Category: Philippine Star

Three films tied for the most awards at the 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival as documentary “Bloom Where You Are Planted” took home the event’s top prize.

The documentary by Noni Abao, which also won Best Editing, centers on three land rights activists – Agnes Mesina, the jailed Amanda Echanis and the late Randy Malayao – from the Cagayan Valley.

The three awards of “Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan” went to its actors: Best Actress Mylene Dizon, Best Actor Jojit Lorenzo and Best Supporting Actor Nanding Josef.

“Cinemartyrs” won Best Director for filmmaker Sari Dalena, Best Original Musical Score for composer Teresa Barrozo, and the Special Jury Prize.

The other film with three trophies was “Child No. 82 (Anak ni Boy Kana)”, which won the Audience Choice Award, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Rochelle Pangilinan.

“Totoo ba ‘to?! Hindi pa ako ready!” Rochelle said during her acceptance speech, noting it was her first appearance in a Cinemalaya entry.

The only other film with multiple wins was the Elijah Canlas-starred “Raging”, winning the craft categories of Cinematography and Sound Design. Three films tied for the most awards at the 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival as documentary “Bloom Where You Are Planted” took home the event’s top prize.

The documentary by Noni Abao, which also won Best Editing, centers on three land rights activists – Agnes Mesina, the jailed Amanda Echanis and the late Randy Malayao – from the Cagayan Valley.

The three awards of “Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan” went to its actors: Best Actress Mylene Dizon, Best Actor Jojit Lorenzo and Best Supporting Actor Nanding Josef.

“Cinemartyrs” won Best Director for filmmaker Sari Dalena, Best Original Musical Score for composer Teresa Barrozo, and the Special Jury Prize.

The other film with three trophies was “Child No. 82 (Anak ni Boy Kana)”, which won the Audience Choice Award, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Rochelle Pangilinan.

“Totoo ba ‘to?! Hindi pa ako ready!” Rochelle said during her acceptance speech, noting it was her first appearance in a Cinemalaya entry.

The only other film with multiple wins was the Elijah Canlas-starred “Raging”, winning the craft categories of Cinematography and Sound Design.

Millado also commended last year’s Cinemalaya entries for triumphing at the recent 2025 Gawad Urian, dominated by “Alipato at Muog,” “Tumandok,” and “Kono Basho.”

The festival director reported that the combined box office of Shangri-La Plaza, Gateway and Ayala cinemas reached P13.4 million – more than a 100% increase in last year’s ticket sales of P5.8 million.

If projections hold, Cinemalaya is on track to match and possibly surpass pre-pandemic box office numbers.

Film Development Council of the Philippines chair Jose Javier Reyes later assured the organization would continue to help fund Cinemalaya entries, as well as assist in taking them to international film festivals like Cannes, Busan, and FILMART.

The movies for next year’s edition were also announced, with past Cinemalaya competitors Dustin Celestino, Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan and JL Burgos highlighting the lineup for Cinemalaya 2026.

Winners

Feature Films

Film – “Bloom Where You Are Planted”

Special Jury Prize – “Cinemartyrs”

NETPAC – “Republika ng Pipolipinas”

Director – Sari Dalena, “Cinemartyrs”

Ensemble – “Open Endings”

Actor – Jojit Lorenzo, “Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan”

Actress – Mylene Dizon, “Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan”

Best Supporting Actor – Nanding Josef, “Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan”

Best Supporting Actress – Rochelle Pangilinan, “Child No. 82 (Anak ni Boy Kana)”

Screenplay – “Child No. 82 (Anak ni Boy Kana)”

Cinematography – “Raging”

Editing – “Bloom Where You Are Planted”

Production Design – “Padamlagan”

Original Musical Score – “Cinemartyrs”

Sound Design – “Raging”

Audience Choice – “Child No. 82 (Anak ni Boy Kana)”

Short Films

Film – “The Next 24 Hours”

Special Jury Prize – “Kay Basta Angkarabo Yay Bagay Ibat ha Langit (Objects Do Not Randomly Fall from the Sky)”

NETPAC – “Hasang”

Director – “Elian Idioma, I’m Best Left Inside My Head”

Screenplay – “Figat”

Audience Choice – “Ascension From The Office Cubicle by Hannah Silvestre”

Despite recurring corruption cases, Republic Act No. 1379, a law enacted in 1955 allowing the state to seize illegally acquired wealth, has rarely been enforced.

Known as the Forfeiture Law, it empowers authorities to confiscate assets clearly disproportionate to a public official’s lawful income.

