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Cebu is being forced to shoulder part of the baseload power requirements of Negros and Bohol because of the provinces’ bans on coal-fired and diesel power plants, a Cebu-based energy advocacy group said, warning that the arrangement is putting additional pressure on an already strained Visayas grid.

The Cebu Energy Rights Advocates (CERA) is urging local leaders in Negros and Bohol to review their respective bans, saying the restrictions have effectively shifted part of the provinces’ power-generation burden to Cebu, Panay and Leyte.

‘Demand for power is shared by one Visayas grid. Therefore, the responsibility for the burden of baseload supply must also be shared,’ CERA convenor Nathaniel Chua said in a statement.

The provincial boards of Negros Oriental, Bohol and Negros Occidental enacted ordinances in 2018 and 2019 prohibiting the construction of coal-fired and diesel power plants within their jurisdictions.

CERA said the policies have contributed to the provinces’ dependence on electricity generated elsewhere, particularly when intermittent renewable sources such as solar power cannot meet demand.

Chua said Negros has more than 950 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity, but much of this comes from solar generation, which cannot provide dependable power during peak evening demand.

The island has only around 240 MW of baseload capacity from the Palinpinon geothermal plants, compared with a peak demand of roughly 450 MW, according to CERA.

Bohol faces a larger supply gap, with peak demand exceeding 100 MW while its dependable in-island capacity is only around 26 to 30 MW, CERA said.

Chua said these deficits are primarily supplied by coal-fired power plants in Cebu and Panay and geothermal generation from Leyte.

For Cebu, Chua said the arrangement comes as the province itself faces a growing power requirement. Cebu’s peak demand has exceeded 1,000 MW, while its in-island generation capacity is around 700 MW.

‘Cebu and Panay are being forced to consider building even more coal plants just to support their own demand but also the demand of the region. Cebuanos are shouldering the environmental and infrastructure burden for islands that refuse to generate their own baseload power,’ Chua said.

Panay is projected to reach a peak demand of about 600 MW later this year, compared with dependable in-island supply of around 500 MW, according to CERA.

Both Cebu and Panay have new coal-fired power projects in the pipeline.

Chua also warned that Leyte and Samar may eventually have less excess geothermal power available for export as their economies grow and local demand increases.

‘Unless Palinpinon in Negros expands, our next best solution is to build coal power plants for our baseload needs for the medium term,’ he said.

Chua said the situation is further complicated by the limited capacity of submarine transmission connections linking the Visayas with Luzon and Mindanao.

The Visayas has an overall demand of about 2,400 MW, according to the group.

Samar-Leyte remains the only Visayan island group that is a net exporter of electricity for now, with around 700 MW of supply, mostly geothermal, against peak demand of about 310 MW.

Chua warned that continued dependence on imported baseload electricity without sufficient local 24-hour generation could put further pressure on inter-island transmission facilities and increase the risk of widespread power shortages across the Visayas.

Heavy rainfall and flooding led to an 18-percent decline in overall vehicle sales in August from a year ago, but demand for electrified vehicles (xEVs) remained resilient with sales accelerating by over 200 percent.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA)’s joint report showed that combined sales fell to 29,611 units in August from 36,174 units in the same month last year.

Including estimates from other brands not part of CAMPI and TMA, total Philippine vehicle industry sales reached 34,390 units in August.

While both the passenger car (PC) and commercial vehicle (CV) segments declined year-on-year, xEV sales continued to charge ahead.

In particular, PC sales slid by 11 percent to 6,784 units in August from 7,591 units last year.

CV sales posted a bigger drop of 20 percent to 22,827 units in August from the previous year’s 28,583 units.

On the other hand, sales of xEVs surged by 215 percent to 7,066 units in August from 2,244 units in the same month in 2025. This does not include sales of non-CAMPI members like BYD.

Within the xEV segment, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) posted the biggest year-on-year growth of 462 percent to 1,617 units in August.

Battery EVs (BEVs) placed second with a 271-percent year-on-year increase in sales to 2,449 units, while HEV sales jumped by 132 percent year-on-year to 3,000 units.

While the market recovery seen in June and July was dampened by the adverse weather conditions that disrupted dealership operations and consumer activities in August, CAMPI remains optimistic that demand will improve and rebound in the remaining months of the year.

