Category: Philippine Star

The country’s biggest aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider has kicked off the construction of a new facility in Clark, a project that could generate as many as 1,200 jobs in high-paying positions.

Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) has started laying the groundwork for the new maintenance facility at the Clark International Airport, a project that would cover more than 157,000 square meters.

LTP president and CEO Holger Beck said the project would generate at least 1,200 jobs, with LTP committing to hire workers from Central Luzon to support employment in the region.

The project will be divided into two phases, with the first to be completed by 2028. The first part of the base can handle up to two widebody aircraft as big as the Airbus A380, the world’s largest jet.

Afterward, LTP will put up the second phase, likely to be completed in three to four years. Beck said the segment can repair six widebody units at the same time, giving local carriers Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific a closer base to provide for their MRO needs.

Beck said the base maintenance project is covered by a 25-year lease, extendable by another 25 years, as LTP sees Clark’s potential to become an aviation powerhouse in Asia-Pacific.

He said with the logistics network of Clark, hosting cargo flights for courier giants FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Services Inc., their services would be helpful to LTP in flying in aviation parts needed quickly to repair aircraft.

LTP, owned 51 percent by Lufthansa Technik AG and 49 percent by Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp., is the country’s crown jewel in the aviation industry for MRO capabilities.

Team Philippines finally found a way to get on top of the podium after the women’s foil team and the men’s saber squad ruled their respective categories in the 2026 Southeast Asian Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Cadet and Junior championship on Tuesday, August 11, at the Arena TSH OCM in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The triumvirate of Victoria Ebdane, Willa Galvez and Jodie Tan joined forces to capture the women’s foil team as they downed the team from Vietnam, 44-37, in the finals.

After dispatching Philippines Team B of Yuna Canlas, Hagia del Castillo and Victoria Malvar in a nail-biting 29-28 triumph in the semifinals, Philippines Team A was in full control all throughout the finals match.

Protecting a slim 9-6 lead, the 15-year-old Galvez – a member of the multi-titled fencing team University of the East – outscored her opponent Nguyen Thi Anh Thu, 10-1, in the fourth of nine bouts to gave the Philippines a comfortable 19-7 advantage.

Galvez, whose international participation is backed by Nickel Asia Corporation, with support from NLEX Corporation, Rain or Shine, the MVP Sports Foundation, Strong Group Athletics, Pocari Sweat and Icons Sports Management Services, accounted for 21 of the team’s total touch points.

Ebdane added 13 points while Tan had 10 points.

In men’s saber, led by national team member Khiane Felipe, with Vito Coching, Drake Chung and Matthew General, the Philippines defeated Thailand, 45-40, in the finals.

With the two gold medals, it added to the national junior team’s collection of two silver and four bronze medals.

Estelliah Gilliana, Hailey Sophia Peters, Arianna Tiu and Nadelle Turiano of Team Philippines got a silver medal in the women’s saber team event.

Oscar del Castillo, who earned a silver medal in men’s individual epee, also had a bronze medal with Joaquin De Silos, Jacob Mayo and Boo Geronimo in men’s team epee.

Also earning bronze medals is Team B (Canlas, Del Castillo and Malvar) in women’s foil; Rhiana Cruz, Eleina Junia, Faith Olemos and Papina Torre in women’s epee; and Inigo Divinagracia, Lucas Palafox, Jethro Chan and Elijah Timbol in men’s foil.

Galvez also earned a bronze medal in women’s individual foil on Monday by beating Singapore’s Sita Naidu Maaravis, 15-14, in the quarterfinals but lost to eventual gold medalist and Malaysia’s national team member Suraya Rizzal, 15-8.

Action continues with the cadet category, with the epee, foil and sabre individuals set August 12 and 13, while the team events will be played on August 14.

The Philippine Junior Men’s Saber Team stunned regional powerhouse Thailand, 45-40, to cop the gold medal in the Under-20 division of the Southeast Asian Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Juniors Fencing Championship 2026 on Tuesday, August 11.

The four-man squad – composed of Khiane Nash Felipe (University of the East), Drake Anthony Chung (Domuschola International School/Estudio de Espada), Vito Misael Coching (De La Salle Zobel), and Matthew General (Ateneo) – earlier overpowered Indonesia, 45-23, to set up the finals clash with Thailand.

In a battle of tactics, speed and composure, it the was Philippines that emerged victorious over the Thais, who previously dominated Vietnam 45-24, to book their finals ticket in the four-nation tournament that showcased young saber talents.

“Winning gold is a testament to the hard work of these young athletes and their coaches, but seeing the high level of respect and friendship shared among all four nations on and off the strip is the true victory for Southeast Asian fencing,” tournament organizers said.

Against Thailand in the finals, Felipe set the tone for Team Philippines with a 5-2 win in the opening bout. Chung, the youngest in the squad at 14 years old, followed suit with a display of tactical prowess to hike the lead to 10-4; Coching extended it to 15-8; and Felipe put in the final touches to keep Thailand at bay despite its fierce rallies.

