Category: Philippine Star

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has activated the DILG chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear preparedness and response cluster as it prepares for the repatriation of 23 radioactive shipping containers from Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities have prohibited the entry of the shipment after its Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency detected elevated radiation levels of Cesium-137 or Cs-137 ‘beyond established safety thresholds’ on Sept. 16.

The agency recommended the shipment’s immediate repatriation to the Philippines.

Initial investigation showed that the containers originated from Zannwann International Trading Corp., a Chinese trading firm based in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

To map out a coordinated action plan for the safe handling of the containers, DILG undersecretaries Serafin Baretto Jr. and Nestor Sanares presided over an emergency meeting with representatives from the Philippine Ports Authority, Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Health-Bureau of Quarantine and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI).

The BOC does not have an operating ‘radiation portal monitor’ capability after its two RPM machines were found to be unserviceable and in need of repair.

After radiological survey by the Office of Civil Defense in Region 3 and Meycauayan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office at the Zannwann premises, the DOST-PNRI confirmed Cs-137 contamination outside two warehouses of Xin Recycling, a sister company of Zannwann.

Although inspectors were not allowed to enter the warehouses, the affected areas were cordoned off for isolation.

The DOST warned that Cesium-137 poses serious public health risks through external exposure, inhalation or ingestion.

The Brooklyn Nets won another close finish in the NBA preseason, topping the Phoenix Suns, 111-109, in the final game of the 2025 China Games Sunday at the Venetian Arena here.

Phoenix on Friday first escaped with a victory in overtime, 132-127, and it seemed that Sunday’s game would be too close to call late.

The match was tied at 109-all after a 3-pointer by Jared Butler off the inbound with 17.5 seconds left.

In the next possession, Brooklyn melted the clock and the ball went to the hands of Tyrese Martin.

However, as Martin attempted a game-winning 3-pointer, he was fouled by David Duke Jr.

The 11,729 fans in attendance then tried to distract Martin with a wave of boos. He made the first one but missed the second. He sank the third freebie to push Brooklyn ahead, 111-109.

With the Suns needing one final basket to tie or grab the win, the inbound pass was deflected by the Nets as the buzzer sounded.

Brooklyn actually trailed by double digits in the fourth quarter, with the Suns holding a 95-81 lead after a running layup by Goodwin.

But the Nets slowly chipped the lead away, with Martin tying things up with an and-one play, 103-all.

After a miss by Phoenix’s Koby Brea, Danny Wolf pushed Brooklyn ahead, 104-103, with 3:03 left, before a dunk by Khaman Maluach gave the Suns the advantage anew.

A 3-pointer by Wolf, followed by a Liddell layup, handed the Nets the 109-105 advantage before Phoenix tied it up late, setting up the seemingly-anti-climactic finish.

Cam Thomas spearheaded Brooklyn with 16 points and four rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr. and Ziaire Williams had 15 apiece. Martin, the hero of the night, had 11 points.

Devin Booker paced the Suns with 18 markers, five boards and five dimes. Dillon Brooks, who fouled out in the third quarter, and Oso Ighodaro had 12 points each for Phoenix.

Sunday’s final buzzer marked the end the first NBA games in China in six years.

The past few days were filled with basketball-related activities, including the opening of an NBA Store at the Londoner, as well as the ‘NBA House.’

The Philippines is projected to produce enough rice to meet 84 percent of its domestic demand by the end of next year, according to a high-ranking official of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Agriculture Assistant Secretary U-Nichols Manalo said the country is currently hovering around a 77- percent level of rice self-sufficiency.

‘If the budget will be given to us, it will be around 84 percent level of sufficiency at the end of 2026,’ Manalo told lawmakers during the budget hearing of the government agency for 2026.

Manalo said the government is targeting around 90 percent rice self-sufficiency by 2028, the end of the current Marcos administration, provided planned programs and budget allocations are fully implemented.

