THE TNT Tropang 5G are looking forward to getting trade acquisition Jordan Heading into the mix in their PBA grand slam drive — as soon as the former Converge sniper is good to go.
Mr. Heading, whom the Tropang 5G officially acquired in exchange for Mikey Williams in a deal that finally got league approval on Monday, has been sidelined by back spasms since the Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.
“We will see Jordan (Heading) on Wednesday since TNT is off day Tuesday. By then we will see how he feels and how he goes with practices and routines,” team manager Jojo Lastimosa told The STAR.
He stressed Mr. Heading’s debut with the Tropang 5G in the Philippine Cup will be dependent on his health condition.
“He (Mr. Heading) will tell us when he’ll be ready,” Mr. Lastimosa said.
Mr. Heading earlier said there’s “no timetable” for his return to competitive ball but shared he’s “doubling up” on rehab to get himself “back out on the court faster.”
TNT arranged to get Mr. Heading to address their manpower issues in the backcourt with veteran Jayson Castro out of the season due to knee injury and Rey Nambatac still recovering from groin injury.
In making this swap with Converge, the reigning Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup titleist also ended the long-standing contract negotiation impasse drama with Mr. Williams. — Olmin Leyba
INDIANA Pacers reserve forward Jarace Walker injured his right ankle during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night and his availability for the NBA Finals is uncertain.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Walker was on crutches after the game. The ankle badly turned while he was defending Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks during the opening possession of the fourth quarter.
Indiana faces the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night in Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Walker, 21, averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 75 regular-season games (five starts) this season. He was a first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in the 2023 draft. — Reuters
PARIS — Four-time champion Iga Swiatek clawed her way back from the brink to reach the French Open quarterfinals by defeating her claycourt nemesis Elena Rybakina while men’s title holder Carlos Alcaraz also went through after a tough workout on Sunday.
Fifth seed Swiatek looked out of sorts as she trailed 6-1 2-0 on Court Philippe Chatrier, leaving the crowd stunned. But Swiatek found her groove and some grit to prevail 1-6 6-3 7-5.
Her final opponent from last year, Jasmine Paolini, was on the wrong end of another last-16 clash against 13th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, the Italian wasting three match points in a 4-6 7-6(6) 6-1 defeat.
Svitolina will provide the next test for Swiatek, who continues her quest to become the first female player since tennis turned professional to claim the singles’ title four times in a row at Roland Garros.
The only women to win the singles at Roland Garros in four straight years were Jeanne Matthey from 1909-12 and Suzanne Lenglen from 1920-23 when only French players competed.
Since tennis turned professional in 1968, Swiatek is one of three women with Monica Seles and Justine Henin to enjoy three consecutive triumphs in Paris and on Sunday it looked like her quest for a fourth straight was going to crash to a halt.
The 12th-seeded Rybakina made a bullet start, putting Swiatek on the back foot with some powerful baseline play and racing to a 5-0 lead, threatening to inflict on the former world number one her first bagel at a Grand Slam.
“It was as if I was playing (men’s world number one and heavy hitter) Jannik Sinner,” Swiatek joked.
DOUBLE FAULTS If there was any sign that Swiatek was rattled, it was her three double faults at 2-2 in the second set.
The fifth seed still held though and it proved to be a turning point as she went on to break to love and move 4-2 up, bagging 10 consecutive points in the process to send the clash into a decider.
At 4-4, with Rybakina serving at 15-40, the Kazakh appeared to have double-faulted on break point.
Both players were walking towards their benches when chair umpire Kader Nouni’s deep voice overruled the line judge’s call.
The reversal offered Rybakina an unexpected lifeline as the air filled with electricity.
Swiatek later saved a game point with a blistering forehand winner, but it was Rybakina who ultimately secured the crucial hold, shifting the weight of expectation squarely onto her opponent’s shoulders.
Swiatek cooled down and held, then broke and finished it off on the second match point before unleashing a huge scream and bumping her chest in a mix of released anger and relief.
“In the first set, with her playing like that I felt I did not have a single chance,” said Swiatek, who had lost to Rybakina in their two previous encounters on clay.
“Using the top spin was the plan from the beginning but I did not feel she gave me the space to do that. But I’m happy that I was patient enough to stay in the game and use any opportunity that came to me.”