The Philippine squad marched atop the podium under the guidance of a veteran coaching staff featuring Philippine national team coach Gian Carlo Nocom, Edward Dalivas (Ateneo head coach), and Donnie Navarro (UST head coach).

Suspected party drug ketamine valued at P8 million was seized at the port of Clark in Pampanga yesterday.

The illegal substance was concealed inside a bunny-shaped figurine that was imported from France, according to the Bureau of Customs.

The BOC said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency alerted Customs officials at the port about the contraband.

The figurine reportedly contained 1,675 grams of alleged ketamine.

Customs chief Ariel Nepomuceno gave assurance that the BOC would continue to protect the public from illegal drugs.

The Core+ Batch 2018 outclassed BRX Batch 2015, 92-77, in the deciding game of their best-of-three finals to emerge as back-to-back champions in Division C of the Sacred Heart Ateneo Alumni Basketball Athletic Association (SHAABAA) Season 29 last Sunday, August 9, at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles Arena in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.

Franz Ray Diaz sizzled with 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and a steal for Batch 2018 of coach Rommel Rasmo while Finals Most Valuable Player Patrick Wilson Yu added 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and blocked two shots.

Patrick Yu also formed part of the Mythical 5 together with season MVP Lucky Ecarma of Batch 2014 and the Chua brothers Benedict Andre (Batch 2018), Anton Bennett (Batch 2015), and Benj Antoni (Batch 2026).

Andre Chua, the Defensive Player of the Year, produced a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds for Batch 2018, which took full control of the rubber match since taking a 23-15 lead at the end of the opening period.

Batch 2018 closed the first half with a double-digit 48-36 advantage, which they stretched to as much as 15 points at the final buzzer.

Interestingly, Batch 2018 successfully defended their throne without three key players in Christian Manaytay, Jed Colonia, and Andrew Velasco.

Colonia and Manaytay had important engagements in Manila while Velasco is out with achilles tear, which was taken care of by fellow Ateneo Hearter Dr. Pierre Mella of Batch 2000, a degenerative and oncologic spine surgeon from Asian Orthopedics Center, in an admirable show of alumni spirit.

Chaz Cokaliong paced Batch 2015 with 20 points, two rebounds, and one assist.

Janjan Jaboneta delivered an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double with two assists and two steals, while Niño Araw-Araw scattered 11 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in a losing cause.

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Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR), the hospitality arm of Robinsons Land, has signed a memorandum of agreement with Punlaan School to provide scholars with practical hotel training and help prepare them for careers in the hospitality industry.

Based in San Juan City, Punlaan School is a vocational-technical institution that provides hospitality and service-oriented education to young women from underprivileged backgrounds. Its curriculum combines six months of classroom-based theoretical learning with six months of practical training at partner institutions.

Under the partnership, RHR will host two Punlaan scholars for on-the-job training at its hotels in Metro Manila from August 2026 to February 2027. The scholars will rotate through key areas of hotel operations, including kitchen, housekeeping, food and beverage and front office.

During the six-month program, they will work alongside RHR’s hospitality professionals and apply what they have learned in the classroom in a professional hotel environment. The training will help them develop technical capabilities as well as workplace skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and guest service. They will also receive an allowance throughout the program.

The partnership forms part of RHR’s continuing corporate social responsibility efforts through RLove, Robinsons Land’s corporate social responsibility program, particularly its education-focused R Eskwela initiative. It also reflects RHR’s Hospitality by Heart commitment, extending its culture of care beyond guests and into the communities it serves.

The rehabilitation of EDSA, Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare, is supposed to serve as a model for quality road works amid the corruption scandal that has rocked the Department of Public Works and Highways.

As described by the DPWH, the P6.5-billion EDSA rehabilitation ‘uses high-grade Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) reinforced with eco-friendly fibers like bagasse or coconut coir, runway-grade specifications, computer-guided laser paving, high-density polyethylene drainage pipes, and reinforced concrete reblocking to ensure long-term road durability.’

Between the high-quality product promised by the DPWH and its implementation, something must have gotten lost in translation.

Last Sunday night, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon let loose expletives as he inspected the potholes that have formed along the newly rehabilitated EDSA Busway southbound near Buendia Avenue in Makati.

The potholes formed after several days of heavy downpour induced by the southwest monsoon and two tropical cyclones.

Dizon observed that the area is located at the lowest point of EDSA, which happens to lack drainage. Busway barriers also contributed to the accumulation of water, which led to the formation of the potholes, he noted.

Still, how can the newly rehabilitated pavement disintegrate after just a few days of heavy rain?

Isn’t SMA supposed to offer ‘superior rut resistance,’ as described by the DPWH itself? The rehabilitation is also supposed to use ‘reinforced concrete reblocking,’ meaning it uses ‘high-strength poured or precast concrete for base repairs to fix structural integrity failures and stop frequent pothole creation.’

Pavement that melts in the rain has long been a feature of the road network in Metro Manila. Many years before the corruption scandal involving flood control and other infrastructure projects erupted, the World Bank had already pointed out that the quality of roads in a country is a good indicator of the level of corruption in the public sector. Roads, which are difficult to audit for compliance with project specifications, are favorite sources of corruption, World Bank studies noted.

