Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Alex Eala has helped drive ticket prices to all-time high levels as the US Open gets off the ground at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Friday (Saturday in Manila), with the Filipino superstar taking the court against a yet-to-be-named qualifier on Sunday morning.

‘Price increases for the US Open this year reflect big names like Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz and Alex Eala, setting records in anticipation of getting to see these huge stars perform,’ Yahoo Sports’ contributing writer Shlomo Sprung quoted Michael Stock, GameTime’s director of pricing and business strategy, as saying in a report published Friday.

According to Sprung’s report, average ticket prices this year ballooned from $196 in 2022 to $346 (around P21,100) this year, where the average Armstrong ticket price is up 52 percent year-over-year.

The 21-year-old Eala, a former US Open girls’ champion, is seeded 17th in New York and belongs to the quarterfinal draw of Coco Gauff, who won the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open event, 6-2, 6-4, over Jessica Pegula last week in Ohio.

Her breakout tournament in Miami in the previous year signaled the start of a new form of madness in how live matches are being attended, as Filipino communities, wherever Eala plays, come out in droves to show support, a following that earned the name ‘Eala-mania.’

Even other WTA stars welcomed this development as something good for the sport.

Should Eala, who broke through at the WTA level by ruling the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, also against Pegula, advance to the second round anew, she will face the winner of the Oleksandra Oliynykova-Reese Brantmeier match. Brantmeier made the main draw as a wildcard.

Also on her side of the draw are No. 14 seed Iva Jovic, who takes on Magdalena Frech, and Magda Linette, who also faces a qualifier in the first round.

In the previous year, the Filipino tennis ace reached the Round of 64 after beating Clara Tauson in a breakthrough Grand Slam win.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, will be making his first tournament appearance in singles play since April. He played in the mixed doubles and was forced out of the first round with his team-up with the legendary Serena Williams.

Alcaraz is the No. 2 seed and will face Roman Safiullin. The two-time US Open champion was forced to miss the French Open and Wimbledon because of a right wrist injury.

The Spaniard looked rusty in the mixed doubles tournament. He may have to be sharper against Safiullin, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, upsetting Andrey Rublev and Joao Fonseca along the way before falling to 24-time Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic in four sets.

Safiullin also upset Alcaraz, ranked No. 2 at the time, in the ATP Masters 1000 in Paris in 2023. Alcaraz avenged that loss the following year at the Paris Olympics in their lone other meeting

The James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital (JLGMH) in Olongapo City has reached full bed capacity amid a continuing increase in patients, including suspected and confirmed cases of leptospirosis.

In a public advisory on Friday, Aug. 28, the hospital said that despite the situation, its emergency room remains open and patients will continue to undergo proper triage and medical assessment.

However, with all inpatient beds occupied, patients who require admission may experience delays.

When necessary, the hospital will coordinate referrals to other appropriate health facilities based on the patient’s condition and the level of care required.

JLGMH also said pediatric patients who may require dialysis, particularly children weighing less than 30 kilograms, will be carefully assessed by doctors on a case-by-case basis.

Patients who require a higher or more specialized level of care will be referred to an appropriate facility to ensure their safety and proper management.

‘We ask for the public’s understanding and cooperation as our doctors, nurses, and hospital staff continue to do everything they can to provide safe and proper care to every patient amid the current surge,’ the hospital’s statement said in Filipino.

For non-emergency conditions, the public was encouraged to seek appropriate outpatient or primary care services to help ease congestion in the emergency room

Since his call-up to Gilas Pilipinas, Justin Brownlee has always played the role of ‘Mr. Clutch’ for the Philippines.

When the Philippines found itself in overtime against Jordan in the second round of the Fiba World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, it needed someone to take on the mantle of savior with Brownlee out.

Enter CJ Perez.

‘My coaches just trusted me. They kept telling me to attack the basket and drive to the paint,’ he told reporters after their gritty 82-81 overtime win over Jordan at Mall of Asia Arena on Friday.

‘When I drive, sometimes others are open and sometimes, I can shoot it.’

FOURTH QUARTER CJ

CJ Perez talks about taking over Gilas Pilipinas in the clutch vs. Jordan. | @MeloFuertesINQ

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/UxbZM5DE3E pic.twitter.com/zKv2cesq7e

– INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) August 28, 2026

After Jordan took a 66-64 lead with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter, Perez took matters into his own hands and scored the Philippines’ final six points to send the game into overtime tied at 72-all.

He also went on to sink four of Gilas’ 10 points in the extra period.

‘When you’re in situations like those, sometimes you don’t even think about things,’ he said. ‘But, I have my confidence given by my teammates because I was shooting well. I’m proud that my teammates are proud of me.’

