Category: Philippine Star

Glowing skin isn’t just about looking radiant: it’s about feeling confident in your own skin. That’s the idea behind Galderma’s Journey of Glow, which has been making its way across Asia and has finally arrived in the Philippines, in partnership with The Icon Clinic.

More than an event, the Journey of Glow is designed as an immersive beauty experience, one that encourages you to see skincare and treatments not just as vanity, but as self-care. ‘Glow isn’t just about radiant and refreshed skin; it’s having that healthy and renewed skin from inside out. Giving you the confidence to celebrate beauty,’ shares Michelle De Jesus, business unit head of Galderma Aesthetics, at the Journey of Glow launch.

At the center of the experience is the Icon Glow On treatment, a combination of Restylane Skinboosters and Sculptra, two innovations that work synergistically to deliver both instant and long-lasting results.

Restylane Skinboosters works like water for the skin, delivering deep hydration that smooths texture, refines pores and restores that dewy, lit-from-within look constantly craved for. It is the original and long-lasting injectable designed to improve skin quality with results lasting up to 15 months, thanks to its use of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring molecule that binds water, keeping skin soft, hydrated and glowing.

Restylane Skinboosters delivers micro-droplets of stabilized HA beneath the skin, creating reservoirs of long-term hydration and restoring skin’s natural composition.

Meanwhile, Sculptra is the first and original FDA-approved regenerative biostimulator injectable that helps replenish age-related collagen and elastin loss. Sculptra injects PLLA-SCA (poly-l-lactic acid) deep into the skin, it induces the stimulation of collagen and elastin production to help our body boost its own collagen and elastin production, to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and correct of shallow to deep nasolabial fold.

Sculptra reaches places no topical creams can touch, and it’s the only proven regenerative biostimulator that can stimulate skin’s natural elastin production. The effect? Skin that looks fresh today and stays youthful for years to come.

‘What I love most about Icon Glow On is that it doesn’t change how you look: it enhances what’s already there,’ says Dr. Eric Yapjuangco, also known as Dr. Yappy.

Rona Tai, The Icon Clinic’s ambassador who obtained of the treatment, says that she likes the way it seamlessly intenerates with her life: ‘Usually when I wake up, I’ve only had five or six hours of sleep, but with this treatment, I look like I’ve had eight.’

As a busy woman, Tai has no time for a high-maintenance skin routine, which is why she loves the Glow On Treatment because it allows her to be low-maintenance.

‘I don’t always have to worry about a super long skincare routine just to look moisturized and hydrated, glowing. Now I just obviously must brush my teeth and wash my face. So, I think for me that’s the biggest advantage.’ Tai also shared that she loves the boost of confidence it gives her: ‘It also improves over time, it’s skin deep. That’s why I think Glow On is a game changer. It shortens my prep time and boosts my confidence.’

But the glow doesn’t stop at the clinic-it’s only the beginning. To truly lock in and extend the benefits of your treatment, aftercare is essential.

Galderma recommends Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance as the perfect partner for post-treatment skin. The Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Day Protection Cream and Night Comfort Cream not only brighten but also help restore and strengthen the skin barrier through GentleBright Technology-a proprietary blend of niacinamide and sea daffodil.

‘Aftercare is just as important as the treatment itself. It’s what transforms a one-time glow into lasting radiance, day after day,’ says Rhizza Mae Concepcion, Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance brand manager.

With Journey of Glow, Galderma reveals that true beauty isn’t found in quick fixes-it’s rooted in science, trusted products and lasting confidence. Glowing skin is more than appearance; it’s a reflection of how you feel, how you connect with yourself and the journey you embrace. Your glow begins here.

In the eerily quiet and refrigerator-cold Constabulary morgue in Camp Crame, the mother of Rolando Galman, the accused killer of Benigno S. Aquino Jr., ‘wept hysterically’ as she identified her son’s bullet-riddled body.

This was according to The New York Times, in a Nov. 4, 1983 article about the first public hearing of the Agrava Commission held the previous day.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr. formed the body to investigate the assassination of Ninoy Aquino on Aug. 21, 1983, a shocking and bloody Sunday that would later change the course of the country’s history.

The Agrava Commission was led by retired Court of Appeals Justice Corazon Agrava as chair, with lawyer Luciano Salazar, entrepreneur Dante Santos, labor leader Ernesto Herrera and educator Amado Dizon as members.

