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DepEd to boost teacher training

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

FOLLOWING its poor showing in a 2022 global learning assessment, the Philippines said on Thursday that it seeks to boost teacher training and address bullying in schools.

The Department of Education (DepEd) will focus on improving teaching quality in the coming months, agency spokesman Michael T. Poa said at a news briefing after a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., which was also attended by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“He wants teachers to have expertise,” Mr. Poa said. “He emphasized the necessity of proper training programs for our teachers — of course, [this is] hand in hand with teachers’ welfare.”

The President wants teachers to be better equipped with technology so they could do better, he added.

Filipino students were still among the world’s weakest in math, reading, and science, according to the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The PISA ranked the Philippines at No. 77 out of 81 countries for performing worse than the global average in all categories.

“The President regards them (teachers) as the most important, and we agree, teaching quality will really improve,” Mr. Poa said. “He believes around 60% improvement will be achieved if we can improve the teaching quality.”

The agency will conduct a scoping review to determine the number of teachers who have gadgets.

“We will really train all of our teachers because there have been so many changes in technology, even in a span of a year,” he said, adding that the DepEd may also train teachers on how to use artificial intelligence.

“So that’s something we are looking at,” he said. “We will use, of course, the training facility of DepEd to do that.”

DepEd Undersecretary Gina Gonong cited the need for the DepEd to partner with universities to train education students in using technology in teaching.

Meanwhile, Mr. Poa said the agency would also focus on improving students’ nutrition and address bullying in schools to address the country’s learning challenges.

He said the government’s school-based feeding program can now be sustained for the whole year due to increased allocation from Congress under the 2024 national budget.

“For the school-based feeding program, we had a P5.6-billion budget for 2023. The budget has been increased [for] this year to P11.7 billion,” he said. “What does that mean? It means that because of the increased funding, we can cover the whole year.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Gov’t told: Pay hike, not ‘Cha-cha’

PHILIPPINE STAR/ANDY ZAPATA JR.

THE MARCOS administration must focus on increasing wages rather than introducing changes to the 1987 Constitution if it truly wishes to help people to escape poverty, a former lawmaker said on Thursday.

“Amidst escalating prices and the diminishing real value of our salaries, the solution is clear: we need a change and an increase in our wages, not a change in Constitution,” Emerenciana de Jesus, chairperson of Gabriela Party-list, said in a statement.

“If the government is really keen on uplifting the lives of the Filipino people, then it must prioritize bills which will increase the workers’ salaries,” she added.

Several proposals calling for a legislated wage increase of P750 and P150 are pending in Congress.

Ms. De Jesus, a former party-list representative in Congress, raised concerns that Charter change (“Cha-cha”) proposals are allegedly target term extensions and softening limits of foreign ownership in the country.

She called “Cha-cha” a “trojan horse” for increased liberalization and opening the country to foreign domination.

She also sounded the alarm over a television commercial blaming the current state of the Constitution for the country’s economic woes.

“Is it really just a coincidence that after the government released a statement “studying” “Cha-cha,” a certain group sponsored a TV ad campaigning to revise the Constitution?” said Ms. De Jesus, a former representative of Gabriela in Congress.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez revisited proposals to amend the Constitution to ease economic restrictions.

However, Senate Majority Leader Joel J. Villanueva maintained his firm stance against “Cha-cha,” saying it is not the solution to immediate issues like hunger, lack of jobs, and the El Niño phenomenon. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Fire razes San Fernando market

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Alexa from Pixabay

BAGUIO CITY — A fire that razed through the entire wet section of the public market in San Fernando City, La Union in the wee hours of Thursday morning is now being investigated by arson probers.

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) investigators said the fire started past 1 a.m. and was only declared “fire-out” by 6:52 a.m. As of late afternoon, there were no reported injuries or estimate of the cost of damage by the BFP.

The San Fernando City government said stall owners displaced by the fire were being relocated at the covered courts of Barangay Ilocanos Sur and Norte, while the market office now temporarily operates from the Barangay Hall of Ilocanos Sur.

The city government is working with the City Council to declare a “state of calamity” in order to tap funds necessary to get the market back in operation. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Marcos to visit Germany in March

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Thursday that he will be visiting Germany in March.

Mr. Marcos told German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of his plan to visit Berlin on March 12 during their meeting at the presidential palace.

