NUEVA ECIJA unveiled its revamped unit and looked like the champion that it was on in pulling off a scintillating comeback win to stay perfect in the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) President’s Cup. — FACEBOOK.COM/PILIPINASSUPERLEAGUE
THE NEW-LOOK Nueva Ecija squad is off to a flying start in its redemption tour.
For the first time in front of its home fans, Nueva Ecija unveiled its revamped unit and looked like the champion that it was on in pulling off a scintillating comeback win to stay perfect in the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) President’s Cup.
The Capitals, also known as the Rice Vanguards in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) where they were the former titlists, drew inspiration from the Novo Ecijanos in scoring a 102-91 overtime win against the visiting Davao Occidental Tigers at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.
Nueva Ecija erased an 11-point deficit in the last two minutes of the regulation before imposing its will in the extra time for a 3-0 record in the PSL with its core of young guns from the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) leading the way.
“Credits to the boys, especially the young ones. We don’t want to lose. The boys showed composure and heart in the end. They played with heart until the final buzzer. Luckily, it’s a miracle victory,” said coach Jerson Cabiltes, also the mentor of EAC in the NCAA, in the big win graced by team owner Bong Cuevas and Palayan City mayor Viandrei Nicole Cuevas. Veteran Will McAloney, with 17 points, joined hands with King Curtiza (10), JP Maguliano (7) and Axel Doromal (5) down the stretch as they clawed back from a 76-87 deficit inside the last two minutes. The quartet was not to be stopped from there on, outscoring Davao in overtime, 15-4, as Nueva Ecija also drew ample support from new players Billy Ray Robles (15) and Robby Celiz (14).
The big home win coincided with the ongoing 58th foundation anniversary of Palayan City, the province’s capital, until today — signaling a new and hopeful beginning for the Capitals moving forward.
“There’s a lot of people here with a passion for basketball. You can see the love of the sports here in Nueva Ecija and hopefully through PSL, we’ll also get more grassroots talents,” said Mr. Cuevas, who personally witnessed the team’s epic comeback win.
On top of the PSL with a 3-0 slate, Nueva Ecija vows no let-up as it is determined to rediscover its championship ways before trying to exact a fitting vengeance in the MPBL next season.
“We still have to adjust. We’re still not satisfied. We need more team chemistry and we want to go all the way. We want to make the playoffs and make it to the top right here. We joined here to compete and win the championship,” beamed Mr. Cabiltes. — John Bryan Ulanday
BROCK Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns and the San Francisco 49ers overcame a shaky first quarter to pound the host Philadelphia Eagles 42-19 on Sunday in a rematch of last season’s National Football Conference (NFC) Championship Game.
Deebo Samuel caught four passes for 116 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) for the 49ers (9-3), who put together consecutive touchdown drives of 85, 90, 75, 77, 75 and 48 yards in a dominating performance.
Christian McCaffrey accounted for 133 scrimmage yards (93 rushing, 40 receiving) and rushed for a touchdown as San Francisco won its fourth straight game. Mr. McCaffrey topped 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth time. He has 1,032 this season.
Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings also caught touchdown passes for the 49ers. Mr. Purdy completed 19 of 27 passes as San Francisco outgained Philadelphia 456-333.
Jalen Hurts completed 26 of 45 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for a score for the Eagles (10-2). DeVonta Smith (nine receptions, 96 yards) caught a touchdown pass and A.J. Brown had eight catches for 114 yards for Philadelphia, which had its five-game winning streak halted. Mr. Hurts briefly left to be examined for a concussion after taking a hit late in third quarter and was replaced by Marcus Mariota. Hurts returned to the contest with 8:38 left in the game.
San Francisco lost 31-7 to the Eagles in last season’s NFC title game. Purdy sustained a major injury to his throwing elbow in the contest as the 49ers’ offense was non-existent.
This time around, San Francisco’s offense was clicking over the final three quarters, and Samuel’s 12-yard score on a reverse gave the 49ers a 21-6 lead with 11:41 left in the third quarter.
The Eagles moved back within eight on Mr. Hurts’ 1-yard keeper with 6:51 to go before Samuel caught a short pass from Purdy and turned it into a 48-yard touchdown to make it 28-13 with 3:54 left in the third. The lead grew to 22 when Mr. Purdy tossed an 18-yard scoring pass to Mr. Jennings with 10:43 remaining in the game.
