Category: Philippine Star

Tropical Storm Surigae entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Thursday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

The storm was assigned the local name Queenie after it entered PAR at around 7 a.m. Thursday, September 24.

Queenie is the 17th tropical cyclone to enter the PAR this year.

In its earlier forecast, PAGASA said Queenie was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

The tropical storm was being monitored east of Northern Luzon before entering PAR.

PAGASA said it will issue its first tropical cyclone bulletin for Queenie at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Future impeachment courts can compute the two-thirds vote for conviction differently from the court trying Vice President Sara Duterte, which ruled this week that only senators able to take part in the trial will be counted.

Senator-judges voted 13-1 on Wednesday, September 23, to overturn presiding officer Sen. Chiz Escudero’s July 6 ruling that conviction required exactly 16 votes, or two-thirds of all 24 senators.

Under the new ruling, the impeachment court will still follow the two-thirds threshold, but with a criteria that limits “all members of the Senate” to those who can actually participate at the time of the vote.

With four senators currently not taking part in the trial – namely Sens. Bato dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda and Rodante Marcoleta – the number of senators that form the denominator is 20.

Escudero yesterday expressly stated that the new count applies pro hac vice, or for this occasion only, so it sets no binding precedent for later impeachment trials.

House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno (Akbayan) said at a briefing Thursday, September 24, that the courts use the term “just to stress that it applies only here and cannot be used for future possible impeachment proceedings.”

Diokno contrasted the ruling yesterday with decisions of the Supreme Court, which can be applied to similar cases in the future.

That principle, called stare decisis, binds lower courts to follow the high court’s rulings.

Impeachment court rulings do not work that way, Diokno said.

“Hindi natin mahihintulad iyon doon nga sa judicial precedent o stare decisis (We cannot liken it to judicial precedent or stare decisis),” he said.

An impeachment court is not part of the judiciary as it is composed of the members of the Senate, which the 1987 Constitution gives the sole power to try and decide impeachment cases.

One of the defense’s main arguments against dropping the 16-vote threshold yesterday was that it would set a dangerous precedent for other provisions that require a two-thirds vote from the Senate.

Defense counsel Michael Poa yesterday argued there would be potential impacts on the thresholds for extending or revoking martial law, or expelling a member of the Senate, among others.

However, Diokno, during the oral arguments, urged the court to hew to its mandate of upholding an “accountability Constitution” and to avoid the “absurdity” of requiring 16 votes no matter the actual number of senators present.

Escudero, in delivering the court ruling yesterday, stressed that because it is a procedural ruling rather than a formal amendment to the rules, it is not binding and has merely a persuasive effect on future tribunals.

Escudero was the lone dissenter in the vote, which was expected given it was his ruling that was being overturned.

The court’s ruling was made under “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” circumstances, Escudero said.

“The chair hopes that it shall never happen again,” he said.

Three out of four retired justices who advised the court urged it to adopt a “functional” reading of the Constitution. As explained by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, because the framers purposefully used a fraction (“two-thirds”) rather than explicitly writing out the number “16,” the voting base is meant to be flexible and exclude non-participating senators.

For Alas Pilipinas Women, ninth place was never the dream. But it became the best outcome – after the medal bid was cut short – and a worthy start for a country hosting the FIVB Women’s World Championship in 2029.

After bowing to China, 18-25, 22-25, 8-25, and Kazakhstan, 29-27, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19, in Pool B, the Filipinas shifted gears. Coach Taka Minowa set a new target: win all three classification games.

They did.

Alas swept Qatar, 25-8, 25-2, 25-9; Mongolia 25-13, 25-11, 25-20; and Hong Kong, 25-21, 25-9, 30-28, to seal ninth – hours before China beat Japan for gold.

Ninth is the lowest for the Philippine women’s team in six Asiad stints – fourth in 1962 and 1966, sixth in 1970, fifth in 1982, eighth in 2018 – but in the biggest field at 14 teams. The Philippines skipped Hangzhou and returned in Nagoya under the POC after the PNVF’s suspension by the FIVB.

‘Happy kami. Although hindi ‘yun yung gusto naming overall goal, happy kami sa lahat ng wins namin,’ said Angel Canino, in her first Asian Games.

‘Iba talaga yung laruan. Ang dami naming napulot,’ said Bella Belen. ‘Itaas pa namin yung level.’

