‘MUTED PERFORMANCE’ IN JULY FOR FACTORIES
By Cai U. Ordinario
THE Philippine manufacturing sector began the second half of the year with “muted overall performance” but with high hopes for the rest of the semester, according to the S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The country’s Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) score improved to 50.9 in July from 50.7 in June, signalling modest performance and muted growth rates in production during the period.
S&P Global said that despite the modest improvement, factory performance has returned to a “growth momentum” and posted its strongest improvement since April 2025.
“PMI data from the opening month of the third quarter still painted a picture of a muted overall performance. Output and new orders continued to rise, but paces of expansion remained historically subdued. Purchasing and employment also rose at slower rates, reflecting underlying caution among manufacturers,” Maryam Baluch, Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said.
S&P Global said the manufacturing sector’s production level in-
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
HE Bureau of Customs
T(BOC) exceeded its revenue target for July, collecting P85.459 billion in revenues—the highest for this year so far. The second-largest revenue generating agency reported in a statement on Friday it raised P85.459 billion in July 2025—better by 1.3 percent than the P84.365 billion goal it set, based on preliminary data.
What the BOC racked up in July 2025 is also 6.4 percent higher than the P80.355 billion it collected in the same month a year ago.
Month-on-month, the BOC’s collection increased by 10.9 percent from the P77.035 billion posted in June 2025.
The BOC credited its performance in July to the combined efforts of all 17 collection districts
and its targeted revenue sources.
This includes collections from unpaid post-entry modifications, government importations under the Tax Expenditure Fund worth P3.103 billion and the Post-Clearance Audit Group’s (PCAG) collection of P136.94 million.
“The BOC achieved this milestone despite a 4.5-day suspension of operations due to severe weather conditions that disrupted port activities and customs processing nationwide,” it said in a statement.
Since January, the BOC has so far managed to generate P544.230 billion in the first seven months of the year. This is already equivalent to 54.9 percent of its P990-billion revised full-year collection target.
“This achievement shows the power of good governance,” Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno was quoted as saying. “With integrity and focus, we will continue to
By Samuel P. Medenilla
Adeliver results that benefit the Filipino people and support the President’s vision for nation-building.”
The BOC said that since Nepomuceno was appointed as its new commissioner, reforms rooted in transparency, accountability and operational efficiency were championed.
“Under his leadership, the
BOC has fostered a culture of discipline and integrity, strengthened internal controls, and enhanced process efficiency, enabling the agency to sustain strong revenue performance even amid external challenges,” it said.
The BOC could see its revenue collection decline after the Philippines and the United States agreed to remove tariffs on certain American goods, according to economists.
In fact, the agency’s revenue target was lowered by P74 billion to P990 billion from P1.064 trillion on expectations of lower import growth and impact of reduced tariffs on rice and electronic vehicles.
The BOC will raise 21.9 percent of the government’s revenue target of P4.520 trillion this year.
So far, the government generated P2.260 trillion in revenues as of the first half of the year.
T least six agreements covering wide-ranging areas of cooperation including law, culture, science and technology are expected to be signed during President Ferdinand Marcos’s five-day state visit to India next week, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Manila and New Delhi will also explore other possible partnerships on political cooperation, trade, investment as well as a possible maritime cooperation and bilateral trade agreement while Marcos is in India from August 4 to 8, 2025. As of Friday, DFA Assistant Secretary Evangeline T. Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq said they are still finalizing the list of agreements for the upcoming state visit.
Erwin Tulfo backs DSWD proposal to amend 4Ps Law
By Butch Fernandez
SENATOR Erwin Tulfo has committed to revisit the implementation of Republic Act No. 11310 or the law that institutionalized the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), for possible amendment.
The neophyte senator said this after a consultative meeting with Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian and other officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) just two days after he was elected chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development.
“They gave us bills about 4Ps that the President had mentioned in the Sona. So, we will begin with that. There are adjustments; the suggestions of the Secretary are good and will really help a lot of people,” Tulfo said, partly in Filipino.
Among the concerns that Tulfo will scrutinize is the number of 4Ps beneficiaries receiving cash grants from the government even though their lives have already improved.
“The President wants this studied well, because the 4Ps has been somewhat abused. There are
“The 4Ps has been somewhat abused. There are those who have been benefiting for a long time. It’s time to let others enter the program. We have a long backlog; many people are on the waiting list.”—Sen. Erwin Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development
those who have been benefiting for a long time. It’s time to let others enter the program. We have a long backlog; many people are on the waiting list,” Tulfo, a former DSWD secretary, said.
“He promised legislation on the 4Ps. I think it’s really high
time that we looked into this. Because it’s unfair to others that we just keep on feeding this group of people. How about the others?” he added.
There’s a flipside to the changes sought; the DSWD also wants to remove the cap on the number of years a person can stay in 4Ps. The agency has proposed an amendment which will remove the existing seven-year limit for beneficiaries to receive assistance from the government.
Gatchalian informed the senator that if the 4Ps law is not amended, around 2.4 million beneficiaries will be forced to exit the program even though their living conditions have not yet improved.
Other proposals that were discussed include the creation of an entrepreneurship program for low-income households, social interventions for the elderly, and the institutionalization of existing DSWD programs such as the Sustainable Livelihood Program and Kapit-Bisig Laban sa KahirapanComprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KalahiCIDSS), among others.
Tulfo also expressed support for the DSWD building’s rehabilitation during his visit to his former office, which was gladly welcomed by Gatchalian. Should additional budget be given to the DSWD, Gatchalian said it will capacitate their social workers and boost the morale of the agency.
Trump’s 40% penalty for tariff dodging missing key details
“It is still not clear how this will be implemented in practice,” Leah Fahy, chief economist at Capital Economics, said in a note Friday.
A decision on those rules will be made in the coming weeks, a senior US official said in Washington on Thursday. The US had earlier said the issue would be resolved before August 1.
The details are particularly important for countries in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, which have emerged as key suppliers of goods to the US. Many of the firms and factories had shifted from China in response to Trump’s first trade war with Beijing and most still rely on Chinese inputs for production.
Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Chantawit Tantasith, for instance, said the country’s 19-percent tariff rate allows it to maintain a competitive edge, as it’s on par with Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines, and below Vietnam’s 20 percent. However, the transshipment issue is still unresolved.
“We must await further clarification from the US regarding the negotiation process and rules of origin,” Chantawit said Friday in a statement.
The country’s Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said in a separate statement that local content should be more than 40 percent to be classified as a Thai product, but that the country hasn’t reached an
The unspoken target of the rule has been China, which Trump has blamed for abusing free-trade rules to hollow out American manufacturing and jobs with cheaper imports. Trump is set to make the final call on maintaining a tariff truce with China before it expires in two weeks.
agreement with the US on those details.
While it didn’t provide specifics, the White House release Thursday said the US would publish every six months a list of countries and “specific facilities used in circumvention schemes” to help public procurement, commercial due diligence and national security reviews.
The unspoken target of the rule has been China, which Trump has blamed for abusing free-trade rules to hollow out American manufacturing and jobs with cheaper imports. Trump is set to make the final call on maintaining a tariff truce with China before it expires in two weeks.
Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator now with the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, sees the transshipment issue complicating those talks.
“China will correctly perceive the transshipment provisions as directed against its interests,” Ol-
‘MUTED PERFORMANCE’ IN JULY FOR FACTORIES
creased for the second consecutive months on the back of the growth in incoming orders.
This increase in orders, S&P Global said, was driven by frontloading orders from the United States ahead of the increase in tariffs. Post-production inventories, S&P Global noted, grew at its strongest pace in eight months.
Given this, demand for Filipino production continued to improve in July. New export orders increased during the period, the first time in five months.
However, S&P Global said, the pace of increase in these new orders remained muted compared to “the long-run series average.”
Nonetheless, inflation pressures across the manufacturing sector gave manufacturers some reprieve in their costs of production. S&P Global said the input price inflation was the slowest in 14 months.
“Inflationary pressures were notably muted, providing a silver lining to the otherwise cautious
landscape,” Baluch said. “At the same time, optimism regarding future production levels surged to a four-month high, as firms strategically prepared for anticipated demand. While challenges remain, growing positive sentiment hints at a more hopeful outlook for the sector.”
Earlier, the country’s export earnings posted a 14-month high in June as local manufacturers scrambled to frontload their shipments ahead of the August 1 deadline when higher tariffs will apply to Philippine products entering the United States market.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country’s export earnings grew 26.1 percent in June. This was the fastest since the 28.2-percent growth posted in April 2024.
To local economists, this indicates that the level of growth of Philippine exports will not be sustained, especially starting in August 2025 (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/07/30/juneexport-earnings-rise-26-in-race-vsaugust-1-tariffs/).
son said. “And it will inevitably spill over into its ongoing trade negotiations with the US.” Beijing called out the issue on social media, highlighting the “very significant” impact it might have on Vietnam. “The current US restrictions on ‘transshipment’ will make foreign companies hesitant to continue investing, affecting the layout of industrial parks and foreign investment in Vietnam,” said Yuyuan Tantian, an account affiliated with China’s state broadcaster that’s frequently used to signal Beijing’s thinking on trade issues.
Some analysts expect the punitive tariff to have little impact on China or the ability of its manufacturers to get goods to American buyers—directly or indirectly.
“Enforcement is likely to be challenging,” Fahy wrote. “Even if outright rerouting is reduced, trade diversion will continue to dampen the impact of US tariffs on China’s aggregate export performance.” Bloomberg
Continued from A1
“We have, I think, accords of six agreements and to be concluded,” Ducrocq said. “So, these agreements range from cooperation in law, culture, science and technology, and many other areas. As I said, the final count, ongoing because the day has not ended.” Upon his arrival in New Delhi on Monday, Marcos will immediately meet the over 200 Filipinos in New Delhi.
On August 5, he will attend all official events related to the state visit, which include meeting with Indian President Smt. Droupadi Murmu and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda.
He will also hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss economic, defense and security, political cooperation, trade, investment and economic cooperation, people-topeople exchanges as well as regional and international issues.
The President will also join two business events in New Delhi and in Bangalore, which is also known as India’s Silicon Valley.
“Several Indian CEOs have requested to meet with the President, and a number of host companies are in active preparations to enter the Philippine market as investors,” Ducrocq said.
She said the Department of Trade and Industry will release the details on the possible investments and jobs that will be generated from the two business events.
DFA said the state visit aims to strengthen the Philippines-India partnership and is part of the yearlong celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and India which started in November 2024.
WB okays $874-M loan for community resilience plans
By Cai U. Ordinario
THE World Bank has approved an $874.35-million loan to enhance community-led planning and infrastructure investments.
In a statement, the World Bank said it will provide $700 million through an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development loan while the remaining $174.35 million will be provided by the national government as counter funding.
The loan is expected to finance the Philippines Community Resilience Project, also called “Pagkilos,” the Filipino term for ‘action’. The project aims to engage communities composed of 18 million
households in identifying climate and natural hazard risks and developing resilience plans.
“By empowering local communities to take the lead in building resilience against climate change and disaster risks, the Philippines is not only addressing immediate environmental challenges but also fostering a culture of proactive engagement and resilience,” said Zafer Mustafaoğlu, Division Director for the Philippines, Malaysia,
PALACE: PBBM TO RESORT TO VETO ONLY IN ‘ABUSE’ OF POWER OF THE PURSE
By Samuel P. Medenilla
MALACAÑANG said, on Friday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will only veto the proposed 2026 national budget if Congress will abuse its “power of the purse” under the Constitution.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the clarification after some lawmakers and groups condemned Marcos’ statement in his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) that he will veto the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) if it is misaligned with the priorities under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for next year.
In a press briefing on Friday, she allayed such concerns by saying that the President only wants to ensure the national budget next year will not contain anomalous insertions, which will disadvantage the public.
“If these insertions can be said to be meaningful, they probably won’t be vetoed, but if the [President] sees that they are going nowhere [with their budget proposal] and could only lead to abuse, the President will not hesitate to veto [the proposed budget],” Castro said in Filipino. Castro said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) targets
submission by August 13 of the 2026 NEP to Congress for its consideration.
The 2026 NEP will serve as the basis for Congress crafting the 2026 GAA.
Last month, Marcos approved the proposed P6.793- trillion 2026 NEP, which is higher than the P6.326-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Marcos vetoed almost P200 billion worth of unprogrammed appropriations from some lawmakers, which were mostly lodged in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, in the Republic Act No. 12116 or the 2025 GAA.
The budget-related pronouncement from Marcos has hit a nerve among lawmakers including Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who said they will not approve the 2026 NEP until they have scrutinized its provisions.
The Makabayan bloc also slammed Marcos’ position on the proposed 2026 budget and described it as an attempt by the chief executive to usurp “the legislative branch’s power of the purse.”
Under the 1987 Constitution, the House of Representatives has the exclusive power on all appropriations, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of public debt, bills of local application and private bills, while the Senate may propose or concur in the said amendments.
Senator’s target: Online lending apps linked to online gambling
By Butch Fernandez
THERE’S an aspect of the online gambling addiction problem that warrants urgent action, according to a senator: the online lending apps that abet cyber crimes and thrive alongside the widespread gambling phenomenon, victimizing people mired in gambling debts.
On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva appealed to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for stronger action to keep in check online lending apps, which fellow senator Sherwin Gatchalian has been denouncing for their predatory practices.
Villanueva thinks BSP regulatory oversight on online lending apps, electronic wallets, and digital banks should complement the efforts of law enforcement agencies in curbing the negative effects of online gambling, which the legislator is seeking a “total, unconditional ban.”
“If you combine illegal online gambling and the predatory prac-
and Brunei.
The project will prioritize 500 climate-vulnerable municipalities across 49 provinces in the Philippines. These municipalities are selected based on their high poverty incidence and significant exposure to climate hazards.
In total, the World Bank said, it will support 177 municipalities with an indigenous population of 10 percent or more, thereby aiding approximately 33 percent of the total indigenous population in the country.
To ensure that resilience efforts are inclusive and equitable, the project specifically targets vulnerable populations. These include Indigenous Peoples, women, and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program—a conditional cash transfer initiative designed to alleviate shortterm poverty and break the inter -
generational cycle of poverty by investing in human capital, particularly in health and education.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead the project’s implementation through a communitydriven development approach that focuses on the voluntary engagement of vulnerable citizens in poor communities.
This approach, the World Bank said, encourages their participation in local planning, budgeting, and subproject implementation processes to enhance the provision of basic needs and services.
“Communities play a critical role in preparing for and responding to disasters. Their ability to anticipate risks, organize themselves, and collaborate with local and national authorities is essential for effective climate change and disaster risk preparedness
and recovery efforts,” Mustafaoğlu said.
The project’s initiatives prioritized within these plans will then receive implementation grants, with a particular focus on resilient community infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods.
An additional feature of the solutions backed by the project is their potential to simultaneously help promote more resilient livelihoods and practices.
These include the adoption of services and technologies in areas like sustainable agriculture and food security, such as climate-smart farming innovations and small-scale irrigation systems.
“Investing in community-level resilience is crucial for a country like the Philippines that is highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, as it safeguards
lives, protects economic stability, and empowers local communities to recover swiftly and sustainably,” said Ditte Marie Fallesen, World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist. “Ensuring community capacity and opportunity for participating in resilience planning is critical as communities are on the frontlines of climate and natural hazard risks.”
The Philippines ranks at the top of the World Risk Index due to its high vulnerability and exposure to cyclical extreme events. This makes it one of the most disasterprone countries in the world. Key natural hazards include typhoons, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In 2023, out of 2.6 million disasterrelated displacements, 2.1 million were attributed to two major climate-induced hydroclimatic events: typhoons and floods.