Mr. Hurts threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Mr. Smith with 5:33 left, but the Eagles trailed 35-19 after an incomplete two-point conversion pass. Two offensive plays later, Mr. Samuel caught a receiver screen and navigated his way into the clear for a 46-yard touchdown to make it 42-19 with 5:19 to play.
The 49ers led 14-6 at halftime after dominating the second quarter.
In the first quarter, Philadelphia outgained San Francisco 124 to minus-6. But the Eagles had two 12-play drives stall and settled for field goals of 26 and 39 yards from Jake Elliott.
In the second quarter, the 49ers outgained Philadelphia 173-21 with Mr. Purdy hitting Mr. Aiyuk for a 2-yard score with 7:10 left and Mr. McCaffrey scoring from the Eagles 2 with 38 seconds to go. — Reuters
LONDON — A Sunday goal glut ended with champions Manchester City drawing a third successive Premier League game as they were held 3-3 at home by injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur to slip to third place in the table, three points behind leaders Arsenal.
The five games produced 24 goals, the last of which was headed home by Spurs winger Dejan Kulusevski in the 90th-minute at the Etihad Stadium to deny Pep Guardiola’s side victory.
Liverpool moved a point above City into second spot as they scored twice late on to turn around a 3-2 deficit at home to Fulham and win 4-3 with Trent Alexander-Arnold sealing victory.
Ten-man Chelsea beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 at Stamford Bridge while fourth-placed Aston Villa needed a late Ollie Watkins goal to scrape a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. West Ham United drew 1-1 at home to Crystal Palace.
City have now gone three games without a win in the league for the first time in six years as once again their nemesis Tottenham caused Mr. Guardiola’s side a headache. Despite winning three successive titles, City have now beaten Spurs only once in their last five meetings.
Substitute Jack Grealish’s 81st-minute goal looked to have secured City victory but Kulusevski headed in Brennan Johnson’s cross to reward Ange Postecoglou’s side’s risk-taking approach and move them back up to fifth, six points off the pace.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min had opened the scoring in the sixth minute on the counter-attack but then levelled for City as a cross bounced off him into the net three minutes later. Phil Foden gave City the lead and they twice hit the woodwork in a dominant first half but Giovani Lo Celso equalized after the break with a sublime low shot.
In a frantic conclusion Mr. Guardiola’s side were furious deep in stoppage time when Grealish was through on goal but play was stopped for a foul on Erling Haaland during the build-up. Arsenal, who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 on Saturday, lead the table with 33 points from 14 games, with Liverpool on 31 and Manchester City on 30.
LATE GOALS Liverpool scored two late goals a minute apart just when defeat loomed against Fulham at Anfield.
The hosts’ Wataru Endo scored his first Premier League goal in the 87th minute before Alexander-Arnold struck the winner.
Alexander-Arnold’s 20th-minute free kick had ricocheted off the bar and in off Fulham keeper Bernd Leno to give Liverpool the lead but Harry Wilson equalized four minutes later.
Alexis Mac Allister restored Liverpool’s advantage after 38 minutes with a stunning long-range strike but Kenny Tete equalized for Fulham in first-half stoppage time. Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s header sent the visiting fans wild in the 80th but the Londoners left empty-handed as Liverpool remain unbeaten at home in the league since October 2022.
Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez scored twice, his first Premier League goals, as they held off Brighton in an absorbing Stamford Bridge duel while Levi Colwill also got his first league goal.
Fernandez headed home in the 17th minute and Colwill, on loan at Brighton last season, made it two four minutes later.
Facundo Buonanotte pulled a goal back and Conor Gallagher was sent off on the stroke of halftime for a second yellow card. — Reuters
Israeli soldiers work on a tank near the border with Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from southern Israel, Dec. 3, 2023. — REUTERS
GAZA/CAIRO — Israeli ground forces were confronting Hamas fighters across the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said on Sunday in its clearest indication yet that a planned ground offensive in the enclave’s refugee-crowded south had begun as Israeli bombing killed and wounded dozens of Palestinians.
The Hamas Palestinian militant group said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops about 2 km (1 mile) from the southern city of Khan Younis.
Residents, many of whom had moved there to flee earlier attacks in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, said they could hear tank fire and feared a new Israeli ground offensive was building.
