Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Kai Sotto, CJ Perez and Scottie Thompson made sure their return to the Gilas Pilipinas roster would be impactful.

On Friday, the trio came together and gave the Philippines and its fans something to cheer about as it held off Jordan in overtime, 82-81, in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers that kept the Filipinos tugging at the coattails of the group leaders.

Kevin Quiambao, meanwhile, didn’t hesitate in grabbing the spotlight on what he later described as a game where he wasn’t as sharp, knocking down the go-ahead triple that broke a 79-all tie with 11.7 seconds left to also stand out as one of the reasons why the Filipinos were able to come through before a sellout crowd at Mall of Asia Arena.

It was a highwire win that put some sense of hope in the Filipinos’ quest to make the global main event for the fourth straight edition, and they get back to work Sunday when they battle formidable Iran with the stakes the same for Gilas-that match again being a must-win.

Quiambao’s three-pointer came off an assist from Perez who, before that shot, had kept Gilas in the game with basket after basket in regulation and the extra five-minute period.

‘I would just like to thank CJ for that pass,’ Quiambao told a courtside reporter later. ‘We will enjoy this tonight, but will be back to work (Saturday).’

But that shot almost went for naught after Thompson, who put the clamps on Jordanian ace Jalen Harris, committed a five-second inbound violation that gave Jordan the chance to salvage the game.

Jordan could not, as Abdullah Olajuwon, the son of NBA great Hakeem, ran into Sotto, who came through with a massive block that triggered a thunderous roar from the gallery as practically an entire country erupted in celebration when the final buzzer sounded.

Gilas snapped a four-game skid in the Qualifiers and improved to 3-4 to start off the second round and the fourth window. More importantly, it narrowed the gap not only with Jordan, but also with Iran, which earlier lost, 93-91, to New Zealand, also in overtime.

‘It’s a huge thing, because we’ll be back to close the gap even further if we beat Iran [on Sunday],’ Perez said as Gilas now sets itself for another difficult battle in less than 48 hours at the same venue.

Australia, which routed Syria, 123-64, earlier, remained unbeaten in Group E to be at 7-0, while New Zealand joined Jordan and Iran in a three-waytie at 5-2, with Gilas at 3-4 and Syria dead last at 2-5.

The top four teams in the group after the Qualifiers get to play in Qatar for next year’s World Cup. And Gilas regained a solid shot with the close win.

While it’s a huge win, the margin of error remains slim for the Philippines as one loss may still jeopardize its ambitions of a fourth successive World Cup appearance.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has assured the public the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled body-worn cameras ordered by the PNP will have better image quality.

These cameras ‘will enhance the PNP’s capability to document police operations with clearer and more reliable footage. This will help preserve evidence, support investigations, and promote greater accountability among our personnel,’ he said in a statement on Friday.

Nartatez also said there will be guidelines on the use of body cameras to comply with privacy and the handling of evidence.

‘We assure the public that these body cameras will be used to strengthen transparency and accountability in police operations. We will ensure that our personnel use the technology properly and in accordance with existing laws and policies,’ he said.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla had earlier disclosed to the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives that the PNP has ordered up to 20,000 new AI-enabled body cameras.

A red rainfall warning was raised over Metro Manila and eight areas in Luzon due to prevailing heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat, on Saturday, the state weather bureau said.

In a weather advisory issued at 11 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the following areas under red warning may experience more than 30 millimeters (mm) of rain within the next three hours:

Zambales

Bataan

Pampanga

Bulacan

Metro Manila

Tarlac (Camiling, San Clemente, Mayantoc, Santa Ignacia, San Jose, Capas, Bamban)

Batangas (Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Tuy, Balayan)

Cavite (Magallanes, Maragondon, Ternate, Bacoor, Cavite City, Imus, Kawit, Naic, Noveleta, Rosario, Tanza, General Trias)

Rizal (San Mateo, Cainta, Taytay, Rodriguez, Antipolo, Morong, Teresa, Angono, Binangonan, Cardona)

Pagasa warned that flooding in the affected areas under red warning is threatening.

