Category: Philippine Star

Education Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed Republic Act 12322, which updates a provision of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or RA 10533, saying the new law will allow the Department of Education (DepEd) to maintain instructional approaches that are grounded in classroom evidence and field experience.

Under RA 10533, which institutionalized the country’s K to 12 basic education program, concepts in subjects like Science and Mathematics were designed to be revisited across grade levels with increasing complexity.

The new measure, which lapsed into law on Aug. 2, amends Section 5, paragraph (g) of RA 10533 by removing the statutory reference to ‘spiral progression’ and provides opportunities for new pedagogical approaches or strategies in teaching and learning.

Angara said that by removing the requirement for spiral progression, the new law allows Science and Mathematics teachers to adopt mastery-based learning or alternative methods, ensuring learners thoroughly understand foundational concepts before advancing.

‘This update is about maintaining the flexibility our curriculum experts and field officers need to address learning gaps. Our focus remains on stability in our schools and ensuring our teaching strategies directly improve learner outcomes,’ he said.

He gave assurance that any adjustments to instructional delivery remain subject to thorough review, pedagogical evidence and practical considerations, including textbook supply and teacher training.

The law also mandates a systematic curriculum review at least once every five years. All other core curriculum standards under RA 10533 remain intact.

Loan repayment

Angara has approved extending the maximum loan repayment period for DepEd personnel to seven years from the current five years to ease borrowers’ burden.

The policy update under DepEd Order No. 020, series of 2026 aligns DepEd’s guidelines with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which provides for more flexible loan structures or longer payment periods for salary loans in response to the clamor from teachers and school personnel for financial relief.

Aug. 11 this year marks the centennial of the birth of the late John Lim Gokongwei Jr. He died in 2019, at the age of 93.

On Aug. 5, 2026, a John Gokongwei Boulevard was dedicated in his honor in Pasig, the original headquarters of his sprawling food, snacks and textile conglomerate.

At 27, then the youngest business editor of major daily, I met John in 1975 and backed his 1976 bid to capture a board seat in San Miguel Corp., the Philippines’ premier conglomerate and multinational. The Sorianos had owned only 1.8 percent of SMC but exercised 90 percent control, leaving John with just 10 percent voice.

John lost the board fights but his campaign taught publicly listed SMC to be more transparent (it operated like a private kingdom in the stranglehold of an entrenched dynasty), stop being smug and be more aggressive in parlaying its brand, goodwill and market presence.

Today, John’s JG Summit Holdings (incorporated in 1990) is valued by the market at P169 billion and No. 5 among conglomerates, despite losing billions, net loss of P87.5 billion in 2025. SMC (founded 1890), is valued by the market at only P151 billion despite a P79.6-billion core net income in 2025 and unrivaled leadership in seven major businesses. Notably, SMC chair and CEO RSA, by himself, is worth $4 billion, double the worth of Lance Gokongwei and his siblings combined.

John was a dear friend and great mentor. I learned many values from him – frugality, simplicity, family focus, warmth of friendship, humility, being a voracious reader, planning long term while maximizing short-term gains. Boldness and visioning.

John liked me so much he gave me long interviews and untrammeled access, as well as watches and expensive figurines whenever I won journalism awards. He treated me like family.

John became an entrepreneur at 13 when his rich father died, leaving him with a widowed mother and five siblings. John had to rebuild the family business empire from scratch, using a bicycle and plenty of guts. He began by sending his brothers and sister to China where the cost of living was lower. John was 15 when the war erupted.

With a bike, young John peddled anything, from five in the morning to late at night – soap, thread, candles. Said John of that experience: ‘If I could compete with people so much older than me, if I could support my whole family at 15, I could do anything.’

Big John was the quintessential Filipino industrialist and serial entrepreneur. He was bold, almost reckless, innovative, pioneering and not at all intimidated by challenges and roadblocks in pursuit of a business or a venture, or even something that catches his fancy.

John was a big believer in industries, manufacturing, factories. He thought they offered a path to a nation’s real and sustainable growth – factories which would process the country’s vast raw material resources and add value to imported semi-processed products. Instead, the Philippines became a services economy; 63 percent of GDP is services.