The Israeli military earlier ordered people to evacuate some areas in and near the city, but made no announcement of any new southern ground assault.
“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) continues to extend its ground operation against Hamas centers in all of the Gaza Strip,” spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. “The forces are coming face-to-face with terrorists and killing them.”
Early on Monday, Hamas media quoted emergency services as saying an Israeli strike killed three civil emergency workers in Gaza City in the north of the coastal enclave.
SHIPPING ATTACKS Attacks on shipping in the southern Red Sea on Sunday heightened fears of the conflict spreading.
The US Defense Department said three commercial ships were attacked by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi movement in international Red Sea waters, and a US destroyer operating in the area shot down three drones as it responded to distress calls.
A Houthi spokesperson said its navy had attacked two Israeli ships in the Red Sea with an armed drone and a missile on Sunday, though an Israeli military spokesman said the two ships had no connection to Israel.
REFUGEE CAMP STRIKE The Jabalia refugee camp in the north of Hamas-ruled Gaza was among the sites reported hit from the air. A Gazan health ministry spokesperson said several people were killed by an Israeli air strike.
Footage obtained by Reuters showed a boy covered in grey dust, sitting weeping amid crumbled cement and rubble from collapsed buildings.
“My father was martyred,” he cried in a hoarse voice. A girl in a pink sweatshirt, also coated with dust, stood between piles of rubble.
Bombardments from war planes and artillery were also concentrated on Khan Younis and Rafah, another city in Gaza’s south, residents said, and hospitals were struggling to cope with the flow of wounded.
Israel’s government spokesperson, Eylon Levy, said the military had struck more than 400 targets over the weekend “including extensive aerial attacks in the Khan Younis area” and had also killed Hamas militants and destroyed their infrastructure in Beit Lahiya in the north.
There was no immediate comment on the reports of specific attacks.
The renewed warfare followed the end on Friday of a seven-day pause in the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants which had allowed an exchange of 105 hostages held by Hamas, most of them Israelis, for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The latest violence took place despite calls from the United States — Israel’s closest ally — for Israel to limit harm to Palestinian civilians in the new phase of its offensive, focused on the south.
US Vice President Kamala Harris made phone calls to both Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, reiterating Israel’s right to self-defense and US support for a two-state solution that gives Palestinian people the right to self-determination.
Ms. Harris “reiterated our concerns with steps that could escalate tensions, including extremist (Israeli) settler violence,” her office said.
More than 15,523 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, in nearly two months of warfare that broke out after a Hamas cross-border raid on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 240 taken hostage. Israel says Hamas continues to hold 136 hostages.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas. The Iranian-backed group is sworn to Israel’s destruction. The initial Hamas attack and the ensuing war amount to the bloodiest episode in the decades-old wider Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Osama Hamdan, a Lebanon-based Hamas official, accused Israel of pursuing a deliberate strategy of urging Gazan civilians south in order to trap and kill them there.
“It has become clear that the occupation’s claim … of the existence of safe areas in the south of the Gaza Strip, and its constant call for citizens to go there, was a premeditated plan and trap to commit more massacres against unarmed civilians and displaced people in the south,” he told reporters without citing evidence. “There are no safe areas.” — Reuters
BEIJING — China’s military on Monday said a US Navy ship illegally entered waters adjacent to the Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed South China Sea atoll that has recently seen several maritime confrontations.
“The US seriously undermined regional peace and stability,” a spokesperson for China’s Southern Theater of Operations said in a statement, adding that the US disrupted the South China Sea and violated China’s sovereignty.
China is in disputes with several of its neighbors over its extensive claims of territorial waters in the South China Sea.
The US Navy said the USS Gabrielle Giffords, an Independence-class littoral combat ship, was conducting routine operations in international waters in the South China Sea, consistent with international law.
“Every day the US 7th Fleet operates in the South China Sea, as they have for decades,” the US Navy said in a statement. “These operations demonstrate we are committed to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
In recent months, China has had several runs-ins with Philippine vessels, and protested about U.S. ships patrolling disputed areas.
According to the Chinese military, the US ship moved into waters adjacent to what China calls the Renai Reef, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, a part of the Spratly Islands. The Second Thomas Shoal lies in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, according to an United Nations tribunal ruling in 2016.
