BusinessMirror May 24, 2025

‘JITTERS WIDEN

ELBOW ROOM FOR RATE CUTS’

By Cai U. Ordinario

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is considering two more 25-basis-point cuts in key policy rates this year given the slowdown in inflation and rise in global uncertainties.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolo -

na Jr. said in a briefing on Friday that the recent slowdown in inflation has given the Monetary Board more room to introduce reductions in the policy rate.

The next meeting of the Monetary Board is slated for June 19 where, Remolona said, a rate cut is on the table. However, Remolona said this may not necessarily be consecutive cuts.

RATES WITHOUT TRIGGERING INFLATION

MARCOS KEEPS ECONOMIC TEAM, MAKES CHANGES AT DOE, DFA, DENR, DHSUD

By Samuel P. Medenilla & Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos has retained his economic managers and Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, but has started a wide-scale revamp in his Cabinet.

In a press briefing in Malacañang on Friday, Bersamin said the chief executive declined to accept his courtesy resignation. “Just this morning, he communicated to me that I have his full backing for as long as I wish to work for him. And that is a very good gesture from the President because that is a sign of his manifestation of his full trust and confidence in myself,” he said. He noted his retention belied the claim made in an online news report, which he tagged as false, that the decision of Marcos to call for a mass courtesy resignation in Cabinet last Thursday was meant to remove him from his position.

International perception ASIDE from Bersamin, Marcos also decided to keep his core economic team, due to their importance in keeping the country’s “economic health.”

Among those who will remain in the Cabinet are Trade Secretary Cristina A. Roque; Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto; Economic, Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan; Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman; and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick D. Go.

DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan issued this statement in reaction to the retention of the Economic Team: “I thank the President for his continued trust and confidence and assure him of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development’s continued efforts, together with members of the Economic Team, to steer the economy to a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient future where

every Filipino benefits from our nation’s progress.”

In a news report by the BusinessMirror on Friday, some economic experts said it was “risky” for the Marcos administration to change the composition of his economic team amidst domestic and

The uncertainties in the global economy, Remolona said, is one of the major factors in the monetary policy setting of the BSP. These are causing BSP to tread monetary policy carefully.

“The hard part is we don’t know because this is new territory for us, it’s new territory for most central banks. That’s the most uncomfortable part,” Remolona said.

Remolona said the inflation

“How many cuts, is it 2 cuts or three cuts? I think at least 2 cuts,” Remolona said. “It’s still 25 [bps] at a time, given what we know about what’s going on.”

Raise

taxes,

pursue reforms to

TO further narrow the country’s fiscal deficit, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the government should continue to pursue tax reforms, including raising taxes. In a statement after a recent visit to the Philippines, IMF Team Leader Elif Arbatli Saxegaard said tax reforms should also ensure effective control of tax incentives as well as enhance VAT efficiency and improve tax administration.

Saxegaard said the fiscal deficit has already narrowed to 5.7 percent of GDP in 2024 from 6.1 percent of GDP in 2023. However, she said, more needs to be done to achieve the deficit targets and “create more space for priority spending.”

“The medium-term fiscal consolidation remains appropriate and should be supported by a sustainable plan to raise tax revenues and implement expenditure reforms to ensure that deficit targets are met and to create more space for priority spending,” Saxegaard said.

IMF also said efforts are also needed to enhance local government capacity for them to respond to their “additional spending responsibilities” in line with the Mandanas Ruling, which became final and executory in 2019.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the Supreme Court ruled that the just share of LGUs in taxes should not be based on national internal rev-

rate of 1.4 percent posted in April 2025 and 1.8 percent recorded in the month prior gives the BSP a lot of room to reduce policy rates.

However, the BSP Governor said cutting rates aggressively may become inflationary. This can be a concern given external risks to the Philippine economy.

“So far, the hard data says we have plenty of room to cut especially because inflation is low. But we have to be careful because we don’t want to cut too much. If you cut to the point where our demand exceeds our capacity, then that will be inflationary,” Remolona said.

Apart from the reduction in the policy rates, Remolona said the BSP is also working on improving the transmission mechanism to allow the policy rate to be reflected in the local market.

“In the meantime, we’re trying to strengthen the transmission mechanism. So, a rate cut may be more effective, somewhat more effective than before,” he said.

Meanwhile, in its latest Market Call report, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said further rate cuts can make the peso more competitive for local producers.

hit fiscal goals, PHL told

enue taxes but on all national taxes.

The SC also said any mention of “internal revenue allotment” in the Local Government Code of 1991 should be understood as pertaining to the allotment of the LGUs derived from the national taxes.

Meanwhile, IMF said the Philippine economy is still resilient despite the uncertainties in the global economy. IMF said the economy is projected to grow at 5.5 percent in 2025 and 5.8 percent in 2026.

IMF noted that risks remain on the downside and will be driven mainly by weaker-than-expected output in the first quarter. The Philippine economy grew 5.4 percent in the first three months of the year.

“The medium-term fiscal consolidation remains appropriate and should be supported by a sustainable plan to raise tax revenues and implement expenditure reforms.”—Elif Arbatli Saxegaard,

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during the presentation of newly enacted laws to stakeholders at Malacañang on Thursday, May 22, 2025. AP/AARON FAVILA

“The President really wants to be responsive to the popular clamor for performance and change.”— Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin

Marcos keeps economic team, makes changes at DOE, DFA, DENR, DHSUD

external headwinds. (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2025/05/23/ cabinet-shakeup-but-spare-economicteam/)

“The President decided to retain these five members of the economic team so that there will be no more problems in perception about where the country is going,” Bersamin said.

“The President’s marching orders [to the retained economic team] is to enhance our economic situation to the eyes of the outside world and also here in the Philippines, and our actual economic health,” he added.

Budget Secretary and Chairperson of the Development Budget and Coordination Committee (DBCC) Amenah F. Pangandaman said on Friday the “unexpected boost of confidence” from the President affirms the economic team’s push for an even more prosperous economy.

“I am tremendously grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the steadfast trust, support, and confidence he has bestowed not only upon me but upon the entire economic team,” Pangandaman was quoted in a statement as saying.

“We hereby renew our commitment to achieving a Bagong Pilipinas through an economic transformation that is inclusive and

sustainable, fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people, including the next generations,” the Budget chief added.

This comes as the country’s economic managers review and recalibrate the Medium-Term Fiscal Program—the government’s fiscal strategy, which seeks to attain short-term macro-fiscal stability while steering the economy to a high-growth trajectory.

At the same time, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the President’s rejection of his courtesy resignation affirms trust in his leadership to advance the administration’s economic agenda.

Recto said: “I thank the President for his continued trust. More than a vote of confidence, I take this as a marching order to push harder and deliver results faster, and thus we will also do our own recalibration within the department.”

“As President Bongbong Marcos said, we at the DOF will not stop working to ensure that every Filipino family feels the progress,” the Finance chief added.

BIR, BOC chiefs quit, too MEANWHILE , Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. tendered on Friday his courtesy resignation for the President to evaluate his performance in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to improve public service under the Marcos Jr. administration.

“I fully support the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for accountability in public service,” Lumagui said.

“This call for accountability shows the commitment of the President to establish a government that serves the people,” the BIR chief added.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro made it clear that the President’s order will cover all Cabinet secretaries, heads of agencies with Cabinet rank and other heads of agencies. Moreover, Customs Commis-

sioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio also submitted his courtesy resignation to give the President a “free hand in assessing the performance of the heads of agencies and better improve the service to the Filipino people.”

“I remain in full support of His Excellency’s policies and reforms for national progress and development,” Rubio said.

UN campaign

MARCOS, however, opted to make changes to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) by reappointing Enrique A. Manalo, the current chief, as the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations, a position he previously held in 2020.

He will replace the country’s current representative to the UN, Antonio M. Lagdameo, who retires on July 31, 2025.

“His replacement will be our great DFA Secretary Enrique A. Manalo. That’s how important that position is. That position is very high in the eyes of our President. That’s why we will be installing Secretary Manalo himself to replace Antonio Lagdameo. Effective August 1,” Bersamin said.

He explained the President considers the UN representative a key position as the country con-

tinues to campaign to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2027 to 2028.

DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro will be promoted to become the new chief of DFA.

Movements at DOE, DENR, DHSUD MARCOS, meanwhile, transferred Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as its new head. DOE undersecretary Sharon Garin will serve as the Officer-in-Charge of DOE.

Incumbent DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga will be temporarily allowed to “rest” from government duties due to the public perception that she spends most of her time abroad and has “underperformed.”

“Let us not judge her. Whether [her overseas trips] is considered an inefficiency or not. That is not for us to do. But the evaluation showed that it was time to have her rest,” Bersamin said.

Also to be transferred to a new post are Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino L. Acuzar, who will be named Presidential Advisor for Pasig River Improvement with the rank of secretary. He will be replaced by Jose Ramon Aliling, the president and the chief executive officer of the Jose Aliling Construction Management Group, as the new head of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Bersamin said Acuzar was transferred to a new position due to “under delivery.”

Under Acuzar’s administration DHSUD was initially targeting to build at least six million housing units by 2028. But due to budget constraints, it was forced to reduce its targets to 3.2 million in the next three years.

“The standards that he imposed on himself were too high when he accepted the job. But you know he was very efficient in the private sector, and the President expected he would be able to deliver,” Bersamin said.

“There might have been ob -

Raise taxes…

However, the country’s current account deficit is projected to narrow to 3.4 percent of GDP in 2025 from 3.8 percent of GDP in 2024 due to cheaper commodity prices.

The Marcos administration said it will stay the course on pursuing its economic reform agenda, with GDP growth remaining as the government’s top priority (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2025/05/13/ dof-chief-economic-growth-top-priority-of-marcos-govt/).

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto told the BusinessMirror that the administration remains committed to implementing the Phil-

ippine Development Plan, aimed at creating more jobs and reducing poverty, even if the midterm elections would introduce new dynamics in Congress. In this year’s midterm elections, the country’s high-ranking officials, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, are supporting rival political aspirants.

Half, or 12 senators, of the 24-member Senate could determine the fate of Duterte, who is facing an impeachment trial for claiming that she hired someone to assassinate Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Cai U. Ordinario

stacles along his way which were beyond control and the control of the government. But to us now, because of the results of the elections, it is time for the President to take him out there and bring another one who might make a better performance,” he added.

Ongoing review

BERSAMIN said there were a total of 52 officials under the Executive Branch who submitted their courtesy resignation after it was ordered by Marcos on Thursday in his bid to “recalibrate” the performance of his administration and “cleanse” his Cabinet from its underperforming and corrupt officials.

He said a committee, composed of “high caliber” individuals whom he chose not to identify, conducts the performance review for the affected government executives and submits its recommendations to the President, who will decide if he will accept or not their courtesy resignation.

Bersamin said the President may decide not only to reshuffle his existing appointed officials, but also to bring in “action men” or a “new breed” of officials in his Cabinet.

“You can be sure that the President really wants to be responsive to the popular clamor for a performance, for change.” As to criticisms on why the President opted to demand for a mass courtesy resignation rather than conducting the performance review discreetly, he said Marcos made the decision to give his Cabinet officials an “honorable way” to leave their position.

“We have to humanize. Demanding a courtesy resignation is the best way of doing it. Because all you can do is to accept and that is the end of the debate,” Bersamin said.

Malacañang is set to announce the results of the review in the coming days.

“Each Cabinet secretary will be evaluated based on their tasks and the goals of their department and agency,” Bersamin said.

Jitters...

Continued from A1

The report stated that the BSP will likely deliver a 25-bps rate cut in June 2025 and an additional 25bps cut in the third quarter would drive those yields closer to 5.75 percent.

“Expectations of BSP policy rate cuts of at least 25 bps in June, regardless of US action/inaction, should support the economy’s return to a faster growth path,” UA&P said.

“With BSP cuts in June and in the third quarter we should see 10year bond yields fall to around 5.75 percent as real yields have hovered around record highs since 2009,” it added.

Earlier, the Department of Economic Planning and Development (DepDev) said the Philippines needs to aim for faster economic growth despite uncertainties to play catch up with its peers in the region and attain inclusive economic growth.

DepDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan recently told reporters he remains optimistic about the growth target of 6 to 8 percent despite global uncertainties.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said in its latest Monetary Policy Stance Highlights Report that the country’s GDP growth may “settle close” to the government’s low-end target until 2027 (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/05/15/phl-must-grow-faster-to-keep-up-with-regional-peers/).

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr., second from left, congratulates Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. during the presentation of the newly enacted laws to stakeholders at Malacañang on Thursday, May 22, 2025. AP/AARON

Argentina keen to export meat products to the PHL

By Ada Pelonia

RGENTINA is ready to beef up

Athe country’s meat supply with additional pork and poultry products amid the trade disruptions created by animal diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF) and bird flu.

Argentinian Ambassador to the Philippines Ricardo Luis Bocalandro said the country would be a “very important market” due to its increasing population and growing economy.

“It’s a big market placed in the center of the world of businesses today. It’s a market we have to really foster and take care of and know by heart,” Bocalandro told reporters on the sidelines of a business-to-business event on Friday.

This also comes at a time when the government recently suspended poultry shipments from Brazil, the Philippines’ largest meat supplier, due to a bird flu outbreak.

Industry sources noted that the food service industry would hardly be hit by the temporary ban, but it would likely weigh on the processing sector.

TWhile the bird flu situation in the South American nation would likely be “temporary,” Bocalandro expressed optimism that Argentina could plug the poultry volume that Brazil may not be able to deliver to the Philippines in the interim.

