Category: Philippine Star

The call of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines for a National Day of Prayer and Public Repentance is as timely as it can get.

Considering the series of devastating typhoons, billions of pesos stolen by corrupt politicians and government officials through the flood control ghost projects and last week’s Bogo, Cebu earthquake, we all better go on bended knees and pray!

I support the call of the CBCP and any other religious or church group calling for prayers because our national situation feels like being caught between a rock and a hard place. On one end we have the calamities and on the other we have a growing anger and frustration with all the investigations.

Many are worried that people will either give up on legal process and turn to violence, or people will just run out of steam and give up on the Philippines.

Last week, I suggested to friends that we do a silent prayer walk interspersed with praise and worships songs similar to what God instructed Joshua and the Israelites to do around the walls of Jericho. (Joshua 6:1-5)

In summary, the Jericho march tells how God showed up, declared that he had delivered Jericho to Joshua and the Israelites.

For their part, the people had to march around Jericho once every day for six days.

On the seventh day, they were to circle around the walls of Jericho seven times and on the seventh time, the priests were to blow the trumpets while the army and the men shouted out loud! Then the walls fell, the Israelites attacked and destroyed the city.

Most people would find the account ‘fantastic’ while cynics could say it is absurd. You might even say we are not at war or attacking enemy territory. To that I quote St. Paul’s words in Ephesians 6 verse 12: ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’

‘Struggle’ means to fight, to break free against something or someone pinning us down over a period of time. It could be our mindset, eco-political transactional relationships, personal corruption or outright occult practices or inclination to omission rather than confrontation.

For the longest time, Filipinos have fought back with walk-outs, position papers, declarations, noise barrage, molotov and rocks and protest marches. But we never seem to get out of the vicious cycle.

I don’t devalue the risk, effort and sacrifice people make to express their indignation and rage. What I am suggesting is that we might get better results if we also exerted as much effort in prayer power as we do in ‘people power.’

Historically speaking, corruption, politics and abuse of power are forces that Filipinos have been overwhelmed with. It reminds me of King Jehoshapat and the people of Judah who were under attack by an overwhelming force of Moabites and Ammonites. (2 Chronicles 20)

Their chances of survival where slim or none, but instead of surrender, the king called for a fast in Judah and prayers for God to save them. All the people from every town responded.

In response, God sent Jahaziel who said: ‘Listen King Jehoshapat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s’.’

‘You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.’ (2 Chronicles 20:15 and 17)

Go figure. In Jericho they marched, silently prayed and blew trumpets. In Judah, they prayed, fasted, took up their positions in faith and watched as God annihilated their would-be invaders.

Perhaps God intentionally uses absurd or illogical methods, not for fun, but to make a point, that for him nothing is impossible, that ‘we’ did not solve the problem, God did.

Filipinos are very prayerful people. Many Catholics will soon be attending the Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi. Others pray before meals, novenas, the rosary. Christians do annual prayer and fasting during a family medical crisis or during New Year. Pinoy netizens even ask for prayers for other nations in crisis.

Why is it that we go on bended knees during our personal crisis but not ‘consistently’ for our national crisis and tragedy? Inconsistent prayers will not move long-term struggles.

This brings me to part two of the CBCP invitation: public repentance!

Many people ask, ‘Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?’ In the case of the Philippines, it is because we have relied on kanya-kanya, tapang, even entitlement, but never publicly said to God: ‘Forgive us Lord.’

In closing, I leave you with this encouragement from Psalms 37:7-11:

‘Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath.

‘Do not fret – it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them you will not find them, they will not be found.

‘But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.’

College of St. Benilde overcame a shaky first two sets and completed a sweep of University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 28-26, 26-24, 25-18, to secure a second round seat in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup yesterday at the Paco Arena.

The Lady Blazers snatched their second win in as many outings and climbed to solo top spot in Pool D of the tournament, backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.

Veteran Zam Nolasco delivered 12 points from seven attacks, three kill blocks and two aces, and her leadership kept CSB together during anxious moments in the closing stretches of the first two frames.

‘Alam namin ang sasabihin ni coach (Jerry Yee) so kami na lang ang gumawa ng talk sa isa’t isa. Yung mga lapses namin sa first and second sets siguro dahil nag-relax lang din kami. During the third set dun na namin talaga inilabas ang laro namin and gusto na naming tapusin,’ Nolasco said.

The Lady Blazers raced to an early lead in the third frame and even built a 20-14 advantage. Unlike in the previous sets, CSB maintained a safe distance from the Lady Altas to finish the match in straight sets.

Blacklist International, Boom Esports, Elevate and ACT Esports Club will be the four teams representing the country in the upcoming Honor of Kings International Championship (KIC) happening in Manila this November.

