The Philippine Star - October 30, 2024

In this issue

October 30, 2024

SC stops transfer of PhilHealth funds

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the transfer of \"excess\" funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the national treasury.

5 mins

Comelec files cases vs Guo before Tarlac court

Dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo has been formally charged before the Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC) for misrepresenting herself as a Filipino citizen.

1 min

CHR task force looking into drug war testimonies

The task force created by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate the previous administration's deadly campaign against illegal drugs will look into the testimonies of former president Rodrigo Duterte and other resource persons attending the ongoing congressional hearings.

2 mins

CBCP: Folks in flooded areas can light candles at home

Filipino Catholics residing in flooded areas can observe All Saints' and All Souls' Days by praying and lighting candles at home, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

1 min

DOJ, ICC urged to use Duterte statements

Sen. Risa Hontiveros yesterday urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to use former president Rodrigo Duterte's statements during the Senate's drug war hearing to build a case against him.

2 mins

15% ballot shading threshold eyed for 2025 polls

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the transfer of \"excess\" funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the national treasury.

1 min

Forced evacuation ordered in Leon-threatened areas

Residents living in areas identified as high risk will be under forced and mandatory evacuation, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ordered yesterday as Severe Tropical Storm Leon continues to gain strength.

4 mins

DepEd moving to resume classes ASAP in storm areas

The Department of Education (DepEd) has rolled out quick-response efforts to ensure that millions of learners could return to schools as soon as possible following the class disruptions caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

1 min

A young KSK farmer's path to agribusiness

EMBRACING NEW FARMING TECHNIQUES WITH AN OPEN MIND

3 mins

Bong Go denies reward system in drug war campaign

Sen. Bong Go addressed the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee on Monday, denying allegations of a \"reward system\" that allegedly incentivized violence in former president Rodrigo Duterte's crackdown on illegal drugs.

3 mins

PNP: More crimes during Duterte administration

Contrary to former president Rodrigo Duterte's claim that crimes in the Marcos administration are on the rise, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday it was during his term that lawlessness was rampant.

2 mins

PCSO @ 90 - CHARITY: A NATIONAL FOCUS

On October 30, 2024, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will not only celebrate its 90th anniversary, but also marks a watershed moment in President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s government's firm commitment to charitable initiatives.

4 mins

Rody holds court

The stories emerging from the congressional probes on the drug war are more terrifying than Halloween ghost stories.

4 mins

Public display of charity/QCinema - now showing

I'm not one to mock any effort of others to help others. In fact, I have written once or twice that we should encourage everyone to be charitable, to be generous and especially after so much damage to lives and property brought about by typhoons and calamities.

3 mins

Local prosecution

EDITORIAL - Following the marathon appearance of former president Rodrigo Duterte at the Senate last Monday, the Blue Ribbon subcommittee is making available to the public the transcripts of the proceedings.

1 min

The ideals of the founders are on the ballot

World view - The jury remains out on the verdict of the American electorate. While historians are virtually omniscient at predicting the past, we are not much better than most observers at predicting the future.

2 mins

VP Sara is not mentally ill

It's been more than a week since the two-hour rant of Vice President Sara Duterte and people are still talking about it.

4 mins

Wait for the next chapter

Now 79 years old, former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte endured almost eight hours of grilling before the Senate public hearing on alleged summary killings during his administration’s all-out war against illegal drugs.

4 mins

Pasko na! Kampanya na!

SINGKIT -The first sign of Christmas in my apartment is a small white parol knitted by the mothers at Knitting Expedition in Uhaji, Ifugao. I've decided to Pasko-ize my place in stages this year; after that little parol maybe I'll work on a centerpiece for my dining table this weekend. Slow by slow (dahan-dahan), as they say.

3 mins

Former actor held for pal's murder

Former actor John Wayne Sace was arrested yesterday after he allegedly shot dead his friend in Pasig City.

1 min

DepEd warns vs fake cash aid

The Department of Education has warned the public against fake online posts using the DepEd's logo to deceive students needing cash assistance.

1 min

BBM: Gov't doing good in addressing hunger

President Marcos yesterday ordered agencies to closely monitor the impact of the government's food stamp program after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported an improvement in the country's hunger figures.