Metro Manila roads are notorious for disintegrating quickly during downpours, almost as if they are designed not to last, so that repairs can be carried out regularly. Even perfectly good pavement is routinely dug up and repaired, apparently for kickback collection. Such projects used to feature the names and images of politicians claiming credit, as if the funds came from their own pockets.

A furious Dizon said that when the weather improves, the private contractor of the EDSA Busway rehabilitation will be ordered to patch up the potholes at no cost to the government.

He should ensure that all those glowing descriptions about high-grade pavement will actually be followed.

The Yuchengco Group has taken full ownership of PetroWind Energy Inc. (PWEI) after completing its P1.9-billion acquisition of the 40-percent stake held by Thailand’s BCPG Public Co. Ltd.

In a regulatory filing, Yuchengco-led PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (PERC) said the transaction was closed after all conditions under its share purchase agreement with BCPG were satisfied.

The buyout raised PERC’s direct stake in PWEI to 60 percent. Combined with the interest held through subsidiary PetroGreen Energy Corp., PERC now owns 100 percent of the wind company.

Last month, the Philippine Competition Commission cleared PERC’s proposed acquisition of BCPG’s stake in PWEI, paving the way for the transaction to proceed.

The approval fulfilled the regulatory condition under the share purchase deal executed by the parties in December last year.

‘The acquisition is consistent with PERC’s strategy to simplify its ownership structure and increase its direct economic participation in its renewable energy portfolio,’ the company said.

PWEI operates the 49.56-megawatt Nabas-1 and Nabas-2 wind power projects in Aklan.

Completed in 2015, Nabas-1 currently generates 36 MW of clean power, while the 13.56-MW Nabas-2 is in the final stretch toward commercial operations.

The gruesome injury to import DeQuan Jones became the rallying point for the NLEX Road Warriors, as they overcame a five-point deficit in the last 30 seconds of regulation to outlast the TNT Tropang 5G in overtime, 118-111, in the PBA Governors’ Cup Wednesday evening.

In the game, the import Jones suffered a gruesome injury at the 7:27 mark of the third quarter, when he awkwardly fell on the floor on a play. As he fell, Tropang 5G center Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser fell on him.

Jones had to be brought out of the playing court and was taken to the hospital.

Despite this, NLEX held an 85-79 lead heading to the fourth, but it fell behind late against TNT in the final minute.

The Road Warriors trailed by five, 99-104, with about 30 seconds to go after a Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson layup, but huge 4-point shots by Robert Bolick forced overtime.

In the extra time, the Road Warriors’ locals stepped up and finished the job.

After the game, NLEX head coach Jimmy Alapag said that when Jones exited the game, he reiterated how important it is to honor him with a win.

‘I think first and foremost, my deepest prayers go out to DJ. More than the basketball player, it’s the person. Him and I just had lunch yesterday and his value to this team goes far beyond what he does in the basketball court. Again, it’s the person, it’s the leadership, it’s the character,’ he said.

‘So it’s heartbreaking to see him go down, but I’m so proud of our guys. I told them when DJ went down, the best thing that we can do to just honor what he means to this team is to come out and fight for the rest of the game,’ he added.

Before the injury, Jones already had 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting, to go with four rebounds and an assist.

Alapag then tipped his hat to guards Bolick and LJ Gonzales, who took over in the absence of Jones.

‘It was a lost game there at the end, but again, Berto, he’s been an elite point guard in this league for a long time. It’s been great to see his growth through these first eight games. He hits a big time shot,’ the coach stressed.

‘Of course, the guy next to me, LJ, was huge down the stretch. In the third, entire fourth, in the overtime, just making big play after big play. I think LJ’s putting the PBA on notice that we’re not just a team with two guards. We also have another star in the making coming up,’ he added.

‘Again, just super proud of the guys. Not easy beating a championship caliber team like TNT but again, the heart and the will and the competitive spirit that they showed tonight. Really, really proud of them.’

NLEX is currently on top of the Group A standings. Jones’ steady play this conference has been a huge part of the Road Warriors’ 7-1 record thus far.

Gonzales, for his part, said the team just gave their 100% in the game for Jones.

‘Talagang pinagdasal namin kasi alam naman namin si DJ isa sa pinaka-inaasahan sa team namin. Binigay lang namin yung 100% namin, inalay namin yung game sa kaniya,’ the lightning-quick guard said.

‘Nakakalungkot pero kung bibigay mo talaga yung best para sa teammate mo, so wala akong masabi, sobrang grateful ako na makapaglaro ako nang maayos and nanalo kami.’

Now, the Road Warriors will have a quick turnaround, with their next game set on Friday against the Converge FiberXers.

‘You never expect your import to go down. But from here, after we speak to the team, I’ll get our staff together, together with the management and try to figure out what we can do. Kasi ang next game namin is on Friday, so medyo bitin ang time,’ Alapag said.

‘But again, right now, all of our thoughts and prayers are with DJ. Big time loss for our team, but we’ll try to find somebody who can fill that void.’