Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Diocese of Antique on Sunday urged the Department of Energy (DOE) to include a Just Transition Roadmap for Semirara in the Philippine Energy Plan to ensure a shift to renewable energy and protect workers affected by the transition.

The appeal followed a gathering of Semirara Island residents in Caluya town, Antique, who raised concerns about possible job losses as the coal operating contract of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) with the government is set to expire next year.

The diocese appealed to the government to ensure that workers receive just compensation and appropriate assistance amid uncertainty and changes in mining operations. The Semirara Islands are considered a major coal mining site in the country.

The diocese said that while it recognizes SMPC’s efforts in worker welfare, environmental rehabilitation, livelihood programs and economic diversification, it noted the lack of a just transition roadmap for renewable energy.

‘What appears to be lacking, however, is an overarching, publicly articulated, time-bound and adequately funded Just Transition Roadmap that brings these various efforts together toward a clear goal: the gradual transition of Semirara and its people away from dependence on coal,’ the diocese said in a pastoral letter.

It said that without such a framework, the direction of other initiatives would remain uncertain.

‘Any future operator should be required not only to present a credible plan for extracting coal, but also an enforceable plan for workers, communities, environmental rehabilitation, economic diversification, and the island’s progressive transition away from dependence on coal,’ the diocese added.

The diocese explained the call for a just transition to renewable energy was not just an environmental concern but also an appeal for justice and human dignity.

‘This responsibility belongs not only to government and industry. Care for our common home is a mission entrusted to all of us,’ it added.

Far Eastern University grabbed a share of the early lead in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament after defeating the University of the Philippines, 90-79, on Sunday at Philsports Arena on Sunday.

The Tamaraws improved to a 3-1 card, tying Ateneo atop the standings. The win also marked FEU’s first against UP since 2019.

‘We knew we’d see some tremendous improvements like these because guy are basically trusting one another better now,’ said coach Sean Chambers.

‘We talk about this in practice a lot; we have full command of what we want to do. We can only continue to be better at it.’

FEU held a slim two-point lead at the half, 43-41, before going on a 16-2 run to open the third quarter, capped by a Kirby Mongcopa basket to put the Tams up, 59-43, with 5:52 left in the period.

The Tamaraws entered the payoff period with a 75-55 advantage.

UP, which dropped to 2-2, tried to mount a comeback in the fourth but FEU had all the right answers to keep the Maroons at bay.

Kirby Mongcopa had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Tams. Jorick Bautista and Janrey Pasaol turned in 16 and 15 points, respectively, while Mo Konateh registered a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Veejay Pre top-scored for the Maroons with 16 points against his former school. Francis Nnoruka scored 12 while Rey Remogat scattered 12 points.

Aryna Sabalenka was swatted aside in straight sets by 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova in the third round of the China Open on Sunday, leaving the event without its top two seeds.

Czech player Bartunkova, 20, sent down four aces to beat the former world number one 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 35 minutes.

‘I focused on myself, to be calm,’ Bartunkova said.

‘She’s a legend… so I’m really happy that I won the match,’ she said of the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Bartunkova next faces Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the round of 16.

Second-seeded Sabalenka squandered five chances to break serve in the sixth game of the first set, with Bartunkova strong on defence and firing deep.

The 28-year-old from Belarus threw on a cap for the eighth game of the first set as the women switched between playing in the shade and the sun, but it did not turn the tide in her favor.

A frustrated Sabalenka tossed her racket at a breakdown in the fourth game of the second set, and lost on the first match point when she returned into the net.

Top seed Elena Rybakina – who weeks earlier replaced Sabalenka as World No. 1 – was ousted by Alina Charaeva in the second round on Saturday.

Top seed Alexander Zverev was scheduled to play Novak Djokovic later on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the men’s 500-level event also taking place.

The 39-year-old Serbian great enters the match with an extraordinary unbeaten streak in Beijing, but Zverev – last month’s US Open champion – is in the running for the top men’s ranking.

Congratulations are in order for Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey, as he married a longtime partner, marking his third marriage.

Celebrity news website TMZ reported that the 64-year-old actor tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Min Ah at a small ceremony in Los Angeles.

Not much is known about Ah, who is said to be in her early 30s.

Carrey and Ah were first spotted together in 2022 leaving a charity comedy show in Los Angeles, according to entertainment news website Just Jared.

They made their official debut as a couple at the 51st Cesar Awards in Paris on Feb 26 this year. They were accompanied by his daughter, Jane, and her teenage son, Jackson.

‘Thank you to my wonderful family, my daughter Jane and my grandson Jackson. I love you now and forever,’ he said in French when he went on stage to accept the Honorary Cesar award that day, according to American magazine People. ‘Thank you to my sublime companion, Min Ah. I love you.’

Jane, 39, is his only child, from his marriage to former actress Melissa Womer between 1987 and 1995.

