Category: Philippine Star

STAR / File

BALER, Philippines – The jungles of Aurora province has been home to threatened wildlife species as shown by the presence of more than 8,000 golden-crowned flying foxes, a species of megabat endemic to the Philippines, in the Aurora Memorial National Park.

These fruit bats (Acerodon jubatus) were spotted roosting in the protected area during a monitoring activity of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

DENR-Central Luzon chief Ralph Pablo said the high number of bats at the site highlights the need to protect Aurora’s remaining forests, to preserve wildlife habitats and maintain ecological balance.

Pablo said regular wildlife monitoring and science-based conservation measures are essential in protecting endangered species and preserving biodiversity.

‘The intensified and regular monitoring activities of the DENR underscore the importance of preserving natural ecosystems to ensure survival of native wildlife,’ Pablo said.

He urged government agencies, volunteer groups and local communities to take part in biodiversity conservation activities and help safeguard the region’s natural habitats.

Marivic Santos, head of the DENR office in Maria Aurora town, highlighted the fruit bats’ role in maintaining healthy forests through seed dispersal and natural regeneration.

Santos said protecting bats’ roosting sites and feeding habitats sustains forest growth and preserves biodiversity across Central Luzon.

The golden-crowned flying foxes face threats from hunting and disturbance of their roosting sites, making habitat protection crucial for their survival.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the golden-crowned flying foxes as endangered.

Global payments giant Visa has yet to establish a firm timeline for the adoption of stablecoin-based money transfers in the Philippines, even as it begins commercially deploying the technology overseas to make cross-border payments faster and more efficient.

Visa Direct head for regional Southeast Asia Qinwen Xiao said the introduction of stablecoins would depend on the readiness of local financial institutions, regulators and consumers.

Stablecoins are digital assets designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to currencies such as the dollar.

‘Unfortunately, I don’t have a timeline on when exactly the consumers or businesses or financial institutions will adopt stable coins,’ Xiao said during a media briefing on Thursday.

The company said it would continue discussions with Philippine banks, financial technology (fintech) firms and regulators to explore potential applications of stablecoins in international money transfers.

The absence of a definite Philippine timetable comes as Visa expands its stablecoin capabilities globally.

On Oct. 15, Visa announced that its stablecoin-enabled prefunding service had moved from pilot testing to commercial deployment, with payments infrastructure provider Inyo Global becoming its first partner to bring the service into production.

Meanwhile, the payments company is targeting the rollout of another partner-led Visa Direct service in the Philippines within the next six months.

‘Where we are now is being able to launch it hopefully in the next six months to make that service available,’ Visa Philippines country manager Jeffrey Navarro said.

Visa Direct is the company’s money movement platform that enables banks, remittance companies and other financial institutions to send funds across borders to eligible bank accounts, payment cards and digital wallets.

Unlike stablecoin-based services, the planned rollout involves Visa Direct’s broader payment infrastructure, which allows participating institutions to facilitate international transfers using conventional currencies.

Visa has existing partnerships with Philippine banks, including Bank of the Philippine Islands, which earlier announced plans to introduce outbound international transfers through its mobile application by the first quarter of 2027.

While Visa continues to expand its payment infrastructure, its latest consumer survey showed that Filipinos remain cautious about adopting stablecoins.

The Money Travels 2026 report found that 42 percent of Filipino respondents were aware of stablecoins, although only about 20 percent had some knowledge of how the technology works.

Actual usage remained limited, with only two percent of respondents who had used international transfer services reporting stablecoin transactions.

Trust also emerged as a major obstacle to wider adoption.

Only 38 percent of Filipino respondents expressed trust in stablecoin remittances, compared with 79 percent for conventional digital transfers and 81 percent for cash-based remittances.

The survey also found that 70 percent trusted government institutions or central banks to handle digital currencies, followed by global payment networks at 68 percent and traditional commercial banks at 59 percent.

‘With the Philippines becoming one of the most dynamic remittance markets in the region, we will continue to work with regulators as well as our bank and fintech partners to make money movement solutions more responsive to the evolving needs of Filipino consumers across the globe,’ Navarro said.

