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CHED regulatory powers pushed

COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION FACEBOOK PAGE

THE COMMISSION on Higher Education (CHED) should be empowered to police colleges and universities and ensure their compliance with educational standards, a congressman said on Wednesday.

CHED’s regulatory power should be modeled after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) ability to regulate the banking industry, Bohol Rep. Kristine Alexie Besas-Tutor, a member of the House higher and technical education committee, said in a statement.

“The 30-year-old CHED Charter granted by Republic Act No. 7722 needs upgrades,” she said. “I would like CHED to have regulatory powers similar to that of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.”

CHED should be able consolidate and merge colleges and universities to improve educational quality, she added.

CHED did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Cotabato intensifies surveillance, monitoring against ASF

REUTERS

COTABATO Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza has ordered strict surveillance, monitoring and an information campaign to control the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the province.

The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) is set to conduct more random blood testing on hogs in different towns of the province in the next few days after two pigs from the village of Idaoman in President Roxas municipality tested positive on June 29.

Hog farmers in several towns in Cotabato, also known as North Cotabato, were first affected by ASF in 2020, which was contained that same year. A new outbreak was reported at the start of 2022.

The governor opened a veterinary quarantine center in 2022 to boost control measures against the hog disease. The facility along the main highway in Old Bulatukan, Makilala has disinfection equipment and foot baths. — Maya M. Padillo

Comelec law changes pushed

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE PHILIPPINE Congress probably doesn’t have time to amend the country’s election law before midterm elections next year, according to a former election commissioner.

Local politicians will be filing their certificates of candidacy by October, former Election Commissioner Gregorio Y. Larrazabal said in a Viber message.  The earliest lawmakers could amend the law is after 2025, he added.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia on Wednesday said they submitted a draft bill amending the Omnibus Election Code to Congress in June last year.

“The [Election Code] is circa 1985,” he said in a Viber message. “Surely, lots of changes have happened since that time.”

He said the issues surrounding Bamban Mayor Alice L. Guo highlighted the need to change the law.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime B. Santiago told a virtual news briefing the fingerprint results connecting Ms. Guo to a Chinese woman named Guo Hua Ping are strong pieces of evidence that could prove that she is not Filipino.

Her critics including Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said she managed to become a mayor despite her questionable Filipino citizenship. Ms. Guo has denied the allegations. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

FIVB Challenger Cup kicks off Thursday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium

ALAS PILIPINAS — FACEBOOK.COM/PREMIERVOLLEYBALLLEAGUE

Games Thursday
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
3 p.m. — Puerto Rico vs Kenya
5 p.m. — Sweden vs Belgium

THE RACE for that one precious slot to the prestigious Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) starts as eight countries, including host Alas Pilipinas, clash in the FIVB Challenger Cup, which will be unveiled Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Puerto Rico and Kenya open hostilities at 3 p.m. while Sweden, the recently crowned European Golden League champion in Ostrava, the Czech Republic, faces off with Belgium, a European league bronze winner, at 5 p.m.

The Swedes are expected to parade European Golden League reigning MVP Isabelle Haak while the Belgians will parade their two best weapons in power-hitting Britt Herbots and Silke Van Avermet. And it will be Alas Pilipinas’ turn Friday as they battle fancied regional rival Vietnam, which ruled the AVC Challenge Cup last month when the former settled for a breakthrough bronze.

Preceding the Philippines-Vietnam 5 p.m. showdown is the duel between European Golden League silver medalist Czech Republic, which will be spearheaded by Michaela Mlejnkova, and Argentina, the 2019 Challenger Cup third placer, at 3 p.m.

And the Filipinas are bracing for a tougher grind ahead.

“We know it will be a tough tournament but we will try to play our best,” said Alas skipper Jia de Guzman.

The short but sweet four-day tilt will have a knockout format where the eight try to eliminate every team they face until one ends up as the sole winner and recipient of that important seat to the VNL where they will join planet’s cream of the crop next year.

The semifinals are set Saturday while the finale the next day.

And Alas Pilipinas and its droves of rabid, glory-seeking Philippine fandom are hoping the country can achieve the impossible and miraculously claim that one ticket to VNL heaven. — Joey Villar

Blu Girls split doubleheader, down HK, fall to Canada

PHILIPPINES BLU GIRLS — ASAPHIL.COM.PH

THE PHILIPPINES split its double-header yesterday, downing Hong Kong, 5-1, before falling to host Canada, 12-0, Wednesday in the Canada Cup International Softball Championships in Surrey, British Columbia.