The hearing ‘opened in an auditorium at Camp Crame and focused on testimony about an erasure in the logbook of the Philippine Constabulary Crime Laboratory, where an autopsy was performed on the body of Mr. Galman about 10 hours after the shooting. His name was entered in a space where something else had been erased. All-civilian commission,’ the article said.

Clearly, the article shows that the public had access to the hearings, whether broadcast daily or open to everyone who wanted to be there.

Another New York Times article, published on Oct. 24, 1984, narrates:

‘At the beginning, the Agrava Commission raised some doubts as to its impartiality. The first session began with the five members singing the national anthem, hands over hearts, in front of a picture of the President.

‘But once the investigation got into full swing, it became clear that the board members were going about their task without restraint.

‘Soon, the hearings were broadcast daily on the radio, and the 400-seat auditorium in the government’s social security building in Manila, where the sessions were held, was often filled and sometimes overflowing.

‘In the 11-month investigation, the panel took testimony from 194 witnesses at 146 public hearings in Manila, Tokyo and Los Angeles. More than 1,400 photographic exhibits were examined.

‘The board’s efforts caught the imagination of the public and won the faith of many. One Communist witness said he had chosen to appear ‘because of what I have observed here – that justice still prevails in this small world.”

Credibility

I could barely read or write at the time Ninoy Aquino was assassinated or when the Agrava Commission was formed.

But now, decades later, I am able to go back to this period in our country’s history because the hearings were open to the public as captured in these newspaper records – The New York Times, Mr. and Ms. and many other publications.

I am writing about this now because the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has announced – and has not changed its position as of this writing – that its hearings on the unprecedented flood control corruption scandal would not be livestreamed.

And here lies the big puzzle. An independent commission wants to conduct the hearings behind closed doors. But why?

This should not be the case. Keeping the proceedings away from the public eye diminishes the ICI’s credibility and goes against the principle of truth and accountability.

And in an angry nation seeking for answers, credibility is vital, now more than ever.

Trial by publicity, at this point, is already water under the bridge – ghost or not (oops, pun intended) – because the congressional inquiries are already aired live and social media is on overdrive, posting and reposting signs of ostentatious wealth of those implicated.

But it is exactly when the ICI hearings are made public that the respondents can refute the allegations against them and dish out their narratives. Anyway, they have all the best lawyers money can afford by their side.

On the other hand, it is when proceedings are shrouded in secrecy that suspicions abound.

Benjamin Magalong’s resignation

As it is now, the rumor mill is already abuzz with questions on why anti-corruption crusader and Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong resigned as special adviser to the ICI.

A source divulged that Magalong went to Laoag and talked to contractors. The next day, he resigned. Another tale alleges that the ICI was told to spare sacred cows.

For sure, his sudden departure from the ICI is already a big blow to the commission’s credibility.

In his resignation letter, Magalong said we must stand together for transparency, accountability and good governance and not allow corruption to steal our future.

Opening the hearings to the public, just as the Agrava Commission did, is precisely the first step needed to show that the ICI is indeed independent, sincere and transparent.

Anything less will surely lead to turmoil.

We must heed the lessons of history.

As reported by The STAR on Aug. 28, 2002, the Agrava Commission issued two different reports.

Agrava’s own report did not blame Ver for the death of Aquino, while the members’ report found him liable.

The then Tanodbayan court, the former name of the Office of the Ombudsman, acquitted Ver but convicted Gen. Luther Custodio and 15 other soldiers for the Aquino assassination.

‘The political turmoil that accompanied the Ver acquittal, the decision of Marcos to hold a snap presidential election, the claim of Aquino’s widow – Corazon – that she was robbed of the presidency were among the elements that culminated in the February 1986 people power revolt that ousted the strongman and propelled him into exile in Hawaii.’

The Betwagan tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province and the Butbut tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga have agreed to a truce, a step meant to end two decades of conflict over land and water in their shared boundary area.

The long-standing dispute has cost lives and posed dangers to businesses and school children of both tribes.

In the agreement signed by tribal leaders and witnessed by police and military officers over the weekend, the tribes promised to avoid fighting, issuing threats and other acts meant to intimidate the other side.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a show-cause order to a rider for allowing a child to ride on a motorcycle without a helmet in Baclaran, Parañaque.