1 min

QCPD beefs up security for Undas

Police have beefed up security in Quezon City ahead of the observance of All Saints' and All Souls' Days.

1 min

Rody: Sara's threat just hyperbole

Former president Rodrigo Duterte laughed off Vice President Sara Duterte's remark that she would throw the remains of President Marcos' father into the West Philippine Sea.

1 min

11 SAF troopers face ax for escorting Chinese man

Eleven officers of the police Special Action Force (SAF) are facing dismissal from service for allegedly moonlighting as security escorts of a Chinese national believed to be connected with a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Muntinlupa.

1 min

EcoWaste, Miss Earth Foundation appeal for trash-free Undas

Environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition and the Miss Earth Foundation yesterday called for a litter-free observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

1 min

13 hurt in 3-bus collision on EDSA

For the first time, the local absentee voting for the May 2025 midterm elections will be automated, the Commission on Elections announced yesterday.

1 min

Local absentee voting goes automated

For the first time, the local absentee voting for the May 2025 midterm elections will be automated, the Commission on Elections announced yesterday.

1 min

Marcos names new BCDA chairman

President Marcos has appointed lawyer and businessman Hilario Bringas Paredes as chairman of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

1 min

Kristine damage to agriculture reaches P3.4 B

The amount of damage to agriculture caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine has reached P3.4 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture.

3 mins

2 Chinese vessels spotted near Aurora

Two Chinese fishing boats have reportedly been spotted near Aurora province, according to the Philippine Navy.

1 min

Cordillera workers to receive pay hike

Minimum wage earners in the Cordilleras are expected to receive a higher take-home pay as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) will conduct a public hearing on a salary increase petition today.

1 min

Thousands protest in Georgia over 'stolen' election

Tens of thousands of Georgians protested in central Tbilisi on Monday after parliamentary polls denounced by the pro-Western opposition as \"stolen,\" while Georgia's president alleged to AFP that the vote was rigged using \"sophisticated\" methods she linked to Russia.

1 min

Israel to spend $530 M on 'Iron Beam' laser defense

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel faced a mounting international backlash yesterday after its parliament approved a bill banning the main UN aid agency for the devastated Gaza Strip.

2 mins

Combs accused in lawsuits of sexually assaulting boys

NEW YORK (AP) - Sean \"Diddy\" Combs (in photo) is accused in one of two lawsuits filed Monday of drugging and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy in a New York City hotel room in 2005.

1 min

Hezbollah names Naim Qassem as new leader

BEIRUT (AFP) - Lebanon's Hezbollah movement announced yesterday it has chosen deputy head Naim Qassem to succeed Hasan Nasrallah as leader after his death in an Israeli strike on south Beirut last month.

1 min

Blasts reported near ship in Red Sea off Yemen

Maritime security agencies reported three explosions on Monday near a ship in the Red Sea off Yemen, while the country's Houthi rebels claimed to have targeted a vessel there.

1 min

Outcry as Israel bans main UN aid agency

JERUSALEM AFP) Israel faced a mounting international backlash yesterday after its parliament approved a bill banning the main UN aid agency for the devastated Gaza Strip.

1 min

Harris vows to improve Americans' lives in closing argument

Vice President Kamala Harris will pledge to Americans that she'll work to improve their lives while Republican Donald Trump is only in it for himself as she delivers her campaign's closing argument Tuesday from the same site where the former president fomented the Capitol insurrection in 2021.

1 min

Historic night at Ynares

History was made at the Ynares Center, Antipolo, last Sunday as a record crowd of 11,021 turned out for Game One of the PBA Governors' Cup Finals between TNT and Barangay Ginebra. The attendance broke the mark of 10,952 set during the 2011-12 Philippine Cup.

2 mins

'WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED'

TNT BRACES FOR GINEBRA COMEBACK

1 min

Cardinals tow Blazers into Final Four

Lawrence Mangubat took charge late in the fourth quarter as Mapua survived a furious Lyceum of the Philippines University fightback with a 69-68 victory yesterday to advance to the NCAA Season 100 Final Four at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

1 min

POC polls: Tolentino bares 'My Working Team'

Three gold medals in the last two Olympics and four golds in the Asian Games—including the coveted men's basketball title—highlighted Abraham \"Bambol\" Tolentino's watch as president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) over the last four years.

