The Philippine Star - February 15, 2025

In this issue

February 15, 2025

'They are really father and daughter'

By saying at a campaign rally that 15 senators could be killed to create vacancies in the chamber, former president Rodrigo Duterte was acting true to form as the father of Vice President Sara Duterte, a congressman said yesterday.

4 mins

Rody jokes about killing 15 senators

Former president Rodrigo Duterte joked about killing 15 senators to ensure the victory of Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan’s senatorial slate during the PDPLaban’s proclamation rally Thursday night.

4 mins

Sy family enters Asia's top 20 wealthiest

The Sy family, the power behind the conglomerate SM Investments Corp., has been named as among the 20 wealthiest families in Asia for 2025.

1 min

BBM Senate bets invade 'yellow' turf

Although Iloilo City is considered a stronghold of the Liberal Party, Sen. Imee Marcos and her partymates in the Ayansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas hope to sway voters in one of the vote-rich areas in Western Visayas.

1 min

PCG: China Ships Take Turns Anew in Navigating WPS

Vessels of the China Coast Guard (CCG) are seemingly taking turns again in patrolling the West Philippine Sea, which upsets the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

1 min

P1.4-B smuggled luxury cars seized in Pasay, Parañaque raids

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) raided two car shops allegedly selling smuggled luxury vehicles online – including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maybach and Maserati – worth an estimated P1.4 billion yesterday.

1 min

Speaker lauds Customs, urges stronger crackdown vs agri smuggling

Speaker Martin Romualdez yesterday commended the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for its intensified campaign against smuggling, citing the agency's seizure of P85.1 billion worth of contraband and the successful conduct of over 2,100 anti-smuggling operations in 2024.

1 min

Handle ballots with care - Comelec

Official ballots to be used in the May 12 midterm elections must be securely packed to ensure compatibility with voting machines, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said at a press briefing on Thursday.

1 min

PAOCC rescues 35 foreigners from illegal POGO

A raid that saved nearly three dozen Indonesians from detention at the barracks of a former Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) site also saved the life of a Chinese national held and tortured by members of a kidnapping syndicate at a nearby safe house.

3 mins

Candidates take Valentine break

The Senate slate of President Marcos took a break yesterday from campaigning to spend Valentine's Day with families or partners.

2 mins

Marcos to LGUs, agencies: Work together

President Marcos has ordered local government units to collaborate closely with national agencies to ensure the swift implementation of infrastructure projects that will benefit their constituents.

1 min

3 Weather Systems to Bring Rains Across Phl

A combination of three weather systems is currently bringing rains to large parts of the country, with residents advised to remain alert for possible flooding and landslides, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

1 min

BBM wishes 101-year-old Enrile 'good health'

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile turned 101 on Valentine's Day, with President Marcos wishing him \"good health, good cheer and good spirits.\"

1 min

Fuel price hike looms next week

Following recent slight reductions, fuel prices are expected to increase in the coming week due to persistent tensions abroad.

1 min

Manila archbishop urges faithful to join Walk for Life

Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula urged the faithful to join the annual pro-life event \"Walk for Life\" set for Feb. 23.

1 min

29 Repatriated OFWs From Israel Arrive

Twenty-nine overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Israel who availed themselves of the government's repatriation program are now back in the Philippines, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

1 min

Taguig police chief sacked

Taguig City police chief Col. Joey Goforth has been placed on \"administrative relief\" while authorities investigate the warrantless search by police at a home in Barangay Tipas, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday.

1 min

DJ-influencer charges fiancé before NBI

Disc jockey and influencer Jellie Aw charged her fiancé Jam Ignacio yesterday with assault before the National Bureau of Investigation.

1 min

Hijacking the party-list

The incoming 20th Congress will have a lot on its plate, foremost of which are the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and reforms in the budget process. Citizen election monitoring arm Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting is pushing for electoral reforms, particularly governing premature campaigning and the display of campaign materials.

1 min

Trump 2.0 will slow, not kill, the global energy transition

Donald Trump's return to the White House has raised fears that the global energy transition will be thrown into reverse.

3 mins

Senate as Impeachment Court

Ten days ago, Feb. 5, at around 5:50 p.m., minutes before session adjourned, the Senate formally received the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Inday Sara Duterte from the House of Representatives. Feb. 5, for the information of our dear readers, was the last day of session for both houses of Congress.

4 mins

Sara betrayed the public trust

Betrayal of public trust. That plainly is the crime, in sum, of Sara Z. Duterte, who will be 46 this May 31. As vice president and as the secretary of the Department of Education from July 1, 2022 to June 24, 2024, she committed acts that are impeachable.