The incident was recorded on camera by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s Special Operations Group-Strike Force head Gabriel Go from his vehicle along Roxas Boulevard.

The viral photo received around 3,000 reactions, mostly likes and crying emojis.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said the motorcycle rider and one of the two back riders had helmets. The child, who was sitting in the middle, had no protective gear.

‘That compromises the safety of what appears to be family members, especially the child,’ Mendoza said.

The vehicle’s registered owner was ordered to appear at the LTO central office in Quezon City on Oct. 2.

‘Once the identity of the motorcycle rider is established, his driver’s license will be suspended for 90 days,’ the LTO said.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is shifting all inter-institution cash-in transactions to InstaPay starting Oct. 1, in compliance with a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) directive aimed at enhancing interoperability and transparency in digital financial services.

Under the new scheme, a standard P15 service fee will be charged for cash-in transactions made through InstaPay, including transfers to popular e-wallets such as GCash, BPI announced.

The same rate applies to earlier implementations for ShopeePay and will extend to other financial apps as they adopt the BSP mandate.

‘The fee covers additional expenses, including clearing costs from BancNet, the designated clearing switch operator for InstaPay,’ the Ayala-led bank said.

Despite the new fee, BPI assured customers that more affordable and even free transfer options remain available.

‘BPI remains committed to providing customers with accessible and cost-effective digital banking solutions,’ it said.

Clients using the BPI app can transfer funds to GCash via InstaPay for a lower fee of P10, while select customer segments and merchant payments will continue to enjoy free transfers.

BPI also highlighted its partnership with GCash through BPI #MySaveUp (on GSave), which allows users to open an account via the GCash app with no maintaining balance.

Funds can be moved from the BPI app to GSave at zero fees and then withdrawn to the GCash e-wallet without extra charges.

The listed bank said the adoption of InstaPay ‘ensures compliance with regulatory standards while continuing to offer customers flexible and affordable ways to manage their finances.’

In a separate statement, e-wallet giant GCash said all direct cash-in transactions would be processed via InstaPay starting Oct. 1 as well.

GCash said it would not impose additional fees under the new InstaPay model. However, the platform noted that partner banks may adjust their own service charges depending on their policies. Customers are advised to check with their banks for specific transition schedules and updated fees.

‘We remain committed to keeping our services safe, seamless, and affordable, while working with partner banks and regulators to serve you better,’ GCash said.

The Philippine government failed to sufficiently protect human trafficking victims in illegal scam hubs, according to the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US Department of State.

The report said the Philippines retained its Tier 1 ranking after showing ‘serious efforts’ to combat trafficking, including prosecuting traffickers, sentencing most to significant prison terms, enacting laws to protect fishers, and taking steps to disrupt trafficking in online scam hubs.

It also cited the government’s ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), which were often used as fronts for trafficking foreign workers.

Despite these efforts, the State Department said the Philippines fell short in screening for trafficking victims during POGO raids.

‘The government did not report identifying any foreign victims exploited in these operations,’ the report said, noting that officials may have unjustly penalized individuals who were actually trafficked.

Unlike in 2023, when authorities identified 362 foreign trafficking victims in cooperation with an international organization, no such victims were reported in 2024.

Authorities deported thousands of Chinese and other Asian workers, but the failure to identify victims undermined those efforts, the Department of State said.

‘Officials deported the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals it arrested from these operations without identifying them as trafficking victims-totaling at least 3,000 foreign nationals during the reporting period,’ the department said.

Decline in victim identification

The mass crackdown on POGOs followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to ban offshore gaming.

Authorities, however, lacked reliable statistics on the total number of trafficking victims, including those linked to POGOs.

This, the report said, “contributed to the deportation of some unidentified victims to countries where they may have faced retribution or hardship, and in some cases, prosecution in their country of origin solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.”

Some officials also failed to apply ‘trauma-informed practices’ in victim screening, it said.

For over five decades, Pancake House has been part of Filipino life; a place where comfort food, warm smiles and familiar spaces come together to create memories that last.

In 1970, its very first store opened in Magallanes Theater in Makati, planting the roots of what would grow into a well-loved dining destination. Now, in 2025, Pancake House proudly reopens its Paseo de Magallanes branch that is refreshed and ready to welcome both loyal fans and new diners into its cozy embrace.