“The Brazilian situation will not be forever. In the meanwhile, we are here for the first time and [we are] open and ready to supply whatever you may need,” he said.

Argentina received a system-wide accreditation last November 2024, which allows accredited meat establishments from the South American nation to export pork and poultry products to the Philippines.

This accreditation also expanded Brazil’s beef shipments to the country, which previously stood at eight individual establishments in 2015.

Argentina secured the market access for pork and poultry meat to the Philippines following 10 years of negotiations.

Government data showed that Brazil was the country’s top supplier of chicken in the first quarter, particularly for mechanically deboned meat (MDM) typically used in hot dogs and sausages. It accounted for 68 percent of the country’s MDM supply during the period.

DICT is asking Google to explain takedown of video on cyber scam

HE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will seek clarification from Google following the takedown of a viral YouTube video that exposed an alleged investment scam operation based in Cebu IT Park.

The video, which had prompted mounting public pressure and a formal investigation by the DICT and the NBI, is now unavailable to viewers in the Philippines due to a defamation complaint.

“This content is not available on this country domain due to a defamation complaint,” reads the notice on the nowinaccessible video link.

When sought for comment, DICT Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said the agency would be coordinating with Google to better understand the basis for the takedown.

“I’ll be clarifying this with Google directly for clarification on the basis for their actions, without imposing on their community standard and/or policies,” Paraiso said in a Viber message.

The now-unavailable video had gained traction after it featured the investigative

work of a local YouTuber who used social engineering techniques to infiltrate a Cebu-based call center-style outfit accused of defrauding foreign victims through allegedly fake cryptocurrency investment platforms such as Virtual Wealth Exchange, BTC Boutique, and Solis Market.

Using hacked access to the group’s computers and CCTV feeds, the grey hat hacker “mrwn” documented how so-called “conversion agents” and “retention agents” manipulated fake trading accounts to show fabricated profits, luring victims into depositing larger amounts. Leaked documents revealed in the video suggest that the company behind the operations leased office space under the name BMJ Data Processing Services and earned over $68,000 in just one month.

On Thursday, the NBI said it was hunting about 40 persons believed involved in the apparent cyber scam operation, after a raid it conducted on the premises showed those behind the hub no longer showed up for work after Friday, May 16. Lorenz S. Marasigan

‘No cigarette provision in bicam report of tobacco tax reform bill’

By Butch Fernandez

S

ENATOR

emphatically said on Friday the Senate Committee on Ways and Means will no longer tackle the provisions related to cigarettes in House

Bill (HB) 11360 or the Excise Tax for Tobacco Products. The senator noted that the committee has already conducted three hearings on the See “Cigarette,” A4

US credit rating downgrade ‘a big thing’ for PHL–BSP

By Cai U. Ordinario

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pili -

pinas (BSP) is considering reducing its US Treasuries holdings after Moody’s Ratings downgraded the credit rating of the United States.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona admitted that the downgrade of US treasuries is a “big thing” for markets worldwide, including the Philippines.

Moody’s Ratings decided to downgrade the US credit rating to Aa1 from Aaa due increasing debts.

“We’re looking at it, but yes, the US is now just double A [AA]. It’s one thing when other countries debt is downgraded. But the US Treasuries downgrade, that’s a big thing,” Remolona said.

Nonetheless, Remolona said, the US remains the “most liquid” market and having the dollar as a reserve currency remains important to the Philippines.

He also reiterated that because of this, the US dollar will remain a significant part of the country’s reserves.

“It’s still the most liquid market.

The dollar is still the number one currency in terms of length, international lending and borrowing, in terms of investment. So it’s likely to remain a very important part of our reserves,” Remolona said.

Remolona noted that while there are de-dollarization efforts worldwide, the US remains a safe haven currency. This means that when crisis strike, money moves into dollar.

However, in theory, Remolona said the safe haven status of the US dollar may be reduced over time albeit at a slow pace. This happened

MOVE IT asks TWG: Decide

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

OTORCYCLE taxi plat -

Mform MOVE IT has urged the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (MCTTWG) to immediately act on its motion for reconsideration, warning that continued inaction could displace more than 14,000 riders and disrupt services for thousands of commuters.

In a supplemental appeal filed by the company, MOVE IT asked the MCT-TWG to suspend the implementation of its April 2025 directive that cut the company’s rider allocation and banned its operations in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.

The company argued that the order is “fatally flawed” and issued without due process, placing both livelihoods and commuter convenience at risk.

“It is both arbitrary and unjust for the Honorable MCT-TWG to base a decision—one that effectively obliterates up to 14,000 jobs — on a single ‘hearing’ conducted solely by the Secretariat, without the presence of the Chairman, Vice Chairperson, the five other members of the Honorable MCT-TWG, and, most critically, without the participation of the directly affected parties, MOVE IT and the riders,” the company said.

MOVE IT reiterated its request for the TWG to recognize its com -

in the United Kingdom where after Brexit, their invoicing changed to the Euro from the US dollar. In the Philippines, Remolona said, while the country’s top import source is China, the invoicing remains in US dollars, which shows the US currency’s importance in international trade.

“The safe haven advantage of the dollar may be reduced over time by it’s just, it’s, it’s a slow process. It doesn’t happen right away,” Remolona said. “This dominance of the dollar is not permanent. It can be eroded.”

on appeal vs order

pliance with existing regulations, authorize the continued deployment of 15,000 riders in Metro Manila, and allow operations in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.

The appeal follows the platform’s initial motion for reconsideration submitted on April 30, challenging the legality and fairness of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) order. MOVE IT argued that its side was not given due consideration, and the decision was finalized without adequate representation or input from affected stakeholders.

MOVE IT emphasized the urgency of resolving the matter, especially ahead of the rehabili -

tation works on Edsa scheduled next month, which are expected to strain existing transport options.

“Ironically, the order was released just before Labor Day, a day meant to celebrate the ordinary, hardworking Filipino,” the company said.

While recognizing the government’s authority to regulate the sector, MOVE IT said this power must be exercised in line with constitutional guarantees of due process.

“Any further delay in the resolution of the Motion will not just affect 14,000 riders and their families, but also the riding public, for whom the MCT pilot study was contemplated and envisioned,” MOVE IT said.

SRA raises alarm: RSSI, sugarcane pest, invades Negros Occ. plantations

THE pest infestation in sugarcane plantations has spread to Southern Negros Occidental, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

The agency noted that redstriped soft scale insects (RSSI), which could slash sugar content by nearly 50 percent, have already infected farms in the southern part of the province.

“Unfortunately, we monitored three areas in the south of Negros that have the presence of RSSI already, and seven in the north, and one in central Negros already,” the SRA said.

Around 87 hectares have already been infested with RSSI, while one farm with 12 hectares reported to have 70 percent infestation, the agency added.

The SRA confirmed this week the first case of RSSI in Negros Occidental—considered as the country’s sugar bowl—which could deal a blow to the country’s production of the sweetener.

In a statement, the agency noted

that six areas in Northern Negros Occidental are being closely monitored after the pest reportedly infested plantations.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the RSSI could also raise production costs and threaten the industry’s overall stability.

“We cannot afford to have an infestation, as some farmers are already starting to plant their canes for the next crop year.”

He urged sugar farmers to remain vigilant where they purchase their cane points, claiming that the infestation was brought to the region from Luzon, where an RSSI infestation had occurred before and remains present in some farms.

With this detection, the SRA created a task force headed by SRA Board Member David Andrew Sanson to control the infestation and seek quarantine measures from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The SRA said a meeting was held between the SRA task force helmed by Sanson and DA Negros Island Regional Director Albert Barrogo.

Among the initiatives set by the DA were providing pesticide assistance to be distributed to farmers for soaking their plant materials before planting. This would ensure canes are pest-free, pending official protocol once a conclusive study is done.

The DA would also seek and implement quarantine protocols while involving the Bureau of Quarantine in preventing the transport of planting materials, particularly from infected areas.

“In the absence of a conclusive study, the DA is ready to assist through these measures to prevent the spread in sugarcanes, and make sure it will not affect other value crops.”

The SRA also said it has written to the 11 towns and cities where infestation has been monitored. The agency plans to seek their assistance in helping contain the spread by immediately prohibiting the transport of planting materials and enforcing the suggested preventive measures. Ada Pelonia

The DA would make two disinfectant vehicles or tankers available in Negros Island and one in Iloilo for planting materials and canes being transported from one area to another.

Sherwin Gatchalian

Labor-related violence may land PHL anew on ILO shortlist–group

By Samuel P. Medenilla

ITHOUT a renewed commitment

Wfrom the Marcos administration of ending labor-related violence, the country is at risk of being once again included in the shortlist of the Committee of Application of Standards (CAS) in the upcoming 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) next month.

In a statement on Friday, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition (NLC) urged President Ferdinand Marcos to issue a “high-level assurance” to the International Labor Organization (ILO) Director General to prevent the country from being included in the shortlist.

“A clear statement affirming the government’s commitment to finally implement

Cthe ILO-HLTM [High Level Tripartite Mission] recommendation—particularly those reflected in the Freedom of Association [FOA] Roadmap endorsed by the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council [NTIPC] in late 2024—will send a strong signal of the country’s resolve to uphold international labor standards and protect worker’s right,” NLC said.

Nagkaisa member and Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) Secretary General Josua Mata said the Philippines will draw negative attention at the upcoming ILC if it is included in the CAS shortlist.

“Right now, the Philippines is in the long list of countries to be scrutinized by the ILO in June. Without substantial movements

AUAYAN CITY, Isabela—Key programs of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will continue uninterrupted even if a new leadership takes over, according to science chief Renato Solidum Jr. Solidum on Friday said the agency has already laid down a strong foundation for its projects.

“What we did in DOST is we developed a good strategic program, and hopefully the programs are now institutionalized and we have assigned people to lead it,” Solidum said in the press conference of the 3rd International Smart City Exposition and Networking Engagement (iSCENE).

Pressed on whether a possible change in leadership could derail the agency’s direction, Solidum was unequivocal. “We will not. There will be not,” he said, brushing off concerns of instability.

He explained that most of the DOST’s operational programs are being implemented by its attached agencies and councils.

“My role as DOST secretary is to set them in a direction that will be more impactful and institutionalize our effort,” he said.

On Thursday, Solidum confirmed that he had submitted his courtesy resignation in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to all Cabinet members.

“I have submitted my courtesy resignation to enable the President to implement the reforms he deems necessary to provide the best service to the Filipino people,” he said in a separate statement.

As of Friday, President Marcos had declined the resignations of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and all five members of his economic team.

While almost every Cabinet official and agency head has submitted their resignations, with some having already been retained, decisions on others are still pending. Bless Aubrey Ogerio

Cigarette. . .

Continued from A3

measure, with specific recommendations aimed at curbing illicit trade.

“Lowering taxes won’t curb illicit trade; stronger enforcement will,” said Gatchalian, emphasizing that the most recent hearing focused on vape smuggling, especially since

on the realization of the ILO HLTM, it could end up in the short list. Which means, the Philippines would be in the spotlight for the 3rd straight year,” Mata explained via Facebook messenger.

He said this can prompt the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to include the Philippines in its list of 10 worst countries for workers. The country has been part of the said list for eight consecutive years in 2024.

“That’s what the employers and the government are so worried about,” Mata said.

“That’s why we are requesting for a high-level assurance that Marcos as the president himself is committed to realize the recommendations of the ILO HLTM,” he said.

NEW YORK CITY— In a packed auditorium in New York City, 18-year-old Filipino American Kielan Santos stood before an expectant crowd. With calm intensity, he delivered The Undelivered Speech—a message Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. had prepared to read upon his return from exile, but never lived to share. The moment earned Kielan first place in a school declamation contest and reminded all in attendance that history, when spoken with heart, still matters.

The speech, written more than four decades ago, called for peaceful resistance, moral courage, and national unity. Aquino’s assassination on the airport tarmac on August 21, 1983 turned those words into a symbol of sacrifice. That same message now found a renewed voice through Kielan—a generation removed, but no less committed to its meaning.

Born in New York City but raised in the stories of his roots, Kielan’s performance bridged past and present, echoing themes that remain urgent in today’s world: freedom, responsibility, and the cost of silence.

His connection to legacy runs deeper than the speech itself. Kielan is the grand-nephew of Oskee

“it is one of the reasons vaping has become so accessible to the youth.”

“We will not have any way of tackling the increase in taxation on vaping products. This is the only measure right now in the Committee that deals with the taxation of vaping products,” he added.

Healthcare groups also warned that HB 11360’s tobacco tax rollback provision could be used in bicam to justify lowering cigarette

NLC said it recognized the efforts of the Marcos administration to address the HLTM concerns through the Interagency Agency Committee (IAC) established under Executive Order (EO).

Led by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, the IAC expressed its openness to “elevate the Omnibus Guidelines on Freedom of Association into an Executive Order.”

NLC said it also appreciates the willingness of the Department of Justice to revisit the case of the slain labor leader Manny Asuncion.

“But they are running out of time to do complete staff work [before the ILC]. Hence, our request for a high level assurance,” Mata said.

Salazar, a legendary Filipino publicist and entertainment columnist who championed Filipino artists and helped shape the golden age of Philippine popular culture. Oskee’s pen elevated countless voices in music and film; today, Kielan carries that torch forward—using performance to uplift stories that still deserve to be heard.

Kielan’s moment on stage was an act of remembrance. It showed that even the words never spoken can still inspire—and that the courage to speak them lives on in the next generation.

taxes—a major concern for public health.