The global study, conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of Visa, surveyed more than 45,000 respondents across 20 markets, including 3,101 Filipino adults.

Photography enthusiasts can now use professional cameras to take personal and souvenir photos in the historic Walled City of Intramuros without securing a permit, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

The initiative, led by the Intramuros Administration (IA) in partnership with CameraHaus, aims to make heritage photography more accessible and encourage visitors to share stories of the historic district through their lenses.

“Photographers must still observe site guidelines, such as restrictions on flash photography in some areas, to protect historic structures and museum collections,” the DOT said.

The policy follows public discussions over camera restrictions in Intramuros, where visitors had called for clearer guidance on the use of digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.

In February 2026, the IA reiterated that DSLR cameras could be used free of charge for personal and souvenir photography. However, milestone shoots, such as prenuptial, pre-debut and birthday sessions, as well as shoots involving equipment such as reflectors, lighting equipment and backdrops, still required permits. The reminders prompted some visitors to urge the administration to ensure that security personnel were properly informed of the rules, citing instances in which people were reportedly stopped from taking photos with larger cameras.

In April 2024, the IA had also issued separate guidelines for creative professionals and enthusiasts covering commercial, non-commercial, and student photography and video projects.

The latest initiative was highlighted during the inaugural Street Summit organized by CameraHaus in partnership with the DOT and IA on October 24.

The event gathered more than 300 photographers, content creators, and visual artists for a community photowalk under the theme ‘Intramuros Reframed.’

The summit encouraged participants to explore the Walled City from fresh perspectives and capture its lesser-known corners.

The DOT said it continues to support initiatives that promote appreciation of the Philippines’ cultural heritage and historic landmarks.

The entire territorial jurisdiction of Lapu-Lapu City has been declared a no-fly zone as the city prepares to host the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 13th ADMM-Plus from October 26 to 30, 2026.

The city government announced the restriction in a public advisory, citing security protocols for the international meetings and the strict enforcement of City Ordinance No. 16-033-A-2022.

The ordinance regulates the use of laser lights and pointers, laser displays and searchlights, as well as kite-flying, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, balloons, and other remotely controlled flying objects.

‘For this period, the entire territorial jurisdiction of Lapu-Lapu City is declared a strict No-Fly Zone,’ the city government said in its advisory.

Under Section 4, Paragraph 7 of the ordinance, the city government may designate no-fly zones during specific events in the interest of public safety and security.

The advisory also reiterated the prohibition on kite-flying within city limits under Section 12 of the ordinance, regardless of the activity’s nature or purpose.

Parents and legal guardians were likewise reminded of their responsibility to prevent minors from flying kites. Under Section 13, violations may result in a fine of P3,000 imposed on the parent or guardian.

The city government also warned that the usual exemptions for recreational drones weighing less than seven kilograms would not apply in areas designated as prohibited or restricted airspace.

According to the advisory, the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) is equipped with technology to neutralize unauthorized flying objects.

‘Any drone, kite, or balloon found in violation of these security measures will be neutralized and confiscated immediately,’ the advisory stated.

The city government said unauthorized operation of flying objects in prohibited or restricted airspace carries a fine of P5,000, along with the confiscation of the equipment.

The city government called on residents and visitors to comply with the restrictions as Lapu-Lapu City prepares to welcome delegates attending the regional defense meetings.

‘Let us ensure that our commitment to public welfare and national security remains our top priority during this global event,’ the advisory said.

A 36-year-old nurse of the Abra Provincial Hospital was killed while his 10-year-old daughter was wounded in an attack by motorcycle-riding men in this town on Friday night.

Bystanders rushed Mark Kenneth Acedo and his daughter to the Assumpta Family Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Acedo and his family were in a Hyundai hatchback parked in front of an event’s venue in Barangay Angad when two men on separate motorcycles opened fire at them.

Police arrested Brix Walter Barrera in a follow-up operation in nearby Tayum town and seized from him a .45-caliber pistol.

Barrera reportedly told police that the shooting was due to a traffic dispute.

Five teams are off to an early Christmas vacation in the PBA but they would’ve preferred to stay for the Governors’ Cup quarterfinals which reel off with a twinbill at the Ynares Center, Antipolo, today. Out of contention are guest Macau (2-10), Titan (2-10) and Terrafirma (5-7) from Group A and Blackwater (3-7) and Meralco (4-6) from Group B.