4 mins

Ukraine will not be sidelined in peace talks with Russia

President Donald Trump on Thursday offered reassurances that Ukraine would be involved in negotiations to end the war with Russia, a day after his remarks left that prospect in doubt and alarmed officials in Kyiv and Ukraine's European allies that they would be left out of peace talks.

1 min

Call to Reverse SC Ruling on Municipal Waters Backed

Fishers' group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) yesterday reiterated its call for the Supreme Court (SC) to reverse a ruling opening the country's municipal waters to commercial fishing.

1 min

Laguna Lawmaker's Victory in 2022 Polls Upheld

The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) has upheld the victory of Rep. Maria Jamina Katherine Agarao of the fourth district of Laguna in the May 2022 elections.

1 min

4 Couple-Detainees Wed at Baguio Jail

Four couples deprived of liberty tied the knot in a simple ceremony at the Baguio City Jail yesterday.

1 min

LRT-2's second Antipolo extension plan progressing

The government is close to firming up a feasibility study for its plan to further extend the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) to the east.

1 min

Vatican Says Palestinians Must 'Stay on Their Land'

A top Vatican official on Thursday rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal to move Palestinians from Gaza, saying \"the Palestinian population must remain on its land.\"

1 min

Taiwan's Lantern Festival Generates Nearly 2M Tourists

The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) on Friday said the lantern festival being conducted in this city generated almost two million local and foreign tourists.

1 min

Swinton lashes out as she receives Berlin festival award

British movie star Tilda Swinton lashed out at the \"state-operated\" crimes of \"greed-addicted governments\" as she received a special award on the first day of the Berlin Film Festival on Thursday.

1 min

Driver plows into demonstrators in Munich, injuring 30

A driver drove a car into a labor union demonstration in central Munich on Thursday, injuring 30 people including children, authorities said.

1 min

Thousands Fired in US Government

As Trump, Musk Purge Federal Workers

1 min

ICE BREAKER

Given little chance against the region's giants, the underdog Philippine men's curling team of Marc and Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller, Alan Frei and Benjo Delarmente completed its fairy tale run by delivering a historic gold medal in the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China yesterday.

2 mins

Tall order for Gilas in away games

Toughen up against strong Arab teams then beat retooled Chinese Taipei and New Zealand on the road.

1 min

High contact

The Game Of My Life

2 mins

Warriors Shoot Down Rockets

Golden State star Stephen Curry scored 27 points to lead the Warriors in a 105-98 victory over the Rockets Thursday.

1 min

Bacolod B shares Interclub limelight

Bacolod Team B failed to make history but consoled itself by ruling the Founders division of the Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub at Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club last Thursday.

1 min

Korean Rules ICTSI Ladies Masters

Kim Kayoung of South Korea saved her best for last, shooting four birdies in the final round to cap a fiery comeback and snatch the coveted crown in the ICTSI WWL Philippine Ladies Masters yesterday at The Country Club in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

1 min

BSP Still on Easing Cycle - Remolona

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas remains on an easing trajectory but opted to pause rate cuts for now as it grapples with heightened global uncertainty, BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said.

2 mins

Foreign Investment Pledges Down 39% in 2024

Foreign investment commitments approved by the government plunged by 39 percent in 2024 from the previous year as investors held back, amid global uncertainties including protectionist policies under the new US leadership and changes in the Philippines' incentives regime.

3 mins

DTI Launches Safeguard Probe on Paper Imports

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to start a probe to determine if safeguard measures should be imposed on imports of paper products or corrugating medium.

1 min

Stocks slip, peso rebounds to 57:$1 level

The local market snapped a two-day winning streak after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) unexpectedly kept key policy rates unchanged on Thursday.

1 min

Phl banks post record profit in 2024

Philippine banks bolstered their earnings by 9.8 percent to hit an all-time high of P391.28 billion in 2024 from P356.49 billion in 2023 on the back of higher interest income.

2 mins

Advice for singles

I was once invited to speak to over 900 single men and women.

3 mins

Cebu Pacific Raises Route Network to 124

Cebu Pacific has expanded its flight coverage to an industry-leading 124 routes, as the airline widens its domestic and international reach in response to the demand boom.

1 min

AboitizPower suspends operations of 2 power barges

Aboitiz Power Corp. has temporarily shut down its two barge-mounted floating power plants currently docked at the Fishport Complex in Navotas due to commercial and technical issues.

1 min

IBPAP President Joins Xurpas Board

Listed technology company Xurpas Inc. is beefing up its boardroom with the addition of the current president of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) as an independent director.

