Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

After hitting rock bottom the previous conference, Rey Nambatac is determined to bounce back and play a prominent role for TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

‘To be honest, my last conference was a wake-up call and an eye-opener for me,’ Nambatac said. ‘I’ve been playing in the PBA for 8 years and that was my worst performance conference so far.’

Nambatac responded in a big way on Sunday, scoring 23 points in the Tropang 5G’s 106-103 win over the Macau Giant Pandas at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The southpaw hit 8-of-15 from the field on top of three rebounds and six assists to fill in for the absence of key players who will be sidelined for the first few games of the season-ending conference.

It’s a start that Nambatac is hoping to sustain after failing to meet his expectations during the Commissioner’s Cup when TNT lost to Barangay Ginebra for the championship.

During that conference, Nambatac averaged 5.5 points and became a subject of trade talks, including one that will send him to Titan Ultra for two-way forward Joshua Munzon.

It was perhaps the lowest point of Nambatac’s time with TNT that began with two championships and a Finals MVP in the 2025 edition of the Commissioner’s Cup.

‘I can’t be like that,’ he said. ‘I need to step up and return to my usual game. It’s a good thing that I got a good start and hopefully this will continue.

‘The key for myself in this conference is to be more consistent,’ added Nambatac.

TNT prevailed to begin a conference that will see the perennial contenders play the early part minus the likes of Calvin Oftana, Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has distributed 36,140 Bayanihan SIM cards to kindergarten to grade 6 learners across the Bicol region as part of the government’s efforts to expand internet access and support digital learning.

Cyryl Montales, DICT-Bicol information officer, said the SIM cards, each preloaded with 25 gigabytes of open-access data every month for one year, are being provided to elementary learners.

‘The SIM card being distributed depends on the availability of existing telecommunications providers in the area,’ Montales said.

She said the DICT continues to distribute the Bayanihan SIM cards to eligible beneficiaries across the region.

Christian Roy N. Melad, officer-in-charge regional director of DICT-Bicol, said the program is aimed at providing learners with reliable internet connectivity for access to online learning resources, educational platforms, government digital services, and other information.

He said the initiative also helps ease families’ expenses for mobile data while giving children greater opportunities to learn, communicate, and safely explore the digital world.

‘The Bayanihan SIM Program is one of DICT’s key initiatives to empower underserved communities through digital connectivity, ensuring that learners across the country have greater access to education and opportunities made possible by the internet,’ Melad said.

A parent of one of the beneficiaries, Restie Loren Panis, said the free data allocation would help reduce her family’s internet expenses.

‘The Bayanihan SIM will greatly support my children’s educational needs by giving them easier access to online learning materials and information whenever they need it,’ Panis said

Antonio Hester returned to the PBA on a triumphant note Saturday, helping Meralco pull out a victory over Rain or Shine as its replacement or temporary import.

But whether he’s here to fill in while Jordon Varnado deals with a calf injury or will reinforce the Bolts for the long haul, Hester wants to make sure he makes the most out of it.

‘I know the situation and I understand everything,’ Hester said after posting 21 points and nine rebounds in Meralco’s 122-114 win at Ynares Center.

‘So for me right now, it’s just to come here and do my part, do my job, stay professional,’ he continued. ‘And whenever he (Varnado) gets healthy, whatever decision they make, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be the best for the team. And then we just go from there.’

Meralco tapped the former Terrafirma and Magnolia import after Varnado missed Wednesday’s narrow loss to Phoenix at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Coach Luigi Trillo said bringing in Hester was intended to bring in someone familiar with the league. Hester played for Terrafirma in the 2022 and 2024 editions of the tournament and for Magnolia in 2023.

‘I was at home with my wife and kids, but I was training, I wasn’t sitting down, I’m always doing something. Me and my family, we’re very active,’ Hester said, recalling how the Bolts opportunity came.

‘I was in Boston actually playing a tournament, and we won the tournament. Then I got home, and then I got the call, and the next day I was on a flight here. So it was very quick.’

Hester and the Bolts are hoping the win would spark good things, especially with the team in a tough Group A that also includes Barangay Ginebra, Rain or Shine, Blackwater and Magnolia.

‘Like I tell people, I love being here in the Philippines, and anytime that I get the call and the opportunity to come here, I’m extremely thankful and I’m always hyped, like I get jitters like a little kid on Christmas day,’ said Hester.

‘I’m just happy and joyful. To be here, I’m very thankful, and I’m happy that they’re happy with me. We’re just going to continue to grow.

