NCAP violators to get text, e-mail

July 7, 2025 | 8:16 pm

MMDA-NCAP — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday said that it would now utilize short message service (SMS) notification and e-mails to notify violators of its no-contact apprehension program (NCAP).

“A key feature of this initiative is that vehicle owners will receive notification via SMS even without an internet connection so that immediate action may be taken as soon as they are notified and for their convenience,” MMDA Chairman Romando S. Artes said in statement.

Motorists will receive a text or e-mail from the agency once a traffic violation has been verified and validated.

Mr. Artes also urged the public to be cautious of any suspicious messages containing payment links, as the official MMDA text and e-mail notification do not include it.

The agency will send a text via “MMDA_NCAP” and e-mails through “no-reply@mmda.gov.ph.”

He added that motorists should update their records with the Land Transportation Office to ensure they receive notifications.

“Also, vehicle ownership should be up to date; transfer of ownership should also be processed immediately,” he said.

The MMDA began re-implementing the NCAP on Metro Manila’s major highways after the Supreme Court partially lifted a temporary restraining order issued in 2022.

The NCAP covers Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), C5, Buendia, Roxas Boulevard, Marcos Highway, Katipunan, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon Avenue and West Avenue. — Adrian H. Halili

Ban of abusive money lenders eyed

July 7, 2025 | 8:15 pm

A BILL seeking to prohibit online loan firms from conducting abusive collecting practices to their debtors has been filed in the Senate.

“Collecting money through intimidation and abuse is inhumane, especially for our poor countrymen who are forced to take on debt,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement on Monday.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Bill, filed on Monday, proposed to ban debt collectors from engaging in any conduct that harasses, oppresses, or abuses debtors during collection.

It also specifically bans the use of threats of violence, obscene or profane language, and the public disclosure of borrowers’ names, among other practices.

The bill will impose fines between P30,000 to P60,000 for violation of the proposed measure.

The proposed measure, however, allows lending companies to use “all reasonable and legally permissible means to collect amounts,” without using abusive, unfair, and untoward conduct to the debtor.

The bill also seeks to impose allowable debt collection practices and sets out guidelines to ensure confidentiality of information and transparency in transactions. — Adrian H. Halili

Earthquakes jolt highland region

July 7, 2025 | 8:15 pm

BAGUIO CITY — Multiple earthquakes jolted various locations in the highland region on Sunday and early Monday, the state-owned seismology agency reported.

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit Kalinga province at 6:58 p.m. on Sunday, whose epicenter was pinpointed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in Tabuk City, the provincial capital of Kalinga.

Phivolcs also reported a magnitude 3.8 quake felt by residents in Baguio City and Benguet province at 12:48 a.m.

Its epicenter is located 14 kilometers South 14° East of Itogon, Benguet, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Another earthquake with 2.1 magnitude followed at 3:35 a.m., which occurred in Abra province. Its epicenter was located 13 km North 18° West of Tineg, with a depth of 7 kilometers.

No significant damage caused by the jolts since Sunday has been reported yet by authorities.

Meanwhile, the social welfare department recorded 73 families (168 individuals) affected by the July 4 landslide in Barangay Virac in the mining district of Itogon, Benguet.

The Itogon local government unit suspended classes at Acupan Elementary School, which was transformed into an evacuation center for landslide-displaced families. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Woman hacked to death in South Cotabato

July 7, 2025 | 8:14 pm

COTABATO CITY — A woman was killed while two others were critically wounded in separate hacking incidents, perpetrated by their close relatives, in the neighboring Surallah and T’boli towns in South Cotabato on Saturday.

Officials of the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Police Regional Office-12 separately told reporters on Monday that a woman died instantly while her sister was badly wounded in a hacking rampage on Saturday afternoon by their own brother, then under the influence of liquor, in Barangay Lamdalag in Lake Sebu.