‘We’re still optimistic that vehicle sales will bounce back over the next few months through year-end. The August dip appears to be a short-term disruption rather than a reversal of market momentum,’ CAMPI president Jose Maria Atienza said.

From January to August, CAMPI and TMA’s total sales went down by 11 percent to 271,336 units from 305,381 units in the same period of 2025.

CAMPI and TMA’s PC sales slid by 10 percent to 55,030 units as of end-August from 61,358 units in the same period last year.

CV sales declined by 11 percent to 216,306 units in the eight-month period from the previous year’s 244,023 units.

The xEV segment posted a 146-percent growth in sales from January to August, to 45,403 units from 18,439 units in the same period in 2025.

PHEV sales saw massive growth of 1,420 percent year-on-year to 8,756 units as of end-August.

BEV sales surged by 293 percent on 12,883 units in the eight-month period from 3,278 units last year.

HEV sales jumped by 63 percent to 23,764 units in the January to August period from the previous year’s 14,585 units.

Including other industry data, CAMPI and TMA estimate total industry xEV sales to have reached 74,600 units from January to August.

‘The continued growth in xEV adoption highlights the strong potential of the market,’ Atienza said.

Among CAMPI and TMA members, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. remained the leading automotive brand with a 49-percent market share.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. ranked second with a 17-percent share, followed by Suzuki Philippines Inc. (4.53 percent), Ford Motor Co. Philippines Inc. (3.51 percent) and Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (3.30 percent).

The mayor of this town is optimistic that he could secure justice for the six ambushes targeting him over the years, including the rocket attack on his convoy early this year, which he blamed on his relatives in the Ampatuan clan.

Shariff Aguak Mayor Akmad Ampatuan, Sr. told a group of reporters during a dialogue at his office here on Monday, September 28, that it would be better for his nephew, Mayor Andal Ampatuan V of Datu Unsay town, and 11 others charged with violating the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and multiple counts of frustrated murder for their alleged involvement in the ambush of his convoy on January 25 to surrender now and face judicial proceedings.

All of them are now reportedly at large, said to have fled after a court in Iligan City in Region 10 issued warrants for their arrest last week.

The town centers of the adjoining Shariff Aguak and Datu Unsay, both in Maguindanao del Sur, are only about a kilometer away from each other.

‘Me and my relatives and supporters have agreed to leave everything to the court. We have no plan to retaliate for that rocket attack that hit my vehicle and slightly hurt me and my companions,’ Akmad told reporters on Monday.

Akmad and his companions were riding in a bulletproof sports utility vehicle when gunmen, one of them armed with a B40 anti-tank rocket launcher, attacked them at one spot in the town center of Shariff Aguak.

The rocket blast damaged one side of Akmad’s vehicle. He and his escorts sustained contusions and wounds on different parts of their bodies as a result of the rocket explosion.

‘It’s better for my nephew and his alleged accomplices in that ambush to surrender now. There is now a warrant of arrest from a court in Iligan City where the criminal cases against them were filed with the help of the Department of Justice,’ Akmad said, referring to the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Iligan City.

The RTC Branch 1 in Iligan City is one of several courts in the country exclusively litigating violations of the state anti-terror law.

Akmad said many of his close relatives in the Ampatuan clan are hostile to him for having testified against its former leader, Andal Ampatuan, Sr., who had served as a three-term governor of the still-undivided Maguindanao, and his son, Andal Ampatuan, Jr., better known as “Datu Unsay,” during their prosecution for their involvement in the November 23, 2009, politically motivated murder of 58 individuals, more than 30 of them journalists, in Ampatuan town in the province.

The two of them and several others, mostly related to them by blood, were sentenced to life imprisonment for the heinous offense, which shook the nation to its core and caught international attention.

‘That is the reason why they hate me a lot,’ Akmad said.