“As long as I’m the Chairman of this Committee, I will not agree to include that cigarette provision in the bicam report,” Gatchalian said.

Last May 19, as he opened the fourth hearing on the House bill, Gatchalian assured health and fiscal advocates that his committee will not endorse any reduction in tobacco excise tax rates, because it is not the solution

to curbing illicit trade of tobacco.

Gatchalian said “the solution to curb illicit trade,” as seen in the last three hearings, “won’t come from a reduction of taxes, [but from] law enforcement...and from winning cases” filed against smugglers.

He acknowledged the concerns of the Sin Tax Coalition that the committee, in tackling HB 11360, might be used as an entry point for reducing tax rates on tobacco.

Chronic workforce woes stall UHC rollout–study

APERSISTENT shortage of skilled health professionals, mismatched training, and restrictive hiring practices are stalling the country’s push for Universal Health Care (UHC), a recent Ateneo de Manila University study has revealed.

While the country may be producing enough doctors and nurses on paper, the study warned that many are unprepared to serve effectively in the community-based and preventive health systems that UHC demands.

Per the research, the country’s medical education system is to blame for still being heavily focused on hospital care, with little exposure to the principles of public health and community-based medicine, which are core elements of UHC.

“Graduates often enter the workforce without sufficient understanding of UHC principles, and there are limited onboarding programs to bridge this gap,” researchers said.

The Philippines passed its UHC Law in 2019, aiming to ensure affordable, quality healthcare for all. Yet, just a year later, the Covid-19 pandemic exposed long-standing weaknesses in the health system and delayed reform efforts.

The country’s health sector has also been drained by the steady emigration of nurses and doctors in search of higher pay, job security and career advancement overseas.

A joint report from the World Health Organization and World Bank showed the Philippines scoring 58 on the UHC Service Coverage Index, well below the global average of 68.

Meanwhile, WHO data from 2021 revealed that the country had only 7.92 physicians per 10,000 people, falling short of the ideal 10-per-10,000 ratio. Another estimate put the nursing shortage at over 127,000, particularly acute in private hospitals.

Moreover, even those who choose to remain in the country face structural constraints, particularly in the public sector.

Gatchalian explained that “as a matter of procedure, we will tackle this bill from the House” because the Constitution mandates that all tax measures must emanate from the House.

For instance, one respondent noted that government hospitals are required to meet specific staffing standards, but due to limited resources, nurses frequently take on multiple roles just to satisfy Department of Health requirements.

System overhaul Researchers called for reforms to improve the recruitment, training and retention of healthcare professionals. This includes better coordination between schools and health facilities to ensure proper deployment of return-service scholars.

They also recommended educational incentives, postgraduate support and broader access to specialist training, especially in underserved areas. Moreover, updating medical curricula to align with UHC principles was also mentioned.

Additional proposals included reforms in higher education and civil service systems, reviewing provisions of the Local Government Code that may hinder workforce sustainability, and implementing long-term local hiring strategies.

They also urged revisiting training program costs to keep them accessible and proposed mandatory UHC training for all health workers, along with fairer labor agreements with countries hiring Filipino medical staff.

Last year, World Bank Senior Economist Wei Han stressed that most policies are already in place, and the key game changers now are actions on the ground and strong monitoring and evaluation systems to track implementation. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/10/29/high-healthcosts-access-gaps-mar-uhc-goals/)

The study, titled “Health Workforce Issues and Recommended Practices in the Implementation of Universal Health Coverage in the Philippines: A Qualitative Study,” was published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Resources for Health. Bless Aubrey Ogerio

The Sin Tax Coalition had urged Senator Gatchalian to reject in its entirety HB 11360 or the “Sin Tax Sabotage Bill,” and expressed concern over the move to set a hearing even while the Senate is still in recess. The coalition said this signals that champions of the bill will expedite HB 11360’s flow through the Senate, despite the limited two-week window of the chamber before adjourning to give way to the 20th Senate. They recalled that HB 11360 was railroaded in the House in January. According to Gatchalian, he is interested only in the bill’s provisions on vape products tax rates.

Fil-Am wins NYC declamation contest with Ninoy’s words

Solidum: DOST programs to go on even if leadership changes

KIELAN SANTOS

₧9.8 million incentives benefit 1,777 senior citizens in Iloilo

By Perla Lena

ILOILO CITY—The provincial government of Iloilo has disbursed some P9.83 million in monetary rewards to 1,777 elderly citizens aged 85, 95 and 100. A total of 1,734 received their incentives, totaling P9.61 million last year. This year, P215,000 in incentives were divided among 43 beneficiaries.

The recipients included 63 centenarians, 549 aged 85 and 1,165 aged 95.

Under Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-216, those who turn 85 and 95 years of age will receive P5,000 while it will be P20,000 for those who will reach 100 years, aside from a congratulatory letter and a certification from the governor.

“We have around 270,000 senior citizens in the province,” Social Welfare Officer IV Ann Rapunzel Ganzon said in an interview on Tuesday. In addition to the monetary in-

centives, Ganzon said that they will soon inaugurate the senior citizen’s community center in the municipality of Cabatuan, the first in Western Visayas.

The center was introduced by Commissioner Dr. Mary Jean Loreche of the National Commission of Senior Citizens, with a P5 million funding from the Senior Citizens party-list.

It is connected to the rural health unit and has a rehabilitation room with an eight-bed capacity. It also has areas for livelihood training, meetings and seminars, socials and recreation, and palliative care.

Over the weekend, 20 senior citizens and persons with disabilities were recipients of assistive devices from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and various Rotary Clubs of Iloilo.

A free pampering session, medical consultation, and legal consultation, in partnership with a local radio station, would also be available for 200 senior citizens. PNA

FDA clears breakthrough blood test for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis

ALVERN, Pa., & TOKYO

M—Fujirebio recently announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance for the company’s Lumipulse in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) test for the assessment of amyloid pathology in patients being evaluated for Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive decline.

The test, which was granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA, is the first FDA cleared blood-based IVD test in the US to aid and to identify patients with amyloid pathology associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s disease currently affects an estimated 7.2 million Americans, a number projected to rise to nearly 14 million by 2060. It is a leading cause of disability and death. Alzheimer’s disease develops over many years, long before symptoms are evident, but the lack of accessible, minimally invasive diagnostics results in many patients remaining undiagnosed until the disease is well advanced, when few effective interventions remain.

The Lumipulse IVD test is an accurate, minimally invasive, accessible measurement of pTau 217 and β-Amyloid 1-42 concentrations in plasma as a proxy for the presence of β-Amyloid plaque pathology in the brain. It is intended for use in adult patients aged 50 years and older presenting at a specialized care setting with signs and symptoms of cognitive decline.

In a clinical study population of 499 patients, which closely mirrored the US demographics, and when applying a dual cut point, the test demonstrated a positive predicate value (PPV) of 92 percent, a negative

DOT to offer job opportunities, training to senior citizens under new partnership

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is set to provide qualified Filipino senior citizens with training and job opportunities in the field of tourism.

This program will form part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between DOT and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) in Makati City on Wednesday.

Through this partnership, the DOT will activate its regional offices to include senior citizens in its training for tourism stakeholders.

“They simply have to approach our regional offices or the NCSC and we can definitely include them in our training modules,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.

The commission is currently conducting a “needs assessment” to tailor-fit the training program for beneficiaries.

Once formally rolled out, NCSC officer-in-charge Chairperson Mary Jean Loreche said a senior citizen needs only to be physically and mentally fit to qualify for the training program.

“In every region, they have their respective tourism destinations. So, if it’s going to be cultural heritage sites so be it, if they want to be in tour guiding so be it, if they want to be in the resorts and hotels and be part of the personnel they can be trained, so there are many opportunities for qualified seniors,” she said.

On top of the training, the MOU would help the DOT craft more inclusive policies that are sensitive to

the needs of traveling senior citizens. It would also facilitate the development of infrastructure and tourism products that cater to the sector.

“We will make a conscious effort that in the tourism programs and circuits that we’re launching in our destinations, that there are opportunities for seniors to enjoy,

They who can foresee tomorrow

Tpredicate value (NPV) of 97 percent with only 20 percent patients who are uncertain to have amyloid pathology, thus requiring further testing.

“The lack of effective, accessible and minimally invasive diagnostics for Alzheimer’s disease contributes to its late diagnosis and inadequate treatment,” said Monte Wiltse, President and CEO at Fujirebio Diagnostics Inc.

“The Lumipulse G pTau 217/ β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio test will go a long way to assist physicians and patients to obtain an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in early stages of the disease, when interventions are more effective. As part of our worldwide commitment to improve the diagnosis and treatment of AD, Fujirebio is developing additional assays, which will increase the availability of diagnostic tools and expand the foundation for early, more effective treatment,” Wiltse said.

Fujirebio, a member of H.U. Group Holdings Inc., is a global leader in the field of high-quality in vitro diagnostics (IVD) testing. It has more than 50 years’ accumulated experience in the conception, development, production and worldwide commercialization of robust IVD products.

Fujirebio was the first company to develop and market CSF biomarkers under the Innogenetics brand over 25 years ago.

Fujirebio offers a comprehensive line-up of manual and fully automated assays for neurological diseases and consistently partners with organizations and clinical experts across the world to develop new pathways for earlier, easier and more complete neurodegenerative diagnostic tools.

WIRE

HERE are moments when I pause to observe my children and grandkids pre-occupied with their cellphones and tablets. I can’t help ruminating on how our generation, the so-called boomers, have seen the most exciting developments in humanity’s progress in the span of only 3 to 4 decades.

For instance, during my youthful years in the ’50s and ’60s, talking face to face with someone who’s in another city or a foreign country over a wireless phone was just pure fantasy. The idea of calling someone who’s outside the home or the office, let alone on the road, was the stuff of science fiction.

Just a month ago, from our home in the Philippines, I was able to watch the necrological services for my late brother in Georgia U.S.A. happening in real time as if I was physically there.

As a cinephile, I can now select movies I want to watch on our smart TV screen with just a few clicks on the remote control. Now you hear a friend saying that “I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve downloaded it from the Internet.”

What were merely childish fantasies in our distant past are part of our ordinary lives today. But what amazes me more is that these mundane scenes we see today had already been imagined and depicted accurately by individuals in the past.

Made more than 70 years ago, “Television: Eye of Tomorrow” a film by J.K. Raymond-Millet’s may have been far ahead of its time. Supposedly a simple educational science fiction film, it turns out to be an eerily accurate portrayal of how we use smartphones today. The filmmaker’s vision of a future illustrates people oblivious to what’s going on around them due to their mobile phone addiction. The fulllength film not only shows these miniature-television devices in public places, but professional meetings conducted with picture-phones, TVequipped cars, and shops promoting their goods on television.

filled with his inventions that are used today: parachutes, tanks, anemometer, a cart that could move by itself and a flying machine, which in hindsight were precursors of the automobile and airplane.

Over 400 years, Michel de Nostredame or better known as Nostradamus, made predictions that are still relevant today. Many supporters say that he predicted the Great Fire of London, the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon and of Adolf Hitler, both world wars, and the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is said that he predicted the future by the positions of the planets and sun and moon.

In 1865 Jules Verne, a French novelist, poet and playwright, wrote two novels entitled “From earth to the moon” and “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.” How could a man living more than 150 years ago foresee space travel and undersea voyages with accuracy? He also predicted the moon landing, alternative fuel and a flying machine that flew via rotors—essentially, a helicopter!

Recently I saw a cartoon by an artist named W. K. Haselden that appeared in a defunct newspaper called Daily Mirror at some point between 1919 and 1923. It accurately illustrates the “pocket phone” dominating the lives of people. This cartoon appeared long before the invention of today’s cellphone!

In fact, throughout history numerous examples exist of how writers, artists, moviemakers and individuals involved in creative tasks portrayed inventions and details about future events that they realistically had no way of knowing. Leonardo da Vinci who lived in the 15th century had a notebook

not just discounts, perhaps from our tourism stakeholders, but also expanded opportunities to enjoy different kinds of tourism products,” Frasco said. The MOU, she said, institutionalizes the existing engagement between DOT and NCSC to ensure it is not just seasonal. PNA

veil of time and glimpsed the future. This is why it pays to devote time to science fiction. Science fiction enables us to explore imagined worlds, advanced technologies, and futuristic societies.

Most significantly, sci-fi stories tell us the implications of new technologies. Just as storytelling mirrors human experience, sci-fi uses fiction to explore the potential experience of new technologies most especially its pitfalls.

In 1964, Arthur C Clarke predicted that in the future, computers would be able to outthink humans. “The most intelligent inhabitants of that future world won’t be men or monkeys. They’ll be machines.” There has been an artificial intelligence explosion in the last 10 years, as machine algorithms are now being used to learn to do everything from driving cars to playing video games, responding to customer inquiries, writing business proposals, essays and stories and even composing music pieces.

One of my favorite writers is Arthur C. Clarke, a prodigious sci-fi writer best known for writing 2001: A Space Odyssey. He had a talent for explaining as well as dramatizing all the great things to come. In 1962 he published his collected essays, “Profiles of the Future,” of which I have a copy. It lists down the possible inventions in the future. His predictions or extrapolations turned out to be uncannily accurate, like telecommunication satellites, online banking, online shopping, cloud technology, 3D printers and selfdriving cars, among other things. In olden times, we would call these special individuals “prophets.”