Elsewhere in the top half of the draw, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen battled on, the Chinese eighth seed overcoming Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 7-6(5) 1-6 6-3, with a potential clash against world number one Aryna Sabalenka looming.
In the men’s draw, Carlos Alcaraz etched his name deeper in clay by overcoming American Ben Shelton 7-6(8) 6-3 4-6 6-4 for his 100th tour-level win on the surface to reach the quarter-finals for a fourth successive year.
Victory was far from simple and Alcaraz said he fought against himself in the mind.
“I just tried to calm myself. In some moments I was mad, I was angry with myself. Talking not really good things but I am happy to not let those thoughts play against me,” he added.
“I tried to calm myself down and I tried to keep going.” — Reuters
ISTANBUL — Russian and Ukrainian officials are due to sit down on Monday in the Turkish city of Istanbul for their second round of direct peace talks since 2022, but the two sides are still far apart on how to end the war, and the fighting is stepping up.
US President Donald J. Trump has demanded Russia and Ukraine make peace, but so far, they have not, and the White House has repeatedly warned the United States will “walk away” from the war if the two sides are too stubborn to reach a peace deal.
The first round of talks on May 16 yielded the biggest prisoner swap of the war but no sign of peace — or even a ceasefire as both sides merely set out their own opening negotiating positions.
After keeping the world guessing on whether Ukraine would even turn up for the second round, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would meet with Russian officials in Istanbul.
The Russian delegation will be headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who after the first round invoked French general and statesman Napoleon Bonaparte to assert that war and negotiations should always be conducted at the same time.
On Sunday, Ukraine launched one of its most ambitious attacks of the war, targeting Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers in Siberia and other military bases, while the Kremlin launched 472 drones at Ukraine, Ukraine’s air force said, the highest nightly total of the war.
The idea of direct talks was first proposed by President Vladimir Putin after Ukraine and European powers demanded that he agree to a ceasefire which the Kremlin dismissed.
Mr. Putin said Russia would draft a memorandum setting out the broad contours of a possible peace accord and only then discuss a ceasefire.
Kyiv said over the weekend it was still waiting for draft memorandum from the Russian side.
Mr. Medinsky, the lead Kremlin negotiator, said on Sunday that Moscow had received a Ukraine’s draft memorandum and told Russia’s RIA news agency the Kremlin would react to it on Monday.
According to Trump envoy Keith Kellogg, the two sides will in Turkey present their respective documents outlining their ideas for peace terms, though it is clear that after three years of war Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart.
Mr. Kellogg has indicated that the US will be involved in the talks and that even representatives from Britain, France and Germany will be too, though it was not clear at what level the United States would be represented.
Ukraine’s delegation will also include its deputy foreign minister, as well as several military and intelligence officials, according to an executive order by Mr. Zelensky on Sunday.
In June last year, Putin set out his opening terms for an immediate end to the war: Ukraine must drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw all its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by Russia.
Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement, according to a copy of the document seen by Reuters.
According to the document, there will be no restrictions on Ukraine’s military strength after a peace deal is struck, no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine taken by Moscow’s forces, and reparations for Ukraine.
The document also stated that the current location of the front line will be the starting point for negotiations about territory.
Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine, or about 113,100 square kilometers, about the same size as the US state of Ohio.
Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since 2022.
Mr. Trump has called Mr. Putin “crazy” and berated Mr. Zelensky in public in the Oval Office, but the US president has also said that he thinks peace is achievable and that if Mr. Putin delays then he could impose tough sanctions on Russia. — Reuters
Supporters of Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate for South Korea’s Democratic Party, reacts after an election campaign rally in Hanam, South Korea, June 2, 2025. — REUTERS
SEOUL — South Korea’s leading presidential hopefuls were crisscrossing the country on the final day of campaigning on Monday before converging on Seoul, vowing to revive an ailing economy and put months of turmoil over a failed martial law attempt behind them.
Tuesday’s election was triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol who briefly imposed martial law in December, stunning South Koreans who had come to believe the days of using the military to intervene in the democratic process were long past.
Liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung vowed to mend the social division that deepened in the aftermath of Mr. Yoon’s martial law, but said his opponent and Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party must be held accountable, branding them “insurrection sympathizers.”