Copies of the warrants of arrest from the RTC Branch 1 in Iligan City for the mayor of Datu Unsay and his 11 alleged cohorts in the ambush of Akmad – Ababang Salik, Edad Pendatun, Aboher Guimbangan, Toraipie Lusod, Gapor Magaluyan, Mohammad Shamron Sapalon, Samsudin Mokamad, Saudi Guiapal, Johari Guiapal, Soy Kali and Datuben Gayon – were distributed to reporters last weekend by ranking officials of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

The RTC Branch 1 in Iligan City’s having ordered the arrest of all 12 of them has triggered widespread tension in Maguindanao del Sur among their relatives and supporters and Akmad’s camp, prompting the PRO-BAR and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division to guard against a possible outbreak of hostilities between them.

Combined agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and police personnel seized P20.4 million worth of shabu in an operation on Monday, September 28, in Barangay Pababag in the island Bongao town in Tawi-Tawi.

Local executives and members of the multi-sector Tawi-Tawi Provincial Peace and Order Council, whose chairperson is Gov. Ysmael Sali, separately told reporters on Tuesday, September 29, that the shabu trafficker Sheid Akmad Abdullah, who first tried to escape using a small speedboat when he sensed he had sold shabu to agents of the PDEA-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, was eventually arrested by pursuing policemen.

Local executives said the entrapment operation that led to the confiscation from Abdullah of no less than three kilos of shabu, costing P20.4 million, was together supervised by two operatives from the PDEA-BARMM, Kenneth Verador and their Tawi-Tawi team leader, Abraham Kalim, and supported by different units of the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office.

George Paul Alcovindas, director of PDEA-BARMM, said the entrapment operation was premised on reports by local executives and Muslim religious leaders about the large-scale shabu trafficking activities in their province of the now-detained suspect, to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Alcovindas and senior officials of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region had separately told reporters that Abdullah, also known as ‘Bradel,’ and his accomplices first pulled out guns and opened fire at the PDEA-BARMM agents and policemen while about to arrest them, after a tradeoff in Barangay Pababag, and fled using their small but high-speed watercraft.

Abdullah was eventually cornered and clamped down by policemen after a brief chase in a pursuit operation aided by municipal and barangay officials in Bongao. He is now locked in a detention facility, awaiting prosecution in court.

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has ordered the creation of a technical working group (TWG) to evaluate Naga City’s proposal involving a portion of the province-owned Balili property in Barangay Tinaan.

Executive Order No. 52, issued on September 23, directs the TWG to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the city government’s request to utilize a portion of the property.

The order comes after Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong expressed interest in using part of the property for an economic zone that could attract industries and generate employment for residents.

“WHEREAS, the City Government of Naga, Cebu has formally manifested its interest in the use and/or acquisition of a portion of the Balili Property for local government and public service purposes,” reads a portion of Baricuatro’s EO.

The proposed economic zone is being considered alongside the provincial government’s plans for the Balili property, which forms part of a larger development concept for an integrated government, sports and economic complex in Naga.

In a previous article, Baricuatro said the provincial government is willing to revisit the development plan to accommodate Naga City’s proposal while retaining projects considered important to the province.

‘Nihangyo man gud si Mayor Val nga he would want to use that area for an economic zone which could also generate jobs,’ Baricuatro said.

The governor said the province also has to coordinate with the host local government before proceeding with major projects in the area.

Under EO 52, the TWG will be chaired by Provincial Administrator Atty. Joseph ‘Ace’ H. Durano, with Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Environmental Conservation and Natural Resources chairman Dr. Stanley Caminero as vice chairperson.

Its members are Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Guiller Y. Ceniza, Provincial Assessor Michelle V. Languido, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office representative Rodel C. Bontuyan, Cebu Provincial Investment and Promotions Division and EEC Secretariat head Paulo Uy, Provincial Planning and Development Office representative Nerces D. Bispo, and SP Committee on Provincial/Municipal Properties chairman Raymond Joseph D. Calderon.

The group is tasked to determine the exact portion of the Balili property being requested by Naga and assess whether its proposed use is compatible with existing and planned provincial programs.

It will also inspect the property and verify its technical descriptions, boundaries, existing improvements and current use.

The TWG is further directed to conduct legal due diligence, including checking the province’s ownership, title status, possible encumbrances and restrictions, as well as the legal requirements for any transaction involving the property.

It will also conduct a valuation and financial assessment to determine the fiscal implications of any proposed arrangement involving the property.

