The Philippine Star - January 30, 2025

In this issue

January 30, 2025

Thousands welcome Lunar New Year in Binondo

Hundreds of thousands of people welcomed the Lunar New Year in Manila’s Binondo district, home to one of the world’s oldest Chinatowns, according to the Manila Police District (MPD).

1 min

Pinoys listen to music 126 minutes a day, longest globally

Noong ako ay bata pa, ang payo ng nanay ko, Pag-aaral muna ang una sa lahat, Huwag daw akong umistambay at mag-combo nang mag-combo, Mahirap daw ang buhay musikero.

2 mins

Lacson wants life in prison for espionage

Espionage should be met with life imprisonment, former senator Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday.

1 min

'Marcos should regain control of nat'l budget'

President Marcos should regain control of the budget process, former Senate president Franklin Drilon said yesterday, noting that alignments made by Congress resulted in a \"mangled\" and the \"most corrupt\" budget he has ever seen.

4 mins

UPLB Prof Invents Board Game on Filipino Languages

A professor from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) has developed an educational board game designed to teach high school and college students about the country's native languages.

1 min

US Judge Stops Trump Freeze on Federal Funding

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a push from US President Donald Trump to pause federal funding while his administration conducts an across-the-board ideological review to uproot progressive initiatives.

3 mins

Marcos eyes holding monthly job fairs

The government is considering holding monthly job fairs in various parts of the country, President Marcos said yesterday, as he vowed to sustain efforts to lower unemployment, provide quality jobs and upgrade the skills of workers.

1 min

DICT, Comelec partner vs fake news

Combating fake news, disinformation and online fraud in the May midterm polls will be undertaken by watchdog groups, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

1 min

Covid vax program exposed data to possible breaches - COA

The online database system maintained by the government for its implementation of the COVID-19 National Vaccination Program (CNVP) had exposed sensitive information of the public to possible breaches, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its latest report.

1 min

13 Senate bets within winning margin - SWS

Thirteen candidates, mostly from the administration slate, have statistical chances of winning the Senate race if the elections were held this month, based on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

1 min

Phl, New Zealand hold talks on visiting forces

Efforts to fortify the military alliance between the Philippines and New Zealand are now underway following the conduct of the first round of formal negotiations on the proposed Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between the two countries last week.

3 mins

Senators defend granting citizenship to Chinese with POGO links

Senators yesterday defended their decision to grant Philippine citizenship to a Chinese national who is linked to offshore gaming \"big boss\" Duanren Wu.

2 mins

UPLB

Isabuhay, Liwanag explained, started as a \"passion project\" with the goal of presenting discussions on native Filipino languages in a format that would capture the interest of high school and college students – via game studies.

1 min

Pinoys

\"Music is more than a means of entertainment -- it is the people's way to communicate feelings, resonate their stories and build on their emotions,\" says Dr. Maria Alexandra Chua, a professor at the University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music who leads NRCP's Musika Pilipinas project.

2 mins

DICT to telcos: Revalidate SIM database using nat'l ID

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will ask telecommunication companies (telcos) to revalidate their subscriber identity module (SIM) card registration database by getting their subscribers to update their identification with their digital national IDs.

1 min

Lawmaker seeks 'ethical AI guidelines' for tech-driven learning

A senior administration lawmaker at the House of Representatives yesterday called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to establish \"ethical guidelines\" as it integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and technology into the education sector.

2 mins

3 China Coast Guard ships spotted around Panatag

Three patrol ships of the China Coast Guard (CCG), including the so-called monster ship, were spotted sailing around Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela.

2 mins

Phl consulate organizes forum on US immigration

The Philippine consulate general in San Francisco organized a learning forum to equip participants with essential knowledge and practical tools to better serve and protect the Filipino migrant community in the United States.

1 min

2 dead in Binondo condo fire

Amid Lunar New Year festivities, two housemaids died after a fire broke out at a condominium building in Manila's Chinatown in Sta. Cruz yesterday.

1 min

QC to Probe School Over Field Trip

An unauthorized off-campus activity of the Bestlink College of the Philippines that reportedly endangered students will be probed by the Quezon City government.

1 min

NBI nabs 5 for selling 'hot meat'

Five people are facing criminal cases after they were arrested in Caloocan for allegedly selling smuggled meat from China, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reported on Tuesday.

1 min

Missing sabungero case: DOJ wants 6 suspects re-arrested

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking to recapture the six security guards charged for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of several missing cockfight enthusiasts or sabungero in Manila in 2022.

1 min

Marbil seeks to overhaul PNP's structure

Saying it is time for changes in the Philippine National Police structure, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil is pushing for an overhaul of the organization to make it a civilian-centric police force.

1 min

Tulfo son fined P5,000 for EDSA busway violation

The congressman son of Sen. Raffy Tulfo will be fined P5,000 after he was accosted for using the EDSA bus lane, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced yesterday.