John was fixated with three industrial products – corn, starch and petrochemicals. Corn is feeds for John’s poultry business and extender in his processed products, like coffee. Starch is a binder and a thickener in brewing, baking, making sauces. Petrochemicals? ‘You can produce anything from petrochemicals,’ James Go told me. James, 84, JG Summit’s long-time chair and resident genius, has a chemical engineering degree and a master’s from MIT.

John was unafraid to take on challenges bigger than his capacity – or resources – to cope with or succeed. ‘I chose to live my life unafraid even during times I was afraid,’ he said.

His formula for success: hard work, frugality, integrity, responsiveness to change and, most of all, the boldness to dream. His focus was the basic services – food, clothing, shelter, electricity and connectivity, such as airline and telco.

Big John made entrepreneurship an exceedingly fulfilling endeavor of a lifetime – for the good of family, people, the community and country. The last two decades of his life he devoted to education and scholarships for poor but deserving students. The education philanthropy reaches 80,000 teachers and 1.5 million learners.

‘Going back to the university for studies gave me an appreciation for the beauty and the breath of business life, something I would never have gained if I stopped my education,’ he said.

Why entrepreneurship? ‘Because you create value. Because the products, services and jobs you create then become the lifeblood of our nation. Most of all, because then, you desire a life of adventure, endless challenge and the opportunity to be your best self.’

Gokongwei was Management Man of the Year in 2017. His message to the Management Association of the Philippines which gave him the coveted award: ‘The Philippine economy must continue to grow from strength to strength.’

The Gokongwei Group has continued to grow from strength to strength. JG Summit remaining family-owned, Big John had explained, ‘imbued the business with the stability, strong culture and long-term vision necessary to see our investments grow.’

John’s only son, the good-looking and lanky Lance Y. Gokongwei, who turns 60 on Nov. 23 (my birthdate is Nov. 25), has brought JG Summit to ‘even greater heights.’ I met Lance when he was nine, introduced to me by John as a ‘brilliant, good boy.’

Lance has a double summa, Finance and Applied Science, from the UPenn. He began in the Gokongwei Group marking and selling women’s underwear, literally from the bottom up. And of course, he learned the ropes from the best of the Filipino tycoons, his dad.

As the family marks Big John’s centennial, Lance ruminated on what it takes for a family member to join the Gokongwei businesses.

Younger family members should be free to pursue their own ambitions before deciding whether to join the conglomerate.

Accordingly, while there are 50 Gokongwei cousins, ‘maybe two or three of them are in the business,’ reckons Lance.

The UAAP has perpetually banned resigned Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin and suspended eight team staff led by manager Epok Quimpo following the tragic death of Blue Eagles Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili on June 8 in Dipaculao, Aurora.

The UAAP Board released the decision yesterday, two months after the drowning that sparked a national probe from multiple government agencies.

The four-time UAAP champion is also prohibited from entering any UAAP competition venue as per the decision that is ‘final and shall not be appealable.’

Quimpo, for command responsibility as Blue Eagles team manager albeit not present during the incident, led the eight personalities suspended ‘until further determination by the UAAP Board.’

Also suspended are assistant coaches Dean Caesar Castaño, Sandro Nicholas Romero Soriano, Reynaldo Jacinto Jr., Hernan Ameer Domingo, Caesar Vincent Javellana Elumba and Grant Dearns, and physical therapist John Eric Rueca.

The board based its verdict on its internal investigation, Ateneo’s own probe, and the official reports of the PNP-CIDG and the National Bureau of Investigation.

Ateneo as a varsity program was spared from the hammer and will keep its eligibility in Season 89.

The board also did not hand out sanctions on the student-athletes present in Dipaculao, whom it deemed as ‘victims of the tragedy’ as well.

‘The UAAP’s approach in imposing these sanctions is both protective and restorative. It is intended to ensure accountability, strengthen safeguards for the welfare and best interests of all student-athletes, address the harm caused by this incident, and reinforce the lessons learned to foster a safer and more responsible environment across the league,’ said the UAAP.

A record field of 674 young athletes turned the RLC Residences IRONKIDS Lapu-Lapu into a celebration of the country’s rising multisport talent Saturday.