The seasoned actor married actress Lauren Holly, his co-star in comedy film ‘Dumb And Dumber’ (1994), in 1996 before they divorced a year later.

Carrey has starred in several movies such as ‘The Mask’ (1994), ‘Liar Liar’ (1997), ‘The Truman Show’ (1998) and ‘Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind’ (2004).

He plays the main villain, mad scientist Ivo Robotnik in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ series (2020 to present). The fourth film in the franchise is scheduled for release in 2027.

Police arrested six people in five separate anti-drug operations across the Caraga region on Saturday.

In a statement on Sunday, the Police Regional Office-Caraga (PRO-13) said its operating units confiscated 20.2494 grams of suspected shabu with a standard drug price of P137,695.92.

The anti-drug operations were conducted in Butuan City, Barobo in Surigao del Sur, Dapa in Surigao del Norte, and Talacogon in Agusan del Sur by police in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Caraga.

The arrested suspects, identified only by their aliases, were ‘June,’ who was apprehended in Barangay Bading, Butuan City; ‘Michael’ in Barangay Poblacion, Barobo; ‘Kepe’ and ‘Puna’ in Barangay 12, Poblacion, Dapa; ‘Marvin’ in Barangay San Nicolas, Talacogon; and ‘Rey’ in Barangay Sumilihon, Butuan City.

The suspects and confiscated evidence were placed under the custody of the respective operating police units for documentation and the filing of charges for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Brig. Gen. Rolindo M. Suguilon, PRO-13 director, commended the operating units and said the police would continue pursuing suspected drug personalities while ensuring that operations comply with the law and respect human rights.

Did you hear the story about the doctor who gave his patient six months to live? Well, the man could not pay his bills, so the doctor gave him another six months!

The Gospel today (Matthew 21:33-43) speaks about a landowner who sets a deadline for his tenants to produce fruits in his vineyard. Jesus reminds us not to be complacent and lazy. We all must give an accounting of our lives to the Lord in due time. The message is that life is not a vacation, but a vocation, a call to do something good and worthwhile while we are still alive. And the message is clear: there is a deadline where there will be no more extensions nor exemptions. At the end of our lives, when we face the ‘final curtain’ may we come before the Lord with hearts filled with love.

We know that we carry nothing with us to the grave, yet why this frenzy to earn more, acquire, and accumulate more? I’ve quoted it before and I quote again: The riches you give away are the only riches you bring with you to eternity. The rest, you leave behind. Make sure then that you are investing right, and not just investing well. At the end of our lives, may we not end up saying to ourselves ‘Sayang … mali (I was wrong).’

You can’t go wrong if you invest in love. The love and goodness in your heart are never gone and will not be wasted. You may be left out, you may get hurt, you may be misunderstood, laughed at, or even persecuted if you love, but, love on anyway. For a while, you may even experience the futility, the foolishness, yes, even the stupidity of it all, but love on anyway, for in the end, the greatest achievement, the greatest investment in life is love. Are you investing enough love in your life? Are you investing in love at all?

Some years ago, I saw a backhoe half submerged on a seashore. I learned that this expensive machine was being used in a dredging operation when its engine conked out. The operator tried to fix it, but it was too late. The tide set in, and there was no more time to get it out. What a waste, this multimillion-peso machine, rusting away along the seashore. What a waste to see some people so unproductive and idle, going nowhere just because they have been overtaken by events, or have been overwhelmed by difficult situations, many of which are of their own making. When the Lord looks at you and me today, is He pleased with the life we are living? Does He look at you and me with a nod and a smile? Or does He look at you and me with a frown or with sadness in His eyes?

Public leaders must not forget that they are just tenants, and they are answerable to the landowner. Power is just leased to them, and their power emanates from the people whom they have promised to serve. It is not only saddening, but also sickening and disgusting when so-called public servants become arrogant, proud, deceitful and, abusive. And it is doubly saddening when they get away with such behavior, or so it seems.

‘Wala na ngang ginagawa, gumagawa pa (Already doing nothing, and still, making money).’ This best describes many of our so-called public servants. They have all the perks and privileges, and they rake in all the money (of the people!), and they do not really serve. How long will this situation go on? When will public servants become real servants?

When we face the Lord someday, and he will look at us straight in the eye, will we be able to look at Him and say: ‘Lord, I have done my very best to the best of my ability, I have not been a source of hurt to my brothers and sisters’? In humility, relying on God’s mercy, may we all meet our Creator someday without regrets, because we have really done our very best.

Please be reminded of the ‘Driver’s Prayer’ which goes this way: ‘Lord, grant me a steady hand and a watchful eye, that no one may be hurt as I pass by.’ A beautiful prayer for all of us, as we go through life. But somehow, I get the feeling that some people deliberately hurt others so that they can pass by.

October is the month of the rosary. Let us not belittle this simple prayer which reminds us of our littleness and our dependence on God in union with the Blessed Mother. There are people who pray proud. I’d rather pray humble and simple.