The DA is seeking a P216.1 billion budget for 2026 to fund its programs, including initiatives to boost rice production, support farmers and improve farm-to-market logistics.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier noted that years of limited funding have weakened agriculture’s role in the broader economy.

Although the sector employs one in every five Filipinos, he said it contributed to just 10 percent to gross domestic product last year.

Tiu Laurel added that underinvestment has widened the country’s agricultural trade deficit as food imports grow to meet the needs of the second-largest population in Southeast Asia.

Rice production in the first half reached 9.08 million metric tons, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

This figure represents a 6.4-percent increase from the same period last year, showing progress toward the government’s annual target of 20.46 million metric tons.

Tiu Laurel recently revised the target to 20.35 million MT due to the lingering effects of the La Niña.

University of Perpetual Help continued its magical run aimed at a breakthrough NCAA senior basketball crown as it outlasted Arellano U, 72-67, yesterday to remain the lone unbeaten team in Season 101 at the MOA Arena.

Patrick Sleat, a transferee from Far Eastern U, was the man of the hour, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, three blocks, an assist and a steal to help the Altas climb to 4-0.

‘Patrick has so much experience. He knows when to control the game and ask for the ball but at the same time he’s very unselfish,’ said UPHSD coach Olsen Racela of his burly wingman who happened to be his former player when he was then coaching the Tams in the UAAP.

‘That’s the reason we brought him here, to help us, help the guards,’ he added.

It was the Las Piñas-based school’s best start in 10 years or the time of Scottie Thompson, Bright Akhutie and Princ Eze.

It also sent warning signals to the opposition that UPHSD is all focused on finally ending its painful title drought and winning a first crown after joining the grand old league in 1984.

With the signing of the Expanded Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System Act into law, qualified students will no longer be denied quality education in the country, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian vowed.

Gatchalian cited a Second Congressional Commission on Education report that said at least 5,807 qualified students were unable to enroll at the 16 PSHS campuses nationwide, noting that the schools have limited slots.

President Marcos signed Republic Act 12310, or the Expanded PSHS System Act, into law last week, paving the way for more campuses to rise in various parts of the country.

Under the law, additional campuses will be established to offer Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or STEM education in line with the government’s efforts to produce more Filipino scientists and innovators.

Gatchalian, who co-authored the measure, said the law aims to expand access to premier science and mathematics education nationwide, allowing more talented youth to experience world-class STEM learning and to be part of a community that nurtures curiosity, creativity and scientific leadership.

A driver and security escort of Department of Transportation undersecretary Ricky Alfonso were accused of physically assaulting a motorist during a traffic altercation in Quezon City on Wednesday.

A video that went viral on social media platforms showed Alfonso pacifying an argument between a driver of an Isuzu multicab and his driver and security escort along Katipunan Avenue.

In the video, one of Alfonso’s companions was overheard threatening the multicab driver, warning the victim that his driver’s license will be compromised. The companion claimed that the multicab driver was weaving through traffic, putting at risk the VIP in their vehicle, referring to Alfonso.

The driver stood his ground in the presence of two Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic enforcers, saying he was punched by one of Alfonso’s companions.

‘Bakit niyo ako sinaktan? Sinaktan niyo ako (Why did you hurt me? You hurt me),’ the multicab driver said.

Also catching the attention of netizens was the protocol license plate 10 used in Alfonso’s Lexus sport utility vehicle.

Under DOTr guidelines, only the presiding justices of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan and the solicitor general are allowed to use protocol plate 10.

An investigation report from Anonas Police Station 9 showed that Alfonso’s vehicle is registered to a holding company in Barangay Dasmariñas in Makati City. Police are coordinating with the company to find how the vehicle ended up with Alfonso.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said he talked with Alfonso about the incident.

‘He fired his driver and asked for forgiveness. He said he alighted from his vehicle basically to pacify the incident,’ Lopez said.

Lopez ordered the DOTr legal department to reach out to the victim and provide assistance.