He said his office has been “in contact” with the German Embassy in Manila over the past few months to arrange the visit ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Philippines’ diplomatic relationship with Germany in October.

“And I think we have finally managed, with your embassy’s staff, we’ve been driving them a little crazy. We keep moving things because things have been coming up. But I think we have come down on the March 12th date,” Mr. Marcos told Ms. Baerbock. “So I can commit to that now,” he added.

Ms. Baerbock’s visit in Manila is the first by a German federal foreign minister in over a decade.

The last Philippine president to hold an official visit to Germany was the late Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III in 2014. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

SMB shoots for quarters incentive vs Blackwater

SAN Miguel Beermen — PBA MEDIA

Games Friday
Smart Araneta Coliseum
4 p.m. — San Miguel vs Blackwater
8 p.m. — Meralco vs Terrafirma

THINGS are looking good for San Miguel Beer (SMB) as it zeroes in on a coveted incentive in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals today in its elims windup against also-ran Blackwater.

By now, replacement import Bennie Boatwright should be right at home with the locals, with whom he has collaborated for half of the current four-game streak of third-running SMB (7-3).

Boatwright, who debuted last Christmas, delivered a 51-point scorcher in their 132-110 thrashing of Terrafirma last Sunday and is tipped to carry the big guns in their bid for a Top 4 seeding and win-once bonus against the skidding Bossing (1-9) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“This team has had high accolades over the past years and I’m excited to be a part of it and make a run at the playoffs,” said the former USC Trojans standout.

He won’t be alone, of course as SMB boasts a topnotch local crew led by CJ Perez, Don Trollano, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and Mo Tautuaa that can shoot the lights out themselves.

And then there’s more. Pending medical clearance, seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo may make his comeback in the 4 p.m. duel with Blackwater. Mr. Fajardo missed the last six games due to a fractured hand.

“June Mar’s doing very well, he’s recovering well and if the doctor gives him a go-signal, he could play our game against Blackwater,” said coach Jorge Gallent.

A win by Mr. Gallent’s troops puts them at 8-3 with a guaranteed twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters alongside No. 1 Magnolia (9-2) and Top 4-assured Phoenix (8-2). A loss will complicate things with Ginebra (7-3) and Meralco (7-3) threatening to take their eighth victories against separate foes.

The Bolts gun for No. 8 in the second game against another eliminated squad in Dyip (2-8).

Even if successful, however, the charges of Luigi Trillo will need either SMB or Ginebra to drop their last elims assignments against Blackwater and NLEX, respectively, and get stuck at seven wins to salvage a Top 4 position. This is due to Meralco’s inferior quotient versus the Beermen and the Gin Kings if it comes to a tiebreaker for the remaining prime slots.

“We beat Terrafirma and we wait and see. It’s still out there. We still have a chance if Ginebra or San Miguel loses,” said Mr. Trillo.

The situation could have been a lot different for Meralco had it not bungled its shot at the incentive in an 83-93 loss to Phoenix last Wednesday.

“At this point, we can’t cry over spilled milk. Move on with the Bolts versus Terrafirma,” said Mr. Trillo. — Olmin Leyba

King Lion Jacob Cortez leaves NCAA and jumps to UAAP

IT WAS an open secret that, even before San Beda’s remarkable Season 99 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title run last year, King Lion Jacob Cortez was making a jump to De La Salle University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

Mr. Cortez himself confirmed it yesterday. “With great difficulty, I have decided that my time as a Red Lion is closing, and would like to officially announce that I will not be playing for San Beda University in their upcoming season,” said Mr. Cortez on Facebook. “Challenging, improving, and growing is always my goal, and so I have decided that to achieve this, I need to get out of my comfort zone.”

“With that, I plan to compete in the UAAP,” he added.

While he did not mention De La Salle specifically, his path had always pointed towards reigning UAAP titlist De La Salle where his father, Mike Cortez, was one of its biggest stars more than two decades back.

He has jumped from a champion team to another champion squad.

Mr. Cortez was grateful San Beda gave him a chance. “I have had the best time at San Beda. From playing as a rookie fresh out of high school in an isolating yet invigorating bubble season to helping bring back the crown where it belongs after many have counted San Beda out,” said Mr. Cortez. “Still, the most unforgettable part of the past couple of years has been all of you. Along the journey, I’ve truly met people who I can call family now.” — Joey Villar

Slumbers to step down as R&A CEO

MARTIN SLUMBERS is to step down as chief executive officer (CEO) of the R&A by the end of 2024 after nine years in the role, the 63-year-old said on Wednesday.