“We are at a historic inflection point of whether we go on as a democratic republic or become a country of dictators,” Mr. Lee told a campaign rally in the battleground capital.
Later he said the top priority as president if elected would be to take urgent steps to address the economy, adding he would first turn his attention to the cost of living for middle- and low-income families and the struggles of small business owners.
After sweeping through key swing vote regions and the stronghold of his main conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo, Mr. Lee focused on the capital region home to the highest concentration of the country’s 44.39 million voters.
Mr. Kim started the final day on the southern island of Jeju before crossing the country north, calling Mr. Lee a “dangerous man” who would abuse the office of president and the parliament controlled by his Democratic Party in an unchecked manner.
The conservative candidate once again apologized on Monday for Mr. Yoon’s martial law and pledged to undertake political reform.
The two leading candidates were scheduled to wrap up three weeks of official campaigning at midnight in Seoul, with polls set to open at 6 a.m. (9 p.m. GMT on Monday) on Tuesday across the country.
The winner, who will be certified on Wednesday, will have just a short few hours before taking office without the usual two-month transition as Mr. Yoon was removed by the Constitutional Court on April 4 for grave violation of his lawful duties. — Reuters
Police gather, after an attack that injured multiple people, in Boulder, Colorado, U.S. June 1, 2025. — REUTERS
BOULDER, Colorado — Eight people were injured on Sunday when a 45-year-old man yelled “Free Palestine” and threw incendiary devices into a crowd in Boulder, Colorado where a demonstration to remember the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza was taking place, authorities said.
Four women and four men between 52 and 88 years old were transported to hospitals, Boulder police said. Authorities had earlier put the count of the injured at six and said at least one of them was in critical condition.
“As a result of these preliminary facts, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is investigating this as an act of terrorism,” the FBI special agent in charge of the Denver Field Office, Mark Michalek, said.
Mr. Michalek named the suspect Mohamed Soliman, who was hospitalized shortly after the attack. Reuters could not immediately locate contact information for him or his family.
FBI Director Kash Patel also described the incident as a “targeted terror attack,” and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said it appeared to be “a hate crime given the group that was targeted.” Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said he did not believe anyone else was involved.
“We’re fairly confident we have the lone suspect in custody,” he said.
The attack took place on the Pearl Street Mall, a popular pedestrian shopping district in the shadow of the University of Colorado, during an event organized by Run for Their Lives, an organization devoted to drawing attention to the hostages seized in the aftermath of Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel.
In a statement, the group said the walks have been held every week since then for the hostages, “without any violent incidents until today.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the victims were attacked “simply because they were Jews” and that he trusted US authorities would prosecute “the cold blood perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The antisemitic attacks around the world are a direct result of blood libels against the Jewish state and people, and this must be stopped,” he said.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the United States over Israel’s war in Gaza, which has spurred both an increase in antisemitic hate crime as well as moves by conservative supporters of Israel, led by President Donald J. Trump, to brand pro-Palestinian protests as antisemitic. His administration has detained protesters of the war without charge and cut off funding to elite US universities that have permitted such demonstrations.
In a post to X, a social network, Mr. Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said Mr. Soliman had overstayed his visa and been allowed to work by the previous administration. He said it was further evidence of the need to “fully reverse” what he described as “suicidal migration.”
Reuters was not able to independently verify the suspect’s immigration status. When asked about Soliman, the Department of Homeland Security said more information would be provided as it became available.
VICTIMS BURNED Brooke Coffman, a 19-year-old at the University of Colorado who witnessed the Boulder incident, said she saw four women lying or sitting on the ground with burns on their legs. One of them appeared to have been badly burned on most of her body and had been wrapped in a flag by someone, she said.
She described seeing a man whom she presumed to be the attacker standing in the courtyard shirtless, holding a glass bottle of clear liquid and shouting.
“Everybody is yelling, ‘get water, get water,’” Coffman said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a prominent Jewish Democrat, said it was an antisemitic attack.
“This is horrifying, and this cannot continue. We must stand up to antisemitism,” he said on X.
The attack follows last month’s arrest of a Chicago-born man in the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, DC. Someone opened fire on a group of people leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group that fights antisemitism and supports Israel.