The quarterfinals will be best-of-five affairs, meaning no twice-to-beat advantage for higher seeds in each pairing. The clashes are No. 1 NLEX (9-3) from Group A against No. 4 Phoenix (5-5) from Group B, No. 1 Magnolia (7-3) from Group B against No. 4 TNT (7-5) from Group A, No. 2 San Miguel Beer (9-3) from Group A against No. 3 Barangay Ginebra (5-5) from Group B and No. 3 Converge (8-4) from Group A against No. 2 Rain or Shine 6-4) from Group B.

Games are scheduled up to Nov. 10 then the PBA will take a break until Dec. 3 to make way for the fifth FIBA World Cup Asia qualifying window in Malaysia. The best-of-seven semifinals will be on Dec. 4-13 and the best-of-seven finals on Dec. 16-30.

Ynares Center, Antipolo, Smart Araneta Coliseum, Ninoy Aquino Stadium and Dasmariñas City, Cavite Arena will be the venues for the quarterfinals. Araneta will host the openers of the ROS-Converge and SMB-Ginebra series on Tuesday. Dasmariñas will welcome Games 3 of the same series on Tuesday, Nov. 3. No games will be held on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Because of the group format, no team has faced the other in the eliminations so the crossover battles provide a new twist. NLEX coach Jimmy Alapag will make his playoff debut with a lineup powered by Deonte Burton and guards DeSchon Winston, Robert Bolick and LJ Gonzales, all averaging in double figure points. Phoenix has lost four of its last five outings and is struggling without Jason Perkins, nursing a foot injury. If the Fuel Masters can hold their own on defense, they stand a chance. Coach Charles Tiu’s consolation is Phoenix is No. 2 in assists allowed and No. 4 in field goal percentage allowed.

Magnolia is No. 1 in defense and assists allowed, a testament to coach LA Tenorio’s focus. It’s the hottest team in the league with six wins in a row. Import KJ Buffen is shooting at a higher clip from three (53.3 percent) than two (49.6 percent) while averaging a double-double. TNT has lost twice in OT so the Tropa’s record isn’t as bad as it looks. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jayson Castro are back in harness so coach Chot Reyes has to be pleased.

Converge is on a five-game win streak and with Serbian Djordje Jovicic taking an active role in calling the shots, the FiberXers are a dangerous contender. The stats reflect Converge’s ability to advance – it’s No. 1 in offense, field goal percentage, assists, rebounds, paint points, free throw percentage, least turnovers and fastbreak points. Five players are averaging in double figure points and Juan Gomez de Liaño has registered back-to-back triple doubles. Rain or Shine, however, is no pushover and coach Yeng Guiao’s unpredictable style is discomforting. ROS leads the league in bench points and 13 different players have started so far.

San Miguel has won five of its last six contests with George King riding high alongside June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez and Don Trollano. But Ginebra appears to be peaking at the right time, coming off two straight wins. Jordan Murphy is a livewire on the floor and his energy has rubbed off on Troy Rosario, Scottie Thompson, RJ Abarrientos and Japeth Aguilar. Opposing coaches Leo Austria and Tim Cone are expected to deliver a classic series.

Policemen have arrested one of the alleged perpetrators of the January 25 ambush of the mayor in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, in which gunment fired rifles and a B40 anti-tank rocket at his vehicle, wounding him and four companions.

The suspect, Toraipe Lusod, also known by the alias Aripi Adam, was arrested on Saturday, October 24, by personnel from various units of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao del Sur. Police acted on tips from residents who reported his presence in the area.

Police Captain Steffie Salanguit, PRO-BAR spokesperson, told reporters on Sunday that Lusod surrendered peacefully after realizing that police officers had surrounded his hideout in a secluded part of Barangay Meta and informed him that several arrest warrants had been issued against him.

Police officers from the Datu Unsay Municipal Police Station and the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office, who led the operation, seized a 5.56 M4 assault rifle from Lusod. The firearm was reportedly among those used in the January 25 ambush of Shariff Aguak Mayor Akmad Ampatuan Sr. and his companions in the town center.