The Chinese military spokesperson said the US ship was monitored and followed, and that China’s “troops in the theater are on high alert at all times to resolutely defend national sovereignty.”
“We will not be deterred from continuing to work alongside our allies and partners in support of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-pacific,” the US Navy responded. — Reuters
A man walks next to flags duri ng the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 3, 2023. — REUTERS
DUBAI — Climate advocate and former US Vice President Al Gore on Sunday slammed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — host of the COP28 climate summit — saying its position as overseer of international negotiations on global warming this year was an abuse of public trust.
The comments, made to Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the conference in Dubai, reflected skepticism among some delegates that COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber, head of the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC, can be an honest broker of a climate deal.
“They are abusing the public’s trust by naming the CEO of one of the largest and least responsible oil companies in the world as head of the COP,” Mr. Gore said.
At a presentation at the COP’s main plenary hall before the interview, Gore unveiled data showing that the UAE’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 7.5% in 2022 from the previous year, compared to a 1.5% percent rise in the entire world. That data came from a coalition he co-founded called Climate TRACE, which uses artificial intelligence and satellite data to track carbon emissions of specific companies, Mr. Gore said.
The UAE did not immediately provide comment on Mr. Gore’s remarks or the TRACE data. Mr. Gore, who ran unsuccessfully for the US presidency in 2000 as the Democratic Party’s nominee, also railed against the presence of oil and gas companies at the annual climate summit and their promotion of technologies like carbon capture as a way to cleanse the emissions of fossil fuels.
Asked about the first-ever appearance of Exxon Mobil chief executive officer (CEO) Darren Woods at a COP conference, Mr. Gore said the oil giant’s engagement does not brush away its history of resistance to climate policies.
“He should not be taken seriously. He’s protecting his profits and placing them in a higher priority than the survival of the human civilization,” Mr. Gore said.
Exxon Mobil declined to comment.
Mr. Gore urged delegates to agree to language in the final text issued at the summit to phase out fossil fuels, without caveats or mentions of carbon capture technology.
“The current state of the technology for carbon capture and direct air capture is a research project,” Mr. Gore said. “There’s been no cost reduction for 50 years and there is a pretense on the part of the fossil fuel companies that it is a readily available, economically viable technology.” — Reuters
TCS Sustainathon is an ideation competition that aims to inspire students to envision a sustainable future by leveraging on digital technologies to solve real world problems. It is a platform that enables our young minds to collaborate with private companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies to co-create solutions to tackle sustainability challenges. Students are invited to deep dive and develop ideas and solutions to address the Challenge Statements developed for them. What started off in Singapore in 2020 is now a successful global initiative, with editions across many countries and regions, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Middle East.
Formally launched on Sept. 25, 2023, the theme for TCS Sustainathon Philippines 2023 focuses on developing new innovative solutions to address challenges and increase representation of women and young girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Tata Consultancy Services, one of the largest employers of women globally, we have been focused on the issue of active participation and leadership of women in STEM. The lack of gender equity is more apparent in engineering and information technology fields.
Students from senior high schools, colleges, and universities that are 25 years or below are invited to submit their interesting and creative proposals before Jan. 11, 2024.
Women in STEM is also a part of TCS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) framework. DEI is fostered at TCS to make everyone feel safe, respected, and valued by practicing ‘Inclusion without Exception.’ Our inclusive workplace supports various purpose-led Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to give our employees a safe space to share, learn, collaborate, and grow.
We look forward to receiving all the creative and innovative proposals from all the students and meeting all the finalists on Feb. 8, 2024.
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Among those at the top of the hospitality industry stands Discovery Hospitality Corporation (DHC), making it a point to venture into new and unexplored territories and push the boundaries of hospitality to explore its evolution and potential to its fullest.
Expanding all over Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, DHC transforms prime locations into dream destinations with Discovery Shores Boracay, Club Paradise Palawan, Discovery Suites, Discovery Primea, and the newly-opened Discovery Samal and Manami Resort. Through its continuous growth and leadership in hotel and property management, DHC consistently sets the standard in providing guests with unforgettable experiences and genuine “Service That’s All Heart”.