Lawyer and broadcaster Mike Toledo explained on his program “Abogado” on Bilyonaryo News Channel that RA 1379 applies not only to assets held by officials themselves but also those held by spouses, relatives, or proxies.

‘It’s a law with teeth,’ Toledo said.

‘Once that’s established, the burden of proof shifts to the public official to explain the excess. If they can’t, the assets are forfeited in favor of the state,’ he added.

The law covers anyone holding public office or employment by appointment, election, or contract, including positions in state-owned or controlled corporations.

The Solicitor General can file petitions before the courts, giving officials a chance to explain their wealth. If explanations are unsatisfactory, the assets are forfeited to the state.

Despite its clear mandate, RA 1379 has been invoked far less frequently than the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Legal experts say the law has strong deterrent power, but its limited use misses opportunities to address unexplained wealth. Cases fall under the Sandiganbayan, the country’s anti-graft court and carry penal consequences in addition to civil forfeiture.

Toledo questioned why authorities have not used the law more aggressively.

“To the malevolent mind, the specter of forfeiture should scare the living daylights out of them. Why haven’t we used it more?’ Toledo asked.

Experts say stronger enforcement could better combat ill-gotten wealth and promote accountability in public office.

The Marikina City local government unit (LGU) suspended its classes on Monday, October 13, until Tuesday, October 14.

This is due to the ‘flu and flu-like illnesses’ reported in schools in Marikina, citing the recommendations of its city health office.

‘Ang hakbang na ito ay isang preemptive measure upang mapangalagaan ang kalusugan at kapakanan ng ating mga mag-aaral, guro, at kawani ng paaralan upang makaiwas sa pagkalat ng sakit at mabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagpahinga ang lahat,’ the Marikina LGU said in a statement.

(This step is a preemptive measure to safeguard the health and well-being of our students, teachers, and school staff, to prevent the spread of illness and give everyone a chance to rest.)

The LGU announced that while students are on a health break, they will implement widespread cleaning and disinfection in schools.

‘Pinapayuhan po ang lahat ng may karamdaman na manatili sa bahay, magpahinga, uminom ng maraming tubig, at agad magpakonsulta kung may nararamdamang sintomas,’ the LGU said.

(Everyone experiencing illness is advised to stay home, rest, drink plenty of water, and immediately consult a doctor if symptoms are felt.)

On October 10, a reported spike in flu-like symptoms at several universities in Metro Manila has either suspended their classes or shifted to online learning.

Policemen seized P1.7 million worth of shabu from a peddler killed in a shootout during an entrapment operation in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, on Saturday, October 11.

Local executives and senior members of the multi-sector Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Peace and Order Council said on Sunday, October 12, that 25-year-old Saidamin Saban Esmail died immediately from bullet wounds sustained in the gunfight.

They told reporters that anti-narcotics operatives from the Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Police Station, led by their chief, Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, were to frisk and detain Esmail and his two companions after selling to them 250 grams of shabu, costing P1.7 million, near the campus of a state university in the center of the municipality, but they pulled out pistols and opened fire, sparking an encounter.

More than 10 large-scale shabu dealers had been arrested in separate entrapment operations since June in different barangays in Datu Odin Sinsuat, which is close to Cotabato City, the seat of the regional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Esmail’s companions, initially identified only as Mursid and Kadir, scampered away after policemen felled him with pistol shots in the clash that they provoked. They are now both the subject of an extensive manhunt by personnel of the municipal police and barangay officials.

Brig. Gen. Jayson De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters on Sunday that the entrapment operation laid by Madin and his subordinates, which resulted in the seizure of P1.7 million worth of shabu from Esmail, was supported by the mayor of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Abdulmain Abas, and Vice Mayor Bobsteel Sinsuat.

De Guzman said the 250 grams of shabu confiscated during the operation that went awry shall be subjected to procedural examination and documentation by experts in a police forensic unit in Cotabato City, less than 40 kilometers away from the town center of Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Hindsight, definitely, is 20-20.

If he could turn back time, NBA icon Stephon Marbury would tell his younger self to ‘focus more,’ the guard said.

The guard, during the Shoot More with Stephon Marbury event at the Venetian Expo Hall here, was presented with a Minnesota Timberwolves jersey.

The Timberwolves was his first NBA team, being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the fourth overall selection of the 1996 draft before being shipped to Minnesota for the fifth overall pick in the same class, Ray Allen.

