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Palace to comply with SC orders

PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR. delivered his first State of the Nation Address during the joint session of the 19th Congress at the Batasan complex in Quezon City, July 25. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

MALACAÑANG will comply with the Supreme Court’s (SC) order for a comment following a lawsuit filed by the Duterte camp seeking President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s hair follicle test.

“If the Supreme Court orders that, we will carry it out, and we will make a comment,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino on Thursday.

She refused to discuss what the contents of the response would be.

On April 22, the High Court en banc ordered Mr. Marcos and Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto to respond within 10 days to a petition filed by former House Speaker and Duterte ally Pantaleon D. Alvarez and retired General Virgilio R. Garcia.

They filed the lawsuit following their observations of Mr. Marcos’ “slurring speech” and “apparent general weakness.”

The plaintiffs added that Mr. Marcos appeared “flustered and out of breath” after minimal physical activity.

The President earlier dismissed questions about his health, even jogging within Palace grounds with reporters to show his supposed healthy state. He also did jumping jacks and lifted a 10-kilo sack of rice to show his strength.

He said he has not visited the hospital in about 3 months or since his diverticulitis diagnosis in January.

He, however, takes maintenance for gout and hypertension.

In 2020, the High Court dismissed a petition for mandamus seeking the health records of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, ruling that allegations of serious illness were unsubstantiated.

The lawsuit did not compel Malacañang to answer.

The Justices said Mr. Duterte’s visibility in meetings and televised addresses showed he was actively performing his duties. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Climate change expenditure doubles to P1.16T in 2025

GOVERNMENT SPENDING on climate change efforts more than doubled in 2025 due to spending on sustainable energy, water sufficiency, and climate smart industries, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday.

The PSA’s Compendium of Philippine Environment Statistics (CPES) Component 6 showed that total climate change expenditure doubled to P1.16 trillion in 2025 from P457.41 billion in 2024.

The CPES is a compilation of statistical data gathered from different government agencies, consisting of data on expenditures, regulations, and other activities such as international agreements focusing on the protection of the environment and management of resources.

Component 6 covers the country’s expenditures involved in the protection and management of its environment.

Expenditure on environmental protection amounted to P24.32 billion in 2025, increasing by 1.7% from P23.91 billion in 2024.

Broken down by different functions, environmental protection not classified elsewhere accounted for the highest share of 37.9% with P9.21 billion — an 11.8% leap from P8.24 billion in 2024.

This was followed by protection of biodiversity and landscape with P8.83 billion (36.3% share), and pollution abatement with P2.77 billion (11.4% share).

Meanwhile, expenditures for waste management reached P2.46 billion, 10.1% of the total expenditures. The allocation for this sector was a tad higher by 0.5% from P2.45 billion in 2024.

Expenditures for research and development reached P1.04 billion, accounting for 4.3% of total government spending on environmental protection in 2025.

Among strategic priorities of the National Climate Change Action Plan, sustainable energy (P391.88 billion), water sufficiency (P313.45 billion), and climate smart industries and services (P228.77 billion) received the highest spending allocations that year.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Budget allocation for environmental education in 2025 amounted to P2.03 million, 5.2% higher than P1.93 million in 2024.

Meanwhile, the number of students pursuing environment-related programs jumped by 10.8% to 41,949 in the 2024-2025 academic year.

By region, Caraga had the highest number of students taking such courses with 4,550, followed by Bicol with 4,238 students, and Central Luzon with 3,721. — Matthew Miguel L. Castillo

DMW: 412 seafarers in ME are safe

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Wednesday confirmed the safety of over 400 Filipino seafarers in the Persian Gulf amid the US-Israel and Iran war.

In a Facebook post, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said he discussed their safety with representatives of an offshore company in Saudi Arabia, which employs 412 Filipino seafarers within the region.

“We have been assured that all 412 [Filipino] seafarers are safe and have adequate supplies on board,” Mr. Cacdac said.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Mr. Cacdac said the seafarers will continue to work for the Zamil Offshore, which is among Saudi Arabia’s leading marine service providers.