Meanwhile, an orange warning, which predicts 15 to 30 mm of rainfall within the next few hours, was also placed over the following areas:

Laguna

Tarlac (Concepcion, Anao, Tarlac City, Gerona, La Paz, Paniqui, Pura, Ramos, San Manuel, Victoria, Moncada)

Batangas (Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Balete, Batangas City, Bauan, Calaca, Tanauan, Cuenca, Ibaan, Laurel, Lemery, Lipa, Lobo, Mabini, Malvar, Mataasnakahoy, San Jose, San Luis, San Nicolas, San Pascual, Santa Teresita, Santo Tomas, Taal, Talisay, Tingloy, Taysan)

Cavite (Alfonso, Amadeo, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Indang, Mendez, Silang, Tagaytay, Trece Martires, Carmona, Dasmarinas, Gen. Mariano Alvarez)

Rizal (Tanay, Baras, Jala-Jala, Pililla)

A yellow warning was also hoisted over Nueva Ecija, areas in Quezon and Batangas due to the projected 7.5 to 15 mm of rainfall that may prevail.

Light to moderate rains are affecting the following areas in Quezon province and may persist within the next three hours, according to Pagasa.

Quezon (Agdangan, Alabat, Atimonan, Buenavista, Burdeos, Calauag, Catanauan, General Luna, Guinayangan, Gumaca, Jomalig, Lopez, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Panukulan, Patnanungan, Perez, Pitogo, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso, Tagkawayan, Unisan)

The weather bureau earlier said that heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon will affect the western portion of Luzon on Saturday, Aug. 29.

The Philippines retained its ‘A-‘ investment-grade rating with a stable outlook from the Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR), with the debt watchdog expecting the country’s strong external buffers to help it maintain its resilience against headwinds.

In its latest rating action on Friday, JCR-whose credit opinion is closely watched by Japanese investors-projected Philippine economic growth to settle in the mid-3 percent range this year, driven by a recovery in public infrastructure investment and the effects of price stabilization policies.

The debt watcher, however, expects the government debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio to remain in the mid-60 percent range for some time as the pace of fiscal improvement slows.

‘The ratings mainly reflect the Philippines’ high and sustained economic growth supported by solid domestic demand, low-level external debt and resilience to external shocks supported by accumulated foreign exchange reserves,’ JCR said.

‘JCR believes that, as the government works to improve the investment environment and advance industrial upgrading, the economy will return to high growth rates over the medium term,’ it added.

A stable outlook means JCR is unlikely to change its rating over the next one to two years.

The debt watchdog pointed to the Philippines’ strong external position in 2025, with the current account deficit improving to 3.3 percent of gross domestic product, external debt standing at 30.3 percent of GDP, and foreign exchange reserves totaling $110.8 billion.

‘Despite increased uncertainty due to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, the country’s foreign exchange liquidity position remains solid, and JCR expects the economy to retain high resilience to external shocks going forward,’ JCR said.

The Department of Finance said the affirmation reflected the country’s strong underlying credit fundamentals.

‘JCR’s affirmation of the Philippines’ A- rating and Stable outlook reflects the resilience of our economy and the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and long-term reforms,’ Finance Secretary Frederick Go said.

Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the rating action underscored the need to sustain reforms and sound policies that support investment and productivity.

‘The BSP will continue to promote price stability, safeguard financial stability, and ensure safe and efficient payments and settlements. These efforts support sustainable growth and broader economic opportunities for Filipinos,’ BSP added.

The onslaught of monsoon rains and persistently high oil prices likely kept Philippine inflation above the central bank’s target in August, reinforcing the need for policymakers to maintain a hawkish stance as they seek to rein in price hikes.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas estimated on Friday that inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, likely ranged from 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent this month.

The upper end of the range would mark an acceleration from the 6.2 percent inflation rate in July, while the lower end would suggest that price gains continued to ease for the fourth straight month.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled to release the official August figures on Sept. 4.