Through this unwavering commitment, DHC garnered international recognition. The group’s remarkable record of accomplishments include being named Asia’s Leading Business Hotel for four consecutive years with Discovery Primea, and earning the prestigious Condé Nast Johansen’s Excellence Award for five consecutive years with Discovery Shores Boracay. Club Paradise Palawan found recognition as well for its dedication to environmental stewardship, earning a spot on the Top 100 Green Destinations annual competition for two consecutive years.
Club Paradise Palawan
Strategic Management
Rooted in authentic Filipino hospitality, DHC’s customer journey is marked by its dedication to service. With welcoming smiles and open-hearted embraces, each visit is guaranteed to evoke the comforting ambiance of home.
“Each gesture is crafted to provide memorable stays, which in turn yields satisfied customers, better online engagement, and a strong rate of repeat guests. It brings brand love, which is something we have cherished since the beginning,” says Jun Parreno, President of Discovery World Corporation and COO of Discovery Hospitality Corporation.
By defining new objectives and creating effective approaches to achieving them, DHC employs the use of innovative strategies to preserve brand loyalty, reach target customers, and increase revenue.
Now, Discovery opens its doors to offering trademarked allied businesses, property management, and shared services aiming to reinvent the industry standard in hospitality.
Peak operations efficiency is achieved by assembling various disciplines of business processes and principles that ensure optimal revenue and profit. More than supervising service standards, policies, and procedures; this program combines high-touch customer service with cutting-edge business such as introducing one of the first chatbot in the Philippines, this in turn, is expected to boost the already impressive direct booking production that the Discovery group is renowned for.
VP and Head of Digital Marketing and Branding, Blessy Townes, during the Direct Booking Summit held in Singapore
The DHC management team also aims to cement their thrust in various fields; Blessy Townes, Vice President for Digital Marketing and Branding, imparting her years of experience in Digital Marketing across Asia Pacific and the US.
VP for IT, Benhur Villamil, during the ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia, and Travel Tech Asia 2023 held in Singapore
While Benhur ‘Bob’ Villamil, Vice President for Corporate IT, was addressed in the recent 3-in-1 ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia, and Travel Tech Asia 2023 held in Singapore, sharing his expert insights into the group’s continued development in ensuring best practices for hotels.
DHC is now gearing up to explore the frontiers of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, venturing into the world of Metaverse through featuring its properties as settings of games on Roblox, giving guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of the resorts before even setting foot in them.
With over two decades of experience in hospitality management, DHC contains highly-valued insights into design and development for property operations. From structural design to leisure, the group curates relevant experiences centered around locality, customer needs and business trends.
Shared Services
As the leading figure in property management, DHC shares the optimal practices based on various fields through project-based workshops, business audits, business planning, and organizational development.
“These strategic shared services provide superior execution of key business processes. Our aim is to help pave the way for higher standards in these partnerships,” explained Cathy Nepomuceno, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales & Operations at Discovery Hospitality Corporation.
Among these services offered are Digital Marketing, Food & Beverages, Finance, and a multitude of others.
Property Management
Confident in the growing Filipino hospitality industry, DHC also extends its expertise from decades of experience to third-party owned hotels and resorts for its property management services. The group leverages its pioneering expertise and trailblazing thought-leadership in building iconic, award-winning brands through world-class service, loyalty program, sales, distribution and reservations, and APAC renowned Digital Marketing, among others.
Discovery Samal
A prime example of Discovery’s shared services utilization can be found in the heart of Davao: Discovery Samal—a luxurious blend of business and leisure spaces with the most magnificent views of the Davao Gulf, located in a sprawling enclave meeting spaces, dining destinations, and relaxing landscapes in the country’s premiere Resort City, Island Garden City of Samal. This exemplifies DHC’s commitment to innovation and operation of diverse properties in the Philippine’s most celebrated destinations.
Manami Resort
Another property bearing this standard is Manami Resort, the first and only luxury nature resort in Sipalay, Negros Occidental, which is the group’s hidden jewel under its newly launched collection of unique properties, the Signature Collection. By elevating the natural grandeur rooted in the island, each guest can experience the embrace of the local culture up close and personal, enriching the lives of both locals and visitors alike.
Discovery Primea
Setting itself apart from the rest, DHC doesn’t merely embark on development projects but crafts lifestyle sanctuaries that invite everyone to call it home.