1 min

LA not pushing panic button

TNT BRACES FOR GINEBRA COMEBACK

1 min

Suns prick Lakers bubble

PHOENIX - Kevin Durant and Devin Booker combined for 63 points as the Phoenix Suns sent LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers tumbling to their first defeat of the season in NBA action on Monday.

1 min

Rousing start for Phl batters

The Philippines made quick work of Indonesia, 13-1, yesterday in a regulation game that launched its five-peat feat bid in the Baseball Federation of Asia East Asia Cup at The Village here.

1 min

Three down, one to go for Dodgers

NEW YORK (AP) - After all that buildup, it's been all Dodgers so far. Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem as Los Angeles beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.

1 min

'Rice prices remain high as retailers make a killing'

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will convene the leaders of large markets in Metro Manila next week to discuss and address why retail prices of imported rice remain above P50 per kilo despite the softening of wholesale prices.

1 min

Phl revs up motor vehicle production from Jan to Aug

Motor vehicles produced in the Philippines climbed by 17 percent year-on-year in the January to August period, the second highest growth in Southeast Asia.

2 mins

Meralco to refund P16B to consumers

Power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has estimated around P16 billion worth of refunds to consumers once the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) resolves its fifth regulatory rate reset.

1 min

Infra spending slips to P109 B in Aug

The Marcos administration recorded a lower infrastructure spending in August, declining for the first time in nine months, amid billing delays and adjustments in the project timelines.

2 mins

Stocks plunge below 7,300 on profit-taking

Profit-taking took a heavy toll on the local stock market yesterday, pulling down the main index below the 7,300 level.

1 min

McDonald's Phl marks first batch of YouthWorks PH graduates with USAID

McDonald's Philippines (Golden Arches Development Corp.), led by George Yang, founder and master franchise holder of the quick-service giant in the country, proudly celebrated the graduation of its first batch of youth trainees under the YouthWorks PH program.

1 min

SM expands residential dev't in CDO

SM Development Corp. (SMDC), the residential arm of the SM Group, is seeing strong demand for the new phase of its residential development in Cagayan De Oro.

1 min

Is democracy in peril?

In less than a week, the United States will hold its presidential election, possibly one of the most consequential in its history.

4 mins

Cebu Pacific hikes stake in 1Aviation to 60%

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific has increased its ownership stake to majority control in a company that extends ground handling services to several airports nationwide.

1 min

Metrobank income hits record P35.7 B in 9 months

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) recorded a 12.4-percent jump in earnings to a record P35.73 billion from January to September versus last year's P31.79 billion, driven by strong asset expansion, improving non-interest income and better asset quality.

1 min

Climate change's impact on education

It is well known that our country has been identified as among the countries most at risk from climate change. Nowadays even a passing weather disturbance within our area of responsibility is enough to create havoc, which was what happened with the recent flooding by Severe Tropical Storm Trami/Kristine which devastated the Bicol region, Batangas and Cagayan.

3 mins

BSP fully supports gov't efforts to exit FATF gray list

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has reinforced its commitment to combat money laundering and terrorism financing as the country moves closer to exiting the gray list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

1 min

PGEC, NGCP complete Bohol grid integration

Yuchengco-led PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC) has integrated its 27-megawatt-peak Dagohoy solar power project (DSPP) to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines' (NGCP) Bohol grid.

1 min

Converge challenges PLDT in gigabit market

Broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is bringing the fight to industry leader PLDT Inc. by penetrating the gigabit market to expand its subscriber base.

1 min

IPOPHL recommends blocking of 6 piracy sites

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has issued requests to block access to six sites that have been found pirating movies.

2 mins

SCAN TO PAY

QRPh, PPMI's flagship project, boosts cashless transactions in PH

2 mins

DA to invest P2 B to perk up Phl coffee output

MALAYBALAY, BUKIDNON - At least four in ten cups of coffee are produced locally.

2 mins

RCBC to expand global presence, boost remittance services for OFWs

Yuchengco-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. is strengthening its international reach with its remittance service, RCBC Telemoney, to better serve the financial needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) across Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.