The group will assess the possible environmental, agricultural, food security and socioeconomic impacts of the proposal and determine its consistency with the province’s development and land-use plans.

Among the arrangements to be studied are usufruct, lease, joint undertaking, sale, transfer or other legally permissible forms of utilization.

The TWG is also expected to recommend safeguards for the province, including possible reversionary rights, maintenance obligations, development commitments, restrictions on transfer and compliance mechanisms.

The provincial government is also considering how Naga’s proposed economic zone can fit into the broader development plan for the property.

The original concept for the site covers about 45 hectares and includes a Satellite Provincial Government Center, sports and economic facilities, food security infrastructure, a fish port and fish market, renewable energy components and transport terminals.

The plan is being explored with MTD Philippines Inc., with Baricuatro and MTD Philippines Inc. president and chief executive officer Engr. Patrick Nicholas David signing a memorandum of understanding on May 19 to begin a feasibility study.

On that same day, David told reporters the MOU was intended to establish a framework for cooperation and did not yet bind the parties to construction.

‘The MOU we signed is an intent and a framework for cooperation. It’s not yet binding. No construction begins today, hopefully tomorrow,’ said David.

While the development plan is being reviewed, Baricuatro said the proposed Cebu Mega Food Hub would remain in Naga City, describing the project as non-negotiable because of its importance to the province’s food security plans.

The food hub is proposed to receive a P1-billion allocation from the Department of Agriculture and is currently undergoing a feasibility study. Its proposed location is considered strategic because of the property’s access to southern Cebu and proximity to a port.

Naga officials have also agreed to retain the food hub while pursuing the proposed economic zone.

Chiong earlier said the city was looking at around 16 to 17 hectares for the economic zone, with the aim of attracting industrial locators and generating as many as 10,000 jobs.

The exact area to be allocated, however, has yet to be determined. The province and the city still have to discuss how the property will be divided between the proposed economic zone and the Mega Food Hub.

Any possible sale or transfer of provincial property would also require approval from the Cebu Provincial Board, including the determination of the final purchase price.

The TWG is required to consult concerned stakeholders, coordinate with Naga City and other government agencies, and submit a Joint Evaluation and Recommendation Report to the Office of the Governor within 60 calendar days from the effectivity of EO 52, unless extended for justifiable reasons.

The Balili property has been the subject of controversy since the provincial government purchased the 24.7-hectare seaside estate from the Balili family in 2008 for P98.9 million during the administration of then-Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

A ground survey by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources later found that about 82 percent, or 20.2 hectares, of the property was submerged and covered with mangroves

The purchase later became the subject of investigations and graft proceedings against Garcia and other officials. In November 2020, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Garcia and seven others in connection with the purchase

Today, the province continues to own the property.

Rain stole Alex Eala’s Center Court debut.

Showers forced the Filipino top seed’s Asian Games opener to be shunted from Center Court to Show Court, and finally to the cramped Indoor Court C at Higashiyama Park.

Pinoys who flew in from Manila and elsewhere were left drenched and locked out. The covered center – four practice courts tucked inside – has no more than two rows of gallery seats. Officials only. No room for fans. No room for media mixed zone.

It was also a logistical nightmare for Cignal, which had to hurriedly pull out and reposition its three-camera setup from one court to the other just to keep the match on air.

What the fans missed here was clinical.

World No. 18 Eala, fresh off a bye as the No. 1 seed, crushed Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej (World No. 505), 6-1, 6-0 in the Round of 16, after a five-hour delay.

Eala jumped to 4-0, dropped one game on a forehand error, then reeled off the next eight straight – closing it with a booming ace and a second-set bagel.

The fans’ consolation: news that Eala is through to the quarterfinals. The question is will they get to see her match today.

Eala returns for the quarterfinals against Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland (World No. 142), winner over Iran’s Mandegar Farzami. She’s also pairing with Shaira Rivera against Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Laam and Liu Kallista in women’s doubles Round 1.

Wish from everyone at Higashiyama Park today: Rain, rain, go away – come back after the Asiad.

Jhonnel Ababa kept his cool under a scorching sun and swirling winds, producing the only bogey-free round of the day to seize solo control of the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge here on Wednesday.

