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Australia launches P1.5-B social protection program with DSWD

AUSTRALIA and the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday launched a five-year P1.5-billion program that would boost social protection programs in the Philippines, which includes better welfare programs for indigenous peoples, according to the Australian Embassy in the Philippines.

In a joint statement, the embassy and the DSWD said the Social Protection, Inclusion, and Gender Equality (SPRING) program will involve capacity-building programs and policy reforms for Philippine social protection programs. The program will run from 2024 to 2029.

“Australia is committed to working with the Philippines to achieve its development objectives, and through SPRING we are stepping up our support for the most disadvantaged Filipinos,” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu during the agreement signing event on Thursday, based on the statement.

Canberra in October launched its five-year development plan with the Philippines, which will provide more than P4 billion each year in mostly official development assistance to support mining, infrastructure, renewable energy and agriculture.

“SPRING builds on Australia’s long-standing support for social protection in the Philippines, driven by the shared ambition of both nations to build a more prosperous and resilient Philippines,” the embassy added.

Trade and investment between Canberra and Manila could grow by 10% this year, Luisa Rust, minister-counselor and senior trade and investment commissioner of the Australian Embassy, earlier told reporters.

Ms. Yu earlier said funding assistance from Australia to the Philippines has reached about P63 billion in the past two decades.

“The DSWD understands that our country is diverse and constantly evolving. That is why we continue to build partnerships and innovate our approach to be just as dynamic and responsive,” DSWD Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian said at the same event. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Minority lobbies for impeachment rap

OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE OF VP INDAY SARA DUTERTE

A BLOC of minority lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Thursday started efforts to gather support from fellow congressmen for an impeachment complaint against Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio.

“We, the Makabayan bloc in Congress, have initiated efforts to gather the required one-third of signatures from House members to sign the Resolution of Impeachment against Vice-President Sara Duterte,” a joint statement by the House minority faction stated.

Two impeachment complaints containing allegations of graft and corruption, bribery, and betrayal of public trust among other crimes have been lodged at the House this week.

Meanwhile, the majority caucus is yet to discuss the filed impeachment complaints as most lawmakers are focused on lawmaking and ongoing congressional investigations, according to Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V.

“There have been no moves from the majority yet, and nothing has been discussed by the majority,” he said in a media briefing on Thursday. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

2 Davao roads operationalized

PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. — PCO.GOV.PH

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Thursday said the government is set to operationalize two key road projects in Davao region by 2026.

He was referring to the Tagum City Bypass Road and the Island Garden City of Samal Circumferential Road.

The government is also working on the completion of the Carmen-Tagum City Coastal Road, he added in a speech at the distribution of certificates of condonation and e-titles to land reform beneficiaries in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos said two flood-control projects in Sarangani province were nearing completion.

The President distributed 1,251 Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and 13,527 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCROMs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in central Mindanao.

In his speech, he said the 11,709 beneficiaries from Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat will be freed from P939 million in loans, interests, and surcharges.

In Davao region, he distributed 11,559 CoCROMs and 816 CLOA titles and E-titles to ARBs, who will be freed from their debt amounting to P678.1 million — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Truck driver, 7 villagers die in Cotabato highway mishap

COTABATO CITY — A driver and seven others died when his wayward ten-wheeler truck rammed vehicles and houses along a stretch of a highway in Barangay Malasila in Makilala, Cotabato on Thursday morning.

In initial statements an hour after the incident, Lt. Col. Rolly D. Oranza, acting chief of the Makilala Municipal Police Station, and officials of the Cotabato Provincial Police Office said that truck driver Leopoldo G. Ibañez lost control of the wheel due to mechanical trouble while maneuvering through a downhill stretch of the highway, causing the deadly accident.

Mr. Ibañez himself and seven others, among them are Joey Pamplona, his wife Tina, and their son, Jeremiah, a kindergarten pupil, perished in the accident, according to police investigators and personnel of the Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

The light truck, four-wheeled vehicles, motorcycles and houses hit by the large truck driven by Mr. Ibañez, loaded with commercial fertilizers, were badly damaged. — John Felix M. Unson

Cagayan SP declares Cagayan ‘rebel-free’

BAGUIO CITY — The Cagayan Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has declared the province as “insurgency-free and in a state of stable internal peace and security” during its 117th regular session on Wednesday, the Northern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.