‘If I were to meet my rookie self, I would tell him to play smarter, to be stronger and to make sure you focus more,’ Marbury said in front of fans.

In his first year, he started 64 of his 67 games and averaged 15.8 points, 7.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game alongside Tom Gugliota and Kevin Garnett.

Minnesota was a team Marbury played for a couple of years, before he asked for a trade, ending his Timberwolves stint.

Marbury’s NBA career was a roller-coaster ride. After being traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1999, he was dealt anew in 2001 to the Phoenix Suns.

After three years with the team, he was traded once again to the New York Knicks, being the face of the franchise for a few years. However, he feuded with head coaches Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas.

After Thomas was booted out of the team, Marbury was bought out of his contract and joined the defending NBA champions Boston Celtics, where he saw his minutes and scoring dip.

Later, Marbury signed with numerous Chinese Basketball Association teams, but he cemented his legacy as a legend with the Beijing Ducks.

At Sunday’s event, with hundreds of fans cheering on Marbury’s name, the now-48-year-old ‘Starbury’ thanked his supporters.

‘I’d like to thank you for all the support. It’s been nothing but love. I appreciate all the love,’ he said.

The Shoot More with Stephon Marbury event was held in partnership with Alipay+.

The NBA returned to China for the first time in six years with the Macau Games. The four-day preseason event will end Sunday evening as the Brooklyn Nets take on the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix won Friday’s preseason contest, 132-127, in overtime.

Manny V. Pangilinan will receive his own MVP plaque in the 31st PBA Press Corps Awards Night tomorrow at the Novotel Manila Araneta City.

The managing director and CEO of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Company will be honored with the Danny Floro Executive of the Year award following a season to remember for the TNT Tropang 5G – the flagship team under the MVP umbrella.

The Tropang 5G claimed the first two championships of Season 49 and fell short of the rare grand slam after it lost to San Miguel in the finals of the Philippine Cup.

Nonetheless, it was a fitting campaign for the MVP Group which came in the heels of Meralco winning its first-ever PBA championship the previous season.

Pangilinan, who also chairs PLDT and the Metro Pacific Investments Corp., will receive his third Executive Award from the scribes who cover the PBA beat led by its president Vladi Eduarte of Abante.

He shares the limelight with the winner of the Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year Award being contested by TNT’s Chot Reyes and San Miguel’s Leo Austria.

Pangilinan is just the third executive to win the honor thrice after the late RFM team manager Elmer Yanga (1993-95) and SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua (2017, 2021 and 2024).

The Department of Education (DepEd) has suspended face-to-face classes on Monday and Tuesday (October 13-14) in public schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to influenza-like symptoms and to conduct structural integrity checks on buildings affected by the recent earthquake.

In an advisory on Sunday, October 12, DepEd said the suspension aims to ‘provide time for disinfection and sanitation’ in response to the flu-like illness.

The agency also said it will conduct building inspections in NCR schools following the recent earthquakes that shook various parts of the country.

During the two-day suspension, schools are directed to implement Alternative Delivery Modalities, using either synchronous or asynchronous learning methods.

All schools are directed to utilize the suspension period to:

Conduct cleaning and disinfection of classrooms and common areas;

Carry out structural and safety inspections of school buildings and facilities;

Prepare for the facilitation or implementation of drills on earthquake preparedness and other emergency protocols; and

Reinforce health and safety practices among learners, personnel, and parents.

Meanwhile, private schools are also encouraged to observe and conduct these measures.

Earlier, the Marikina City local government unit announced the suspension of classes from Monday to Tuesday due to the influenza-like symptoms.

There are plain and simple cookies. Then again, there are also simply loaded cookies, so loaded that you cannot seem to see the cookie dough anymore. Chef Jill Sandique, easily one of the best pastry chefs in the country, makes both types of cookies.

For the latter, she has this overloaded cookie with every good thing on it, and she calls it Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies. And true to its name – well, partially – it has not just dark and white chocolate but also potato chips, pretzels, walnuts, sea salt, even ground coffee, on it.

She recently cooked up a batch for Innobake, one of her regular sponsors, and affirmed that overloading a cookie with all your favorite ingredients is a good idea, after all.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tbsps. powdered milk

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup Patissier by Aalst 61% Dark Couverture

1/2 cup Patissier by Aalst 32% White Couverture

1 1/2 cups crushed potato chips

2/3 cup crushed pretzels

2 tbsps. ground coffee (preferably medium to dark roast)

1 cup chopped walnuts, official

Sea salt for topping

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two half sheet pans or trays with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Sift together dry ingredients. Set aside.