If Nagoya exposed the gap, it also set the timeline. The Philippines was awarded the 2029 Women’s Worlds hosting last Sept. 28 at the MOA Arena – the first senior world championship to be held in the country.

They came here wanting a medal. They leave ninth, with a three-game winning streak and a clearer idea of how to get closer by 2029.

Fighting for flag at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium with Canino and Belen were Shaine Nitura, Ejiya Laure, Jia de Guzman, Dell Palomata, Alyssa Solomon, Amie Provido, Thea Gagate, Angelique Alba, Justine Jazareno and Nina Ytang.

The Alas Men open their own campaign Sunday against South Korea in Pool D where they’re also with China and Chinese Taipei.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) claimed on Thursday, September 24 that it had arrested an individual allegedly linked to the school shooting incident in South Cotabato.

During the Senate budget hearing of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its attached agencies, NBI Director Melvin Matibag reported that they nabbed the individual in an operation on Wednesday, September 23.

‘Yesterday we’re able to get hold of one of the individuals who is somehow related to what happened in South Cotabato,’ Matibag said in mixed English and Filipino.

Matibag did not disclose other details regarding the arrest, but added that they also apprehended one suspected online groomer from Cebu.

‘With the help of the NPS (National Prosecution Service) and DOJ (Department of Justice), we will be processing it today,’ Matibag said.

Three students died and eight others were wounded in the school shooting incident in South Cotabato on September 18. Among the fatalities is the 16-year-old Grade 9 student who used his father’s handgun in the act.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said on Wednesday that authorities were already pursuing an individual who allegedly encouraged the shooter to commit violence.

According to Remulla, the suspected individual is telling students that their act of violence will be recognized and glorified.

Meanwhile, Matibag said going after the suspects who influence young people into nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) would be faster with the use of certain cybersecurity tools

The NBI is seeking P1 billion confidential funds for the procurement of tools and equipment that Matibag said should be considered as the agency’s ‘trade secret’ in its efforts to resolve cybercrimes.

‘Nand’yan naman po ‘yung tools na ‘yan. Ang sa akin lang po, it should not go to the ordinary procurement, because that is something that is somehow like a trade secret for law enforcement,’ Matibag said.

(The tools are there. Just in my opinion, it should not go to the ordinary procurement, because that is something that is somehow like a trade secret for law enforcement.)

The European Union and the Philippines reached a substantial agreement on a free-trade deal, clearing a major hurdle toward an accord that could deepen investment, broaden market access and strengthen supply chains between the two economies.

The agreement, announced Tuesday following a video call between EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic and Philippine Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, puts the negotiations on track for formal completion in the coming months.

The deal would liberalize more than 94 percent of tariff lines, covering more than 97 percent of bilateral trade, according to the European Commission. It would also open the Philippine government procurement market to foreign bidders, strengthen intellectual-property protection and establish rules for digital trade, including data privacy and consumer protection.

The pact comes as both sides seek to diversify trading relationships and reduce vulnerabilities in global supply chains amid heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

EU-Philippine trade in goods reached pound 17.6 billion in 2025, while trade in services totaled pound 10.3 billion in 2024, according to the European Commission.

The EU was the Philippines’ fourth-largest trading partner in goods last year, accounting for 8.3 percent of the country’s total trade. EU foreign direct investment in the Philippines stood at pound 15.4 billion in 2024.

For Philippine exporters, the agreement would improve access to the EU market, while European companies would gain broader opportunities in the Philippines in areas including machinery, transport equipment, pharmaceuticals, agrifood, digital services and investment.

The agreement also includes provisions on energy and raw materials aimed at facilitating sustainable investment, particularly in renewable energy, as well as commitments on human rights, the Paris Agreement and sustainable development.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the agreement should generate more trade, investment and jobs while supporting the clean and digital transitions.

Von der Leyen also linked the deal to the broader EU-ASEAN relationship, saying the agreement sends an important signal ahead of the 50th anniversary of EU-ASEAN relations next year. She said she looks forward to returning to the Philippines in 2027 to sign the agreement.

The Philippines and EU first launched FTA negotiations in 2015 before talks were suspended. They resumed negotiations in March 2024, with six rounds held through May 2026.

The latest agreement is a political conclusion rather than the final legal text. Negotiators will now settle technical details and implementation provisions before the pact proceeds to the formal signing and ratification stages.

The two sides said the accord is intended to provide businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, with more predictable trading conditions while making bilateral supply chains more resilient.