A total of 1,161 seafarers has already exited the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz from April 2 to 18, including the 800 Filipinos aboard five cruise ships.

Mr. Cacdac said two ships boarded by 15 Filipinos have been seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, but Iranian authorities also assured the safety of the seafarers.

As of April 23, the DMW also reported that they have so far repatriated 7,408 Filipinos from the Middle East (ME), with 6,785 repatriations funded by the government since March 5. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel

SM expands MUP scholarship program

THE SM Group, through its education institutions, expanded support for military and uniformed personnel (MUP), granting them and their dependents scholarship.

In a media release, the group said the National University’s renewed partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) opens up to 2,250 scholarship slots across its 15 campuses to active personnel and their dependents.

Under the partnership, scholars may avail a 20% discount on tuition and miscellaneous frees for senior high school, undergraduate and graduate programs.

It also covers internship, training, and development opportunities to improve their employability.

Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific College has supported 1,283 scholars from the AFP and the Philippine National Police since 2006 pursued degrees in information technology, engineering, and business programs.

Separately, the SM Foundation continues support for uniformed personnel through healthcare initiatives, such as the provision of medical equipment and the development of healthcare facilities. — CAT

Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson wins NBA’s Sixth Man award

THE NBA announced on Wednesday that San Antonio Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson has been voted the league’s Sixth Man of the Year by a 100-member global media panel.

The seventh-year veteran earned the John Havlicek Trophy for delivering 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 36.3% from 3-point range. He was the only player in the league to come off the bench in all 82 games.

“It’s a little emotional,” Johnson ranked as the No. 5 scorer and No. 4 rebounder on a squad that posted the league’s second-best record (62-20) during the regular season.

The 26-year-old Kentucky product has spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs after being drafted with the 29th overall pick in 2019. He joins Manu Ginobili (2007-08) as the only Spurs to be named Sixth Man of the Year.

During Johnson’s first four years in the league he was an everyday starter for the Spurs, starting in 205 of the 224 games he appeared in.

Johnson received 63 of the 100 first-place votes and collected 404 points. The Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez, Jr., claimed 34 first-place votes and finished second in the balloting with 331 points. Jaquez averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists while serving as a reserve in 74 of his 75 appearances this year.

Denver’s Tim Hardaway, Jr. took third in the voting while Minnesota’s Naz Reid, Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and New York’s Mitchell Robinson each received one first-place vote. —  Reuters

Oklahoma City Thunder cruise past Phoenix Suns again but lose Jalen Williams on injury

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER scored 37 points and dished out nine assists, leading Oklahoma City to a 120-107 home win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday and giving the Thunder a 2-0 lead in a first-round Western Conference playoff series.

The victory, however, might have been a costly one.

Thunder star Jalen Williams, who was limited to just 33 games during the regular season due to injuries, left the game midway through the third quarter due to a left hamstring injury.

“We’ll take a look at it in the next couple of days, and we’ll update you guys appropriately,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said of Williams’ status postgame.

Williams pulled up during a drive toward the bucket and then grabbed at the hamstring as action went the other way.

Williams, who did not return, missed two long stretches of the season with injuries to his right wrist and right hamstring.

Before getting hurt, Williams was excellent, logging 19 points on seven-of-11 shooting and four assists in 23 minutes.

Oklahoma City seized control in the third quarter, thanks in large part to Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.

Holmgren grabbed rebounds on each of the first three possessions of the half and had 11 points and three blocks in the quarter while Gilgeous-Alexander had 12 points and four assists in the period.

Holmgren finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

The Thunder stretched their lead to 23 with a 13-2 run to end the third and then to 26 early in the fourth.

The Suns cut the deficit to 10 with nearly four minutes remaining, but coming out of a time out, Ajay Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to stretch the gap to 113-100.

“We did a really good job building the lead that we did in the third heading into the fourth,” Daigneault said. “Obviously the fourth was a little wacky. We’ll watch that… But generally, it was a good one. We built a strong lead and were able to hold it.”

Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth.

After a slow start in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander missed his first three shots on Wednesday, then found the range. He hit seven of 10 shots the rest of the first half.

After going five of 18 from the field in the series opener, Gilgeous-Alexander finished 13 of 25 in Game 2.

“Shai made the right play all night,” Daigneault said. “His floor game was outstanding. He got us really good shots.”

Early in the third quarter, Brooks and Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort got tangled up battling for a potential rebound off a free throw. The two quickly stepped away from each other, but each was whistled for a technical foul.

Late in the quarter, Devin Booker was called for a technical after bouncing the ball off Williams while trying to keep the ball in play.

“This is a playoff series so a lot of stuff happens,” said Suns coach Jordan Ott, who added that he didn’t get an explanation of the call. “We can do a better job keeping our composure at times.”

Booker finished with 22 points while Jalen Green had 21 in the loss.

Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday in Phoenix. — Reuters

Iran war boosts European logistics profits as shipping chaos persists

Smoke rises after reported Iranian missile attacks, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. — REUTERS/STRINGER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

EUROPEAN logistics companies are expected to report higher first-quarter profits, benefiting from the turmoil created by the US-Israeli war with Iran, but analysts said the conflict clouds their future outlook.

While heightened supply chain complexity typically supports profitability for logistics companies such as DHL, DSV and Kuehne+Nagel, many analysts have warned that the longer term effects of the energy shock and broader economic fallout could weigh on demand later in the year.

In a note to clients, Jefferies analysts said Kuehne+Nagel’s management does not expect further yield pressure in sea or air business in the first quarter. That reinforced their view that earnings have stabilized and are set to im-prove, the brokerage said.

Jefferies analysts also said periods of geopolitical turmoil have historically promoted sea-to-air spillover, where DHL is structurally advantaged.

AIRFREIGHT VOLUMES RISING FASTER
While airfreight volumes are expected to grow at a high single-digit rate in the quarter, sea freight volumes are forecast to rise only at a low single-digit pace year on year, Bernstein analysts said in a note.

Sea freight volumes have been weighed down by tough comparisons after shippers front-loaded cargo ahead of US import tariffs in April 2025, they said.

Attention is also turning to DSV’s capital markets day on May 12, where analysts are looking for updated medium-term financial targets. “The potential for upside surprises on the day is meaningful,” Bernstein said.

MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT IMPACT ON FREIGHT MARKETS
Following a weekend escalation in the Middle East conflict, ships have largely been avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, deepening uncertainty along a major trade route that had already been disrupted by the conflict.

The resulting strain on regional transport networks has also contributed to sharply higher air cargo costs, as strong demand collides with elevated jet fuel prices and tighter capacity linked to the prolonged disruption.

The impact is being felt well beyond the Gulf. Heightened regional tensions have also reinforced risks in the Red Sea, delaying expectations for a near-term resumption of transits through the Suez route.

Rico Luman, senior economist at ING Research, said “full resumption is now pushed back multiple months and perhaps even until the end of the year,” which should be supportive for logistics companies in the short term.

Global shippers including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have rerouted vessels around the Cape of Good Hope since the outbreak of the war, a shift that is keeping freight rates elevated and boosting margins as higher prices flow quickly through shipping lines’ largely fixed cost bases, Morningstar analyst Ben Slupecki said.

Even if the conflict is resolved, analysts do not expect global freight markets to normalize quickly.

Freight rates may fall after a peace deal allows traffic to resume through the Strait of Hormuz, but any decline is likely to be gradual as supply chains have adjusted and congestion has abated, with shippers expected to continue exploring alternative routes and ports, suggesting pre-conflict trading patterns may not fully return, Mr. Luman said. — Reuters

South Korea’s air force apologizes after audit blames 2021 jet collision on mid-air selfies

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Vitamin from Pixabay

SEOUL — South Korea’s air force apologized on Thursday for a 2021 mid-air collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident.

“We sincerely apologize to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesman said in a press briefing, adding that one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received severe disciplinary action and has since left the military.

