Category: Philippine Star

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has ordered the lifting of the ban on the online platform Discord.

In a press conference on Thursday, September 24, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda said the ban was lifted after “successful negotiations” with the platform.

“Inaalis na natin ang ban na ipinatupad ng ating pamahalaan simula kahapon sa online platform na Discord,” he said.

(We are now lifting the ban that our government implemented yesterday on the online platform Discord.)

According to Aguda, Discord has outlined a commitment in response to the government’s serious concerns regarding nihilistic violent extremism, grooming and other threats to online safety.

“Nakipag-ugnay po ang Discord sa atin sa DICT at CICC at nangakong magsasagawa sila immediately po ng mga hakbang upang higit na mapalakas ang proteksyon ng mga kabataan,” he said.

(Discord reached out to us at the DICT and CICC, promising to take immediate steps to further strengthen child protection.)

In a statement, digital advocates Digital Pinoys welcomed Discord’s promises, saying that closer cooperation between tech platforms and Philippine authorities is essential to addressing cybercrime, cybersecurity, and online safety.

“The establishment of clear channels for government coordination and a local point of contact can help facilitate faster and more effective responses to legitimate concerns raised by Philippine authorities,” Digital Pinoys said.

“Digital Pinoys looks forward to seeing these commitments translated into concrete mechanisms that will strengthen cooperation and help create a safer digital environment for Filipinos,” the group added.

The CICC, on September 22, issued an ultimatum to Discord and Reddit, another online platform, to establish Philippine offices within 24 hours so authorities could more effectively investigate and act on online harms tied to recent school shootings.

In the following days, internet service providers started blocking access to the online platform, which raised scrutiny from the public.

The country’s national esports team, Sibol, booked a spot in the quarterfinals of Puyo Puyo Champions in the 20th Asian Games after finishing third in Group A Thursday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.

Player Karl Gonzalvo recovered from an opening loss to finish the group stage with a 2-2 record, enough to secure a direct berth in the knockout rounds.

The Filipino opened his campaign with a 0-3 defeat to 11-year-old Japanese standout Yuki Kurihara before bouncing back against Hong Kong’s Yu Wing Lim, 3-2.

He followed it up with a 3-0 sweep of Kazakhstan’s Alexandr Pivovarov to secure his place in the quarterfinals with one match remaining.

‘Sobrang saya na nakapasok agad ako sa quarterfinals. Hindi naging madali yung group stage, lalo na ang unang naging kalaban ko ay Japan, isa sa mga powerhouses sa Puyo Puyo. Pero hindi ko hinayaan ang pagkatalong ito na maapektuhan ang mga sumunod kong laban sa Hong Kong at Kazakhstan, kung saan ako ay nagtagumpay at nagarantiyahan ang pagpasok sa quarterfinals,’ said Gonzalvo.

The Filipino rep still had a chance to claim the second seed in Group A but fell short against South Korea’s Kang Dongshin in a tight 2-3 loss in his final match.

Despite the defeat, the close contest against another of the region’s established Puyo Puyo nations gave Gonzalvo confidence heading into the knockout stage.

‘Dikit ang huling laban ko sa Korea. Kahit na natalo ako, nagbigay ito sa akin ng confidence na kaya kong lumaban sa mga powerhouses sa Puyo Puyo,’ he said.

Gonzalvo also pointed to quicker and more aggressive play as areas he needs to work on ahead of the quarterfinals.

‘Base sa mga naging laban ko sa group stage, kailangan kong maging mas agresibo sa aking mga atake at mas mabilis. Bukod rito, kailangan ko ring mas pag-isipan ang aking strategy at mas basahin ang mga galaw ng aking kalaban,’ said Gonzalvo.

He will face the second-ranked player from Pool B in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Aichi Sky Expo.

The country’s largest listed firm, International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), is set for further expansion after borrowing $1 billion from the biggest local bank.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, ICTSI said it has signed a 10-year, $1-billion loan with BDO Unibank Inc. to boost its capital for future expansion.