Boom Esports and Blacklist International advanced to the Honor of Kings’ world stage by booking the top two seeds in the group stages of the fall season of the 2025 Philippines Kings League (PKL). This granted them at least a top-four finish.

ACT Esports Club and Elevate had to go through the single elimination for the playoffs first to book their slots in the KIC.

Third seed ACT Esports Club had no trouble sweeping sixth seed TNT Tropang Alab, 2-0; while fifth seed Elevate pulled off an upset, sweeping fourth seed WETRND Esports, 2-0, to qualify to the KIC.

With all four teams qualifying, all eyes will be on which squad lift the PKL trophy and be the country’s top seed as well as the country’s sole representative in the upcoming 2025 Honor of Kings Nation Clash in Malaysia at the end of this month.

The double-elimination playoffs of the 2025 PKL Fall Season will begin Friday, October 10, at the Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City, with Blacklist International versus ACT Esports Club, and Boom Esports against Elevate.

University of Perpetual Help drew strength from Mark Gojo Cruz and its rock-solid interior defense as it turned back Lyceum of the Philippines U, 73-61, yesterday and claimed a piece of the lead in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

Gojo Cruz, a sophomore gunner who is a product of the school’s high school program, erupted for 18 points including 12 in the second quarter when the Altas turned a shaky one-point edge into a double-digit lead that they nursed until the end.

It was the second win in a row for the Las Piñas-based dribblers, who joined the back-to-back title-seeking Mapua Cardinals at the helm.

‘I’m conditioning my mind that even though I’m just a sophomore, I still have to lead,’ said Gojo Cruz, who spiked his strong scoring game with four rebounds, the same number of assists and three steals.

Later, San Beda also grabbed a share of top spot after blasting bitter rival Letran, 68-58.

The Knights slipped to 0-2.

The Judicial and Bar Council released the shortlist for the candidates for the position of Ombudsman, with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla on the list.

Six other individuals are also included in the shortlist released on Monday, October 6, namely:

Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Lopez

Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi

Philippine Competition Commissioner Michael Aguinaldo

Philippine Postal Corporation Chairman Stephen Cruz

Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Anna Liza Logan

Article XI, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution states that vacancies from the Ombudsman must be filled within three months from the vacancy.

Like members of the judiciary, the Ombudsman is appointed by the president and does not need confirmation from the Commission on Appointments.

The Ombudsman also has a non-renewable term of seven years and can only be removed through impeachment.

The individual who will be appointed to the post will occupy the Office of the Ombudsman, which was vacated by former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, whose term expired on July 27, 2025.

The Office of the Ombudsman earlier cleared Remulla to be in the running for the post amid kidnapping and arbitrary detention charges filed against him over the government’s handover of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court.

The top priority for National Power Corp. (Napocor)’s new top official is to slash costly diesel reliance in off-grid areas, signaling a stronger push toward renewable energy (RE).

‘The instruction is to decrease dependence on diesel fuel because diesel power plants are basically the majority of the Napocor generation facilities,’ Napocor president and CEO Jericho Nograles said in an interview.

Nograles, who took office just last month, said diesel-fired facilities remain the ‘most expensive’ power plants to operate for the state-run firm.

He said diesel-generated electricity costs about P30 per kilowatt-hour on average, but consumers pay only around P7 per kWh, leaving the government to shoulder the heavy subsidy gap.

Given this, Nograles said Napocor is now focused on accelerating the rollout of new RE assets by overhauling its previously slow-moving strategy.

‘We’re reviewing that (RE rollout), and we’re getting better leads nowadays. Let’s hope that you will see the results within six months,’ Nograles said.

Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, Napocor is mandated to provide electricity and associated power delivery systems to areas and communities not connected to the main grid.

It currently operates over 200 power plants and manages the transmission systems of several island provinces, including Palawan, Catanduanes, Masbate, Marinduque and Mindoro.

According to Nograles, Napocor is working closely with the Department of Energy to deploy new technologies aimed at reducing diesel consumption in off-grid areas.

‘We’re looking at islands. We’re looking at geographically isolated areas. And for those that are within the Napocor territories, within our 168 islands, we will fix their cost of electricity,’ Nograles said.

Two-time Olympian weightlifter Elreen Ann Ando is starting to become like someone she had envisioned herself to be – a legitimate medal contender in the 2028 edition of the quadrennial event in Los Angeles.

The 26-year-old Cebu native showed a glimpse of that potential by copping a bronze in the women’s 63-kilogram class of the IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway Sunday.

There, the Southeast Asian Games gold winner and Asian Games bronze medalist lifted 131kg to claim the country’s first and only medal in Forde so far.

And it could have been two bronzes had she not lost that one to Colombian Yenny Sinisterra, who had identical 231kg lift but took it on tiebreaks after being the first one to reach that mark.

Sinisterra had only 128kg in clean and jerk but had 103kg in the snatch.

