Category: Philippine Star

The first-ever parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro region is over, and by most accounts, it has been a success.

A successful vote in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao means there were no serious complaints of poll fraud after the winners were announced. Four people were killed and 15 wounded in poll-related violent incidents in Cotabato City. But in the BARMM, this allows authorities to describe the situation as relatively peaceful.

One troubling incident, however, deserves a thorough probe, because it can be repeated in the 2028 general elections. In the town of Maluso in Basilan, the supposedly sealed ballot boxes were opened and about 16,000 ballots – nearly half of the town’s voting population – were found to be pre-shaded.

The discovery of the pre-shaded ballots prompted the Commission on Elections to postpone the vote in 36 of the 68 precincts in Maluso as new ballots were flown in. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said an ongoing probe could lead to criminal indictments for electoral sabotage – an offense that could warrant life in prison and normally does not allow bail.

Garcia is also seeking Comelec custody of ballot boxes. Under the law, once the Comelec sends out ballots nationwide, these are placed in the custody of the city or municipal treasurers instead of local Comelec offices. The treasurers are employees of the local government, whose chief executives are elective officials.

In Maluso, the ballot boxes were placed in the custody of the municipal treasurer at the town hall. The premises were supposed to be secured by the police, with the area outside guarded by soldiers. But on the eve of the vote, security officers were reportedly prevented from entering the municipal hall.

Ballots are packed in plastic and then placed in a box before being distributed nationwide. Garcia has said the ballot boxes are sealed against tampering, but a perfunctory look at the packaging will show that it can be relatively easy to cut into the box and get the ballots for pre-shading.

Hiding the tampered ballots will be difficult. But without layers of counter-checking, such pre-shaded ballots might make it undetected to the automated vote counting machines. Lawmakers should consider the Comelec’s appeal for full custody of ballot boxes.

Another danger is digital manipulation of the vote – an accusation that was hurled during the 2022 general elections.

Concerned groups and vote watchdogs must work with IT experts to ensure that the 2028 elections, which will be held amid a deeply polarized political environment, will be free of tampering, whether manually or through digital means.

Practical, measurable and grounded in reality. What policymaker wouldn’t want those?

I am still in the middle of a flurry of activity around ASEAN, mainly because it is only a few weeks until the 49th ASEAN Summit, and ASEAN-BAC’s own ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in November, where we will move beyond dialogue and deliver actionable policy recommendations, strategic partnerships and regional initiatives that strengthen ASEAN’s competitiveness while advancing inclusive and sustainable Prosperity for All.

The theme of our chairmanship of the ASEAN-BAC, ‘Advancing Prosperity for All,’ got its cue from the Philippines’ ‘Navigating Our Future, Together.’ We all sail in the same direction, putting people first and aiming for everyone to be able to share in the benefits. More businesses creating opportunity, more people getting jobs, more farmers earning better incomes and more MSMEs participating in ASEAN’s growth.

I believe ASEAN has made tremendous progress. The agreements, frameworks and institutions are there. The real challenge now – one we highlighted to the economic ministers as they met in Manila last week – is whether businesses can use what already exists.

Our message was that if we are to achieve an inclusive and competitive regional economy, we have to work on how people can participate, how energy and food systems supply can be made resilient, how digital platforms can easily connect trade and investment and how rules and integration can reduce friction for enterprises trying to operate cross-border.

And with ASEAN-BAC being the private sector’s platform to government leaders, we see all these through the lens of how we in business and industry can contribute.

Let me start with ASEAN’s largest business constituency: more than 70 million MSMEs, many of whom remain stuck in survival mode, unable to access markets, capital, mentorship or the digital readiness required to compete regionally.

In ASEAN-BAC, we advanced AMEN 2.0, building on a regional mentorship program ASEAN-BAC Philippines established in 2017 to connect MSMEs all over ASEAN with mentorship, markets, finance and digital readiness. We’re also finalizing the women’s economic empowerment action agenda, developing a dedicated youth entrepreneurship action agenda and preparing to launch a youth digital platform – MANA – to expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

The next question is scaling. Proof of concept is helpful, but we need outcomes. That is why we recommended a practical ‘3M’s’ on-ramp for MSMEs: access to markets, money and mentorship, supported by skills, especially in digital and AI. If we want women and the youth included in growth, we should integrate their economic empowerment agenda directly into the ASEAN Economic Community’s strategic plan so that implementation isn’t optional or delayed.

Our push is toward measurability: more enterprises scaling, more jobs created and stronger participation by women and youth. But you can’t improve what you can’t measure; these initiatives can be connected to the existing ASEAN architecture.

And then there’s the matter of continuity. Institutions help carry momentum beyond one chairmanship cycle: this is the rationale for pushing for the establishment of centers for sectors like MSMEs, the creative industry and even digital and AI governance.

