Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

University of the Philippines big man Francis Nnoruka sparked concern among Fighting Maroon fans on Wednesday after an injury scare during the Fighting Maroons’ UAAP Season 88 Final Four duel with University of Santo Tomas.

Midway through the third quarter, Nnoruka had to be helped off the court after UST’s Nic Cabañero inadvertently landed on his left knee after a floater attempt.

‘I felt pain in my left knee, and it was a hard hit so I needed to sit it out. I’ll just go check it out tomorrow with our PT (physical therapist),’ he told Inquirer after their 82-81 win over UST at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

But when few expected it, Nnoruka returned in the fourth quarter and even finished the game. The reason was simple: he just wanted to help UP back to the Finals for the fifth straight time.

‘We all wanted it so bad. Even when I got hurt, my teammates just talked about keeping on fighting, playing through it and getting one stop,’ Nnoruka said.

‘I didn’t even talk about the pain because we’ve come this far at this point. We have to finish the job and finish the mission.’

Hurt knee and all, Nnoruka still finished with a near double-double of 19 points and nine rebounds that went along with three blocks and two steals.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has accepted delivery of the first of five newly purchased Airbus A320 aircraft, boosting its fleet for domestic route network.

PAL will add another A320 before the end of 2025, with three more joining the fleet in 2026, the carrier announced on Wednesday.

Each of these A320s, configured to carry 180 passengers, will enable PAL to increase flight frequency and provide more seamless connections between the country’s major hubs and various regional destinations.

This fleet expansion is seen to give travelers greater flexibility and improved access to different locations across the Philippines.

‘By expanding our A320 fleet, we are providing travelers with more reliable, convenient and comfortable options,’ said Rabbi Vincent Ang, President of PAL Express.

The A320 aircraft are part of PAL’s broader fleet enhancement initiatives, which also include the modernization of long-haul routes with Airbus A350-1000s, upgrades to existing narrow-body aircraft and plans to acquire new A321neo jets.

‘Right-sizing’

These investments are designed to improve operational reliability and elevate the in-flight experience for every passenger.

‘Right-sizing our fleet enables PAL to maintain and improve our on-time performance (OTP) scores, ensuring we continue to operate with the highest standards of reliability, safety, and efficiency,’ Ang added.

He further emphasized that PAL has been recognized by Cirium as the leading airline for OTP among Asia-Pacific carriers for three consecutive months, from August to October this year.

In time for the peak season, PAL has significantly increased flight frequencies on key routes-including Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Legazpi (Daraga), Dumaguete and Tacloban-to strengthen domestic connectivity.

The latest addition will increase Philippine Airlines’ systemwide fleet to 80 aircraft, including 16 A320s deployed across key domestic routes.

Shuvee Etrata expressed her gratitude to Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre for giving her and fellow ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ housemates a chance to be part of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2025 entry ‘Call Me Mother.’

Etrata, who stars as a student activist named Ria in the MMFF 2025 entry, showed her appreciation for Vice and Nadine at an intimate media huddle on Tuesday, December 2. They are also joined by co-stars Brent Manalo, Mika Salamanca, and Klarisse de Guzman.

‘Excited na excited ako for people to see [the film], thank you so much to Meme and Ate Nadz to be part of it,’ she said.

For Etrata, the opportunity to be part of the film is ‘surreal’ as someone who used to watch MMFF films back then.

‘It feels surreal as someone na nanonood ng MMFF films [dati], ngayon part na ako. Excited na akong makita ng mga tao ang pinaghirapan ng buong team. Sana ma-appreciate nila ang ginawa namin,’ she said.

Natural comedians

Touching on the work ethic of the former ‘PBB’ housemates, Vice Ganda said they are natural comedians and their closeness made it easier for him and Lustre to establish a positive working relationship.

‘Naku, mga komedyante ang mga ‘to. Humahaba ang eksena namin dahil sa kanila. Naturally, ang sasaya nila. And close na sila so sumisingaw ang closeness ng relationship nila so ang dali lang magharutan at magpatawa. Iba iba ang joke nila kada shot,’ he said. The ‘It’s Showtime’ mainstay host hoped that the closeness of the cast will extend beyond the screen.