Investigators from the Lake Sebu Municipal Police Station and local officials had told reporters that the suspect hacked her sisters repeatedly with a long, sharp machete after confronting him about his being always drunk.

One of the two women who sustained hack wounds in different parts of their bodies was declared dead on arrival at the Lake Sebu Community Health Care Complex, barangay officials said.

Their brother yielded peacefully to barangay officials and volunteer community watchmen who responded to the incident, now detained in Lake Sebu’s municipal police station.

A farmer was also seriously wounded by his own nephew in a similar incident in Barangay Dajay in Surallah, South Cotabato on Saturday.

The victim and his nephew, both drunk, were first overheard by neighbors exchanging invectives, insulting each other loudly.

The suspect reportedly went home, took a long machete and hacked his uncle in the face and ran away but was eventually cornered and detained by pursuing community leaders and members of their local government unit’s Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team. — JohnFelix M. Unson

TNT awaits the Game 7 winner in SMB-Ginebra clash for ‘Last Dance’

July 7, 2025 | 7:25 pm

Game on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. – San Miguel Beermen
vs Ginebra (Semis Game 7)*
*series tied, 3-3

AS TNT moved into striking position for PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup title, all the hoopla about a rare grand slam have just become louder.

And the Tropang 5G, led by coach Chot Reyes, are tuning out the noise by giving their full attention to the most immediate task — Game 1 of the best-of-seven finals on Sunday.

The mindset has been helpful in getting the job done for the reigning Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup title-holders as they navigated this challenging conference and Mr. Reyes said they would maintain it moving forward.

“Now that we’re here, we have to continue to discipline ourselves to focus on what’s in front of us. We need to get Game 1 now,” said Mr. Reyes, who himself is not thinking about this being his second shot at the golden treble after falling short of the third jewel in 2011.

The Tropang 5G now wait for their opponent in the “Last Dance” as San Miguel Beermen (SMB) and Barangay Ginebra are locked in a 3-3 standoff. The Beermen, last season’s All-Filipino runner up, and the Gin Kings, second placers to TNT in the first two conferences of the season, will dispute the other finals seat on Wednesday.

“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. They’re both very formidable opponents,” said Mr. Reyes. “We just need to take care of the things that are within our control — that’s our preparation and our planning.”

Mr. Reyes’ troops have overcome a horrendous 0-3 start and injuries to key players Jayson Castro, Rey Nambatac, RR Pogoy, Kelly Williams and even Jordan Heading and Oftana on the way to the finale.

After securing a spot in the playoffs as No. 6, they defeated No. 3 Magnolia twice in the quarterfinals before outlasting Rain or Shine in six grueling encounters in the semis.

“We got all of those injuries, but these guys, they do not know the meaning of quit. They just keep fighting. And as long as you keep fighting, you give yourselves a chance,” said Mr. Reyes, who gave the Tropang Giga the day off on Monday before they buckle down to work for the finals buildup. — Olmin Leyba

Albert Ian delos Santos snatches a gold in Asian junior weightlifting

July 7, 2025 | 7:24 pm

THERE’S a reason Albert Ian delos Santos is being tipped as the country’s next Olympian.

The 18-year-old Zamboanga City native displayed that massive potential over the weekend when he bagged a gold medal in the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Mr. Delos Santos copped the mint in the clean and jerk of the juniors’ 71-kilogram division where he had lifted 177kg.

He went on to add the silver in the total lift with a 313kg, including 136kg in snatch that was good for fifth spot.

It came two months after his sensational double-gold effort in the World Juniors Championships in Lima, Peru where he beat a heavily favored Chinese foe in Yang Jinwen.

It was reminiscent of the feat of a more illustrious lifter, Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, who delivered the country’s breakthrough Olympic gold in Tokyo four years ago that came against a feared Chinese star.