‘Upward price pressures for the month are likely to be driven by higher rice, vegetable, fruit, and fish prices, partly due to unfavorable weather conditions, and elevated domestic fuel costs,’ the BSP said.

Those pressures are expected to be partly offset by lower meat prices, electricity rates and the peso’s appreciation, the central bank said.

It added that it would remain vigilant against emerging risks and calibrate its response based on incoming data.

‘It will continue to assess the impact of latest developments in the Middle East and recent weather disturbances on the country’s inflation and economic outlook,’ the central bank continued.

As widely expected, the BSP delivered another quarter-point rate hike at its Aug. 27 policy meeting, raising the key rate to 5 percent.

The move brought the cumulative increases since the start of the tightening cycle in April to 75 basis points, with the BSP calling the latest monetary action a ‘preemptive’ response to looming risks from a severe El Niño episode and potential wage increases.

Looking ahead, BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said policymakers were ‘hoping that we won’t need another rate hike,’ though he noted that the central bank is nevertheless prepared to ‘tighten as much as we need to bring the inflation rate down to its target.’

The BSP now expects inflation to average 6.1 percent this year-down from the prior estimate of 6.4 percent-though the 2027 outlook was sharply raised to 5.4 percent from 4.5 percent.

‘We think BSP’s tone has remained decisively hawkish, in line with our expectation,’ economists at Nomura Global Markets Research said. ‘We maintain our forecast that BSP will hike by another 25 basis points to 5.25 percent at its next monetary board meeting in October.’

For economists at Citi, the BSP may opt for a ‘hawkish hold’ in October, before delivering another quarter-point rate hike in December.

‘An October hike is possible if August and September inflation readings do surprise significantly to the upside,’ they added.

Bullying incidents in Baguio public schools, including violent episodes recorded and circulated on social media, have raised concern as the Department of Education (DepEd) works to address eight reported cases since June.

Four of the incidents were violent episodes recorded on video and shared online, according to Jerry Ymson, focal person of the DepEd Baguio Learners’ Rights and Protection Office.

One video showed teenage boys assaulting another boy as bystanders laughed. Schools have appealed to the public to stop sharing the videos, which involve minors.

The eight cases are part of 20 bullying incidents documented by the Baguio City Schools Division from June 2024 to March 2026, Ymson said.

The latest case involving students of Pinget National High School is still being validated under DepEd Order No. 006, series of 2026, which sets procedures and sanctions for learner protection cases.

Probe under way

Ymson said the incident could be classified as Level 3, the most serious category, because it involved physical assault. However, he stressed that the school must complete its investigation and observe due process before imposing sanctions.

‘We have to wait for the school to finish its investigation before we can move forward,’ Ymson said.

A Level 3 case could warrant exclusion from school, but the authority to impose such a sanction rests with the DepEd secretary.

The students could also face criminal charges under Baguio’s antibullying ordinance if the victim’s parents pursue a case.

According to Ymson, the incidents also exposed the shortage of guidance personnel in Baguio public schools.

The city schools division oversees 45 elementary and 22 junior and senior high schools but has only 10 guidance counselors, Ymson said. It also lacks psychologists for specialized mental health support.

Schools share available counselors, while DepEd partners with higher education institutions for additional support. Cases needing specialized intervention may be referred to the Philippine Mental Health Association, although referrals can take time because of its long queue.

Police are also investigating the Pinget incident, which reportedly occurred outside the school at around 3 p.m. on Aug. 26. A separate bullying case involving Grade 7 and Grade 9 students was reported to Police Station 5 after an alleged incident inside a classroom on Aug. 24.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said violence, bullying, harassment and abuse have no place in Baguio. The National Union of Students of the Philippines-Cordillera called for more counselors and mental health professionals

In the forests of Calanasan, Apayao, scientists may have uncovered new clues to the province’s still largely undocumented biodiversity.

A herpetofaunal survey conducted from Aug. 13 to 19 recorded at least 15 species of amphibians and reptiles, including three Platymantis specimens that may belong to species not yet described by science, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR).

The finding remains preliminary.

DENR-CAR said the specimens must undergo further taxonomic examination before specialists can confirm their identities.