Zackary Da Silva and Laureen Lee Tan emerged as the premier division champions in a pair of thrilling finishes that set the stage for Sunday’s centerpiece event.

The record turnout – the biggest in the history of IRONKIDS staging in the Philippines – provided the biggest victory of the day, underscoring the growing popularity of youth multisport and signaling an even brighter future for the country’s grassroots triathlon movement.

Da Silva once again showed why he remains one of the country’s most dominant young multisport athletes, building a slight advantage in the opening swim before sustaining his pace in the run to capture the 250-meter swim, 2-kilometer run aquathlon in 12 minutes and 10 seconds.

He held off Therrence Cañas, who clinched runner-up honors after finishing in identical times of 12:27 with and Hans Samputon.

The victory marked another triumph for Da Silva in the 13-15 age division, further strengthening his hold as one of the leading young talents in the country’s premier youth multisport series.

Tan likewise relied on a fast start to withstand a late challenge from Henia Go and Niala Limas in the girls’ centerpiece division.

Coming off an impressive campaign in Malaysia, Tan set the tone early with a race-leading 4:08 swim split and never relinquished enough ground to surrender the lead, clocking 13:14 overall. Go settled for second in 13:41, while Limas was third in 14:09.

While Da Silva and Tan added another significant achievement to their budding careers, the spotlight also fell on the many other young aspirants who competed across the younger age categories.

More than the individual victories, however, the unprecedented 674-athlete field gave the event a deeper significance.

Organized by Sunrise Events Inc. and sponsored by RLC Residences, the IRONKIDS Lapu-Lapu staging established a new benchmark for the country’s premier youth triathlon series and demonstrated the expanding reach of grassroots multisport development. (Pool story)

Record-high contribution from nickel mining and significantly narrower losses from the cement business bolstered first-half earnings of the Consunji family’s DMCI Holdings Inc.

The diversified engineering conglomerate reported a net income of P11.4 billion in the first semester, up by 26 percent from P9 billion in the same period last year.

In the second quarter alone, the company saw its net income surge by 61 percent to P6.5 billion from P4 billion, supported by improved results across all subsidiaries.

Higher earnings from integrated energy, nickel mining, real estate, off-grid power, construction and cement businesses more than offset the lower contribution from Maynilad during the period in review.

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) delivered P2.7 billion in second-quarter earnings, 17 percent higher than last year’s P2.3 billion, as record power performance more than offset weaker coal results.

At the SMPC level, power accounted for 96 percent of earnings, while coal comprised the remaining four percent.

DMCI Mining generated a record P1.3 billion in earnings, nearly four times the P344 million recorded last year, fueled by record shipment volumes following the full quarter contribution of the Long Point mine.

The company’s active mines have increased from two to three with the start of Long Point operations.

DMCI Homes, for its part, booked P1 billion in net income, up by 49 percent from last year’s P705 million on the back of higher residential revenues, lower cancellation reversals and improved operating margins.

Associate Maynilad’s attributable income amounted to P810 million, 17 percent lower than last year’s P974 million, mainly due to the reduction in DMCI Holdings’ effective ownership following the water company’s initial public offering.

Meanwhile, DMCI Power posted a nine-percent increase in contribution to P406 million, driven by record quarterly energy sales following capacity additions in Masbate and Antique.

Improved project margins likewise boosted D.M. Consunji Inc.’s contribution to P195 million compared with P18 million last year.

Concreat Holdings Philippines moved close to break-even, posting an attributable net loss contribution of just P4 million, a 99-percent improvement from the P682 million loss recorded last year.

DMCI said the turnaround reflected higher cement sales volumes and selling prices, along with continued operational improvements.

In moments of political upheaval, the arts often serve as society’s mirror, reflecting its anxieties and aspirations. The impeachment of the Vice President has become more than a legal process-it is a performance, a theater of power where scripts are written, roles assigned, and audiences persuaded. Against this backdrop, the rise of politically charged theater and film offers a critical lens to examine how narratives are crafted and consumed, reminding us that both politics and art shape the way we see truth.