ALH unit partners anew with Marriott for Moxy Hotels
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror
AYALA Land Hospitality (ALH) is bringing in a new fun, lifestyle hotel brand in the Philippines, partnering anew with global hospitality chain Marriot International.
On Thursday, ALH and the Maryland-based Marriott International signed an agreement to launch the latter’s Moxy Hotels in Philippines through Moxy Circuit Makati, located at what has been dubbed as a “rising arts hub” in Manila, the former historic Sta. Ana racetrack.
In a news statement, ALH said the planned 260-room hotel is perfectly positioned near retail and boutique shops, event grounds, green and active lifestyle spaces, and arts and entertainment venues, making it a “premier livework-play destination.” ALH targets to open Moxy Circuit Makati’s doors to the public in the “fourth quarter of 2026,” said a source.
“Moxy Hotels is celebrated worldwide for its playful, highenergy vibe that makes travel feel exciting and different,” said Kevin Iranzo, Director, Hotel Development-Philippines for Marriott International. “It’s the perfect fit
for dynamic urban destinations filled with culture and entertainment. We’re truly excited to bring Moxy Hotels to the Philippines and especially in Circuit Makati.”
This is the second time the ALH has partnered with Marriott, which managed the Cebu City Marriott Hotel until the end of 2017. The hotel was later rebranded as Seda Ayala Center Cebu. ALH is a subsidiary of listed property developer Ayala Land Inc. (ALI).
Playful, vibrant experience
ALI earlier announced a US$500million investment in the next five years, aimed at diversifying its portfolio and doubling its room inventory to 8,000 by 2030 nationwide.
“Our vision remains steadfast: to bring Filipino hospitality to the global stage by crafting experiences that connect guests more deeply with each place and its culture,” said ALH President and Chief Executive Officer George Aquino. “With Moxy Hotels, we offer travelers a playful and vibrant hotel experience. We’re excited to collaborate with Marriott to create what we believe will set a new benchmark for authentic, dynamic, and imaginative urban
destinations.”
Moxy Circuit Manila will feature contemporary rooms and suites with playful, multi-functional design and all the creature comforts guests need for an effortlessly fun stay. Arrivals are promised to be seamless and social, with check-ins at Bar Moxy where guests can pick up their room key and a signature welcome drink. Throughout their stay, guests can look forward to a smooth work-life blend with access to social spaces, a fitness center, swimming pool, meeting rooms, and event venues, according to ALH.
Meanwhile, surveys of global travelers since the end of the pandemic have shown their increasing preference for immersive and culturally rich experiences, which ALH intends to capitalize on, positioning itself at the forefront of “a new chapter in Philippine tourism.”
Komiks-themed AS such, Filipino comic book artists have been tapped to enliven Moxy Circuit Makati’s interiors through graphic storytelling. This is also in keeping with ALH’s commitment to local artists. “We are excited to design something truly lifestyle-driven, while beginning
to tell the story of a different kind of art form, an ode to the illustrators and komiks artists who have long shaped a powerful visual narrative in the Philippines,” said ALH Creative Director Paloma Urquijo Zobel de Ayala. She had earlier shared the company’s plan to team up with an old partner for a new brand. “[It’s] something new for Ayala, and it’s gonna be very fun and interesting.” (See, PHL hospitality firms still expanding properties despite poor arrival numbers,” in the BusinessMirror , July 24, 2025.)
ALH’s other international hotel partners are the Accor Group (Fairmont Hotels and Raffles) and IHG Hotels and Resorts (Holiday Inn). Aside from Seda Hotels, ALH also operates other homegrown brands through El Nido Resorts in Palawan. Marriott International currently operates 12 properties in six destinations in the country, with its flagship Manila Marriott Hotel at Newport City in Pasay operating since 2009. It continues to expand its footprint in the Philippines. (See, “Marriott International heads for provincial sites.” in the BusinessMirror , June 21, 2024.)
DBP to revive proposals for charter changes by yearend
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
STATE-RUN Development
tices of online lending apps, you’ll surely plunge our people into the quagmire. No less than the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) saw the connection between the rise of cybercrimes and the proliferation of online gambling and online lending,” Villanueva said in a statement. He stressed, “Regulatory agencies must exercise their oversight to support our law enforcement bodies, and do their fair share in slowing down the rampant use of online gambling platforms.”
Villanueva claimed getting information that some workers and bosses previously connected with the now-outlawed Philippine offshore gambling operations (Pogo) have shifted to online gambling operations. Some Pogo workers and bosses have reportedly sought electronic gaming licenses from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the regulatory agency for gambling.
Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is looking to repropose its charter amendments to Congress by the end of the year, according to its top official.
At the sidelines of DBP’s Integrated Scholastic Program for Inclusive and Responsive Education (Inspire) launch on Thursday, DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Michael O. de Jesus told reporters that a bill revising the charter of the bank will be filed by yearend.
“Whatever defects there were in the original bill, we will just have to address to make sure that, you know, it won’t be vetoed again,” de Jesus said.
The development bank wants to change its 27-year-old charter to increase its authorized capital stock to P300 billion from the current P35 billion—this, in order to expand its credit assistance to priority sectors, as well as its financial products and services.
The bill seeking to push for this was vetoed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. due to certain provisions being “vague or confusing, or conflicting” with the Constitution, existing laws, and principles
of good governance.
According to the veto message, the bill undermines the President’s constitutional authority over state-run corporations, as this will allow the DBP to temporarily appoint directors in its subsidiaries.
There is also conflict on dividends from its subsidiaries, contradicting the law mandating state-owned firms to remit at least 50 percent of their net income to the national government.
The bill seeking to grant shareholders the power to vote for DBP’s board members also contradicts another provision giving the President full authority to appoint all board members.
“The complaints did not tackle the main part, but more peripheral. But still, we will address them all in the next refiling,” de Jesus said.
“The good news is that the complaints in the veto message did not really address the main parts. It’s more peripheral, so it’s very easy to resolve,” he added.
De Jesus said DBP is just waiting for the completion of the committee assignments in the Senate and in the House, and once these are completed, it will refile the bill with the Department of Finance’s guidance.
Meanwhile, the DBP and Department of Education (DepEd) launched the Inspire Program, a P510-million five-year omnibus corporate social responsibility program for the education sector.
A total of P72.5 million will be allocated to support about 150 public schools for their Brigada
Eskwela and Adopt-a-School Programs.
“Together with DepEd, we will align our strategies, combine our expertise, and ensure that our common goal to seamlessly advance educational access and excellence across the nation is within reach,” de Jesus said.
Atong Ang, several others charged with murder, serious illegal
By Joel R. San Juan
GAMING tycoon Charlie
“Atong” Ang has been officially charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) with murder and serious illegal detention after being pinpointed by whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan or alias “Totoy” as the one who allegedly orchestrated the abduction and summary execution of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts or “sabungeros” four years ago.
This was confirmed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla during a press briefing where he said Patidongan’s statements were used as basis in the filing of the complaint against Ang and several others by the families of the missing sabungeros.
Ang owns Lucky 8 Star Quest,
an “e-sabong” company that broadcasts Pitmasters cockfighting activities and derbies online.
Patidongan worked as Ang’s farm manager before being charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the missing sabungeros case. Remulla disclosed that Patidongan’s brother, Elakim, will also serve as one of the witnesses against Ang and his coaccused, whose identities have yet to be revealed by authorities.
The justice secretary said at least three or four other executives of Pitmasters “Alpha” Group may be considered as conspirators in the planning and approval of the killing of the cockfighting aficionados.
“But, we are still thoroughly examining the evidence,” Remulla said.
“There are John Does and Jane Does. It is for us to still fill in the blanks. We still have to ascertain the roles of these John Does and Jane Does,” he added.
When asked if actress Gretchen Barreto was included as respondent in the complaint, Remulla said: “I don’t know, but that is part of what we can consider as persons of interest.”
Gretchen earlier denied any involvement in e-sabong operations but admitted being an investor.
She also denied participating in meetings where approvals were sought to implement the abduction and disappearance of the cockfighting enthusiasts.
“It’s just right for the Department of Justice to probably start sifting through the statements made by the witnesses and the complainants to determine
what needs to be done. This is going to be a long process… We really need to be patient,” Remulla said.
The DOJ is expected to form a panel of prosecutors to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if charges should be filed in court against Ang and his corespondents.
Remulla also assured that the respondents will be accorded due process during the preliminary investigation.
“We are fair. We do not condemn without listening. What is important is due process,” the DOJ chief assured, while reminding the parties of the constitutional provision that “no person will be deprived of life, liberty and property without due process of law.”
Ang has denied any participation in the disappearance of
Marcos vows: No politics in PCSO distribution of ambulances to LGUs
By Samuel P. Medenilla
RESIDENT Ferdinand Mar -
Pcos Jr. has given assurances that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) distribution of Patient Transport Vehicles (PTV) or ambulances to local government units (LGU) will be “free from politics.”
The chief executive said he has directed PCSO to do away with the previous practice, wherein those allied with the administration are prioritized when it comes to receiving support from
MMDA,
Tthe government-owned and controlled corporations which operate national and local lotteries.
“Since I became governor before—I know the system wherein you have to beg [for assistance from the PCSO],” he said in Filipino during the distribution of PTVs in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte on Friday. He said PCSO used to seek the approval of Malacañang before it gave PTVs to local government units (LGU).
“That [system] is gone. That kind of talk is gone. But our plan is very simple: first of all, of the—
what is it—1,452 LGUs—cities and municipalities in the country, all of them will have at least one of these Patient Transport Vehicles,” Marcos said.
Since June 2022 up to the present, PCSO has already distributed 1,067 PTVs. The initiative benefitted 62 percent of the 1,724 of the total LGU nationwide.
On Friday, Marcos led in the distribution of 106 PTVs to various cities and municipalities across the Provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Sur and Isabela City in Basilan.
While in Zamboanga del Norte, the President also visited the Camul elementary school where he donated pieces of equipment to provide internet-access to its students and teachers.
PCSO is targeting to distribute an additional 453 PTV units to Eastern Visayas, Mindanao, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) this month.
The GOCC has allocated P1 billion to procure 375 additional PTV units so it can reach the distribution target set by Marcos this year.
DILG mull over parking ban on all public roads at certain hours
O address issues related to parking on public streets in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are considering a ban on parking on all public streets on specific hours. In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to maintain the integrity of cleared roads, prevent the recurrence of obstructions, and ensure continuous safe access for all road users, the Metro Manila Council (MMC) and DILG on Friday agreed to create a technical working group (TWG) during a meeting at Camp Crame. MMDA
PHL
DChairman Romando Artes, DILG
Secretary Jonvic Remulla, and re-elected Metro Manila Council (MMC) President San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the meeting.
During the MMC meeting, the DILG proposed a solution to alleviate traffic congestion, particularly by prohibiting parking on all public streets between 5am to 10pm.
“The law says that public streets are not for public enterprise. We will now designate them as ‘no parking zones’ especially those that affect Metro Manila’s traffic,” Remulla explained. Artes, on the other hand, suggested implementing the parking ban on all public streets, aligned
with the MMDA’s expanded number coding scheme, from 7am to 10am and 5pm to 8pm.
The MMDA and DILG sought feedback and suggestions from the local chief executives of Metro Manila, and all parties agreed to form a TWG to further study the matter.
“We will come up with the final version on September 1. It will be a whole-of-city map—a work in progress,” said Remulla, assuring that the implementation will be done on a granular level.
“The intent is to make Metro Manila a more livable, cohesive, and safer place to live,” the DILG secretary added.
“On the part of the MMDA, parking is absolutely prohibited
on all major thoroughfares, including Mabuhay Lanes. This is non-negotiable for us,” Artes stressed.
The MMDA chief cited a Supreme Court ruling on a petition filed by the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), stating that the MMDA has exclusive authority to enforce traffic laws, rules, and regulations, and that local government units in Metro Manila may participate in these functions only when their traffic enforcers are deputized by the MMDA.
The MMC, composed of the 17 Metro Manila mayors, is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
detention at DOJ
the sabungeros and, instead, accused Patidongan of trying to extort P300 million from him in exchange for not dragging his name into the case.
Remulla said Elakim has executed a statement revealing that he personally witnessed the murders of 10 sabungeros.
“He also witnessed the killing. He witnessed 10 people being killed,” Remulla said.
The DOJ secretary, however, stressed that Patidongan’s statement carries more weight, considering his actual knowledge about the whole operation.
“It’s rare for us to have a witness who is highly placed and embedded within a criminal organization . This is very rare. I think it’s the first time in Philippine history that we have something like this— a real whistleblower exposing the
acts of a criminal organization,” Remulla noted.
“And I think we should appreciate the fact that he is bravely coming forward to do this. His help in this matter is extremely important,” he added. Elakim along with brother Jose Patidongan are now under police custody after they were arrested in an undisclosed Southeast Asian country and brought back to the Philippines on July 22. Elakim was allegedly caught on closed-circuit television using the ATM card of Melbert John Santos, one of the sabungeros who went missing on January 13, 2022, in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. On the other hand, Jose was seen in a video escorting a handcuffed victim, Michael Bautista, in Sta. Cruz on April 28, 2021.
PH, India military cooperation put on high gear; naval tanker visits Mla
TBy Rex Anthony Naval
HE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Indian Navy marked a significant diplomatic and defense milestone during a cocktail reception hosted aboard the Indian naval tanker INS Shakti at Pier 15, Port Area, Manila on Thursday night.
The event, attended by AFP chief-ofstaff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. celebrated not only the port call of the Indian Navy but also the upcoming first-ever joint maritime cooperative activity between the Philippine Navy and Indian Navy in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“This is more than a ceremonial gesture, the presence of INS Shakti in Manila sends a powerful signal of solidarity, strength in
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“How does Pagcor actually screen and monitor its licensees to ensure that these same individuals are not resurfacing under a different name or company? What concrete actions does Pagcor take when irregularities are discovered?” Villanueva said.
The senator thinks “addiction is a disease,” adding that Pagcor cannot just mouth “responsible gambling” in one breath and “hope that gambling addiction would magically go away.”
On Wednesday, PAOCC executive director Gilberto Cruz said the agency observed a connection between
partnership, and the energy of cooperation between two vibrant democracies in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Brawner lauded the deepening defense ties between the two nations and affirmed the shared commitment to maritime security, regional stability, and a rules-based international order in one of the world’s most geopolitically sensitive regions.
The visit of INS Shakti marks a strengthening of defense diplomacy as India continues to expand its naval engagements in Southeast Asia. The joint activity will be the first of its kind in the WPS—a region increasingly central to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
the use of online lending apps and online gambling. “Some victims were overseas Filipino workers who ended up securing loans from online lending apps after squandering their savings at online gambling platforms,” he said. Earlier this month, Villanueva filed Senate Bill No. 47 which revokes “all general and special laws, decrees, executive orders, [and] rules and regulations” that govern online gambling. Any individual who participates in outlawed online gambling might face a prison term of up to six months or be fined up to P500,000. Company officials, on the other hand, might face a maximum of five years imprisonment and P500,000.
govt did not remiss in commitment to Bangsamoro peace pact–Opapru
By Manuel T. Cayon
AVAO CITY—When the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) called off further decommissioning of its armed fighters early this week over alleged government noncompliance of its commitment, it also recalled another similar incidence when its predecessor organization, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), accused government of the same noncompliance a decade earlier.
But unlike what happened to the accusations by the MNLF a decade after it signed in 1996 a
peace agreement, Malacanang’s peace office denied the allegation hurled by the MILF that it failed to fully comply with its commitment to their separate peace agreement in 2014.
The Office for Bangsamoro Transformation of Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) said the angst expressed by the MILF should not be confined only to the economic packages.