The San Miguel Beer star knew when to attack but also when to make the timely plays.

With the score tied at 79, Perez drove the paint once more but this time, kicked it out for a wide-open Kevin Quiambao, who sank the dagger for the Philippines with 11.7 left in the game.

‘Luckily, KQ was there, I saw him and he made the shot. He has so much confidence and I’m proud of him,’ Perez said proudly.

In the end, the four-time PBA champion recorded 16 points, four rebounds and one very important assist.

Philippine travelers must brace for more expensive airfares in early September as the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has again raised the allowable fuel surcharge, which airlines charge on top of base fares to account for volatility in jet fuel prices.

In an advisory dated Aug. 27, the regulator said the fuel surcharge would revert to Level 13 from Sept. 1 to 15 after retreating to Level 12 from Aug. 16 to 31, as prices in the global jet fuel market drifted higher.

Under Level 13, airlines may collect an additional P423 to P1,237 for domestic trips, up from the P389 to P1,137 in allowable surcharges under Level 12.

That same increase will apply to international flights, with allowable fuel surcharges rising to between P1,396.74 to P10,385.42 from P1,284.40 and P9,550.13 in the previous cycle.

CAB said airlines would add these charges on top of base fares and apply a conversion rate of P61.39 per US dollar.

The increase comes amid continued volatility in the global jet fuel market as the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes, remains largely closed in the absence of a firm peace agreement between the warring United States and Iran.

Based on monitoring by the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel prices recorded two straight weekly increases-to $163.87 per barrel as of Aug. 21 from $158.91 per barrel the previous week-after declining in early August and late July.

Such volatility in fuel prices has pronounced effects on airlines, as jet fuel typically account for about 25 percent to 30 percent of their costs.

Two of the largest airlines in the Philippines-Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific and Lucio Tan-led Philippine Airlines (PAL)-ended the first half in the red as higher fuel costs weighed on their finances, while elevated airfares also pressured travel demand.

PAL ended the first semester with a net loss of $25.1 million as fuel expenses surged to $674.5 million. Cebu Pacific, meanwhile, incurred a P5.9-billion net loss as expenses ballooned to P68.28 billion.

In a celebration honoring visionaries who shape the modern Philippine landscape, Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls, was named one of 10 distinguished honorees at The Business Manual’s annual CEO Awards. The recognition highlights a selective group of business leaders who go beyond traditional commerce to define the future of retail, culture, and community living across the nation.

The CEO Awards celebrates leaders through a lens of purposeful excellence, evaluating nominees for transformational leadership, resilience, and a commitment to sustainable development. As one of this year’s 10 awardees, Tan was selected for his capacity to redefine the shopping center experience, continuously elevating everyday life for millions of Filipinos while cultivating a thriving ecosystem for local entrepreneurs.

For over two decades, Tan has guided SM Supermalls in evolving far beyond traditional retail spaces into vibrant lifestyle destinations-the heart of neighborhood culture, family gatherings, and community connection. The accolade reflects his passion for creating spaces where life happens, business grows, and communities flourish together.

In an intimate acceptance speech, Tan shared a deeply felt message of gratitude:

‘If this journey has taught me anything, it is that nothing truly meaningful is ever built alone,’ Tan reflected. ‘This honor belongs to our extraordinary SM Supermalls team, the Sy family for their unwavering trust and mentorship, our partner tenants who bring our spaces to life, and every single Filipino family who lets us be part of their lives. On a personal note, everything I know about hard work, kindness, and serving others comes directly from my mother-Mom, this one is for you. And to my life partner, Dos, thank you for being my constant inspiration every single day.’

Looking ahead, Tan reaffirmed a vision centered on people, lifestyle, and shared growth: ‘Our purpose remains simple and clear: to serve our communities, uplift homegrown talent, and build a brighter foundation for the next generation.’

The spokesperson for the Office of the Ombudsman continued to express doubt over the official reason given by Sen. Loren Legarda for her continued medical leave, which had been extended for almost a month now.

This was despite an earlier statement from Senate President Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian attesting to Legarda having a ‘serious illness.’

‘Well, if [Legarda] really has a serious illness, then she should have requested just one medical leave, rather than getting repeated extensions,’ Clavano said at a press conference on Friday.

Legarda and her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, are under investigation over the projects that the latter’s solar power company committed but allegedly failed to accomplish under the franchise awarded by the government.

Legarda first filed a medical leave on Aug. 3, days after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that both mother and son, as well as former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, were being investigated for plunder and graft.