Ampatuan was riding in his bullet-proof sports utility vehicle with four security escorts when gunmen armed with assault rifles and B40 rocket launchers attacked them in Shariff Aguak, less than five kilometers away from Barangay Meta in Datu Unsay, where Lusod was arrested on Saturday.

Policemen said Lusod was subject of arrest warrants issued by different regional courts over his alleged involvement in the attack.

Ampatuan and his four companions sustained minor injuries in the rocket blast, which damaged their vehicle.

Four of the alleged ambushers who fled the scene were later killed in a shootout with soldiers. The troops had initially tried to stop their speeding vehicle but engaged the occupants after they allegedly opened fire, leaving all four dead.

Aside from Lusod, 11 other individuals, including a local executive in Datu Unsay, are wanted for their alleged roles in planning and carrying out the ambush of Ampatuan and his security escorts eight months ago.

The suspects fled after after learning that different courts had issued arrest warrants against them. Police and military personnel are now conducting a joint manhunt to locate and arrest them.

Last week, we saw that as a Roman coin is stamped with the face of Caesar, we bear the indelible image and likeness of our Creator. As we repay to Caesar what belongs to him, we also return to God what is God’s-all that we are.

But wait… there’s more that Jesus’ masterstroke reply can teach us…

In our Gospel today (Matthew 22:34-40), Jesus synthesizes all 613 individual commandments of the Torah, the Law of the Jews, into just two: ‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Why love your neighbor? Because your neighbor bears the image and likeness of the God we love.

Basil Valdez sings: ‘Labis kitang mahal, pangalawa sa Maykapal.’ God holds supreme place in our hearts. But while God should always be our highest priority, he is not always first in the immediate order of time or action. For example, imagine you are a doctor on your way to Sunday Mass when you come across a bystander having a heart attack. Do you keep going, saying, ‘God wouldn’t want me to be late for Mass’? Or do you stop and say, ‘God would want me to save this person right now’? In that moment, saving a life is how you worship God. Jesus once quoted Hosea 6:6 and said, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

But it doesn’t stop at loving your neighbor. Remember Jesus’ words: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Why love yourself? Because you also bear the image and likeness of the God we love.

Love your God, love your neighbor, love yourself. This has been popularized using the acronym JOY: Jesus first, Others next, You last. That is supposedly the secret to true happiness. While catchy, this risks imposing a rigid hierarchy onto Jesus’ words. Again, God claims our ultimate devotion, but this doesn’t mean treating yourself as an afterthought.

A similarly pious but flawed formula states: ‘The best for God and for others; the worst for me.’ But this kind of martyr complex is not sustainable. Live like this, and you will eventually burn out. Then your cold ashes will have no warmth to give anyone.

Self-care is not just a modern psychological buzzword. This is also embedded in Church teaching. Consider our Sunday obligation. The Church teaches that if you are sick, you are exempt from attending Mass. Not going to the Eucharist in that situation is not a sin. At that moment, you must love yourself, prioritize your health, and live another day to worship God and serve your neighbor. Loving yourself is not a luxury saved for whatever energy remains; it is a necessity that helps us to love God and love others well.

Authentic self-love is not selfish. In his classic work, The Art of Loving, psychoanalyst and social philosopher Erich Fromm teaches that self-love is actually the prerequisite for unselfish behavior. He writes, ‘The selfish person does not love himself too much, but too little; in fact, he hates himself.’ A person who lacks authentic self-love experiences constant internal emptiness and anxiety. To compensate, the selfish person who is perpetually hungry deep inside is driven to grab more from their environment and from others.

Whitney Houston sings: ‘Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.’ I disagree. Loving yourself is not always the greatest love of all. As Jesus was asked, ‘Which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ he also invites us to ask in every concrete situation, ‘Which is the greatest expression of love God is asking of me right now?’ And again, with due respect to Whitney Houston, the greatest love of all is not always easy to achieve and not always easy to discern.