The shooting fueled polarization in the United States over the war in Gaza between supporters of Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis posted on social media that it was “unfathomable that the Jewish community is facing another terror attack here in Boulder.” — Reuters
In a time when living expenses continue to hit families hard and tuition fees rise each year, thousands of Filipino students seek part-time jobs to support their education. However, companies often hesitate to hire students due to concerns over scheduling, limited experience, and commitment. The same applies to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), who frequently face workplace discrimination and are viewed as unfit to work because of age or condition.
These groups are productive and willing to work, yet they remain sidelined in many hiring processes, with employers often prioritizing candidates who meet traditional standards.
One company, however, is taking a different approach. McDonald’s Philippines continues to open its doors to more Filipinos, committed to its goal of providing equitable employment opportunities to support nation-building. Through inclusive hiring practices, the ‘global fast-food giant’ actively recruits working students, senior citizens, and PWDs.
Professional growth for students
McDonald’s Philippines currently employs more than 65,000 people across its stores nationwide, and about 70% of its restaurant crew are part-time working students. In addition to government mandated wages and benefits, these students learn life-long skills, build confidence, and receive opportunities for advancement.
For many working students, balancing school deadlines and job responsibilities is a constant challenge. To address this, McDonald’s designed its employment program to give students the flexibility to plan their shifts according to their class schedule. These working students do not have to travel far to get to work, as McDonald’s hires directly from local communities to ensure that the branches their crew are assigned to are close to their homes or schools.
Christine Ivy Asuncion
Ivy Asuncion, a recent graduate of Mariano Marcos State University in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, experienced this firsthand. During her final semester, she worked at McDonald’s while completing a degree in Industrial Technology, majoring in Food Processing and Service Management. She managed two remaining subjects, completed on-the-job training in Baguio City, and maintained her work shifts. Despite her full schedule, she graduated with honors as cum laude.
For Ms. Asuncion, the most helpful support was the ability to adjust her schedule to fit academic requirements. She is now preparing to apply for the company’s managerial trainee program, aiming to advance her career within McDonald’s.
For students whose first job is in fast food, the workplace becomes a space to learn more than just how to take orders. Sherinata Said joined McDonald’s in her third year of college while studying computer science at Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga. Initially shy and soft-spoken, she said working at McDonald’s helped her overcome her fear of talking to strangers.
Ms. Asuncion and Ms. Said exemplify how working students gain practical experience, develop communication skills, and build discipline through part-time employment. While the job is demanding, it provides a steady income, real-world exposure, and soft skills often not taught in the classroom.
Opportunities for seniors, PWDs
McDonald’s Philippines continues to expand its community hiring efforts by strengthening partnerships with the government. Its long-standing collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), particularly through the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), has employed more than 16,000 individuals since 2011, including working students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced workers.
The company plans to extend this program further, with more beneficiaries expected to find employment as McDonald’s opens more stores in provincial areas.
The fast-food chain is also growing its M For All program, which provides employment opportunities for senior citizens and persons with PWDs. In implementing the program, McDonald’s coordinates with local government units (LGUs) to ensure a safe and appropriate work environment.
Tasks for senior citizens and PWDs are assigned based on ability, with safety and manageability as priorities. The company works closely with LGUs to roll out these inclusive programs, particularly in communities where elderly and PWD populations seek sustainable income sources.
All applicants undergo a screening and training process approved by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and DOLE. The training equips them with essential skills for a fast-paced food service environment, including food safety, cleanliness maintenance, and customer communication.
Since 2019, 62 senior citizens and PWDs have been hired through the program. In 2023, McDonald’s began preparing to scale that number significantly, aiming to place more seniors and PWDs in stores across Pasig, Pasay, Antipolo, Caloocan, Makati, Quezon City, Marikina, and Mandaluyong.
Senior employees will work no more than four hours per day, five days a week, with shifts scheduled from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PWDs will follow the same schedule as regular crew members, with a maximum of eight hours per day. Their tasks lean heavily toward hospitality, allowing them to focus on providing a warm and welcoming experience for diners without requiring prolonged physical activity. All crew members are encouraged to foster a welcoming environment and promote teamwork, especially with the integration of senior and PWD workers.
A thriving place for professional growth
By giving equitable employment opportunities, McDonald’s has helped individuals excel in their professional careers, as many of its current operations managers testify.