More than three tons of undocumented meat products were seized by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in Region 12 in Koronadal City on Thursday.

Grace Rosete, supervising meat control officer of NMIS-Region 12, said the seizure stemmed from a regular monitoring and surveillance operation after the agency received information about the alleged illegal transport of imported meat products.

Acting on the tip, inspectors found frozen meat products loaded inside a delivery van carrying fruits and vegetables instead of a refrigerated vehicle designed for transporting meat.

Rosete said the shipment’s owner failed to present the required documents, including a Certificate of Meat Inspection (COMI), shipping permit, and Letter of Acceptance required for the entry of pork products into the province as part of biosecurity measures against African Swine Fever (ASF).

The driver was only able to present a delivery receipt.

Authorities confiscated 3,404.65 kilograms of frozen meat products, including pork mask, chicken breast fillet, boneless chicken leg meat, pork fat, mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDM), and pork liver.

Rosete said the immediate penalty was the confiscation of the entire shipment. She added that NMIS is preparing a report for its central office, which will determine whether or not charges will be filed.

The seized meat products were immediately transported to the Koronadal City sanitary landfill for proper disposal in coordination with the City Veterinary Office.

According to Rosete, the delivery van came from Davao City and was able to pass through checkpoints because it was registered as a vehicle transporting fruits instead of meat.

The NMIS also reminded meat traders to comply with proper documentation and transport requirements to help ensure food safety and prevent the spread of animal diseases such as ASF.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Sunday said the Senate blue ribbon committee will continue its inquiry into the flood control scandal once panel members are finalized after the Senate resumes its session on July 27.

According to Tulfo, who chairs the blue ribbon panel, the committee cannot conduct a hearing at the moment as its membership has not been finalized yet.

‘In the morning of [July] 27, which is the Sona (State of the Nation Address), we will formalize the Blue Ribbon Committee,’ said Tulfo in a radio interview, as quoted by his office in a statement.

‘We cannot conduct a hearing yet because the membership has not yet been finalized,’ he explained.

‘There will still be submissions of names to complete the membership and have it declared on the Senate floor – so it becomes official,’ he added.

The senator guaranteed that the flood control probe will push through, even stressing that there will be new names of those identified to be involved in the scandal.

‘We will have a flood control investigation. But what if the same names [of] those who were charged by the Ombudsman due to the first blue ribbon committee Report will come up again? Are we going to repeat it? There have to be new names,’ he said.

Tulfo intends to introduce stricter rules on the treatment of affidavits and the prohibition on surprise witnesses.

Infra masterplan needed

Meanwhile, Tulfo in the same statement, underscored the need for a Philippine Infrastructure Masterplan so projects will not rely on politics, thereby preventing another flood control scam.

‘The flood control scam, being out in the open, can be considered a blessing in disguise. We discovered the reason behind the non-stop flooding problem: our roads. It’s because the funds are being pocketed,’ he observed.

‘For too long, infrastructure planning has largely been tied to the priorities of each administration. If we have a master plan, it doesn’t matter where the next president would be coming from,’ he remarked.

He then urged his colleagues to support the push for his Senate Bill no. 1360 or the ‘Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act.’

The bill seeks to establish a whole-of-government strategy for infrastructure projects in the country.

Projects with national significance will be prioritized, and they are connected to regional and sectoral development plans.

Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution when passing through Poblacion, Damulog, Bukidnon, after a nearly 100-meter crack developed on a secondary two-lane concrete road following the July 17 landslide in Sitio Marahan, Marilog District, Davao City.

The damaged road serves as an alternate route linking Bukidnon and North Cotabato after the Marilog landslide cut off the main highway connecting Davao City, Bukidnon, and Cagayan de Oro City.

Katya Clemencio, acting chief of the Damulog Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), said on Saturday that the cracked section is located along the road leading to the town’s public market and transport terminal.

Because the road runs beside a cliff, authorities initially prohibited heavy vehicles from passing due to safety concerns.

Personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bukidnon 2nd District Engineering Office later inspected the area and allowed heavy vehicles to pass under a one-way, one-at-a-time traffic scheme supervised by traffic personnel.

Clemencio said the national highway in Purok 8, Poblacion, connecting to North Cotabato remains impassable due to an earlier landslide, making the cracked secondary road the municipality’s primary alternate route.

Earlier, Dean Ortiz, DPWH Region 11 spokesperson, said the Marilog road collapse was triggered by a landslide after weeks of continuous rainfall saturated the soil in the landslide-prone area.