Before a plane takes off, flight attendants issue a safety instruction many of us have memorized: ‘If the cabin pressure drops, secure your own oxygen mask first before assisting others-even your own children.’ When you first hear it, it sounds counterintuitive. Shouldn’t a parent put their child first? But the wisdom of aviation safety is simple: If you pass out from lack of oxygen, you are useless to the child sitting right beside you. Putting on your mask first isn’t self-indulgence; it’s survival so that you can save others. The same is true in the spiritual life. Taking time to nurture your soul is putting on your oxygen mask. This ensures that when God calls you to serve, you actually have life and breath to give.

Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity are models of self-sacrifice. Many people have wondered how they survived giving so much of themselves day in and day out, working in the brutal and exhausting slums of Kolkata. In the 1970s, as the demands on her order became more and more overwhelming, Mother Teresa instituted a mandatory daily Holy Hour of silent prayer for all her sisters. Again, this sounds counterintuitive. Some objected that an hour spent praying was an hour taken away from tending to the sick and dying. But Mother Teresa knew better. She famously replied, ‘If we do not take time to be filled, we will have nothing to pour out.’

The opening prayer at Mass today asks: ‘Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command.’ Can you love the greatest commandment?

Which is the greatest expression of love God is asking of you right now? Sometimes, it is reaching out to serve a neighbor who bears God’s image. But sometimes, it is pausing to tend to the image of God within yourself.

Driven by their shared mission to promote mental health and well-being, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) has partnered with the Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH) to provide accessible psychological health care services to students, faculty members and the wider school community.

Founded in 1956, Manila Doctors Hospital is a premier private tertiary hospital owned by Manila Medical Services Inc., as the health care affiliate of Metrobank Foundation Inc.

The two institutions formalized their alliance through a ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement led by Maria Veronica Perez, Benilde vice president for Lasallian Mission and Student Life and El Anelio Barnachea, RGC, Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) director. They were joined by Karl Aaron Dimaano, Manila Medical Services Inc. president and James Pascual, Finance director.

Through this collaboration, spearheaded by Benilde’s Center for Partnership Advancement, Manila Doctors Hospital will provide reliable in-person and online psychological and psychiatric services to students, faculty and employees referred by the college’s medical professionals.

This likewise covers discounted psychotherapy sessions and prescriptions.

Dimaano noted the cooperation arrives at a time when safety, mental health and overall well-being for the youth require greater attention.

‘The modern life challenges brought about by social media, the growing mental health concerns and the incidents of violence in schools lately – these are just some of the realities which remind us of the importance of having a safe structure that allows our young people to access early intervention, professional care and a strong system of support.’

Barnachea said the partnership reflects the expansion of the boundaries of how they protect, support and uplift students.

‘For many years, schools and hospitals seemed to operate in separate spheres,’ he said. ‘The school was where children came to learn; the hospital was where they went when they were sick. But we know that a student’s life cannot be completely divided into boxes.’

‘The emotional weight, the anxiety and the silent mental health battles our young people face do not vanish when they walk through the school gates,’ he added.

Barnachea highlighted that BWC has always been on the front lines of this crisis, with its counselors looking into the eyes of learners who are overwhelmed by academic pressure, social anxieties, stress and depression.

Veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr. was arrested in Quezon City yesterday, after a Davao City court issued a warrant of arrest for cyberlibel.

Lustre had just attended the Saturday News Forum at a restaurant when officers from the Quezon City Police District-Kamuning Station 10 approached the 72-year-old journalist and informed him of the warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Retrina Fuentes on Oct. 2.

Forum moderators and reporters covering the event were surprised when they learned that Lustre was about to be arrested at 11:10 a.m.

After a police officer read the warrant, Lustre was handcuffed and escorted to a patrol vehicle outside the restaurant.

Lustre, a critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte and author of the book titled ‘Kill Kill Kill,’ which is about the war on drugs, said he was unaware of a pending case in Davao.

‘I do not know who the complainant is. They just gave me the stature,’ Lustre told reporters. ‘I will fight. I will not back down.’

Human rights lawyer Dino de Leon, who was a guest at the forum, volunteered as Lustre’s counsel and is working to have the journalist released on bail.

‘This is a sad day for journalism in the Philippines. We can feel the attack on members of the media. We do not know the full details of the case yet, but this made a chilling effect,’ De Leon said.