Emmanuel Reyes
Manny Reyes, 47, started out at the grilling station of a branch in Cabanatuan City while he was college student, and inspired by his trainers to work his way up to become a crew trainer and then manager.
“I have high respect for my crew trainers who trained us; the way they act is respectable,” he explained in mixed English and Filipino. “That inspired me to become a crew trainer in less than 6 months. Then, when I became a crew trainer, I said I wanted to become a manager. I carried with me that motivation that when I work hard with patience and an openness to explore, I can really grow and become successful here.”
“Fast-forward to my last year in college, I was promoted manager,” he continued. “When I graduated, I wore my McDo uniform baccalaureate since I came from duty. I also finished an MBA because of McDonald’s.”
Eric Castro, 47, started out at McDonald’s as a means of earning for his family and for funding his studies.
“While I was nervous, but at the same time, I was excited because it’s my chance to provide on my own. I also wanted to study and graduate without my parents worrying about it,” he shared.
He credits the drive for excellence instilled by the organization for his long tenure at McDonald’s and his ascent to an operations manager.
“In everything that you do, you need to do your best; not just get things done. For me, if you strive for excellence, even if you don’t get to achieve it, at least you end up doing good,” he said.
Sariah Guillermo
After graduating in Hawaii in 2005, Aya Guillermo, now 43, sought to apply her learnings back home with McDonald’s Philippines. More than the grueling training sessions, she found growth from the support of her colleagues and managers.
“The support of managers who were ahead of me really helped me a lot in transitioning to the next role that I will be in,” she noted. “They don’t just give ample training, but so much training for you to be equipped in each new role you will take at McDonald’s.”
For Ms. Guillermo, who is set to handle more than 40 restaurants, McDonald’s is a place where one can really build a career.
“McDonald’s love and care for their people very much. That’s why I can’t leave the company because they are a people company, and there’s really an opportunity to grow here,” she said.
Jeq Singson, 48, joined McDonald’s in 1998 as a management trainee, where she learned to thrive on order, discipline, sense of responsibility, and resiliency. Then, she soon progressed to become a business consultant, where she built credibility with patience amid challenges. Her exceptional work paved the way for more breaks to come her way, including handling 48 stores and counting.
Jeq Singson
“At one point, the company even sent me to Australia for a leadership seminar, which I won’t forget,” she shared. “Once the company sees your potential, plus you remain diligent, they will bring out the best in you.”
Mr. Castro expressed his excitement about what’s to come for McDonald’s next generation of personnel.
“The vision of the company is that we will open a thousand stores in the next two years. Isn’t that exciting? If you want to develop or pursue a career at McDonald’s, now is the perfect time. Be part of the growth. The opportunity to move up in the ranks is at a much accelerated level.”
McDonald’s hopes its ongoing efforts will help more individuals find income, purpose, and dignity through work,regardless of age or ability.
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
Students from SMPC’s host communities in Semirara Island, Caluya, Antique can now pursue engineering degrees through DWSSII’s expanded tertiary program, in partnership with Adamson University.
Semirara Island, Antique — The Divine Word School of Semirara Island, Inc. (DWSSII), the island’s first locally accessible college-level institution, is expanding its academic offerings with two new engineering programs for the 2025-2026 school year. Through its Tertiary Education Program (TEP), DWSSII will offer Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Mining Engineering, in partnership with Adamson University.
Established in 2003 by integrated energy company Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC), DWSSII began offering college degrees in the 2024-2025 academic year through a strategic collaboration with the Divine Word College of San Jose, welcoming 134 students in its pioneer batch.
Now entering its second year of tertiary education, DWSSII continues to expand its impact by launching programs that align with the island’s growing need for locally trained professionals, particularly in technical and industry-relevant fields.
SMPC President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer Maria Cristina C. Gotianun welcomed the development and emphasized the significance of providing better educational opportunities in the island.
“We believe that every student deserves access to quality higher education, regardless of their location or background,” Ms. Gotianun said. “Enhancing our tertiary program is a milestone not just for the island, but for the future of its youth, who now have a better chance at professional and personal advancement without having to leave their community.”