Motorists traveling between Davao City and Bukidnon have been advised to take the Marahan-Datu Ladayon-Matigol-Camp 1, Maramag route, which adds about 30 minutes to travel time.

DPWH Region 10 advised motorists to use the Maramag-Carmen-Kabacan-Digos-Davao Road for all types of vehicles or the Campo Uno section of the Davao-Bukidnon Road for light vehicles while the Sitio Marahan road remains closed due to the road slip.

Both regional DPWH offices said their engineers continue to monitor and assess the landslide area and alternate routes to ensure public safety while restoration work on the affected highway continues.

Lionel Messi’s battle-hardened Argentina takes on silky Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday as the first 48-team tournament in history reaches a climax in New Jersey.

The South Americans are striving to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups, while Spain is eyeing a second title after their maiden victory in 2010.

Sunday’s showpiece is likely to be the final World Cup appearance for Messi, widely considered the greatest player of all time.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni urged fans to make the most of seeing the diminutive genius lead out his team at the MetLife Stadium at the age of 39.

‘He has made history. He is a legend,’ Scaloni said of the former Barcelona player, who helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

The three-time champions have shown an astonishing never-say-die attitude during the 2026 tournament.

They recovered from 2-0 down in the closing stages against Egypt in the last 16 and mounted another dramatic comeback in the final minutes of their semifinal against England.

Spain, on the other hand, has been almost flawless, conceding just a single goal in their seven matches so far and sweeping past France in the semifinals.

Spain captain Rodri said he was bracing for a ‘physical’ battle and would aim to ignore any possible ‘provocations’.

‘It will be a more physical one, and we must be prepared,’ said the midfielder. ‘But I believe that if we are known for something in this national team, it is that we know how to play different games based on the moment.’

England seals bronze

On Saturday, England beat France 6-4 in a high-scoring thriller to seal third place -its best finish since it won the tournament in 1966.

Kylian Mbappe became the competition’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals – one ahead of Messi, who can reclaim the record on Sunday.

The France hotshot is on 10 goals for the 2026 tournament, two ahead of Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.

‘I would have preferred not to be the all-time top scorer and to be playing tomorrow’s match,’ said Mbappe.

As the two finalists fine-tuned preparations, a persistent, choking smog blanketed the eastern United States.

Wildfires burning in Canada have sent heavy, acrid smoke billowing across the border, with residents in New York, Washington and the US Midwest urged to stay indoors due to poor air quality.

At one point on Saturday, the smoke made New York City the most polluted city in the world but conditions are expected to ease by the time the final kicks off.

US President Donald Trump will be among the 80,000-strong crowd at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford – the first game he has attended in the tournament.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will also attend, meaning the leaders of all three host nations will be present.

A galaxy of A-list stars will be performing, from Tom Cruise in the pre-game closing ceremony to Madonna and Shakira in the half-time show – the first in World Cup history.

Trump on Friday hailed the tournament as ‘the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world’ as he held a reception in New York with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.

Infantino also reached for hyperbole, saying the event had ‘exceeded all expectations’.

‘This has not just been and is not just the greatest World Cup of all times,’ Infantino said. ‘It is the greatest human, social, and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed.’

Across China’s southeastern Fujian province-the ancestral homeland of most Chinese-Filipino clans-Philippine property giant SM Prime Holdings is reshaping the landscape, from the industrial city of Jinjiang to the coastal ‘garden city’ of Xiamen.

Reminiscent of how the group founded by the late tycoon Henry Sy Sr. left its mark on key cities in the Philippines, the all-too-familiar SM logo is making its way into major areas across China.

To date, the group has built shopping malls in nine mainland locations, covering a gross floor area (GFA) of 1.8 million square meters. Beyond Fujian, the group has also entered the provinces of Sichuan, Jiangsu and Shandong as well as the municipalities of Chongqing and Tianjin.

But the group’s crown jewel here is SM City Xiamen, which has become the single biggest shopping complex in all of Fujian. With 460,000 square meters of GFA built in three phases over the last 25 years, the complex offers three retail blocks, each with a distinct market positioning to capture a diverse consumer base.

Housing more than 800 tenants, the mall complex sees foot traffic hit as many as 500,000 on weekends, while averaging 150,000 on weekdays.

SM City Xiamen was also the very first mall that the Sy family opened in China, back in 2001. Standing on a 12-hectare land straddling the adjacent districts of Huli and Siming, it has undergone several phases of expansion, evolving from a first-generation ‘big-box’ mall into a trendy, transit-oriented lifestyle destination.