In one of the most tightly packed opening rounds in Philippine Golf Tour history, Ababa fired a three-under 67 at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club to emerge a stroke clear of a six-way logjam at second, where erstwhile leader Clyde Mondilla found himself after a late stumble.

The leaderboard resembled a traffic jam for much of the day, with positions changing almost as quickly as the wind shifted direction. Five more players were bunched at 69, while six others stood just another shot back at 70 in the P2.5-million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

The heat was relentless, but it was the wind that proved the more persistent adversary, particularly on the back nine. On the short but tight layout, narrow fairways and thick rough left little margin for error, while the gusts made club selection and approach shots even more demanding.

Ababa handled the conditions with characteristic composure.

The Davaoeño ace birdied Nos. 6, 11 and 14, then relied on crisp iron play, steady putting and three key par saves to protect his lead down the stretch. He nearly made it four birdies when he reached the 18th but missed a three-foot putt that would have given him a four-under card and a two-shot cushion.

Still, the bogey-free 67 gave him the distinction of being the only player in the field to go around without dropping a shot.

‘My driving and iron play were solid, and my putting clicked. You really have to hit straight here because the fairways are narrow – if you miss, the rough is quite deep,’ said Ababa in Filipino.

He also credited a timely break or two for helping him navigate the demanding conditions.

‘The course was extremely tough, especially when the wind picked up on the back nine. I focused on hitting greens in regulation, and whenever a birdie opportunity came up, I made the putt. I got a bit lucky today,’ he said.

Ababa, seeking redemption after contending for three days in Negros Occidental last week before fading in the final round and settling for third, showed none of that late-round slide this time.

Instead, he leaned on the steadiness that has become his trademark, refusing to give away shots as the leaderboard repeatedly shuffled behind him.

Mondilla appeared headed for the outright lead himself after reaching four-under with four holes to play. But the multi-titled campaigner missed the greens on Nos. 6 and 8, leaving himself lengthy par putts and eventually dropping both shots.

‘I missed the greens on holes 6 and 8, and my par putts were from a long distance,’ rued Mondilla in Filipino, who had also shown encouraging form in Negros last week, finishing joint eighth after making five birdies against one bogey through 14 holes.

His 68 nevertheless kept him firmly in contention, joining Paul Echavez, Reymon Jaraula, Miki Ryoma and Rupert Zaragosa in a five-way tie for second.

Jeffren Lumbo, runner-up to Art Arbole in Negros last week, led the group at 69, alongside Randy Garalde, James Ryan Lam, Gerald Rosales, Guido van der Valk and Paul Vesinica.

The volatility of the opening round was underscored by Arbole’s own roller-coaster finish.

Two-over after 15 holes, the reigning Negros champion suddenly found his footing with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, salvaging an even-par 70 and keeping himself within three strokes of Ababa.

‘It’s a good thing I managed to bounce back. The layouts of Iloilo and Negros are quite similar. For me, the main difference was that the rough here is thicker and the greens are slower, but it was manageable,’ said Arbole in Filipino.

Arbole was tied for 13th with Taewon Ha, Tony Lascuña, Francis Morilla, Edmar Salvador Jr. and Lee Song.

Also within striking distance at 71 were Ira Alido, Kristoffer Arevalo, Jerson Balasabas, Russell Bautista, Michael Bibat, Rico Depilo, Francis Mendez, Ryan Monsalvae and amateur Bobe Salahog.

Reigning Order of Merit champion and two-leg winner Angelo Que, meanwhile, settled for a 74 and a share of

The Semirara coal mine in Antique could face zero output if the government awards the new contract solely to the highest bidder, regardless of mining expertise, its current operator warned.

Consunji-led Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) said relying on the highest financial offer as the main basis for the award is ‘fraught with risks,’ particularly if the winner lacks the mining capability and track record to operate the mine.

‘In this instance, zero coal production could happen, and that means zero royalty payment to the government, which is exactly the opposite of what the bidding hopes to achieve,’ the company warned.

The Semirara mine, the largest of its kind in the country, currently accounts for around 90 percent of domestic coal production.

In 2025 alone, SMPC saw coal production increase by 24 percent to another all-time high of 19.9 million metric tons from 16 million MT in 2024.