ICTSI took the loan ahead of expansion projects it has planned in the Philippines and abroad. As one of the world’s biggest port operators, ICTSI strengthens its portfolio by adding new terminals.

On top of this, the company is hiking the capacity of existing projects to meet future demand. In July, ICTSI secured a 25-year extension for its concession on the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), pushing the expiry to 2063, from 2038.

In exchange, ICTSI must complete the expansion of MICT’s Berth 8, a project that would make it capable of handling the largest container vessels of up to 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

Once Berth 8 is expanded, MICT will increase yearly capacity to 3.5 million TEUs, allowing it to process more shipments at a quicker pace.

Overseas, ICTSI has lined up infrastructure expansion for its terminals in Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mexico.

Given its logistics business, ICTSI had to deal with the economic risks inflicted by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. In response, it rolled out multiple measures to cope with price hikes, such as tariff increases and traffic redirection.

ICTSI chairman and president Enrique Razon Jr. said the company also leans on the diversity of its portfolio to stay afloat. Combined, these factors enabled ICTSI to grow first half profit by 22 percent to $589.98 million, from $483.84 million a year ago.

ICTSI’s consolidated volume went up by 16 percent to 8.12 million TEUs, lifted by the addition of Indonesian and South African projects.

For 2026, ICTSI is spending $740 million on capital expenditures, of which $320.05 million has been used up in the first half.

A medal is within reach for Gilas Pilipinas in the 3×3 basketball court.

Gilas is headed to the semifinal round of the men’s 3×3 basketball tournament after a hard-fought win over defending champions Chinese Taipei, 21-19, Thursday at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue in Japan.

The Philippines lost a 12-6 lead but managed to pull out the necessary stops late to grab the victory and a historic semifinal berth in the Asiad. This is the first time the country reached the Final Four in the meet.

Nic Cabanero powered the Philippines with eight points to go with two rebounds. Luis Pablo backstopped with six points and six rebounds, including the game-winner.

Cabanero waxed hot in the early moments of the game, hitting back-to-back 2-pointers to give Gilas the 12-6 lead.

Slowly, though, Chinese Taipei grinded themselves out of the hole.

A free throw by Wei-chieh Yeh pushed Chinese Taipei ahead, 18-17, with 1:17 remaining.

But a clutch 2-pointer by Dungo gave the Philippines the lead, 19-18, although a flop call led to another free throw by Yeh to tie things up anew.

With the ballgame going into deep waters, Gilas tightened up on defense, forcing Chun-sheng Chang and Yeh into misses.

A clutch floater by Koji Buenaflor, then, gave the Philippines the upper hand, 20-19, with 38.1 seconds left.

Misses by Yeh and Chang from deep missed once again, but a timely turnover by Cabanero on the inbound gave Taipei one more chance.

Chang’s 2-pointer, though, rattled off the rim.

After a huge rebound by Buenaflor, the ball went to the hands of Pablo, who left his defender with a strong drive and a layup for the win.

Dungo had five for the winning team, while Buenaflor had two markers and 10 boards.

Yeh paced Chinese Taipei with 10 points while Chang produced five.

The Philippines, however, will have a tough matchup in the semifinals, going against either Pool D leader Korea or China.

Away from the madness in this city, Marie June Adriano found her moment.

The 22-year-old karateka fought her way to a bronze in the women’s kumite -50kg at the Toyohashi Gymnasium, 90km southeast of Nagoya, to lift Team Philippines in a rollercoaster day at the 20th Asian Games yesterday.

With just a handful of Filipino supporters in the stands, Adriano proved grit beats the odds, powering past Chinese Taipei’s Ya-chi Chung to deliver the country’s fifth overall medal in this Asiad – second from karate.

‘I just focused on doing my best for the country,’ Adriano said, draped in the Philippine flag after the win. ‘This medal is for everyone who believed in me.’

Gold medals are expected in the coming days. Among those in hot pursuit are boxer Junmilardo Ogayre and the Gilas 3×3 teams, with stirring victories yesterday.