The apology followed a report released on Wednesday by the state Board of Audit and Inspection, which found that unplanned maneuvers for personal filming led to the collision between two F-15K jets during a formation flight near the city of Daegu in December 2021.

Auditors said a wingman pilot attempted to record images to mark his final flight with the unit, sharply climbing and banking the aircraft without clearance to improve the camera angle while another pilot filmed a video from the lead jet.

As the aircraft closed in, both crews attempted evasive action, but the wingman’s tail struck the lead jet’s wing, causing about 880 million won ($600,000) in damage. No one was injured.

The audit board held the wingman pilot primarily responsible but also criticized the air force for lax controls on in-flight filming at the time, ordering the pilot to repay about a tenth of the repair costs.

The air force said it was taking steps to tighten flight safety rules and prevent a repeat of the incident. — Reuters

Eastern Conference: Shooting woes sink Orlando Magic as Detroit Pistons even up series in Game 2

CADE CUNNINGHAM scored 27 points and had 11 assists, and Tobias Harris added 16 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday night as the Detroit Pistons bounced back to even their Eastern Conference playoff series with a 98-83 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic.

Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson each had 11 points for the Pistons, who snapped an 11-game home playoff game losing streak, the longest in NBA history. Duncan Robinson and Isaiah Stewart also scored 10 apiece for Detroit, which last won a home playoff game in 2008.

“It means a lot,” said Harris of ending the home playoff skid. “Obviously, we’ve heard it. (We) heard it last year, but good one for us. But, game three is the game that we have to be ready for. It’s obviously great for our fans to be able to be in our arena to give us that support. They’re huge for us. They’ve been huge for us all season long. To get a big victory for them is awesome but we got to go on the road and handle business.”

Jalen Suggs scored 19 points and Paolo Banchero added 18 for the eighth-seeded Magic. Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane also had 12 points for Orlando which connected on only 26 of 80 field-goal attempts, including just eight of 32 3-pointers.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is on Saturday in Orlando.

After a defensive struggle in the first half for both teams, Detroit broke the game open in the third quarter, starting with a 30-3 run. The Pistons, who scored the first 11 points before Bane nailed a 3-pointer, outscored the Magic 38-16 in the quarter. Orlando hit only five shots, committed seven turnovers and trailed by as much as 27 points.

“I think they came out, added a little bit of a level of aggression,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Now, that first play we ran, they called offensive foul on Des (Desmond Bane), and then from there, they started picking up some heat, turned us over a couple of times. We missed a few shots at the rim, and that momentum just changed the game.”

The Pistons maintained a comfortable cushion through the final quarter, allowing the Magic to get no closer than 97-83 with less than a minute remaining.

“We just play defense,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It’s that simple. When we play defense at the level we’re capable of, it triggers everything for us. We can be an elite defensive team, a disruptive defensive team that pushes and gets us transition easy baskets, and that’s what we did.”

The first quarter was a defensive battle with the Pistons holding on for a 25-21 lead. Detroit, which led by as much as seven points, held Orlando to 26.9% shooting from the field while the Magic forced eight Pistons turnovers and briefly went in front 21-20.

The two teams continued the defensive intensity in the second quarter, which featured four ties and two lead changes. Detroit took an eight-point lead early in the quarter, but Orlando scored four of the last five points to tie the game at 46 at halftime. — Reuters

Perks for public school staff pushed

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

A Senator on Thursday pushed for the provision of a total of P20,000 annual allowance for public education system personnel to be modified every three years based on the inflation rate.

In a press release, Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva said Senate Bill No. 1606 seeks to provide a P5,000 quarterly benefit for all teaching and non-teaching personnel in the public basic education system, including those in the Alternative Learning System.

He proposed the same benefits to be granted to all teaching personnel in state universities and colleges, as well as state-run technical-vocational institutions, under Senate Bill No. 1605.

“Benefit amounts are adjusted every three years to account for inflation, meaning the allowances will not lose purchasing power over time,” he said.