A familiar favorite, refreshed for today

The return of Pancake House Paseo de Magallanes feels like coming home to something beloved, but with a few delightful surprises.

The newly renovated branch preserves everything guests already cherish, while introducing thoughtful upgrades that fit today’s everyday routines.

Here’s what to expect:

A brand-new coffee nook, created in collaboration with Yardstick Coffee, serving expertly brewed cups that complement Pancake House’s sweet and savory staples.

A dedicated takeout window for quick and easy pick-ups, because comfort food should be within reach, even on your busiest days.

To make the experience even sweeter, Pancake House has teamed up with The Kind Cookie, offering grab-and-go treats that bring comfort into every bite. Same comfort, more ways to share

While the space has evolved, Pancake House’s promise remains the same: to serve the dishes that feel like home. Look forward to the core offerings: Pan Chicken, Golden Brown Waffles, Pancakes, Spaghetti and Best Taco in Town-the classic flavors that carry years of shared stories and happy moments.

Now, with more space to gather, a dedicated window for takeout and a cozy corner for coffee, there are even more ways to enjoy the comfort you know and love.

More than a meal

Dining out today is about more than just food. It’s about connection, experience and savoring familiar moments you’ll always come back to.

Pancake House Paseo de Magallanes embraces this shift by giving guests options that fit every kind of day: the spontaneous brunch with friends, the quick coffee catch-up, the family dinner, or the solo pick-me-up on the way home.

By blending its classic offerings with new touches of convenience, the brand proves that comfort is timeless and always worth coming back to.

As it reopens its doors in 2025, the Paseo de Magallanes branch stands as a symbol of both heritage and renewal. It’s the same Pancake House generations have loved, now made even more welcoming for the years ahead. The comfort spot you’ve been waiting for is finally back.

State-run Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has been recognized for its best practices in human resources management, particularly in utilizing employee engagement and organizational development in building a future-ready institution.

DBP president and CEO Michael de Jesus said the bank was conferred the Asia Best Employer Brand Award while its Human Resources Management head was named the ‘Chief Human Resources Officer of the Year’ by Mumbai-based research group Employer Branding Institute during rites held in Singapore.

‘DBP is proud to accept these awards that recognize its progressive and people-centered policies for attracting, developing, and retaining talents, and which has enabled it to further pursue its development financing mandate,’ De Jesus said.

DBP is the 10th largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four priority sectors of the economy – infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises; the environment; and social services and community development.

The Best Employer Brand Awards is an international event that recognizes organizations for their outstanding work in employer branding, with a jury composed of senior professionals from across Asia.

De Jesus said DBP was cited for its talent management, development, and recruitment strategies, as well as in strengthening the competencies of its personnel.

Likewise, DBP senior vice president Romeo Carandang was named the top chief human resources officer for the region.

According to De Jesus, the awards bestowed to DBP are also consistent with the Civil Service Commission’s efforts to highlight recognitions bestowed on government employees to acknowledge their contributions towards the improvement of public service delivery.

‘These awards, which come at an opportune time with the forthcoming celebration of the 125th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary, also affirm that our people are DBP’s greatest strength and instrumental to DBP delivering sustained value to its stakeholders,’ he said.

From soulful covers to chart-topping original tracks, singer-songwriter Justin Vasquez continues to own his space in the OPM scene.

Known for his signature reverse-cap, boy-next-door charm, and buttery vocals, the Filipino-Australian artist has transformed from an Internet crush into one of the most exciting young artists to watch today.

First discovered by many through his YouTube covers, Justin quickly stood out for his ability to reimagine songs with raw emotion and artistry, never losing the spirit of the originals while making them distinctly his own.

His journey has taken him across stages and competitions, including “The X Factor Australia” and “Himig Handog” – both of which paved the way for his shift from cover artist to full-fledged recording act.

Over the years, Justin’s influence has grown beyond YouTube, with over 1.2 million TikTok followers and streaming milestones that strengthen his place in the local music industry.

His 2024 single “What U Need” earned over three million Spotify streams and landed on the platform’s Viral Charts, while his July 2025 release “Home” has already crossed the million mark.

Now, Justin returns with a song that might just be his most moving release yet.

“Kung Di Mo Alam” is a timeless R and B-inspired serenade, blending English and Tagalog in a way that feels both personal and universal.

With its production and delivery, it’s a piece that listeners will want to play on repeat, if they’re in love, healing, or simply daydreaming.