But there were painful defeats in sepak takraw, rowing, fencing, baseball and soft tennis, split results in beach volleyball, and small progress from Carlos Yulo and his teammates in the gymnastics overall team championship.

Easily the biggest news was Adriano’s bronze feat – a redemption of sorts for the PUP standout, who also bagged bronze in the same weight category at the 2025 Thailand SEA Games.

Adriano opened her campaign with a 4-3 win over Cambodia’s Srey Phea Chonn, then blanked South Korea’s Yang Yewon, 4-0, to advance to the semifinals. She absorbed a narrow 4-5 loss to Hong Kong’s Tsang Yuet Yung in the Final Four, dropping her to the bronze-medal match where she bounced back.

Her bronze added to the earlier bronze won by the women’s kata team of Samantha Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante and Rebecca Torres, marking the country’s best showing in karate since the sport returned to the Asian Games program.

Also away from the Nagoya noise, Ogayre kept the gold hunt alive, punching his way to the quarterfinals of the men’s 51kg class after a unanimous decision win over Mongolia’s Gantumur Lundaa.

‘It’s good to be back on winning track after Aira’s loss,’ said boxing chief Marcus Manalo on Ogayre’s triumph, which came after Olympic medalist Aira Villegas’ abrupt exit Tuesday.

Gilas 3×3 produced a pair of group play sweeps to blaze into the quarterfinals, a win away from medal play.

The men’s team, led by Nic Cabañero, topped Pool A with a flawless 3-0 card after stunning Asian No. 1 Mongolia, 19-12, ripping Sri Lanka, 21-12, and fending off Kazakhstan, 21-15, at the Kinjo Futo Station Square.

The women’s team of Quinn dela Rosa, Ka Kennan, Amyah Espanol and Maria Pasilang matched the feat in Pool C, sweeping past Mongolia, 17-12, blasting Macau-China, 21-4, and drubbing Malaysia, 17-12.

Ahead of the individual apparatus finals in gymnastics, brothers Carlos and Karl Eldrew Yulo and Juancho Miguel Besana returned to action and registered a sixth-place finish in the team all-around final, a notch up from the qualifying round.

In swimming, Olympian Kayla Sanchez was scratched from the women’s 100m backstroke – a Did Not Start (DNS) – to prioritize recovery for her pet event, the 50m dash. She was also pulled from relay duties.

‘We’re controlling what we can control. If we can rest Kayla and prepare her better for 50 meters (today) where she has a very, very good chance of winning gold, we give her rest,’ said national coach Ryan Arabejo.

Arabejo said Sanchez is moving on from a close fourth-place finish in the 100m free.

It was a painful day elsewhere – the most stinging was the 1-2 defeat to India that denied the Nationals a place in the medal round in the men’s regu in sepak takraw.

In baseball, the Phl team was dealt a 7-0 spanking by Japan and thus ended with a 1-2 card in Group A after a 12-0 blanking of Palestine and an 8-15 blowout loss to China.

Before the mist lifted at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course, Olympian rower Joanie Delgaco booked her ticket to the medal race of single sculls today.

Paris vet Delgaco placed sixth in the heats in 8:25.47 to advance but the medal hopes of teammates Cris Nievares, Rynjie Penaredondo and Van Adrian Maxilom were gone.

Tokyo Olympian Nievares placed fourth in his heat in the men’s single sculls and dropped to Final B today. Penaredondo and Maxilom finished dead last among nine entries in the men’s pair and were also relegated to Final B.

Another Olympian, fencer, Sam Catantan missed out on a shot at a medal after falling to South Korea’s Jihee Park, 10-15, in the women’s individual foil quarterfinals.

Cebu City’s mango industry, once a global source of pride, is experiencing a steep decline that the City Council now wants to urgently revive.

In a privilege speech last Tuesday, City Councilor Pastor M. Alcover Jr. painted a grim picture of the situation, recalling how mango farming once sustained rural families but has now become so unprofitable that many growers have abandoned orchards and cut down trees for charcoal.

