Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The FilAm Golf Invitational, one of Asia’s longest-running amateur club tournaments, returns for its 75th edition on Nov. 25, pushing past recent uncertainty surrounding the Camp John Hay golf course.

After the government takeover of Camp John Hay in January, some golfers feared the event might fold. But with support from new interim managers GolfPlus Management Inc. and Duckworld Philippines, the tournament is set to run until Dec. 13, with an estimated 1,500 players expected to join.

‘This year’s tournament could be the biggest yet,’ said Baguio Country Club general manager Anthony de Leon. ‘As of now, we’ve registered 1,423, not including late entries.’

Launched in 1949 as a friendly game between civilians and US military officers, the Invitational has endured through war, political shifts and contract disputes. Recent storms and heavy rain have forced grounds crews to rehabilitate the par-69 John Hay course and the Country Club’s par-61 course, with both venues preparing for the milestone event.

The former Camp John Hay Golf Club had relinquished control over the property following a voided lease deal with developer CJHDevco. While legal challenges persist, organizers said the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and its management team fully support the Invitational.

Though junior golf and foundation activities are paused this year, organizers are eyeing broader golf tourism goals in Baguio. Talks are ongoing with John Hay Management Corp. to attract international players and events year-round.

‘Our priority is to ensure our golfers are happy,’ De Leon said

The Bistro Group (TBG) joins Chef Josh Boutwood in celebrating a monumental milestone in Philippine gastronomy.

Boutwood’s flagship fine dining restaurant, HELM has been awarded 2 Michelin Stars, the only one in the Philippines to receive such a historic accolade. It cements Helm’s status as one of the country’s most innovative and renowned dining destinations joining the world’s list of most elite restaurants.

Helm is acclaimed for its thematic tasting menus – bold explorations of flavor and technique with imaginative themes as the inspiration – from timelines, cinemas, to colors. Whatever the theme may be, each featured dish has an interesting story to tell. Dining is deeply personal and immersive, bridging the gap between kitchen and guests, featuring globally-inspired dishes using the finest ingredients sourced locally and from other countries . Every detail -from sourcing to plating-is impeccable, showcasing Boutwood’s exceptional gift and culinary mastery.

Alongside this honor, Ember, Juniper, and The Test Kitchen were all included in the Michelin Guide’s ‘Michelin Selected’ listings, a testament to the depth and diversity of his culinary portfolio.

These awards demonstrated the commitment of both TBG and Boutwood’s celebrated concepts to world-class quality and innovation. Their shared journey champions the same passion for craft and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Boutwood joined TBG in 2012 as executive corporate chef, overseeing TBG’s various restaurants’ R and D and innovation. He was entrusted with the creative reins to conceive his bold, outspoken, and daring ideas that gave birth to his fine dining concepts, Helm, The Test Kitchen, Ember and Juniper.

TBG President Jean Paul Manuud shares his excitement, stating, ‘We congratulate Chef Josh and the entire Helm team for this truly outstanding achievement . Their dedication, hard work and creativity has made this possible. For The Bistro Group, this is greatly inspiring to say the least. We are happy to support Chef Josh and are proud to be his partner. And, it is only the beginning,’ Manuud adds, hinting at The Bistro Group’s continued growth will propel Philippine dining to loftier heights.

Experience the culinary excellence of Helm, Ember, The Test Kitchen and Juniper – four exceptional restaurants from The Bistro Group portfolio.

Blockbuster animated film ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ (2025) could be making a return in 2029, according to international media reports.

Streaming giant Netflix and Sony, which produced the musical movie, have finalized a deal for a sequel aimed for a 2029 release, according to media reports by entertainment news websites Variety and Deadline.

However, fans will have to hold their breath, as there has been no official word from Netflix or Sony on the deal yet.

It is also unclear if the sequel will be released in theatres or Netflix, which ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is available on.

The film follows a successful fictional female K-pop trio who hold massive concerts while trying to save the world from sinister forces.

It is Netflix’s most-watched show across both film and television categories, with its soundtrack becoming the first to have four songs in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10.

The film has also driven new highs for tourism numbers in Seoul, according to the city government, inspiring collaborations across products – such as cup noodles, cakes and crackers – and even a theme park area in South Korea’s Everland.

Netflix will also be teaming up with Mattel and Hasbro for toys, collectibles, games and role-play products based on the film, to be released in 2026.

Tensions flared outside the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday as disaster survivors and anti-corruption groups called for an urgent investigation into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s alleged role in ‘institutionalizing corruption’ in the government’s infrastructure and flood control budgets.

The protesters, led by the People Surge National Alliance of Disaster Survivors and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), gathered outside the anti-graft body’s office past 10 a.m., rattling its gates while denouncing what they described as a national budget ‘laden with unprogrammed appropriations and inflated infrastructure allocations’ that could allegedly serve as channels for kickbacks and political favors.