“A star is born,” Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella told The STAR. — Joey Villar

Jay Baricuatro settles for silver in World Boxing Cup in Kazakhstan

July 7, 2025 | 7:23 pm

THE Philippines’ Jay Bryan Baricuatro faltered in his golden attempt and settled for the silver after stumbling to local bet Sanzhar Tashkenbay in the men’s 50kg class of the World Boxing Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan on Sunday.

The proud son of Talisay, Cebu just didn’t have enough to overcome the more aggressive Mr. Tashkenbay, who just dominated the duel from start to finish to run away with a unanimous 5-0 win with all five judges scoring it, 30-27.

But it wasn’t a bad performance at all for Mr. Baricuatro, who delivered the country’s medal in the World Cup.

On his way to the finale, Mr. Baricuatro stamped his class on Italian Salvatore Attrattivo in the first round, Indian Jadumani Singh Mandengbam in the quarters and Aussie Omar Izas in the semis.

And then he ran into Kazakh that ended his magical run. — Joey Villar

Ayala and MVP Sports Foundation to bring top world pole vaulters to Makati

July 7, 2025 | 7:22 pm

ARMAND DUPLANTIS is considered the greatest pole-vaulter of all time.

And Filipino fans have a chance to see the Swedish superstar in the flesh as the country hosts the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge slated Sept. 20 to 21 at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati.

“We are officially bringing a sanctioned world pole vault event to Makati. In collaboration with Atletang Ayala and MVPSF (Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation), we are bringing several Top 10 pole-vaulters all over the world to the Ayala Triangle Gardens,” said World No. 4 Filipino EJ Obiena during Monday’s zoom session.

“This event is part of the World Athletics calendar and will follow a strict vaulting format. We are so excited to bring an event to PHL shores,” he added.

With the invitation set, it would now be up to the reigning Olympic and world champion and record-holder if he would accept it or not.

And Filipinos are wishing he would.

“This has been a dream to bring a world-class event to the Philippines as I hope this could inspire future generations of athletes,” said Mr. Obiena.

Sponsor Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Jasmine Alkhaldi, Atletang Ayala program head, also graced the media online briefing. — Joey Villar

Chezka Centeno bows to Ouschan in epic hill-hill finals of World 8-Ball tilt

July 7, 2025 | 7:21 pm

IN the end, it boiled down to that final rack.

Unfortunately, it didn’t go Filipina ace Chezka Centeno’s way as Austrian terror Jasmin Ouschan showed nerves of steel and eked out an epic 9-8 hill-hill victory and crowned herself as inaugural WPA Women’s 8-Ball World Championship champion at the Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Monday.

The 26-year-old former World 10-Ball titlist, who turned back Belarusian-born American Margarita Fefilova, 8-6, in the semis earlier, didn’t go out without a fight and rallied from 8-6 down to knot it at 8-8 and force a thrilling hill-hill showdown.

But when it mattered, Ms. Ouschan came through and won the break in the 17^th and final frame of this tournament using an alternate break format to crown herself the first queen of 8-Ball on the planet.

Although she came short of snaring her second world crown, Ms. Centeno, whose pool doors opened when she started playing as a five-year-old in dark-lit pool tables back home in Zamboanga City, was beaming with pride for making it that far.

“I’m proud of myself for pushing through those tough last matches, really happy with how I performed in my first 8-Ball tournament, and excited for more to come,” said Ms. Centeno.

For her feat, Ms. Centeno still pocketed a cool sum of $18,600, or P1 million, while Ms. Ouschan took home $30,000. — Joey Villar

Top seed Sabalenka stands tall, British Norrie survives to reach Wimbledon quarterfinals

July 7, 2025 | 7:20 pm

LONDON — Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka and men’s defending champion Carlos Alcaraz both survived tough tests to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals and Cameron Norrie kept alive British singles hopes after surviving a five-set thriller on Sunday.

Sabalenka ruined home favorite Emma Raducanu’s dream in the previous round but had the Centre Court crowd cheering her on as she beat Elise Mertens 6-4, 7-6(4) in a high-quality duel.