Now they are labeled “pre-cogs” or short for “human beings with precognition abilities.” Somehow, these gifted human beings had pierced the

“I Robot,” a novel of Isaac Asimov, another popular sci-fi writer, serves as a cautionary fable about AI, which is now quietly creeping into our lives. As he warns us: “The lucky few who can be involved in creative work of any sort will be the true elite of mankind, for they alone will do more than serve a machine.” Every single day seems to bring news of a mind-boggling discovery, advancement, or invention that wasn’t supposed to happen for years. But as we accelerate the present forward to meet those astonishing possibilities, let’s also find the moment to reflect and first ensure that what we’re building is a future worth creating. We dream of things that are not, and say why not? But as every good sci-fi story cautions us: why do it? Is it worth creating?

But then again, who knows? As Arthur C. Clarke said: “That is why the future is so endlessly fascinating. Try as we can, we’ll never outguess it.”

TOURISM Secretary Christina Frasco (left) and NCSC officer-in-charge Chairperson Mary

SENIOR citizens and persons with disabilities receive wheelchairs from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and various Rotary Clubs of Iloilo on May 18, 2025. Social Welfare Officer IV

Ann Rapunzel Ganzon said in an interview on Tuesday, May 20, that the provincial government of Iloilo also disbursed

BusinessMirror

Milk brand asks moms what their love language is in digital campaign

FOR many brands, Mother’s Day is an opportunity to create digital campaigns that would, of course, highlight their products and how it connects to the life of mothers. There have been many interesting digital campaigns with regard to this and here’s a rundown of that.

LOVE LANGUAGE

MILK brand NIDO recently commissioned research firm Kantar to look at how Pinoy mothers express love to their children.

The study, conducted with 600 Filipino mothers in 2025, showed that 23 percent expressed their love through service, 32 percent love through shared experiences with their children, 21 percent love through teaching their kids, 10 percent use treating their children as their main act of love, and 14 percent of mothers love through bonding.

Based on this study, NIDO 3+ has launched a new

video, titled “Your Act Of Love” (tinyurl.com/3vdrb8j5), featuring the different acts of love that moms do to express their love. In the video, NIDO celebrity ambassadors Marian Rivera-Dantes, Iya VillaniaArellano, and Saab Magalona-Bacarro talk about what drives them. As a brand, NIDO 3+ offers a specialized range of products for every stage in a child’s development. At press time, the video had over four million views.

AI-GENERATED

LAST year, money transfer platform MoneyGram encouraged its customers to “create” personalized, AI-generated cards by uploading a photo of them and their mom with over 180 potential scenes.

Meanwhile, North American retail brand Showcase also used ChatGPT to create gift lists for different types of social media moms this year. For instance, there was a gift list for “Instagram Mom” and another one for “Pinterest Mom” and so on.

MOM AT WORK

FREELANCING platform Upwork celebrated Mother’s Day 2022 with the tagline “What makes them a great mom also makes them a great hire.” The platform encouraged businesses to hire the 1.6 million working mothers who lost their jobs in the pandemic and help them re-enter the workforce.

Upwork released a promotional video featuring real moms for the “Motherhood Works” campaign and also launched a webpage where companies could

register to find and hire working mothers directly for skilled freelance projects.

GIVE IN TO YOUR CRAVINGS

IN 2022, the German branch of Burger King surveyed more than 1,000 women and the study showed that 78 percent find it impossible to say no to their cravings, no matter how outrageous.

Thus, Burger King came up with a limited-edition Pregnancy Whopper at a Berlin branch that had everything from cucumber and jam, to fish sticks and applesauce, and curry sausage and fried herring between its buns.

The Pregnancy Whopper had combinations that included Fried Egg and Banana Bratwurst, Nut-Nougat-Creme, Currywurst and Brathering (marinated fried herring), Strawberry Ice Cream and Fries, and Cucumber and Marmalade.

UNIQUE CONNECTION

IN 2015, Pandora Jewelry created a heart-warming viral video called “The Unique Connection” that garnered millions of YouTube views.

The campaign celebrates the connection between mothers and their children by blindfolding children and asking them to identify their mothers by touch alone. The children were guided toward the group of women, and using their senses and intuition asked to try to find the one they believed to be their mother.

The ad ends with the message “All women are unique. Celebrate the one in your heart.” ■

and machine learning (ML) in several key ways that bolster the “trust your partner” aspect of their program:

Missy Santos, marketing director of Tala Philippines, told BusinessMirror in a recent interview they were pioneering in the use of the two concepts in the lending business.

“Since we don’t have the collateral and we only rely on the information provided by our clients, it has been leveraging the technologies to serve the clients,”said Santos.

By using AI and ML in their “Radical Trust” program, Santos said Tala has been able to determine if

a holistic view of their digital footprint, potentially leading to more accurate and fair lending decisions compared to rigid, traditional scoring methods. This personalization can build trust as customers feel understood and appropriately assessed.

“In Filipino, we call it ‘buo ang tiwala.’ We have successfully built customer’s perception that has reached 94 percent. Normally, traditional financial institutions would not lend money without collateral. Repeat rate in lending is defined as the proportion of loans issued by a lender that are taken out by customers who have previously borrowed from that same lender. In other words, it measures how often customers return to the same lender for additional loans after their initial borrowing experience.”

Moreover, Santos said Tala was able to share the success stories of Tala borrowers who have managed to become successful micro entrepreneurs who were able to start their own business with capital as low as P1,000.

“[As been said], traditional financial institutions would not lend money without collateral. For Tala, you are not required to provide a collateral. That’s going to give potential MSME entrepreneurs the opportunity to start their own businesses,” Santos said.

She said Tala’s core strength lies in its ability to assess creditworthiness using data beyond traditional credit scores. Through their mobile app, she said Tala can analyze various data points from a user’s smartphone, such as financial transactions, social connections, and behavioral patterns. “AI and machine learning algorithms process this vast amount of unstructured data to identify patterns indicative of creditworthiness,” Santos said.

This allows Tala to extend financial services to individuals who may be unbanked or lack a formal credit history, fostering trust by providing opportunities where traditional institutions might not.

As of 2021, about 34.3 million Filipino adults were unbanked, representing 44 percent of the total adult population, according to the United Nations SecretaryGeneral’s Special Advocate for Financial Health. This number dropped from 51.2 million in 2019, showing significant progress in financial inclusion.

More recent estimates around 2022–2023 suggest the unbanked population remains roughly between 34 to

Globe AT HOME makes priceless Filipino artwork accessible via digital canvas

will get to see the artwork of the late greats in Filipino visual art, ensuring that masterpieces once confined to museums and private collections can now be enjoyed by everyday Filipinos. Besides aesthetics,

along with his son Toym Imao. Through the limited-edition artist router skins, new generations of Filipinos

setup eliminating the need for technicians or complicated wiring, and a Money-Back Guarantee allowing users to return the router within seven days for a full refund if they are not satisfied.

“At Globe, we believe that art should be as accessible as the internet. By integrating these masterpieces into our latest 5G WiFi, we are giving Filipinos a chance to engage with the works of our National Artists in a more personal and meaningful way,” said Abigail Cardino, Globe AT HOME’s Head of Brand Management. With these exclusive designs, Globe AT HOME’s new 5G WiFi transforms not just how Filipinos use connectivity to stream, learn and earn at home, but how they connect with art, history, and identity. The limited-edition artist skins are available now in select areas. Those interested may reserve their units via glbe. co/GAH5GWiFi.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

FROM left: Iya Villania, Marian Rivera, and Saab Magalona as featured in NIDO’s Mother’s Day video on YouTube.

CARLOS “BOTONG”

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Major social media platforms fail to protect LGBTQ users, advocacy group GLAAD says

SAN

FRANCISCO—Major social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube have failed to protect LGBTQ+ users from hate and harassment, in part, because they intentionally rolled back previous safety practices, the advocacy group GLAAD said Tuesday in its annual Social Media Safety Index.

The report said that recent “unprecedented hate speech policy rollbacks” from Instagram and Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are “actively undermining the safety of LGBTQ people” both online and offline. Meta’s rollback now allows users to call LGBTQ people “mentally ill,” among other policy changes.

The scorecard assigns numeric ratings to each platform with regard to LGBTQ safety, privacy and expression. Elon Musk’s X received the lowest score at 30 out of 100, while TikTok came in highest at 56. Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Google’s YouTube were in the 40s. The group’s methodology has changed since last year, so the scores are not directly comparable to previous reports.

“At a time when real-world violence and harassment against LGBTQ people is on the rise, social media companies are profiting from the flames of anti-LGBTQ hate instead of ensuring the basic safety of LGBTQ users,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD’s president and CEO.

While X has received the lowest scores since Musk’s takeover of the platform in 2022—when it was called Twitter—Meta’s backslide can largely be attributed to its recent policy shift. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January that Meta is removing restrictions on topics like immigration and gender “that are out of touch with mainstream discourse,” citing “recent elections” as a catalyst. GLAAD calls the rollback ”particularly extreme.” Representatives for Meta, TikTok and X did not immediately respond to messages for comment.

GLAAD said Google recently removed “gender identity and expression” from YouTube’s list of protected characteristic groups, which suggests that the platform is “no longer protecting transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people from hate and discrimination.”

Google says this is not the case.

“We confirmed earlier this year our hate speech policy hasn’t changed. We have strict policies against content that promotes hatred or violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community and we continue to be vigilant in our efforts to quickly detect and remove this content,” Google said in a statement.

Although GLAAD acknowledges Google’s statement, the organization stresses that gender identity has not been restored as a protected characteristic on YouTube’s hate speech policy page.

“YouTube should reverse this dangerous policy change and update its ‘Hate Speech’ policy to expressly include gender identity and expression as a protected characteristic,” the report says.

GLAAD’s report makes policy recommendations for protecting LGBTQ users, though it’s unclear if the platforms will take these up, given that many have rolled back such protections. For instance, GLAAD says platforms should protect LGBTQ people from hate, harassment and violence, prohibit targeted misgendering and “deadnaming” of transgender users and explain steps it takes to stop wrongfully removing or demonetizing legitimate accounts and content related to LGBTQ topics. AP

BusinessMirror

Back-to-school without the budget crisis? Here’s Home Credit’s Skwela 2025 Survival Guide

IS it just me, or does your brain start digging up more vintage memories the older you get, like a mental rerun of your greatest hits? Last week, I just entered the final boss level of my 40s, and while having dinner with my partner, we suddenly found ourselves swapping high school and college stories. It was like someone hit the rewind button—suddenly we were back in classrooms with chalkboards, overhead projectors, and zero Wi-Fi.

Back then, the only smartphones were in movies, and if you didn’t write it down or develop your AGFA film, there would be no “Memories” to look back to.

Our most high-tech gadget? A scientific calculator with more buttons than we knew what to do with.

And let’s be honest, we only really used it for typing “5318008” upside down or spelling sardines with either “06I7” or “555”

And if you had a pager (a.k.a. beeper), especially the kind with multiple lines on the screen? You were “astig” and totally “big time.”

Sure, laptops were around but no one could afford them. USBs weren’t even a thing yet. To share “data,” we either had to “xerox” or save it on floppy disks that proudly stored 1.44MB, which today can’t even hold one selfie.

Fast forward to today, and back-to-school shopping has changed big time and is exponentially more expensive. Forget Trapper Keepers and Cattleya fillers: students now do most of their schoolwork on laptops, tablets and smartphones. And for parents, that means navigating an overwhelming tech market while trying to avoid a full-blown budget crisis.

by an AMD Ryzen 9-8945HS processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. It boasts 32GB of RAM and a spacious 1TB SSD, ensuring that even the heaviest tasks like rendering 3D models or editing 4K videos run smoothly. The stunning 3K OLED display brings visuals to life, whether for coursework or creative projects. P149/day or P4,468/month x 18 SRP: P129,995

FOR students and even educators looking for lightweight, versatile devices, tablets might be the better option. Perfect for note-taking, reading eBooks, or watching online lectures, these tablets offer portability without sacrificing performance.

So, I decided to check out the latest prices and look for more practical ways to afford these essential school gadgets, and that’s when I discovered the Sulit-Skwela 2025 deals from Home Credit Philippines

In case you haven’t heard of it, Home Credit is a trusted consumer finance company that offers quick and easy installment plans, often with zero-percent interest and no credit card needed.

It’s an ideal solution for parents who want flexible, wallet-friendly options without maxing out their credit lines.

For this year’s back-to-school campaign, deals start as low as P684 per month or just P23 per day. That means you can equip your kids with feature-packed laptops, tablets, or smartphones without breaking the bank. The promo runs until July 31, giving you enough time to choose the right gadget for the upcoming school year.

TOP ACHIEVER LAPTOPS FOR AS LOW AS P51/DAY FOR students in specialized or demanding courses—whether it’s engineering, IT, architecture, or multimedia production—a basic laptop simply won’t do. They need powerful machines that can handle performance-intensive software like CAD tools, coding platforms, and video editing suites. And now might be the best time to invest in a proper laptop which they could use to jumpstart their career.

