The Philippine Star - January 12, 2025

The Philippine Star - January 12, 2025

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In this issue
January 12, 2025
Security up as election period, gun ban begin
A nationwide ban takes effect today on the carrying of firearms and on the transfer, reassignment or suspension of state workers and officials, as the country officially enters the election period in the run-up to the May 11 elections, the Commission on Elections Comelec) said yesterday.

3 mins
2024 Hottest Recorded Year, Crossed Global Warming Limit
The last two years saw average global temperatures exceed a critical warming limit for the first time, Europe's climate monitor said Friday, as the UN demanded \"trail-blazing\" climate action.
1 min
Support Sought for Phl's UN Security Council bid
President Marcos yesterday sought support for the Philippines' bid for a seat in the United Nations Security Council and emphasized the importance of a rules-based international order during a New Year reception attended by diplomats, including the ambassador of China.

2 mins
Unified PWD ID system sought
The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is eyeing to implement a unified identification system for people with disabilities to put a stop to the illegal and unscrupulous use of PWD IDs.
1 min
Anger, resentment rise in LA over fire response
After being largely reduced to ashes by wildfire, Altadena was being patrolled by National Guard soldiers on Friday.

2 mins
Hospitals confirm 18% hike in health care costs
Filipinos may have to pay at least 18 percent more for hospitalization, possibly by the beginning of the second quarter of the year—largely due to rising costs of medical supplies, Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said over the weekend.
2 mins
Citizens' groups to take budget concerns to SC
Several citizens' groups will proceed with the filing of a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the constitutionality of the P6.326-trillion budget, saying the decision of President Marcos to veto certain provisions of the General Appropriations Act did not address at least four \"unconstitutional\" provisions of the 2025 GAA.
2 mins
No chance of subsidy to SSS under 2025 budget
The national government should not subsidize the one percentage point increase in the monthly contribution of members of the Social Security System (SSS) since there is no provision for it under the 2025 national budget, Baguio City Rep. Mark Go said yesterday.
1 min
Road Mishaps Claim 35 Lives Daily
BHW party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co said over the weekend that 35 people died per day, or 12,690 died yearly, due to road crash incidents in the country.
1 min
Quinta comm to probe chicken, pork, vegetable cartels
The quinta committee of the House of Representatives will investigate the cartels on pork, chicken, and vegetables once Congress resumes its regular session this week, according to Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda.
1 min
Ex-PhilRice execs acquitted of P15-M graft raps
The Sandiganbayan has acquitted six former officials of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) of graft charges in connection with their approval of an allegedly anomalous P15.78-million car plan for employees in 2009.
2 mins
Addressing poverty
Amid all the long-running state-funded dole-out programs for the poor, a survey conducted by pollster Social Weather Stations Inc. showed that self-rated poverty rose to 63 percent in December last year.
1 min
Bankers' Night
If, hypothetically, a bomb exploded at Fort San Antonio Abad last Friday or if the earth beneath it suddenly disappeared, the country's banking community would surely collapse.

3 mins
Top global risks in 2025
Over the years, I have developed good relations with a wide range of think tanks in Washington, D.C. But one that I particularly look forward to receiving information from is Eurasia Group founder and president Ian Bremmer, who has become a personal friend.

3 mins
'Real ID' deadline is May 7, 2025
Starting May 7, 2025, US travelers must be Real ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.

2 mins
Beginning again
As another year begins, I'd like to honor the lives and legacy of two great men who embodied the spirit of peace and humanitarian work.

4 mins
Random thoughts on the world today
Today, instead of one topic, I want to share a few random thoughts with my readers.