The groups specifically asked the Ombudsman to investigate 414 projects worth P26.7 billion in Cebu, which are included in the 2022 to 2025 national budgets.

‘Tomorrow marks the anniversary of Yolanda, a reminder that our government has not learned its lesson and continues to rob the people, drowning them in mud and floods,’ Mimi Doringo, spokesperson of People Surge, said, speaking in Filipino.

‘We need concrete action and compensation. End the rule of corrupt millionaires and billionaires in power. Put real farmers, workers, teachers, doctors, and scientists in their rightful positions,’ she added.

KMP Secretary General Ronnie Manalo said alleged corruption in government infrastructure projects remains one of the biggest concerns of farmers, alongside natural disasters.

In a joint statement, the groups called for ‘a full, independent, and transparent investigation into the budgetary maneuvers’ under both the Marcos and Duterte administrations, including their supposed links to favored contractors.

They also vowed to sustain their campaign through a larger anti-corruption rally on November 30 at Luneta Park.

In response, the Ombudsman issued a statement on Friday announcing the activation of a special task force to oversee investigations into anomalous flood control projects.

The task force is set to prioritize areas hit by Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi), with a particular focus on Cebu, where alleged irregularities in infrastructure allocations have drawn public scrutiny.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has temporarily suspended all sea voyages in the province of Dinagat Islands on Friday, November 7, following the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 in parts of Mindanao as Severe Tropical Storm ‘Uwan’ (international name: Fung-Wong) approaches the country.

In an advisory, the PCG-Dinagat Islands said the suspension covers all vessels and watercraft plying routes between the province and nearby areas such as Surigao del Norte.

‘This is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers, crews, and vessels while the tropical cyclone remains a threat,’ the PCG said, adding that operations will resume once weather conditions improve and an official clearance is issued.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Caraga likewise ordered a temporary suspension of all high-risk outdoor and recreational activities across the region, effective immediately.

‘In light of this development and to ensure the highest safety standards for all residents and tourists, the DOT-Caraga implements a temporary restriction or ban on all high-risk outdoor tourism and recreational activities throughout the entire Caraga Region,’ the agency said in its advisory.

The department also appealed to tourists to avoid venturing out to sea and to wait for an ‘all clear’ advisory from authorities before resuming any travel or leisure activities.

According to the 5 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the center of Severe Tropical Storm Uwan was located 1,175 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

PAGASA said Uwan, moving westward at 25 kph, is projected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) either late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

‘Strong to storm-force winds extend outward up to 780 kilometers from the center,’ PAGASA said, warning that affected areas under TCWS No. 1-including Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands-may experience strong winds within 36 hours that could pose minimal to minor threats to life and property.

The weather bureau advised residents in low-lying coastal communities to remain alert for possible rough seas and to monitor succeeding bulletins as the storm nears the country

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has opened a nationwide emergency loan window of up to P40,000 for the victims of Typhoon ‘Tino’ and the anticipated Typhoon ‘Uwan.’

The emergency loan, which is available until Feb. 7, 2026, is open to active members as well as old-age and disability pensioners.

It is payable over 36 months with a 6-percent annual interest rate. The payments will be deducted from salaries or pensions.

New applicants are eligible to borrow only P20,000, while existing applicants may take on loans of up to P40,000, from which their balance will be deducted to get a maximum net amount of P20,000.

Eligibility

The requirements are as follows:

They must be in active service;

They are not on unpaid leave;

They have at least three months of paid premiums within the last six months;

They have no pending administrative or criminal cases;

They have no unpaid loans for more than six months; and

They have a take-home pay of at least P5,000 after deductions

Meanwhile, old-age and disability pensioners may apply if at least 25 percent of their basic monthly pension remains after loan deduction.

As of Nov. 7, Typhoon Tino has killed 188 across the Visayas region, while 135 individuals are missing and 96 others are injured, according to the Office of Civil Defense deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano.

Supertyphoon Uwan is expected to enter the country during the weekend. As of Thursday, it was located outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), 1,985 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao. It was moving westward at 20 kilometers per hour before shifting west-northwest toward PAR.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a state of national calamity following widespread damage wrought by Typhoon Tino.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday ordered a 60-day freeze on the prices of basic necessities nationwide, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of a state of national calamity.

Marcos had asked the DTI to halt any price hikes for basic goods until year-end due to the ravages of Typhoon Tino across the Visayas and the projected landfall of a potential super typhoon, Uwan.

‘The price freeze will remain in force for 60 days, or until lifted by the president. The DTI has coordinated with all key NPCC (National Price Coordinating Council) implementing agencies to protect consumers during this critical period,’ the DTI said.

Marcos placed the Philippines under a state of national calamity on Thursday.

Before this, the DTI had already imposed a 60-day price freeze due to Typhoon Tino, but only in selected areas such as Guiuan in Eastern Samar, Cebu City, and Dinagat Islands.