Mynt, the operator of Philippine fintech giant GCash, won approval from the Philippine Stock Exchange for its planned initial public offering, clearing a key hurdle toward what could become the biggest IPO in the bourse’s history.

The PSE approved Mynt’s application to list its common shares on the Main Board under the ticker ‘GCASH’, with the offering comprising as many as 8.03 billion shares.

The deal includes up to 1.61 billion primary shares and 6.42 billion secondary shares, with an overallotment option of as much as 1.20 billion additional secondary shares. The maximum offer price is set at P10 a share, implying a potential offering value of about P80.3 billion before the overallotment.

The final offer price is expected to be set on Oct. 1 following the book-building process. The public offer is scheduled for Oct. 6 to 12, with trading expected to begin on Oct. 20, subject to final regulatory and listing requirements.

‘This highly anticipated IPO is poised to set the record as the largest public offering in PSE history,’ PSE President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Monzon said.

The listing would give investors direct access to Mynt, which operates GCash, the country’s largest digital financial platform, as the company expands beyond payments into savings, investments, credit, insurance and other financial services.

Proceeds from the primary offering will be used to support the expansion of Mynt’s digital financial services, product development and general corporate requirements, according to the PSE listing notice.

The IPO also reflects the growing role of digital finance in the Philippine capital market.

The PSE said Mynt’s listing could encourage more fintech and digital-economy companies to tap equities markets for funding.

Retail participation will be supported through ‘GStocks,’ the stock-trading service available within the GCash app, while qualified small investors can subscribe through the PSE’s EASy platform.

Mynt earlier secured approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission for its registration statement.

The SEC allowed the company to have a 12 percent minimum public float, citing an expected initial market capitalization of about P668.96 billion.

That valuation would place Mynt among the Philippines’ largest listed companies by market capitalization, underscoring the scale of the planned transaction and the growing financial weight of the country’s digital economy.

Mobile services provider Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has launched what it calls a ‘one-stop AI workspace’ in a bid to make powerful artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible to Filipinos.

In a news release, the company said ‘AI.Smart’ brings multiple advanced AI models and tools into one easy-to-use experience.

Powered by Avtica, AI.Smart gives Smart and TNT subscribers access to AWS Nova, ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and Thinking Machines through a single interface that can be accessed on any browser.

Based on the user’s prompt, AI.Smart automatically selects the appropriate AI model to deliver the desired output, whether generating content and images, creating documents and presentations, and analyzing data in English, Filipino, or Taglish.

Everything a subscriber uploads stays private to their own workspace and is never used to train AI models. Subscriber data is never retained and is encrypted and handled in line with the Philippine Data Privacy Act.

‘AI should be for everyone, not just for those who can afford premium AI services. With AI.Smart, we are making AI more inclusive by bringing powerful AI models and tools together in one affordable platform, giving more Filipinos the opportunity to use AI to learn, create, work smarter, and achieve more,? said?Lloyd Manaloto, first vice president and OIC for Smart.

Smart and TNT subscribers can sign up for AI.Smart using their mobile number and verify their account via SMS.

Users can choose from a range of credit packs based on their needs, with access starting at just P49 for seven days. For users with bigger needs, the P499 plan is valid for 30 days and supports up to 10 users sharing a pool of credits, making it suitable for small businesses and teams.

Customers can purchase additional AI.Smart credits through AI.Smart , and pay using prepaid load, postpaid billing, credit or debit cards, and select e-wallets.

As an exclusive launch treat, Smart and TNT subscribers who sign up to AI.Smart can get a chance to enjoy free access to the platform valid for seven days.

Smart and TNT subscribers can make the most of AI.Smart powered by Smart 5G, which enables customers to enjoy a seamless mobile experience for activities such as video streaming, gaming, and real-time social media sharing

The country’s national esports team, Sibol, will look to apply its recent international experience into the 20th Asian Games when its Pokemon Unite team opens its campaign Friday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.

The Philippine squad is composed of Kim Rey Salazar, Michael Vaughn Ocio, Ducke Leoncio, Lawrence Gatmaitan, Robert Mempin and Lance David, with Albert Camp serving as head coach.

The same core competed as Team Nemesis at the Pokemon Unite World Championship in San Francisco last month, where it finished joint ninth to 16th.

‘Sa performance namin last month sa World Championship, kami ata ang pinaghahandaan nilang lahat. Pero hindi ako overconfident. Ayaw ko i-underestimate ang kalaban,’ said Camp.