Mr. Slumbers is also Secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and has been CEO since taking over from Peter Dawson in 2015. Mr. Slumbers will oversee the running of this year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews and the Curtis Cup match at Sunningdale, before he steps down.

In his time as CEO, he led a merger with the Ladies’ Golf Union which came into effect in 2017, oversaw the modernization of the Rules of Golf in 2019 and the roll-out of the World Handicap System in 2020.

Mr. Slumbers was also involved in developing the new rules to limit the distance balls struck by the game’s elite players can travel, which will be introduced in 2028. — Reuters

Dwight Howard wants to play in PBA, despite height eligibility

DWIGHT HOWARD — NBA.COM

DWIGHT HOWARD reiterated his height eligibility for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), where he hopes to make it as an import someday after his stint with Strong Group Athletics (SGA) in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championships.

“I’m eligible for the PBA,” expressed Mr. Howard, clarifying that he’s 6-foot-9 without shoes, in the thick of SGA’s preparations for the Middle Eastern tourney on Jan. 19 to 28.

Mr. Howard is listed at 6-foot-10 according to the NBA website. In FIBA, he’s billed as 6-foot-11.

The PBA has a height limit of 6-foot-9 for imports in the Commissioner’s Cup and 6-foot-6 in the Governors’ Cup, making Mr. Howard eligible if his claim of a 6-foot-9 height is true depending on PBA’s measurement.

In case that he’s not, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and one-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers is appealing for changes from Asia’s oldest professional league.

“I think they gotta change the height requirements because I’m 6’9” without shoes. And with shoes, it has a little. I hope they do that so guys like Dray (Andray Blatche) can come back here and play as well,” Mr. Howard added.

CHANGE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS
“We want to play in the PBA. If they change the height requirements, maybe we’ll see twin towers in the Philippines.”

The PBA Commissioner’s Cup for the 48th Season is already underway nearing the playoffs and should the stars align for the 38-year-old slotman, he has to wait until next season.

For now, Mr. Howard is shifting all his focus and attention to the preparations of SGA in a bid to avenge a quarterfinal finish in Dubai last year with his big help.

“I believe we can do anything if we put our minds to it. We gotta have faith. Our focus is going to Dubai and play against whatever team is out there, represent the Philippines and win,” vowed Mr. Howard, who’s on his third visit to the country but first time playing here. — John Bryan Ulanday

Williams did not honor his commitment to play for Strong Group

MIKEY WILLIAMS — PBA IMAGES

MIKEY Williams did not honor his word to play for Strong Group Athletics (SGA) in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championships, the team said after its first full practice without the ace guard.

According to team manager Jacob Lao, the Fil-American stalwart committed his services for SGA but was a no-show in training camp that featured NBA veterans like Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche and Andre Robinson.

The development led to the team’s decision to move on from him with only a week to go before the Dubai tourney on Jan. 19 to 28.

“This is the first time we have had a player who doesn’t honor his word,” said Mr. Lao, son of team owner (Mr.) Frank (Lao).

“Now, I understand the management of the team he played for before.”

Mr. Williams, whose PBA contract was terminated by his mother club Talk ‘N Text last year after their negotiations fell through, was supposed to be the starting point guard of the SGA according to head coach Charles Tiu.

But to no avail.

“We really don’t know what happened. Everything was in place and we agreed to almost everything he wanted,” cleared Mr. Lao, noting their terms on the worth of Mr. Williams’ contract and his preferred arrival.

“At first, he agreed to the price. Then he asked for a specific time frame for his arrival. However, he just didn’t show up at our practice when everybody was expecting him to, including former NBA stars and starters.”

Aside from the reinforcements led by Mr. Howard, all local players of SGA bannered by UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao and MPBL MVP Justine Baltazar are already at the height of training camp in Makati. — John Bryan Ulanday

Warriors struggle

THE Warriors are a mess. There was a time when they proved to be practically unbeatable at home. Just last season, they went a heady 33 and eight at Chase Center — with their mastery of familiar confines made all the more evident by their woeful 11-30 slate on the road. Thus far in their 2023-24 campaign, however, they have been mediocre at best in front of their fans. And it isn’t just that they’ve been playing badly. They’re actually getting worse. Yesterday, they received a 36-point shellacking at the hands of the Pelicans, who led from the get-go and needed less than five minutes to build a double-digit lead that got bigger with time.