‘My 32-year-old mango trees never bore fruit, and many growers have cut theirs down for firewood,’ Alcover said, stressing the urgency of government intervention.

The speech was anchored on a September 5 consultation at CREMDEC Hall in Barangay Taptap, where mango growers and stakeholders laid bare their struggles.

Farmers cited pest infestations, lack of technical assistance, poor post-harvest practices, and weak market linkages.

Alcover emphasized that Cebu’s mango growers need more than seasonal aid, adding that they require sustained support in farm rehabilitation, access to inputs, training, and stronger organizations to consolidate production and negotiate with buyers.

He contrasted Cebu’s decline with Guimaras, where government support has sustained a thriving mango industry.

‘Here in Cebu, our growers are left behind,’ he said.

Other councilors echoed Alcover’s concerns.

Councilor Joel Garganera warned that Cebu risks losing its mango industry entirely, noting that Profood International, the Cebu-founded dried mango giant, has already expanded operations to Cambodia and Vietnam due to supply shortages.

‘We were once considered the best mango in the world,’ Garganera said.

‘But now our industry has collapsed,’ Garganera added as he linked the decline of mango farming to broader failures in food security, pointing out that the Philippines, once a hub for rice research, is now the world’s top rice importer.

‘If we don’t act, the same fate awaits our mangoes,’ Garganera added.

Councilor Harry Eran recalled how Cebu once hosted the first Mango Congress three decades ago, with orchards in Barangay Guba planted to support the industry.

‘It is disheartening if those trees we planted were cut down due to lack of support and high costs,’ he said.

Councilor Philip Zafra remarked on the need for the government to restore confidence in mango cultivation.

Historically, Cebu’s mango industry was a source of national pride.

Families were sun-drying mango slices as early as the 1950s, and by 1978, Profood International, for one, transformed Cebu dried mangoes into a global export, earning millions of dollars annually.

The privilege speech urged the Cebu City Agriculture Department, led by Agriculturist Joey Baclayon, to submit a detailed report on the state of mango growers, including farm conditions and productivity, and to draft a comprehensive program with clear objectives, funding, and measurable results.

It also called on Mayor Nestor D. Archival to forge partnerships with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, academic institutions, and private processors to rebuild the industry.

Councilors stressed that mango farming is not just about fruit; it is about food security, rural livelihoods, and Cebu’s identity.

‘We are an agricultural country, yet we are hungry,’ Alcover said.

Parañaque is among the finalists in the Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU) Awards under the City Level 1 category of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

Advancing to the final judging are four other Metro Manila cities: Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasig and Valenzuela.

Finalists will have the opportunity to present their programs, initiatives, innovations and best practices before the board of judges.

According to the PCCI, the awards recognize LGUs that demonstrate excellence in good governance, ease of doing business, digital transformation and sustainable local economic development.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the city’s inclusion reflects efforts to improve services and create a more business-friendly environment.

‘This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our city government offices to make it easier and more efficient for businesses to operate in Parañaque. Through innovation, digitalization and stronger coordination among our offices, we continue to improve our services and create an environment where businesses can grow while contributing to the city’s economic development,’ Olivarez said.

Last year, the PCCI recognized Parañaque as one of the finalists in the Most Business-Friendly LGU Awards under the same category, citing the city’s Business One-Stop Shop for helping make business permit applications and renewals more efficient.

After a decade of on-and-off negotiations, the Philippines and the European Union were glad to announce on Tuesday that a ‘substantial agreement’ had been reached for a landmark free trade deal that would be formally signed by next year.

The free trade agreement is seen to scrap more than 94 percent of tariffs covering over 97 percent of trade between the Philippines and the 27-member European grouping.

Among the goods covered are agrifood products, machinery and industrial equipment, with micro, small and medium enterprises, farmers and manufacturers seen to benefit from predictable market access and cushioning against global tariff swings.

There will also be rules protecting and promoting investments, intellectual property and government procurement. The country and the EU will also pursue common clean energy objectives and digital trade frameworks.