Recently, the resurgence of ‘political theater’ in the Philippines has caught my attention. Plays and independent films tackling corruption, populism, and the fragility of democracy are being staged in universities and cultural centers. These productions are not accidental; they are deliberate interventions, reminding us that art is never neutral. Just as the impeachment hearings are choreographed to project credibility or discredit, so too are these cultural works designed to provoke reflection and, at times, outrage. I recall attending a student production in Cebu where the actors portrayed a fictional leader clinging to power despite moral bankruptcy. The audience laughed, sighed, and ultimately left the theater with a sense of unease-because the fiction felt too close to reality.

The danger, however, lies in the blurring of lines between art and propaganda. In the impeachment proceedings, we see carefully curated soundbites, dramatic pauses, and even symbolic gestures meant to sway public opinion. This is theater, but theater with consequences. Unlike a play that ends when the curtain falls, the political performance continues to shape institutions and policies. The arts community must therefore guard against being co-opted into mere extensions of political machinery. When cultural productions echo partisan scripts without critique, they risk becoming complicit in the erosion of democratic discourse.

What strikes me most is how the impeachment has awakened a renewed interest in cultural expressions of dissent. Street murals, spoken word poetry, and protest music are flourishing once again, reminiscent of the martial law era when artists became the conscience of the nation. These forms of art remind us that culture is not just entertainment-it is resistance. Yet, resistance must be thoughtful. It must rise above caricature and spectacle, offering instead a nuanced critique that challenges audiences to think critically rather than simply react emotionally.

As a retired professor who has spent decades advocating for the arts as a vehicle for social transformation, I find myself both hopeful and wary. Hopeful, because the cultural ferment suggests that our artists are alive to the urgency of the times. Wary, because the temptation to reduce art to mere political commentary is strong, and in doing so, we risk losing the depth and complexity that true art demands. The impeachment of the Vice President is a sobering reminder that politics, like theater, thrives on perception. But unlike theater, its consequences are lived, not imagined.

In the end, the question we must ask is this: are we passive spectators in this grand performance, or are we active participants shaping the narrative of our democracy? The arts can help us answer that question, but only if they remain critical, courageous, and committed to truth. As the impeachment drama unfolds, let us not forget that the real theater is not in the halls of Congress but in the hearts and minds of the people. And it is there, in that intimate stage, where the power of theater must be reclaimed-not to entertain, but to enlighten, to educate, to awaken, and ultimately, to transform.

A doctor’s experience in attending to patients suffering from cancer, diabetes, stroke, chronic diseases or those who are on maintenance hemodialysis has underpinned a valuable lesson in her 15-year practice as a physician. She has witnessed how these diseases have taken a toll not only on her patients but also on their families – physically, emotionally and especially, financially. With every consultation, medication and care for her patients came the realization that ‘the best treatment is prevention.’

I met Dr. Divina Cristy Redondo-Samin during our posting in New York. Dr. Samin is on semi-sabbatical from her practice in the Philippines while fulfilling the significant role of a trailing wife to her husband, Col. Bernie Samin, our deputy military adviser at the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York. With opportunities for advancement in the US, she took the time away from home to bolster her expertise in the field of health, nutrition and dietetics.

Before we left New York, Doc Cristy, as I fondly call her, reminded me of her willingness to share her knowledge via a webinar should there be a need for one in our new post. She does consultancy and fellowship works in medical nutrition and weight intervention and nutrition services in a major hospital in the Philippines and other hospitals nearby Manila. Her scholarly work and extensive research have set the pathway for her to pursue her passion despite being physically away from our home country.

I thought about Doc Cristy’s kind offer when Consul Emi and I brainstormed on how we could meaningfully celebrate Nutrition Month in Suva. We planned to organize a hybrid webinar on health literacy complemented with a medical mission. Like an ever-ready doctor on call, Doc Cristy enthusiastically replied to my email then researched on the demographic of our kababayans in Fiji and Filipinos in general. She suggested that a sound baseline information would be essential in developing her presentation.

Because she adheres to the research-backed, evidence-based premise that ‘chronic disease prevention starts at the table,’ she recommended the topic, ‘Healthy plate, healthy life.’

Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that noncommunicable diseases or NCDs are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths worldwide, with cardiovascular diseases as the leading one. At her presentation, Doc Cristy identified 10 NCDs like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, among others. She explained that NCDs are caused by both non-modifiable risk factors or things that we do not have control over such as age, gender, ethnicity and family history and modifiable risk factors or things that we can change like abdominal obesity, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and psychosocial factors. It was alarming to know that 80 percent of our seniors have two or more chronic diseases while those below 65 have at least one of the 10 identified NCDs.

An overarching topic that Doc Cristy focused on the webinar was how obesity leads to a range of diseases. From her we learned that ‘if the lungs, heart and kidneys are body organs, body fat is also an active organ.’ Body fat has the capacity to release inflammatory substances or hormones that can affect other organs of the body, resulting in high cholesterol or insulin resistance, which are all harmful to the body. She emphasized: ‘Obesity is a chronic inflammatory state, literal na namamaga ang katawan.’

Referring to a 2018 nutrition survey, Doc Cristy mentioned these numbers: one of every five Filipinos is overweight or obese by BMI; one out of three Filipinos has central obesity or visceral fat, also known as body fat of more than 32 inches for female and more than 35 inches for male. Central obesity is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. One out of every five adults either has diabetes or prediabetes while seven out of 100 Filipinos have diabetes. One to two out of 10 of our population can potentially develop diabetes in the next few years.

While the risk factors and numbers appear startling, Doc Cristy reassured us, ‘compelling clinical proof exists that NCDs can be prevented.’ The prospects are not grim. Doc Cristy opines, the good news is all these diseases are avoidable. She asserts that ‘food is considered one of the most powerful forms of preventive medicine today.’ Because her research on the healing power of food is wide-ranging, she optimistically affirms that ‘practical, realistic and sustainable habits that every family can begin with help discover how simple everyday food choices help prevent chronic diseases.’

Citing data from WHO, she underscored that proper diet, exercise, avoiding alcohol and tobacco can ‘prevent premature heart diseases by 80 percent, type 2 diabetes by 80 percent and cancer by 40 percent.’ It simply means that when we improve our lifestyle, we are averting not just one disease, but we are simultaneously preventing many other diseases.

Research suggests that healthy eating can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol and lower blood sugar. Her own research reveals encouraging metabolic effects for individuals who underwent weight loss. A modest weight loss of three percent can significantly improve health. She advocates the healthy plate or what we call ‘pinggang Pinoy’ in the Philippines.

What consists of our pinggang Pinoy? The doctor-nutritionist recommends that half of our plate should contain fruits and vegetables, a quarter for whole grains like brown rice and a quarter should contain lean protein like fish, chicken and eggs. The healthiest drink? It’s plain water. She debunks the notion that healthy food is expensive or Filipino food is unhealthy as they’re usually associated with lechon, crispy pata, etc. In fact, we have food choices like ginisang munggo, sinigang, pinakbet and the like.

Doc Cristy believes that healthy foods – fruits, vegetables, the right protein – supply the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats the body needs. Her advocacy is to ‘eat real to heal’ because our body has an incredible ability to heal. She advises that ‘to be healthy we don’t try to achieve perfection; we try to make healthier choices consistently.’

The Philippine government is positioning tax incentives as a key lever to steer private capital into high-value industries, as investment approvals and exports reached record levels despite mounting global trade and geopolitical risks.

Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head and Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo said the government’s 2026-2028 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) is designed to channel investments into industries with the greatest potential to generate jobs, strengthen domestic value chains and enhance the country’s long-term competitiveness.

Speaking during the Visayas launch of the SIPP in Cebu, Rodolfo said the program goes beyond offering fiscal perks, serving instead as a roadmap to accelerate the development of emerging industries through coordinated government support, infrastructure, innovation and workforce development.

‘The SIPP is not simply a list of incentives. It is the government’s roadmap for creating the conditions that allow new industries to grow, existing industries to move up the value chain, and more Filipinos to participate in higher-value economic opportunities,’ Rodolfo said.

He identified Cebu as a strategic investment hub, citing its strengths in manufacturing, logistics, technology and skilled labor, while highlighting complementary opportunities across the Visayas. These include semiconductor and advanced manufacturing in Cebu, digital services and education in Iloilo, agribusiness and renewable energy in Negros, tourism and technology-enabled services in Bohol, and renewable energy (RE) and infrastructure projects in Leyte and Samar.