Admissions for the new engineering programs are officially open, with registration for all courses beginning June 24, 2025. Other degree offerings include:
BS Accountancy
BS Business Administration (major in financial management)
BS Hospitality Management
BS Information Technology with Multimedia Systems
BA Elementary Education
BA Secondary Education (major in science)
DWSSII’s TEP also has two alternative learning tracks: “Uniting,” designed for degree holders seeking to qualify as licensed teachers; and “Bridging,” aimed at individuals who did not complete the K-12 curriculum but wish to pursue higher education.
The expansion of DWSSII’s degree offerings underscores SMPC’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in its host communities through education.
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
In photo (L–R): Renzo Reyes, of SYNERGY Market Research + Strategic Consultancy; Chief Operations Officer Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer; Germaine Reyes, President and CEO of SYNERGY Market Research + Strategic Consultancy; and Chi Wei Teo, General Manager of YouGov Singapore
Globe was recognized as the 2025 Most Recommended Telco Brand in the Philippines at the SYNERGY | YouGov Awards, a recognition based on YouGov BrandIndex, a daily brand health tracking tool. This award honors the brand that consumers in the Philippines are most likely to endorse to others, measured through statistically tested recommendation scores at a 95% confidence level from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.
Accepting the award on behalf of Globe, Crisanto shared, “We’re really, truly proud to receive this award—and we dedicate it to our customers. We will always and continue to pursue making our customers happy and satisfied. At the end of the day, they are our North Star.”
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
Workers load sacks of flour in a delivery truck in Manila, July 11, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN
THE PHILIPPINES, the world’s top rice importer, plans to look beyond its dominant supplier, Vietnam, to ensure steady supplies and competitive prices at home.
The Agriculture department is in talks with private importers on purchases from producers like India, Pakistan, Cambodia and Myanmar, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said in an interview on Friday. There may also be a “deal” with Indonesia and Thailand, he added.
“We are trying to diversify sources to keep a level playing field,” Laurel said. Vietnam is “the most reliable” supplier, but the fact that its shipments account for 90% of the Philippines’ rice imports could be a “problem” in case of supply shocks, he said.
The price of all rice varieties sold by Vietnam rose to a three-month high in April because of an “uptick in buying interest from domestic and offshore traders,” according to data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Affordable prices of the staple grain are central to the agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who also helmed the agriculture department before appointing Laurel in November 2023. His government slashed import tariffs from 35% to 15% last year and declared a food security emergency in February to tame runaway prices. That’s helped slow overall inflation to its lowest level since 2019, giving the central bank room to further cut interest rates.
Laurel expects this year’s rice imports will be lower than in 2024 and won’t exceed 4.5 million tons. His outlook compares with a forecast from the US Department of Agriculture that sees the Southeast Asian nation importing 5.4 million tons in 2025. Domestically, the country is on track to produce a record of 20.46 million tons in rough rice output this year, the secretary said.
Meanwhile, the Philippines is facing a 17% duty on its goods to the US, the lowest rate in Southeast Asia — after Singapore — under President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff agenda. Laurel said this presents an opportunity as it could make Filipino shipments to the US, particularly seafood products like tilapia and shrimp, more competitive than those of its neighbors.
“If our competitors are slapped with higher tariffs than us, it’s fine,” he said. — Bloomberg
CAIRO/GAZA – More than 30 Palestinians were killed and nearly 170 injured on Sunday in south Gaza near a food distribution site, the health ministry said, as witnesses reported Israeli soldiers fired on people trying to collect aid and Israel denied it.
The U.S.-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said food was handed out without incident on Sunday at the distribution point in Rafah and there were no deaths or injuries.
GHF released undated video to support its statement that showed dozens of people gathering around piles of boxes. Reuters could not independently verify the video or what took place.
Witnesses said the Israeli military opened fire as thousands of Palestinians gathered to receive food aid. Israel’s military said that an initial inquiry found soldiers had not fired on civilians while they were near or within the distribution site.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry said 31 people were killed with a single gunshot wound to the head or chest from Israeli fire as they were gathered in the Al-Alam district aid distribution area in Rafah. It said 169 were injured.
In addition to Israeli gunshots, residents and medics said an Israeli tank had opened fire at thousands of people en route to the Rafah site.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said its field hospital in Rafah received 179 casualties, most with gunshot or shrapnel wounds.
“All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site. This is the highest number of weapon-wounded in a single incident since the establishment of the field hospital over a year ago,” ICRC said.