“The peace agreement with the MILF goes beyond socioeconomic programs,” said Presidential Assistant David B. Diciano of the
Office for Bangsamoro Transition, replying to the MILF statement that government failed to provide the “other interventions” for the decommissioned combatants “save for the One Hundred Thousand Pesos [P100,0000.00] per combatant.”
Diciano said while the CAB was signed in 2014, the government and MILF Peace Implementing Panels only approved the Socioeconomic Package Framework for the MILF decommissioned combatants in February last year. Even then, major socioeconomic interventions have been implemented since 2015, he added.
These were recognizing the six MILF camps as recipients of ongoing socioeconomic programs from Opapru and the Inter-Cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization (ICCMN) agencies; P100,000 transitional cash assistance to each combatant upon decommissioning; government allocated P4 billion since 2019 for other socioeconomic support for the decommissioned MILF combatants, or to date, all decommissioned combatants have been enrolled
in PhilHealth; more than 60 percent have been provided with civil registration and over 30 percent received skills training and emergency employment.
The CHED also implements the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education, assisting qualified beneficiaries in the BARMM, and to complement this, the Opapru granted financial aid worth P50,000 per school year to each decommissioned combatant or their nextof-kin who are enrolled in college. For this year, a total of 2,500 are benefiting from the program.
Diciano said “more importantly, government supports the aspiration of the Bangsamoro for political autonomy, which the MILF achieved with the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through the Bangsamoro Organic Law [BOL].”
This placed the MILF as the government of the day “and enjoys the authority to administer the bureaucracy, which carries with it the full access to the region’s annual Block Grant and Special Development
Fund for Normalization.”
The MILF-led interim government term of office was also extended twice in 2022 and 2025, providing the MILF with the stewardship to run the affairs in BARMM for more than the period as originally stated in the BOL.
“For over six years, the MILF has been placed in charge—complete with legitimate authority, ample time, and substantial resources to deliver meaningful change for their combatants and ultimately, the Bangsamoro people. With all the elements for success in place, one would have hoped for more progress by now—especially for those who have waited the longest and deserved it the most,” he added.
As the BARMM gears up for its first parliamentary regional elections scheduled in October 2025, this will enable the Bangsamoro people to vote for the leaders they rightfully deserve. This political exercise will also mark the completion of the political track of the CAB. Political empowerment of the Bangsamoro people is the heart
of the GPH-MILF peace agreement. Transformation requires changing of mindset, he said.
Block grant
THE national government has been providing the BARMM with an Annual Block Grant amounting to P420.9 billion from 2020 to 2025.
On top of this, an annual P5 billion Special Development Fund has been provided annually since 2020 to the BARMM to cover, among others, the provision of socioeconomic services to conflict-affected communities and its residents, including MILF decommissioned combatants, “as part of the normalization process,” as stated in the BOL.
The Special Development Fund has allowed the BARMM to provide housing to widows of former MILF combatants, benefits for Bangsamoro veteran mujahideen and mujahidat and their families, amounting to P84,000 per year, and employ former MILF and MNLF in the BARMM government, and among others, Diciano said.
Time BusinessMirror Our
To stay sharper while aging, get active, challenge your brain, and eat healthy
By Lauran Neergaard AP Medical Writer
ASHINGTON—It’s official:
WOlder Americans worried about cognitive decline can stay sharper for longer by exercising both their bodies and their brains and eating healthier.
That’s according to initial results released Monday from a rigorous US study of lifestyle changes in seniors at risk of developing dementia. People following a combination of healthier habits slowed typical age-related cognitive decline— achieving scores on brain tests as if they were a year or two younger, researchers reported in JAMA and at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
It’s not too late to get started—study participants were in their 60s and 70s— and it doesn’t require becoming a pickleball champ or swearing off ice cream.
“It was the first time I felt like I was doing something proactive to protect my brain,” said Phyllis Jones, 66, of Aurora, Illinois, who joined the study after caring for her mother with dementia and struggling with her own health problems.
It’s too soon to know if stalling agerelated decline also could reduce the risk of later Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. But Jones and other study participants underwent brain scans and blood tests that researchers now are analyzing for clues—such as whether people also saw a reduction in Alzheimer’srelated protein buildup. “We’re all on a cognitive aging clock and anything we can do to slow that clock down, to me, that is a significant benefit,” said Laura Baker of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, who led the study. What’s good for the heart is good for the brain DOCTORS have long encouraged physical activity and a healthy diet for brain fitness. Those steps fight high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes, factors that increase the risk of dementia.
But until now the strongest evidence that specific lifestyle changes later in life could improve how people perform on brain tests came from a study in Finland. Would it work for a more sedentary and culturally diverse US population?
With funding from the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institute on Aging, Baker’s team tested the strategy for two years in 2,100 adults ages 60 to 79.
Here’s what study participants had to do
HALF of participants were randomly assigned to group classes for exercise and dietary changes plus brain-challenging homework—with peer support and coaches tracking their progress. They did a half-hour of moderately intense exercise four times a week—plus twice a week, they added 10 to 15 minutes of stretching and 15 to 20 minutes of resistance training. They followed the “MIND diet” that stresses lots of leafy greens and berries plus whole grains, poultry and fish. Nothing is banned but it urges limiting red meat, fried or “fast food” and sweets, and substituting olive oil for butter and margarine. They also had to meet someone or try something new weekly and do brain “exercises” using an online program called Brain HQ. Other study participants, the control group, received brain-healthy advice and minimal coaching—they chose what steps to follow. Both improved but the groups fared significantly better.
Combining social engagement with exercise and dietary steps may be key, said Jessica Langbaum of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, who wasn’t involved with the study. “Americans want to have that one easy thing—‘If I just eat my blueberries,’” Langbaum said. “There is no one magic bullet. It is a whole lifestyle.”
How to exercise your body and mind on your own
MODERATELY intense physical activity means raising your heart rate and panting a bit yet still able to talk, said Wake Forest’s Baker. Pick something safe for your physical capability and start slowly, just 10 minutes at a time until you can handle more, she cautioned. Make it something you enjoy so you stick with it. Likewise, there are many options for brain exercise, Baker said—puzzles, joining a book club, learning an instrument or a new language. Jones, a software engineer-turned-tester, learned she loves blueberry-spinach smoothies. Her favorite exercise uses an at-home virtual reality program that lets her work up a sweat while appearing to be in another country and communicating with other online users. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
More PWD benefits unveiled during Disability Rights Week
By Ma. Teresa Montemayor & Wilnard Bacelonia
PERSONS with disabilities (PWDs) are set to enjoy increased transportation discounts and expanded government support, as the country celebrated this year’s National Disability Rights Week, the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) said Thursday.
In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, NCDA Executive Director Glenda Relova said that the celebration serves as a platform to reinforce and implement rights-based programs and privileges for PWDs.
Among the key highlights is the increased train fare discount for PWDs, which is now set at 50 percent, higher than the previous 20 percent.
This benefit is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s push for more inclusive policies and was made possible through the collaboration of the NCDA, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and major railway operators.
“This will really help lessen the transportation expenses of PWDs, which is significant given their many other needs,” she added.
Citing that infrastructure accessibility remains a more pressing concern than discounts, Relova called for more accessible public transport options that include dedicated spaces for wheelchair users, proper ramps, priority seats, and elevators designed with PWDs in mind.
To ensure proper implementation of these benefits, the NCDA also launched a handbook for Persons with Disability Affairs Offices that outlines complaint handling and resolution processes.
Grievances are forwarded to the appropriate local government unit or agency for resolution, particularly in cases of non-compliance by establishments.
The NCDA is working closely with DOTr’s Subcommittee on Built Environment and Transportation to audit transportation operators and enforce accessibility standards.
The agency has also initiated talks with private sector partners, including Beep card providers, to improve identification and targeting systems for PWD benefits.
It plans to recommend further transportation incentives, including for buses, jeepneys, and ferries.
It is also advocating for the adoption of accessible ride services similar to models used abroad.
Meanwhile, media personalities, government officials, and community advocates were honored on July 17 during the 2nd People’s Legacy Awards and PWD Film Festival at the QCX Business Center in Quezon City.
The event recognized outstanding individuals and groups for their contributions to governance, media, inclusion, and grassroots development, particularly those supporting persons with disabilities.
Among this year’s honorees were
Long before ‘Facebook,’ we had ‘Pen Pal’
WE take instant messaging and social networking platforms for granted today, but as an old timer, I still remember our own version of social networking called “Pen Pal.”
Pen Pal was our way of making new friends and having conversations with them but it was all through hand written letters. Literally one had to use paper and pen to communicate with a “pal” from far away. Yes, there were typewriters but not everybody had one. They were mostly used for office correspondence. Instead of e-mail, we had “slow mail.” For digital natives, here’s how it worked: I had to put my handwritten letter in a sealed envelope, go to the local post-office where I would need to buy the appropriate stamp (ranging from 10 to 30 centavos), lick the stamp and paste it on the envelope, and then drop the enveloped letter into the designated mail box: foreign or local.
My letter would take from two weeks to one month to get to its destination and then another month or so before I would receive an enveloped letter in reply to my letter,
delivered by the post man at home or the office, depending on the return address I wrote on the envelope.
Come to think of it, it’s been a long while since I wrote a letter to somebody in long hand and sent it via the post office. Do post offices still exist? Or are they now vanishing remnants of the past?
I’ve always loved to write and get letters. This is why when I was in high school (I was 15 or 16), I joined a pen pal group and corresponded with four friends from abroad.
The joy of having a pen pal has a long and respected history. The origin of the pen pal dates back to the 1930s. The term “pen-pal” officially earned a spot in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1931 (“Pen Pal Day”). In 1936, a society was created with the purpose of helping to match individuals with a pen pal, by the name of Student Letter Exchange. Newspapers and magazines would often have a section dedicated to those seeking a pen pal, so its popularity as a past-time went far beyond schoolwork; people of all ages had a friend that they would write to on a regular basis.
My first pen pal was a teenage girl from France. She lived in a farm outside Paris. Then later I also corresponded with an American, a Latin American and a Greek. I chose them primarily because I wanted to learn French, improve my English and Spanish and learn more about the history of Greece.
Having a pen-pal was a way to hone one’s writing skills and penmanship. Most of all, it provided an outlet for self-expression.
The good thing about old fashioned pen palling was I did not have to rush my thoughts. I learned how to compose my thoughts first. I even made rough drafts. In contrast, instant corresponding on social media nowadays does not allow you time to compose your thoughts. It’s quick and short. You have a tendency to be impulsive, writing whatever you feel at the moment. Which is how miscommunication can happen.
Writing by hand, I was able to practice my English, with a Roget’s Thesaurus on hand. I have to admit that all my foreign pen pals had problems communicating in English. Their English was shaky but it didn’t matter, as long as I could follow the trend of thought. There are some things that transcend language.
Pen palling was more than just exchanging letters however; it was a gateway to cultural exchanges. At that time, we didn’t have Google search but through my pen pals, I learned a little bit more about their respective countries. In return, I told them a little bit about the Philippines and our local customs. It stirred my latent desire for knowledge about places and people.
Today, everyone wants instant
gratification, unwilling to wait. But the slowness of the exchange of letters made it more exciting for me then. The weeks or months of waiting made each letter that much more cherished. I remember being so thrilled each time I would get a letter from one of my pen pals and sitting down to read, no, savor, the contents of the letter word for word. Nothing can compare seeing words written in long hand. You can sense that someone had taken pains to write it. I can’t forget the paper used by the French girl on which her words were written. It emitted a lovely scent. It offers a glimpse of individual personality.
Many times, pictures of the respective pen pals were included alongside the letters. One pen pal even sent stamps from his country together with his letter. As one pen pal aficionado puts it: “It’s really fun to get pretty things in the mail. I like to send pretty things. It goes back to that effort you’re putting forth. It’s an expression of care in that sense.” My problem with today’s instant corresponding is that it encourages “I’m-the-star-of-my show” syndrome. One is deluged by selfie pictures of “friends” day after day. What they ate. What they bought. What they did. What event they’re attending ATM (at the moment). What places they’re visiting, and so on. In other words, there’s no real interest in knowing about the other person. If I may add to that, in this
Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Undersecretary Joee Guilas and Philippine News Agency Headlines anchor William Thio.
“This afternoon’s People’s Legacy Awards is a good reminder for all of us that we are not measured by our achievements, not at all. We are eventually measured by the legacies that we shall be leaving behind,” Guilas said.
“Let us not allow our disabilities to hinder us from achieving our goals. Instead, let us use that as our motivation to achieve more and to achieve greater.”
People’s Legacy Awards founder Richard Hinola said the recognition program was a long-awaited tribute to the PWD sector, which for years had not been given the spotlight.
“We are very glad and honored that after such a long wait, we now have an award for PWDs, which is very important because it was a neglected sector before, but now they are really being given the honor they deserve,” he said.
day and age of fast messaging, the art or skill of writing has been lost. Instead of writing their own personal thoughts gathered in self-reflection or recollection, one’s friends just pass on copies of art cards containing memes, messages quotations from other sources. Where is the authenticity of personal touch?
No wonder old fashioned pen palling is making a comeback.
There’s a traditional pen pal platform such as “Global Penfriends” a place to meet new pen pals and correspond by old fashioned snail mail. Do you know that June has been designated National Pen Pal Day in one country? It aims to light a spark in letter exchange the old-fashioned way.
Now, people are using digital tools to seek out old-fashioned pen friends. I read a human interest article about two 80-year-old pen pals who have been writing to each other since 1955 who finally met in the flesh, finally fulfilling their dream.
Julie Trevily-Pigeon, a Montrealbased stationery designer, founded the League of Extraordinary Pen Pals. People are paying for access to the group’s Facebook page, pen-pal matching service, and even pen-pal mentors. Another reason for the renewed interest in pen palling is that letter writing by hand provides a needed break from the online world. As Julie Trevily-Pigeon elaborates: “You can sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and put some music on, you
Hinola said most awardees are individuals who have supported their communities in meaningful but often quiet ways.
“Most of them, in their own little way, helped the community. We are very glad to honor these people so they can become good role models in the community,” he added. Held alongside the awarding ceremony was the Persons with Digitabilities International Film Festival, Expo, Seminar, and Workshop Awards, now on its fifth year.
Festival director Crisaldo Pablo described the event as a “holistic approach to raising awareness about disabilities, diseases, wellness, and well-being.”
“What’s great about this is that it’s an initiative by us PWDs,” he said, adding that many of the organizers are scholars who undergo free training in filmmaking, storytelling, and event management.
“So, this is like their graduation project every year,” he said. Five short films were showcased during the weeklong festival. PNA
choose some nice stationery. It’s a fun process. It can be therapeutic.” Indeed, the appeal of a tangible letter is part of why, as the Wall Street Journal reported, US paper companies have grown at a rate five times. Is the increasing use of paper going against the grain of achieving a paperless society? My answer is that we can always use recycled paper for letter writing, which would even make the letter writer more mindful of the environment. Sadly, today’s digital generation are missing out on the simple art of writing with pen and paper, which not only affects their handwriting because they are typing everything rather than writing. Countries such as Finland, Switzerland and US no longer require students to learn cursive writing or have reduced instruction in cursive handwriting. Alas, I’m afraid writing by hand is being replaced by technology of machine abled writing. As a practical skill in the digital world, handwriting is now becoming useless. AI tools pick up the task. Machinemade signatures like the auto pen are just the start. Will writing by hand become just a thing of the past, like the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt or the Vedic writings of ancient India? I don’t think so. I believe that with the renewed interest in old fashioned pen palling people will never completely abandon hand writing. My hope is that our fascination with technologies will never eclipse the wonder of the human hand as well as the human need to see, touch and write with our hands. So, take up your pens and write on!