“This song is very close to me, it’s about the kind of love that grounds you, gives you clarity, and makes everything feel worth it,” Justin said in a statement.

Benjie Magalong is a dangerous man. All relentless people are.

When he starts something, he fully intends to complete it. When he begins investigating, he will not stop until he gets to the bottom of it all. When he finds the truth, he proclaims it with ardor.

When asked to investigate the massacre at Mamasapano, he refused to acquit a bungling administration. When asked to investigate the so-called ‘ninja cops,’ he did not care if he stepped on powerful toes. He did not become chief of the PNP because he cannot be cowed by the powers-that-be.

The House of Representatives did not dare summon him to the hearings on the flood control scam. The congressmen could not handle the truth spoken to their faces.

Magalong was competent, trained and courageous. The entrenched political elite fears such a man – especially one with an Igorot name. He is unlikely to play by the unwritten rules.

Because he had assiduously investigated the ‘kalakaran’ of our pork barrel politics – and was not hesitant to talk about his findings – Magalong had to somehow be coopted into the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). Involving him somehow as a nebulously defined ‘special adviser’ would add credibility to the proceedings. His credibility was a gift to a beleaguered administration.

Except that he took his role too seriously and worked too hard. That was not supposed to happen. He visited the far-flung ghost projects and invited media attention to them. At the rate he was going, it was only a matter of time before he began looking at the infra projects done in Ilocos Norte and Leyte.

Magalong, the only functioning component of the ICI, cannot be tamed. It was hard to convince the relentless investigator that some political personalities were untouchable. They tried to rein him in. Crudely, as is characteristic of the corrupt bums responsible for this colossal mess.

Soon enough the Palace mouthpiece, the one with an overblown fashion sense, began talking about ‘conflict-of-interest’ issues. She was planting intrigue when there should be none. She was later joined by a chorus of leftist groups who prefer to talk about a parking lot in Baguio City than look closely at a criminal cabal that looted taxpayer money in the hundreds of billions linked the the highest echelons of the political establishment.

Magalong promptly resigned. He was too honorable a man to play the silly games those involved in a monumental cover-up prefer.

This is just the first kink in the huge, richly funded apparatus intended to cut this colossal scandal down to size and spare the most prominent suspects. Forcing Magalong out, however, is likely to backfire. Exclusion will not silence this man.

Immediately after Magalong resigned, the ICI informs us there will be no live coverage of the proceedings. This will only make the commission a sort of black hole where scandals go to die.

The ICI decision to keep the public out throws a shroud over the inquiry. The commissioners will become like gnomes cobbling inside a rabbit hole – or grifting tailors fashioning the emperor’s new clothes. In the end, the plan might be for this underfunded and understaffed ‘commission’ to produce a dense report destined for the archives.

This, after all, has been the way our corrupt political elite dealt with scandals involving the corruption that rots away at the nation’s core: appoint some powerless fact-finding body, buy some time for the public outrage to dissipate, spread the blame so thinly it disappears like melted butter on hot toast, throw up a lot of distractions, jail a few of the most notorious and bury the rest of the thing in the archives.

This is a strategy that, unfortunately, worked time and time again. It works especially well in a country notorious for having a short memory – and an even shorter attention span.

We are witnessing the greatest corruption scandal in our scandal-prone history. Reformists should never let a good scandal go to waste. Today, however, we are in peril of doing that.

Those who have somehow insinuated themselves into leadership roles over the civil society hordes seem perfectly content to let the big fish go. They fear tumult and fear the possible outcome of a political explosion. Their fears – not the possibility of meaningful reform – dictate their strategy.

The regime might find comfort in the thought that Filipinos never revolt before Christmas. The air is simply too thick with cheer. While there is outrage, there is little desire to rebel. There is still time to put this colossal scandal in a box and bury it.

Our two most recent risings happened in February and January, when the weather is agreeable. But the rustlings began long before that.

There is certainly some rustling happening. But there is no rallying point. There is hesitance to direct the rage at the untouchables.

But there is more to be revealed. The revelations will happen when those who hold the secrets find the heroism to speak the truth.

The war between the contending factions will not wait for those still mustering courage. For some major players facing the prospect of becoming scapegoats, this has become an existential question. If they must go down, they will drag their rivals with them.

We know wealth and power are never strangers. In this country, they are cousins.