Ando, who had 100kg in snatch, wound up fourth.

North Korean Ri Suk swept all three golds with a 253kg total on a 111kg lift in snatch and 142kg in clean and jerk.

Albert Ian delos Santos, who is just 19 years old in competing against older foes in the men’s 71 kg section, also achieved a milestone, registering 185 kg lift in clean and jerk that set a new world juniors record.

The Philippines remains at a critical stage in its digital development. Connectivity underpins education, commerce and daily life, yet the country still trails its Asian neighbors in the infrastructure needed to support growing demand.

As of 2025, the Philippines has under 38,000 cell sites, short of the estimated 50,000 required to serve more than 113 million mobile users. By comparison, Indonesia operates over 121,000 sites, Vietnam around 90,000, and Myanmar has already surpassed the Philippines in tower density. This gap continues to affect the reach and reliability of mobile and internet services nationwide.

Globe’s mobile network now covers 96.13% of the Philippine population, serving more than 106 million people, though about 4.2 million Filipinos remain outside coverage. The company invested P56.2 billion in 2024, mostly for network upgrades.

Globe said its mobile network now covers a million Filipinos, giving them reliable signals for calls, internet use, and daily communication. Still, around 4.2 million people remain outside coverage, highlighting the need for continued expansion.

To address this, the telco said it continues to build and upgrade its network. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, it rolled out 487 new towers, upgraded nearly 4,000 sites with LTE, and activated 235 additional 5G sites. Today, its 5G network supports over 9.5 million devices nationwide.

The push extends to Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), where 600 operational sites are already live, with a target of 700 by year-end. Industry-wide plans between 2025 and 2028 aim to bring more than 1,000 new towers to these underserved communities.

‘Every tower we build brings Filipinos closer to opportunity, better education, stronger businesses, and more connected communities,’ said Carl Cruz, Globe President and CEO. ‘Expanding our network is how we ensure the Philippines stays competitive in Asia’s digital future.’

These efforts are backed by strong investments. In 2024, Globe said it spent P56.2 billion in capital expenditures, the bulk of which was directed toward strengthening and expanding its network.

The company said challenges remain in building new infrastructure. Lengthy permitting processes, difficulties in site acquisition, and local restrictions continue to slow down expansion. Globe has called for streamlined processes and closer coordination with stakeholders to accelerate network deployment.

Asia’s digital race highlights the importance of reliable infrastructure. Each new tower strengthens the country’s digital backbone, enabling students to access online learning, allowing small businesses to connect with markets, and helping families stay connected across the archipelago.

Globe’s ongoing projects show the scale of investment needed to close the gap and keep pace with regional neighbors. Expanding tower density and improving service reliability remain central to positioning the Philippines competitively in the digital economy.

Known as the City of Pines and Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio City is a premier tourist destination and home to a vibrant community of over 366,000 residents.

Beyond its cool climate and scenic beauty, Baguio is also known for its strong commitment to sustainability and progress, with its local government consistently championing projects aimed at creating a livable, inclusive and creative environment for its Baguio 2043 vision.

Helping to illuminate this vision is no other than the world leader in lighting, Signify. Together, Signify and the Baguio LGU have embarked on a transformative lighting project that not only enhanced the city’s visual charms but also propelled significant progress across various sectors.

In an interview with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the LGU was using traditional streetlights and was paying P4.9 million a month. But when they made the switch from high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) to low-wattage LED lights, not only did it generate significant savings for Baguio, but it also resulted in more safety and security for people due to better illumination.

‘Ang naging vision namin, Baguio 2043-a liveable, inclusive and creative Baguio,’ Mayor Magalong shared.

‘When we transitioned to LED, mas maliwanag pa…ang binabayaran nalang natin (ay) umaabot ng P1.5 to P1.6 million as compared sa P4.8 million. Ang savings namin is around P30+ million a year sa lighting pa lang,’ he added.

The impact of Philips lighting solutions extends beyond simply making streets brighter. It also lights the way to meaningful progress on tourism, public safety, good governance and the city’s overall environmental footprint.

Glowing reviews from tourists

Baguio’s picturesque views, bustling night markets and city activities added another layer of attraction with the help of reliable and appealing lighting.

Visitors have taken notice, describing a better experience with just a touch of the power of effective lighting.

“This is my second time roaming around the Baguio Night Market,” shared Sophia, a Balikbayan tourist. ‘And the first time I went here, it was not well-lighted. So I think it’s better na ganito siya kaliwanag. Kasi mas maayos siya and better experience siya for visitors.’

Local businesses also felt the benefits of the improved lighting system. Lighting, while often overlooked, holds a profound power to transform experiences and environments, making them better.