We also cannot ignore the urgency of securing our region’s food and energy supply. Food, fuel, fertilizer, water and the environment are one connected system. A disruption in one can quickly ripple into the others, affecting costs, production, logistics and investment decisions. This is why, after AMEN in 2017, we will adopt as our legacy program for 2026 the ASEAN Food Security Alliance (AFSA). This is based on our own experience in Go Negosyo and its KALAP program, and follows the ‘big brother’ model of connecting major agribusiness players with smallholder farmers, fisherfolk and regional partners.

AFSA has already developed momentum, with joint ventures across member-states and partners, an investment pipeline and clustering across key commodities. We see AFSA as a working delivery mechanism, and we need to build resilience before the crisis arrives.

Then there’s digital transformation and sustainability. Common rules and shared infrastructure are crucial, but what matters most is whether businesses can use them. Can an enterprise in one ASEAN market be able to use it easily in another? It can spell the difference between governance that works and governance that is just shaping paperwork.

ASEAN integration is strongest when regional rules work at the enterprise level. Ministers have consistently asked for stronger evidence and better follow-through. So we pushed ASEAN-BAC’s model toward structured engagement and enforcement discipline, including disciplining non-tariff measures, completing the transition to paperless borders and making commitments enforceable.

A lot of policy meetings produce reports, but I believe we all aspire to go beyond reports.

On the part of the private sector, business associations and industry can identify real pain points. The ASEAN supply chain council and working groups can aggregate and prioritize them. Standing working groups can turn business signals into evidence-based proposals, connected to relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies with standing agendas, chair-level consultation and support from the ASEAN Secretariat.

Machinery alone doesn’t deliver results unless business input is continuous. That’s why we’re arguing for sustainability: standing ASEAN-BAC agendas embedded into sectoral bodies, ongoing Secretariat support and business evidence as a routine input into policy impact assessments and non-tariff measures reviews.

The challenge presented before us was to strengthen evidence-based recommendations, structured sectoral engagement, monitoring and evaluation and institutional capacity. We are taking that direction seriously and now we’re working to make that approach enduring.

At the end of the day, we shouldn’t aim to only become more ambitious; we should aim for our plans to be usable, measurable and impactful. What this means is that we don’t stop at blueprints: we build an integrated engine that helps firms start a business, access capital, enter a regional market, adopt new technology, create jobs and grow across borders.

That’s what ‘Advancing Prosperity for All’ must mean in practice.

Local pump prices are set to decline this week, ending September with lower fuel costs for motorists and the transport sector after three consecutive weeks of increases.

The Department of Energy said Monday, September 28, that the following price adjustments will take effect starting 6 a.m. Tuesday, September 29:

Diesel: down P7.57 per liter

Kerosene: down P5.85 per liter

Gasoline: down P0.24 per liter

The adjustments will remain in effect until Monday, October 5.

The rollback follows three straight weeks of price hikes across major petroleum products, which pushed some pump prices above P100 per liter. Pump prices had climbed sharply this month, with diesel rising by a cumulative P18.31 per liter, kerosene by P16.67 and gasoline by P15.25, according to DOE figures.

DOE Oil Industry Management Bureau Director Rino Abad said last week that global oil prices eased after Saudi Arabia announced that 40% of its oil export operations would resume.

Higher fares for jeepneys and other public utility vehicles took effect on September 28, while transport groups also mounted strikes to demand relief from rising fuel costs.

For many people, retirement feels like a milestone that’s decades away. It is often viewed as something to think about only after a long career or once the children have become independent. Increasingly, however, retirement is being shaped long before it arrives-through the choices people make while they are still building their lives.

One of the most important decisions is where to live.

A home is more than a financial investment. It influences how people work, stay connected with loved ones, access everyday essentials, and eventually enjoy the freedom they have worked hard to achieve.

This is why SMDC looks at homeownership not simply as a purchase, but as a decision that can support people through different stages of life. Buying a home during one’s earning years allows that investment to evolve alongside changing needs and future aspirations.

Planning early is not simply about preparing financially. It is about creating flexibility for the years ahead.

A well-located home can serve different purposes over time. It can support a growing family, become a reliable investment, welcome loved ones returning from overseas, or provide the setting for an active and fulfilling retirement. The right home continues to adapt as life changes. For many Filipinos-including young professionals, OFWs, balikbayans and families planning ahead-the focus is shifting from preparing only for retirement to preparing for the lifestyle they hope to enjoy in the future.

Communities that offer accessibility, convenience, and everyday connections today are often the same communities that provide confidence tomorrow.

This is where SMDC’s approach to community building becomes especially relevant.

By developing ready homes in well-connected locations close to transport, healthcare, retail, business districts and essential services, SMDC enables homeowners to enjoy the benefits of their investment now while preparing for the years ahead.