Phase 1 is a family destination mall catering to a broader market. Phase 2, which opened in 2009, is a lifestyle mall highlighting urban-chic brands. Phase 3, opened in December 2022 right after pandemic lockdowns, serves as a retail hub for a young, hip crowd.

As a landlord, SM Prime has likewise diversified to offer office space and, more recently, the chic 325-room voco Xiamen SM City under global hospitality group IHG Hotels and Resorts. Three 19-story office buildings were completed last year within the mall complex, and two more office skyscrapers are scheduled to launch next year.

Change in strategy

In the past, SM Prime was opportunistic in building its presence in China, aiming to open at least one new mall every year. This drove the expansion of SM malls into Chengdu, Suzhou, Chongqing, Zibo, Tianjin and Yangzhou.

Moving forward, SM Prime’s new strategy is to focus intensely on Fujian, building a regional stronghold rather than spreading its wings too thin across the mainland.

For instance, its newest mall opened last October in Haicang, another district in Xiamen. This seven-floor shopping mall caters primarily to the mass market, reflecting the district’s mostly residential demographic. Meanwhile, a new mall is currently under construction in the provincial capital of Fuzhou, a major historic port city.

SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim explains to visiting journalists what prompted this shift toward a Fujian-centric strategy: ‘China is so big that wherever you go-whether it’s Fujian, Chengdu or Zibo-it’s like another country, actually.’

‘So at the end of day, we realized that the SM brand is actually very popular and quite well-known in the Fujian area because this is where our founder came from. That’s what made us decide. I think moving forward, we will focus on Fujian province,’ he adds.

Xiamen serves as a ‘test case’ for SM Prime, Lim notes. ‘When Mr. Sy started this, we were given a huge tract of land. The intent here has always been to build a mixed-use development, but it took us 25 years,’ he notes.

Back in the 1990s, when China called upon its most successful diaspora-at a time when the ‘sleeping giant’ was just beginning to stir-Sy didn’t think twice about bringing SM to his homeland.

Paying homage to his roots, Jinjiang in southeastern Fujian was the first city in China where Sy chose to invest. But while that land bank was secured early on, SM City Xiamen was the very first to open its doors, eventually becoming the group’s prototype for mixed-use urban lifestyle developments in China.

Asked what excites him most about their current presence in Xiamen, Lim points to the opening of voco hotel, the company’s first overseas hospitality venture. The property draws its unique character from Nanyang- and Minnan-inspired designs, while its broad mix of room types makes it equally suited for solo business travelers and families with young children.

Its sustainability features are equally thoughtful. Rooms come equipped with bedding made from recycled materials, aerated shower heads and premium plant-based bath amenities. Guest rooms also feature smart toilets, electric curtains and smart TV systems supporting instant screen-casting from personal electronic devices. For food deliveries, once an order reaches the lobby, a delivery robot coordinates with tech-enabled elevators to bring it straight to the guest’s room-an efficient, contactless system that is arguably less awkward than answering the door in a bathrobe.

Insights from China

‘I think we’re learning from China,’ Lim said. ‘Before, we used to send our people to the United States, or even to Europe and London. But over the last five years, instead of sending them there, we’ve sent them to China because there have been a lot of advanced developments here, especially in the shopping center industry.’

Consequently, SM’s Philippine malls stand to benefit from this active retail sandbox in China. The cross-border presence widens horizons for SM and its strategic partners, especially when it comes to curating fresh brands and dining concepts.

‘If you look at the Philippines, a lot of the dining and food concepts are actually franchised from Japan,’ Lim observes. ‘But if you go around the malls here, even those of competing developers, there are so many excellent Chinese concepts that we could bring to the Philippines.’

Pop Mart, the wildly popular toy company behind the Labubu phenomenon, is one such brand that SM recently ushered into the Philippines, alongside the Chagee milk tea chain.

SM also holds a front-row seat to China’s electric vehicle (EV) boom. Some of its mainland malls now act as landlords to tech giants like Xiaomi, whose retail shops double as high-tech EV showrooms.

Innovation shows up in small, lifestyle-oriented details, too. At the new Haicang mall, a dedicated ‘pet restroom’ allows owners to wash and groom their dogs or cats on their own, complete with free access to professional drying machines.