This Lenovo LOQ laptop offers a perfect balance between power and affordability. Equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD, it’s fast enough for coding, designing, and multitasking—perfect for gamers and tech-savvy students alike. P78/ day or P2,326/month x 18 | SRP: P57,995

Built for serious multitasking, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) laptop is powered

A durable, do-it-all laptop that doesn’t compromise on performance, Asus TUF A15 features an AMD Ryzen 5-7535HS processor, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, paired with a 15.6” FHD display. It’s great for students working on multimedia reports, long research papers, or presentations—plus, it has the rugged build quality the TUF series is known for. P64/day or P1,925/month x 18 SRP: P47,995 Sleek and dependable, the Acer Nitro V (Ryzen) with a Ryzen 5 chip and 512GB SSD delivers fast boot-ups and smooth performance for everyday tasks like writing papers, video calls, and managing school files. The 15.6” FHD screen makes it great for both productivity and occasional Netflix wind-downs. P92/ day or P2,767/month x 12 SRP: P45,999

SELFIE-READY SCHOOL PHONES FOR AS LOW AS P24/DAY

I DON’T think any student could survive without a smartphone these days. Students rely on them not just for messaging and social media, but also for online classes, digital submissions, and on-the-go research. The following options offer strong cameras, reliable performance, and long battery life to power students through both school and everyday life. Still my favorite compact flagship of the year, the Xiaomi 15 all-rounder has a 50MP triple camera, 512GB of storage, and 12GB RAM. Its 6.36-inch display offers sharp visuals, while the 5240mAh battery delivers all-day power for busy school schedules. P70/ day or P2,095/month x 18 | SRP: P49,999

Stylish and budget-friendly, the Honor X9c includes a 108MP OIS camera perfect for snapping lecture notes or creating content. It has 256GB storage and 12GB RAM allowing effortless app switching and storage of large files, and a 6600mAh battery with 66W fast charging. P24/day or P727/month x 18 | SRP: P16,999 The sleek OPPO Reno 13 5G features a 50MP dual camera setup, 12GB RAM, and massive 512GB storage. It’s 5600mAh battery and 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging make it a solid pick for always-on students. P49/day or P1,468/month x 18 SRP: P34,332

The Xiaomi Pad 7 is a well-rounded performer with an 11.2” 3.2K display, Dolby Atmos quad speakers, and smart AI tools for studying. Great for multimedia learning and creative tasks. P32/day or P962/month x 18 SRP: P22,499

This productivity-focused Honor Pad 9 (with Keyboard) features a 12.1” 2.5K display, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, and 256GB storage. The bundled keyboard lets students switch between tablet and laptop modes with ease. Great for writing papers on the go or attending virtual classes. P26/day or P770/ month x 18 SRP: P17,999

COMPACT STUDY MATES FOR AS LOW AS P37/DAY FOR those who prefer laptops but don’t need that much power, these compact models are smart, stylish, and student-friendly—and are enough to handle everyday tasks like writing papers, creating presentations, and attending virtual classes.

The Lenovo Yoga 6 convertible laptop offers the best of both worlds—tablet and laptop modes. The touchscreen folds fully back, making it perfect for drawing, watching lectures, or taking notes by hand. P74/day or P2,205/month x 18 SRP: P54,995

With a vibrant OLED screen, 1TB SSD, and 16GB RAM, the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED is a multitasking dream. It’s perfect for students doing a mix of video streaming, online coursework and productivity tasks. P94/day or P2,807/month x 18 | SRP: P69,995

I’ve used the Realme Book for quite some time before I gave it to my nephew. It’s a sleek and affordable choice for college students. With a 2K screen and compact frame, it’s excellent for mobile productivity, online research, and even light photo editing. P60/day or P1,804/month x 12 SRP: P29,990

Found your match? Visit any

CHED: PHL’s delivery of free higher education ‘on-track’

DELIVERY of free higher education in the Philippines remains on-track through the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act (UniFAST).

This comes after Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the recommendations of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to augment the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) funding for the continuous delivery of free higher education in local colleges and universities (LUCs), in line with the implementation of the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.”

“Consistent with this administration’s assurance to continue the ‘Free Higher Education program,’ CHED, through the UniFAST, remains on-track in delivering its

Applications now open for ‘Hamaguchi Award,’ essay contest 2025 for high-school students

THE call for nominations for the prestigious Japanese “Hamaguchi Award” and entries for the “Hamaguchi Essay Contest 2025 for High School Students” are currently open.

Established in commemoration of World Tsunami Awareness Day every November 5, the Hamaguchi Award is a recognition given to outstanding individuals or organizations who have made significant scientific or practical contributions in enhancing public awareness of disaster and coastal resilience against tsunamis, storm surges, and similar disasters.

The award was inspired and named after Hamaguchi Goryo, whose selfless actions saved countless lives from a devastating tsunami in Wakayama, Japan 160 years ago. Interested individuals and organizations may submit their applications until May 31, 2025. Details on application materials can be found via: https://www.pari. go.jp/en/public-relations/hamaguchi-award/nomination2025html/ index.html

Simultaneously, the Hamaguchi Essay Contest 2025 for High School Students is also accepting entries. Reflecting on the Japanese anecdote of Inamura no Hi (“The Fire of Rice Sheaves”), joiners are called on to write an essay of 700 words or less.

The contest is being held with the aim of further educating the youth and promoting coastal disaster-prevention technologies. Deadline for entries is until August 14, 2025. Details on the application process can be found on: https://www.pari.go.jp/en/publicrelations/hamaguchi-award/essaycontest-2025/index.html

commitment to accessible and equitable higher education for all Filipinos,” CHED chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III said in a statement.

In particular, more than P577.12 million augmented fund was approved to cover tuition and school fees of tertiary level students in LUCs, on top of the P5.2 billion free higher education budget under the General Appropriations Act.

Meanwhile, De Vera thanked Marcos Jr. and the DBM for their steadfast aid in advancing free and quality higher education in the

country. He said that “this is a testament that the national government considers higher education as a priority and is committed to ensuring the continuous delivery of free tertiary education.”

UniFAST has assured immedi -

ate disbursement for timely reimbursement to CHED-accredited LUCs. Executive Director Ryan Estevez told the Philippine News Agency that vital papers have already been prepared “way earlier.” Stephanie Sevillano/PNA

European exchange students experience school life in Manila

WHILE pursuing their education in Manila continents away from home, exchange students Mila Desilve and Elizaveta Bushtak have thrived in a crosscultural learning environment and experienced the trademark Filipino hospitality.

Both hail from the Vatel Hotel and Tourism Business School in Europe. This global network boasts of more than 50 campuses, and prepares its learners to build their professional careers in the global arena.

In partnership with the premier hospitality institution, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde welcomed Desilve and Bushtak as they take up International Hospitality Management under the “Marco Polo Program” which allows students to spend their junior year in any of the Vatel schools abroad.

For 18-year-old Desilve, who hails from Vatel’s campus in the remote island of Reunion, studying in the Philippines is her ticket to discover this part of the world: “I had choices like Thailand, Morocco and Spain. I chose the Philippines, [as] I want to explore Asia. I hope to improve my skills in hospitality so that I can balance work and travel.”

Off-campus activities, such as attending an event of multi-Michelinstarred chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay, were among the highlights of her stay in the college.

“We saw a presentation of the chefs, and they prepared halo-halo,” she recalled. “In my place, it’s very difficult to have the opportunity to see famous people because it’s a small island.”

A freelance model, Desilve dreams of becoming a flight attendant someday. Consumed by wanderlust, she went sightseeing around the Philippines: from the breezy parks of Metro Manila, to the pristine beaches of

Cebu, Bohol, and Palawan.

Despite the language barrier, she received generous support from her professors and classmates in explaining the lectures, while making her feel that she’s part of the Benildean community.

At the same time, the exchange program shaped her into a more independent and open-minded individual: “I have learned to be flexible because I’m alone in a country without my parents, and also improved my skills.

As an exchange student, I saw things that are different from France, but are interesting in the end.”

On the other hand, Bushtak from Vatel-Russia pursued the program here to satisfy her curiosity. She also wanted to fulfill her mother’s wish for her to be a citizen of the world and transcend her limitations.

“I’m trying to expand my horizons,” she said. “I like to develop my English skills, gain more experience, [then go back home to say I had a great time in the Philippines. I hope to inspire students in Moscow to come here, and be unafraid] of this opportunity.”

With the influence of a family friend, Bushtak has eyed the hospitality industry as a potential career path: “The son of my mom’s friend [told me all] about the program, his internship, and encounters with international people.”

Benilde’s unique courses such as wine appreciation have further cultivated her skillset in her chosen field.

For a more authentic experience in Manila, the 19-year-old student participated in a bike tour of Intramuros, where she had a glimpse of the nation’s rich history and heritage. She also has a penchant for visiting local restaurants with newfound friends.

Moving forward, earning a Master’s degree in another country, as well as expanding her understanding of the financial and management side of the industry, are part of Bushtak’s plans to achieve her personal and professional goals.

“I want to go back to Moscow and open something that’s exclusively mine…Maybe a small restaurant,” she shared.

Editor: Mike Policarpio

SGV Academy soon to rise in DLS-Lipa

SGV & Co. has signed a memorandum of agreement with De La Salle-Lipa (DLSL) on the school’s participation in the “SGV Academy” program.

The program aims to work alongside educational institutions and various organizations to help bridge the gap between academia and industry through initiatives that respond to the evolving needs of industry and business, primarily through the professional services sector.

SGV’s involvement in the pact with DLSL includes providing industry insights to ensure the curriculum is industry-relevant, as well as offering additional support for the development of educators, part-time teaching roles for SGV professionals, guest lectures, hands-on workshops, and student internship opportunities.

SGV’s chair and country managing partner Wilson Tan; vice chair, deputy managing partner

and assurance leader Vivian Ruiz; along with assurance partner and SGV Academy program director Allan Ocho signed on behalf of the firm. Also in attendance from SGV were Assurance associate director and Academy program manager Jervie Sta. Ana, as well as Strategy and Transactions senior director and SGV Academy program manager Mark Adrian Asinas. DLSL’s chancellor Dr. Teodosia Merlin Suarez, Academics assistant vice chancellor Dr. Nerissa Lucasia, and Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Accounting Information System programs program chair Renillyn Mores signed for DLSL. Other attendees from the school included External Linkages and International Relations Office director Grace Sanchez, External Relations officer Celeste Alpino, along with faculty members Janine Abu and John Kenneth Cosa.

EHL Hospitality Bus. School, S’pore Tourism Board launch leadership excellence, advancement initiative

EHL Hospitality Business School—one of the world’s leading institutions in hospitality management education— announced the launch of the “Tourism Leadership Excellence & Advancement Programme [TLEAP]” with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

This pioneering executive program is designed to empower senior executives and business leaders in the tourism sector with cutting-edge leadership, sustainability, and technology skills essential for shaping the future of the sector.

With each run of the program taking place over five immersive days at EHL Campus in the city-state, T-LEAP equips highpotential professionals with the expertise to navigate and drive innovation in the dynamic tourism landscape there. With a curriculum crafted in collaboration with STB, the program is tailored to address the evolving needs of tourism executives.

The T-LEAP program comprises three core modules: “Leadership Excellence & Strategic Growth” which will cover Singapore’s tourism goals, strategic planning and business partnerships; “Sustainability & Innovation” which will address sustainability in tourism, circular solutions and sustainability reporting; as well as “Technology & Digital Transformation” which will deal with digital trends, artificial intelligence-driven operational efficiency, and the role of technology in shaping the future of tourism.

Through T-LEAP, participants will develop leadership acumen, gain sustainability insights, leverage technological advancements, and expand professional networks through interactions with industry experts. Additionally, they will be inducted into the “Singapore Leaders Network:” a platform

that will encourage cross-collaboration and knowledge sharing.

According to EHL, T-LEAP’s launch marks a significant milestone in EHL’s strategic expansion in Asia-Pacific (APAC), reinforcing its commitment to creating a dynamic hub for hospitality and tourism education. Further, it is the first SkillsFuture-funded program by EHL, underscoring its relevance to the evolving needs of Singapore’s workforce.

“At EHL, we are committed to fostering the next generation of tourism leaders through innovative and impactful learning experiences,” said EHL faculty member Dr. Guy Llewellyn. “T-LEAP brings together cutting-edge academic excellence, industry expertise, and real-world application to prepare professionals for the rapidly changing landscape of tourism.”

“Tourism leadership development is critical in navigating our rapidly evolving industry,” said Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Melissa Ow. “Through T-LEAP, we aim to build a futureready tourism sector and nurture a new generation of tourism leaders capable of driving innovation and forging strategic collaboration.”

Following the successful delivery of a pilot program last February, STB has validated and extended the initiative for additional runs, as it demonstrated confidence in its impact on the sector. The first two runs are confirmed to take place in May and over October and November 2025, with the possibility of additional iterations based on demand and participant feedback.

T-LEAP welcomes professionals from Singapore and across APAC, offering a transformative opportunity to engage with thought leaders, explore emerging trends, and position themselves at the forefront of the tourism sector’s evolution.

ENHANCING SKILLS, JOBS Sec. Bienvenido E. Laguesma (fifth from left) of the Department of Labor and Employment met with International Labour Organization (ILO) Headquarters’ Skills and Employability Branch chief Srinivas B. Reddy (fifth from right), at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila. The discussion covered skills development, ILO-assisted knowledge-sharing collaborations, and the Philippines’ role in the Malaysia-hosted “Asean Year of Skills 2025.” Also present were Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Jose Francisco B. Benitez (fourth from left), who acknowledged ILO’s technical expertise in strengthening skills qualification standards, as well as Employment and Human Resource Development undersecretary Carmela I. Torres (center), who detailed the department’s current skills-development and employability partnerships.

DESILVE BUSHTAK

Tourism&Entertainment

BusinessMirror

FINDING NEMO

Underwater photography tourism makes a big splash in Mabini, Batangas

By Arabelle Jimenez

AS an ocean advocate for over 25 years, a Certified PADI Rescue Scuba Diver, and a Pioneering Mermaid Instructor, my passion is to go scuba diving to explore coral reefs, marine life, and shipwrecks.