A UK-based firm has launched a new rice straw biogas hub in Laguna, establishing a two-hectare facility designed to process 10,000 metric tons (MT) of the plant material annually into methane, biochar and fertilizer.

Straw Innovations Ltd. built the P235 million facility in the municipality of Pila in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Ashton University in Birmingham and the UK government’s innovation agency Innovate UK.

‘The rice straw biogas hub is a testament to what we can achieve when science and community come together,’ Straw Innovations founder Craig Jamieson said in his speech during the launch ceremony.

In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Jamieson said the Philippine market presents an annual revenue potential of about half a million pounds for their business model.

He added that with few players in the sector, their business model is among the first to show how rice straw can be profitably and sustainably collected and reused rather than burned or left to decay in the fields.

‘We’re breaking new ground here,’ Jamieson said, adding that there are plans to further scale up operations in the future.

Jamieson said the company is in talks with banks and investors to expand to other rice-producing provinces such as Nueva Ecija and Isabela.

Despite this, he acknowledged the challenges of operating in a typhoon-prone area and navigating local regulations.

For her part, SEARCA program specialist Lichelle Carlos emphasized the importance of collecting rice straw from farms instead of burning it, noting that proper management can reduce emissions and create value-added products for farmers.

Based on the center’s studies, around 24 to 38 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation can be reduced if farmers adopt technologies that collect and repurpose rice straw into bioenergy or organic fertilizer instead of setting it on fire after harvest.

‘Rice straw is also hard to collect for farmers because it is scattered across the fields and produced in large volumes,’ Carlos said, illustrating the logistical and cost challenges that make many farmers resort to burning the residue after harvest.

According to data from SEARCA, the Philippines produces 14 million to 28 million MT of rice straw annually, presenting both a waste management challenge and an opportunity to develop cleaner, more sustainable uses for agricultural by-products.

Rico Hoey delivered his strongest performance of the 2025 PGA Tour season, capping off a resilient campaign with a bogey-free, eight-under-par 63 in the final round of the Baycurrent Classic on Sunday. His sizzling effort secured him a tie for fourth at the Yokohama Country Club in Japan – a timely breakthrough as the season winds down.

The 30-year-old, backed by ICTSI, fired four birdies on each nine of the par-71 layout, compiling a brilliant 32-31 round to finish at 14-under 270 over four days (68-68-71-63). His final score placed him in a tie for fourth with three others, five strokes behind American Xander Schauffele, who clinched victory with a 64 for a 265 total.

Schauffele, a two-time major champion, closed strong with three birdies over his last five holes to fend off fellow American Max Greyserman, who surged with a final-round 65 to finish one shot back at 266.

Michael Thorbjornsen, also from the US, placed solo third with a 64 for a 268 total.

Hoey’s resurgence comes just a week after missing the cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi, showcasing the mental fortitude and bounce-back ability that define top-caliber professionals.

His flawless Sunday round was a statement of intent – he is ready to compete at the highest level – and win.

This fourth-place finish marks Hoey’s best showing this season, eclipsing his previous top-10 finishes at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic (T7), Barracuda Championship (T8), and Procore Championship (T9). It also underscores the steady development of the Filipino-American as he builds his presence on the world’s most competitive golf tour.

Although 2025 has had its share of ups and downs, Hoey’s top-four finish in Yokohama proves he remains one of the most promising golfers of Filipino descent on the PGA Tour today.

He first made headlines last year with a runner-up finish at the ISCO Championship, where he narrowly lost in a playoff – his first in a PGA Tour event. He also notched a tie for third at the Shriners Children’s Open, establishing himself as a legitimate contender.

Hoey’s recent performance serves as a proud moment for Filipino golf, particularly as the country looks for its next international star in the sport.

While veterans like Frankie Miñoza and Juvic Pagunsan paved the way in Asia and Japan, Hoey is forging a path on the PGA Tour – a far more global and competitive arena.

