The Philippine Star - February 10, 2025

In this issue

February 10, 2025

UP Diliman tops Phl universities in Webometrics list

The University of the Philippines in Diliman regained the top spot among Philippine higher education institutions (HEIS) in the January 2025 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, which tracks the impact and linkages of higher education.

1 min

Loveless? Go on 'furst' date- PAWS ΤΙ

For people who have not found love, taking rescued pets on a date this Valentine's Day could be the right place to start, according to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).

1 min

NFA to sell P33/kilo rice to LGUs this week

The National Food Authority is expected to start releasing at least 700,000 bags of NFA rice to local government units (LGUS) this week as part of the implementation of the food security emergency.

2 mins

DOST, DICT won't ban DeepSeek, AI chatbot

Filipino technologists, researchers in emerging artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, and even ordinary tech-savvy internet users should be allowed to use and explore the DeepSeek R1 AI chatbot developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek, government officials said.

3 mins

Sara told: Stop diversionary tactics, address impeach raps

It would be best for the camp of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte to \"stop the diversionary tactics\" they have been employing, and focus instead on how she can survive her impending Senate impeachment trial, House lawmakers said yesterday.

2 mins

VP Sara assured of fair Senate trial

Vice President Sara Duterte would receive fair treatment from the Senate once the impeachment trial begins most likely in two months, Senate President Francis Escudero said yesterday.

4 mins

Phl sends humanitarian aid to Gaza

The Philippines has provided humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Office of Civil Defense said.

1 min

Shear line to bring rains - Pagasa

The shear line may bring moderate to intense rains in some areas while the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and northeast monsoon will also affect the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration yesterday.

1 min

Bato apologizes for mocking lawmaker's appearance

Reelectionist Sen. Ronald \"Bato\" dela Rosa yesterday apologized after facing backlash for his remark mocking the facial appearance of Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña, a stroke survivor.

2 mins

Comelec to crack down on illegal campaign materials

Before the start tomorrow of the campaign period for national candidates in the May 2025 midterm polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded all senatorial bets and party-list groups to voluntarily remove all their illegal campaign materials.

2 mins

NMC backs BBM stand on protecting sovereignty

The National Maritime Council expressed support for President Marcos' statement that the Philippines would continue protecting the country's sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) \"no matter what any other foreign power does.\"

1 min

AMERICAN COMPANIES LIKE TESLA, JPMORGAN EXPAND IN UPTOWN BGC

The Premier Business Address for U.S. Companies

3 mins

BI: Catphishers target 14 Pinoys

Fourteen victims of catphishing have been intercepted within two days, with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) sounding the alarm on rising trafficking cases.

1 min

BOC: Don't use balikbayan boxes for drugs

Boxes containing items sent by overseas Filipino workers should not be used to smuggle illegal drugs as these are symbols of the OFWs' love and sacrifice, according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

1 min

Public warned vs 'romance scams'

Ahead of Valentine's Day, authorities have warned the public against rising online scams targeting people who are looking for love.

1 min

2 Held for Unregistered Chinese Medicines

Two Chinese nationals allegedly engaged in the illegal sale of unregistered medicines were arrested in Parañaque City on Saturday.

1 min

MMDA: Motorists Can Appeal Traffic Violations Online

Motorists who are issued traffic citation tickets by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority can now dispute these violations online, the MMDA announced over the weekend.

1 min

Business Group Bucks EDSA Busway Removal

Instead of removing the EDSA bus lane, the government should enhance the existing Mabuhay Lanes to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila, according to the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

2 mins

Absent teacher

Too many school days are lost not only because of typhoons, floods, extreme heat and impromptu holidays.

3 mins

Punish them!

Three in one day; that was the number of judges and court cases that became the focus of The Philippine STAR editorial on Feb. 3 that harped on how judges \"gravely abused discretion\" and ignored strong evidence.

4 mins

Rice emergency

EDITORIAL

1 min

Putting small enterprises on every candidate's agenda

I have been asked several times before how come I don't run for office.

4 mins

A false horizon

I don't know why, but like the proverbial bad penny that keeps turning up (English teachers: note the British idiom), every few years, some Filipino school announces its adoption of an \"English-only\" language policy on its campus, ostensibly in the service of a sublime objective such as \"global competitiveness\" or \"global competence.\"

4 mins

Stopping the clock

COMMONSENSE

4 mins

It's payback time

World view

1 min

Baguio Continues To Chill At 14.6 Degrees

The temperature in Baguio City slid to as low as 14.6 degrees Celsius yesterday as the northeast monsoon or amihan continues to affect the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

1 min

Cop teaching gun proficiency hit by bullet

A policeman was injured after a bullet ricocheted, hitting him in the stomach after teaching cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Silang, Cavite about firearm proficiency on Saturday.

1 min

Farmers decry onion importation

Onion farmers have criticized the decision of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to import the bulb, describing it as a \"double whammy\" as plantations in Nueva Ecija, the country's onion capital, are being attacked by armyworms.

2 mins

Trump: I spoke to Putin about ending Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump said he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about ending the war in Ukraine, the New York Post reported, the first known direct conversation between Putin and a US president since early 2022.

1 min

Trump: I spoke to Putin about ending Ukraine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump said he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about ending the war in Ukraine, the New York Post reported, the first known direct conversation between Putin and a US president since early 2022.

1 min

California OKs $50M to protect immigrants against Trump

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed laws Friday setting aside $50 million to help the state protect its policies from challenges by the Trump administration and defend immigrants amid the president's mass deportation plans.

1 min

1 Dead, Dozens Missing in China Landslide

A landslide in China's southwestern Sichuan province triggered by heavy rains has killed at least one person, with nearly 30 more missing, state media said yesterday.