Mabini, Batangas, or popularly known as Anilao is a go-to destination in the Philippines known for its excellent diving and underwater photography opportunities. Capturing photos or videos of marine life, such as fish, turtles, and colorful coral, is now growing popularity with guided tours by experienced dive masters and photographers.

Anilao’s clear waters, diverse marine life, and accessibility, which is only a 3-hour drive from Manila, make it an ideal spot for underwater photography enthusiasts. More than a hobby, underwater photography plays a significant role in marine conservation, environmental awareness, and ocean protection by raising awareness. It also documents changes, capturing images of coral bleaching, pollution, and other impacts, helping researchers track changes.

Underwater photography also motivates people to take action in protecting marine ecosystems, and promoting sustainable tourism. Through stunning visuals, underwater photography can evoke emotions, spark curiosity, and inspire people to care about the ocean and its inhabitants. Building a culture based on the locals’ natural environment, a project to create stewards of the ocean was top of mind when we created a meaningful project, The Pink

Argonauts Zero to Hero Divemaster Program. The recently concluded 2nd Pink Argonauts Underwater Photography Competition was a splashing success. Participated by 44 underwater photographers from different parts of the country, the much-awaited awards night and graduation of the Zero to Hero Dive Master program was held last Sunday, May 4, 2025 at Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort located in Mabini, Batangas. The event was graced by the Department of Tourism IV-A Regional Director Marites T. Castro.

The proceeds of this event directly goes to the scholars of the The Pink Argonaut’s “Zero to Hero Dive Master Program,” which offers a transformative journey from novice to certified Dive Master. Combining diving skills with marine conservation, the participants, composed of fisherfolk, boatmen and tricycle drivers, learn the discipline of underwater exploration while actively engaging in conservation efforts, which in return will promote dive tourism in their locality.

Furthermore, they will serve as much-needed professional Dive Guides in Anilao for our growing divers, and underwater photographers from around the world.

With the support of sponsors, The Pink Argonauts funded the PADI Dive Master certification program for locals in Mabini, Batangas, which provides essential training from PADI

Open Water to the Rescue Program. PADI

(Professional Association of Diving Instructors), the world’s leading scuba diving training organization, further supported these scholars by sponsoring their final Dive Master certification.

Aside from presenting the new batch of graduates, the event also celebrated the beauty and the and rich marine life in Anilao. The growing number of underwater photo enthusiasts reflects the importance of showcasing what they see and capture underneath the waves.

We are honored to welcome back world-renowned underwater photographers who flew in from different parts of the world. There are

5 reasons to visit Sri Lanka—and where to go

S

RI Lanka wasn’t on my radar at first. It’s one of those countries you hear about in passing—beautiful beaches, spicy food, elephants—but rarely at the top of anyone’s travel bucket list. But when I finally made it there, I was blown away.

From misty mountains to ancient temples, surf towns to sacred sites, this teardrop-shaped island off India’s coast packs in more culture, nature, and soul than I ever expected. And after visiting all 195 countries in the world, I can honestly say—Sri Lanka stands out as one of the most surprising gems. Whether you’re a budget backpacker, a digital nomad, or simply searching for something real and raw, Sri Lanka might just surprise you, too.

Let me break down five compelling reasons why this island nation deserves a spot on your travel list and exactly where to go to experience them.

1. Cultural Heritage That’s Deep and Diverse SRI Lanka boasts a cultural history spanning over 2,500 years. Ancient cities, sacred temples, and colonial architecture make it a living museum for history lovers.

Where to Go:

n Anuradhapura— A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited

cities in the world. It’s home to the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi, a sapling from the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.

n Kandy— Often called the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. Don’t miss the Temple of the Tooth Relic, especially during the Esala Perahera festival—a grand display of tradition and spirituality.

As a Filipino, I felt an unexpected spiritual connection here. There’s a calm energy that reminded me of our own heritage sites—but with a different sacred pulse.

2. Wildlife and Nature That Rivals Africa THINK safaris are only for Africa? Think again. Sri Lanka offers some of the best wildlife experiences in Asia—from elephants and leopards to dolphins and blue whales.

Where to Go:

n Yala National Park—The country’s most popular safari destination, home to elephants, crocodiles, and the elusive leopard.

n Udawalawe National Park— A quieter option with excellent elephant sightings, ideal for travelers who prefer less touristy spots.

n Mirissa— A hub for whale watching. Seeing blue whales glide through the ocean here was an unforgettable experience. Coming from a country with stunning islands and marine life, I didn’t expect to be this impressed by Sri Lanka’s biodiversity. But their commitment to conservation truly stood out.

3. Delicious Food with Spicy Soul

SRI Lankan cuisine is a flavorful mix of Indian, Malay, Arab, Portuguese, and Dutch influences—with its own bold, spicy identity. Think rich curries, coconut, seafood, and fragrant rice dishes.

Where to Go:

n Colombo— Explore the capital’s vibrant street food scene. Try “kottu roti” (stir-fried chopped roti with vegetables and meat) and “hoppers” (crispy, bowl-shaped pancakes).

n Galle—This charming coastal town offers a colonial backdrop for some of the best traditional Sri Lankan meals with a touch of European flair.

As someone who travels the world without a gallbladder, I’m careful about what eat. Fortunately, I found plenty of healthy options—from coconut sambol to steamed fish and tropical fruit platters. Pro tip: always ask for “less spicy” if you’re sensitive to heat!

4. The Perfect Mix of Adventure and Relaxation FROM hiking misty mountains to surfing golden beaches, Sri Lanka has a rhythm that lets you choose your pace—whether it’s action-packed or slow and soulful.

Where to Go:

n Ella— A peaceful mountain town ideal for trekking Little Adam’s Peak or visiting the iconic Nine Arches Bridge.

n Nuwara Eliya— Known as “Little England” for its colonial charm and cool weather. Visit a tea plantation and learn how your cup of Ceylon tea is made.

n Arugam Bay— A surfer’s paradise with chill island vibes. Popular among digital nomads looking to work with an ocean view. spent my mornings hiking through tea-covered hills and my afternoons sipping

5. Budget-Friendly

so many great entries, we needed seasoned experts to do the judging. Jennifer Hayes of National Geographic is a marine biologist and photojournalist specializing in aquatic systems. She is an award-winning photographer, an author, and a speaker based in New York, USA.

Michael Aw is the CEO of Ocean Geographic Magazine and is an award-winning marine photographer and conservationist based in Singapore.

Aaron Wong is a Scubapro Ambassador, the ADEX Ambassador for Photography, and an award-winnning commercial photographer from Singapore. Their expertise and contributions to marine conservation brought prestige and inspiration to the event.

The Pink Argonauts (TPA), composed of a group of divers, golfers, and conservationists share passion through the sport we love and at the same time, are taking this opportunity to give back to the community where we operate. The TPA is a brain-child of Tessa Neri, and Marivic Verdadero-Maramot, while its Founding Members are Jocs Reyes, Dinah Duran, Brie Reyes, Arabelle Jimenez, Monch Henares, Joedyn Padua, Danny Luz, Mary Ann Luz, and Marco Santos. Here are the winners of the 2nd Pink Argonauts Underwater Photo Competition:

port isn’t always smooth. But Sri Lanka is one of those rare places that makes it easy. The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is straightforward and affordable, and the overall cost of travel is ideal for budget-conscious explorers.

Where to Go:

n Negombo—Just a short ride from the Colombo airport, this coastal town is a convenient and budget-friendly starting point. n Sigiriya— Don’t miss climbing Lion Rock, one of the country’s most iconic sites. Entrance fees

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

Nudi Claudine Lagman

Open Macro, Douglass Hoffman

Arabelle Jimenez scuba diving in Anilao's Cathedral Dive Site

Editor: Angel R. Calso

G7 nations paper over differences on tariffs and Ukraine, agree to address ‘imbalances’

By Christopher Rugaber AP Economics Writer

BANFF, Alberta—Top finance officials from the world’s seven wealthiest democracies set aside stark differences on US tariffs after two days of talks and agreed to counter global “economic imbalances,” a swipe at China’s trade practices.

In a communiqué issued Thursday, the Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors, meeting in the Canadian Rockies, left out their traditional defense of free trade and toned down their references to Russia’s war in Ukraine, compared with last year. But they did agree that further sanctions on Russia could be imposed if the two countries don’t reach a ceasefire.

The communiqué said the G7 members would continue to monitor “nonmarket policies and practices” which contribute to imbalances in global trade. The statement did not mention China but nonmarket policies typically refer to that country’s export subsidies and currency policies that the Trump administration charges gives it an advantage in international trade.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appears to have succeeded in steering the communiqué largely in the direction the Trump administration sought, particularly regarding China’s trade practices.

The high-profile gathering of

officials from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, and Italy also appeared to be more congenial than an earlier meeting of G7 foreign ministers in March. Yet that meeting, also in Canada, occurred as President Donald Trump was in the midst of threatening stiff tariffs on Canada and suggesting it could become the 51st state.

Canada is president of this year’s G7 and the sessions this week are intended to lay the groundwork for a meeting of the heads of state on June 15-17 in Kananaskis, Canada. The White House said Thursday that Trump will attend that gathering.

“Throughout our G7 presidency, the tone of the discussions has become progressively more constructive,” Tiff Macklem, governor of the Bank of Canada, said at a news conference at the conclusion of the summit.

Yet that unity appears to have been achieved by jettisoning many items that in the past had been agreed to by the G7 countries. In addition to leaving out any men -

tion of trade, the communiqué dropped sections on combating climate change and cooperating on international tax policy, issues the Trump administration has dismissed.

“There will always be tension around tariffs,” said FrancoisPhilippe Champagne, Canada’s finance minister. “But there are also places where you find common ground. ... This year our focus was to return to the G7 core mission, restoring global growth and stability.”

The shift comes as Trump has slapped widespread tariffs on imports, including a 10% global duty on all goods, even those from the other G7 allies. Trump has also imposed 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars, and on April 2 imposed much steeper tariffs on about 60 nations, which he then paused until early July.

Valdis Dombrovskis, European Union Trade Commissioner, said that trade was “obviously a difficult topic” during the negotiations. The EU, which participates in the G7 but doesn’t serve as one of the rotating presidents, pushed for stronger language that would have highlighted the economic harms from tariffs.

“The US administration is having a somewhat different view of the situation,” Dombrovskis told reporters. He added that details about US tariffs weren’t discussed because the G7 members are negotiating individually with the Trump administration about duties.

On Ukraine, the communiqué condemned “Russia’s continued brutal war against Ukraine,” yet that language was milder than last year’s, which referred to Russia’s

“illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked full-scale invasion.” Trump officials in the past have pushed to avoid antagonizing Russia while seeking peace talks.

Champagne, however, called the invasion “illegal” in Thursday’s news conference.

Bessent also successfully included an agreement in the statement that “no country or entity” that supported Russia’s war efforts would be able to profit from Ukraine’s reconstruction, a restriction that would bar Chinese companies from participating.

Dombrovskis said the EU had proposed to lower the current price cap on Russian oil—previously agreed to as part of early sanctions slapped on Russia in the wake of its 2022 invasion—to $50, from $60, but the communiqué says little about specific measures.

Still, the EU was largely satisfied with the G7’s agreements on

Ukraine, Dombrovskis said, including the willingness to impose more sanctions. The group also agreed to continue freezing Russia’s financial assets until they can be used to help pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Mark Sobel, a former top Treasury Department official and senior adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, criticized the communiqué as “feeble.”

The statement “closes its eyes to the elephants in the room— the word ‘tariffs’ or a reference to destructive US trade policies are nowhere to be found,” Sobel said.

“On Ukraine, the G7 will ‘explore options’ if a ceasefire isn’t reached when the time for action is now,” he added. “This risible communiqué cannot hide the fissures in the G7 and hardly bodes well for the larger fractures looming for the upcoming G7 leaders’ summit.”

Still, John Kirton, a political scientist at the University of Toronto and director of the G7 Research Group, said it was a positive sign that a communiqué had even been issued. “That was in considerable doubt to the very end,” he said. Yet both Sobel and Kirton noted there was no reference to US budget deficits and their role in the “global imbalances” the ministers seek to combat. The federal budget deficit, by contributing to higher US demand, worsens the US trade deficit that the Trump administration seeks to reduce.

The communiqué said that “economic policy uncertainty has declined from its peak,” a view that Kirton said was “puzzling,” given that the US Congress is considering a tax and spending package that has unnerved financial markets this week, pushing up the interest rate on US Treasury securities.

“There’s great uncertainty out there in financial markets,” Kirton said. “The dollar is going down, and we don’t know when that will end.” Bessent held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G7, including with Champagne and Japan’s Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato.

Bessent and Kato discussed trade and currencies, the Treasury Department said, with both sides agreeing that “exchange rates should be market-determined.” The US has often criticized Japan in the past for intervening in currency markets to lower the yen’s value. Yet the two sides “did not discuss foreign exchange levels,” Treasury said, a sign the US isn’t pressuring Japan about the yen’s current value.

CANADA’S Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, center right, and Governor of the Bank of Canada Tiff Macklem, center left, pose for a family photo with their colleagues at the G7 Finance Ministers meeting in Banff, Alta., Wednesday, May 21, 2025. JEFF MCINTOSH /THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Gaza’s main hospital is overwhelmed with children in pain from malnutrition

By

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip—

Grabbing her daughter’s feeble arm, Asmaa al-Arja pulls a shirt over the 2-year-old’s protruding ribs and swollen belly. The child lies on a hospital bed, heaving, then wails uncontrollably, throwing her arms around her own shoulders as if to console herself.

