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CSC mulls sweeping gambling ban

A person holds cards near a keyboard, chips and dice in this illustration picture. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) said on Tuesday it is considering a comprehensive ban on gambling for government employees but stressed that such a move would require legislation to take effect.

There needs to be a “legal cover” for a sweeping prohibition on gambling for government workers, CSC Chairperson Marilyn B. Yap said.

“The problem is what will be our legal cover for a comprehensive ban on all employees and branches of the government to engage in online gambling,” she told lawmakers during a House of Representatives hearing.

“I would recommend our study, and we can provide inputs for the possibility of passing a law in regard to the conduct of government employees on any form of gambling,” she added.

The Office of the President in 2016 issued a memorandum barring government officials and employees from entering casinos as it could be “prejudicial to the best interest of service.”

In early August, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued an order banning its employees and officials of local government units from engaging in online gambling. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

House OK to change briefing rules

PHILIPPINE STAR /KJ ROSALES

THE House of Representatives said on Tuesday that existing guidelines for civil society participation in budget briefing remain open to revision, following criticism from advocacy groups over limited access.

Lawmakers are open to establishing an institutional framework allowing budget watchdogs to participate more comprehensively during budget talks, House Spokeswoman Priscilla Marie T. Abante said, adding that this year’s guidelines are part of a “deeper reform agenda” to make the budget process transparent.

“This year’s guidelines are interim, designed to fit within the constitutional and operational limits of the 2026 budget calendar,” she said in a statement. “We are navigating strict timelines, complex logistics and the need to integrate a new system of public participation into a highly structured legislative process.”

The House is pushing for a more transparent budget process following criticism of this year’s spending plan, which was marred by allegations of budget diversions through pork barrel insertions.

Budget watchdogs last week said they felt their role in budget proceedings is limited after the House bounded their participation as observers in the chamber’s deliberations on the proposed 2026 spending plan.

“We urge our partners in civil society to continue engaging, continue critiquing, but most importantly, continue participating,” said Ms. Abante. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

PPA allots P1.42B for port upgrades

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is allocating as much as P1.42 billion for the expansion and improvement of three ports in the country.

In separate bid notices, the port regulator is now inviting bids for the third phase of the Malalag Port expansion project in Davao del Sur; Lipata Port improvement project in Surigao del Norte; and Buenavista Port expansion project in Guimaras.

PPA said it is spending up to P751.91 million to expand the Malalag port.

The winning contractor for the project will be given one year and eight months to complete the expansion, PPA said.

“The Philippine Ports Authority now invites bids for the above Procurement Project. Completion of the works is required in 630 calendar days,” it said, noting that interested parties will have until Sept. 17 to submit bids.

Further, PPA said that it also intends to spend up to P443.11 million to improve Lipata Port and up to P222.55 million to expand Buenavista Port.

Bidders will also have until Sept. 17 to submit their bids for the two port projects, PPA said, noting that the winning contractor for the Lipata port project will have about two years and seven months to complete the project; and about one year and five months to complete the Buenavista port project.

The port of Buenavista in Guimaras is among the 10 ports included in PPA’s port masterplan feasibility study.

PPA is developing its master plan for selected ports to help improve cargo operations in support of agro-industrial development.

The master plan aims to determine and assess the feasibility of constructing ports at designated locations, while also upgrading ports to meet the needs of agro-industrial development. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

SC sets up new integrity office

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday approved the reorganization of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) into the Judicial Integrity Office (JIO) in a bid to strengthen accountability and streamline the handling of administrative disciplinary cases within the Judiciary.

In a resolution penned by Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr., the SC en banc adopted A.M. No. 23-12-05-SC, placing the JIO under the direct supervision and control of the High Court.

The JIO will replace the five-member board with a single Judicial Integrity Officer, who will serve a four-year term and may be reappointed once.

The officer must be at least 45 years old, have 15 years of legal practice, and possess investigative experience. The post carries a Salary Grade 30, Step 8 compensation.

It is empowered to receive and investigate administrative complaints against justices, judges, and judiciary employees, as well as officials of offices under the SC, including the Court Administrator, the Philippine Judicial Academy, and the Judicial and Bar Council.

It can also issue subpoenas, recommend preventive suspensions, and initiate fact-finding on its own or through referrals from agencies such as the Ombudsman or the Civil Service Commission.