With communities designed to support life’s changing chapters, SMDC helps make the journey toward retirement easier and more flexible-and supports the Good Life homeowners want to enjoy in the years ahead. Start planning for the life you want by finding the right SMDC home today.

Yuka Saso may have narrowly missed another Top-25 finish, but the two-time major champion left the NW Arkansas Championship with something potentially more valuable: a timely burst of confidence as she looks to revive her season in the closing stretch of the LPGA Tour.

Saso closed with a spirited four-under 67 at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas on Sunday (Monday Manila time) to salvage a share of 34th at eight-under 205, ending a three-tournament run of missed cuts and providing encouraging signs that her game may be starting to turn the corner.

The ICTSI-backed Filipino-Japanese ace had barely survived the cut at 138 after a second-round 70, but responded emphatically in the final round. She caught fire early, making an eagle and four birdies to climb the leaderboard and put herself in position for a much higher finish.

A costly double bogey on the par-71 layout’s 16th hole, however, stalled her charge. Saso settled for a 67 and wound up tied for 34th – a result that could easily have been a Top 25 finish had it not been for the late mishap.

Still, the manner of her closing-round comeback offered Saso a welcome lift after a difficult stretch. More importantly, it gave her a platform from which to build as the LPGA Tour heads to Hawaii for the Lotte Championship on Oct. 1-4.

For a player who has already shown she can produce her best golf on the biggest stages, the Arkansas performance could prove to be an important spark. Saso’s challenge now is to carry the confidence from her four-under card into the remaining tournaments and turn flashes of quality into the sustained consistency that has eluded her in recent weeks.

With the bulk of the season still behind her, Saso has an opportunity to make the latter part of the campaign a different story. A strong showing in Hawaii could provide another step forward, while a return to contention in the weeks that follow would further reinforce the signs of a possible late-season resurgence.

At the top of the leaderboard, Japan’s Yuna Nishimura completed a wire-to-wire victory, closing with a 66 for a commanding 21-under 192 total. Nishimura had effectively taken control of the tournament with back-to-back 63s and finished five shots clear of a four-way tie for second.

South Korea’s In Gee Chun carded a 65 to finish at 197, while Japan’s Aki Iwai fired a blistering 62 and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen shot 64 to join Chun in second place.

For Saso, however, the focus was less on the final position than on how she finished. After struggling to find her winning form and missing three consecutive cuts, she finally produced the kind of attacking golf that has been a hallmark of her best performances.

The next test comes quickly in Hawaii. And if Saso can build on the momentum generated by that closing 67, the latter part of the season could give the two-time US Women’s Open champion an opportunity to

A man carrying a bladed weapon disrupted a mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral here on Saturday as he climbed onto an architectural structure behind the altar, prompting a nearly five-hour rescue operation by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and police.

The man, identified only as Alvin, entered the cathedral at 4 p.m. and climbed onto the altar area.

Responders secured one bladed weapon from him, but he continued to climb while carrying another sharp object.

A mass scheduled at 5:15 p.m. was consequently held outside the cathedral.

Supt. Jenny Mae Masip, Bacolod city fire marshal, said rescuers spent hours negotiating with the man, who repeatedly signaled for them to stay away and did not respond to most questions.

Masip said rescuers faced the challenge of finding a suitable anchor point for a lifeline and disarming the man.

BFP personnel decided to deploy an inflatable jump cushion and using two ladders to allow members of the Special Rescue Force to move closer.

At 9:13 p.m., the man jumped from the platform and landed on the inflatable cushion.

BFP emergency medical personnel treated the man for lacerations and abrasions before turning him over to Police Station 1.

Maj. Eugene Tolentino, Police Station 1 chief, said witnesses told investigators that the man was frequently seen at the cathedral but usually spent his time praying.

Tolentino said the man could not simply be released because there was a possibility that he could repeat the incident.

The reason for his action was unclear.

Four people behind the 2014 assault on actor and television host Vhong Navarro will be released from prison after having their sentence reduced.

The Court of Appeals has ordered the release of Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee, Simeon Raz and Ferdinand Guerrero.

Cornejo, whose allegations of rape and acts of lasciviousness against Navarro had been junked by the Supreme Court, will be out of prison in the coming weeks, her former lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said.

‘Justice has been done. Cornejo’s two years in detention following her conviction were considered time served,’ Topacio posted on X.

In May 2024, a Taguig court found Cornejo, Lee, Raz and Guerrero guilty of serious illegal detention for ransom.

They were sentenced to life in prison and ordered to pay Navarro P300,000 in civil, moral and exemplary damages.

The appellate court has yet to upload a copy of its ruling.