1 min

JG Summit, URC deleted from MSCI Phl Index

The latest rebalancing of the MSCI will see the removal of Gokongwei-led firms JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Universal Robina Corp. (URC) from its Philippines index.

1 min

Damosa Land secures funding for coconut milk facility

Mindanao-based real estate and agro-industrial developer Damosa Land has secured a multi-million funding from the Thai Coconut Public Company Ltd. (COCOCO) for the development of a coconut milk production facility in Davao del Norte.

2 mins

Banking for all: A Filipino story

The Philippine banking industry has undergone a remarkable transformation over the years, shifting from the traditional, labor-intensive practices of past decades to a digitally driven system that aims to make financial services more accessible to all.

3 mins

Bukidnon is top contributor to Phl's agri, fishing output

Bukidnon emerged as the top contributor to the country's P1.8 trillion worth of agriculture, forestry and fishing (AFF) output in 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

1 min

More RE certificates expected this year — IEMOP

The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) is expecting a surge in renewable energy certificates (RECs) being traded this year, driven by the launch of more RE facilities.

1 min

PwC Opens New Facility in BGC

Professional services firm PwC has opened its P1 billion acceleration center at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), which caters to global clients.

1 min

Bulk of Asialink Loans Support MSMEs

More than two-thirds of Asialink Finance Corp.'s P15.54 billion disbursed loans last year were geared toward supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

2 mins

Pag-IBIG Fund releases P130 B housing loans in 2024

The Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG released nearly P130 billion worth of home loans in 2024, helping more Filipinos realize their dream of homeownership.

1 min

Insurance industry posts strong growth in 2024

The Philippine insurance industry closed 2024 on a high note, with net income, premiums earned and benefits paid all posting significant year-on-year growth, according to the Insurance Commission.

2 mins

Phl, Cambodia eye cooperation to boost investments

The Philippines and Cambodia are looking to collaborate to attract more investments.

1 min

Kundiman' at Pinto: Antonio Catral Leano's Patriotic Love Song

The sprawling Pinto Art Museum, nestled in the hills of Antipolo, has long been a magnet for art lovers. We love meandering along its stone pathways and steps, past gardens with uncommon blooms and tranquil fountains.

4 mins

LOST IN THE WOODS WITH CHIA AMISOLA

Dreaming of ubiquitous computing (ubi-comp) in 1991, computer scientist Mark Weiser imagined the computers of the future as \"machines that fit the human environment, instead of forcing humans to enter theirs,\" so that \"using a computer (can be) as refreshing as taking a walk in the woods.\" In 2025, Weiser seems on the mark. No longer is the computer a portal into a separate virtual world. Today, real life itself is being digitized: household objects and entire cities are now \"smart\"; rivers now power data centers and crypto mining facilities; the entire spectrum of human social activity is now being mined to serve as a substrate for sleeker optimization. Every living soul now resides under a canopy of broadband signals.

3 mins

THE WAXING AND THE WANING

Several things tie together the works of Tats Manahan and Lisa de LeonZayco for their duo show \"Waxing Wonders, Fragmented Thoughts\" at J Studio Gallery during Art Fair's 10 Days of Art..

3 mins

LOST IN THE WOODS WITH CHIA AMISOLA

Dreaming of ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) in 1991, computer scientist Mark Weiser imagined the computers of the future as \"machines that fit the human environment, instead of forcing humans to enter theirs..\" so that \"using a computer (can be) as refreshing as taking a walk in the woods.\"

2 mins

MTV Asia to air 'Eric Clapton Unplugged' 30 years later

MTV Asia has announced the release of \"Eric Clapton Unplugged...Over 30 Years Later,\" an extended, remixed, and remastered edition of the legendary musician's iconic performance from the Grammy and Emmy award-winning MTV \"Unplugged\" series.

1 min

HOW JESSICA SOHO'S CHINESE ROOTS INFLUENCED HER PASSION FOR STORYTELLING

Jessica Soho, one of the country's most celebrated broadcast journalists, has spent her career not just covering the most pressing issues, but also telling the most fascinating and offbeat stories through her TV programs, particularly the top-rating \"Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.\"

4 mins

MVP GROUP GETS INTO HOLLYWOOD FILMMAKING

THE MVP GROUP, under the leadership of Filipino business magnate Manuel V. Pangilinan, is set to make a significant mark in the global film industry by producing a Hollywood romantic comedy film set in the Philippines. The venture not only showcases the country's scenic landscapes but also aims to highlight Filipino culture on the international stage.

3 mins

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