Angel R. Calso
CELEBRITIES, public servants, media personalities, and advocates gather for the 2nd PWD Film Festival and People’s Legacy Awards 2025 at QCX Business Center in Quezon City. The event, held on July 17, 2025, recognizes individuals and groups for their outstanding contributions to community development, media, governance, and inclusion. Among the awardees for this year are Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Undersecretary Joee Guilas (second from left) and PNA Headlines anchor William Thio (fifth from left).
PNA PHOTO BY WILNARD BACELONIA
PalawanPay records nearly 22 subscribersmillion as Palawan Group marks 40 years
PALAWANPAY, the e-wallet and digital payment app of the Palawan Group of Companies, now has close to 22 million subscribers.
“We’re launching new services every few months so we are bullish about growth prospects,” said Karlo Castro, chief executive officer of the Palawan Group of Companies, which is turning 40 this year.
PalawanPay was launched in 2021, bringing the same trusted services the company is known for, such as Pera Padala, bills payment, and e-loading, into the hands of Filipinos through their smartphones.
The key to PalawanPay’s early success was its Pera Padala feature which leverages the large, far-reaching network of the Palawan Pawnshop Group.
PalawanPay users can send their remittances digitally, with recipients having an option to receive money via the app or by claiming at any of the Palawan Pawnshop Palawan Express Pera Padala branch or authorized agent nationwide.
Aside from Pera Padala, PalawanPay users also enjoy the app’s bills payment and e-loading services, thanks to the affordable and numerous load variants and growing number of local billers available.
Castro explained that the Palawan Group’s strength lies in what they call “bricktech,” a combination of the company’s strength online and its extensive network of over 70,000 branches and authorized agents, partners, and cash-in cash-out money shops.
“Innovation is key to staying relevant, but our foundation will always be trust, affordability, and service with heart. As we expand into digital platforms like PalawanPay, we remain focused on making sure every Filipino, even those in underserved areas, feels seen, supported and empowered,” said Castro.
Palawan ProtekTODO, the microinsurance arm of trusted financial services provider Palawan Group, and every Filipino we’ve served,” said Angelita Castro,
AUSTRALIA BANS YOUTUBE ACCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16 IN REVERSAL OF PREVIOUS STANCE
MELBOURNE, Australia—The Australian government announced YouTube will be among the social media platforms that must ensure account holders are at least 16-years-old from December, reversing a position taken months ago on the popular video-sharing service.
YouTube was listed as an exemption in November last year when the Parliament passed world-first laws that will ban Australian children younger than 16 from platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X.
Communications Minister Anika Wells released rules Wednesday that decide which online services are defined as “age-restricted social media platforms” and which avoid the age limit.
The age restrictions take effect December 10 and platforms will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for “failing to take responsible steps” to exclude underage account holders, a government statement said. The steps are not defined. Wells defended applying the restrictions to YouTube and said the government would not be intimidated by threats of legal action from the
platform’s US owner, Alphabet Inc.
“The evidence cannot be ignored that four out of 10 Australian kids report that their most recent harm was on YouTube,” Wells told reporters, referring to government research. “We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids.” Children will be able to access YouTube but will not be allowed to have their own YouTube accounts. YouTube said the government’s decision “reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban.”
“We share the government’s goal of addressing and reducing online harms. Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It’s not social media,” a YouTube statement said, noting it will consider next steps and engage with the government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would campaign at a United Nations forum in New York in September for international support for banning children from social media. “I know from the discussions I’ve had with other leaders that they
are looking at this and they are considering what impact social media is having on young people in their respective nations,” Albanese said. “It is a common experience. This is not an Australian experience.”
Last year, the government commissioned an evaluation of age assurance technologies that was to report last month on how young children could be excluded from social media.
The government had yet to receive that evaluation’s final recommendations, Wells said. But she added the platform users won’t have to upload documents such as passports and driver’s licenses to prove their age. “Platforms have to provide an alternative to providing your own personal identification documents to satisfy themselves of age,” Wells said. “These platforms know with deadly accuracy who we are, what we do and when we do it. And they know that you’ve had a Facebook account since 2009, so they know that you are over 16.”
Exempt services include online gaming, messaging, education and health apps. They are excluded because they are considered less harmful to children. AP
Develop local tech ecosystems relevant to local conditions
BY RIZAL RAOUL REYES
COPYING foreign models to develop ecosystems is not the proper way to boost the startup system in the country, according to consulting form InnovationPH.
“Our approach has to reflect the needs of Filipino communities. We have to make it easier for people to launch digital businesses in their own barangays and for local startups to get the visibility and backing they need,” said InnovationPH chairman Antolin Mauricio.
Mauricio pointed to the limitations of fully importing models like the Silicon Valley blueprint. Instead, he advocated for policy and ecosystem approaches rooted in ground realities, such as ensuring capital access for Filipino founders, creating localized innovation hubs, and institutionalizing government support for digital MSMEs.
According to StartupBlink, developing a thriving startup ecosystem in the Philippines requires addressing key areas like funding, talent, infrastructure, and regulatory support. Furthermore, the Philippines boasts a growing startup scene, particularly in financial technology, e-commerce, health technology, educational technology, and software-as-a-service (SaaS), fueled by a large digital population. Manila is the epicenter of this activity, with numerous incubators, accelerators, and coworking spaces.
In addition, digital platforms play a crucial role in driving meaningful impact, particularly in the digital jobs sector. These platforms offer flexible opportunities that provide additional sources of income.
Gio Tingson, head of public affairs at Grab Philippines, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working with the Philippine government to support the growth of digital jobs in the country.
“Platforms like Grab are committed to fostering meaningful and productive participation of Filipinos. We are also keen to continue working with the Philippine government to ensure that social protection mechanisms are in place,” said Tingson.
For the Department of Information and and Communications Technology (DICT), it means sustainable, meaningful employment that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and drives national growth.
At the center of this vision is the “Trabahong Digital” initiative, launched by the DICT to create 8 million digital jobs by 2028. More than just a policy roadmap, “Trabahong Digital” is a national call to action: build a future where every Filipino has the opportunity to thrive in the digital economy.
The initiative seeks to expand access to digital infrastructure, equip Filipinos with future-ready skills, support homegrown innovation, and foster a regulatory environment that is responsive and inclusive.
The bold and far-reaching vision took center stage during a landmark public seminar on July 24, organized in partnership with a regional think-tank, the Tech for Good Institute (TFGI).
“To fully harness the impact of technology, we must strike a careful balance between promoting the digital economy and protecting the digital society,” says Citra Nasruddin, program director of the Tech for Good Institute. “We are grateful for our collaboration with DICT, which champions forward-thinking approaches that put people and progress at the center of digital transformation.”
“Tech governance will continue to evolve. While we learn from international best practices, it is crucial to carefully consider the Philippines’ local context in shaping effective, relevant and future-ready policies,” said Keith Detros, TFGI Program Lead.
Communication and Technology assistant secretary Celine Dee meanwhile placed importance to the human impact of this transformation. “The dynamism of the Philippines’ digital landscape lies in the resilience and creativity of Filipinos. With the right support systems, Filipino ingenuity can be a catalyst for economic growth,” she said.
A major enabler of the digital shift is the Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry, which has played a pivotal role in shaping a globally competitive and digitally skilled workforce over the last 30 years.
“The IT-BPM sector has long trained Filipino talent for success in global service delivery,” said Jay Fajardo, managing director of LaunchGarage. “This legacy gives us a solid foundation to lead not only in outsourcing, but also in tech entrepreneurship, digital content creation, and platform-driven services.”
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Fantastic form: Taking those first steps with the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1
IFINALLY got the chance to watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps last weekend on the new A Giant Screen at Ayala Malls Trinoma. Not only was the screen one of the biggest in the country, but it also boasts a capacity of over 600 seats and immersive audio and visuals that do justice to cosmic threats like Galactus.
The movie is arguably the best entry Marvel has delivered in the past few years—and, yes, I’ll admit I still had a bit of cosmic hangover while writing this review. So forgive me for the references and the parallels, because when you’ve got a device like the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Gen 10 (16ILL10)—a machine with the flexibility of Mr. Fantastic, the gorgeous look of Invisible Woman, the dependable strength of The Thing, and the charm (minus the flames) of Johnny Storm—you start to believe this might just be the real Fantastic Four. Throw in a built-in AI sidekick like Microsoft Copilot, and suddenly it’s not that hard to imagine you’ve also got your own H.E.R.B.I.E.
DECODING THE YOGA NAME
LENOVO’S naming scheme can be a mouthful, but here’s a quick breakdown. The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Gen 10 (16ILL10) identifies this model as a 16-inch, Intelpowered, 10th-gen convertible in Luna Grey. “Yoga 7” places it in the mid-tier range—above Yoga 6, below Yoga 9—while the “i” stands for Intel, and “Gen 10” marks the 2025 refresh with AI-ready Intel Core Ultra chips. This model strikes a sweet spot between power, design and flexibility—especially with the Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc graphics, and up to 32GB RAM under the hood. And like Marvel’s Fantastic Four, its four versatile modes each bring something unique to the table.
LAPTOP MODE: WHERE BRAINS
MEET BRAWN
THIS is the Yoga 7i’s “Mr. Fantastic” moment—its default and arguably most productive form.
Typing on the Yoga 7i Gen 10 feels reassuringly premium. Lenovo’s LED-backlit keyboard has solid key travel, tactile feedback, and a layout that allows your fingers to flow effortlessly. The massive 80 x 135mm glass touchpad is not just roomy, it’s silky smooth, with support for Windows Precision gestures. Multitasking is buttery, whether you’re dragging windows, snapping between apps, or scrolling through timelines.
Performance in this mode is handled beautifully by the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor, which features a new 3D performance hybrid architecture. Daily tasks like editing, Chrome-heavy workdays, video meetings, and media editing run fast and fluid—especially with the onboard Intel AI Boost. Think of it as having a mini elastic brain of your own. Copilot, which now has its own dedicated keyboard key, becomes your helpful digital sidekick summarizing documents, scheduling emails, or generating quick answers while you stay focused.
The laptop barely broke a sweat even during my most hectic workload, editing short videos, running multiple Chrome tabs, switching between Spotify, Netflix and Disney+ and creating some content for my website.
TENT MODE: FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
FLIP the Yoga into tent mode and you enter full Johnny Storm territory—still smart, still stylish, but ready to light up your entertainment.
The Smart Amplifier ensures that even background music or sound effects don’t get muddy.
Whether you’re watching a film, cooking with a recipe video, or following a yoga flow session (pun fully intended), this mode is made for passive enjoyment without a keyboard in the way.
STAND MODE: FOR TEAMWORK AND VIRTUAL MEETS
WHEN I switched to Stand Mode—folding the keyboard beneath the screen and placing the display front and center—I realized how useful this orientation could be in those “on-the-fly” moments. You’re not typing. You’re interacting. The keyboard disappears from view, and the Yoga becomes more of a communication and creation station.
This mode quickly became my favorite setup for Zoom meetings, Google Meet huddles, and even an impromptu catch-up on Messenger Rooms. The builtin 5MP + IR hybrid camera, while good, could benefit from better low-light tuning. There’s also a physical privacy shutter, which adds a reassuring click when I’m done with calls.
Noise reduction from the quad-mic array also impressed me. I had an electric fan humming nearby and some minor traffic noise, but I didn’t get a single “Can you mute?” during any of my meetings. The Yoga 7i managed to cut out distractions without flattening my voice, which is crucial when clarity matters.
But stand mode isn’t just for calls—it’s also a surprisingly productive creative mode. I paired the Yoga with a Lenovo Pen (sold separately), and it instantly transformed into a digital sketchpad and presentation board
And with Intel AI Boost working in the background, I tried out a few AI art generation tools and handwriting-to-text apps—and I wasimpressed not just by the power but by how the Yoga handles multitasking under load.
TABLET MODE: AN UNEXPECTED FAVORITE
LET’S be honest—16 inches is pretty large for a tablet.
I wasn’t expecting to use Tablet Mode much. But after a week of living with it, I found myself relying on it more than I thought I would.
In this configuration, the 2.8K OLED display is the main attraction. With Dolby Vision, a peak brightness of up to 1,100 nits (HDR Peak), 500 nits (SDR Typical), and DisplayHDR True Black 1000, it’s a cinema screen in miniature. Watching Netflix, Disney+, or even YouTube trailers is a treat, with punchy colors and inky blacks that do justice to cosmic visuals. I rewatched a couple of episodes of The Acolyte, as well as The Old Guard 2 (which is terrible by the way), and I can confidently say the contrast and sharpness on this panel easily rival what you’d get on more expensive OLED ultrabooks. Audio, too, is solid. You’ve got four Dolby Atmos speakers—two tweeters and two woofers— firing in ideal directions in this setup. The soundstage is balanced, with clarity that holds even at higher volumes.
GLOBE CURATES INTIMATE ART EXPERIENCE IN SUPPORT OF HAPAG MOVEMENT
IN partnership with Provenance Art Gallery, Globe held a private art vernissage and silent auction last June 5, 2025, at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell. The event brought together art, advocacy, and society leaders in support of the Hapag Movement, a Globe-led initiative that addresses involuntary hunger in the Philippines.
The exclusive gathering featured a curated collection of works from celebrated Filipino artists including Andres Barrioquinto, Jayson Cortez, Max Balatbat, Martin Honasan, Jason Montinola, and Raffy Napay.
The exclusive gathering featured a curated collection of works from celebrated Filipino artists including Andres directly supported the participating artists— underscoring Globe’s dual commitment to social impact and the local creative
Central to the evening was the silent auction, which ran until June 7, with 50 percent of all sales proceeds dedicated to the Hapag Movement, a Globe initiative together with partners to fight involuntary hunger by providing sustainable feeding and livelihood training to vulnerable families. The other half directly supported the participating artists— underscoring Globe’s dual commitment to social impact and the local creative economy.
Folded flat, the Yoga 7i Gen 10 becomes an oversized digital notebook, reader, or viewing slate. And thanks to its rounded Comfort Edge design, it doesn’t feel too awkward or bulky. In fact, I curled up with it on the couch like I would an iPad, flipping through my new comic discoveries (did you know there is actually a council of Reed Richards, three of whom wield an Infinity Gauntlet?), reading ebooks, skimming magazines, and catching up on webtoons.
The TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification helps here—reading for long stretches didn’t strain my eyes like other glossy panels tend to do. What’s more, the 2.8K OLED panel shines again in this mode. It’s detailed, vivid, and tactile. Using it with the Lenovo Pen felt intuitive.
I ended up doing some journaling in OneNote, sketching on Infinite Painter, and even watching a whole episode of Trigger while lying in bed. Again, that combo of visual clarity, long battery life (I averaged about 12.5 hours per full charge), and the flexible hinge made the Yoga feel like more than just a big convertible. It felt like a fully adaptable tool.
Is it a bit large for casual tablet users? Yes. But once I got over the size, the screen real estate became a feature, not a flaw. And unlike smaller tablets, this gave me a lot of breathing room to work, play, and relax without constantly pinching to zoom or struggling with cramped interfaces. Just don’t use it in bed—that size falling on your face can be dangerous. While some premium devices still skimp on connectivity, the Lenovo Yoga 7i Gen 10 makes no such compromises. It offers a well-rounded port selection that includes two Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 ports capable of 40Gbps data transfer, DisplayPort 2.1, and USB Power Delivery 3.1 support. You’ll also find a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (with Always On charging), an HDMI 1.4b port, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and even a microSD card reader. This complete port array means you can plug in external monitors, accessories, headphones, or even charge your phone—without carrying a single adapter. On the wireless side, it’s equally future-ready with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, ensuring blazing-fast, stable connections for both work and play. Backing it all up is a 70Wh battery that supports Lenovo’s Rapid Charge Express, giving you up to 5.5 hours of runtime from just a 15-minute top-up.