Partner with Discovery
Over its tenure in the industry, DHC has stood the test of time. Every property aims to redefine the definition of service and ensure every customer’s concerns are met and exceeded. Through its shared services, the group offers this vision of exemplary service to everyone.
“As leaders in hospitality, our goal has remained the same. By establishing key partnerships, we aspire to raise the industry standard and continue to provide guests everywhere with an experience that will create unforgettable memories for years to come,” says Parreno.
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld website. 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 an exciting collaboration, an adept group of fourth-year students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ Department of Advertising and Public Relations (PUP-DAPR) is joining forces with Innity Philippines to host an exclusive seminar-workshop — GEAR UP: Navigating Media Planning and Buying in a Digital World. After two long years of virtual engagements and webinars, this event, scheduled for Dec. 5, 2023, at the PUP-COC Audio Visual Room, marks its triumphant return with a focus on Digital Media Planning and Buying.
This seminar-workshop will guide participants through the fundamentals of digital media planning and buying, providing insights into the strategic distribution of content across various channels. Attendees will gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills to navigate the dynamic and ever-evolving digital landscape. One of the key objectives is to empower participants with the competence to make data-driven decisions. This hands-on approach ensures that attendees are well-prepared to tackle the challenges of the contemporary media landscape.
Beyond its theoretical aspects, GEAR UP serves as a bridge that gaps academic knowledge and industry demands. It offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain real-world insights and hands-on experiences that will set them ahead in their future careers in advertising and public relations.
GEAR UP! collaborated with RED Images for an exclusive photoshoot in preparation for the event on Dec. 5 at the RED Images building in Sampaloc, Manila.
In preparation for the event, the organizers collaborated with Red Images, the official studio partner for an exclusive photoshoot. RED Images is known for providing premier and timeless photography services. GEAR UP is presented by IN2IT cosmetics, which has been providing world-class beauty to Filipinas so they’ll be at their best and most-comfortable self. A special acknowledgment is given to esteemed media partners and event sponsors, whose dedication and support underscores a shared commitment to initiatives that empower education and elevate industry standards.
Registration for GEAR UP is now open, and interested individuals are encouraged to secure their spot early. For more information about the event, visit their Facebook Page to get updated.
DEFENSE Secretary Gilbert C. Teodoro, Jr. gives a media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, regarding the bombing at the Mindanao State University gymnasium in Marawi City, where the first Sunday of Advent mass was being held. Four people were killed and at least 50 others hurt. — PHILIPPINE STAR/JESSE BUSTOS
Philippine police have identified at least two suspects in the bombing of a Catholic Mass that killed four people, a regional police chief said on Monday, vowing to hunt down those behind the blast, which was claimed by Islamic State militants.
The bomb went off on Sunday during a service at a university gymnasium in Marawi, a city left in ruins in 2017 by a five-month military campaign to end a bloody occupation by Islamic State loyalists that had triggered alarm across Asia.
“(We have persons) of interest, but the investigation is still ongoing. In order not to preempt the investigation, we will not divulge the names,” Regional Police Chief Allan Nobleza told GMA News, adding that one of the suspects was linked to a local militant group.
The United States condemned what it called a “horrific terrorist attack” and said it stood with Filipinos in rejecting violence, joining a chorus of support from countries that include Japan, Australia, Britain, China and Canada.
“We mourn those killed in the attack, and our thoughts are with the injured,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in statement.
Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing at Mindanao State University, shortly after Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos ,Jr. said “foreign terrorists” were responsible.
Marawi is in a area known as Bangsamoro, an underdeveloped Muslim region in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, that has for decades battled with lawlessness, separatist violence and clan conflicts, prompting concern that it could become fertile ground for extremism.
Military Chief Romeo Brawner on Sunday said he suspected the bombing could be a retaliatory attack as it had followed operations against local extremist groups in the southern region of Mindanao.
The military recently said it had killed a senior operative from Abu Sayyaf, a group notorious for kidnapping and piracy that has aligned itself with the Islamic State.
Abu Sayyaf’s late leader, Isnilon Hapilon, was Islamic States anointed “emir” in Southeast Asia and mastermind of the 2017 occupation of Marawi, which led to the deaths of more than 1,000 people during a five-month war, among them fighters from multiple countries. Hapilon was killed by a sniper.