The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed, Ana Santiago-coached Blu Girls went on a five-run blitz atop the second inning in posting their second win in a row over the Hong Kong batters early in the day.

April Minanga allowed just a run while Mea Tubongbanua batted in three of the decisive five runs the country scored in the second inning that sealed a fitting follow up to its 5-1 triumph over New Zealand the day before.

Against the Canadians, the Blu Girls just ran out of fuel and absorbed their first defeat that sent them screeching from a share of the lead with the former to joint No. 2 with the Mexicans with 2-1 cards.

Despite the loss, Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines President Jean Henri Lhuillier still lauded the team for its resiliency.

“The RP Blu Girls are showing the world they mean business,” he said. “They have come prepared, mentally and physically and continue to prove why our softball team is the highest ranked Filipino team sport in the world.”

Thursday, the Blu Girls hope to bounce back against the Israelis before clashing with Mexicans Friday for a chance at claiming a spot in the playoff round set Friday to Sunday. — Joey Villar

Winless Gilas U17 draws world no. 1 USA in knockout round

GILAS PILIPINAS UNDER 17 — FIBA

AND all hell breaks loose for Gilas Pilipinas after drawing world No. 1 and reigning champion USA in the knockout rounds of the FIBA Under 17 (U17) World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Filipinos went winless after another blowout loss against Puerto Rico late Tuesday night at the Sinan Erdem Dome, 98-53, for a cellar finish in Group A at 0-3.

All 16 World Cup teams still made it to the crossover rounds but Gilas, with a forgettable outing in the group play, drew the tournament’s biggest bet in the mighty Team USA, which finished No. 1 in Group B with a perfect slate.

The Philippines and the United States were to play at press time for a seat in the quarterfinals.

Enormous favor is on the fancied Americans, who drubbed all their three foes in the pool play by a whopping winning margin of 60.6 points. Winner of all six editions of the World Cup, USA demolished France, 104-81, Guinea, 124-49, and China, 146-62.

Gilas, for its part, bowed to world No. 7 Lithuania, 107-48 and world No. 2 Spain, 96-34 before a 45-point defeat to world No. 15 Puerto Rico for an average 55.3-point losing gap.

Mentored by Josh Reyes, Gilas marked a World Cup return for the first time since 2019 during the era of Kai Sotto, AJ Edu and Carl Tamayo following a semifinal finish in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup.

But Gilas, ranked No. 25 in the world, had a tough luck in groupings by drawing all three Top-15 teams in the pool play alone.

And now, USA stands in its way.

Ace guard Kieffer Alas made it to the All-Star Five in the continental tourney but he suffered a knee injury before Gilas’ debut against Lithuania that also took a massive blow on the Nationals’ chances. — John Bryan Ulanday

GM Antonio leads loaded field at Gov. Oaminal Open Chess tilt

GRANDMASTER JOEY ANTONIO

GRANDMASTER (GM) Joey Antonio will be the player to watch when the 2nd Gov. Henry S. Oaminal Open Chess Tournament unfolds Tuesday and Wednesday at the Aya Hotel and Residences in Clarin, Misamis Occidental.

The former many-time national champion and World Chess Olympiad veteran is using this nine-round tournament as part of his preparation for the FIDE World Senior Chess Championships slated Nov. 16 to 29 in Porto Santo Island, Portugal.

“I’m looking forward to this tournament and hopefully get good results,” said the 62-year-old Mr. Antonio.

It’s easier said than done though as he will battle a loaded field that included GM Darwin Laylo, IMs Joel Pimentel, the defending champion, Daniel Quizon, Michael Concio Jr, Rolando Nolte, Ronald Bancod, Angelo Abundo Young, Chito Garma, Eric Labog Jr., and Ronald Dableo, and FIDE Masters Rosendo Bandal, Alekhine Nouri, Victor Lluch and Vince Alaan.

In the World Seniors, Mr. Antonio is eyeing to improve on his runner-up finish in the 2017 edition in Italy behind Peruvian GM Julio Granda Zuniga in the 50-years-old and above division.