3 mins
'Squid Game' Season 2 perfectly mirrors our moment
It would have been easy to take the successful, high-concept premise of “Squid Game” – hard-luck contestants compete to the death in a sadistically kiddie-themed battle royale – and simply replicate it for Season 2.
4 mins
Portions of Mindanao Avenue to be closed until 2028
Some portions of Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City would become off-limits to motorists starting today until 2028 to give way for the construction of the Tandang Sora station of the Metro Manila Subway Project or MMSP.
1 min
Metro Manila LGUs to resell NFA rice
To widen the availability of affordable rice in markets, the National Food Authority (NFA) would sell some of its rice stocks to local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila.
1 min
Classes, gov't work suspended in QC on Monday
The Quezon City government has suspended face-to-face classes in public schools and work in local government offices on Monday in support of the \"National Rally for Peace\" organized by Iglesia ni Cristo (INC).
1 min
PNP spokesperson named Central Luzon police chief
Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police (PNP), has been named Central Luzon police director.
1 min
SEAG Gold Medalist's Slay Suspect Charged
Criminal charges have been filed against a suspect in the killing of Southeast Asian Games (SEAG)'s gold medalist Mervin Guarte.
1 min
Palace Declares Holidays in 4 Luzon, Visayas Areas
Malacañang has issued four proclamations declaring non-working holidays in a town in Leyte and three areas in Luzon.
1 min
Increased ground swelling seen in Kanlaon
State seismologists have noted a significant increase in the ground swelling and pressurization at Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island.
1 min
Gov't work, classes in Davao suspended tomorrow
Classes and work in government offices are suspended in this city tomorrow to pave the way for a peace rally of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC).
1 min
Trump Gets No Penalty in Hush Money Case
US president-elect Donald Trump was sentenced on Friday to no punishment in his historic hush money case, a judgment that lets him return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.

1 min
BTS Member J-Hope Announces First Solo Tour
Smooth like butter, like a superstar about to hit the road. BTS member J-Hope (in photo) will embark on his first solo tour next month.

1 min
Israel strikes Yemen Houthis, warns it will hunt leaders
Israel struck Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday, including a power station and coastal ports, in response to missile and drone launches, as it warned it would hunt down the group's leaders.

1 min
Jeju Air black boxes stopped recording before crash
The black boxes holding the flight data and cockpit voice recorders for the crashed Jeju Air flight that left 179 people dead stopped recording four minutes before the disaster, South Korea's transport ministry said yesterday.

1 min
Thousands protest as SoKor president digs heels in
Thousands of South Koreans began gathering in the capital for rival demonstrations yesterday, as investigators prepare another attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law decree.

1 min
Vatican OKs Italian guidelines allowing gay men to be priests
The Vatican has approved new guidelines from Italian bishops that allow gay men to enter seminaries as long as they abstain from sex, in an unexpected adjustment to how the global Catholic Church considers possible future priests.
1 min
TNT CLAMPS DOWN ON CONVERGE
Abando, Ildefonso beef up SGA
1 min
Redick gets emotional losing home
Los Angeles Lakers coach J.J. Redick says he hopes the team's eventual return to play can \"give people hope\" after seeing his Pacific Palisades home incinerated in the deadly wildfires that have ravaged the city.

1 min
Sinag Liga Asya unfolds
Sinag Liga Asya has launched another tournament for the further growth and development of Philippine basketball, partnering this time around with the Department of Justice and other government agencies in a hoop slugfest starting today.
1 min
Australian Open: Eyes on Jannik, Aryna
Jannik Sinner will try to put a doping scandal behind him when he kicks off his Australian Open defense against Nicolas Jarry while Aryna Sabalenka's bid for a hat-trick of titles starts on Sunday against Sloane Stephens.

1 min
Hoey shines with 56-foot eagle putt
The Philippines' Rico Hoey sizzled with a six-under 64 spiked by a roaring eagle on the last hole to leap to within three off the pace halfway through the Sony Open Friday in Hawaii.

1 min
Local charge in Phl Open stays strong
After getting Asia's oldest national championship rebooted this year, the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines is leaving no stone unturned trying to lure the country's best players and keep the Smart Infinity Philippine Open title on home soil.
1 min
Wishing for more Pinoy world champs
GAB chairman Atty. Francisco Rivera's wish for the new year is the ascension of more Filipino world boxing champions and from all indications, it may come true.