Shining the light on good governance

The Baguio LGU’s commitment to good governance and efficient resource management is the cornerstone of its operations. The partnership with Signify, in particular, reflects a meticulous approach to ensuring public funds are utilized effectively for the highest quality outcomes.

‘One of the things we are proud of here in Baguio is that there is no corruption,’ Mayor Magalong shared. ‘That’s why our principle of good governance is very strong. And you have to make sure also that there’s due diligence in choosing the right brand.’

‘We have to make sure that our suppliers are so aligned with our principle of good governance as well. That’s why for me, I would rather go for Philips because we have already tested it,’ he added.

The consistent quality and reliability of Signify’s Philips brand played a crucial role in the LGU’s decision. With this, Signify also underscores its commitment to providing innovative, sustainable lighting solutions that genuinely contribute to urban development and the well-being of communities.

The project in Baguio indeed serves as a powerful testament to how intelligent lighting can foster progress and create a better future.

The signify promise

Raghuraman Chandrasekhar, country leader for professional business at Signify Philippines, also echoed the same sentiment: ‘Taxpayers’ money is sacred, it is hard-earned. This drives us to win the trust of the government and the Filipino people. Given this, Signify works hard to execute LGU lighting projects right the first time. All of us at Signify owe this promise to everyone, and we are committed to working hard to keep this pledge.’

Signify remains committed to providing reliable, energy-efficient and future-ready lighting solutions across the Philippines. The story of Baguio City is a shining example of how, through collaboration and innovation, a city can light its way to a more sustainable and secure future.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has warned public officials against using the Senate’s current leadership turmoil to weaken or redirect investigations into corruption in flood control projects, saying such a move would ‘heighten public suspicion of a cover-up.’

In a statement on Monday, October 6, CBCP President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said the public is watching closely amid several unanswered questions into the alleged multibillion-peso anomalies in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects despite weeks of hearings.

‘After the revelations of massive anomalies in flood control projects, any move to change Senate leadership or redirect investigations now would only heighten public suspicion of a cover-up,’ the CBCP statement read.

The CBCP also called on all public officials to uphold the integrity of the ongoing inquiries and allow the newly formed Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to ‘investigate fully and freely, without political interference from any branch of government.’

Lacson’s resignation

The CBCP statement comes after Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said over the weekend that he would submit today his resignation as chair of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon committee, which has been conducting an inquiry into irregularities in flood control allocations.

Lacson, in stepping down from his chairmanship, cited the ‘disappointment’ of several colleagues over his handling of the hearings.

His exit has fueled talks of another leadership shake-up, barely a month after Sen. Chiz Escudero was replaced by Senate President Tito Sotto III.

Sen. JV Ejercito earlier told reporters he and four other senators had considered leaving the majority bloc after the Lacson-led Blue Ribbon committee started to turn its focus on senators involved in the anomalies in flood control projects.

Lacson had earlier revealed that nearly all senators had inserted at least P100 billion worth of items in the 2025 budget, much of it for DPWH projects. That disclosure, according to some senators, risked damaging the Senate’s collective reputation.

Budget insertions themselves are not anomalous. However, the practice of doing so has drawn controversy as it has been abused to allegedly funnel billions of pesos into projects that are either non-existent (ghost projects) or subject to kickbacks.

Lacson’s resignation is now widely seen as an attempt to prevent instability in the upper chamber, appease the majority and, in effect, keep Sotto at the top.

Speculation over another leadership change has been growing as reports alleged some senators were considering backing Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for the top post.

Within the Senate, however, senators have denied that Cayetano was poised to take over. Lacson has also dismissed the rumors as ‘rehashed psywar tactics intended to sow intrigue among members of the majority.’

‘Let the truth flow freely’

In its statement, the CBCP called on both Congress and Malacañang to demonstrate that they ‘serve the common good, not partisan power.’

‘We strongly oppose any attempt to pre-empt or derail the investigation through backroom deals, leadership takeovers, or selective justice,’ the statement added. ‘A nation cannot heal when its moral arteries are clogged by corruption and self-interest.’

They warned that attempts to sidestep the inquiry or silence investigators would only deepen public cynicism about corruption and erode confidence in the government’s anti-graft efforts.

The bishops also called for protection of whistleblowers and technical personnel ‘who come forward in good faith,’ noting that many such workers had been exposed to harassment or political pressure in past investigations.

‘No to a whitewash. Yes to full accountability,’ the statement declared. ‘Only through truth can our nation begin to rebuild trust and ensure that flood control no longer becomes another flood of corruption.’

The CBCP also expressed support for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure – the body the president created last month to investigate corruption in public works – but emphasized that its hearings must be open to the public.

The ICI was created precisely to restore public trust, the CBCP said, and its work must proceed ‘thoroughly, transparently, and without fear or favor.’

The CBCP earlier called for a National Day of Prayer and Public Repentance to be held tomorrow, October 7.