture rather than fact.

Garbin said that Co should be given due process.

Cigarettes infused with synthetic marijuana compounds are banned, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of cannabinoids in tuklaw cigarettes or Vietnam’s Thuc lào, in the Philippines and Singapore, PDEA chief Isagani Nerez said.

‘When the result was positive both domestically and in Singapore, we informed the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) about it,’ he said.

At yesterday’s PDEA budget hearing at the Senate, Nerez confirmed that possessing tuklaw is a criminal offense.

While some cannabinoids have legitimate medical uses, the cannabinoid ‘pinaca’ has negative effects, DDB executive director Earl Saavedra said.

The PDEA and DDB have cited reports of teenagers exhibiting seizure-like symptoms characterized by brief shock-like body jerks and twitches after using the cigarette.

Alex Eala ground out a gutsy 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win over Katarzyna Kawa of Poland in their rain-interrupted Round 1 duel in the WTA125 Suzhou Open yesterday at the Sungent International Tennis Center in China.

The fourth-seeded Eala kept her patience, cool and composure amidst the interruptions and outfought Kawa in their back-and-forth match that lasted two hours and 27 minutes.

It was payback time for Eala, who bowed to Kawa at the W60 Templeton event in California three years ago.

Eala, WTA No. 58, will face No. 106 Greet Minnen of Belgium in the Round of 16 for a shot at her fourth straight quarterfinals appearance.

With Eala and Kawa, WTA No. 124, locked at 2 in the first frame, officials suspended the match for a few hours before resuming in the afternoon.

Eala went on to win four of the last five games to take the first set before the match was halted anew momentarily down the stretch of the second with Kawa holding a 5-3 lead en route to a 6-3 win.

It became an explosive battle with Eala and Kawa taking turns in breaking at 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5 in the extended decider. Eala finally snapped the exchange with a 2-0 closeout.

President Marcos and Congress leaders agreed yesterday to prioritize 44 key bills aimed at uplifting farmers and fisherfolk, expanding social services, modernizing governance, ensure energy security and strengthen the country’s readiness for future challenges.

At the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting, Marcos and the congressional leaders agreed to prioritize amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law and Fisheries Code to protect producers and consumers, empower coconut farmers and strengthen fisheries management.

In social protection, health, and education, priority bills include amendments to the 4Ps and Universal Health Care Act, creation of a National Center for Geriatric Health and passage of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Act.

Other key education and nutrition-related bills include amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, expanded aid to students and teachers in private schools and reforms in teachers’ professionalization.

The agenda also included critical environment and infrastructure-related bills: the Department of Water Resources Bill, Waste-to-Energy Bill, amendments to the EPIRA Law, National Land Use Act, excise tax on single-use plastics, Blue Economy Act and biofuels reforms.

Governance and accountability measures include the Progressive Budgeting Act, Right to Information Act, amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, a review of the Local Government Code, proposed tax amnesties, bank secrecy waivers for civil servants and the Magna Carta for Barangays.

To boost economic growth, priority measures include amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law, pending further study on foreign currency deposits, and reforms supporting micro, small and medium enterprises.

Additional economic drivers include the National Reintegration Bill, a Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development and the strengthening of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

The President and Congress also agreed to prioritize bills on cybersecurity, digital payments, the regulation of online gambling and fair use of social media, artificial intelligence and internet technology in elections to ensure the safe and responsible use of digital platforms in governance and public life.

On disaster resilience, the proposed amendments to the National Building Code and the proposed Disaster Risk Financing Insurance Act will enhance safety standards and provide financial safeguards for communities vulnerable to calamities.

The government also pushed for the modernization of the Bureau of Immigration to enhance frontline services, strengthen national security and improve cross-border mobility.

‘With these 44 measures, both the executive and legislative branches reaffirm their shared commitment to enact reforms that not only address immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for long-term national development,’ Marcos said in a Presidential Communications Office statement.

‘The House of Representatives adheres to the call of the people through the creation of laws that have direct effect on their lives,’ House Speaker Faustino Dy III said in a separate statement. ‘With the President’s leadership and the collective will of this Council, we are confident that we can achieve these legislative goals.’

‘Prioritize education, too’

At the same meeting, Education Secretary Sonny Angara urged Congress to prioritize key amendments that directly address access, equity and accountability in education programs, aside from the 44 key bills.

Among the education bills endorsed to Congress are amendments that include provisions to incorporate marginalized groups such as indigenous learners and adolescent mothers; allow milk-based substitutes in the milk feeding program; provide weekly micronutrient supplementation for female learners and establish central kitchens in every School Division Office.

He also proposed amendments to the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education coverage, reform teacher licensure, increase the Special Education Fund levy and fast-track classroom construction through the Classroom Building Acceleration Bill.