Health and wellness offerings also remain top priorities for SM’s properties. SM City Jinjiang features dedicated indoor badminton and basketball courts, while the SM City Xiamen complex hosts rooftop tennis and pickleball courts alongside a 24-hour

The House of Representatives is committed to ensuring that every province benefits from national development as it pursues measures to expand opportunities for families, strengthen local communities, and speed up growth nationwide.

According to a statement on Sunday, Dy stressed the point on Saturday in a message delivered on his behalf by Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez during the 60th Foundation Anniversary of South Cotabato and the 27th T’nalak Festival.

In that message, he noted that South Cotabato has shown over the past six decades what could be accomplished when government and citizens work together.

‘Every great community is woven together by people who choose unity over division; who choose service over self-interest; and who believe that our diversity is our greatest strength,’ Dy said.

‘Progress is never woven by one person. It is woven by an entire community. And weaving that future is not finished in a celebration,’ Dy said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Drawing inspiration from the T’nalak Festival, he likened the province’s colorful handwoven fabric to the collective effort required to build stronger communities despite differences in culture and tradition.

Dy also highlighted several education and nutrition measures approved by the House before the close of the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress, including the expansion of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Program, the strengthening of the Last Mile Schools Program, and the proposed National Nutrition Program, which seeks to expand school-based feeding and other nutrition interventions for Filipino children.

‘Laws matter. But what matters even more is whether people actually feel the difference. Because the true measure of every law is not what is written on paper. It is what changes in people’s lives,’ he said.

As Congress prepares to open its Second Regular Session, Dy said the House remained focused on passing legislation that responds to the real needs of Filipinos.

‘We continued to listen to the voice of our local governments and our citizens to make sure that every law that we pass responds to your true needs and the challenges that your communities face,’ he said.

Dy also stressed the House’s commitment to equitable national development, particularly for communities outside Metro Manila.

‘As Congress resumes its work, we carry with us a simple commitment: No province should be left behind. No community should be overlooked. And every Filipino – especially our kababayan in Mindanao – deserves the opportunity to succeed,’ he said.

So went Leni Robredo’s response on Saturday refuting a post which claimed that the Naga City mayor has been missing in her office and has been traveling to Manila in secret.

The former Vice President reposted on her Facebook page the post by a certain ‘Niko Perez’ which also called Robredo ‘Leni Liar.’

‘We thought she was in Naga and there was even a post about an early morning visit. When [we went] looking for her in the office, she was in Manila after all,’ claimed the post in Filipino which has since been taken down.

Robredo said the troll, which is using ‘an assumed name,’ has been operating since last year when she ran for mayor of Naga.

‘Someone else used to handle it [but] it’s different now. According to reports, a local politician is funding this,’ Robredo said in Filipino.

‘It became very obvious who this is because this politician was now being attacked upon taking on another rival,’ she also said, adding that she has also been targeted after she inspected a ‘substandard’ project.

‘Waste of time’

Robredo said she doesn’t usually respond to trolls because they’re a ‘waste of time.’ But someone who she ‘holds in very high esteem’ convinced her to challenge the claims in that post which was ‘apparently posted last Wednesday.’

‘I was supposed to attend a Mayors League Meeting in Cebu,’ the Naga mayor explained further. ‘This would have been my first time to attend since [San Juan City] Mayor Francis Zamora asked me to be present when they appoint me as Adviser for Intergovernmental Affairs. I even went to my office from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. that Wednesday. I left at 9 [a.m.] to go to the airport, but the flight was canceled, so I returned to the office after lunch, and the whole day of Thursday I was also in the office.’

‘I took the bus to Manila on Thursday evening to attend the [scheduled] meetings with QC (Quezon City) government and Comelec (Commission on Election) yesterday, Friday,’ she continued. ‘I don’t go to Manila every week. My schedule is once a month and usually, I go on Thursday or Friday so I can spend the Saturday with my daughters, two of whom are here in Manila. I’m back in Naga by Sunday. This is easily verifiable because I post [my activities] every day.’

She added that in her monthly visits to Manila, she would seek assistance from national government agencies and private partners regarding local projects.

The mayor also clarified that her trips to Manila have become more regular due to meetings called by agencies or wedding invitations from Naga residents getting married in Manila.

Robredo said her travel expenses have never been deducted from Naga’s budget. ‘Even official trips are NEVER charged as travel expenses to the City Government,’ she said. ‘In fact, we are preparing [a] report to respond to a request to post the travel expenses of all elected city officials.’

When not taking the bus, Robredo said she uses her daughter Aika’s old Tucson bought in 2012 but still in very good condition, adding that her gasoline expenses are not paid by the city government. INQ