Philippine Army Capt. Gavin Salalima, spokesperson of the 502nd Infantry Brigade cited the East and West Front and the Komiteng Probinsiya (KOMPROB) Cagayan, formed in 2011, was dismantled giving the main reason for this declaration.

He also cited the neutralization of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) ranking officials in Cagayan, and the mass abandonment of former rebels and supporters to CTG, including Michael Cedrick Casano and Patricia Nicole Cierva as additional reasons for this declaration.

Brig. Gen. Eugene M. Mata, commander of the 502nd Infantry Brigade, said that “even if there are still nine remaining members of the Cagayan Valley Regional Committee (KRCV), an area can now be declared “insurgency-free” in accordance with the guidelines in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) PLEDS Plan 2023-2028.”

The government has totally destroyed the structure of the red and white area, referenced on the Peace, Law Enforcment, and Development Support Cluster’s Plan Pagkakaisa 2023-2028, Mr. Mata added.

The Cagayan Provincial Peace and Order Council first passed the resolution for an “insurgency-free” Cagayan during the 4th quarter meeting led by Gov. Manuel N. Mamba.

The formal declaration is set on December 30, 2024. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Men’s and women’s rematch in UAAP Season 87 basketball finals

Games on Sunday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
10 a.m. – UST vs FEU-D (JHS Final Four)
1 p.m. – NU vs UST (Women’s Finals)
5:30 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Men’s Finals)

IT’S a double rematch in the UAAP Season 87 basketball finals.

Like De La Salle University  (DLSU) and University of the Philippines (UP) in the men’s side, reigning champion University of Santo Tomas (UST) likewise arranged a finale date with former titlist and unbeaten National University (NU) in the women’s basketball finale after a 71-59 knockout win over Adamson University on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Tigresses lived up to their lofty billing as the No. 2 seed, racing to a fiery 21-4 start en route to a convincing victory against the Lady Falcons in the stepladder playoffs.

The Lady Falcons climbed to the second phase of the ladder after a 59-53 overtime win against Ateneo Blue Eagles last weekend but the Tigresses proved just too much for them.

Santo Tomas and NU, which advanced straight into the best-of-three finals via 14-0 sweep of the two-round eliminations, begin their titular showdown on Sunday before the La Salle-UP duel in the men’s division at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tigresses unseated the Lady Bulldogs from a seven-year reign last year with a thrilling three-game series win marked by a 71-69 win in the decider.

Mythical Team member Kent Pastrana stamped her class with 23 points, including 13 in the first half, 16 rebounds and eight assists for a near triple-double performance.

Ms. Pastrana added two steals and a block in only 29 minutes of play, CJ Maglupay chipped in 13 points while Tacky Tacatac and Brigette Santos contributed 10 each.

“It’s all total team effort and at the end of the day, our defense dictated the game, especially in the second half,” said coach Haydee Ong.

Santo Tomas, despite a hot start, was outscored 25-11 in the second period to trail by 35-37 at the break before making Adamson bleed for only 22 points the rest of the way.

Elaine Etang and Oluwakemi Adeshina scored 12 points each in the commendable bronze-medal finish of the Lady Falcons mentored by former Falcon Ryan Monteclaro.

In junior high school basketball, top-seeded University of the East dethroned champion National U-Nazareth School, 85-64, to barge into the finals as No. 3 Santo Tomas forced a knockout match against No. 2 Far Eastern U-Diliman in the other semifinal pairing, 84-75. — John Bryan Ulanday

The Scores:

UST 71 – Pastrana 23, Maglupay 13, Tacatac 10, Santos 10, Ambos 7, Danganan 4, Sierba 4, Soriano 0, Bron 0, Relliquette 0, Amatong 0, Pescador 0.

Adamson 59 – Etang 12, Adeshina 12, A. Alaba 9, Apag 7, Agojo 6, Limbago 4, Bajo 4, Padilla 3, Manlimos 2, Meniano 0, Mazo 0, E. Alaba 0, Ornopia 0.

Quarterscores: 21-12, 35-37, 56-48, 71-59.

Bolts, Dyip tweak imports in Commissioner’s Cup

Games on Friday
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5 p.m. – Meralco vs Terrafirma
7:30 p.m. – Eastern vs TNT

MERALCO sets out to continue its charge while Terrafirma tries to change its fortunes in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with new reinforcements in tow.