The survey was conducted by the University of Santo Tomas-Herpetological Research Collection and Kyoto University in partnership with the Philippine Eagle Foundation and the DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office Calanasan.

Herpetology experts Dr. Arvin Diesmos and Emerson Sy also joined the fieldwork.

Researchers explored selected forest habitats in Calanasan and documented snakes, geckos, skinks, frogs and other amphibians and reptiles.

Among the records, the three Platymantis specimens stood out because of physical characteristics that may distinguish them from known species.

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If further studies confirm that they are distinct, the specimens could eventually be recognized as species previously unknown to science.

Dorothy Joy C. Cayaba, officer in charge of CENRO Calanasan, said the findings underscored the need to pair scientific research with habitat protection.

‘The documentation of at least 15 herpetofaunal species, including specimens that may potentially be new to science, demonstrates how much more there is to discover in our forests,’ Cayaba said.

‘More importantly, these findings remind us that biodiversity research must go hand in hand with habitat protection,’ she added.

DENR-CAR said biodiversity surveys provide baseline information on the species present in an ecosystem and how they are distributed, helping guide conservation planning and habitat management.

The activity forms part of continuing biodiversity documentation in the Apayao Lowland Forest Key Biodiversity Area and the wider yApayaos Biosphere Reserve.

Succeeding surveys are expected to expand Apayao’s species inventory and strengthen the scientific basis for long-term conservation efforts

For now, the three Platymantis specimens remain unconfirmed. But their discovery suggests that Apayao’s forests may still hold species science has yet to name.

The Film Academy of the Philippines announced that eight films have been shortlisted as contenders to become the Philippines’ official entry to the 2027 Oscars Best International Feature Film category.

The agency revealed on Friday, Aug. 28, the list of films, which includes Carl Joseph E. Papa’s ’58th,’ Jade Castro’s ‘All the Things I Leave You (Patawid),’ Rafael Manuel’s ‘Filipiñana,’ Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo’s ‘I’mPerfect,’ Raymond Red’s ‘Manila’s Finest,’ Jerrold Tarog’s ‘Quezon,’ Lawrence Fajardo’s ‘Silenced Nights’ and Jun Robles Lana’s ‘Sisa.’

‘The films this year offer a spectrum of views of the Filipino experience. They look at our history, the issues we continue to face, and the ways Filipinos deal with questions of power, identity, love, freedom, and survival,’ said Film Academy of the Philippines Director-General Paolo Villaluna.

‘Each one has its own voice and approach, showcasing our cinematic merit and any of them has the potential to connect with audiences beyond the Philippines. Whichever film we send to the Oscars will carry a Filipino story that we can be proud of,’ he added.

The selection process will be headed by a National Selection Committee composed of Filipino film industry experts.

The chosen film will be announced during the opening ceremony of the Philippine Film Industry Month on Sept. 4.

Tycoon Lance Gokongwei has taken the helm of PhilWeb Corp. after investing P2.02 billion in the the listed gaming technology firm, which is ramping up its artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure for the regulated digital gaming sector.

In a disclosure on Friday, PhilWeb said Gokongwei had acquired 159.53 million common shares at P8 each on Aug. 27 under a previously executed share purchase agreement.

The transaction was worth about P1.28 billion and brought Gokongwei’s direct holdings to 159.53 million shares. Including preferred shares, the tycoon’s stake in PhilWeb stood at 15 percent.

PhilWeb said Gokongwei’s recent strategic equity investment totaled P2.02 billion.

The purchase comes as Gokongwei assumes the chairmanship of PhilWeb, completing a governance restructuring that followed his appointment to the board in July.

His entry also comes as PhilWeb accelerates the rollout of its enterprise AI layer, part of its push to become an institutional-grade digital gaming solutions provider.

The company said its immediate priorities include real-time operational monitoring, algorithmic risk management, regulatory compliance automation, anti-fraud detection and data-driven customer lifecycle optimization.

‘This transition marks a critical inflection point for our capitalization and operational scale,’ Gokongwei said.