FINAL WORD: Fantastic Machine in Every Mode— The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Gen 10 is like getting four devices in one—without compromise on display quality, processing power, connectivity, or battery life. It’s not just about form but function; not just features but true flexibility. Whether you’re working, presenting, creating, or winding down, this convertible bends to fit your workflow and lifestyle— making it a strong contender for anyone seeking more than the usual clamshell laptop.
Andres Barrioquinto, a Filipino visual artist, created the auctioned artwork. Barrioquinto is renowned for his surreal and hyperrealistic portraits which fuse elements of nature, pop culture, and Asian aesthetics.
portraits fuse
Drawing inspiration from Japanese ukiyo-e and Baroque art, he constructs intricate, layered pieces using oil and acrylic on canvas. Barrioquinto’s contributions to art have been recognized including the CCP’s Thirteen Artists Award, and his works are featured in prominent collections throughout Asia. “This is more than a showcase of art—it is a statement of purpose,” said Roche Vandenberghe, Globe chief marketing officer. “We are deeply grateful to our customers and partners who helped transform an evening of cultural appreciation into meaningful support for communities experiencing hunger.”
Guests enjoyed a private viewing ahead of the exhibit’s public opening, alongside a curator talk by Stephanie Frondoso, light fare by Cibo, and personalized Globe giveaways. This collaboration is part of Globe’s ongoing efforts to create impactful, human-centered experiences for its customers while advancing its core advocacies through the Hapag Movement. More information can be found at www.globe.com.ph.
FEEL LIKE A VIP, FEEL AT HOME WHEN VISITING OPPO SERVICE CENTERS TOP tech brand OPPO continues to deliver reliable support to its loyal customers as it further reimagines the
FROM left: Provenance Art Gallery’s Mio Dizon and Joanna Francisco, featured artist Andres Barrioquinto, Provenance Art Gallery’s Raul Francisco, Globe sustainability and corporate communications officer Yoly Crisanto, and Globe chief marketing officer Rochelle Vandenberghe.
EdTech 5.0, ethical AI, sustainable digital learning headline Santo Tomas U’s eLearning conference
IN celebration of its 414th founding anniversary and the 30th year of its Educational Technology (EdTech) Center, University of Santo Tomas (UST) recently hosted the “Harnessing EdTech 5.0 as Catalyst for Sustainable and Transformative Innovations” conference.
With more than 250 participants from academia, industry and government, the milestone event united thought leaders and practitioners who explored the future of education in the age of intelligent, immersive, and human-centered technologies.
Jointly organized by the UST Educational Technology (EdTech) Center and C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions, along with the backing of a roster of notable sponsors and partners, the conference served as a dynamic platform to exchange insights and showcase innovations aligned with EdTech 5.0. With four
major plenary sessions, two panel discussions, 19 paper presentations and eight hands-on workshops, attendees were immersed in discussions on ethical artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability in digital learning, workforce readiness, and transformative pedagogies.
Keynote speakers included Dr. Naoki Suzuki of Tokyo Gakugei University who discussed “Transforming Learning Through Innovative Pedagogies, Immersive and Emerging Platforms for Future-proofed Skills Development” and Assistant Dean Louie B. Dasas Ph.D of the UST College of Education, who presented
“Unlocking EdTech 5.0’s Potential: Human-Centered AI, Ethical Data, and the Future of Personalized Education.”
Jullian Dominic D. Ducut of the UST Senior High School also discussed “Powering Industry 5.0: Data, Skills, and the Future-Ready
Workforce” while Prof. Donald G. Manlapaz, Ph.D., of the UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences discussed “Connected for Good: Technology at the Intersection of Sustainability, Security, and Health.” Their talks underscored the importance of personalized learning, cross-sectoral
collaboration, and technological adaptability in building futureready education systems.
Panel discussions also gathered the nuanced insights of Dr. Elenita N. Que (UP College of Education), Prof. Takashi Fukushima (Tokyo Gakugei University), Dr. Devy M. Galang (Philippine eLearning Society) Raphael Walker (Accredify), Engr. Ericson D. Dimaunahan (Mapua University), Assoc. Prof. Wilben Christie R. Pagtaconan (Philippine eLearning Society), and Asst. Prof. Elfritzson M. Peralta MSc (UST College of Science) for the topics “EdTech 5.0: Charting a Course for Sustainable and Transformative Innovations” and “Securing Our Future: EdTech 5.0 and the Call to Action for Sustainable and Transformative Living.”
The conference also celebrated UST’s recent induction into the prestigious Digital Education Council and highlighted its recognition in the Silver Tier of the Times Higher Education Online Learning Rankings. Interactive workshops such as the Student StartUP event ClashBytes, XR & Metaverse Integration
SM Foundation empowers 900+ college freshmen through scholarship program
By Vincent Peter Rivera
KICKING off the new academic year, close to a thousand freshmen from various universities are embarking on their higher education journey.
This was made possible with the scholarship program of SM Group’s social arm SM Foundation, which opened doors to the learners’ brighter futures.
The SM Scholarship Program provides a comprehensive support system for its more than 900 new scholars. SM Foundation Vice President for Education Programs Eleanor Lansang emphasized that “the SM Scholarship Program provides free tuition and miscellaneous fees, directly paid at your school.” Scholars also receive a monthly allowance: P2,000 for those studying in the provinces and P3,000 for students in Metro Manila. This allowance, Lansang shared, can be used for essential school needs such as “[Internet connectivity], transportation, or even book allowances.”
She added that “the third benefit of the scholarship program [involves] fun-filled activities for all of you, such as…the awarding of your scholarships. You will also have a general assembly, a recollection, and a Christmas party in December. You will also have a presentation of graduates once you reach that stage.”
Beyond financial aid, the program also offers scholars valuable practical experiences through paid work opportunities at SM Stores during breaks, plus the significant advantage of guaranteed job offers within
the SM Group upon graduation across diverse fields such as “accounting, engineering, information technology [or IT], or even in education,” as highlighted by Lansang.
During the awarding ceremony at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay on July 20, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education Programs Carmen Linda Atayde congratulated and welcomed the 32nd batch of SM Scholars. Three hundred seventy came from the National Capital Region, 340 from Luzon, 135 from Visayas, and 108 from Mindanao.
“Apart from support, the scholarship is also a vote of confidence in your ability, your direction, and your grit. Because you’ve already shown us that you believe in your future. Now, so do we,” Atayde said.
From one generation to another ROOTED in the educational advocacy of the late SM Group founder Henry Sy Sr. who strongly believed
in education’s power to uplift communities, the SM Scholarship Program has awarded more than 6,000 scholarships and produced over 4,000 graduates since its inception. This enduring legacy continues to transform lives, exemplified by past and present scholars.
Proud SM scholar and among the Top 5 of the 2025 Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination (CPALE), Rica Marbebe underscored the SM Foundation College Scholarship Program’s vital role in her success.
“I’ve been given a really huge blessing: a scholarship that, I know, will help me finish my studies,” Marbebe shared, as she testified to the confidence and difference the SM Scholarship can give.
“You’ll be able to focus on your studies, and you’ll be motivated to achieve your goal.”
Now, a new generation of scholars is ready to embrace this opportunity.
Incoming freshman at National University (NU) Manila Roby Madera
Napuran, who is taking Bachelor of Science in Business AdministrationMajor in Financial Management and one of SM Foundation’s newest scholars, views this as a chance to contribute beyond her studies.
“I want to give back by attending SM activities and…helping them if they need [a hand—for example, in finance, [where] I can take part,” she stated.
To mark this generational transition, the SM College Scholarship Program introduced a symbolic “Passing of the Torch” ceremony. SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) Assistant Vice President for IT Jennilyn Mendoza—an SM scholar-alumna— alongside two new SM scholars, led the significant moment which symbolized SM’s continued commitment to education.
An Interactive Learning Session where notable SM Group leaders such as SM Retail Senior Vice President for Human Resources Leny Hernandez; SMIC Executive Director Harley Sy;
PHINMA Educ. opens doors to 163K underserved students
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Driven
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization or EBITDA rose by 15 percent to P2.2 billion, with cost-efficiency measures and reduced interest expenses.
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and SM Engineering, Design, and Development Corporation President Hans “Chico” Sy Jr., together with Mendoza, answered questions from the SM scholars, which served as the awarding ceremony’s key highlight.
As the new scholars embark on their unique journeys of perseverance and self-definition, SM Foundation Executive Director Debbie Sy acknowledged their potential and recognized their generation as “bold, purpose-driven, and wired to create change,” while also honoring the dedication and unwavering support of their parents throughout this new endeavor.
“As you [go through this scholarship, we hope you will also grow with compassion while lifting up] your families. When the time comes and you are able, pay it forward,” Sy concluded. “This isn’t just about earning a diploma; it’s about building a future where you become the advocate and the inspiration.”
of our students,” Montinola added. “We’re excited about expanding our reach, and empowering more students across Southeast Asia to transform their lives through education.”
In line with this mission, PHINMA Education added Saint Jude College in Dasmariñas, Cavite and Kalbis University in Jakarta, Indonesia to its growing network.
To meet growing demand in underserved areas, PHINMA Education is preparing to open additional campuses in San Pablo City in Laguna, Roxas City, Bacolod City, and Butuan City in the coming years.
PHINMA Education is the largest private-school network in Southeast Asia, operating schools across the Philippines and Indonesia. It is a subsidiary of PHINMA Corporation: a Filipino-owned conglomerate with strategic interests in education, housing, hospitality, and construction focused on building the nation and making lives better.
workshop, AI workshops for teachers and students, Arduino workshop, STEAM solutions workshop, and the EdTech Ecosystem showcase provided opportunities for real-time innovation demonstrations and collaboration.
The conference also featured a nostalgic summary of the EdTech Center’s history, with former administrators honored on stage for their contributions.
Staying true to the theme of the conference, the two-day event implemented innovative and sustainable practices. Environmentally conscious efforts such as digital verifiable badges, reusable lanyards, and sustainable dining materials were used, reflecting UST’s commitment to sustainability and the teachings in the late Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Sí In a statement, the university said that, “as a confluence of legacy and innovation, the EdTech 5.0 Conference not only achieved its objectives, but also paved the way for a more connected, inclusive, and resilient digital learning landscape in the Philippines and beyond.”
UPHSD lands in 2025 WURI
THE University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) Las Piñas campus placed 139th among the Global Top Innovative Universities of the prestigious World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) in 2025. The university was ranked in key global categories, placing eighth among the Top 100 in Environmental, Social, and Governance Trends or ESG; 22nd among the Top 100 in Infrastructure and Technologies; and 20th among the Top 100 in Visionary Leadership.
According to WURI’s website, 1,253 institutions from 87 countries participated in the rankings for 2025. WURI receives the innovative programs submitted by higher education institutions. These are evaluated through a blindreview process and sent to an evaluation board. This follows UPHSD earning a spot in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings—another prestigious education-ranking system.
“Our rankings are a testament to our efforts at innovation in education, with an eye toward quality, excellence and leadership for the future,” said UPSHD president Anthony M. Tamayo. “These milestones come…as we [celebrate] our 50th founding anniversary this year. These…will definitely inspire us in our mission to contribute to nation-building.” WURI assesses higher education institutions’ programs and initiatives in terms of real contributions to society and industry. It uses “16 categories encompassing innovation targets and methods, offering a comprehensive measure of institutions’ creative contributions to societal advancement. The ranking aims to spotlight higher education institutions that excel in these innovative approaches, thereby inspiring advancements across the academic and societal landscape,” ac
cording to its website.
Editor: Mike Policarpio
PANEL discussion featuring Engr. Ericson D. Dimaunahan (Mapua University, second from left, onward), Prof. Wilben Christie R. Pagtaconan (Philippine eLearning Society), Elfritzson M. Peralta (UST), and Dr. Naoki Suzuki (Tokyo Gakugei University)
GRADUATES from PHINMA-University of Iloilo during commencement exercises.
THE 900 new SM scholars with SM Group leaders: SM Foundation VP for Education Programs Scholarship Ling Lansang (seated, from left), Shereen Sy, SM Engineering Design and Development Corp. President Hans “Chico” Sy Jr., SM Investments Executive Director Harley Sy, SM Foundation Executive Director Debbie Sy, Matthew Sy, Mara Coson, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education Programs Carmen Linda Atayde, and SM Foundation Trustee Engr. Ramon Gil Macapagal. SM FOUNDATION OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Tourism&Entertainment
Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan
SIGHTS AND SANDS
Experiencing the ‘uneventfully eventful’ in Romblon
FINALLY got the chance to experience Romblon for the very first time. Like many tourists, I’ve always been intrigued about the province not only dubbed as “the marble capital of the Philippines” but also recently named as one of the world’s Top 50 beaches.
The main drawback to traveling to Romblon is the lack of direct flights coming from and to Manila. From what I’ve gathered, the airport is currently being improved with talks of extending its limited runway already in the works. So for most visitors including our media group, getting there means traveling by land to Batangas Port then booking a ferry ride that will take about nine to 10 hours.
For Romblon virgins like myself, the overnight ferry ride that usually departs from around 4PM and arrives at past 1AM is quite an adventure in itself. Being cradled like a baby by the mostly calm waves throughout the trip allowed for some relaxing shut eye. But since I still need to get some work done, there’s also the challenge of getting the last ounce of productivity when the fairly reliable wi-fi signal started to fluctuate once we got to the middle of the sea.
The tranquility of our voyage was a prelude to the generally laidback vibe that greeted us when we got to Romblon. The hilly coastal land that’s often sandwiched and punctuated by breezy palm trees is quite a panoramic spectacle to woke up to.
From the port we proceeded directly to Barangay Lonos where we checked in at Horizon Hotel, the host for our
media familiarization trip. With 21 rooms, a restaurant, function hall, spa, fitness center, and an infinity pool with a jaw-dropping distant views of the horizon that includes breathtaking sunrises an equally stunning sunsets, this stylish boutique hotel is easily the most prestigious accommodation option in the island.
The centerpiece of the hotel is its spacious function hall that can host all kinds of events from weddings, birthdays, meetings, conventions, karaoke sessions and during our stay, a Father’s Day celebration with Bingo night.
On our first day, we took a land tour of the town proper. Our first stop is, of course, Romblon’s not-so-best kept secret: the marble quarries of Kilometro Dos. Skilled artisans from several workshops here can be seen crafting all kinds of marble products from saints and Biblical figures to animals to souvenir and other decorative items.
Not only is the marble here in Romblon of the highest quality but the province also has abundant reserves of it. Many in our group would’ve bought more to take from the marble shopping center in the town proper if they weren’t too heavy.
Along the way, we passed by the historic St. Joseph’s Cathedral aka Romblon Cathedral. Founded way, way back in 1635, the place of worship with its distinguished baroque architecture was declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2001 by the National Musem of the Philippines and now also serves as repository slash museum of Spanish-era religious artifacts, books, records and antique statues of Christian saints.
ALTITUDE OVER ACTIVITY
Other Spanish-era landmarks that we visited inclue the Fuerza de San Andres, the surviving structure of the Twin Forts of Romblon that looks and feels like Intramuros and the Fuente de Belen, a historic water fountain and cultural landmark.
Horizon Hotel is also known for arranging tours for divers, island hoppers and yes, sightseers like myself. The succeeding days were devoted to visiting the beaches of Cobrador, Bonbon and Tiamban beaches. Considered as one of Romblon’s
hidden gems and very much consistent with the province’s laidback vibe, Cobrador Beach boasts of fine and lush polvoron-colored sand complimenting its crystal clear waters. Cottages can be rented but most visitors may need to bring their own food. Ideal for swimming but nowhere near as crowded as the beaches of Boracay and Palawan, it’s a must visit when Romblon.