For less serious cases, the office will require mandatory grievance conferences before assigning docket numbers, introducing a dispute resolution mechanism within the judiciary for the first time. Complaints against members of the SC, however, will remain under the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction.

During the transition period, the acting JIB chairperson will serve as Judicial Integrity Officer, while current members will act as consultants.

The reorganization also renders the Corruption Prevention and Investigation Office functus officio, with its functions absorbed by the Judiciary Marshals pursuant to Republic Act No. 11691.

The new office will take effect 15 days after publication, with the SC set to draft the JIO’s internal rules within a month. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

More businesses value AI knowledge in hiring — report

BW FILE PHOTO

MORE businesses in the Philippines now consider knowledge in artificial intelligence (AI) as a key qualification in hiring, according to online employment platform Jobstreet by SEEK.

In a report, Jobstreet by SEEK noted that 72% of Philippine businesses consider AI knowledge when hiring applicants. Of these, 36% of companies either see AI as a primary consideration or as important as other qualifications.

These firms noted that they assess an applicant’s AI skills by asking technical questions and reviewing projects or work samples in a candidate’s portfolio.

Likewise, 39% of enterprises said they use AI to streamline their recruitment process and find the most suitable applicants, Jobstreet by SEEK added.

The report also noted that 78% of businesses have provided salary increases within the 1% to 5% range, with 53% allocating bonuses to retain or attract talent.

“The size of the average bonus payout increased to approximately 4 months’ salary, higher than in the previous year,” Jobstreet by SEEK said.

Other employee benefits that job hirers provide include medical insurance, health checks, and mental health support.

“Through this signature report, we delved into the outlook of the hiring market, compensation and benefits provided by hirers, with a focus on AI and workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI),” Dannah Majarocon, managing director of Jobstreet by SEEK in the Philippines, said in a statement.

“We aim to guide our hirers and talent to stay ahead of these changes to better thrive in their business and careers,” said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Ambitious Eala is ready to defy the odds anew against Bucsa

ALEX EALA — REUTERS/JEENAH MOON

WIN OR LOSE, Alexandra “Alex” Eala is already guaranteed to bring home a $154,000 or approximately P8.7-million cash prize.

But money is not on the table for now as she sets her sights on eking out far more invaluable feats in the second round of the 2025 US Open against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

Ms. Eala, 20, drew the 27-year-old Spanish in the Round of 64 starting Tuesday after the latter’s 6-2, 6-1 trashing of qualifier Claire Liu from the United States in their own first-round duel.

Game time is still to-be-determined along with the court designation in Flushing Meadows but the “ambitious” Eala is raring to go on the heels of a rousing 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) win over world No. 15 Clara Tauson from Denmark.

The unseeded Eala showed nerves of steel in front of an 8,000-strong, pro-Filipino crowd, battling back from a 1-5 deficit in the third set to eliminate the grizzled Tauson, who’s also seeded 14th in the stacked 128-player field.

“They weren’t kidding when they said this was the city of dreams. All sights set on the second round,” said Ms. Eala, who became the first Filipino in history to win in the main draw of any Grand Slam.

“I would say that anything is possible. Dream big. Me as a person, I’m very ambitious although no one from my country who did this before and was successful. I took inspiration from anyone I could, from my family and my brother. It’s just to be ambitious, to dream big and know that you can do it.”

The ambition now is also to become the first Filipino to reach a second round of any Grand Slam tournament ever with a familiar opponent in Ms. Bucsa standing in her way.

Ms. Eala, the 2022 US Open girls’ singles champion, ranks slightly higher in the singles rankings at No. 75 over No. 95 Ms. Bucsa but the Spanish veteran boasts immense expertise in the doubles as world No. 35 with 21 pro titles in her pocket.

Ms. Bucsa also won a bronze medal for Spain with partner Sara Sorribes Tormo in the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s doubles to hold an experience advantage over the Filipina rising star.

A scholar graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain as well, Ms. Eala however beat Ms. Bucsa in their first and only encounter so far back in the 2021 W25 Grenoble in France, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8).

Another win by Ms. Eala would set her up against either world No. 31 Elise Mertens of Belgium or No. 164 Lulu Sun of New Zealand in the third round.

It gets tougher for Ms. Eala from there with the titans of the sports in No. 1 and reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka, No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, No. 8 Jasmine Paolini and No. 10 Elena Rybakina waiting for her in a loaded bracket.