Rodolfo said these regional strengths position the Visayas to play a larger role in the country’s industrial transformation, provided investments are supported by an enabling policy environment.

The government’s investment push comes as approvals continue to accelerate.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved P140 billion worth of investments in the first six months of 2026, up 94 percent from a year earlier, while BOI-registered projects reached P462 billion, a 21 percent increase over the same period. Together, the two investment promotion agencies account for more than 80 percent of approved investments nationwide.

Trade performance has also remained resilient despite global uncertainties.

Philippine exports reached $8.8 billion in June, the highest monthly value since the Philippine Statistics Authority began compiling monthly export data in 1991. The country has now posted 18 consecutive months of export growth, following a record annual export performance in 2025.

Rodolfo said the gains were achieved despite higher tariffs imposed by major trading partners, continued geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have disrupted global supply chains and commodity markets.

‘Cebu remains one of the country’s most export-oriented economies, giving the region significant potential to benefit from continued expansion in global trade,’ he said.

The investment drive is also being supported by sector-specific policies. Rodolfo cited the Executive Order signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. establishing an incentive framework for the electric vehicle industry, which has already attracted interest from four prospective applicants.

The initiative follows previously announced plans by Japanese manufacturers to establish hybrid vehicle assembly operations in the country, underscoring the government’s efforts to build a competitive electric mobility ecosystem.

Rodolfo said the challenge now is to accelerate investments already taking shape across the Visayas by strengthening regional supply chains, attracting higher-value industries and creating more quality jobs.

‘Our task is not simply to identify future industries, but to create the ecosystem, partnerships and investments that will allow them to thrive,’ he said.

No water crisis is expected amid the threat of El Niño even as the water level of Angat Dam remains below its normal high level, a study conducted by the University of the Philippines (UP) Resilience Institute-Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or RI-NOAH showed.

‘Current evidence does not indicate an imminent domestic water supply crisis for Metro Manila, although irrigation and hydroelectric power generation may experience greater operational constraints, if dry conditions persist,’ the report of UP RI-NOAH stated, which was shared by UP Resilience Institute executive director Mahar Lagmay.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, Angat’s water level was at 158.13 meters, or 51.87 meters below its normal high water level of 210 meters.

Among the key findings of the UP RI-NOAH is that the Angat Reservoir reached one of its lowest dry-season water levels during 2025-2026, which is comparable to the 2018-2019 drought.

The report noted that the La Mesa Reservoir remained within its historical operating range, unlike during the 2018-2019 Metro Manila water supply crisis.

‘UP RI-NOAH has been monitoring the water levels of Angat Dam and La Mesa Dam for about 10 years, providing a sufficient record to prepare a report presenting our assessment of the current El Niño and its likely impacts on Metro Manila’s domestic water supply,’ Lagmay said on social media.

The study said that the strongest El Niño, which was in 2015-2016, did not produce the most severe water supply impacts, indicating that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation or ENSO intensity alone is not a reliable predictor of municipal water security.

‘For now, Metro Manila’s domestic supply appears stable. Persistently low storage at Angat could nevertheless narrow the room available for other uses, particularly irrigation in Central Luzon and hydropower generation, if rainfall remains below normal. This assessment falls near the upcoming seasonal turn from the dry months to the southwest monsoon,’ the UP RI-NOAH report said.

It noted that monitoring remains important because a strong El Niño later this year could limit recharge and reduce the water carried into the next dry season.

Expect another massive crowd as Filipina tennis star Alex Eala clashes with fellow giant-slayer Caty McNally of the United States in the third round of the WTA 1000 National Bank Open.

The match is set at 8:10 a.m. today (Saturday, August 8 Philippine time) at the Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, Canada.

Eala, fresh from making history as the first Filipina to win a WTA title at the Mubadala DC Open last week, ousted American Alycia Parks 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to punch a ticket to the Round of 32.

The 21-year-old Eala, ranked No.20 in the world, received a first-round bye as the 25th seed in the tournament.

On the other hand, the world No.70 McNally advanced after knocking out reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6 (7/5), 6-1