The team will begin their campaign against Kazakhstan at 11:50 a.m. on September 25 before taking on Chinese Taipei at 9 a.m. and Malaysia at 2:40 p.m. on September 26.

Camp said the Filipinos are familiar with two of their group-stage opponents after repeatedly facing Chinese Taipei and Malaysia in international competition.

‘Maganda para sa amin ang bracket namin. Nakalaban na namin ang Chinese Taipei at Malaysia multiple times over the past four years,’ said Camp.

Despite that familiarity, Camp stressed the need for the squad to adjust quickly in a game where momentum can shift rapidly.

‘Sa Pokemon Unite game, mabilis mabaliktad ang laro. So ang expectation namin ay maging handa din sa mga ipapakitang surprise strategy ng kalaban. For us to achieve this, kailangan namin maging in-sync with proper communication and right state of mind during the games para makuha ang gold.’ said Camp.

The Philippines is seeking its first esports medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games after its Naraka: Bladepoint squad bowed out in the group stage in the opening day of the esports events.

Times continue to be uncertain. Much as we would want to wear our optimistic hat, we cannot help but notice how some businesses whose raw materials are from abroad, need to fold up because their supplies have become so exorbitant, and the cost of fuel continues to skyrocket higher than a cardiograph can take.

So here we are faced with a bleak sounding future. Unless the crisis in the middle east dissipates, all of us who are dependent on that small artery of Hormuz, that feeds a great part of the world will remain in trepidation of what to expect.

Then there is that nagging concern of climate change. As the planet continues to writhe in discomfort at our abuse. The tragedies that abound as a result to the protesting earth takes us to gloomier pits. The surfacing of sinkholes, the frequencies of tremors that come in different parts of our archipelago create tension and magnify the ambiguity of the future.

But wait, what have we learned from COVID? How did we survive that great pandemic that made all the world pause. I have made a few notes that can be part of our survival kit more than a go-bag can.

We learned to be mindful. As we wore masks, we sanitized, we took great care of our health, not just for ourselves but for all those around us. We noticed things that we used to take for granted. Washing of hands, cleaning of areas, ensuring that we kept things in order. We noticed people who normally passed by. The security guard, the bellman, the janitor, the street cleaner. They suddenly became important to us because we acknowledged that we were in this together. Humanity surfaced and with it that affinity of being together. This was survival and we needed each other, another spirit to be with us.

We practiced resilience. We adjusted our lifestyle. We chose essentials over luxuries. Needs over wants. Today, people with cars have shifted to electric vehicles, or hybrids to save on the rising costs of gas. And as we now feel the pressure of equally escalating prices of power, we can shift to taking public transport to save on road use and fuel. We can bike again and if close enough, walk. That would be good exercise and allow more breathing time for our atmosphere as fumes will reduce.

We need to wake up our consciousness and be cautious of our use of electricity. Put off unnecessary utilities or appliances. Our Utility provider always reminds us to do this for they do not just want to get our money, they want to provide a service, longer, more sustainably.

What seems like a mother’s nag when she says ‘put off unnecessary lights and use a fan instead of the aircon when it’s not that warm,’ or ‘only watch one TV!’ or ‘don’t linger too long at the refrigerator…’ are actually reminders we must take heed of to manage a balanced lifestyle.

We learned to be creative. We adapted to the new ways COVID taught us so that we created new ways of doing things. On-line meetings, consultations, selling.

We tapped local. We discovered local sources of things and built on what we found locally as inter-island transport and restrictions were also up. We developed new communities. New suppliers. And raised new economies as we continued our relationship with the rest of the globe.

We depended on God. Our prayer-life improved. With it our relationships grew in spite of the restrictions of space. We found time for our family, friends and our neighbors. We prayed for each other, with each other, for others. We upped our concern. As we banked on our strength as a people, we anchored ourselves, and our dreams on God.

With that surrender, all things ended well in time. We just need to know the ultimate source who keeps the whole universe in place.

Malacañang has declared Nov. 16 to 18 as special non-working days in Metro Manila to allow the government to ensure the safety of the participants in the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

The declaration is contained in Proclamation 1447 signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto by the authority of President Marcos on Sept. 17.

‘To alleviate traffic and to allow the host country to secure the event, it is necessary to declare Nov. 16 to 18 as special (non-working) days in the National Capital Region,’ the proclamation stated.