This isn’t the first time Mayar has been in a Gaza hospital battling malnutrition, yet this 17day stint is the longest. She has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that means she can’t eat gluten and requires special food. But there’s little left for her to eat in the embattled enclave after 19 months of war and Israel’s punishing blockade, and she can’t digest what’s available.

“She needs diapers, soy milk and she needs special food. This is not available because of border closures. If it’s available, it is expensive, I can’t afford it,” her mother said as she sat next to Mayar at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

Mayar is among the more than 9,000 children who have been treated for malnutrition this year, according to the UN children’s agency, and food security experts say tens of thousands of cases are

expected in the coming year.

Experts also warn the territory could plunge into famine if Israel doesn’t stop its military campaign and fully lift its blockade—but the World Health Organization said last week that people are already starving.

“Everywhere you look, people are hungry.... They point their fingers to their mouths showing that (they) need something to eat,” said Nestor Owomuhangi, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund for the Palestinian territories. “The worst has already arrived in Gaza.”

Israel eases blockade but little aid reaches Palestinians FOR more than two months, Israel has banned all food, medicine and other goods from entering the territory that is home to some 2 million Palestinians, as it carries out

waves of airstrikes and ground operations. Palestinians in Gaza rely almost entirely on outside aid to survive because Israel’s offensive has destroyed almost all the territory’s food production capabilities.

After weeks of insisting Gaza had enough food, Israel relented in the face of international pressure and began allowing dozens of humanitarian trucks into the territory this week—including some carrying baby food.

“Children are already dying from malnutrition and there are more babies in Gaza now who will be in mortal danger if they don’t get fast access to the nutrition supplies needed to save their lives,” said Tess Ingram of the UN children’s agency.

But UN agencies say the amount is woefully insufficient, compared to around 600 trucks a day that entered during a recent ceasefire and that are necessary to meet basic needs. And they have struggled to retrieve the aid and distribute it, blaming complicated Israeli military procedures and the breakdown of law and order inside the territory.

On Wednesday, a UN official said more than a dozen trucks arrived at warehouses in central Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press. That appeared to be the first aid to actually reach a distribution point since the blockade was lifted.

Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid, without providing evidence, and plans to roll out a new aid distribution system within days. UN agencies and aid groups say the new system would

fall far short of mounting needs, force much of the population to flee again in order to be closer to distribution sites, and violate humanitarian principles by forcing people to move to receive the aid rather than delivering it based on need to where people live.

On top of not being able to find or afford the food that Mayar needs, her mother said chronic diarrhea linked to celiac disease has kept the child in and out of hospital all year. The toddler— whose two pigtails are brittle, a sign of malnutrition—weighs 7 kilograms (15 pounds), according to doctors. That’s about half what healthy girl her age should.

But it’s getting harder to help her as supplies like baby formula are disappearing, say health staff. Hospitals are hanging by a thread, dealing with mass casu -

alties from Israeli strikes. Packed hospital feeding centers are overwhelmed with patients.

“We have nothing at Nasser Hospital,” said Dr. Ahmed alFarrah, who said his emergency center for malnourished children is at full capacity. Supplies are running out, people are living off scraps, and the situation is catastrophic for babies and pregnant women, he said.

Everything watered down to make it last

IN the feeding center of the hospital, malnourished mothers console their hungry children—some so frail their spines jut out of their skin, their legs swollen from lack food.

She gives him heavily watereddown formula to ration it, and sometimes offers him starch to quiet his hunger screams. “I try to pass it for milk to stop him screaming,” she said of the formula. An aid group gave her around 30 packets of nutritional supplements, but they ran out in two days as she shared them with family and friends, she said.

In another tent, Nouf al-Arja says she paid a fortune for a hardto-find kilogram (about 2 pounds) of red lentils. The family cooks it with a lot of water so it lasts, unsure what they will eat next. The mother of four has lost 23 kilograms (50 pounds) and struggles to focus, saying she constantly feels dizzy.

Both she and her 3-year-old daughter are malnourished, doctors said. She’s worried her baby boy, born four months earlier and massively underweight, will suffer the same fate as she struggles to breastfeed.

“I keep looking for (infant food).... so I can feed him. There is nothing,” she said.

El Deeb reported from Beirut and Mednick from Tel Aviv, Israel.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority on the severity of hunger crises, has warned that there could be some 71,000 cases of malnourished children between now and March. In addition, nearly 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women will need treatment for acute malnutrition in the coming months. Mai Namleh and her 18-monthold son, who live in a tent, are both malnourished. She wanted to wean him off of breastmilk because she barely has any, but she has so little else to give him.

MAYAR AL-ARJA , 2, who suffers from malnutrition, lies on a bed in a clinic in Nasser hospital, Khan Younis, Gaza, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. AP/ABDEL KAREEM HANA

Mohammed Jahjouh, Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb & Sam Mednick

The Associated Press

May 24,

Organization of American States under pressure from the US to help quell gang violence in Haiti

By Dánica Coto The Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—The Organization of American States came under pressure Thursday to help quash gang violence in Haiti as a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police in the troubled Caribbean country struggles with a lack of funds and personnel.

A US Department of State official attending an OAS meeting on Haiti’s security crisis said that the Washington-based group has a critical role to play in the nation.

“Much more can and should be done,” said Barbara Feinstein, deputy assistant secretary for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti at the US State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Feinstein echoed comments made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Haiti.

“Why do we have an OAS, if the OAS can’t put together a mission to handle the most critical region in our hemisphere?” Rubio said Wednesday as he proposed building a mission with regional partners.

“We’re grateful to the Kenyans, but this is a regional problem, and it should have a regional solution.”

OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro on Thursday acknowledged that the Kenya-led mission was struggling and said that the organization was working on new initiatives.

“There is a need for a new structure for the mission,” he said.

Last year, the US and Haiti called for it to be replaced with a UN peacekeeping mission, but the UN Security Council hasn’t supported such a change.

‘A wave of indignation’

THURSDAY’S OAS meeting was held just hours after gangs launched another attack in Haiti’s central Artibonite region.

Gunmen stormed a church in Préval, killing 22 people, including an 86-year-old pastor who was beheaded, according to Bertide Horace, spokesperson for the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Awareness to Save the Artibonite.

“This tragedy has sparked a wave of indignation throughout the country,” she told The Associated Press, adding that the victims called for help, but that neither police nor officers with the Kenya-led mission responded. Kenya’s OAS representative,

Jayne Toroitich, said that while the mission has made considerable progress in Haiti despite ongoing challenges, Haitian police need more training and that the mission more money and personnel.

Only 1,000 out of the 2,500 personnel envisioned by the UN Security are currently in Haiti. In addition, the mission is operating at only 30% of its capability in terms of equipment, the representative said.

The OAS meeting was held a day after Jimmy Chérizier, a former elite police officer who became one of Haiti’s most powerful gang leaders, pleaded with people from the Delmas 30 neighborhood in the capital, Portau-Prince, to let armed men through, so that they could overthrow Haiti’s prime minister and its transitional presidential council.

“I need the road to get to the prime minister’s office,” he said in a video posted Wednesday on social media.

Chérizier, best known as “Barbecue,” is among the leader of a powerful gang coalition called Viv Ansanm, which last year forced former Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign as it attacked dozens of critical state infrastructure sites and forced Haiti’s main international airport to close for nearly three months.

A plea for more help GANGS that control at least 85% of Port-au-Prince also have seized a significant amount of territory in Haiti’s central region in recent months.

“Every day, these gangs are gaining more territory,” said Patrick Pélissier, Haiti’s minister of justice and public security.

More than 5,600 people were killed across Haiti last year, and more than 1,600 others from January to end of March, according to the UN Gang violence also has left more

than 1 million people homeless in recent years.

Pélissier noted that Haiti’s National Police is severely understaffed—there is one officer for every 12,000 residents. He said that intelligence and counterintelligence also is greatly lacking.

Jean-Michel Moïse, Haiti’s defense minister, echoed those concerns.

The military has about 1,000 members with limited training, he said.

“They are unable, still now, to effectively (fight) the gangs, which are very strong, very well armed, very well financed,” Moïse said. “Haiti is on the brink of being fully controlled by criminal gangs, and we cannot allow that to happen.”

He called on the OAS and the international community to help train military officers and new recruits.

“The army is very small, very embryonic,” he said, adding that the current urban warfare in Haiti is overwhelming them. “They were not prepared for this kind of challenge.”

Moïse said the government didn’t expect gangs to become so powerful after President Jovenel Moïse was killed in July 2021 at his private residence.

He and other Haitian officials noted that the ongoing gang violence is fueled by the smuggling of weapons, many of which come from the US.

Moïse and Pélissier thanked the OAS and the international community for their support so far, but stressed that much more is needed.

“Haiti … needs this solidarity to be translated into concrete actions,” Pélissier said. “The problem that we have in front of us today is huge.”

Evens Sanon contributed to this report from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

UK to roll out chemical castration for sex offenders amid prison crisis

By Pan Pylas The Associated Press

LONDON—The British government will roll out the use of medication to suppress the sex drive of sex offenders, as part of a package of measures to reduce the risk of reoffending and alleviate the pressures on the prison system, which is running out of space.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Thursday that so-called chemical castration would be used in 20 prisons in two regions and that she was considering making it mandatory.

“Of course, it is vital that this approach is taken alongside psychological interventions that target other causes of offending, like asserting power and control,” she said in a statement to Parliament following the release of an independent sentencing review.

Though the review highlighted the treatment wouldn’t be relevant for some sex offenders such as rapists driven by power and control, rather than sexual preoccupation, Mahmood said that studies show that chemical castration can lead to a 60% reduction in reoffending.

It’s been used in Germany and Denmark on a voluntary basis, and in Poland as mandatory for some offenders.

The recommendation was part of a wideranging review led by former Justice Secretary David Gauke. As well as looking at ways to cut reoffending, Gauke recommended reforms to overhaul the prisons system, which is running at near capacity.

One of the first things Mahmood did as justice minister after Labour returned to power after 14 years last July was sanction an early-release program for prisoners to free up space. She says she inherited a judicial system that had been neglected for years by the previous Conservative government and set up the review as a means to stabilize it.

“If our prisons collapse, courts are forced to suspend trials,” she said. “The police must halt their arrests, crime goes unpunished,

criminals run amok and chaos reigns. We face the breakdown of law and order in this country.”

The review recommended that criminals could be released from prison earlier than they are now for good behavior, while judges could be given more flexibility to impose punishments such as driving bans. It also recommended that sentences of less than 12 months would also be scrapped for tougher community sentences. It also called for the immediate deportation for foreign nationals handed a three-year sentence or less. The review called for higher investment in the probation service to allow officers to spend more time with offenders for their rehabilitation and extra funding for the many more who are monitored with electronic tags in the community.

Mahmood responded by giving a 700 million-pound ($930 million) a year for probation within years.

“If the government doesn’t put the resources into probation that is necessary, then the risk here is that we won’t make progress on rehabilitation that we need, and there will be a public backlash against it,” Gauke said. The prison population in England and Wales has doubled over the past three decades or so to nearly 90,000. That’s despite a fall in crime rates and is driven in part by the fact that longer sentences are being handed out amid pressure to be tough on crime.

Robert Jenrick, the justice spokesman for the Conservatives, warned that scrapping short sentences would be effectively “decriminalizing” offenses like burglary, theft and assault. And monitoring tags, he said, are as useful as “smoke alarms putting out bonfires” in stopping reoffending.

In response, Mahmood said that she was clearing up the mess left by the Conservatives and that the government has also embarked on the largest expansion of prisons since Victorian times in the 19th century.

Trump administration revokes international student enrollment at Harvard, citing ‘anti-American’ activity

By Collin Binkley & Michael Casey AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON—The

Trump administra -

tion revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students in its escalating battle with the Ivy League school, saying thousands of current students must transfer to other schools or leave the country.

The Department of Homeland Security announced the action Thursday, saying Harvard has created an unsafe campus environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus. It also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party, saying it hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

“This means Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the agency said in a statement.

Harvard enrolls almost 6,800 foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, accounting for more than a quarter of

its student body. Most are graduate students, coming from more than 100 countries.

Harvard called the action unlawful and said it’s working to provide guidance to students.

“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” the university said in a statement.

The Trump administration’s clash with Harvard, the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university, has intensified since it became the first to openly defy White House demands for changes at elite schools it has criticized as hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.

The federal government has cut $2.6 billion in federal grants to Harvard, forcing it to self-fund much of its sprawling research operation. President Donald Trump has said he wants to strip the university of its tax-exempt status.

The administration has demanded records of campus protests

THE threat to Harvard’s international enrollment stems from an April 16 request from Homeland

Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who demanded that it provide information about foreign students that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation.

In a letter to Harvard on Thursday, Noem said the school’s sanction is “the unfortunate result of Harvard’s failure to comply with simple reporting requirements.” It bars Harvard from hosting international students for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.

Noem said Harvard can regain its ability to host foreign students if it produces a trove of records on foreign students within 72 hours. Her updated request demands all records, including audio or video footage, of foreign students participating in protests or dangerous activity on campus.

“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a statement.

The action revoked Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which gives the school the ability to

sponsor international students to get their visas and attend school in the United States.