Hall of Famer and Asia’s First Grandmaster GM Eugene Torre is expected to grace the opener along with Gov. Henry S. Oaminal, Mayor Henry Oaminal, Jr. and Rep. Sancho Fernando Oaminal in this event staking a prize pool of P355,000 including P50,000 to the winner. — Joey Villar

Team Philippines will have 22 battling athletes in 2024 Paris Olympics

THE PHILIPPINES will have 22 valiant bets wading into battle in the Paris Olympics slated July 26 to Aug. 11 after hurdlers John Cabang Tolentino and Lauren Hoffman secured tickets to the French capital.

Mr. Tolentino made the cut after ranking 30th of the 40 earning Paris Games seats in the men’s 110-meter hurdles while Ms. Hoffman was 39th of 40 in the women’s 400m hurdles.

The pair thus joined fellow pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, who was the first Filipino to qualify to the quadrennial event after making the Paris standard as early as July last year.

There were three ways to qualify, the first via breaching the standard, second via world rankings and the last via universality slot.

The duo did it via the second route.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association Secretary-General Jasper Tanhueco told The STAR that Mr. Tolentino will head from Spain to France July 17 while Ms. Hoffman either July 23 or 24 from the United States to Paris.

Sprinter Kristina Knott did not make the cut in the 200m but there’s a long shot she could assuming a slew of withdrawals occurs come the deadline of submission of changes on July 7.

“Withdrawals ang chance niya (Ms. Knott),” said Mr. Tanhueco.

The country is also waiting for one more potential qualifier in Gilas Pilipinas, which hopes to defy odds in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia today.

If not, the list will be 22, which also includes boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan, gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando and John Ceniza, rower Joanie Delgaco, fencer Sam Catantan, tankers Kayla Sanchez and Jarod Hatch and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe and golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina. — Joey Villar

Latvia routs Georgia, 83-55, with Gilas Pilipinas watching

WARNING shots fired by powerhouse host Latvia.

With Gilas Pilipinas keenly watching in one section of the sold-out Arena Riga, the world No. 6 Latvians clobbered No. 23 Georgia, 83-55, to get the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament rolling Tuesday night in Riga (early yesterday in Manila).

Latvia flaunted its prowess from the three-point area, raining 12 triples on its Baltic rivals to set the tone for the rousing win in Group A.

This was most pronounced in the second quarter when the Latvians hit five consecutive treys, three of which came from Davis Bertans of the Charlotte Hornets, to break away from a slim 17-13 advantage.

Arturs Strautins topscored with 18 spiked by a perfect 4-of-4 marksmanship from deep while Mareks Mejeris produced 11 markers, seven rebounds and four assists to lead Latvia’s master class performance ahead of its clash with the Filipinos Wednesday night (early today).

No matter how tall the odds are, coach Tim Cone and his Gilas 11 aren’t backing down.

“We’re not here to win a game, we’re here to win the tournament, we’re in for the whole thing,” Mr. Cone said in his pep talk after practice shown on One Sports.

It’s practically a double-header slate as the Nationals take on Latvia first and eight and a half hours later Thursday battle Georgia in what could be the deciding match in this group for the last spot to the crossover semis.

“Losing there tomorrow (against Latvia) does not knock us out but when we allow the first one to affect us in the second one, then we’re going to be knocked out,” Mr. Cone said in spelling out the scenarios.

His players are in full battle mode already.

“Ever since we got together, everybody’s been locked in from the jump,” Gilas guard Chris Newsome said in a separate One Sports interview.

“The learning curve is really quick. The coaching staff did a great job preparing us. The scouting report that they did is definitely on point so it’s really going to be on us to go out there and execute,” he added. — Olmin Leyba

Rublev crashes out of Wimbledon to Grand Slam debutant Comesana; Swiatek defeats Kenin

LONDON — Russian sixth-seed Andrey Rublev crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round on Tuesday, losing 6-4 5-7 6-2 7-6(5) to world No.122 Francisco Comesana of Argentina, playing his first match at a Grand Slam.

Mr. Rublev, who last year reached the quarterfinal at Wimbledon, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, frequently lost his temper, screamed out loud, and ranted at his courtside coaching team.

At one point in the third set the 26-year-old, who also had a meltdown at the French Open in May, smashed his racket repeatedly over his knee, leaving it bloody and bruised for the rest of the match.

Indeed, Comesana thoroughly belied his lack of experience — contesting only his second grass court match at any level, professional or junior — and played with poise and control from the start.

The 23-year-old broke Mr. Rublev for a 3-2 lead in the first set and then held to win it, much to the frustration of Mr. Rublev.