Philippine exporters already enjoy preferential access to the EU market of over 400 million consumers through the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus. GSP+ grants zero tariffs on about two-thirds of EU product categories. An FTA broadens the preferential access while at the same time welcoming the entry of EU products and services.

Issues on human rights, environmental protection and good governance were among the factors that stalled the FTA negotiations. The regular perorations of Rodrigo Duterte against the EU along with the dismal human rights situation during his six years in power did not help.

Once the agreement is in place, the government must ensure that the country is ready to take full advantage of the FTA. Support must be given to domestic industries and MSMEs to ensure that they are ready for the challenges of free trade with the developed European economies.

Domestic enterprises must be ready for competition, while the environment must be welcoming for the entry of European goods and services.

After the long period of negotiations, the country must make sure that all the opportunities opened up by free trade with the EU won’t be wasted and the benefits are maximized.

As painful as it may feel, a lesson is still a lesson.

Following a disappointing finish in the Asian Games’ women’s single sculls final, Olympic rower Joanie Delgaco said she is bent on turning her pain to improvement moving forward.

In the medal round of the single sculls, Delgaco finished last in a six-player field.

She had a time of 8:01.63, more than 40 seconds behind the gold medalist Zhang Xinyu of China.

The Filipina also finished 10 seconds behind fifth-placed Ching-yang Wen of Chinese Taipei.

‘Ngayong race po, nagpapasalamat po ako kasi natapos ko yung race na maayos. Hindi ko lang maiwas na umiyak. Kasi tingin ko hindi yun yung best ko talaga. Isa itong lesson sa akin na para bumawi sa susunod na laban,’ an emotional Delgaco said after her event, as posted by One Sports.

‘Hindi pa dito tatapos yung karera. Siguro ito yung magiging motivation ko next year and sa susunod na qualification sa Olympics,’ she added.

The 28-year-old Delgaco actually had a better performance in the final compared to the heats.

The Paris Olympian tallied a time of 8:25.47 in the Heat 2 on Wednesday.

She said she felt that she ‘moved differently.’

‘Parang nag-iba po kasi yung galaw ko ngayon. Hindi ko rin po ma-explain. Kasi parang napakalayo sa performance ko dati sa ngayon. Pero wala po ako pinagsisihan kasi binigay ko naman lahat ng makakaya ko,’ she said.

‘Wala po akong tinira sa sarili ko. Yung natutunan ko sa sarili ko is siguro yung maging humble ka lang sa sarili mo and lagi ka lang nakaapak sa lupa. Maging matyaga talaga sa lahat ng proseso and hindi rin po talaga madali lahat ng pinagdadaanan ng lahat ng atleta bago marating yung ganitong competition na nasa taas talaga.’

For now, a gold medal remains elusive for Team Philippines.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Philippines has a silver medal and four bronze medals.

Tropical Storm Queenie (international name: Surigae) entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) late Thursday morning, September 24, the state weather bureau PAGASA said.

As of 11 a.m., PAGASA reported that the center of Queenie was estimated at 1,310 kilometers east of Northern Luzon.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, moving west-northwestward at a speed of 35 kph.

No tropical cyclone wind signals had been raised as of posting time.

PAGASA noted that while Queenie is not expected to directly affect land weather conditions over the next three days, its periphery and trough will generate strong to gale-force gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and Ilocos Norte on Thursday.

From Friday through Saturday, gusty conditions are expected over Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, and Sarangani.

Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms are forecast over Batanes and Babuyan Islands starting Saturday, September 26.

Weather forecasters advised mariners operating motor bancas and small sea vessels in Northern Luzon to take precautions or avoid venturing out, as coastal waters will experience slight to moderate seas measuring 1 to 2 meters.

According to PAGASA’s track and intensity outlook, Queenie will maintain its west-northwestward trajectory until Friday before curving north-northeastward on Monday, September 28. The storm is expected to exit the PAR by Tuesday morning, September 29.

PAGASA warned that the storm will gradually intensify while inside the PAR and may develop into a typhoon by Sunday, September 27.