With greater consistency and the confidence gained from strong showings like this one in Japan, Hoey is fast emerging as the Philippines’ best bet to secure a breakthrough PGA Tour win – a feat that would be historic for the country.

We live in an era where notifications replace love letters and endless online options outnumber traditional ways of communicating and meeting people. Technology greatly influences and introduces changes in work, identity and even relationships and yet, the essence of commitment remains. It has always been about quiet consistency, trust, and choosing the same heart, over and over again.

Casual dating apps promise endless choices for potential matches, where the process of selection begins when two users swipe right on each other’s profiles and start messaging. When interest is further sparked, they may arrange to meet up.

Unfortunately, online commitments often blur the lines between real intimacy and fleeting attention. Swiping left to signify disinterest or right to express interest in someone is a lot simpler than working through challenges with a current partner. This is because staying in a relationship isn’t easy. It takes both intention and practice. Even when love blossoms in this age of digital connections, one question still lingers: how can we remain truly committed?

Define what commitment means to you

Before expecting it from someone else, be clear about what commitment is in your life – whether it’s exclusivity, long-term planning, or simply consistency and respect.

Choose depth over convenience

Online connections can be instant, but real life bonds take time to form. Prioritize shared values, emotional intimacy and experiences instead of chasing after excitement and novelty.

Nurture trust like a garden

Trust doesn’t just happen. It’s cultivated through time, honesty, follow-through and vulnerability. Even in this fast-paced digital culture we live in, steady actions matter more than fleeting words and promises.

Balance independence and togetherness

Strong relationships should not result in the loss of one’s identity. Having your own interests, friends and space helps to bring a fuller and more grounded and happier version of yourself into a partnership.

Resist the ‘grass is greener’ trap

Dating apps and online spaces creates the illusion of endless options. While many lasting and successful relationships are borne from online friendships, commitment grows when two people recognize that love deepens with consistency and effort, not constant searching. It’s about ‘being there,’ not being everywhere.

Communicate early and often

In a world of ghosting and casual relationships, be intentional about how you communicate. Express needs, listen constantly, empathize and check in regularly. The key is to never stop reaching out and connecting.

Remember why you chose each other

Relationships aren’t immune to temptation and distraction. Revisit the qualities that made you fall in love and make these reminders anchors, when disappointment and adversity usher in doubt and restlessness. Engage in frequent heart-to-heart dialogue and activities that enable you both to connect, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually, as well.

Learn to forgive

Forgiveness is a conscious effort to release anger, resentment and hurt from a partner’s action. It promotes emotional healing, strengthens trust and fosters growth within relationships, rather than condoning or forgetting offensive or hurtful behavior. Acknowledge the pain, communicate openly, practice compassion and work towards reconciliation and a stronger future together. There is no perfect partner and while destiny and God can bring two people together, they must want to stay together – in the best and worst of times.

Staying faithful to love means resisting that someone better may just be around the corner or a click away, as well as nurturing trust the way you’d water a plant – slowly, regularly and with care. It’s also about speaking honestly, listening deeply and balancing independence with togetherness.

Most of all, it means standing by each other, come what may. In a world that constantly rushes towards the next new or big thing, commitment is a quiet act of rebellion – a decision to stay, grow old, laugh, cry and learn together with that one special person. Because real love isn’t found – it’s chosen, every single day.

Shabu with an estimated street value of P163.2 million was seized in an anti-narcotics operation that also resulted in the arrest of three drug suspects in Candelaria, Quezon on Friday night.

The suspects – identified only as Jack, 42; Nor, 31, and Anor, 43 – were collared after they sold an undetermined amount of shabu to undercover agents in Barangay Masin Norte.

Probers said police seized from the suspects a package containing 25 kilos of shabu, a Toyota Fortuner, three phones believed used in drug transactions, identification cards and the marked money.

Authorities expressed belief that the illegal substance came from Mindanao and was intended for distribution in several areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The illegal substance was turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for laboratory examinations.

Charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the suspect, the PDEA said.