3. In a bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Add whole egg and egg yolk. Blend well.

4. Fold in dry ingredients, then the Patissier by Aalst Dark and White Couverture, potato chips, pretzels, and ground coffee. Mix well. Chill cookie dough for at least 30 minutes.

5. Scoop into 1 1/2-inch balls (about 4 cms. In diameter). Put the cookie dough balls onto prepared pans or trays, leaving a space of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cms.) between cookie dough balls. Top with more chocolate, pretzels, ground coffee, and sea salt if desired. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until done.

6. Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

The Philippines has always wanted to be a hub for innovation, a place where technology, startups and global talent can thrive.

No less than President Marcos has said that he envisions the country as a hub for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

However, when our rules keep changing, foreign investors become wary and hesitant to invest their money here.

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has recently issued a cease and desist order against US company Tools for Humanity (TFH), the developer of the World App and proprietor of a custom, state-of-the-art hardware device called the Orb, for alleged violations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The agency even went as far as ordering the company to remove the app globally.

TFH was founded in 2019 by Alex Blania as CEO and Sam Altman as chairman. Yes, the same Sam Altman who co-founded OpenAI.

NPC claims, among other things, that the collection of biometric data, specifically iris scans, is excessive and disproportionate for the stated purpose of proving humanity or mere authentication, and that such collection exposes Filipino data subjects to possible identity fraud, theft, and damage to their reputation. It added that offering monetary incentives in exchange for submitting to the Orb verification process constitutes undue influence, rendering the consent obtained from data subjects not freely given and therefore invalid.

But one’s biometric data is not collected and stored, contrary to what the NPC insists, according to the World.

One can visit the World App to secure their World ID and gain access to a variety of applications, including related apps like World Coin.

Since World launched in the Philippines in February, millions of Filipinos have already secured their anonymous, proof-of-human verifications or World IDs. These individuals can now combat online crime and deepfake-related fraud, which increased by 4,500 percent in the country between 2022 and 2023.

As explained by the company, ‘the World ID is a digital proof that one is human, but not a specific human. The World ID does not know your name, address, age, height, weight, or eye color. In other words, a digital identity is about who you are, whereas World ID is about what you are – a unique human.’

World ID verification occurs at an Orb, a device that verifies a person’s unique identity. After verifying with an Orb, your proof of human or World ID is stored on your phone in the World App, where you can use it to sign into online apps and services. Around 17 million individuals have already secured their World ID.

It added that World ID does not track people’s identities. After visiting the Orb, participants can verify their World ID, allowing them to anonymously and fully participate in the network. It said that the World does not know and is not designed to know the identities of its participants. ‘The purpose of World ID is only to prove that you are human and unique. Therefore, Orb operators do not ask for any personal details, and the Orb camera does not store the photos,’ TFH emphasized.

It likewise stressed that World does not store biometric data. ‘The Orb takes photographs of your eyes and face. These photos are sent to your smartphone, which is the only place where they live and not on any company’s servers. The network uses cryptography to analyze the images to prove you’re a unique human and that you haven’t previously signed up for the network,’ it explained.

TFH also pointed out that hackers and other individuals cannot trace data back to users if the network does not store that data in the first place. ‘After a person visits an Orb, their photo is deleted from the Orb and those images are not stored on any database. All that remains is a cryptographic poof that they are unique. It’s completely anonymized,’ it said.

Interestingly, NPC’s action came after the company had already undergone a full year of compliance, joined the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)’s sandbox program, registered with the NPC, and consulted with government agencies to ensure it followed all the rules.

The DICT Sandbox Program was established to assist companies with emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, biometrics, or fintech, in operating safely under government supervision while regulations are still being developed. It enables regulators to observe new systems in a controlled environment, allowing innovation to continue without compromising public interest.

But now, after a change in leadership, the same regulators who approved the project are treating it as a violation.

This is exactly what investors fear about the Philippines. It’s not just the red tape or bureaucracy; it’s the lack of continuity. Policies and interpretations can change overnight depending on who is in charge. In other countries, rules outlast people. Here, people outlast rules.

When regulators change direction without a clear reason or due process, it doesn’t just hurt one company; it hurts the country’s reputation. Investors see it as a sign that decisions here can be arbitrary. And arbitrariness, in any form, is a close cousin of corruption, which is also about inconsistency, as when rules are applied differently depending on who’s enforcing them, or when a project’s fate depends on politics instead of policy. That kind of environment makes investors nervous, because it turns compliance into a gamble.