‘Masaya ang shooting experience namin, hindi nga nila alam na tapos na. Sobra kaming nag-enjoy, masaya ang vibe sa set namin. Hindi magtatakang na kahit tapos na, tatagos sa screen ang [pag-enjoy namin] sa pelikula,’ he said.

Etrata’s remarks echoed the caption of her Instagram post, which included photos of herself with the cast of the MMFF 2025 film.

‘Nasa MMFF na kami. Thank you so much meme @praybeytbenjamin for this opportunity. Salamat sa paniniwala mo sa amin at sa pagbigay sa amin ng pagkakataon magkasama sa isang pelikula. We love you soooo much!’ she wrote.

The friendship of Etrata and Vice Ganda made headlines last September after a video of the ‘PBB’ housemate saying ‘eew’ at the actor-comedian resurfaced on social media, wherein she was being asked whether she sees select celebrities as ‘tropa’ (friend) or ‘jowa’ (lover).

The Sparkle star, however, clarified in the same video that she is not disgusted by Vice, and it is due to the fact that both of them ‘are girls.’

After the resurfaced video went viral, Etrata said she sent a message to Vice expressing her apology and hoped that they would ‘talk things out.’ She also clarified that her appearance on ‘It’s Showtime’ would depend on the ‘availability’ of her schedule.

On the other hand, Vice remained silent about the controversy.

Eight families from San Juan City have been relocated to a ‘staging area’ of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino program in the same city.

The movement was done as their makeshift houses built on top of a drainage system are currently undergoing voluntary clearing operations to mitigate flooding in the area.

This information was shared by San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora as he and Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday inspected the voluntary clearing of informal settlers at San Venancio St. in Barangay San Perfecto.

The mayor said this place is one of the flood-prone areas in the city.

Zamora said that once the area is cleared, they will be able to assess if the water once stuck in Barangay San Perfecto can now flow through F. Manalo in San Juan City.

He noted that the F. Manalo area is the ‘lowest point’ of the city as it is just beside the San Juan River.

‘We talked with the families and we explained to them the goal of the local government, and we made them understand that their houses are one of the reasons for flooding in San Perfecto, and they immediately agreed,’ he added.

Zamora mentioned that the families were recently transferred to the so-called ‘staging units,’ constructed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, which were inaugurated last November 18.

The mayor recalled that he did not have a hard time convincing the families to relocate as there are already available staging units for them to reside, and that they will only have to pay for water and electricity.

With this, Zamora said that he sought the help of Dizon to clear drainage systems, dredging operations and the construction of two pumping stations along F. Manalo.

Dizon said that these operations are part of the ‘Oplan Kontra Baha’ program of the national government which was launched last November 12 to resolve flooding in Metro Manila and other areas.

‘The clearing of obstructions, cleaning of waterways, massive dredging to be done in San Juan and whole Metro Manila, the pumping stations that will be built – all of these will be done simultaneously in the next few months,’ Zamora told reporters.’We are really very optimistic that it will lessen flooding in Metro Manila,’ he said.

The funds the DPWH will use for the clearing and dredging operations will come from its savings from the 2025 budget as there will be no allocated budget for locally-funded flood control projects in 2026.

Dizon also said that the voluntary clearing of the houses will be finished in the next few days while the clearing operations of drainage systems will be completed in a month.

The Department of Public Works and Highways on Wednesday began clearing operations of the drainage systems in Barangay San Perfecto, which revealed piles of garbage accumulated for a long period of time. Why problem solving took so long?

When asked why it took a very long time for the local government unit (LGU) of San Juan City to determine the cause behind massive flooding in this area, Zamora said it is not easy to clear houses that are situated on top of drainage lines.

He explained that the city saw the staging units as an opportunity to inform the families that they need to be relocated so they can start the clearing operations.

Meanwhile, Dizon highlighted the lack of collaborative efforts between the LGUs, national government and private sectors in addressing and solving the flooding problems.

‘In the past years, what happened was that there was no coordinated efforts among the LGU, national government, MMDA, and the private sector. They had their own ways,’ Dizon lamented.

