Category: Philippine Star

K-pop girl group TWICE was part of the all-female line-up at this year’s Victoria’s Secret fashion show.

The K-pop girl group was represented by four of its members in the highly anticipated fashion show that returned to the runway last year after a six-year hiatus.

Jihyo, Nayeon, Momo and Tzuyu said it was amazing to be invited to the popular fashion show during its pre-show interview.

All four were dressed in micro mini skirts and matching baby pink fur boots as they sang and danced two of TWICE’s songs, ‘This Is For’ and ‘Strategy.’

Legendary rapper Missy Elliott, Karol G and Madison Beer were the other performers of the night.

The Victoria’s Secret 2025 runway show was full of surprises, with a pregnant Jasmine Tookes opening the show.

Popular and fan-favorite Angels Irina Shayk, Behati Prinsloo, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima and Barbara Palvin again took the Victoria’s Secret stage.

A coalition of reform-minded city and municipal mayors has launched a hotline that lets the public flag ghost, substandard, or overpriced infrastructure projects.

The platform, called REPORT INFRA, was rolled out Thursday, October 16, by the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), a group of local executives pushing for cleaner and more transparent local governments.

“The new initiative seeks to curb corruption in public works by providing a safe and accessible channel for citizens, government employees, contractors, and local stakeholders to share verified information or evidence of anomalous practices,” the M4GG said in a statement Thursday.

The public can submit tips through a hotline (02) 8459-0143, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or via online through bit.ly/reportinfraph and mayorsforgoodgovernance.ph/reportinfraph and mayorsforgoodgovernance.ph/reportinfraph

M4GG said the hotline – which it touted as “safe and accessible” – is meant to make it easier for citizens to share verified information or evidence of anomalies in local public works projects.

Why mayors are backing the hotline

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, one of the group’s convenors, said the effort builds on growing frustration over how corruption has persisted despite repeated investigations and policy reforms.

‘We need whistleblowers who will expose the graft and corrupt practices being done in their areas,’ Sotto said in the statement. ‘If we want genuine and lasting change to happen in our country, we all have to do our own share to hold these corrupt officials accountable.’

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, also part of the coalition, said the hotline aims to turn citizen vigilance into usable data.

‘Corruption in our government is a huge problem,’ Magalong said. ‘We need our fellow citizens to help in finding information and evidence about the irregularities committed in their localities.’

Each submission will be reviewed by a technical and legal team working with M4GG. Verified reports will be endorsed to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) – the same body currently looking into corruption in public works projects, including the possibility of collusion among officials and contractors.

Both the M4GG and ICI signed a memorandum of understanding in September that covers several areas of cooperation in hunting down corruption in infrastructure works, with the hotline one of the projects initially touted.

Another M4GG convenor, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, said member-mayors of their group have already been asked to comb through projects carried out by the DPWH in their areas since 2015.

A similar crowdsourcing platform was launched by the Office of the President in August – the sumbongsapangulo website – where the platform also allows the public to view the status of and reports related to alleged corrupt flood control works.

Vice President Sara Duterte claims to have proof that President Marcos wants to stay in power beyond 2028 when his term ends.

‘It’s not an allegation. There is evidence to that,’ Duterte said in a chance interview in Zamboanga City yesterday.

Duterte recalled that during her conversation with Marcos and his sister Sen. Imee Marcos in 2023, the President admitted that he knew about the movement on Charter change.

‘It was in 2023, before he left for the United States, when I was still in the Department of Education. When the impeachment first came out, in October 2023… I confronted him, and that discussion reached the Charter change,’ Duterte said.

She noted that there was even an argument between the siblings.

‘I don’t know why it reached there, I don’t remember. The three of us talked and they already argued on the Charter change. I asked him, ‘why are you letting the House of Representatives push for the impeachment when I’m not doing anything?’ ‘ Duterte recalled.

The Vice President accused Marcos of following the steps of his late father, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

‘Did you see his father? How many years was that? 20 years..Look at his DNA, that he does not want to leave his post,’ Duterte added.

She said the allies of Marcos first pushed for the people’s initiative of amending the 1987 Constitution.

‘First of all, their failed people’s initiative in amending the Constitution. Secondly, this Congress, when they assumed their post, they immediately said that their priority is the Charter change. It’s in the paper,’ Duterte stressed.

Duterte said the allies of Marcos are using the need to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution in pushing for Charter change.