1 min

FedEx contributes $1.7 B to Asia-Pacific economy

Courier giant FedEx is bringing in at least $1.7 billion in output to the Asia-Pacific economy this year, and in the Philippines that contribution boosts mostly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

1 min

LULU TAN-GAN'S ARTISANAL LUXURY AT THE RED CHARITY GALA

Entering the ballroom for the Red Charity Gala featuring the fashion collection of Lulu Tan-Gan, we knew this 13th edition was going to be extra special.

4 mins

RUSTAN'S IS GETTING YOUNGER, BUT ANTON HUANG SAYS IT'S MAKING HIM OLDER

Have you noticed the new, modern gift wrappers of Rustan's?

1 min

SM CELEBRATES FILIPINO CULTURE THIS CHRISTMAS

SM Aura ushered in the festive season with its annual Christmas tree-lighting celebration, Sinag at Saya, a grand Christmas spectacle showcasing the best of Filipino culture, couture and creativity.

1 min

WHY DIRECTOR GINA ALAJAR REMAINS EXCITED TO ACT

Even if she has already carved out a name in directing, Gina Alajar remains enthusiastic about acting.

3 mins

Katrina Velarde puts a fresh spin on male hits at 'SIKAT V.3'

It was one of those Manila afternoons when everything seemed to run on “bahala na,” with the city buzzing with the usual traffic and chaos.

3 mins

Viva Communications and MQuest Ventures sign joint venture agreement for entertainment content production

Viva Communications and MQuest Ventures have recently announced the signing of a landmark joint venture agreement to produce high-quality entertainment content for Filipino audiences on free-to-air and other media platforms.

2 mins

CATRIONA GRAY SET TO HOLD CHARITY BALL, SERVE AS MISS U COMMENTATOR ANEW

FORMER MISS UNIVERSE CATRIONA GRAY CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK TO the nonprofit that inspired her to compete in pageants in the first place, after seeing their potential as a platform for helping others.

5 mins

BEYOND ZERO-HOW TOYOTA IS LEADING THE RACE FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY

Aside from some blue graphics and an \"H\" logo on the side, it looks like any ordinary Corolla Cross, Toyota's popular compact crossover.

4 mins

MAGNIFICENT 8

A few of our favorite things at PIMS 2024

3 mins

BEYOND ZERO

But before the drive, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) delivered a comprehensive presentation on its Beyond Zero global initiative with several speakers and decks.

2 mins

Nissan electrifies 9th PIMS with 3 new models

Announces upcoming 4th new model

2 mins

The Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid: Redefining power, efficiency and value with a new pricing concept

Porsche has redefined the luxury SUV experience with the Cayenne E-Hybrid, combining high performance with impressive efficiency.

2 mins

Chevrolet Wants to Captivate Filipinos With its new 7-seater

Chevrolet has officially launched the all-new 2024 Captiva, a new entry into the crossover market with the versatility of a 7-seater MPV. Combining sleek design, practicality, and modern technology, the Captiva is positioned as an ideal companion for families and those who need extra space for life's adventures.

2 mins

EXPERIENCING KAIZEN WITH THE NEW CHERY TIGGO 2 PRO

Kaizen (noun): the principle of holistic continuous improvement that originated from Japanese corporate culture but is now globally practiced. I experienced kaizen in the new Chery Tiggo 2 Pro.

3 mins

Lynk & Co marks 8th anniversary

Global brand now has a customer base of 1.24M users worldwide

2 mins

PNB's "Every Step Together" named as Rebranding Campaign of the Year

Philippine National Bank (PNB)'s Every Step Together campaign was recognized as the Rebranding Campaign of the Year in the Philippines by the Asian Banking and Finance: Retail Banking Awards 2024.

1 min

ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT

Leasing solutions may be the key to your dream car

2 mins

Want to own a car?

Say goodbye to commuting hassles with auto loans’ flexible terms

2 mins

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The Philippine Star Newspaper Description:

The Philippine STAR is the flagship title of the country's largest and most successful print media enterprise, the Philstar Media Group. Owned and published by Philstar Daily Inc., The Philippine STAR is a vaunted pillar of Philippine journalism whose integrity is anchored on the Biblical motto, “Truth Shall Prevail”. The Philippine STAR is a two-time winner of the prestigious Newspaper of the Year award given by the Rotary Club of Manila.