The United Nations has said most of Gaza’s 2 million population is at risk of famine after an 11-week Israeli blockade on aid entering the strip.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week and said it would launch more. The Israeli military has said GHF had established four sites so far.
The organization’s aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations which say GHF does not follow humanitarian principles.
There were chaotic scenes as hungry Gazans rushed its sites last last week. Hamas reported deaths and injuries in the tumult, and Israel said its troops fired warning shots.
Because the GHF distribution points are few and all in south Gaza, U.N. officials have said its plans force Palestinians, especially in the north, to relocate and face unsafe conditions.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN’s Palestinian relief agency, condemned Sunday’s deaths and said in a statement on X that “aid distribution has become a death trap”.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office accused Israel of using aid as a weapon, “employed to exploit starving civilians and forcibly gather them at exposed killing zones, which are managed and monitored by the Israeli military”.
At Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis city where some casualties were brought, Gaza paramedic Abu Tareq said there was “a tragic situation in this place. I advise them that nobody goes to aid delivery points.”
Israel denies that people in Gaza are starving because of its actions, saying it is facilitating aid deliveries and pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centres and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump said last month that a lot of people in Gaza were “starving“.
Israel accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza. Hamas denies looting supplies and has executed a number of suspected looters.
Reda Abu Jazar said her brother was killed as he waited to collect food near the Rafah aid distribution centre. “Let them stop these massacres, stop this genocide. They are killing us,” she said, as Palestinian men gathered for funeral prayers.
The Red Crescent reported that 14 Palestinians were injured on Sunday near a separate GHF aid site in central Gaza.
CEASEFIRE TALKS FALTER
Israel and Hamas meanwhile traded blame for the faltering of a new Arab and U.S. mediation bid to secure a temporary ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli jails.
Hamas said on Saturday it was seeking amendments to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, but Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff rejected the group’s response as “totally unacceptable”.
Egypt and Qatar said in a joint statement that they are continuing efforts to overcome disagreements and reach a ceasefire.
Hamas on Sunday welcomed those efforts and expressed its readiness to start a round of indirect negotiations immediately to reach an agreement, the group said on Sunday in a statement.
Israel began its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli tallies, and saw 251 taken as hostages into Gaza.
Israel’s campaign has devastated much of Gaza, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians and destroying most buildings. Much of the population now lives in shelters in makeshift camps. – Reuters
LONDON – Britain will increase the size of its nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet, the government has announced ahead of a defense review expected to say the country must invest billions to be ready and equipped to fight a modern war.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, like other leaders across Europe, is racing to rebuild his country’s defense capabilities after U.S. President Donald Trump told the continent it needed to take more responsibility for its own security.
Monday’s Strategic Defense Review will call for Britain’s armed forces to move to a state of “warfighting readiness”, spelling out changing security threats and which defense technologies are needed to counter them.
“We know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression,” defense minister John Healey said in a statement.
Britain will build up to 12 of its next-generation attack submarines, which are nuclear-powered but carry conventional non-nuclear weapons, to replace the current fleet of seven from the late 2030s, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Britain operates a separate fleet of submarines armed with nuclear weapons. The government for the first time said a pre-existing program to develop a new nuclear warhead to replace the model used by that fleet would cost 15 billion pounds.
“With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead program on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad,” Mr. Healey added.
The new submarines will be a model jointly developed by the UK, U.S. and Australia under the security partnership known as AUKUS.
REVERSE DECLINE
In light of Trump’s decision to upend decades of strategic reliance on the U.S. by Europe, Mr. Starmer has already committed to increasing Britain’s defense spending in an attempt to reverse a long-term decline in its military capability.
He has promised to raise defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and target a 3% level over the longer term. On Sunday he warned Britain must be ready to fight and win a war against states with advanced military forces.
In the days running up to the Strategic Defencs Review, which Mr. Starmer commissioned shortly after taking office last July, the government has announced plans to spend billions on munitions plants, battlefield technology and military housing.
Juggling severely strained public finances, a slow-growing economy and declining popularity among an increasingly dissatisfied electorate, Mr. Starmer has sought to cast increased spending on defense as a way to create jobs and wealth.
“This plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defense dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country,” he is expected to say in a speech launching Monday’s review. – Reuters