1 min

Pagcor, AFP open VLMC halfway house

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center recently opened the newly constructed dorm for patients' watchers and caregivers at the V. Luna Medical Center (VLMC) in Quezon City.

1 min

Transport groups push for P2 jeepney fare hike

Leaders of transport groups will not back down on their petition for an increase of P2 in the minimum jeepney fare amid the rising prices of fuel and other essential goods.

1 min

Unsettled

The outrage over the manner the 2025 national budget was mangled is not about to end. This P6.326-trillion budget is, after all, the biggest heist of taxpayer money in our long and corrupt history.

3 mins

What's next for Maharlika?

EYES WIDE OPEN

3 mins

Fighting disinformation

EDITORIAL

2 mins

The elections, NGCP and DeepSeek's AI

Three topics today: 1) The May 2025 elections, the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections; 2) the purchase by Maharlika Investment Corp. of eight percent of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and 3) the turmoil in the AI world with the sudden prominence of DeepSeek AI that was developed at a fraction of the cost its US rivals and what that means to you and me.

3 mins

Join the call for action

As of this writing, there are several rallies scheduled for tomorrow. An important group is the education sector which has issued a unity statement against poverty, corruption and impunity.

3 mins

Our distrust towards China is no excuse for Sinophobia

As soon as news of the orchestrated TikTok ban broke out in the United States, Americans frantically scrambled to find a new home.

3 mins

Caroline Kennedy Urges Senators to Reject Her Cousin's Nomination

World View

2 mins

Marcos Certifies as Urgent BARMM Poll Delay Bill

President Marcos has certified as urgent the passage of a Senate bill seeking to defer the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to October, to allow the BARMM government to \"realign\" its structure, Malacañang said yesterday.

2 mins

LTO to File Raps vs Fatal Marilaque Road Event Organizers

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will file criminal charges against organizers of a motorcycle exhibition along Marilaque Road in Tanay, Rizal that resulted in the death of a vlogger.

1 min

Ex-BFP Officer Wanted for Illegal Recruitment

A manhunt has been launched for a former officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Calabarzon for alleged involvement in large-scale illegal recruitment activities.

1 min

2 MMDA workers caught operating colorum van in Cavite

Two employees of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have been caught operating a colorum or unauthorized passenger van in Cavite.

1 min

15 Dead in India Stampede at Hindu Mega-Festival

A predawn stampede at the world's largest religious gathering killed at least 15 people in India yesterday, with many more injured after a surging crowd spilled out of a police cordon and trampled bystanders.

1 min

Millions in Asia Celebrate Year of the Snake

Hundreds of millions of people across Asia celebrated the Lunar New Year with their families yesterday, as they bid farewell to the Year of the Dragon and usher in the Year of the Snake.

1 min

Film's Hapless '90s Singleton Bridget Jones Returns

LONDON (AFP) — Hollywood star Renée Zellweger (in photo) will mark today the return of Bridget Jones — the Chardonnay-swigging, calorie-counting hapless 1990s singleton — at the world premiere of the franchise’s upcoming film “Mad About the Boy.”

1 min

Japan Sees Record Number of Student Suicides

Japan saw a record number of suicides among school pupils in 2024, health ministry data showed yesterday.

1 min

US Fed Workers Offered 8 Months' Pay To Quit Jobs

In effort to shrink government

1 min

'Mona Lisa' to have own room under major renovation

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that the \"Mona Lisa\" will get its own dedicated room inside the Louvre museum under a major renovation and expansion of the Paris landmark that will take up to a decade.

1 min

South Korea airplane fire leaves 7 injured

Seven people sustained mostly minor injuries in yesterday's airplane fire in South Korea, authorities said, with local media suggesting the blaze may have been caused by a portable battery stored in the overhead bin.

1 min

NLEX HANGS ON AT NO. 8

With the PBA Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals within sight, NLEX revved up and routed Eastern, 94-76, to hang on to No. 8 last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

1 min

Quiambao fires 14 points in KBL return

Kevin Quiambao, the newly-minted Mr. Basketball (amateur) awardee at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night, returned to action in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) with a solid performance from a recovery from an ankle injury.

1 min

Taduran defense may be rematch

IBF minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran walked into the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Hotel to attend the San Miguel Corp. Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night with the title belt draped on his shoulder.

1 min

Mondilla Defies Odds, Seizes Lead

Clyde Mondilla delivered a resilient performance on yesterday here, battling through a tough start to card a second-round 73 and wrest a two-stroke lead at The Country Club Invitational.

1 min

ZUS Coffee eyes 4th win

ZUS Coffee tries to sustain its best start in a tourney as it tackles a fancied Chery Tiggo today in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

1 min

Vargas aims for 'best of the best'

PBA/ABAP chairman Ricky Vargas is hoping for \"the best of the best\" in pro basketball and amateur boxing, the sports under his watch, as 2025 unfolds with big plans in the works.