The Bolts handed DJ Kennedy the mantle after regular import Akil Mitchell sustained a broken nose 11 seconds into their previous game against Rain or Shine last Sunday.

The reigning Philippine champions need not break in Mr. Kennedy as the 6-foot-6 wing man has been playing with them as second import in the East Asia Super League (EASL) already. Mr. Kennedy, a teammate of Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee at St. John’s, has averaged 20.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists for Meralco in the Continental hoopfest.

The Dyip enlisted Brandon Walton Edwards in place of the ineffective Ryan Richards after dropping their first three assignments. The 6-foot-6 Edwards gets his long-delayed stint with Terrafirma after a left knee injury forced him out of the squad’s roster before the previous Governors’ Cup started last August.

Messrs. Kennedy and Edwards go under the microscope right away as the Bolts (2-0) and the Dyip (0-3) tangle today in the 5 p.m. curtain raiser at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The day’s main gig features back-to-back Governors’ Cup titlist TNT, with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson back on board, launching its bid versus guest team Hong Kong Eastern (2-1) at 7:30 p.m.

With Mr. Mitchell sidelined, the Bolts chose between Mr. Kennedy and 6-foot-11 naturalized player Ange Kouame from their EASL roster. The Bolts went with the 35-year-old Mr. Kennedy.

Mr. Edwards is expected to give Terrafirma the mobility that the 6-foot-11 Mr. Richards couldn’t provide, not to mention familiarity with the system and players. After hyperextending his left knee in a pre-season tuneup game, Mr. Edwards stayed in Manila for his rehab and continued to train with the Dyip before taking a job with an Indonesian club.

Meanwhile, the Tropang Giga get an early test in its quest for a twin kill in Season 49 versus Eastern, a foreign power bannered by import Cameron Clark and former Bay Area stalwarts Hayden Blankley, Kobey Lam and Glen Yang.

TNT coach Chot Reyes braces for a bumpier road to glory in the mid-season conference.

“If the Governors’ Cup was difficult, I find the Commissioner’s is going to be doubly, if not, 10 times more difficult,” he said. — Olmin Leyba

LPGA gender policy bars players who have gone through male puberty

THE Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) updated its gender policy on Wednesday, and players assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty will not be eligible to compete.

The new policy comes into effect in the 2025 season, and covers the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and all other elite LPGA competitions, where athletes who are assigned female at birth are eligible to compete.

“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in a statement.

“The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”

The policy was informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law, the LPGA said.

This working group advised that the effects of male puberty give competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.

A player whose sex assigned at birth is male must satisfy an expert panel that they have not experienced any part of male puberty, and since receiving gender reassignment treatment the concentration of testosterone in their serum must remain below a set limit.

Trans golfer Hailey Davidson, who came up short in an LPGA qualifying event in October, had hoped to get into a few Epson Tour events next year but said on social media on Wednesday that she was “banned” from both circuits.

“All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing,” she wrote on Instagram. “This happened because of all your silence.”

Several sports governing bodies moved to limit transgender athletes’ access to elite competition in recent years and the England and Wales Cricket Board said in October it will bar transgender women from the top level of the women’s sport. — Reuters

Tay Tung defends Rebisco Volleyball League national title

BACOLOD Tay Tung reasserted its status as the best high school girls’ volleyball team in the Philippines after capping its Rebisco Volleyball League (RVL) national championship defense with a 25-16, 25-20, 25-13 victory over the University of Batangas in the title game last Monday.

Camila Bartolome and Donna de Leon scored 14 points apiece, while Rhose Almendralejo added 10 markers to lead the way for the Thunderbolts to finish the championship game at the Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong.

For the University of Batangas, Ann Shairinie Pesigan paced the team with nine points.

University of San Jose-Recoletos took home the bronze medal after holding off Kings’ Montessori School, 26-24, 25-23, 25-20, behind Angel Mae Almonia’s 13 points.

While Bacolod Tay Tung achieved team success, some teenage spikers introduced themselves individually among the best 18-and-under women’s players in the country.

The biggest private nationwide grassroots development tournament that’s now on its sixth year unveiled this season’s RVL Select 21, composed of the league’s best players in each position — five outside hitters, five middle blockers, four opposite spikers, four setters, and three liberos.