‘What’s different now under the Oplan Kontra Baha program of President Bongbong Marcos, the efforts are all consolidated,’ the secretary pointed out.

Life in the staging units Magie Alba, one of the residents recently relocated to the nearby staging units, shared that she was both happy and sad to leave their makeshift home as she had lived there for 57 years.

She said that all throughout their life, she has experienced the heavy flooding in their area.

‘I got sad when the houses are being cleared because this is where my cousins and I grew up,’ Alba said in a separate interview.

Many of the settlers, who have been living on top of the drainage system for over half a century, narrate that their community would be constantly submerged during storms, and the houses would be heavily damaged. With their new housing space, Alba said they don’t have to deal with pests, and they now have their own restrooms and kitchens.

‘We are okay there. We are happy. I cried because I was both sad and happy,’ she remarked.

Men’s football will be eyeing a breakthrough podium finish while its women’s counterparts seek to get back to that spot, and even more in the Thailand Southeast Asian Games.

Both squads begin their bids on Friday, with the U-22s and the Filipinas facing Myanmar in Chiang Mai and Chonburi, respectively.

Undoubtedly the most anticipated sport of every Sea Games, football usually unfurls barely a week before the formal start of the biennial event. The 33rd edition’s opening ceremonies is on Dec. 9 in Bangkok.

The men’s team joins Myanmar in Group C at 700th Anniversary Stadium along with Indonesia, which the Philippines will face on the eve of the opener.

Age restrictions

As in recent editions, men’s football will have players under 22 years old. No overage footballers were permitted by host Thailand for the competition. Players over 22 years old were also barred during the 2023 Games in Cambodia when the Philippines drew once and lost four.

There’s optimism surrounding the squad, which during the past months produced solid results in a pair of U-23 competitions.

The Filipino footballers placed fourth in the Asean U-23 Championship in Jakarta after reaching the semifinals before losing to Vietnam and Thailand, the latter being its opponent in the consolation game for third.

They also posted two wins against one defeat for second in Group K of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, but missed out a spot in the main competition.

Sandro Reyes, Javier Mariona and Otu Banatao, who received the Rising Star Award in the Asean tilt, were some of the players listed in the squad for the SEA Games. Te Philippines needs to top the group or emerge as the best among the three second placers to reach the semifinals.

The Philippines struggled two years ago in Cambodia, failing to secure a win after going one draw and four defeats.

Meanwhile, the Filipinas are in Group B of the women’s tournament with defending champion Vietnam and Malaysia, and will seek a top-two finish to make the semis.

The Filipinas failed to reach the knockout stage in 2023, a downgrade from their bronze finish in Hanoi in the pandemic-delayed 2021 edition that was held a year late.

The Philippines sending a record number of 1,600 athletes and officials to the SEA Games.

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David on Saturday rejected the proposed National Transition Council (NTC) and a possible civilian-military junta as a response to alleged government corruption, even if Church leaders are promised positions of power.

Speaking at the second Trillion Peso March (TPMM) rally held at the Edsa People Power Monument, David said accepting such proposals would lead the country into becoming a ‘banana republic.’

‘We don’t want the proposed transitional council or revolutionary government because we do not want the Philippines to become a banana republic. We also do not want a civilian and military junta, even if we bishops are promised positions in the government,’ David said in Filipino.

David, a former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, is among religious leaders allied with the multi-sectoral TPMM coalition, which organized the November 30 anti-corruption protest.

His statement stood in contrast to the position of protesters at simultaneous rallies in Manila’s Rizal Park and Mendiola, who called for the creation of the NTC and the resignation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, and other elected officials.

The Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot (KBKK), which led the Manila rallies, proposed that the NTC independently investigate alleged anomalies in infrastructure projects and lead electoral and governance reforms.

But David and TPMM participants, including various dioceses, rejected the idea, saying accountability should be pursued through constitutional means.

David also cautioned against military intervention, saying such scenarios would only lead to tragedy.

‘Do you think that those whom they are asking to resign will resign voluntarily? That seems unlikely, unless our armed forces fall for the temptation of politics and they themselves defect and call for resignation,’ he said.

‘We don’t have to burn down the whole house just because we want to catch and hold accountable the cockroaches and rats of our society,’ he added.