Beyond the legal debate, the decision sends a dangerous signal about how the Philippines treats innovation. Instead of being seen as a government confident enough to work with new technologies, it projects uncertainty and a tendency to overcorrect rather than collaborate. For many investors, that uncertainty is risk enough.

What’s ironic is that World’s technology was built to protect people from scams and impersonation, problems Filipinos face every day. Instead of being seen as an ally in online safety, it’s now being treated as a threat.

For global investors, this case shows that in the Philippines, the problem is not a lack of laws but a lack of predictability. If government approvals, sandbox programs, and registration processes can all be overturned by one new decision, then the message is: your investment here is only as safe as the next appointment.

This kind of regulatory uncertainty is what drives investors to Singapore, Vietnam, or Indonesia – countries that may be just as strict, but far more consistent. Businesses can adjust to difficult rules. What they cannot adjust to is unpredictability.

The NPC still has a chance to correct course. It can review its order, consider the due process it owes to a company that complied with the law, and show that Philippine institutions value fairness and stability.

At the end of the day, when rules change every time leadership does, confidence disappears. And once investors lose confidence, rebuilding it will take far more than a sandbox.

Who’s afraid of ADHD?

Well, perhaps me, a little bit. This era of phones and screens and sound bites and instant gratification has made me one heck of an impatient customer. Trust me to imagine a dozen ways for service staff to serve faster. I simply cannot wait – and now I fear I’m being led down this irreversible course of irate customer-hood because of ADHD.

But wait, is that ADHD in truth?

Or perhaps, it’s the troubling incidents where I’m less likely to finish tasks. I open the phone, intending entirely to do something, and then I see a notification or an advert, and I chase the rabbit until I am irreversibly lost. As in, I forget why I even picked up my phone to begin with. Is that ADHD? Or simply aging?

Perhaps it’s time to call in the pros. An organization that tackles ADHD head on. One that has been doing precisely this for the past 25 years. And oh –this month is their month, with a national conference slated to be held in Pasig, and to be opened by no less than mayor extraordinaire Vico Sotto.

That’s the AD/HD Society in the Philippines, an all-volunteer non-profit NGO that has done many wonderful things (or so I am assured) for not just persons with ADHD, but also their families. And their professional teams. And other advocates. So much so that in 2015, former president Benigno S. Aquino (remember him? that fantastic leader who wasn’t corrupt?) conferred accolades on the group during the Apolinario Mabini Awards.

Conference chairman Jojo Villaereal-Nepomuceno proclaims ‘ADHD is commonly viewed as a challenge. This year, we want to spotlight the silver linings-the strengths, energy, and innovative spirit that individuals with ADHD bring to families, classrooms, and communities.’ And if I were naughty, I would hazard the guess that the ‘silver lining’ theme comes from the fact that this is their 25th year.

So perhaps, I need this group. According to my reliable research tool, a.k.a. Google, excessive screen time can exponentially increase the risk of developing symptoms of ADHD, or actually worsen the symptoms. Harvard says so, Oxford says so, and the American Medical Association says so, more or less.

The conference slated on the 18th (with Mayor Vico, don’t forget) will feature success stories (we love them) and expert panels, especially as it relates to education and mental health.

One area which they probably have been hammering home since the beginning: the myths. Those commonly-held misconceptions that we carry with us, branding kids who may have ADHD, and perhaps, harming them without us even realizing it.

Myths like, only boys get ADHD. Well, girls could be operating under that same disability. And since regular folks might think girls don’t carry this burden, they don’t get the proper diagnosis and treatment for it, since their symptoms are quieter. Girls daydream and are disorganized, while boys manifest by becoming disruptive.

Or a myth like, people with ADHD can’t focus. They can –they just like focusing on more exciting things than the everyday humdrum stuff. They hyperfocus –which is why the focus of their attention needs to be managed.

Or maybe even, the myth that we just need to encourage those with ADHD to try harder, and things will work out fine. It’s just willpower, after all. That myth might be more insidious, as ‘just trying harder’ might not be the solution, but expert care is.

All of these myths can be tackled in greater detail through the auspices of this fantastic society, and perhaps, during the national conference. As usual, private initiative has trumped government efforts, and we need to recognize the many individuals who have contributed in many different ways to the greater good. That’s the motivation behind the non-political column today, although the good mayor of Pasig still managed to sneak in.

One myth that’s disappointing –ADHD is just trendy.

It’s not? Maybe I don’t have ADHD after all.