1 min

Gere Calls Trump a 'Bully' at Spain's Film Awards

American actor Richard Gere called US President Donald Trump a \"bully\" and a \"thug\" on Saturday during an awards ceremony in Spain, and said the United States was in a \"very dark place.\"

1 min

Thai hostages freed from Gaza arrive in Bangkok

The families of Thai farm workers held hostage in Gaza for over a year wept with joy and hugged their loved ones as they arrived in Bangkok yesterday.

1 min

Musk Says He's Not Interested in Acquiring TikTok

Billionaire Elon Musk said that he was not interested in purchasing TikTok, the popular short-video app that the United States has been trying to ban over national security concerns with its Chinese owner ByteDance.

1 min

GINEBRA, ROS ADVANCE

Dubberstein, curling pals smash HK foes

2 mins

Obiena clears 5.70m for gold in Metz

Two-time Olympian EJ Obiena made good on his vow to come back with a vengeance from his Paris heartbreak, claiming a second straight medal including a sparkling gold in France Saturday.

2 mins

Culture shock

Watching the Manila Hustle 3x3 tournament was a bit of a culture shock.

2 mins

Ardina vies on familiar battleground

With a blend of experience, preparation and excitement, Dottie Ardina is eager to showcase her game on a course that has been a familiar battleground since her amateur days.

1 min

Del Monte starts chase of PAL title repeat

Senior play, which takes the lid off of the 76th edition of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub today, will have the Championship division playing the tree-lined Marapara on the first and last rounds and Binitin in the middle two with lift-clean-and-place in effect because of rains here the past few days.

1 min

Ferdie Constantino ponders retirement, SMC and RSA

After more than 50 years with conglomerate San Miguel Corp., Ferdinand K. Constantino finally put down his finance whiz hat.

2 mins

BSP rate cut likely this week - analysts

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is widely expected to lower its benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) at its monetary policy meeting on Feb. 13 as policymakers would likely shift focus from inflation control to supporting economic growth.

3 mins

Dollar Reserves Slide to $103 B in January

The country's dollar reserves dropped to a nine-month low in January as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) intervened in the foreign exchange market and the government paid its foreign debts.

1 min

ADB readies over $1B financing for Phl

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is looking to approve over $1 billion worth of financing to support projects in the Philippines this year, including the North-South Commuter Railway, as well as initiatives in the social and health sectors.

1 min

Price limit on imported rice dents Vietnam export prices

Vietnam rice prices declined steeply last month as harvest in the world's second-largest exporter is set to begin, coupled by the imposition of a price ceiling on imported rice by the Philippines.

2 mins

Sideways Trading Seen as Investors Eye BSP Meeting

Expect sideways trading to persist in the local market this week as investors keep an eye on the upcoming policy rate decision and outlook of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

1 min

The tariff sheriff arrives

Trump rattled global markets when he announced tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, reigniting fears of an escalating trade war.

3 mins

Ayala Not Keen on Selling Down GCash Stake

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. intends to hold on to its entire stake in GCash should the e-wallet giant's initial public offering (IPO) pushes through.

1 min

Clark airport needs second runway

The private operator of Clark International Airport hopes the government can pursue its plan of building a second runway to convince more airlines and couriers to locate in the gateway.

1 min

Malaysia expansion next on Ayala Land's agenda

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) aims to further expand its presence in Malaysia through its majority-owned subsidiary Avaland Bhd.

2 mins

Agus-Pulangi hydro complex rehab moving forward

The planned multimillion-dollar rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydropower complex in Mindanao is finally within reach amid the potential extension of PSALM Corp.'s corporate lifespan.

1 min

Food security gets boost from P20-B animal competitiveness fund

The creation of an earmarked fund for the development of livestock and poultry sectors using collected tariffs is critical in boosting domestic meat production and achieving food security amid threats of animal diseases, experts said.

2 mins

Confused government

\"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,\" is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein but there is no conclusive proof he said it.

4 mins

Dingdong Dantes on 2025 Elections: Let's Be More Discerning, Look Beyond Fanfare

As the official campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections begins, the presence of entertainment personalities in the political arena will be more visible—whether as candidates, endorsers or performers.

3 mins

Herlene Budol finds a mentor in Pokwang

After starring in the drama series \"Magandang Dilag\" as the plain-looking and witty Gigi, Herlene Budol headlines another GMA Afternoon Prime series \"Binibining Marikit\" as the hard-working and cheerful tour guide Marikit or Ikit.

3 mins

C4 A Glass Menagerie Inspired...

Goldie Poblador’s solo exhibition at Art Fair 2025, ‘The Rise of Medusa’, uses scents and sounds to create a multi-sensory experience.

1 min

MEMORY PIECES

Recent weeks have highlighted the passing of time with three successive occurrences that either merited my attention or involvement.

4 mins

BEAVER LOPEZ CONTINUES LEGACY OF LATE DAD MANOLO LOPEZ

Over lunch a few weeks ago, my dear friend Beaver Lopez caught me off guard when he revealed that he is the second nominee for the party list Partido sa Bagong Pilipino or PBP.

3 mins

A GLASS MENAGERIE INSPIRED BY MEDUSA

Goldie's glass menagerie: Various works by Goldie Poblador (2023-2025) include \"Pearl Bubble Coral 3,\" \"Pearl Bubble Coral II,\" \"Turbinaria Pelatata 2,\" and others.

4 mins

UNCHANGED AND UNCHAINED AT ART FAIR PH

Manny Garibay echoes the first Filipino art fair of 1893 with his 'Dambana'.

4 mins

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