The national government-run Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City has encouraged at-risk individuals to undergo HIV screening as the number of confirmed cases treated through its AIDS treatment hub surged to 232 from 2022 up to recently

Dr. Monerah Luzviminda Macud, a medical specialist at APMC, said the hospital remains open to individuals who want to be screened for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

APMC began serving as an AIDS treatment hub in 2020, but its services were temporarily suspended before resuming in 2022, Macud said.

Of the 232 confirmed cases recorded since then, 92 are currently receiving treatment at APMC.

Macud said not all patients come from Lanao del Sur province, as some were referred from other areas, including Metro Manila.

Some 64 of those diagnosed were students, while most of the patients were aged 20 to 29. Twelve were below 20, while the youngest recorded patient was 15.

Most of the confirmed cases were men who have sexual relationships with other men, Macud said.

She explained that HIV screening involves a blood sample and that pregnant women are also encouraged to undergo testing to help prevent mother-to-child transmission.

APMC strictly observes protocols protecting the privacy of its clients, Macud said. ‘We do not require clients to line up just to get their medicines,’ she said, adding that counseling is conducted before HIV screening.

Malacañang warned the public on Sunday against a fabricated graphic circulating online claiming that classes have been suspended on Oct. 5, Monday, for the celebration of National Teachers’ Day.

In an advisory posted on its official Facebook page, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said it did not issue such an announcement.

‘The public is advised to refrain from sharing unverified information and to rely only on announcements from official government sources,’ the PCO added.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also did not sign any proclamation suspending classes on Oct. 5, based on the issuances published on the Official Gazette website.

However, several local government units suspended their face-to-face classes on Monday for the celebration of National Teachers’ Day.

Republic Act No. 10743 declares every fifth day of October each year as National Teachers’ Day in recognition of the role of educators in shaping the nation.

It is a special working holiday and as such, is treated as an ordinary, regular working day.

Falsifying proof of cohabitation may be a ground for the nullification of an unlicensed marriage, according to the Supreme Court.

Ruling on a case concerning a couple in Antique, the high tribunal said the couple’s marriage was void from the beginning because their affidavit of cohabitation was falsely executed.

‘As the records of this case show, there is inadequate evidence proving that (they) continuously and exclusively cohabited as husband and wife for a period of five years immediately preceding the celebration of their marriage,’ it said in a 15-page decision penned by Associate Justice Henri Inting.

The high court, which handed down the ruling on Feb. 24, but this was made public on Friday, upheld the separate rulings of the Court of Appeals in 2021 and 2022 and the regional trial court in San Jose, Antique, in 2016.

The case stemmed from a petition for the declaration of nullity the husband filed with the San Jose court in 2013, admitting that the affidavit of cohabitation he signed with his supposed wife was false as he had been working overseas for three years out of the six years they lived together.

The couple tried to contract a marriage without a license in May 2009, claiming that they had been residing in the same house since 2003, well within the minimum duration of five years required for a cohabitation to be declared a marriage.

Such a circumstance allows for marriages to be exempt from obtaining a license under Article 34 of the Family Code. The couple could instead execute an affidavit, which shall be approved by a solemnizing officer under oath to ensure that there are no legal obstacles to the marriage.

But the husband asserted that the marriage does not fall within the exemption stipulated in the law because they did not live together for straight years, including the years he was abroad for work.

Kaladkaren expressed admiration for Paolo Ballesteros as she revealed that the latter gives back to the staff they work with in ‘Drag Race Philippines’ by raffling off his salary every finale.

Kaladkaren, whose real name is Jervi Wrightson, took to X on Saturday, Oct. 3 to praise Ballesteros for his generosity.

‘Yung sahod niya every finale, pinapa raffle sa staff. Ganyan siya ka generous,’ Kaladkaren said, replying to a fan’s thread about the things they admire about Ballesteros.

The news anchor described Ballesteros as someone who makes sure his staff and fellow queens are well-taken care of.

‘??Napakabuti ni Mama Pao. ‘Pag may kailangan kami ng mga kasama niya, staff or queens, inaasikaso at inuuna niya kami,’ she said.

”Pag may pagkain siya lahat din kami bibigyan niya. Kumbaga isusubo niya na lang ibibigay pa niya sa iba,’ she added.

Kaladkaren described Ballesteros as one of the first people to arrive on set, saying he starts getting ready as early as 5 a.m. and practically lives at the studio whenever it’s filming season.

Ballesteros serves as the host of ‘Drag Race Philippines,’ since the franchise premiered in 2022, while Kaladkaren serves as one of its judges alongside Jon Santos.

The Philippine edition of the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ franchise is currently in its fourth season, with 12 Filipino drag queens competing for the crown.

During the debut episode of the fourth season on Friday, Oct. 2, the show paid tribute to 27-year-old performer Misua, who died in her sleep on April 2 while filming the latest season.