The military said it had also conducted two operations in Mindanao on Friday and Sunday against Dawlah Islamiya-Maute, a group that joined Hapilon in taking over Marawi in 2017, seeking to turn it into a Southeast Asian “wilayat” – or governorate – for Islamic State.
Xerxes Trinidad, a spokesperson for the military, said it was aware of Islamic State’s claim of and responsibility and was trying to validate it.
Of the 54 who were wounded in the bombing, Trinidad said only seven remained in hospital.
Classes resumed in Marawi on Monday, but with tighter security.
“Though saddened by the explosion, we have to go back to normalcy and address this tragic incident,” Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra told DWPM radio station. — Reuters
Marawi City as seen in a screenshot from Google Maps
MANILA – Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing at a Catholic Mass in the Philippines on Sunday that killed at least four people and injured 50 others.
The attack was carried out in a university gymnasium in Marawi, a city in the south of the country besieged by Islamist militants for five months in 2017.
The Islamic State group, which wields influence in the country’s south, said on Telegram its members had detonated the bomb.
Earlier on Sunday, before Islamic State’s claim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr condemned “the senseless and most heinous acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists”. Police and the military strengthened security in the country’s south and around the capital Manila.
In Rome, Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims during his Sunday address, and, in a separate written message, appealed to “Christ the prince of peace (to) grant to all the strength to turn from violence and overcome every evil with good”.
Law enforcement operations to bring to justice the perpetrators of the “terrorist activity” will “continue unabated”, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told a press conference.
There were “strong indications of a foreign element” in the bombing, Teodoro said, refusing to elaborate so as not to compromise ongoing investigation.
Fragments of a 60-mm mortar were recovered at the scene, senior police official Emmanuel Peralta told the press conference.
HIGH ALERT
The blast in Marawi, capital of Lanao del Sur province, followed a series of military operations against local pro-Islamic State groups in the southern Philippines, the military chief said.
One on Sunday in Lanao del Sur led to the killing of a leader of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute group.
“It is possible that what happened this morning was a retaliatory attack,” Armed Forces Chief Romeo Brawner told the press conference.
The Islamic State-linked Maute seized Marawi on May 2017, seeking to make it a Southeast Asian “wilayat” – or governorate – for Islamic State.
In the ensuing five-month battle, Islamist fighters and Philippine forces killed more than a thousand people, including civilians.
Images shared by the Lanao del Sur government on Facebook showed military officials surveying the gym at the Mindanao State University where the blast occurred, which appeared intact except for burn marks in the centre.
Videos posted by DZBB radio on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, showed rescuers carrying injured people out of the gym on plastic chairs.
Police offices in Mindanao and the capital region were placed on high alert and police checkpoints tightened “to prevent possible follow-up incidents”, police official Mr. Peralta said.
The coast guard directed its districts to intensify pre-departure inspections at ports.
Mindanao State University said in a Facebook post it was “deeply saddened and appalled by the act of violence that occurred during a religious gathering”. “We unequivocally condemn in the strongest possible terms this senseless and horrific act.”
The university said it was suspending classes until further notice. – Reuters
MANILA– Strong aftershocks from an earthquake that has killed at least three people and a new tremor in southern Philippines are forcing thousands of residents to stay in evacuation centers, disaster officials said on Monday.
“We are scared up to now because of the aftershocks,” Alex Arana, disaster agency chief of Surigao del Sur, told DZBB radio station.
His coastal province was closest to the epicenter of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake, which struck late on Saturday and was followed by aftershocks. It was also the most damaged area.
Two people died — one as a result of falling debris and another because of a collapsed wall — and eight were injured in Surigao del Sur, Arana said.
A pregnant woman was killed when a wall collapsed as she and her family were fleeing their home in Tagum city in Davao del Norte province.
As of late on Sunday, more than 108,000 people were staying in 115 evacuation centers in Surigao del Sur, government data show.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake, with a depth of 1 km (0.62 mile), struck Mindanao in the Philippines in the early hours of Monday, the Philippine seismology agency reported.
It was not part of the magnitude 7.4 quake and about 1,700 aftershocks, officials said.
“We get dizzy from tremors every so often. We choose to stay here at the evacuation centre for now,” Susan Clor, a resident of Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur, told GMA television station.
Earthquakes are common in the Philippines, which lies on the “Ring of Fire”, a belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that is prone to seismic activity. – Reuters
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