‘Their cover story is economic provisions, right?… But the truth is, it’s term extension,’ she added.

‘No going back’

Asked about the status of her father, detained former president Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President said she has no plans to seek help from President Marcos to secure the ex-leader’s release.

‘I will not talk to BBM for the former president Duterte because to me, what they did was kidnapping a Filipino inside our country. There’s no going back to that. It’s his job in a sense that he approved it, that he shouldn’t have done it as a President. Whatever the legal problem of the former president Duterte now, it’s a problem for him and, of course, for our family because he’s our father,’ Duterte said.

She distanced herself from the previous pronouncement of Nicholas Kaufman, her father’s lead counsel, who wanted to meet with Marcos to negotiate the release of his client.

‘For me, to go to him (Marcos) and request him on behalf of former president Duterte, no. Because there’s no going back on what they did, of rendition,’ Duterte added.

She refused to disclose the country that agreed to accept the former president in case interim release is approved.

‘I can’t say what country it is because first of all, it’s not allowed by the ICC (International Criminal Court), and if I say what continent it is, people might speculate,’ she said.

She also noted that their family is already prepared for a worst-case scenario that their father will have to spend Christmas behind bars.

‘House has no moral ascendancy’

Reacting to lawmakers’ warning to cut the Office of the Vice President’s budget for 2026 because of her absence during budget hearings, she said the House should stop acting like a parent trying to discipline her.

‘In reality, we call these lawmakers crocodiles, right? That’s the general perception for all members of the House of Representatives. They have no moral ascendancy over the Office of the Vice President,’ she said.

‘Our expectation is a reduced budget of the Office of the Vice President because I said at the time, it’s the same administration, it’s the same speaker of the House of Representatives and it’s the same set of characters. So at that point, I was right in what I said last August,’ Duterte added.

Manila Councilor Ryan Ponce will attend today’s hearing into sexual harassment allegations hurled against him by Councilor Eunice Castro.

The city council’s ethics committee chaired by Councilor Jaybee Hizon initiated a probe following Vice Mayor Chi Atienza’s directive.

Councilors should ‘refrain from engaging in any form of sexual banter or innuendo during council proceedings,’ Atienza said Tuesday.

‘Let me be very clear: the city council of Manila does not tolerate any form of harassment or inappropriate behavior, inside or outside this session hall,’ she asserted.

With the hearing open to the public, Atienza told attendees to turn off their cell phones and ‘respect the rights and dignity of the complainant and respondent.’

Ponce has apologized to Castro.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of P3.39 billion for the 2023 performance bonuses of qualified personnel from the Philippine National Police.

In a statement on Thursday, the DBM said the fund will cover bonuses for 225,545 police officers nationwide.

‘Our police officers are among the pillars of our nation. They stand at the frontlines of peace and order every single day. We see their hard work and dedication, so we are making sure they receive what is rightfully due to them,’ Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

The PNP’s 2023 performance-based bonus is equivalent to 45.5% of each officer’s monthly basic salary as of Dec. 31, 2023.

To qualify, first-, second-, and third-level personnel must have received a ‘very satisfactory’ rating in their annual performance evaluations.

The DBM said the bonus is charged against the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Benefits for police families. The department said the incentive will help ease financial burdens of the police officers’ families.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has also recently received its 2023 performance bonus.

Timing. The DBM explained that the release of the 2023 bonus in 2025 does not constitute a delay, as the evaluation process typically takes a year to complete, including an appeal stage.

The timing, it said, ensures accuracy in assessing the performance of thousands of government employees.

Chanelle Avaricio held on to a precarious one-shot lead after an even-par 72 as Daniella Uy and Sarah Ababa closed in heading into the final round of the ICTSI Del Monte Championship here Wednesday.

Avaricio, who lit up the course with a flawless 67 Tuesday, struggled with her approach shots in Round 2 but salvaged crucial pars.

‘My driving was good but I struggled with my second shots. I also had difficulties with my putting,’ said Avaricio, after stringing together 18 pars in a gritty round that kept her on top at 139.

Uy, taking a break from the Taiwan tour, carded a 71 highlighted by two birdies and a lone bogey to stay at 140.

Unlike the top two, Ababa went on the offensive, firing four birdies against two bogeys for a 70, pulling within two shots at 141 and putting herself firmly in the title hunt in the 54-hole event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Kristine Fleetwood joined the chase with a 70 to move to 142, just three shots back while Mafy Singson posted the day’s best round for a 69 and a three-way tie at 143 with Harmie Constantino (72) and local hopeful Velinda Castil (73).