2 mins
Phl, Japan Renew Bilateral Currency Swap Deal
The Philippines and Japan have renewed an agreement to trade one currency for another at a preset rate over a given period.
1 min
Growing competition to cut e-wallet fees
Filipinos can expect digital services to become cheaper in the long run as a result of more players joining the market to challenge current leaders GCash and Maya.
1 min
SEC Opens Extension Office in Laoag
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues to expand its footprint to provide businesses with greater access to its services.
1 min
Over P12 B Allotted for Airport Modernization
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will spend P12.4 billion this year for the upgrade of regional airports to support inter-island connectivity.
1 min
PH Banks Poised for Growth, Innovation in 2025 and Beyond
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expressed confidence in the banking system's resilience and potential, highlighting the industry's strong performance in 2024 and its optimistic outlook for the years ahead.

3 mins
Where there is no trust
Imagine a scenario: A nervous employee steps into his boss's office and, after gathering his courage, asks, \"Can I get a raise?\" The boss barely looks up and says: \"Because of the fluctuational predisposition of your position's productive capacity as juxtaposed to the industry standards, it would be monetarily injudicious to advocate an increment.\"

3 mins
Needed breather
The local cement industry, now threatened by the influx of cheap dumped cement from other countries mostly from Vietnam, is expected to receive a much-needed breather very soon.

4 mins
inDrive Opens Extra Livelihood for Drivers
Ride-hailing app inDrive is bringing in another income source for its drivers where they can earn as much as P18,000 a month by collecting data for a mapping company.
1 min
Raslag supplies clean power to Team Energy
Raslag Corp., the renewable energy arm of the Nepomuceno Group, is supplying clean power to Japanese-controlled Team Energy Corp. through its solar farm in Pampanga.
1 min
DoubleDragon to raise P10 B from bond issuance
DoubleDragon Corp., the listed property developer owned by Edgar \"Injap\" Sia II and Tony Tan Caktiong, is eyeing as much as P10 billion from a planned bond issuance to bolster its cash reserves.
1 min
'Phl faces limited fiscal, monetary support'
The Philippines is expected to receive minimal support from fiscal and monetary policies in 2025 as the government prioritizes post-pandemic debt consolidation, while interest rate cuts remain too modest to significantly stimulate household and business spending, according to ANZ Research.
1 min
Phinma Takes Over Insurance Brokerage Unit
Phinma Corp., the listed diversified conglomerate of the Del Rosario Group, has taken full control of the group's insurance brokerage arm.
1 min
Isuzu opens new dealerships in Rizal
Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) has expanded its footprint in the country with the opening of two new dealerships in Rizal.
1 min
Agnes Huibonhoa Revisits Her Family's Ancestral Home in Saigon, Transformed into a Museum
\"So you're a real Miss Saigon,\" Joji Dingcong tells Agnes Huibonhoa as we enter her family's ancestral home which is now the Bao Tang My Thuat Fine Arts Museum in Ho Chi Minh, which was Saigon's former name.

7 mins
Nasaan Si Hesus? Goes From The Stage To The Big Screen
The musical, \"Nasaan si Hesus?, was staged 20 years ago under the helm of Nestor Torre, with music and lyrics by Lourdes \"Bing\" Pimentel.

4 mins
Marion Aunor and her dreamers
Marion Aunor has music destiny in her blood.

2 mins
Sofronio Vasquez Honors Bisaya Roots In First Major Concert After 'The Voice US' Win
Sofronio Vasquez, the first Filipino and Asian to win \"The Voice USA,\" is back in the Philippines to celebrate his historic victory. One of the highlights of his homecoming is his first major concert since winning the show, and it's even more special because it's happening in Cebu, where he gets to perform for his fellow Bisaya and honor his roots.

5 mins
The Philippine Star Newspaper Description:
Publisher: Philstar Daily Inc.
Category: Newspaper
Language: English
Frequency: Daily
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.
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