1 min

Phl among hotspots for branded residences in Asia

Emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region, including the Philippines, have become global hotspots for branded residences due to their affordability and growth prospects, according to a global real estate consultancy.

2 mins

ECOP Job Creation Program Focuses on Informal Sector

The country's umbrella group of employers is reviving a job creation program that will include those in the informal sector.

1 min

Lopez, Razon, RSA firms vying for GEA-3 contracts

Power companies backed by some of the country's wealthiest clans have been shortlisted for the government's third green energy auction round (GEA-3).

1 min

Inflation Seen Hovering Within Target This Year

Inflation expectations remain well-anchored, with private sector analysts projecting that headline inflation will stay within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)'s two to four percent target range for 2025 and 2026.

2 mins

Total Electrification Needs P100-B Funding, Says DOE

The government will need P100 billion in funding to light up every household in the Philippines, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

1 min

From energy regulation to deregulation, Part 1

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA, RA 9136) was signed on June 8, 2001, and will turn 24 in five months.

4 mins

BIR: Excise tax moratorium to affect revenue target

The Bureau of Internal Revenue will have to revise its revenue collection targets if Congress approves the proposed two-year moratorium on the annual hikes in tobacco excise tax, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said.

1 min

PDEx Launching First-of-its-Kind Derivative Product

The Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEx) is set to introduce a first-of-its-kind derivative product in the local market next week.

1 min

Protecting the essence of PPPs

For several decades, the Philippines has relied on public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a catalyst for progress—a key enabler of infrastructure development through collaboration between government and private sector to improve quality of public services and consequently, stimulate growth.

2 mins

PSE, BAP Reach Deal on Sale of PDS Stake

The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) has reached an agreement with the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) and certain member-banks for the sale of their shareholdings in the Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. (PDS).

2 mins

Ayala Land Lines Up Big Plans for 2025

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) has big plans in store for the year after finishing 2024 on a high note.

1 min

MerryMart Sees Revenue Exceeding P7 Billion Last Year

MerryMart Consumer Corp. of tycoon Edgar \"Injap\" Sia II expects its full-year 2024 revenues to grow by double digits to at least P7 billion, driven by the additional stores and the continuous growth of existing branches.

1 min

AirAsia suspends Manila-Davao flights

Low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines has suspended daily flights between Manila and Davao to focus on the demand for flights to tourist hotbeds Boracay and Palawan.

1 min

Filinvest Land bullish on growth despite market oversupply

Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI), the property arm of the Gotianun family, is forging ahead with its aggressive nationwide expansion, staying resilient amid market oversupply challenges.

2 mins

Food Tripping in the US

But first, enter Toronto for disco fries, then end in Seoul for gopchang

4 mins

Expect a lot of changes in technology, culture and society, says feng shui expert

We all know that 2025 is the Year of the Wood Snake, but most of us don't realize that this year also kicks off the Age of Fire, according to Chinese astrology.

2 mins

Enjoying Chinese New Year Celebration at Conrad Manila

Conrad Manila welcomed the Year of the Snake with an exceptional Chinese New Year celebration.

1 min

MISSING THE FAMOUS EGG SANDWICH OF JAPAN? TRY MAKING YOUR OWN VERSION

On a recent trip to Japan, I finally got to try the egg sandwich which so many have been raving about.

3 mins

Deo Gracias: A Feast of Thanks

After five centuries of Spanish rule, elements of Castilian cuisine seem to be as entrenched in Filipino food as Chinese and even American cooking.

3 mins

C6 Reuben

Reuben, a versatile Filipino artist, combines his singing career with his visual arts pursuits, showcasing his paintings alongside his performances. His dream is to hold a concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), projecting his artwork while he sings.

1 min

How Kaila

Having my siblings is a really big factor because we had each other to lean on as we were going through the same experience. And also open communication for better understanding from all sides is another big factor.

2 mins

Gerald Santos Gives Voice to Abuse Victims in 'Courage' Concert

Three Santos performers—Gerald Santos, Erik Santos, and Aicelle Santos—mounted the stage in the latest solo concert of Gerald, aptly titled \"Courage,\" last weekend at the SM North EDSA Skydome.

3 mins

'Tanong ng Bayan': GMA's senatorial 'face-off' to air on Feb. 1

As the country braces for the May 12 midterm elections, GMA Public Affairs and GMA Integrated News take a bold step in educating and empowering Filipino voters with a multi-platform television special, \"Tanong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025,\" airing on Feb. 1, 9 p.m. GMA.

1 min

Reuben Laurente blends dual passions for performing and visual arts

Aside from being an Original Pilipino Music (OPM) singer, Reuben Laurente has also been making his own objects of art or masterpieces in the form of paintings.

3 mins

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