In recent years, the marine-protected Bon Bon Beach has emerged as Romblon’s top tourist attraction. This is mainly for its long and pan -
A quieter alternative beyond Baguio’s city limits
FOR many urban families, expats and tourists, especially those based in Metro Manila, holidays are beginning to feel like logistical hurdles rather than breaks. Malls are packed, highways are clogged, and even the supposed getaways have become extensions of the crowd.
But just beyond Baguio’s city limits, a quieter alternative is coming into its own.
Balesin Pines, set to fully open by October, is Alphaland Corporation’s latest venture under the Balesin Key portfolio.
Nestled in the high-altitude forests of Itogon, Benguet, this boutique hotel sits within the Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges development, about 15 minutes from Baguio City proper.
Positioned as the mountain counterpart to Balesin Island’s beachside luxury and the urban rhythm of Balesin City, Balesin Pines offers a different proposition altogether: altitude over activity, stillness over spectacle.
At a recent media roundtable, Balesin Spokesperson Joanna Ongpin-Duarte recalled how the late Roberto V. Ongpin had long wanted to build a retreat in Baguio and share its beauty to the people.
“He made this a farm…He always had a plan of developing Baguio
oramic sandbar that extends all the way to Bangug Island during low tide. Ideal for swimming, snorkeling or just marveling for its breathtaking scenery punctuated by Instagramish clear blue water. You just have to experience it to believe it.
In stark contast, the equally picturesque Tambian Beach has a more familiar feel to it and probably the most “crowded” (only because we saw more people there) among the beaches we visited. Frequent flyers to Boracay will feel at home with Tam -
forest as much as possible,” Duarte said.
“They want to retain about 90 percent undeveloped…to retain all of the greenery.”
The team has also established on-site nurseries for herbs, flowers, and coffee, some of which can be spotted by guests on short trails around the property.
The structure itself was assembled from prefabricated pinewood imported from Germany.
Due to strict regulations around local pine harvesting, the Ongpin family chose to work with international suppliers, bringing in the building materials in kit form and constructing them onsite.
Celebrating local craftsmanship
INSIDE the hotel, Filipino design sensibilities take center stage. From carved wood statues to handwoven textiles, Balesin Pines is deeply rooted in regional heritage.
Among the most striking pieces is the Bul’ul, a traditional wooden rice god from the Cordillera region that symbolizes prosperity and protection. These are carved from narra and placed throughout the property as spiritual and cultural markers.
The property also features handwoven fabrics from Narda’s Handwoven Arts & Crafts, a brand known for reviving Cordilleran ikat and inabel weaving.
Narda’s founder, Narda Capuyan, was a friend of Roberto V. Ongpin’s from his time as Trade and Industry Minister.
Even the uniforms of the staff were designed by celebrated Filipino designer Renee Salud, with patterns inspired by the Mountain Province’s traditional stripe weaves.
bian’s own powdery white sand. Even with some resorts and restaurants, the beach remains largely unspoiled. As progress goes, Romblon is not without its own sets of improvements. Aside from the proposed runway extension, internet connectivity is very good, even outside the Horizon Hotel and even at higher ground like in the Caffeinate Co at Yurich Hotel where we had one of our lunches and at Sunbird Ridge Coffee Shop just in front of our hotel, where we had coffee during one of our free afternoons. As for the food, well, there’s literally a mouthful to say about my own gastronomic experience here in Romblon but that’s worthy of its own story for our Wine & Dine section soon. Devoid of the usual madding crowd and with just the right mix of peace and progress, my first visit to Romblon is for the lack of a better term, “uneventfully eventful.” It’s an ideal escape for people needing to recharge their batteries or simply chill out whether for only a few days or maybe even for several weeks. I’ll definitely come back.
Access to amenities, minus the crowd THOUGH quiet, the property isn’t without activity. Guests of Balesin Pines have full access to the amenities within the broader Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges community.
These include the Clubhouse Inn, which features a grand fireplace, a restaurant with indoor and al
Photos by Rey Veloira
Story & photos by Justine Xyrah Garcia
COBRADOR Beach I Love Romblon
SCULP Grinder
FUERZA San Andres
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Kyiv mourns 31 victims of devastating Russian attack, calls for stronger sanctions on Moscow
By Illia Novikov The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine—The Ukrainian capital Kyiv observed an official day of mourning Friday, a day after a Russian drone and missile attack on the city killed 31 people, including five children, and injured more than 150, officials said.
The youngest victim in Thursday’s strikes was 2 years old, and 16 of the injured were children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
It was the highest number of children killed and injured in a single attack on Kyiv since aerial
attacks on the city began in October 2022, according to official casualty figures reported by The Associated Press.
The death toll rose overnight as emergency crews continued to dig through rubble. The Russian barrage demolished a large part of a
nine-story residential building in the city, while more than 100 other buildings were damaged, including homes, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities and universities, officials said.
Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent months, ignoring calls from Western leaders including US President Donald Trump to stop striking civilian areas after more than three years of war.
Russian forces are also pressing on with their grinding war of attrition along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where incremental gains over the past year have cost the lives of thousands of soldiers on both sides.
Ukraine wants more sanctions on Russia ZELENSKYY said that in July, Russia launched over 5,100 glide
bombs, more than 3,800 Shahed drones, and nearly 260 missiles of various types, 128 of them ballistic, against Ukraine.
He repeated his appeal for countries to impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia to deter the Kremlin, as US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction.
“No matter how much the Kremlin denies (sanctions’) effectiveness, they are working and must be stronger,” Zelenskyy said.
His comments Friday appeared to be a response to Trump’s remarks the previous day, when the Republican president said the US plans to impose sanctions on Russia but added, “I don’t know that sanctions bother him,” in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine also called for an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting to be convened Friday, Foreign
Minister Andrii Sybiha said, in an effort to push Putin into accepting “a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
Russian forces bear down on a key eastern Ukrainian city
MEANWHILE , Ukrainian forces are under heavy pressure in the strategic hilltop city of Chasiv Yar, in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia is making a concerted push to break through defenses after some 18 months of fighting.
Zelenskyy said that Russian claims of capturing Chasiv Yar on Thursday were “disinformation.”
“Ukrainian units are holding our positions,” Zelenskyy said in his daily video address on Thursday evening. “It is not easy, but it is the defense of Ukrainians’ very right to life.”
Even so, the Institute for the Study of War said that Ukraine’s
hold on the key city is weakening.
“Russian forces will likely complete the seizure of Chasiv Yar in the coming days, which will open several possible avenues for Russian forces to attack Ukraine’s fortress belt—a series of fortified cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s defensive positions” in the Donetsk region, the Washington-based think tank said. Ukraine has tried to pressure the Russian army by striking rear areas with long-range drones that target rail networks, oil depots and arsenals.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday that air defenses shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight. More than half were destroyed over Russia’s Belgorod region on the country’s border with Ukraine, it said. Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said that one person was injured.
Statehood remains a distant dream for Palestinians amid ongoing Israeli control and humanitarian crisis
By Joseph Krauss The Associated Press
OTTAWA, Ontario—Plans announced by France, the United Kingdom and Canada to recognize a Palestinian state won’t bring one about anytime soon, though they could further isolate Israel and strengthen the Palestinians’ negotiating position over the long term.
The problem for the Palestinians is that there may not be a long term.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood and has vowed to maintain open-ended control over annexed east Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and the war-ravaged Gaza Strip—territories Israel seized in the 1967 war that the Palestinians want for their state.
Israeli leaders favor the outright annexation of much of the West Bank, where Israel has already built well over 100 settlements housing over 500,000 Jewish settlers. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has reduced most of it to a smoldering wasteland and is pushing it toward famine, and Israel says it is pressing ahead with plans to relocate much of its population of some 2 million to other countries.
The United States, the only country with any real leverage over Israel, has taken its side.
Critics say these countries could do much more PALESTINIANS have welcomed international
support for their decades-long quest for statehood but say there are more urgent measures Western countries could take if they wanted to pressure Israel.
“It’s a bit odd that the response to daily atrocities in Gaza, including what is by all accounts deliberate starvation, is to recognize a theoretical Palestinian state that may never actually come into being,” said Khaled Elgindy, a visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.
“It looks more like a way for these countries to appear to be doing something,” he said.
Fathi Nimer, a policy fellow at AlShabaka, a Palestinian think tank, says they could have suspended trade agreements with Israel, imposed arms embargoes or
other sanctions. “There is a wide tool set at the disposal of these countries, but there is no political will to use it,” he said.
It’s not a completely empty gesture
MOST countries in the world recognized Palestinian statehood decades ago, but Britain and France would be the third and fourth permanent members of the UN Security Council to do so, leaving the US as the only holdout.
“We’re talking about major countries and major Israeli allies,” said Alon Pinkas, an Israeli political analyst and former consul general in New York. “They’re isolating the US and they’re leaving Israel dependent— not on the US, but on the whims and erratic behavior of one person, Trump.”
Recognition could also strengthen moves to prevent annexation, said Hugh Lovatt, an expert on the conflict at the European Council on Foreign Relations. The challenge, he said, “is for those recognizing countries to match their recognition with other steps, practical steps.”
It could also prove significant if Israel and the Palestinians ever resume the long-dormant peace process, which ground to a halt after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to office in 2009.
“If and when some kind of negotiations do resume, probably not in the immediate future, but at some point, it puts Palestine on much more equal footing,” said Julie Norman, a professor of Middle East politics at University College London.
Israel calls it a reward for violence
ISRAEL’S government and most of its political class were opposed to Palestinian statehood long before Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack triggered the war. Netanyahu says creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders. Hamas leaders have at times suggested they would accept a state on the 1967 borders but the group remains formally committed to Israel’s destruction. Western countries envision a future
“It has statehood as a starting point for those negotiations, rather than a certainly-not-assured endpoint.”
See “Statehood,” A12
Trump injects new dose of uncertainty in tariffs, pushes start date to August 7
By Josh Boak The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—For weeks, President Donald Trump was promising the world economy would change on Friday with his new tariffs in place. It was an ironclad deadline, administration officials assured the public.
But when Trump signed the order Thursday night imposing new tariffs on 68 countries and the European Union, the start date of the punishing import taxes was pushed back seven days so that the tariff schedule could be updated. The change—while potentially welcome news to countries that had not yet reached a deal with the US—injected a new dose of uncertainty for consumers and businesses still wondering what’s going to happen and when.
Trump has promised that his tax hikes on the nearly $3 trillion in goods imported to the United States will usher in newfound wealth, launch a cavalcade of new factory jobs, reduce the budget deficits and, simply, get other countries to treat America with more respect.
The vast tariffs risk jeopardizing America’s global standing as allies feel forced into unfriendly
deals. As taxes on the raw materials used by US factories and basic goods, the tariffs also threaten to create new inflationary pressures and hamper economic growth— concerns the Trump White House has dismissed.
Questions swirl around the tariffs despite Trump’s eagerness AS the clock ticked toward Trump’s self-imposed deadline, few things seemed to be settled other than the president’s determination to levy the taxes he has talked about for decades. The very legality of the tariffs remains an open question as a US appeals court on Thursday heard arguments on whether Trump had exceeded his authority by declaring an “emergency” under a 1977 law to charge the tariffs, allowing him to avoid congressional approval.
Trump was ebullient as much of the world awaited what he
would do.
“Tariffs are making America GREAT & RICH Again,” he said Thursday morning on Truth Social.
Others saw a policy carelessly constructed by the US president, one that could impose harms gradually over time that would erode America’s power and prosperity.
“The only things we’ll know for sure on Friday morning are that growth-sapping US import taxes will be historically high and complex, and that, because these deals are so vague and unfinished, policy uncertainty will remain very elevated,” said Scott Lincicome, a vice president of economics at the Cato Institute. “The rest is very much TBD.”
The new tariffs build off ones announced in the spring TRUMP initially imposed the Friday deadline after his previous “Liberation Day” tariffs in April resulted in a stock market panic. His unusually high tariff rates unveiled then led to recession fears, prompting Trump to impose a 90day negotiating period. When he was unable to create enough trade deals with other countries, he extended the timeline and sent out letters to world leaders that simply listed rates, prompting a slew of hasty agreements.
Swiss imports will now be taxed at a higher rate—39%—than the 31% Trump threatened in April, while Liechtenstein saw its rate slashed from 37% to 15%. Countries not listed in the Thursday
night order would be charged a baseline 10% tariff.
Trump negotiated trade frameworks over the past few weeks with the EU, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines—allowing the president to claim victories as other nations sought to limit his threat of charging even higher tariff rates. He said on Thursday there were agreements with other countries, but he declined to name them.
Thursday began with a palpable sense of tension
THE EU was awaiting a written agreement on its 15% tariff deal. Switzerland and Norway were among the dozens of countries that did not know what their tariff rate would be, while Trump agreed after a Thursday morning phone call to keep Mexico’s tariffs at 25% for a 90-day negotiating period. The president separately on Thursday amended an order to raise Canada’s fentanyl-related tariffs to 35%.
European leaders face blowback for seeming to cave to Trump, even as they insist that this is merely the start of talks and stress the importance of maintaining America’s support of Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already indicated that his country can no longer rely on the US as an ally, and Trump declined to talk to him on Thursday.
India, with its 25% tariff announced Wednesday by Trump, may no longer benefit as much from efforts to pivot manufacturing out of China. While the
US trade partners around the world welcome Trump’s executive order
By The Associated Press
UNITED STATES trade partners reacted
Friday to President Donald Trump’s executive order that would introduce new tariffs on many of them in seven days, as the global economy and alliances face another test from the president’s trade agenda.
Trump’s order issued Thursday night came after a flurry of tariff-related activity in recent days as the White House announced agreements with various nations and blocs before a deadline set by the president for August 1. Trump ordered a 35% tariff for goods from Canada, effective from Friday, citing a lack of cooperation on illicit drugs. He also said Thursday that he would extend trade
negotiations with Mexico for 90 days.
Here’s the latest:
Thailand says 19% rate reflects ‘close partnership’ with US THAILAND’S finance minister says the 19% tariff rate imposed by the US “reflects the strong friendship and close partnership” between the two countries.
Thailand’s new rate of 19% was reduced from 36%, similar to other rates imposed on Southeast Asian nations, such as Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira wrote in a social media post on Friday that it would “maintain Thailand’s competitiveness on the global stage” and opens the “door to economic growth,” but also acknowledged it would pose
problems for some sectors of the economy and said that “comprehensive support measures have been prepared.”
Speaking to reporters at a news conference in Bangkok later Friday, Pichai
said that the deal will still need more time to be hammered out in details.
See “Partners,” A13
Trump administration has sought to challenge China’s manufacturing dominance, it is separately in extended trade talks with that country, which faces a 30% tariff and is charging a 10% retaliatory rate on the US.
Major companies came into the week warning that tariffs would begin to squeeze them financially.
Ford Motor Co. said it anticipated a net $2 billion hit to earnings this year from tariffs. French skincare company Yon-Ka is warning of job freezes, scaled-back investment and rising prices.
It’s unclear whether Trump’s new tariffs will survive a legal challenge Federal judges sounded skeptical Thursday about Trump’s use of a 1977 law to declare the longstanding US trade deficit a national emergency that justifies tariffs on almost every country on Earth.
“You’re asking for an unbounded authority,” Judge Todd Hughes of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit told a Justice Department lawyer representing the administration.
The judges didn’t immediately rule, and the case is expected to eventually reach the Supreme Court.
The Trump White House has pointed to the increase in federal revenues as a sign that the tariffs will reduce the budget deficit, with $127 billion in customs and duties collected so far this year—about $70 billion more than last year.
New tariffs threaten to raise inflation rates THERE are not yet signs that tariffs will lead to more domestic manufacturing jobs, and the US economy now has 14,000 fewer manufacturing jobs than it did in April.