The trade industry said it was working with all relevant agencies to ensure the price freeze is implemented and that supply will be sufficient nationwide.

‘The DTI is working round-the-clock with manufacturers, retailers, and distributors to ensure sufficient and steady stock of basic necessities and prime commodities,’ it said.

‘All DTI Regional and Provincial Offices are on heightened alert and mobilized to enforce compliance with the price freeze and maintain adequate supply nationwide.’

Latest figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council peg Typhoon Tino’s death toll at 188, while 139 more were injured.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed over 300,000 family food packs (FFPs) and ready-to-eat boxes (RTEF) for families affected by Typhoon Tino in Visayas provinces.

In his official Facebook page, DSWD Chief Rex Gatchalian stated that his agency has so far distributed 317,125 FFPs and 3,889 RTEFs.

Gatchalian likewise met with local chief executives of Mandaue City and Cebu City early on Friday (November 7) ‘to check their situation and discuss the ongoing disaster relief efforts’ for families affected by the typhoon.

The agency stated in a separate announcement that Gatchalian also met with Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. to discuss similar matters.

As of the morning on November 7, the death toll from Typhoon Tino has reached 188, with 135 others missing and 96 injured, according to Office of Civil Defense deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano

Two formal complaints reaching the Office of the President through the Philippine Reclamation Authority seek an investigation into alleged unauthorized reclamation and construction undertaken by Maison Bukana Resort along Secret Beach and the Malinao River in General Luna, Siargao Island.

The complaints-filed separately by a local barangay official and resident-cite violations of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Water Code.

Both letters include municipal soil-test results indicating that the area now occupied by the resort in Malinao consists of man-placed fill, inconsistent with natural coastal soil.

Soil test shows artificially reclaimed land

A separate set of tests by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) provides technical backing for those concerns. Engineers took samples from several points along the Malinao shoreline and found layers made up of a mixture of coarse sand, gravel, and clay material-an irregular pattern typical of man-placed fill rather than natural beach soil.

In plain terms, the ground beneath parts of the property appears to have been built up with construction material, not formed by the natural and gradual action of tides and sediment.

DPWH classified the samples under engineering categories that usually describe reclaimed or compacted land, supporting the view that the area had been artificially altered. Those findings echo what local officials had been flagging for years.

Questionable embankment, public access restricted

This is not the first time formal concerns have been raised over this property.

In 2022 and again in early 2024, two local councils formally raised concern over shoreline works in Barangay Malinao.

The Sangguniang Bayan of General Luna, through Resolution No. 0410-22, directed Maison Bukana, which operates beside Secret Beach, to remove any structures built within the legally protected easement and to keep the area open for public access.

Two years later, the Barangay Malinao Council adopted Resolution No. 10, s. 2024, expressly condemning what it described as ‘illegal reclamation and embankment’ along Secret Beach and ‘illegal construction’ in the nearby Malinao River.

Both measures were transmitted to higher agencies, effectively documenting the local government’s official position that the development encroached on public coastal space.

Siargao Island as a protected landscape

Under Philippine environmental law, the island’s coastline falls within a national protected seascape. Any coastal alteration would require prior clearance from the Protected Area Management Board and an Environmental Compliance Certificate.

Reclamation activities also fall under the exclusive authority of the Philippine Reclamation Authority.

Google Earth Pro imagery shows the shoreline of the site extending farther seaward than in 2019 baseline maps used by the barangay. Local officials have furnished these images to national agencies as part of their request for investigation.

Both complainants said their filings were made ‘in good faith . to uphold the integrity of the Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape.’ They asked the national government to order site rehabilitation should violations are confirmed.

About 2,000 students from various schools in the province who were participating in the 38th Boy Scouts of the Philippines Provincial Scout Jamboree and the 33rd Asia-Pacific Regional Camp Pagsusubok are being sent home early due to the impending threat of Severe Tropical Storm Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong).

In an advisory, Botolan town Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane directed the event organizers to coordinate with the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) to ensure the safe demobilization and return of participants on Friday (Nov. 7)-a day earlier than the scheduled closing ceremony.

The event, held in Barangay San Juan, Botolan from Nov. 5 to 8, is an annual activity of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. This year’s gathering also serves as a preparatory event for the upcoming 33rd Asia-Pacific Regional Jamboree set for Dec. 14-21.

Aside from the suspension of the scouting events, Ebdane also halted recreational fishing and commercial sea activities within the territorial waters of Botolan for the duration of the storm warning. All boats and other marine vessels were advised to remain in port and take necessary safety precautions until weather conditions improve.

Ebdane further directed Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees, especially in low-lying, coastal, riverine, and other high-risk areas, to be on heightened alert and activate their emergency response protocols.

As of 5 p.m. on Friday, Severe Tropical Storm Uwan has prompted storm signals over several areas of the country. Its center was estimated at 1,175 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center