‘Increases suspicion’

Legarda filed the fourth extension of her medical leave until Sept. 2. Leviste also sought a two-month travel authority from the House, from July 26 to Sept. 24, Clavano earlier said.

‘The fact that both the mother and son are out of the country adds to the speculation, or increases the suspicion, of the Office of the Ombudsman,’ he said, noting that there’s a standing order for the two to submit their counteraffidavit.

Preliminary probe

‘We hope that you (Legarda and Leviste) will remain in the country for now so that we can shed some light on what happened and allow the public to know the truth,’ Clavano said, adding:

‘That’s why we are flagging their travel at this point. .. it is really very suspicious that they are there [abroad], while they have a case here that requires them to answer and appear, and that they chose to leave the country at precisely this time.’

Investigators alleged that Legarda, Leviste and Cusi ‘conspired to secure exclusive government rights over the country’s solar energy resources through legislative and regulatory actions.’

Despite the awards, they said, ‘many of the projects were never developed as promised.’

The antigraft body said the terminated contracts of Leviste’s Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. (SPPPHI) resulted in more than P10.44 billion in unpaid financial obligations to the government.

Leviste, who founded SPPPHI in 2013 when he was just 20 years old, won more than 30 service contracts with the government.

Remulla said Leviste would not have won the contracts-awarded during the Duterte administration-without his senator mother.

‘Baseless allegation’

In an earlier statement, Legarda, the former chair of the powerful Senate committee on finance, described the allegations as ‘utterly false and baseless.’

‘No public funds were involved. We are prepared to bring out the truth,’ she said. ‘This baseless allegation is a smear on my person that is totally undeserved.’

‘We remain confident that once the facts are laid bare, we will be vindicated and our names cleared,’ Legarda said.

The motoring public will get a small break from rising fuel prices next week, with possible rollbacks reaching up to P4 per liter on Sept. 1.

Jetti Petroleum Leo Bellas said the per-liter price of diesel may go down by P3.50 to P4. Gasoline prices may also dip by 25 centavos to 75 centavos.

‘Prices declined this week as threatened US sanctions fell short of the market’s expectations and viewed the economic pressure as a lower-risk path for physical supply than a military escalation, reducing the oil market’s anxiety and easing immediate supply concerns,’ Bellas said in an advisory.

Renewed hopes on a potential end to the Iran war surfaced after Tehran said it had resumed talks with Oman, including the reopening of crucial maritime route Strait of Hormuz.

‘However, with the recent rebound in world oil prices following latest reports that the US is not interested in returning to the ceasefire deal terms with Iran, the potential rollback on local pump prices next week could be capped, with risk of pushing to the lower limits of the initial estimated range,’ Bellas said

All four members of the Philippines’ first delegation to the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) won medals in Astana, Kazakhstan, this August, bringing home one silver and three bronze medals.

Theo Lorenzo T. Bustamante of Philippine Science High School-Calabarzon Region Campus won silver, while Ellison Matthew S. Ang of Philippine Science High School-Main Campus, Juan Mateo J. Desuasido of Brent International School Manila and Jhareign S. Solidum of University of Mindanao Ilang High School each won bronze.

The four-member team competed against 466 high school students from 108 countries and territories, giving the Philippines a 100 percent medal rate in its IOAI debut.

Bustamante ranked 80th overall, placing among the top 17 percent of competitors. The Philippines was also among 11 of 18 countries making their IOAI debut in 2026 that won at least one silver medal.

Overall, the competition awarded 37 gold, 73 silver and 110 bronze medals.

Now in its third year, the IOAI tests students in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and multimodal processing.

The weeklong competition was officially opened by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and featured international artificial intelligence experts and technology leaders, including Kai-Fu Lee. It was the first event held at the newly constructed facilities of the Kazakhstan National University of Sports.

The Philippine delegation was selected, trained and managed by International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence Philippines (IOAI PH), hosted by the Ateneo Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) under the John Gokongwei School of Management of Ateneo de Manila University.

Students qualified through a merit-based national screening process, with participation offered free of charge.

RELATED STORY: CIT-U students bring home inaugural ASEAN AI Hackathon championship to Cebu

Over 10 months, Ateneo BUILD provided the team with cloud testing infrastructure and proctoring environments and conducted expert-led boot camps on machine learning theory, computer vision, natural language processing, audio processing and VRAM constraint optimization.

‘A 100% medal rate on our global debut proves that Philippine talent can immediately compete at the highest level of international AI,’ IOAI PH executive director and team leader Martin Gomez said.

‘Outranking competitors from traditional global STEM powerhouses in our very first year establishes a baseline for what our students can accomplish with structured training, corporate backing, and national support,’ Gomez added.