Ms. Eala assured one thing though, she’s ready and “ambitious” to defy the odds anew. — John Bryan Ulanday

Carlos Alcaraz eases into US Open second round as Venus Williams makes emotional exit

CARLOS ALCARAZ — USOPEN.ORG

NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the second round of the US Open with a straight-sets mauling of big-serving American Reilly Opelka on Monday, while veteran Venus Williams made an emotional exit at the hands of 11th seed Karolina Muchova.

Alcaraz, sporting a new buzz cut that has sparked plenty of chatter on social media, dismantled Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium to set up a second-round encounter with Italian Mattia Bellucci.

Williams, back at Flushing Meadows at the age of 45 after a year’s hiatus, fought bravely against Muchova, forcing a deciding set before bowing out 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.

“I’m very proud of how I played,” said Williams, who was beaten 6-1, 6-1 on her last US Open appearance in 2023.

“I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” added Williams, who disclosed in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjogren’s, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain.

“When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind too. So it was nice to be freer.”

Talented teen Mirra Andreeva crushed Alycia Parks 6-0, 6-1 with a near-flawless performance on Louis Armstrong Stadium but an error-strewn showing from Madison Keys saw the Australian Open champion upset 6-7(10), 7-6(3), 7-5 by Renata Zarazua in the first match on Arthur Ashe.

At number six, Keys is the highest seed to fall so far.

Zarazua, the only Mexican player in the main draw, saved seven break points across the match for her first win over a top-10 player in a gruelling, three-hour and 10-minute affair.

“Coming into the match I was like almost crying because I was really nervous but I think the crowd made it so chill for me,” she said. “I could hear some Mexican (fans) cheering so that was very nice.”

She will hope to recreate the magic in the second round against Frenchwoman Diane Parry, who had no problems eliminating twice Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova 6-1, 6-0 in her final professional match.

FONSECA THRILLS
Two-times major winner Barbora Krejcikova has struggled with injuries this year but looked strong in knocking out Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-2 just weeks after the promising Canadian teenager’s career breakthrough in Montreal.

Krejcikova next plays Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.

Men’s 17th seed Frances Tiafoe lifted the home fans after Keys was sent packing, beating Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-3 and closing out the afternoon program on Ashe with his 19th ace.

The twice semifinalist, who plays US qualifier Martin Damm next, joins fourth seed Taylor Fritz and sixth seed Ben Shelton in the second round as they aim to become the first American man to lift the US Open trophy in 22 years.

Jack Draper, a semifinalist last year, dismissed Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2 and plays Belgian Zizou Bergs next.

The British fifth seed is joined in the second round by compatriot Cameron Norrie, who advanced after American Sebastian Korda retired when trailing 7-5, 6-4. He will next play Argentinian Francisco Comesana.

Joao Fonseca brought the thrills to the Grandstand crowd as the 19-year-old Brazilian fan favorite kept his dream 2025 season on track with a 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, setting up a meeting with 21st seed Tomas Machac.

Norwegian former finalist Casper Ruud, the 12th seed, beat Austrian Sebastian Ofner 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(5), while Danish 11th seed Holger Rune battled past Dutchman Botic van De Zandschulp 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(2). — Reuters

With McDaniel hat trick, Stallion Laguna blasts Mongolia team at AFC women’s championship

CHANDLER MCDANIEL — PWNFT

WITH skipper Chandler McDaniel as spearhead, Stallion Laguna FC walloped Mongolia’s Khovd Western FC, 6-1, at the start of the AFC Women’s Champions League on Monday night in Myanmar.

Ms. McDaniel fired a hat trick to anchor the reigning PFF Women’s Cup holders’ goal spree at Yangon’s Thuwunna Stadium that spiked their fiery debut in Asia’s premier club women’s tournament.

Maximum points secured, the Laguna-based club grabbed a share of the Group A lead with host club ISPE, which scored a dominant 9-0 shutout of Guam’s Stryker in the other match.

Ms. McDaniel, a Filipinas mainstay, opened the floodgates with a nifty free kick seven minutes into the game and followed it up with a conversion from the spot three minutes later.

Mia Bookhand joined the fray with a pair of strikes (21st and 45+2 minutes) then Isabella Villaflor nodded in the fifth goal (58th) before Ms. McDaniel completed her treble in the 89th. Lee Nari had a consolation goal for the Mongolian side in the 78th.