On Thursday, one crucial measure of inflation, known as the Personal Consumption Expenditures index, showed that prices have climbed 2.6% over the 12 months that ended in June, a sign that inflation may be accelerating as the tariffs flow through the economy. The prospect of higher inflation from the tariffs has caused the Federal Reserve to hold off on additional cuts to its benchmark rates, a point of frustration for Trump, who on Truth Social, called Fed Chair Jerome Powell a “TOTAL LOSER.”
AP writer Paul Wiseman contributed to this report.
Trump imposes 35% tariff on Canada, citing failure to stop drug trafficking
WASHINGTON—President
Donald Trump has raised the tariff rate on US imports from Canada to 35% from 25%, effective Friday.
The announcement from the White House late Thursday said Canada had failed to “do more to arrest, seize, detain or otherwise intercept...traffickers, criminals at large, and illicit drugs.”
Trump has heckled Canada for months and suggested it should become its 51st US state. He had threatened to impose the higher tariff on Canada if no deal was reached by Friday, his deadline for reaching trade agreements with dozens of countries.
Earlier Thursday, the president said Canada’s announcement it will recognize a Palestinian state would “make it very hard” for the United States to reach a trade agreement with its northern neighbor. Trump has also expressed frustration with a trade deficit with Canada that largely reflects oil purchases by America.
Prime Minister Mark Carney had tempered expectations over tariffs, saying Ottawa would only agree to a deal “if there’s one on the table that is in the best interests of Canadians.”
In a statement released early Friday, he said he was disappointed by Trump’s actions and vowed to diversify Canada’s exports.
“Canada accounts for only 1% of US fentanyl imports and has been working intensively to further reduce these volumes,” he said, pointing to heavy investments in border security.
Carney added that some industries—including lumber, steel, aluminum and automobiles—will be harder hit, but said his government will try to minimize the impact and protect Canadian jobs.
Canada was not included in Trump’s updated list of tariff rates on other countries announced late
Thursday. Those import duties are due to take effect on August 7.
Trump sent a letter to Canada a few weeks ago warning he planned to raise duties on many goods imported from Canada to 35%, deepening the rift between the two North American countries that has undermined their decadesold alliance.
Some imports from Canada are still protected by the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, which is up for
renegotiation next year.
The White House’s statement said goods transshipped through Canada that are not covered by the USMCA would be subject to a 40% tariff rate. It did not say where the goods might originate.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that there would be a 90-day negotiating period with Mexico after a call with that country’s leader, Claudia Sheinbaum, keeping 25% tariff rates in place. AP
Indonesia to release hundreds of inmates as part of Prabowo’s sweeping clemency plan, including political rivals and activists
By Niniek Karmini The Associated Press
AKARTA,
Indonesia—Indo
-
Jnesia is set to begin releasing hundreds of inmates from its notoriously overcrowded prisons after parliament approved the first stage of President Prabowo Subianto’s wide-ranging clemency plan.
The first group of 1,116 will begin leaving prisons next week and includes prominent rivals of previous President Joko Widodo who were jailed during his term, as well as Papuan independence activists.
House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas made the announcement late Thursday after a consultation between the government and party factions in the legislature.
Subianto surprised the nation barely two months after he took office in October when he said he planned to grant clemency to 44,000 inmates nationwide.
Past Indonesian leaders have rarely used their amnesty powers, which require the approval of parliament.
Analysts have cautiously welcomed Subianto’s sweeping plan, which could see the release of thousands of inmates and Agtas said would prioritize political prisoners and inmates with mental and chronic health illnesses, older people, juveniles and those convicted of blasphemy or insulting the country’s leader.
Among the prisoners set to be released are several prominent opposition figures, including Hasto Kristiyanto, the secretary general of the country’s only formal opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. Kristiyanto, a former Widodo ally who turned to harshly criticize the former president and his family, was sentenced last week to 3 1/2 years in prison for bribery in a 2019 legislative seat appointment scheme.
Agtas said parliament also approved an end to criminal proceedings against former Trade Minister Tom Lembong, a onetime Widodo ally who broke with him during the 2024 presidential election to support political rival Anies Baswedan. Lembong was sentenced
See “Indonesia,” A13
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from ending protections for 60,000 from Central America and Nepal
By Janie Har & Jaimie Ding
The Associated Press
FRANCISCO—A
AN
Sfederal judge ruled on Thursday against the Trump administration’s plans and extended Temporary Protected Status for 60,000 people from Central America and Asia, including people from Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Temporary Protected Status is a protection that can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary to people of various nationalities who are in the United States, preventing from being deported and allowing them to work. The Trump administration has aggressively been seeking to remove the protection, thus making more people eligible for removal. It’s part of a wider effort by the administration to carry out mass deportations of immigrants.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem can extend Temporary Protected Status to immigrants in the US if conditions in their homelands are deemed unsafe to return due to a natural disaster, political instability or other dangerous conditions. Noem had ruled to end protections for
Palestinian state that would be democratic but also led by political rivals of Hamas who accept Israel and help it suppress the militant group, which won parliamentary
tens of thousands of Hondurans and Nicaraguans after determining that conditions in their homelands no longer warranted them.
The secretary said the two countries had made “significant progress” in recovering from 1998’s Hurricane Mitch, one of the deadliest Atlantic storms in history.
The designation for an estimated 7,000 from Nepal was scheduled to end August 5 while protections allowing 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans who have been in the US for more than 25 years were set to expire September 8.
US District Judge Trina L. Thompson in San Francisco did not set an expiration date but rather ruled to keep the protections in place while the case proceeds. The next hearing is November 18.
In a sharply written order, Thompson said the administration ended the migrant status protections without an “objective review of the country conditions” such as political violence in Honduras and the impact of recent hurricanes and storms in Nicaragua.
If the protections were not extended, immigrants could
elections in 2006 and seized power in Gaza the following year.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose authority administers parts of the occupied West Bank, supports a two-state solution and cooperates with Israel on security matters. He has made a series of concessions in recent months, including
suffer from loss of employment, health insurance, be separated from their families, and risk being deported to other countries where they have no ties, she wrote, adding that the termination of Temporary Protection Status for people from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua would result in a $1.4 billion loss to the economy.
“The freedom to live fearlessly, the opportunity of liberty, and the American dream. That is all Plaintiffs seek. Instead, they are told to atone for their race, leave because of their names, and purify their blood,” Thompson said.
Lawyers for the National TPS Alliance argued that Noem’s
announcing the end to the Palestinian Authority’s practice of providing stipends to the families of prisoners held by Israel and slain militants.
Such measures, along with the security coordination, have made it deeply unpopular with Palestinians, and have yet to earn it any favors from Israel or the Trump
decisions were predetermined by President Donald Trump’s campaign promises and motivated by racial animus.
Thompson agreed, saying that statements Noem and Trump have made perpetuated the “discriminatory belief that certain immigrant populations will replace the white population.”
“Color is neither a poison nor a crime,” she wrote.
The advocacy group that filed the lawsuit said designees usually have a year to leave the country, but in this case, they got far less.
“They gave them two months to leave the country. It’s awful,” said Ahilan Arulanantham,
administration. Israel says Abbas is not sincerely committed to peace and accuses him of tolerating incitement and militancy.
Lovatt says there is much to criticize about the PA, but that “often the failings of the Palestinian leadership are exaggerated in a way to relieve Israel of its own obligations.”
an attorney for plaintiffs at a hearing Tuesday.
Honduras Deputy Foreign Minister Antonio García told The Associated Press, “The judge recognized the need of the (TPS holders) to be able to work in peace, tranquility and legally.”
He recalled that during the first Trump administration, there was a similar legal challenge and the fight took five years in the courts. He hoped for a similar outcome this time that would allow the Hondurans to remain in the US.
“Today’s news is hopeful and positive and gives us time and oxygen, hopefully it will be a long road, and the judge will have the final word and not President Trump,” he said.
Meanwhile in Nicaragua, hundreds of thousands have fled into exile as the government shuttered thousands of nongovernmental organizations and imprisoned political opponents. Nicaragua
President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-President Rosario Murillo have consolidated complete control in Nicaragua since Ortega returned to power two decades ago.
In February, a panel of UN experts warned the Nicaraguan government had
The tide may be turning, but not fast enough
IF you had told Palestinians in September 2023 that major countries were on the verge of recognizing a state, that the UN’s highest court had ordered Israel to end the occupation, that the International Criminal
dismantled the last remaining checks and balances and was “systematically executing a strategy to cement total control of the country through severe human rights violations.”
The broad effort by the Republican administration ‘s crackdown on immigration has been going after people who are in the country illegally but also by removing protections that have allowed people to live and work in the US on a temporary basis.
The Trump administration has already terminated protections for about 350,000 Venezuelans, 500,000 Haitians, more than 160,000 Ukrainians and thousands of people from Afghanistan and Cameroon. Some have pending lawsuits at federal courts.
The government argued that Noem has clear authority over the program and that her decisions reflect the administration’s objectives in the areas of immigration and foreign policy.
“It is not meant to be permanent,” Justice Department attorney William Weiland said.
Ding reported from Los Angeles. Marlon González contributed from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Court had ordered Netanyahu’s arrest, and that prominent voices from across the US political spectrum were furious with Israel, they might have thought their dream of statehood was at hand. But those developments pale in comparison to the ongoing war in Gaza and smaller but similarly destructive military offensives in the West Bank. Israel’s military victories over Iran and its allies have left it the dominant and nearly unchallenged military power in the region, and Trump is the strongest supporter it has ever had in the White House.
“This (Israeli) government is not going to change policy,” Pinkas said. “The recognition issue, the ending of the war,
FROM left, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump arrive for the family photograph during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, June 16, 2025. ADRIAN WYLD/THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP
UNITED STATES Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sits on a horse as she speaks to the press upon arrival at the Campo De Mayo Military Base in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Monday, July 28, 2025. AP/ALEX BRANDON
FBI chief’s China remarks spark diplomatic tensions during New Zealand office opening
By Charlotte Graham-Mclay The Associated Press
WELLINGTON, New
Zealand—FBI Director Kash
Patel provoked diplomatic discomfort in New Zealand by suggesting the opening of a new office in the capital aims to counter China’s influence, drawing polite dismissals from Wellington and ire from Beijing.
Patel was in Wellington on Thursday to open the FBI’s first standalone office in New Zealand and to meet senior officials. The arrangement aligns New Zealand with FBI missions in other Five Eyes intelligence-sharing nations, which also include the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The Wellington office will provide a local mission for FBI staff who have operated with oversight from Canberra,
Continued from A12
to more than four years and had been preparing to appeal before Subianto proposed him for clemency.
“Both have demonstrated service to the nation, and our priority now is to strengthen the unity of the nation,” Agtas said.
The group also includes six Papuan independence activists serving prison sentences for treason. Agtas said they were released as the government consid -
Partners. . .
Continued from A11
Pakistan welcomes 19% tariffs under US trade deal
PAKISTAN on Friday welcomed a new tariff arrangement with the United States that sets a 19% duty on Pakistani exports, calling it a positive step that could boost trade and economic growth.
The new rate is lower than the 29% tariff initially announced by US President Donald Trump and below the 25% currently imposed on neighboring India.
The Finance Ministry said the agreement reflects a “balanced and forward-looking approach” by US authorities and will help keep Pakistani goods competitive in the American market compared to other South and Southeast Asian countries.
The ministry said the revised tariff is expected to benefit key export sectors, particularly textiles, which remain the backbone of Pakistan’s export economy. The ministry said that Pakistan will continue to engage closely with Trump and the US administration to promote the shared goals of economic development and mutual prosperity.
Norway wants ‘zero tariffs’
NORWEGIAN Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told newspaper VG that he believes the Scandinavian country should have “zero tariffs.” Gahr Støre, following the White House’s announcement, said Norwegian officials are still in talks with Washington in the hopes of eliminating the duties altogether.
Norway got hit with an expected 15% tariff.
Switzerland hit with 39% tariff and will try to negotiate THE land of luxury watches, pharmaceuticals and secretive financial services was reeling Friday, Switzerland’s National Day, upon learning it had been slapped with a 39% tariff, although US President Donald Trump had proposed a 31% rate in April.
The Swiss government said officials will continue to seek a negotiated solution.
“The Federal Council notes with great regret
Australia, since 2017.
Patel’s China remarks prompted awkward responses IN remarks made in a video published Thursday by the US Embassy, Patel said the office would help counter Chinese Communist Party influence in the contested South Pacific Ocean.
New Zealand ministers who met Patel, the highest-ranking Trump administration official to visit New Zealand, qui -
ers their movement unarmed. Authorities are expected to submit a second list of 1,668 inmates to parliament in the near future, he added.
Azmi Syahputra, a state law analyst from Trisakti University, urged Subianto to explain his decision in granting amnesty and abolition, especially for Lembong and Kristiyanto, who are high-profile politicians convicted in graft cases that he said cannot be forgiven by the public.
“Amnesty and abolition are absolute powers held by the president, but people are owed an explanation,” Syahputra said. “Failure to fully explain the rea -
that, despite the progress made in bilateral talks and Switzerland’s very constructive stance from the outset, the US intends to impose unilateral additional tariffs on imports from Switzerland,” the government said in a post on X.
Malaysia hails ‘significant achievement’ in 19% tariff rate
Malaysia’s Trade Ministry said Friday that the US tariff reduction from 25% to 19% was a “significant achievement” as the deal was struck without compromising key national interests.
“The 19% rate roughly tracks the rate of other countries in the Southeast Asian region,” the ministry said in a statement. “Most importantly, Malaysia had stood firm on various ‘red line’ items, and the 19% tariff rate was achieved without compromising the nation’s sovereign right to implement key policies to support the nation’s socio-economic stability and growth.”
The ministry said that Malaysia’s economy remains resilient despite global headwinds, citing strong domestic demand and ongoing structural reforms.
The statement didn’t give further details, but officials previously said that nontariff barriers such as halal certification, which affects US beef and poultry exports, along with digital trade and government procurement were sticking points. It’s unclear what concessions Malaysia made.
Cambodia will impose zero tariffs on all American goods
CAMBODIA’S deputy prime minister, who led trade talks with the US, thanked US President Donald Trump for setting the tariff rate on Cambodian goods at 19% and said the government would impose zero tariffs on all American goods.
When Washington originally posted its list of notional “reciprocal” tariffs, the rate for goods from Cambodia was 49%, one of the highest in the world. It had estimated that Cambodian tariffs on US imports averaged 97%.
etly dismissed his claims. A government statement Thursday emphasized joint efforts against crimes such as online child exploitation and drug smuggling, with no mention of China.
“When we were talking, we never raised that issue,” Foreign Minister Winston said Thursday.
Judith Collins, minister for the security services, said the focus would be on transnational crime.
“I don’t respond to other people’s press releases,” she said when reporters noted Patel had mentioned China, Radio New Zealand reported.
Trade Minister Todd McClay rejected a reporter’s suggestion Friday that Wellington had “celebrated” the office opening.
“Well, I don’t think it was celebrated yesterday,” he said. “I think there was an announcement and it was discussed.”
Beijing decries the FBI chief’s comments
AT a briefing Friday, Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun denounced Patel’s remarks
“China believes that cooperation between countries should not target any third party,” he said. “Seeking so-called absolute security through forming small groupings under the banner of counter -
sons will raise questions in the public sphere that could have widespread negative consequences if not addressed comprehensively.
The move could be interpreted by the public as a political agreement between the executive and legislative branches to relieve criminal liability rather than improve law enforcement, he said.
“This measure is used to free highprofile figures from a sentence currently being served for certain political interest,” Syahputra said.