Instead of stepping down, David urged Marcos to follow through with the anti-corruption probe he initiated in July, particularly on flood control projects, offering support for transparent investigations.

‘Go all out – through a genuine, transparent investigation. We will help with citizens’ participatory audit. We will help to strengthen the morale of true public servants,’ the cardinal said. /dm

The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed the petition of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. seeking to nullify a resolution that designated him and his armed group as terrorists.

In a 65-page decision on Nov. 26, the CA’s Ninth Division said there was ample evidence to establish probable cause that Teves committed acts that constitute terrorism, justifying his designation as a terrorist.

According to the appellate court, an act does not need to reach the magnitude of mass casualty bombings or territorial sieges before it qualifies as terrorism.

‘As long as the elements of actus reus (overt act) and mens rea (criminal intent) are probably present, and in light of the evolving nature of terrorism-as well as the fact that designation serves both preventive and counterterrorism purposes-the designation is legally tenable,’ the CA said in the ruling penned by Associate Justice Selma Palacio Alaras.

Teves’ petition stemmed from the Pamplona massacre in March 2023 when his political rival, the late Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, along with nine others, were killed in an attack at the governor’s residence.

Degamo along with several civilians were gunned down while the governor was distributing aid to the local beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The 10 suspects allegedly involved in the killing initially said, but later recanted, that Teves was the mastermind of the assassination plot.

The National Bureau of Investigation then filed multiple counts of murder, multiple counts of frustrated murder, and multiple counts of attempted murder against Teves and several others before the Department of Justice on May 18, 2023.

The authorities also recovered and seized long and short firearms, ammunition, and explosives, among others in several locations linked to Teves, which resulted in the filing of cases of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against him and his group.

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), after finding that the incidents of assassinations and intimidation were all part of a ‘broader pattern of violence’ orchestrated by Teves and his group in Negros Oriental, ruled that there was probable cause to designate them as terrorists.

Teves then filed the petition before the CA, accusing the ATC of grave abuse of discretion for supposedly forcing the application and coverage of the Anti-Terrorism Act on him and the other co-accused, in relation to the criminal cases filed by the DOJ.

He argued that for terrorism to be committed, the overt acts enumerated in the law must concur with the criminal intent, that is, to intimidate the general public, or a segment of it, create an atmosphere, or spread a message of fear among others.

He claimed there was no organizational structure and pattern of orchestrated action, purportedly because the crimes attributed to them were ‘isolated from each other’ and were ‘ordinary’ crimes.

On the substantive issues, the CA disagreed with Teves’ arguments, ultimately denying his petition.

Except for Degamo, who was assassinated allegedly upon Teves’ order, the CA took note of how the other victims in the attack were killed ‘by chance.’

‘The attacks spread fear as the violence is directed, unexpectedly, against innocent victims, which in turn puts pressure on the local government of Negros Oriental to give in to the political and economic motives of Arnolfo Teves for the purpose of continuously maintaining their reign of power in the province,’ the CA said.

Teves insisted that the 10 suspects in the Pamplona massacre initially pointed him as the mastermind, but had since recanted.

The CA, however, said that the assailed ATC resolution was not just based on those testimonies alone as the council’s decision had other pieces of evidence, among them the police’s investigation report about the 2019 killings in Negros Oriental, extrajudicial confessions linking him to 2019 murders in the province; complaints filed against him, as well as CCTV footages and sworn statements showing his involvement in different killings.

Aside from the Pamplona massacre, where Teves is facing 10 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court, the former lawmaker is also implicated in the 2019 killing of Michael Dungog and Pacito Libron.

He is also facing a terrorism financing case pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, and a separate illegal possession of firearms and explosives charge before the Manila RTC.

After eight games on the sidelines, Kean Baclaan finally made his return for the La Salle Green Archers.

And what better time to do it than in the UAAP Season 88 Final Four when La Salle needs him the most.

Following his recovery from an MCL strain, Baclaan contributed to the Green Archers’ 87-77 win over National University to force a do-or-die game against the top-seeded Bulldogs.