RVL Commissioner Ysay Marasigan earlier said the 21 players will take part in all-expense-paid training camps handled by champion Thai coach and current Criss Cross mentor Tai Bundit, and will have a chance to practice with Rebisco flagship clubs Creamline and Choco Mucho.

Ms. Almendralejo, who was named RVL National Finals MVP, and teammate setter Jan Rose Bulak banner the elite group that also has two from runner-up University of Batangas in middle blocker Scarlett Escalante and libero Stephanie de Chavez.

Salaño and Hallasgo rule Milo Marathon Cagayan de Oro finale

CHRISTINE HALLASGO and Army standout Richard Salaño triumphed the 42K event of the Milo Marathon during its final leg in Cagayan de Oro City. In recognition of their extraordinary grit, discipline, and perseverance, the two were awarded the prestigious titles of Milo Marathon Queen and King and secured the honor of representing the Philippines at the 2025 Sydney Marathon.

Determined to defend her crown first claimed in 2020, Southeast Asian (SEA) Games bronze medalist Ms. Hallasgo outclassed her fiercest competitors after finishing at 02:59:29, only a minute away from Artjoy Torregosa of Agusan del Norte who clocked in at 3:00:28. Maricar Camacho completed the top three cast of the women’s division with the time of 03:08:21.

In the men’s division, the event saw a dramatic twist as Richard Salaño clinched his first Milo Marathon King title with the time of 02:26:29, surpassing top bet Sonny Wagdos who was in the lead of the race but finished fourth with a time of 02:29:39. SEA Games gold medalist Arlan Arbois, Jr. landed second place with the time of 02:26:38, while General Santos-native Eduard Flores placed third with the time of 02:27:34.

The National Finals marked a historic feat this year with over 12,600 participants from all over the region.

SSL raised P13.936 million through bundle promos

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY wasn’t the lone champion in the third Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship.

All 17 other teams from the UAAP and NCAA also felt like it after receiving a boatload of incentives from Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures, Inc. (SPAVI) through the SSL bundle promos during the course on Wednesday at the Shakey’s Malate in Manila.

SSL raised a total of P13,936,050 in cash — the highest in three seasons — made possible by patrons, fans, students and families who donated P50 to their chosen schools in every SSL bundle promo purchase.

Arellano University gained the lion’s share of the harvest, receiving P1,759,358 that would be a big boost in developing its sports program as one of SSL’s visions in helping all UAAP and NCAA squads.

Jose Rizal University placed second with P912,008 with College of St. Benilde (P896,758), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (P855,908) and Emilio Aguinaldo College (P814,008) completing the Top Five in the official awarding of checks led by SPAVI general manager Oliver Sicam with Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Ella Juico and president Dr. Ian Laurel of SSL organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc. (ACES).

San Beda University (P813,008), San Sebastian College-Recoletos (P730,458), Mapua University (P724,408), Adamson University (P718,908), Ateneo de Manila University (P701,958), University of the Philippines (P701,908), runner-up De La Salle University (P651,908) and Lyceum of the Philippines University (P646,008) were also in the fray.

Completing the list of beneficiaries were University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (P657,358), National University (P652,708), University of Santo Tomas (P616,808), University of the East (P536,058) and Far Eastern University (P526,758).

All 18 teams slugged it out in a tough tournament won by NU for the third straight year as La Salle and Far Eastern finished with silver and bronze medals, respectively.

NU’s Bella Belen was named MVP as SSL surpassed the P11M and P8M worth of incentives in the first two seasons. — John Bryan Ulanday

Miami Heat use third-quarter surge to rout LA Lakers

TYLER HERRO scored 21 of his game-high 31 points in the third quarter as the host Miami Heat routed the Los Angeles (LA) Lakers 134-93 on Wednesday night.

The Heat set a franchise record for assists (42), and they tied a team mark for made 3-pointers (24).

LeBron James led the Lakers with 29 points and eight assists against his former team. He made 12 of 18 shots from the floor.

But Lakers center Anthony Davis, who entered the game seventh in the NBA with a 27.8 scoring average, was held to eight points on 3-for-14 shooting.

Herro tied a Heat record for most 3-pointers in a quarter, making seven in the third.

In a span of almost three minutes in the third, Herro scored 15 straight points, hitting all five of his attempts from beyond the arc. Herro finished 9-for-16 on 3-pointers in the game. — Reuters

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