Wimbledon’s new automated line-calling technology came under fire after an embarrassing malfunction robbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point during her last-16 victory over Britain’s Sonay Kartal on Centre Court.

Spaniard Alcaraz came through a ferocious firefight against Russian 14^th seed Andrey Rublev 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to stay on course for a third successive title.

“Andrey is one of the most powerful players we have on Tour and is so aggressive with the ball. He forces you to the limit on each point,” Alcaraz, bidding to become only the fourth man to win back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles multiple times, said on court.

The 22-year-old second seed extended his current winning streak to 22 matches and will take on Norrie for a place in the semifinals after the unseeded Briton soaked up 46 aces from towering Chilean Nicolas Jarry to win a feisty Court One battle 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-3.

While Alcaraz seeks a Wimbledon hat-trick, Sabalenka is eyeing her first title on the London lawns after missing last year’s tournament with injury and the 2022 edition due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players, and the 27-year-old made a fast start against Mertens.

Sabalenka, who claimed doubles titles at the US Open and Australian Open partnering Mertens, was then put through the wringer before raising her level to prevail.

The victory improved her win-loss record against Belgian Mertens to 11-2 and she said the growing adoration of the crowd made a big difference after fans were on the other side of the fence when she met Raducanu on Friday.

“I definitely felt the support. It was so amazing playing and feeling the support. I didn’t have to pretend that they were cheering for me because they were really cheering for me,” said Sabalenka, who will face the 37-year-old German Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals.

“What can be better than that? I really enjoyed it. I hope it can stay the same all the way, and they help me energy-wise to stay strong and to face all of the challenges.”

HEAVY SHOWERS
Siegemund, the second-oldest player to start in the women’s draw this year, swatted aside plucky Argentine lucky loser Solana Sierra with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in a Court Two match interrupted by the heavy showers that prompted organizers to shut the roofs for the day’s play on Centre Court and Court One.

While Sierra was the first lucky loser to reach the last 16 in the professional era, Siegemund created her own slice of history by becoming the oldest woman to reach her first Wimbledon quarterfinal. — Reuters

Ruelle Canino suffers a defeat to WGM Shukhman in World Cup

July 7, 2025 | 7:19 pm

THE Philippines’ Ruelle Canino got a taste of how it is to face a world champion in a stinging defeat to Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Anna Shukhman at the start of the Women’s World Cup in Batumi, Georgia on Sunday.

The 17-year-old Ms. Canino enjoyed a slight positional opening edge before her Russian foe, the reigning World and European juniors champion, unleashed a smashing Knight sacrifice that earned the latter a pawn.

The Cagayan de Oro lass, part of the national team that snared a Group B gold in last year’s Budapest Olympiad, had one last hope to equalize with a Queen move but ended up with an errant knight hop that proved catastrophic.

Ms. Canino resigned on the 37^th move being a quality down and a few moves away from checkmate.

Down 0-1, Ms. Canino, whose trip is backed by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission, hopes to rebound with a win in their second and last of their two-game match on Monday night and force a two-game rapid tiebreak today. — Joey Villar

Mexico defeats United States 2-1 to capture 10^th Gold Cup crown

July 7, 2025 | 7:18 pm

HOUSTON, Texas — Mexico defeated the United States 2-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Sunday to successfully defend their CONCACAF Gold Cup crown and capture their 10^th title in a pulsating final that delivered drama from start to finish.

The US went ahead just four minutes in when Sebastian Berhalter’s free-kick found Chris Richards, whose powerful header struck the underside of the crossbar and cannoned straight down, with the referee confirming the goal was good.

Mexico found the equalizer through Raul Jimenez in the 27^th minute after the striker converted from close range.

He then dedicated the goal to the late Diogo Jota, his former Wolverhampton Wanderers teammate, by holding up a Mexico shirt with the Portuguese forward’s name on it. — Reuters