‘I want to be healthy so we can reach the Finals. I’m happy because I got to help the team now. I also got to take some load off Jacob (Cortez) so at least, I got to help the team somehow,’ he said at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

‘Even if I have three turnovers. I don’t even know why I’m here,’ he added in jest.

Baclaan was still under minutes restriction, playing for only 19 minutes for the fourth-seeded Archers, but that didn’t stop him from pitching on offense as he finished with six points, two assists and a rebound.

The former NU standout gave his previous alma mater some fits as La Salle successfully neutralized the Bulldogs’ twice-to-beat advantage.

Baclaan backstopped Cortez, who finished with a team-high 13 points alongside four assists and two steals.

The job, however, isn’t finished for La Salle nor Baclaan, with a do-or-die game slated on Saturday at the same venue.

‘I’m very happy that I got to play again because this has been my dream since I was a kid,’ he said. ‘This isn’t over yet, though. We still have a game on Saturday against them again so we’ll be ready.’

Baclaan sustained his MCL injury in the first round of eliminations when the Archers took on the University of the East.

Bang Pineda completed her Petro Gazz’s homecoming with another PVL Reinforced Conference championship three years after winning her first with the Angels.

After a title run with the Angels in the 2022 Reinforced, the veteran libero transferred to Akari and then joined Nxled last year before finding her way home at Petro Gazz in the preseason.

Reunited with the American Lindsey Vander Weide, Myla Pablo, and the core of Petro Gazz, Pineda helped the franchise end a three-year Reinforced title drought with a 21-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-20 win over first-time finalist ZUS Coffee on Sunday.

‘I’m really happy. Probably the same feeling I had back in 2022. And honestly, we went through a lot. We just held on to each other,’ Pineda told the reporters in Filipino.

Pineda, who had 13 digs in the winner-take-all final, believes that her decision to reunite with the Angels was ‘super worth it.’ ‘It felt like nothing changed. And with my teammates, the feeling was still the same. I just had to adjust a bit to the new faces on the team,’ she said.

‘When Ate Cha (Cruz-Behag) called me, I said yes right away. I didn’t even think twice. I just wanted peace of mind. I was already tired from my previous commitments, so this felt like another chance to simply work, contribute, and help again. And maybe it was also my way of giving back to Petro Gazz, since they won a championship after I left.’

The 34-year-old has been tagged as a ‘journeywoman’ for years, but her Petro Gazz family made her homecoming easier and successful.

‘Mentally, my support system was really my teammates. I just followed their lead because I had just returned. I didn’t need to prove anything right away. I just needed to help the team,’ Pineda said.

The country’s metal sector is expected to sustain momentum for the rest of this year after buoyant gold and silver prices boosted output value by more than 10 percent in the first nine months despite the decline in production volume.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (Comp) said the latest government data on metallic output supported its ‘cautiously positive outlook’ for the rest of 2025.

The group noted that mining operations in the country remained stable.

‘With overall production value already ahead of last year, and with gold and silver buoyed by strong global prices and steady output, we expect the sector to maintain its momentum through year-end,’ Comp chair Michael Toledo said in a Viber message on Tuesday.

‘Overall, our outlook for the balance of 2025 is positive but measured, mindful of price volatility and other external factors as we continue to support national development and our host communities,’ added Toledo.

The Comp said while nickel production may remain stable, copper consistently contributed to the overall volume, buoyed by strong demand. Prices, however, are sensitive to global manufacturing trends.

Metal output value climbed by 14.8 percent to P219.74 billion in the January to September period from P191.42 billion in the same period a year ago, based on data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Nickel

Gold, silver and nickel direct shipping ore registered increases, while other metals declined.

The value of gold metal production rose by 28.9 percent to P117.42 billion, accounting for 53.4 percent of output value. This was even as during the reference period, production volume of this precious metal fell by 5.3 percent to 20,500 kilograms.

The value of silver output reached P2.13 billion, up 4.2 percent. It accounted for less than 1 percent of the total. The volume of silver production also decreased by 10.3 percent to 35,096 kilos. INQ

Nickel direct shipping ore production, meanwhile, was valued at P52.48 billion. This translated to a 23.9-percent share.

In terms of volume, output fell by 0.6 percent to 29.07 million dry metric tons.