Mr. Rublev broke back early in the second and began to assert himself, frequently wrong-footing Mr. Comesana or drawing him into long rallies and overpowering him with powerful forehand shots.

Mr. Comesana fought his way back from three set points down twice in the second set before losing it. But the Argentinian, who fired down 21 aces in all, powered through the rain-interrupted third set and narrowly outdid Mr. Rublev for guile and accuracy in the fourth before drawing an unforced error from the Russian to finish the match in style.

SWIATEK DOWNS KENIN
Only once in her 21 previous Grand Slam appearances had Iga Swiatek perished in the first round — at Wimbledon in 2019.

When this year’s All England Club draw pitted her against fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin, there were fears that Ms. Swiatek could be in for another short, and not very sweet, stay at the grasscourt major.

After all, the Polish top seed has yet to find her comfort zone on grass, having never reached a final on the sport’s slickest surface, and she was also up against a rival who had toppled crowd favorite Coco Gauff in the opening round just 12 months ago.

Despite some jittery service games early on, with the first four games featuring nine break points and both players dropping serve, it took Ms. Swiatek just 79 minutes to safely negotiate past the potential first-round banana skin and demolish Ms. Kenin 6-3 6-4 on Tuesday under a closed Court One roof.

She dealt with being break point down in the opening game by firing down an unreturnable serve.

She remained unfazed when she squandered four break point chances in the very next game by converting the fifth with a thunderbolt backhand winner.

She took it in her stride when she was broken in the next game by immediately breaking Ms. Kenin again, this time to love for a 3-1 lead. — Reuters

Biden faces growing doubts from Democrats about his 2024 re-election

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN/FACEBOOK

WASHINGTON – Some elected Democrats loyal to President Joe Biden raised fresh questions on Tuesday about his 2024 re-election bid, with one calling for him to step aside, a shift after many defended him in the wake of last week’s shaky debate performance.

Whether Mr. Biden continues his 2024 bid for president after his halting debate performance against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is largely his decision, Democrats and political strategists have said.

But Mr. Biden is under pressure. Some donors have called for him to step aside, and other Democrats are worrying openly that he is not equipped to beat Trump in November.

There are 25 Democratic members of the House of Representatives preparing to call for Biden to step aside if he seems shaky in coming days, according to one House Democratic aide.

A second House Democratic aide said moderate House Democrats in competitive districts – often called “frontliners” – were getting hammered with questions in their districts this week.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll taken after the debate showed one in three Democrats think Mr. Biden should end his re-election bid.

US Representative Lloyd Doggett became the first congressional Democrat to call for Mr. Biden to withdraw from the presidential race on Tuesday. He told NBC News in an interview that he hoped other Democratic lawmakers would follow his lead.

“It looks like the dam has broken,” the second aide said.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emphasized Biden’s multiple legislative accomplishments during an interview with MSNBC Tuesday but said it was legitimate to ask whether his debate performance was a one-night thing or a broader health problem. She said Trump should be given the same scrutiny.

“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, ‘Is this an episode or is this a condition?’ And so when people ask that question, it’s legitimate, of both candidates,” Ms. Pelosi said.

Immediately after the debate, Ms. Pelosi had shown strong support. “Joe Biden’s decision to go forward is a decision that we will all embrace because of the record he has and the performance that will come with it,” she said then.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday that Biden did not have an “episode,” just a bad night.

Vice President Kamala Harris, asked in a CBS News interview about Doggett’s demand, said: “Look, Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once and we’re gonna beat him. Period.”

Mr. Biden, speaking at a campaign event in Virginia on Tuesday evening without a teleprompter, blamed his performance on a lack of sleep and said his campaign had raised $38 million since the debate.

“The fact is that you know, I wasn’t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones … before … the debate. Didn’t listen to my staff and came back and nearly fell asleep on stage,” he said. “That’s no excuse but it is an explanation.”

Some Democrats suggested Mr. Biden should be thinking about the broader party’s future.

“He has to be honest with himself,” Democratic Representative Mike Quigley, a moderate from Illinois, told CNN on Tuesday. “It’s his decision. I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much it impacts, not just his race, but all the other races coming in November.”

US Representative Jim Clyburn, the Democrat often credited with securing Mr. Biden’s nomination in the 2020 presidential race, told MSNBC Tuesday he would support Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee if Mr. Biden stepped aside.

Representative Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat, predicted on Tuesday that Trump would win the election, as did Washington state Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.