Working his way back to form over the last two years, Zanieboy Gialon returns to the very venue where he last tasted victory, hoping to put everything together again when the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge blasts off Tuesday at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club.

Gialon ended a two-year title drought the last time the Philippine Golf Tour visited the country’s oldest golf course, then known as Santa Barbara, in 2024. He turned what was expected to be a tight, furious finish into a runaway six-shot victory over Angelo Que and Ira Alido.

Now, two years removed from that successful week in Iloilo, the 37-year-old Davao del Sur native finds himself in a familiar position: contending again, but still searching for that elusive next victory.

He has threatened in several tournaments during the current season, only to fall short when it mattered most. But his latest showing in last week’s ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic could provide the boost he needs heading back to a course where he has already proven he can win.

Gialon finished solo fourth at Marapara, staying in contention deep into the final round with a two-under 33 on the front nine. He, however, could not sustain the charge, settling for a closing 35 and a 68 to finish three shots behind champion Art Arbole.

Real-time air-quality data is giving businesses and local authorities in Toledo City, Cebu, a tool to assess operational and public-health risks as transboundary haze and volcanic activity periodically disrupt air conditions in the region.

A monitoring station in Barangay Cabitoonan recorded a sharp rise in fine particulate pollution during the recent haze episode linked to fires in Indonesia, highlighting how localized environmental data can help companies and government agencies respond to rapidly changing conditions.

The station recorded an hourly average PM2.5 reading of 83.46 micrograms per cubic meter at 10 p.m. on Sept. 2, more than 10 times its reported baseline of 8.2 micrograms per cubic meter from May 2025 to August 2026.

Established in 2021 by Therma Visayas Inc., a subsidiary of AboitizPower Corp., in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau Region 7, the facility provides continuous readings that can support decisions on public-health advisories and local responses.

The system, known as the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System, or CAAMS, measures PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, as well as key meteorological conditions. Data can be consolidated more frequently during exceptional events such as haze and volcanic activity.

For businesses operating in industrial communities, access to localized environmental information can help improve preparedness and risk management when air-quality conditions deteriorate, while giving local authorities a more precise basis for public advisories.

DENR-EMB has direct remote access to the station’s readings, while Toledo City receives the data through its Multipartite Monitoring Team, which includes the City Health Office.

These days when most women work to augment the family’s income and/or build their own career, modern gadgets designed to make household chores easier for them to accomplish come handy.

In the kitchen, for example, the air fryer is probably one of the best inventions of recent years. Not only does it allow working women to cook and do something else at the same time, they also turn out healthy, oil-free fried food for the family to enjoy.

It works like magic for Lesley Tan Rice, a passionate storyteller whose career spans luxury hospitality and lifestyle. An independent marketing consultant now, she finds joy in creating thoughtful, integrated campaigns and shaping stories that connect across every touchpoint.

When she is not turning ideas into action, she can often be found exploring Singapore’s green spaces with her three dachshunds or experimenting with new recipes in the comfort of her kitchen.

One of her trusted kitchen gadgets happens to be her air fryer, which she uses to cook crispy fried meats and savory roasts. This Crispy Air-fried Chicken Cutlets recipe of hers turns out a delicious dish for lunch or dinner every time she prepares it. It is her go-to dish for all time.

Crispy Air-fried Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

500 grams (1 pack of 10-12 pcs.) chicken cutlets

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsps. garlic powder

2 tsps. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

Cooking oil spray (avocado, olive, or vegetable oil)

For flour coating:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. paprika (smoked or sweet)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

For egg wash:

2 large eggs

1 tbsp. water or milk

For panko coating:

1 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 tsp. salt

Procedure:

1. Set up three shallow bowls side-by-side in order: Flour, Egg Wash, and Panko. Mix the flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in Bowl 1. Whisk the eggs and water together in Bowl 2. Stir the panko and salt together in Bowl 3.

2. Bread the chicken. Roll a drumstick in the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess.

3. Submerge the floured drumstick into the beaten egg. Make sure it is fully coated.

4. Press the drumstick firmly into the panko breadcrumbs. Ensure the crumbs stick to all sides and crevices of the chicken. Pat the chicken drumsticks completely dry with paper towels. Repeat for all drumsticks and place them on a clean plate.

5. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes.

6. Lightly spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil.

7. Arrange the drumsticks in a single layer. Leave space between each piece so the air can circulate.

8. Generously spray the tops and sides of the breaded drumsticks with the oil spray. Ensure no dry, white flour or pale panko patches remain.

9. Air-fry for 25 minutes.

10. Flip the drumsticks halfway through (around the 12-minute mark). Lightly spray the newly exposed side with oil.

11. Remove the drumsticks once the crust is deeply golden-brown and the internal temperature reaches 79°C to 82°C on a meat thermometer.

12. Allow to rest for 3 minutes before serving.