“We came out, had a strong start and we showed that we’re here to compete,” said the 27-year-old McDaniel.

“Of course there’s always room to improve so (we’re) looking forward to building on this game and try get two more wins and make it out of this group stage.”

Also notching a victory on opening night was BGC-College of Asian Scholars, the Thai club that features Filipinas defender Hali Long, over in Group B in Uzbekistan.

Ms. Long and CAS beat Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club, 2-0. — Olmin Leyba

From Philippines to Mexico, US Open 2nd round reflects game’s global spread

NEW YORK — Players from the Philippines and Hong Kong will be on the schedule for the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time this week, as the US Open sees the impact of an increasingly global game.

Alexandra “Alex” Eala beat 14th seed Clara Tauson to secure the Philippines’ first major match win on Sunday while qualifier Coleman Wong carried the flag for Hong Kong when he beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(4) on Monday.

Renata Zarazua added to the global appeal as she became the first Mexican player to beat a top-10 opponent at Flushing Meadows with a stunning upset over sixth seed Madison Keys.

A day prior, Janice Tjen earned Indonesia’s first victory in a Grand Slam main draw in 22 years when she knocked out 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova.

While it is still early days in the notoriously gruelling final major of the year, players say it is a sign of progress in a sport where only a handful of countries were once represented on the world stage.

“Tennis is becoming a bit more popular, more global,” said Ms. Zarazua, who looked up to the Williams sisters when she was younger, with few Mexican mega-stars in her sport.

“They’re also doing a great job in the slams and in other tournaments to kind of promote them pretty well.”

The 20-year-old Eala, who got the world’s attention with a run to the Miami semifinal this year, got a leg up from the majors as a four-time recipient of funding from the Grand Slam Player Development Program.

Launched by the four majors and the ITF nearly three decades ago, the program focuses its efforts on bringing more competitive opportunities to players from developing tennis nations.

“As a person, I’m very ambitious. Although there was no one from my country who did this before or was successful in tennis, I took inspiration from anyone I could,” said Ms. Eala.

Other recipients of the grant program this year included Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, a fan favorite who broke through this year when he became the youngest Brazilian player to win an ATP title in February.

The 19-year-old won in three sets in his US Open debut on Monday against Miomir Kecmanovic in front of a raucous crowd at the Grandstand, sticking around to sign autographs long after the match ended.

For 23-year-old Tjen, those massive New York crowds provide a chance at bringing in the next generation behind her.

“Hopefully like this, by me making an appearance here will help, will inspire more tennis players,” she told reporters. “Believing that, like, they can be here too.” — Reuters

Yankees blast 3 homers, overwhelm Nationals

BEN RICE, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jasson Dominguez each homered on Monday night while Cam Schlittler fired six scoreless innings as the New York Yankees defeated the visiting Washington Nationals 10-5.

Schlittler (2-2) allowed four hits and walked three while striking out eight in a 96-pitch effort. Two relievers finished up as New York took a one-game lead on Seattle for the American League’s second wild-card spot, pending the outcome of the Mariners’ game with San Diego.

Brad Lord (4-7) absorbed the loss after yielding eight hits and seven runs — six earned — in 4 1/3 innings with two walks and five punchouts. Lord kept his team close until the Yankees blew it open with a five-run fifth inning. — Reuters

Historic triumph

Under the bright lights of the Grandstand at Flushing Meadows, Alexandra Eala broke through a barrier no Filipino had ever breached in the Open Era: she won a main-draw singles match in a major tournament. Her three-set triumph over 14th seed Clara Tauson in the first round of the US Open was neither neat nor easy, but it was unmistakably hers — gritty, nerve-racking, and shaped by trademark resilience. Down 1–5 in the final set, she fought back point by point, stretching the contest past two and a half hours until it became a veritable test of will. And when the final point in the tiebreak went her way, she had beaten an established name and, as a result, expanded the possibilities for Filipino athletes.

What made the moment linger was not simply the culmination of her efforts. It was how Eala reacted en route, when the stakes threatened to engulf her. At a critical juncture, she let slip an expletive in the local vernacular, instinctive and unvarnished, carrying both frustration and release. The phrase, familiar to any Filipino who has ever felt pushed past the edge, resonated instantly back home. It wasn’t so much vulgarity as authenticity, a raw glimpse of how deeply every point was being lived. In that two-word exhale, her fellow countrymen close to 14,000 kilometers away found themselves rooting, hoping, and, yes, cursing alongside her.