 

BIDEN TO TALK TO GOVERNORS, CONGRESS

The president and his campaign are scrambling to bolster support. Mr. Biden will hold a meeting with Democratic governors virtually and in person at the White House on Wednesday and speak to lawmakers this week, White House officials said.

One of the House Democratic aides said members were disappointed about the lack of outreach thus far.

Doggett told NBC News he had asked the White House to speak personally with Mr. Biden about his call for him to drop out, but had not heard back from him.

Mr. Biden’s campaign held difficult phone calls on Sunday and Monday with important funders who questioned his plans to stay in the race.

Asked Tuesday why Mr. Biden had not done more media interviews or press conferences after his debate raised questions, Jean-Pierre pointed to his visit to a Waffle House in Atlanta on the evening of the debate and subsequent interactions with supporters.

Mr. Biden is scheduled to do an interview with ABC this week and plans to hold a news conference at the NATO summit next week. The Democratic Hill aide said a lot was riding on the ABC interview, with lawmakers looking to see that he can handle rapid-fire questions and not just orchestrated campaign appearances.

Meanwhile, Mr. Biden’s campaign said it and its Democratic allies raised $264 million in the second quarter, including $127 million in June and a record “grassroots” fundraising haul on the day of Mr. Biden’s debate. – Reuters

Japan’s first new banknotes in 20 years use holograms to defeat counterfeits

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shows new banknotes with Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda, on the day of the new notes of 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 1,000 yen went into circulation, at the BOJ headquarters in Tokyo, Japan July 3, 2024. REUTERS/Issei Kato/Pool

TOKYO – Japan began circulating its first new banknotes in 20 years on Wednesday, featuring three-dimensional portraits of the founders of financial and female education institutions in an attempt to frustrate counterfeiters.

The notes use printed patterns to generate holograms of the portraits facing different directions, depending on the angle of view, employing a technology that Japan’s National Printing Bureau says is the world’s first for paper money.

Though existing bills stay in use, train stations, parking lots and ramen shops are scrambling to upgrade payment machines while the government pushes consumers and businesses to use less cash in its bid to digitise the economy.

The new 10,000-yen ($62) note depicts Eiichi Shibusawa (1840-1931), the founder of the first bank and stock exchange, who is often called “the father of Japanese capitalism”.

The new 5,000-yen bill portrays educator Umeko Tsuda (1864-1929), who founded one of the first women’s universities in Japan, while the 1,000-yen bill features a pioneering medical scientist, Shibasaburo Kitasato (1853-1931).

Currency authorities plan to print about 7.5 billion newly-designed bills by the end of the current fiscal year. They will add to the 18.5 billion banknotes worth 125 trillion yen already in circulation as of December 2023.

“Cash is a secure means of payment that can be used by anyone, anywhere, and at any time, and it will continue to play a significant role” even when alternative payment methods prevail, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda told a Wednesday ceremony celebrating the new notes.

The central bank has been conducting experiments on digital currencies, but the government has made no decision on whether to issue a digital yen.

 

‘NO SALES IMPACT’

The first renewal of paper money since 2004 spurred businesses to upgrade payment machines for cash-loving customers.

Although cashless payments in Japan have almost tripled over the past decade to make up 39% of consumer spending in 2023, that share lags global peers and should rise to as high as 80% to improve productivity, the government says.

Roughly 90% of bank ATMs, train ticket machines and retail cash registers are prepared to accept new bills, but only half of restaurant and parking ticket machines are ready, the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association says.

Nearly 80% of 2.2 million drink vending machines nationwide also need upgrades, it added.

“It might take until year-end to respond to this,” said Takemori Kawanami, an executive at ticket machine company Elcom. “That’s too slow, but we are short of components,” he added, as client orders for upgrades exceeded expectations.

Many Japanese fast-food restaurants such as ramen shops and beef bowl stores rely on ticket machines to cut labour costs, but some small business owners battling inflation are unhappy at the extra investment the new bills entail.

“The machine replacement has no sales impact, so it’s only negative for us, on top of rising costs of labour and ingredients,” said Shintaro Sekiguchi, who spent about 600,000 yen for ticket machines at three ramen shops he runs in southern Tokyo.

As cashless payments grow, Sekiguchi hankered for a cutting-edge machine that could offer clients various payment options, but could only afford cash-only equipment.

“Our ramen doesn’t have high unit prices, so running the shop for a day or two would hardly pay for the replacement,” he added. – Reuters

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