Harvard President Alan Garber earlier this month said the university has made changes to its governance over the past year and a half, including a broad strategy to combat antisemitism, but warned it would not budge on its “its core, legally-protected principles” over fears of retaliation. He said he wasn’t aware of evidence to support the administration’s allegation that its international students were “more prone to disruption, violence, or other misconduct than any other students.”

Students in Harvard College Democrats said the Trump administration is playing with students’ lives to push a radical agenda and to quiet dissent. “Trump’s attack on international students is text book authoritarianism—Harvard must continue to hold the line,” the group said in a statement.

The administration drew condemnation from free speech groups, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which said Noem is demanding a “surveillance state.”

“This sweeping fishing expedition reaches protected expression and must be flatly rejected,” the group said in a statement.

The revocation opens a new front in a closely watched battle MANY of Harvard’s punishments have come through a federal antisemitism task force that says the university failed to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence amid a nationwide wave of pro-Palestinian protests.

Homeland Security officials echoed those concerns in their Thursday announcement. It offered examples, including a recent internal report at Harvard, finding that many Jewish students reported facing discrimination or bias on campus.

It also tapped into concerns that congressional Republicans have raised about ties between US universities and China. Homeland

Security officials said Harvard provided training to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps as recently as 2024. As evidence, it provided a link to a Fox News article, which in turn cited a letter from House Republicans. Asked for comment on the al -

leged coordination with the Chinese Communist Party, a Harvard spokesperson said the university will be responding to the House Republicans’ letter.

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, called the latest action an “illegal, small-minded” overreach.

“I worry that this is sending a very chilling effect to international students looking to come to America for education,” he said.

The Trump administration has leveraged the system for tracking international students’ legal status as part of its broader attempts to crack down on higher education. What was once a largely administrative database has become a tool of enforcement, as immigration officials revoked students’ legal status directly in the system.

Those efforts were challenged in court, leading to restorations of status and a nationwide injunction blocking the administration from pursuing further terminations.

The Associated Press writers Annie Ma in Washington and Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

Kim Jong Un furious over failed destroyer launch, vows to arrest those responsible

By Hyung-Jin Kim & Kim Tong-Hyung

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea—North Korea is seeking to arrest those responsible for the failed launch of its second naval destroyer, as it denied the warship suffered major damage—a claim quickly met with outside skepticism.

A statement from North Korea on its handling of the botched launch came after leader Kim Jong Un expressed fury over the incident that he said was caused by criminal negligence. The main military committee said Friday that those responsible would be held accountable for their “unpardonable criminal act.” Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side and draped in blue covers, with parts of it submerged. North Korea says it will take about 10 days to repair the damage, but outside observers question that timeframe because damage to the ship appeared much worse than what North Korea claims. Here is what you need to know about the failed ship launch:

How much damage was there to the ship?

North Korea’s state media said Friday the severity of the damage to the 5,000-tonclass destroyer was “not serious” as it canceled an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes. It said the hull on the starboard side was

scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section. It said it needs a total of 10 days to pump out the seawater, set the ship upright and fix the scratches. It’s almost impossible to verify the assessment because of the extremely secretive nature of North Korea. It has a history of manipulating or covering up military-related setbacks, policy fiascoes and other mishaps, though it has periodically acknowledged some in recent years.

Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea, said the North Korean warship likely suffered much worse damage, including the flooding of its engine room located in the stern section, and holes in the starboard. He said North Korea could simply set the ship upright, paint it over and claim the ship has been launched, but that repairs could take more than a year as the replacement of an engine requires cutting the hull.

Why the ship’s launch failed

ACCORDING to the North Korean account, the destroyer was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship’s stern detached early during a launch ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday.

Moon Keun-sik, a navy expert who teaches at Seoul’s Hanyang University, said North Korean workers are probably not familiar with launching a 5,000-ton-class warship, which is a few times heavier than its existing main navy ships.

Observers say North Korea tried to launch the destroyer sideways, a method it has never used for warships, although it has previously employed it with big cargo and passenger ships.

Compared with those non-military vessels, Lee said it would be more difficult to maintain balance with the destroyer because it’s equipped with heavy weapons systems. He suspected North Korean scientists and officials likely did not factor that in.

How Kim has reacted THE damaged ship is assessed as the same class as North Korea’s first destroyer, launched with great fanfare last month with a floating dry dock at a western shipyard. It is North Korea’s biggest and most advanced warship to date, and Kim called its construction “a breakthrough” in modernizing North Korea’s naval forces to cope with what he calls US-led security threats.

Subsequently, a failure to launch the

second destroyer was an embarrassment for Kim. But by disclosing the failure both internally and externally, Kim could be trying to show his resolve in building greater naval forces and boosting discipline at home. He ordered officials to repair the warship before a ruling Workers’ Party meeting in late June.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Friday that a team of prosecutors and experts began steps to arrest and investigate those responsible as part of

their full-scale investigation into the case. KCNA said that Hong Kil Ho, manager of the Chongjin shipyard, has been summoned for questioning.

“No matter how good the state of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unpardonable criminal act remains unchanged, and those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime,” the North’s Central Military Commission said in an instruction to the investigation team, according to KCNA.

Bianca’s feeling at ease in Mexico’s stifling heat

felt right at home in the stifling heat and humidity Thursday on the Yucatan Peninsula, using her power to set up a two-putt birdie on the par-five 18th for a four-under 68 and a four-way share of the lead in the Mexico Riviera Maya Open.

PARIS—For quite some time, there’s usually been a sense of certainty at the French Open

That was particularly so on the men’s side, with Rafael Nadal ruling over the red clay of Roland-Garros the way no one has dominated any tournament in tennis history. He would go there, he would win nearly every match he played—how’s 112-4 for a career record?—and he would head home with another trophy, 14 in all.

Simultaneously simple and spectacular. So, too, albeit over a much shorter span, is Iga Swiatek’s recent control over the women›s event, claiming four of five championships, including the past three.

And now? As play begins Sunday, things are less clear, and not just because the 38-year-old Nadal is no longer competing and will be honored that day at Court Philippe- Chatrier.

The owner of 22 Grand Slam titles retired last season, playing for the final time at the Davis Cup His final French Open ended with a loss to Alexander Zverev last May and his final Roland-Garros appearance ended with an exit in singles against Novak Djokovic at the Summer Olympics, followed by an exit in doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz

There could be some new champions at the French Open.

“Will it be very interesting? I think so,” said Grigor Dimitrov, a quarterfinalist at last year’s French Open and previously a semifinalist at the other majors. “Could we see potentially some different winners and different results? Absolutely.”

He was speaking specifically about the men’s bracket. But he could have been talking about the women, too.

“There’s...20 different people that you wouldn’t be surprised if they end up winning the tournament,” said Madison Keys, the American whose first Slam trophy arrived at the Australian Open in January. “Part of it is because we’ve kind of lost some of our legends, obviously. Like, there’s no longer Serena Williams in every draw, where you just assume she’s going to win.” AP

Pagdanganan, the 27-year-old from the Philippines, managed to hit all but two greens despite not spending much time in the fairway.

Her two-putt birdie from 15 feet allowed her to join Chisato Iwai, Jenny Shin and Brianna Do. The wind was enough of a challenge on the El Camaleon course at Mayakoba, but it was the heat index that became the biggest challenge and limited the scoring chances.

Pagdanganan felt at relative ease during the round.

“It felt like a pretty easy round, which honestly I haven’t felt that in a while,” she said. “To be able to have

that out here feels really good. I hit a lot of greens—not a lot of fairways. But I felt like it didn’t matter that much to me today. I felt like I was swinging it pretty good. I had a pretty clear headspace.”

“So I guess mentally and physically everything just lined up really well for me today,” she added.

Shin was the first to reach 68, making seven birdies but slowed with a double bogey on the 16th hole. Asked about her good start, Shin replied, “I actually don’t remember because it’s so hot. I don’t remember the first birdie.”

But she remembered having a hot putter, mostly for birdie and a few parts. Still, it was hard getting past the stifling conditions.

“I didn’t anticipate heat like this,” Shin said. “I was really shocked when I got here. Definitely does feel like I’m in Southeast Asia. Been hydrating a lot. Drinking a lot of salted water. A lot of electrolytes. I haven’t really been practicing, so I’m going to head straight to the hotel room after this.”

Chisato birdied two of her last five holes, while Do got off to a superb start and was 4 under through her opening five holes. She cooled after that, with one bogey and a birdie on the 18th to claim a share of the lead.

Five more players, including HyeJin Choi and Jenny Bae, were at 69.

Charley Hull, at No. 15 in the world the highest-ranked player in the final event before the US Women’s Open, missed short putts down the stretch and had to settle for a 72.

One of those misses came on the par-5 13th, when she hit her second shot to inside 3 feet.

It was a tough day for two of the more prominent Mexican players. Gaby Lopez, who played a role in getting the LPGA back to Mexico for the first time since 2017, had eight bogeys in her round of 79. Maria Fassi, a former NCAA champion at Arkansas, had two early birdies but struggled to a 75.

Mayakoba previously hosted a PGA Tour event, and then it had a LIV Golf event last year. AP

VIADANA, Italy—Dutch cyclist Olav Kooij won the 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia in a sprint finish Thursday as Mexico’s Isaac Del Toro slightly extended his overall lead in the pink jersey.

Wout van Aert, the winner of Sunday’s ninth stage, placed himself at the front as riders turned for home and led his Visma–Lease a Bike teammate Kooij into the final 200 meters. From there, Kooij then held off countryman Casper Van Uden and

Britain’s Ben Turner to secure the first Giro stage win of his career.

“I’d been waiting for this victory. In the previous two sprints, things didn’t go as planned. But today, everything went smoothly and I’m really happy,” Kooij said. “Only Wout can do such a long lead-out. I managed to jump onto Casper’s wheel and then come around him.”

They all finished in just under four hours.

Del Toro picked up a two-second time bonus during an intermediate sprint

By Josef Ramos

section and leads by 33 seconds over Spaniard Juan Ayuso in second place and by one minute and nine seconds from Italian Antonio Tiberi in third.

The 21-year-old Del Toro became the first Mexican cyclist to lead the Giro when he finished second on Sunday.

Thursday’s stage started from Modena—home of the famed Basalmic vinegar and the sparkling red wine Lambrusco—and rolled through the countryside before finishing in Viadana in the Lombardy region. AP

“I’m now ready, before I was 90 percent when I left Manila, but now I’m 100 percent all good,” Taduran, 28, told BusinessMirror on Friday. “I’m excited for my first title defense. But I am not going to relax. I know Shigeoka will give his best in second fight.”

“My condition now is much better than the last time,” said

Shigeoka, 25, who lost his crown to Taduran via a ninth-round technical knockout last July.

Taduran brings with him a 174-1 win-loss-draw record with 13 knockouts against Shigeoka’s 11-1 card with nine knockouts. Taduran is co-managed by Marty and Cucuy Elorde and has Carl Peñalosa Jr. as chief trainer and coach.

“We have to apply pressure right from the start,” Peñalosa said. “As soon as the first round bell rings, Pedro is going to be there, throwing punches, ducking and throwing punches.” Peñalosa added: “I’m confident. He will be starting strong and finishing strong.”

The IBF appointed Australian Ignatius Missailidis as referee and Kats Nakamura of Japan, Dave Braskow of the United States and Gil Co of the Philippines as judges with George Martinez of Canada as fight

Gilgeous-Alexander,

Thunder go up, 2-0

KLAHOMA CITY—Shai

OGilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points a day after being named the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) MVP and the Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Minnesota Timberwolves again, winning 118-103 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of 21 field goals and 13 of 15 free throws after  receiving his MVP trophy  from Commissioner Adam Silver before the game.

“I feel like all my emotions were so high, but I was a little bit tired out there, especially at the start,”

Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I was a little too juiced up. Special moment. I’m happy we won so I can really enjoy the last couple days and soak it up. That really helps.”

Jalen Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Chet Holmgren added 22 points for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort was named first-team all defense and Williams was named second-team alldefense earlier in the day. They helped anchor a unit that held Minnesota to 41.4 percent shooting.

“When you win games, you do it together and you have fun out there, everything else—all the individual stuff you want—it comes with it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

Anthony Edwards scored 32 points but it took him 26 shots to get them. Jaden McDaniels scored 22 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 17 for the Timberwolves. Game 3 is Saturday in Minneapolis.

Gilgeous-Alexander hit a threepointer with 16 seconds left in the first half, then made a pair of free throws with three seconds remaining to help Oklahoma City take a 58-50 lead. He scored 19 points before the break.

“We didn’t close the half very well,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “I thought if we close the half better then we don’t put ourselves on such a razor edge in the third.” In the third quarter, GilgeousAlexander drove to the paint and threw up a wild shot that went in as he was fouled by his cousin, Alexander-Walker. GilgeousAlexander made the free throw to give the Thunder a 73-64 lead. A lob by Cason Wallace to Holmgren for a two-handed jam on a fast break put Oklahoma City up 82-65 late in the third quarter. The Thunder took a 93-71 advantage into the fourth. Minnesota closed to within 10 in the final period, but Oklahoma City kept the Timberwolves at bay late. Now,

THE Netherlands’ Olav Kooij (in a yellow jersey) sprints to win the 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday. AP

ALVIN AGUILAR (center) with Eros Baluyot (left) and Rene Catalan Jr.

PEDRO TADURAN and Ginjiro Shigeoka face off in Friday’s weigh-in. PHOTO COURTESY WENDELL ALINEA

LAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico—Bianca Pagdanganan