Under its existing contract, the integrated energy firm is required to remit 30 percent of its net proceeds as royalties to the Department of Energy (DOE).

‘Given the scale and complexity of the Semirara mine, including operating below sea level as deep as a tall building, the process should safeguard operational continuity and take into account the welfare of the host communities whose jobs, livelihoods and local economy depend on the mine,’ SMPC said.

The company issued the statement as the government moves to make the financial offer the ‘sole ranking factor’ among qualified bidders in the new Semirara coal auction.

Under the proposed guidelines, the DOE and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will adopt a two-stage evaluation process to select the winning bidder.

The first stage will assess whether bidders meet the eligibility requirements. Only those that pass this stage will advance to the ranking phase, where the highest financial bid will secure the new Semirara coal operating contract.

‘The new bidding rules should ensure a fair process, including proper prequalification of prospective bidders based on technical capability, operating experience and financial capacity,’ SMPC stressed.

SMPC, whose current contract expires in July 2027, had earlier sought an extension to continue its decades-long operations on Semirara Island.

The DOE, however, rejected the request and opted to put the contract up for bidding instead.

The 2026 Semirara coal bid was launched in February and postponed in April before being terminated earlier this month.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin earlier told The STAR that the auction is expected to be relaunched in early October.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines recently said that the ?42 wage increase is insulting to the working class. Several labor groups also shared the same sentiment, adding how only a few pesos would be added to the daily wage. I feel for them. It is true; it cannot even be enough for a decent meal.

Statistics show us that the inflation rate in Cebu is not ideal. Prices of basic commodities continue to skyrocket. Forty-two pesos might buy you a few pieces of bread, or perhaps a few items from the neighborhood sari-sari store, but it would really be difficult to help with the rising cost of living. If we translate this to a U.S. dollar, the increase is less than a dollar.

For workers who already have to stretch every peso, an increase that sounds substantial on paper can feel almost meaningless in practice. There is something almost insulting about being asked to celebrate a wage increase when the prices of the things we need every day continue to climb. This is what makes the issue more painful because a wage increase is supposed to mean relief. It should mean that after working hard for another day, there is a little more left for the family.

The commissioners should have thought about the workers who leave home before sunrise and return long after dark. While we understand that they are also factoring in the burden that businesses will have to cover, there must be a way to make both interests meet. Businesses will always question productivity, inflation, employment, and the capacity of employers to absorb higher labor costs. It is always a constant struggle.

The word “insulting” continues to resonate. A wage increase should not merely look good in a press release but should be felt at the dinner table. This is where the real measure of a wage increase should be. A few extra pesos can matter, especially when you have almost nothing left, but there is a difference between an increase that technically adds to one’s income and an increase that actually improves one’s quality of life.

I am no economist, and I understand that setting wages is not as simple as choosing a number that sounds generous. Businesses have employees to pay, bills to settle, and operations to sustain. If labor costs rise without considering the capacity of businesses, there can be consequences that eventually affect workers, too.

It would have been ideal to push for a living wage that cuts across the board. I don’t think it is ideal to keep on using geography as a basis for wages. The prices are more or less similar. A fair wage would benefit more than the released 300,000 workers.

At the end of the day, workers are not asking for luxury. They are asking for enough to get through the day without constantly worrying about what they can no longer afford. That should not be too much to ask from a society that depends on their labor every day.

EJ Obiena defended his Asian Games pole vault throne on Monday night in Nagoya, Japan – and set a new Asiad record of 5.91 meters in the process.

Obiena cleared three heights – 5.50 meters, 5.60 meters and 5.75 meters – on his first attempt before missing twice on 5.80 meters.

The Filipino star was the only bet who hurdled 5.75 meters in the 12-man field to retain his status as Asia’s best pole vaulter. He later obliged the crowd by trying to surpass his own Asiad record of 5.90 meters – which he set in the last edition of the Games in Hangzhou, China three years ago – and successfully did so.

China’s Li Chenyang came close to challenging Obiena but failed.

Obiena, who also owns the Asian record of 6.0 meters, thus delivered the Philippines’ third gold medal of the 20th Asiad after gymnastics star Carlos Yulo won two.

The Philippines currently also has three silvers and 11 bronzes, good for 18th place in the medal tally.