Held under the patronage of UNESCO, the IOAI was hosted by the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation with support from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and Ministry of Education.

Singapore will host the fourth IOAI in 2027.

Kevin Quiambao found his rhythm when Gilas Pilipinas needed it most on Friday.

Quiambao buried a crucial three-pointer with 11.7 seconds left in overtime as Gilas Pilipinas survived Jordan, 82-81, in the Fiba World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.

‘Tinira ko lang. I practice those shots,’ said an exhausted but ecstatic Quiambao.

‘That was just a rhythm shot. I was already in my rhythm when I took that shot. Luckily, it went in and I’m thankful for Kuya CJ (Perez) for giving that pass.’

KING KQ ????

Kevin Quiambao talks about his heroics for Gilas Pilipinas in their overtime win over Jordan. | @MeloFuertesINQ

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/UxbZM5DE3E pic.twitter.com/HAcYUx6hT1

– INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) August 28, 2026

Gilas had possession in the dying seconds of overtime, with the game tied at 79-all, when CJ Perez found a wide-open Quiambao, who promptly sank the dagger for an 82-79 lead.

Perez, who also delivered key baskets for the Philippines late in regulation and overtime, said he was just trying to make the right play when the defense collapsed on him.

‘I’ve been shooting my layups and the defenders were collapsing. Luckily, KQ was there, I saw him and he made the shot,’ said the San Miguel Beer star, who finished with 16 points.

‘He has so much confidence and I’m proud of him,’ he added.

Quiambao’s heroics set up a thrilling finish where Kai Sotto also rose to the occasion with a massive block on Jordan’s Abdullah Olajuwon.

The former La Salle star ended with 14 points and five rebounds in the win that sent Gilas Pilipinas to a 3-4 record in Group E.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Friday over 200 personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), including all its regional directors, are being investigated for an alleged scheme in which applicants are asked to pay for available ‘slots’ or positions in the agency.

At a press briefing at Camp Crame, Remulla vowed to ‘clean up’ the BFP, an agency of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). ‘This will be a massive purge,’ he said.

‘We’re now investigating more than 200 personnel regarding the slots-for-sale [scheme],’ he said, adding that ‘as of now, all regional directors are being investigated.’

But the BFP and the Philippine National Police have yet to finalize how many ‘slot-selling’ cases are being investigated, he said.

Reileved SFO

Police in Pampanga recently arrested a BFP official from Metro Manila with the rank of senior fire officer (SFO) 1, who allegedly asked an applicant at the bureau’s Central Luzon office to hand her an initial P500,000.

Fire Chief Supt. Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, BFP officer in charge, said at the briefing the SFO concerned had been relieved from her post and is now facing dismissal proceedings.

According to police, this SFO had also allegedly claimed to have successfully orchestrated the hiring of four other applicants in the past year.

Remulla said these four applicants have been subpoenaed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the PNP.

‘They can either testify…or we will charge them because they paid,’ the interior chief said. ‘If they testify, we will give them clemency because they are as much … victim[s]. But they have to come out with all the deeds.’

Remulla said earlier the arrested SFO had named a ‘senior fire commissioned officer’ as an accomplice-further identifying that official as a deputy director for administration in BFP Calabarzon.

P100,000 to P800,000

Kwan Tiu also said the BFP and police had arrested another SFO 1 in the Ilocos Region who had recently been dismissed, but he did not provide further details.

The alleged scheme offered slots in the bureau ranging from P100,000 to P800,000, according to Remulla.

He said before his appointment to the DILG, BFP personnel involved in this scheme made at least P15 billion a year, including kickbacks in the purchase of equipment and additional fees for inspections.

Remulla and Kwan Tiu also cited recent reforms in the BFP, particularly the adoption of an electronic hiring system in the recruitment of applicants for next year.

‘As long as people are involved in the selection, that’s where corruption happens. Now, the lists are systems-generated,’ Remulla said.

Kwan Tiu said he will explore options with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to protect the identities of BFP applicants. The bureau, similar to the PNP, publishes its lists of applicants in a bid for transparency.

Earlier this year, Remulla launched an anticorruption drive in the BFP, starting with criminal and administrative cases against more than 40 personnel and the relief of over 900 fire safety inspectors in Metro Manila for alleged questionable practices.

The campaign included the suspension of then BFP chief Fire Director Jesus Fernandez, whom Remulla had accused of facilitating a kickback scheme on the procurement of fire trucks and ambulances.

Remulla had vowed to ‘clean the BFP and remove all its syndicates.

‘My goal is to strengthen the institution of the DILG. It used to be very weak. It used to be very porous,’ he said. ‘I will not leave as [Secretary] until I clean this up.’