Meanwhile, Rupert Zaragosa surged to the top with a sizzling 64 while the other big names found their groove, setting the stage for a thrilling final two rounds of the ICTSI Del Monte Championship.

At the halfway mark of the P3.5 million sixth leg of the Philippine Golf Tour, Zaragosa took a two-shot lead at 12-under 132. He torched the course with nine birdies for nines of 32s.

Zaragosa, whose eight-under card matched the course record set by Clyde Mondilla during his 2023 title win, is wary of Reymon Jaraula, who fired a flawless 66 for solo second at 10-under 134.

Right behind is Michael Bibat, who slipped from the lead with a 71 but birdied his final hole to tie Arnold Villacencio at 136.

The countdown has begun to one of the most anticipated events in Southeast Asia’s running calendar – the inaugural ASICS META: Time Trials (MTT) Philippines set to fire off on Sunday at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.

With 3,500 runners in the fold, the event not only marks a major milestone for ASICS in the region but also signals the Philippines’ growing importance as a hub for high-performance athletic events.

From elite athletes to passionate weekend warriors, the diverse lineup of participants reflects the expanding appeal of performance-focused road racing. For many local runners, the event offers a rare opportunity to test themselves on a world-class course, backed by innovative gear and support from one of the world’s most trusted athletic brands.

‘This is more than just a race – it’s about pushing your own boundaries,’ said Ishina Buxani, Marketing Director of SONAK Retail Group, the official ASICS distributor in the Philippines. ‘Whether you’re aiming to break into elite times or finish your first sub-hour 10K, the META: Time Trials is a platform to chase your personal best.’

The country’s self-sufficiency in rice fell to its lowest level in almost four decades, as milling recovery dropped while imports were at record high last year.

The country’s rice self-sufficiency ratio (SSR), which measures the overall share of local supply to total supply, fell to 71.7 percent in 2024, the lowest in 37 years, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data.

The PSA data showed that this is the lowest rice SSR since the data series started in 1988. The latest rice SSR figure surpassed the previous record low of 72.1 percent in 1998.

On an annual basis, the rice SSR of 71.7 percent last year was 6.2 percentage points lower than the 77.9 percent recorded level in 2023, according to the PSA.

Since 1988, this is the fifth time that the country’s rice SSR was below the 80 percent level (1998, 2019, 2022, 2023). The four years (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) that rice SSR fell below 80 percent were all after the government liberalized the country’s rice trade regime in 2019, which allowed the easier entry of foreign supplies.

‘SSR shows the magnitude of production in relation to domestic utilization. It is the extent to which a country’s supply of commodities is derived from its own domestic production,’ the PSA said.

The latest rice SSR means that for every one kilo of rice supply in the country, around 717 grams came from domestic production while the remaining grams were imported.

Agriculture industry groups and experts attributed the drop in rice SSR to record-high imports last year that ate up some of the local production’s market share, coupled with the reduction in domestic production estimate due to lower milling recovery rate.

In estimating the rice SSR, the PSA has implemented the revised palay-rice milling recovery of 63 percent from the previous 65.4 percent. This means that local rice production loses more rice in the milling process compared to before.

Meanwhile, the country produced 19.08 million metric tons of palay last year equivalent to 12.02 million metric tons of rice while it imported a record-high of 4.74 million metric tons of rice, based on PSA data.

‘The lower milling recovery rate of 63 percent shows how much of local rice is lost after harvest, while record-high imports show the growing gap between what the country produces and what it needs,’ Marie Annette Dacul, executive director of University of Asia and the Pacific’s Center for Food and Agri Business, told The STAR.

‘The drop in the country’s rice self-sufficiency to its lowest level shows ongoing problems in the rice value chain. This reminds us that rice security isn’t just about growing more, it’s about fixing the whole system: improving how we mill, store, and move rice, and finding the right balance between imports and our own production,’ she said.

The Federation of Free Farmers and Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. claimed that the PSA keeps on using the wrong formula in estimating the country’s self-sufficiency level since demand is not a factor in the statistical agency’s formula.

The PSA computes a commodity’s SSR by dividing local production with the total supply, which is computed by subtracting exports from the combined volume of local production and imports, multiplied by 100.

‘The computation should involve the demand. If our estimates are incorrect then it may have an impact on crafting our policies,’ PCAFI president Danilo Fausto told The STAR.