Both bills indicated that the additional allowances must be exempted from taxes unless the incentives received by the staff exceed the benefits threshold mandated by the National Internal Revenue Code of the Philippines under its Section 32(B), Chapter VI.

“By institutionalizing these additional benefits through legislation, we protect them from budgetary fluctuations and administrative discretion,” Mr. Villanueva said in his explanatory note for Senate Bill No. 1606. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel

China urges further build-up on islands amid territorial disputes

AN AERIAL VIEW shows Itu Aba, which the Taiwanese call Taiping, in the South China Sea, Nov. 29, 2016. - REUTERS/FABIAN HAMACHER

BEIJING — China said on Wednesday it will further build up more than 11,000 islands it calls its own, so as to better govern them, in a long-term campaign to strengthen maritime power, secure more natural resources, and rein-force territorial claims.

China has built artificial islands, airstrips, and military facilities during extensive land reclamation efforts over the years in disputed waters in the South China Sea (SCS).

Islands are a strategic frontier and key to unlocking the development of deep-ocean resources, the People’s Daily, owned by the party, said in an article attributed to the party leadership at China’s natural resources ministry.

“Major countries around the world are vying to shift their development focus to the ocean,” it added, without identifying any countries.

It urged greater efforts to protect the islands China claims, by upgrading infrastructure and boosting connectivity and access.

China is spending billions of dollars on its navy, from nuclear-powered submarines to aircraft carriers as it pursues a goal of becoming a “great maritime power” dating from 2012, when Xi Jinping became leader of the ruling Communist Party.

Last September, Beijing declared a national nature reserve at the disputed Scarborough Shoal to assert its claim to the atoll, a long-time flashpoint with the Philippines.

“The facilities on its artificial island bases have allowed Chinese law enforcement, naval, and militia vessels to spend every day of the year patrolling the waters of its neighbors up to 1,000 nautical miles from the Chinese coastline,” said Gregory Poling of the CSIS think tank.

But China’s presence in the busy waterway did not deter a senior Taiwan official from making a rare visit to the Taiwan-controlled island of Itu Aba, part of the contested Spratly Islands.

Itu Aba has a runway long enough to allow military re-supply flights from Taiwan, while a new wharf opened in 2023 can host a 4,000-ton patrol ship.

Democratically governed Taiwan is claimed by China, despite the objections of the government in Taipei, which says only the island’s people can decide its future.

The Philippines, the United States and partner nations started military drills this week, including maritime operations, across the Philippine archipelago.

The exercise projects a multinational front against China in a region that is a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce.

“Beijing seems to have hit a point of diminished returns,” said Mr. Poling, who heads the think tank’s Southeast Asia program.

“It has not succeeded in stopping a single Southeast Asian energy project, resupply or construction mission, or the like, in at least four years.” — Reuters

Triathlon Philippines to form national pool for hyathlon — Carrasco

TRIATHLON PHILIPPINES (TP) has initiated the start of the formation of a national pool for fitness racing, a new event sanctioned by World Triathlon that is named hyrox or hyathlon.

“It’s still a new sport but we’re forming our team in hyathlon to align with World Triathlon’s vision for innovation in the sport,” said TP Chief and Asia Triathlon Vice-President Tom Carrasco after recently attending the World Tri-athlon Congress.

It will be done in preparation for the qualifying races for the World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden.

Mr. Carrasco also bared plans of the country hosting big hyathlon events in the near future.

“We are exploring the possibility of hosting a major hyrox event next year with the backing of the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and Department of Tourism,” he said.

Hyathlon will be an offshoot of both triathlon and duathlon as the former combines continuous swimming and running, usually in swim-run or run-swim-run format.

It also involves alternating multiple and continuous legs of trail running and open water swimming in teams of two.

Hyathlon could also boost the country’s sports tourism, replicating or even eclipsing the 2026 successes in Bangkok which catered to 18,000 participants (the largest in Southeast Asia) or Singapore, which drew 14,000 fitness buffs over a historic three-day format. — Joey Villar

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