A political analyst from Diponegoro University, Mohammad Rosyidin, viewed
Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol also said Cambodia would purchase 10 passenger aircraft from Boeing in a deal they hoped to sign later this month. Several other nations had already announced similar aircraft purchase deals as part of their trade packages.
Trump had threatened to not conclude a deal with reduced tariffs if Cambodia and Thailand didn’t stop a recent armed conflict over border territory. The two nations agreed on a ceasefire beginning Tuesday that appears to be holding.
Cambodia publicly celebrated Trump’s peace initiative, suggesting he deserved a Nobel Prize for his intervention. Sun Chanthol said Friday that Cambodia would nominate him for the honor.
Australia says 10% rate gives country competitive advantage
Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell says gaining the minimum 10% US tariff on exports including beef, lamb, wine and wheat gave Australia a competitive advantage over some competitors.
Farrell told reporters Australia did not introduce tariffs on US goods at any point, and added, “I haven’t seen any case or any example where the retaliatory imposition of tariffs has resulted in a country being in a better position.”
Farrell argues that no US tariffs can be justified because Australia imposes no tariffs on its bilateral free trade partner. The United States has enjoyed a trade surplus with Australia for decades.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been criticized for failing to secure a face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss trade.
Japan welcomes Trump’s signing of executive order
JAPANESE Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi welcomed US President Donald Trump’s signing of the executive order setting Japan’s new reciprocal tariffs as a step that would reduce uncertainty of the US trade policy and its negative impact on the global economy, including that of Japan.
Hayashi, however, said Japan still needs to closely examine the measures and continue urging prompt implementation by the US government to carry out the agreement, including reduction of tariffs on automobiles and auto parts.
Hayashi acknowledged that Japan’s new tariff rate of 15% is a “major reduction” from the initially imposed 25%, but his government will continue to watch and mitigate its impact on Japanese exports,
ing China does not help keep the Asia Pacific and the world at large peaceful and stable.”
New Zealand, the smallest Five Eyes partner, has faced ongoing pressure to align with US stances on China, its largest trading partner, while carefully balancing relations with Beijing. Analysts said the FBI chief’s comments could vex those efforts, although New Zealand has faced such challenges before.
“It’s in New Zealand’s interest to have more law enforcement activities to deal with our shared problems,” said Jason Young, associate professor of international relations at Victoria University of Wellington. “It’s perhaps not in New Zealand’s interest to say we’re doing this to compete with China.”
The FBI expansion comes during fresh Pacific focus PATEL’S visit came as the Trump administration has sought to raise global alarm about Beijing’s designs. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in June said China posed an imminent threat and urged Indo-Pacific countries to increase military spending to 5% of GDP.
New Zealand has traditionally avoided singling out individual countries when discussing regional tensions, Young said.
“I’m sure the US would like New Zea -
the clemency plan in the context of rights group’s criticism of Subianto, a former general with ties to the country’s dictatorial past who is linked to alleged human rights abuses.
“President Prabowo’s amnesty plan could be a step to dispel these perceptions and turned him as pro-democracy and a defender of human rights,” Rosyidin said.
Since taking office in October, Subianto’s administration has moved to repatriate several high-profile foreign inmates, all sentenced to death or life in prison for drug offenses, back to their home countries.
including by providing financial assistance for small and medium-sized businesses.
New Zealand looks to lobby for lower tariff rates
NEW Zealand officials said they would lobby the administration for a change to the 15% tariff announced for the country’s exporters to the US. It’s an increase from the original 10% baseline announced for New Zealand in April.
“We don’t think this is a good thing. We don’t think it’s warranted,” Trade Minister Todd McClay told Radio New Zealand Friday. He said New Zealand appeared to have been targeted for a larger levy because the country sells more to the US than it imports, but that the gap of about half a billion dollars each year was “not significant or meaningful.”
Neighboring Australia dodged an increase to remain at 10%, but it buys more from the US than it exports, McClay added.
The United States in January overtook Australia to become New Zealand’s second-largest export partner, behind China. New Zealand exports are largely made up of meat, dairy, wine and agricultural machinery.
Taiwan president says final tariff negotiations yet to come
TAIWAN President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan had yet to engage in final negotiations with the US owing to scheduling difficulties and that he was hopeful the final tariff rate would be reduced even further after a final round of talks.
The Trump administration hit Taiwan with 32% tariffs, and lowered it to 20% on Thursday. Taiwan was notified on Thursday by the administration of the lower rate.
“Twenty percent from the beginning has not been our goal. We hope that in further negotiations we will get a more beneficial and more reasonable tax rate,” he told reporters in Taipei on Friday.
Lai also linked trade talks to security issues, as the US is Taiwan’s largest ally even though it does not formally recognize the island. “We want to strengthen US-Taiwan cooperation in national security, tech, and multiple areas,” he said Friday.
The US is Taiwan’s most important export market and strategic ally, Lai said in an earlier statement Friday morning.
land to speak more forthrightly and characterize the China challenge in a similar way to the United States,” Young added.
New Zealand is a remote country of 5 million people that was once assumed by larger powers to be of little strategic importance. But its location and influence in the contested South Pacific Ocean, where Beijing has sought to woo smaller island nations over the past decade, has increased its appeal to countries like the US.
Peters, the foreign minister, told The Associated Press in 2024 that US neglect of the region until recent years had in part been responsible for China’s burgeoning influence there. He urged US officials to “please get engaged and try to turn up.”
New office provokes anger among New Zealanders NOT everyone welcomed the expanded FBI presence.
Online, the new office drew rancor from New Zealanders who posted thousands of overwhelmingly negative comments about the announcement on social media sites. A weekend protest against the opening was planned.
Young said it was unlikely people posting in anger took issue with cross-border law enforcement efforts in general.
“I think it would be more a reflection of some of the deep unease that many people in New Zealand see with some of the political choices that are being made in America at the moment,” he said.
Serge Atlaoui, an ailing Frenchman, returned to France in February after Jakarta and Paris agreed to repatriate him on “humanitarian grounds.”
Indonesia took Mary Jane Veloso off death row and returned her to the Philippines in December. In the same month, the government sent to Australia the five remaining members of a drug ring known as the “Bali Nine.”
Sky’s the limit with Kai–Coach Tim
By Josef Ramos
TIM CONE has gone hypothetical—at least at the moment—with the task at hand is a mere five days away. He talked about seven-toot-three Kai Sotto, who’s recovering from an ACL, for anterior cruciate ligament, injury.
“I just think that Kai gives us the opportunity to compete with anybody,” said Cone as he assembled his “original 12” for the team’s first serious practice in Jeddah on Friday.
“Honestly, I just really feel that I think we can compete with anybody in the world with Kai.”
First up for the men’s national team is a tune-up game against Jordan on Saturday, only the second for Gilas Pilipinas which got complete only early this week after key players June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez of San Miguel Beer and Calvin Oftana of TNT Tropang 5G had to attend to team duties in the Finals of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. Sotto last played in November 24 last year when Gilas defeated Hong Kong, 93-54, in an Asia Cup qualifier at the SM MOA Arena—he had points, 15 rebounds and two blocks.
He’s always been present in Gilas Pilipinas games after that and is currently in Japan to have his injury assessed.
“You do not want to mess around with an ACL injury,” said Cone, who expects the big man to be back in harness in October. “So whatever time he needs, we will give it to him.”
“If he’s back in October, maybe he will be available for us in November for the World Cup qualifiers,” Cone said.
Sotto was efficient with averages of 15.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 blocks during the first three windows of the World Cup qualifiers.
So without Sotto, tasked to hound the lane are Fajardo, 6-foot-11 AJ Edu, Jamie Malonzo and Japeth Aguilar.
Meanwhile, after arriving in Jeddah for the FIBA Asia Cup, Gilas didn’t waste time to plunge into practice.
“We’re adjusting to the time [zone, five hours behind Manila], adjusting to the weather and having extra time to practice is very important for us,” Cone said. “I think we feel better about ourselves this time around and I think it will show up in the game.”
Gilas will face ChineseTaipei on August 6 at the start of the group stage in Pool D, followed by New Zealand on August 7 and Iraq on August 9.
Cone is playing what he calls his “original 12” of Justin Brownlee, Fajardo, Oftana, Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson, Aguilar, Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Carl Tamayo, Edu and Kevin Quiambao.
“It’s all about team chemistry,” said Cone on his final 12 for the tournament.
Cone said the team’s out to get nothing less than the gold medal in the 16-team competition.
“I will say it again—our goal certainly right now is to win a gold medal,” he said. “We are going to go out there and try to win the gold.”
Jun Lomibao
shares relay bronze medal, astounding feat at 12 years old
INGAPORE—Chinese
S12-year-old Yu Zidi has won a bronze medal at the swim world championships, an astounding feat for a girl who would be a sixth- or seventh-grade student depending on the school system.
ARMENIA’S Aleksandra Bibikina competes in the women’s 3-meter springboard diving preliminaries as 12-year-old Yu Zidi flexes her muscles for the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. AP
Wong, Trinidad, Amit lead World Games campaign
the 12th World Games in Chengdu set August 7 to 17. The World Games are a competition among sports that are not on the Olympic program and have been staged since 1981 with the Philippines having won two gold, five silver and five bronze medals so far.
“We’re eyeing a significant improvement in these Chengdu World Games from the previous edition in Birmingham,” Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said.
Karate’s Junna Tsukii won the lone medal—a gold—at the pandemic delayed Birmingham games in 2022 while reigning world 9-ball champion Carlo Biado reigned supreme in his pet pool event in Wroclaw (Poland) 2017. Tolentino also announced that Wong, a two-time world championships silver medalist and five-time Southeast Asian Games winner, and Trinidad,
gold winner in the IWWF Asia and Oceania Championships in Pampanga last January, will be the flag bearers during the parade of athletes in the opening ceremony on August 7 at the Tianfu International Convention Center in Chengdu.
“This is going to be the largest delegation in all World Games editions and I am praying for more medals, especially gold,” Tolentino said. Wong, 27, will be competing in women’s taolu taijiquan bear hands and sword.
“I’m grateful to carry the flag. I feel so really blessed about the opportunity that I got for the first time to compete in the World Games,” said Wong, during a photo shoot program organized by the POC for the Chengdu-bound athletes at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Thursday.
She qualified for the games with her silver medal at the 2023 World Wushu Games in Texas. Trinidad, on the other hand, said he’s looking forward to his World Games debut.
“It will be my first time competing
and I expect a tough competition.
All world events are competitive, but I believe World Games will be more competitive, so it means a lot for me,” Trinidad said. “I am so thankful to be named flag bearer too.”
The floorball is composed of 14 Filipinos while Dragon Boat has 12 athletes. Aside from Trinidad and Wong, cue artist.
Joining the twice women’s world 10-ball champion Amit are fellow pool aces Jeffrey De Luna and Chezka Centeno, jiu-jitsu’s Kayla Napolis and Annie Ramirez, kickboxer Hergie Bacyadan and Muay’s
Rudzma Abubakar,powerlifting’s Joyce Reboton and Reggie Ramirez, sambo’s Aislinn Yap and triathlon’s
Kim Mangrobang, Franklin Yee, Bea Quiambao, Maynard Pecson, John Patrick Ciron, and Merry Joy Trupa.
Wakeboarder Eric Ordonez and wushu athletes Faith Collado, Carlos Baylon and Jones Inso as well as a 14-member floorball and 12-strong dragon boat squad are also on Team Philippines which is managed by chef de mission Dr. Jose Raul Canlas.
Ancajas
meets Uruguayan foe in non-title duel
ERWIN ANCAJAS fights
JUruguay’s Ruben Dario Casero in a non-title super bantamweight bout this Sunday at the Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California.
If he wins, a potential world titlte fight could be beckoning from the horizon.
“I must keep everything in control, must keep everything in check,” Ancajas told BusinessMirror on Friday while with his trainer manager Joven Jimenez.
“So far, everything’s good in my preparation,” he said. “This is going to be my third fight as a super bantamweight. I feel comfortable.”
Ancajas, who was supposed to fight in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios card last July 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, said Casero (13-4 win-loss record with five knockouts) would be a worthy opposition to test his mettle.
“He is exceptionally durable and I know he really want to prove himself,” Ancajas [36-42 win-loss-draw record with 24 knockouts] said.” He is also there to seize the opportunity, but I won’t let that happen.”
The former International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Ancajas has been training and conditioning at the Knuckleheads Gym of international matchmaker Sean Gibbons in Las Vegas since February.
Just a few months ago, Ancajas, 33, lost to Japanese World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue, brother of undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, and decided to move up to 122 pounds hoping to find his fortune.
Ancajas, of Panabo City, was unstoppable at 122 since beating Thailand’s Sukpasried Ponphitak via disqualification last September and Richie Mepranum via second round knockout last January.
He stressed on improving his stamina, endurance and energy while training at the Knuckleheads.
“Jerwin [Ancajas] is ready and he is extremely excited to fight in the US again,” Gibbons said. “This is a stepping stone for Jerwin in his quest to be a world titleholder again.” Josef Ramos
Yu earned the medal by swimming in the prelims of China’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay team. She did not swim in the final on Thursday—China placed third behind winning Australia and the United States—but gets a bronze medal as a team member. She’s been close to winning an individual medal, placing fourth in both the 200 butterfly and the 200 individual medley. She still has the 400 IM to swim.
Brent Nowicki, the executive director of World Aquatics, said the governing body would look at its agelimit rules. The limit is now 14, but athletes can reach the worlds if they surpass a tough time standard.
“I didn’t think I’d have this conversation, but now I think we have to go back and say is this appropriate?” he said this week in Singapore. “Is this really the right way to go forward and do we need to do other things? Put other guardrails up? Do we allow it under certain conditions? I don’t know the answer.” He called Yu “great.” He also said officials had to be “careful” about the age issue.
Friday’s session will be missing the two big stars of the meet so far— France’s Leon Marchand and Summer McIntosh of Canada. Both have no final swims.
Five finals were set for Friday. Some of the attention will go to Evgenila Chikunova, swimming as a
The
the
is American Kate Douglass. South African Pieter Coetze is the favorite in the men’s 200 backstroke. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard of France and Hurbert Kos of Hungary were the next quickest qualifiers.
The other finals are in the women’s 100
Michael Phelps. Marchand, who shattered the 200 IM world record just 24 hours earlier in the semifinal, almost did it again as he finished in one minute and 53.68 seconds—that was just off his Wednesday mark of 1:52.69. Both times blew away the old mark of 1:54.00 set 14 years ago by American Ryan Lochte.
“It was a bit tough today, but it was great,” Marchand said. “I know Shaine always goes out super fast so I knew I couldn’t be far off him. It was a battle all the way to the end, so that was cool for me.” AP
iconic triathlon competitions mark landmark year for PHL in ’26
NEXT year promises to be a landmark period in Philippine triathlon history as Century Tuna and Sunrise Events Inc. (SEI) renew their partnership to stage not one but two of the country’s most iconic multisport events in Subic Bay—the 10th edition of the Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay and the fifth Century Tuna (full) Ironman Philippines. In a momentous contract signing held recently at Century Pacific Food Inc.’s (CPFI) headquarters in Pasig City, SEI founder Fred Uytengsu and CPFI Executive Vice President and COO Greg Banzon sealed the renewed alliance aimed at a bold new era for the sport in the country. The milestone year also aligns with a series of significant anniversaries—Century Tuna’s 40th year, 20th anniversary of the Century Tuna Superbods and the return to the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, where the top male and female qualifiers from the Philippine races will earn coveted slots. With the international triathlon calendar quickly filling up, the 2026 Ironman races in Subic Bay—staged in partnership with
GILAS Pilipinas, with project director Alfrancis Chua, plunge into practice on Friday. SBP FACEBOOK PHOTO
ANCAJAS