He added that PhilWeb aims to deploy institutional-grade, AI-powered infrastructure to set a new operational standard for security and compliance across the regulated digital ecosystem.

PhilWeb president Brian Ng said Gokongwei’s leadership would provide the governance needed for the company’s next phase of expansion, particularly as it develops infrastructure for integrated casino resorts and global platform providers.

PhilWeb said its AI-driven technology currently supports an ecosystem that includes Okada Manila, Hann Casino, Newport World Resorts, Nustar Resort and Casino, FBM Philippines and PT Gaming.

Malacañang and the civil society group August Twenty-One Movement (Atom) on Thursday called out Sen. Robinhood Padilla for equating pseudonyms used by Filipino patriots with the odd-sounding ‘aliases’ found on the receipts for the confidential funds used by the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

Palace press officer Claire Castro said the two situations were fundamentally different, pointing out that Filipino revolutionaries used fake names while fighting for their countrymen, while the people identified by aliases in the OVP receipts were allegedly paid for providing information.

‘Heroes of the past likely fought for the country without expecting payment. However, informants of today appear unwilling to act without compensation,’ Castro said.

‘The heroes of that time, even if they used pseudonyms, were known to be real people. In the receipts presented now, we do not know whether these are real people or whether they are fictitious or ‘ghost’ beneficiaries,’ she added.

Padilla, during the 19th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, reminded private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia that even heroes and revolutionaries used aliases in their time.

He also quizzed Divinagracia about her knowledge of the alias ‘Marcial Bonifacio.’

‘Mocking’ Ninoy memory

The senator said the prosecution was seemingly making the unusual names in the acknowledgement receipts a laughing matter.

These names include Mary Grace Piattos, Antonio Pagong, Timon Andrew Pusa, Don Piang, Shane Ngitngit, Xuniso P. Bela, and May Pamana.

‘This is what the prosecution was presenting: that there are funny names here […] but the aliases of the people in history are funnier. And one more thing, do you know Marcial Bonifacio?’ Padilla asked.

He was referring to the name adopted by Sen. Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. in 1983 to evade the dictatorship’s efforts to stop his return to the country and continue his struggle for democracy.

Castro said she was not in a position to judge the remarks of Padilla, who, she added had the right to his own views.

‘But we also need to show the truth so that our young people will not be misled about the actual role our heroes played. They may have used pseudonyms, but not to hide payment,’ she said.

Atom, meanwhile, said Padilla was ‘mocking the memory and the good name of the person who is one of the major reasons he and all of us can speak and move freely without fear of arrest or oppression.’

Atom was a political organization founded in August 1983 shortly after Aquino’s assassination during the Marcos dictatorship.

‘We remind Senator Padilla that our heroes of yesterday, including Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, Emilio Jacinto, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, among others, used aliases to fight for our freedom, for justice, and to win our rights for the people, not to misuse public funds and abuse power,’ said Atom in a statement.

‘Freedom is not free, Mr. Senator; before all of us were able to enjoy freedom, other individuals had to sacrifice their lives, and that is why we consider them heroes of our land,’ it added.

In a separate statement, academic research organization Project Gunita also rebuked the senator, saying Aquino’s alias ‘symbolized bravery and martyrdom, and a yearning to come home.’

Do ‘proper research’

‘Ninoy did not need millions in confidential funds to ascertain that he was about to commit a huge gamble once he stepped off that aircraft,’ it said.

It noted that political allies, such as Salvador Laurel and Eva Estrada-Kalaw, warned Aquino about rumors that he would be killed if he came home, prompting him to conceal his return by traveling under the pseudonym ‘Marcial Bonifacio’ on a fake passport.

The name was derived from martial law and Fort Bonifacio, where Aquino was imprisoned for nearly eight years.

‘Did it work? History will tell you the answer. Nevertheless, despite the clear risks against his own life, Ninoy Aquino decided to come home, even in the face of a certain public execution,’ Project Gunita said.

‘Google is free. We suggest to the good senator, or his office, to make use of the internet and do their proper research,’ it added.