International Rice Research Institute scientist Shyam Basnet said the Philippines would continue importing around 15 percent of its rice supplies if current diet patterns and productivity levels remain the same.

Shyam pointed out that Filipinos’ diet remains rice-heavy with rice and rice-based products accounting for around 72 percent of cereal consumption.

‘Rice imports were about 7.2 percent of consumption in 2000 and have climbed to nearly 14 percent today. By contrast, the country was largely self-sufficient in the 1980s, when population and per-capita rice consumption were lower.’

The Marcos administration plans to achieve a rice SSR of 90 percent at the end of its term.

What started as a dream for the Flyff community has now become one of the biggest annual esports and community celebrations in the Philippines. The Flyff World Championship (FWC) has grown into a global stage where guilds fight for honor, rewards and pride-not just in the game, but as part of a passionate worldwide community.

Last year’s FWC 2024 Grand Final at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall was a true testament to this passion. Thousands of Filipino fans lined up around the venue, cheering for their favorite guilds as Team Astral and other contenders clashed in unforgettable battles.

This year, the legacy continues. FWC 2025 is set to happen on October 18, at Ayala Malls By the Bay in Manila, with an even bigger stage, a prize pool of over US$110,000 (P6.3 million), and a stronger lineup of competitors.

Just before the clash for glory begins, the stage will ignite with an electrifying performance by KAIA, setting the perfect hype for the ultimate showdown!

FWC 2025 Manila’s event highlights

Gala Lab (CEO Kim Hyunsu), developer of the HTML5 MMORPG Flyff Universe, Wemade Connect (CEO Lee Hodae), the publisher, and local channel/marketing partner PlayPark (Quach Dong Quang) announced that the Flyff Universe World Championship (FWC) 2025 Grand Final will be held on Saturday, October 18, at Ayala Malls By the Bay in Manila. The tournament has expanded to 10 teams.

Key highlights also include upgraded on-site experience, official merchandise store, giveaway events and sponsor activation booths; special stage performance by popular P-Pop group KAIA; and limited-edition gifts for VIPs, early-bird and first-come ticket holders

This year’s Grand Final kicks off with the pre-party on October 17, giving fans a chance to directly engage with the developers through talks and Q and A sessions for a deeper look into the game.

Lee Hodae, CEO of Wemade Connect, commented: ‘We’ve prepared an even more thrilling tournament, stage production, broadcast, and fan activities compared to last year. Our goal is to create a global-local festival that both local fans and global viewers can enjoy together.’

With the magnitude of the corruption problem that has come to light, it may be difficult for the public to swallow the idea that contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah Discaya and some of the other major players in the flood control scandal will be allowed to turn state witness.

Fortunately, that idea now appears to have been shot down in the case of the Discayas. Their lawyer had previously said the controversial couple had provided a ‘tell-all plus-plus’ when they faced the Independent Commission for Infrastructure two weeks ago.

New Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, however, said yesterday that there has been no tell-all, and that certain public officials and contractors have been omitted by the Discayas in their statements. Remulla also noted the lack of solid commitment so far for restitution of ill-gotten assets – one of the typical requirements for turning state witness.

Given the likelihood that the Discayas could face multiple criminal indictments, it may also be complicated for them to negotiate for immunity from prosecution and for avoidance of imprisonment, Remulla noted.

His stand reflected opinions given in an interview by former public works secretary Rogelio Singson, one of the members of the ICI, which reportedly prompted the Discayas to stop cooperating with the commission.

This lack of cooperation from the suspected principal players in the corruption scandal should not surprise probers. Prosecutors must also be ready for unreliable witnesses with a tendency to change or retract their statements. Cases cannot hinge on such witnesses.

Government prosecutors must be prepared to pin down the offenders using solid evidence. Remulla, who until recently was the justice secretary, has said that for starters, the government intends to pursue tax evasion cases against both public officials and private contractors who illegally enriched themselves.

Prosecutors are also working with the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Bureau of Customs, Land Transportation Office and other agencies that keep records of registered assets such as vehicles and real estate to ferret out illegally acquired wealth.

Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, convicted mastermind of the pork barrel scam, had also tried to turn state witness. Perhaps her testimony might have helped bring to justice more lawmakers involved in the scam. But allowing her to evade prosecution or get a lighter punishment would have been a travesty of justice, and could contribute to impunity.

The same is true for those who are emerging as principal players in the flood control scandal.