The result quickly reverberated beyond the tennis world. For a country often cast in the global sports periphery, the sight of a 20-year-old from Manila standing tall at a Grand Slam tournament was both improbable and inevitable — and not just because of Eala’s years of quiet work at the Rafa Nadal Academy. It was also timely, a reminder that inspiration can, and do, come from improbable outcomes. Her breakthrough offered proof that talent backed by discipline can further raise already heightened expectations.

Eala’s immediate path looks less daunting, though another win could lead to higher walls in Elise Mertens or even Aryna Sabalenka. In any case, she has forced herself into the conversation. She may or may not get to extend her run, but there can be no discounting the significance of her breakthrough. She has shifted perception, and however far she goes from here on, history has already been made.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

South Korea’s Lee dodges ‘Zelensky moment’ at high-stakes Trump summit

SOUTH KOREA’S President Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech after taking his oath during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul on June 4, 2025. — REUTERS

SEOUL — South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung narrowly avoided what he called a “Zelensky moment” after US President Donald J. Trump welcomed him to Washington with right-wing conspiracy theories but then pulled off a high-stakes summit without unwanted drama.

Monday’s summit, the first between the two leaders, was largely what South Korea had hoped for, despite its inauspicious start, officials and analysts said.

Most importantly, the South Koreans dodged their biggest fear: an Oval Office ambush similar to the testy exchange in February when Mr. Trump berated Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky over US aid and the war with Russia.

“President Lee’s Oval Office press availability appeared to go better than expected,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, noting Mr. Trump expressing support for Mr. Lee’s approach toward North Korea and enthusiasm for engaging Kim Jong Un.

Major questions remain over how much exactly South Korea will agree to pay toward the basing of 28,500 American troops, and many details are still being worked out in the hastily negotiated tariff agreement, which has yet to be put in writing.

But Mr. Lee avoided any explosive clash that some observers feared could publicly fracture the long-term alliance at a time when North Korea is leaping forward with nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development, and deepening ties with Russia.

Mr. Lee and Mr. Trump displayed a chummy and mutually flattering vibe while glossing over the prickly trade and defense issues and defusing a potential conflict related to South Korea’s political crisis in December.

Just a few hours before the pair was due to meet at the White House on Monday, Mr. Trump penned a social media post saying “WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution,” and saying he would raise the issue with Mr. Lee.

“Before I met with President Trump today, he posted on Truth Social a very threatening post,” Mr. Lee said with a laugh at an event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies after the summit.

“My staff was worried that we might face a Zelensky moment,” Mr. Lee said. “But I already knew that I would not face that kind of a situation. That’s because I had read President Trump’s book, The Art of the Deal.”

Mr. Trump eased his tone and described his earlier comments as a potential “misunderstanding” and “rumor” after Mr. Lee explained that investigators conducted a raid confined to the Korean side of a base operated jointly with US in connection to the political crisis. Mr. Lee’s office said he didn’t really raise it again in their private discussions.

Instead of a dramatic clash, flattery and warm words dominated the conversation in the Oval Office where the two sat down and talked about Mr. Trump’s “good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“The summit ended without drama,” said Cheong Seong-chang, vice-president at Seoul-based Sejong Institute.

But keeping things vague means South Korea had policy goals of its own that went unaddressed, including requests for US approval for nuclear fuel reprocessing and revising American laws on shipbuilding, Mr. Cheong noted.

“Trump didn’t embarrass Lee and both sides seemed to try to avoid sensitive issues, such as South Korea’s political position in the tensions between China and Taiwan,” said Jun Kwang-woo, chairman at Institute for Global Economics. “Trump is probably not in a situation now to create tensions with Lee while he’s already under pressure with frictions with other countries.”

Yang Uk, of Seoul’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said Mr. Trump’s pressure on South Korea was a sign that he understands how much he can potentially gain from the country.

“(Trump’s) basic formula of first shaking the other person as much as possible, then getting what you want, was applied,” Mr. Yang said.

Mr. Lee said he had observed in negotiations with other countries that Mr. Trump would often present difficult conditions, but at the final stage would come to a reasonable conclusion.

“And because of the importance of the Korea-US alliance, I was confident that he would not inflict a wound to our alliance,” Mr. Lee said. “Everybody gave me the advice to have patience.” — Reuters

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