To contend that the Warriors aren’t supposed to be this miserable would be an understatement. Pegged to be among the legitimate contenders for the hardware prior to the start of the season, they are now more likely to be among those anticipating the bounce of ping-pong balls in the next lottery. Forget about their seemingly solid start; as it turns out, they were simply propped up by the lights-out showing of Stephen Curry. And as the burden of carrying his sad-sack teammates have become heavier, his numbers have drastically fallen. It’s no coincidence that his on-court swoon has accompanied off-court disappointment; he isn’t even trying to hide it anymore.

In part, the Warriors have been handicapped by significant drop-offs in the output of vital cogs, particularly Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson. In larger measure, they suffer from self-inflicted wounds. Draymond Green’s lengthy suspension from anger management issues deprived them of their principal playmaker and defensive anchor. Meanwhile, head coach Steve Kerr’s cringe-inducing substitution patterns served to alienate otherwise-productive personnel. And, in the midst of the turmoil, Curry’s love of the game — the very fuel for his greatness — has waned considerably.

Not that the Warriors are dead in the water. There’s still more than half the season to be negotiated, and they’re a mere one and a half games out of a play-in spot. On the other hand, Kerr’s somber post-match presser yesterday underscored their fragile state; he noted that they have lost “spirit, confidence, and belief.” If they’re going to turn their fortunes around, Curry will have to lessen his icy stares at the bench and lead by example. Green will need to toe the line and control his temper. The rest would do well to follow suit. Else, they will have wasted what looks to be their last best chance to make a deep playoff run with the core that gave them their four championships.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

US to China: Do not interfere in Taiwan’s upcoming polls

REUTERS

WASHINGTON — The United States, in a clear signal to China, opposes any outside interference or influence in Taiwan’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, a senior Biden administration official said on Wednesday.

The Jan. 13 Taiwan elections come at a delicate time in US-Chinese relations with President Joseph R. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping having just re-established military-to-military ties when they met in California last November.

The official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Washington does not take sides in the elections and does not have a favorite or preferred candidate.

“We oppose any outside interference or influence in Taiwan’s elections,” the official said. “Regardless of whom is elected, our policy toward Taiwan will remain the same and our strong unofficial relationship will also continue.”

The United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties with the island.

The elections are taking place against a backdrop of a ramped-up war of words between Taiwan and China, which views the island as its own territory despite the strong objections of the Taiwanese government. Washington wants to maintain the self-ruled island’s status quo.

The launch of a Chinese satellite that flew over Taiwan, prompting an erroneous air raid alert, sparked a political storm on the island on Wednesday about China’s motives only days out from presidential elections.

“I will note that the election is part of a normal, routine, democratic process. Beijing will be the provocateur should it choose to respond with additional military pressure or coercion,” the Biden administration official said.

The official warned that disruption to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait “would seriously damage the global economy and the spillover would affect all economies around the world.”

The United States plans to send an unofficial delegation to Taiwan in the aftermath of the elections to hold direct communications. The official said some former high-ranking American officials were likely to be included. The official added that sending the delegation was “well within precedent and is of course consistent with our one China policy.”

“The United States has full confidence in Taiwan’s democratic processes, and there is strong bipartisan support for free and fair elections. Taiwan is a model for democracy, not only in the region, but also globally,” the official said.

A top White House official, Jon Finer, met on Wednesday with a senior Chinese official and the two discussed tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea, the White House said.

Mr. Finer, who is deputy national security adviser, met Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of China’s Communist Party, as part of efforts to maintain open lines of communications as directed by Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi in their California summit.

The meeting took place in Washington and the two officials had “candid and constructive discussions.” They discussed a host of global hotspots, including the Middle East and Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Mr. Finer stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea,” the White House said.

They reaffirmed support for continued high-level diplomacy and interactions between the United States and China, the White House said. — Reuters

Israel, South Africa to face off at UN top court in Gaza genocide case

THE PEACE PALACE in The Hague (Netherlands), seat of the International Court of Justice. Photograph: Jeroen Bouman — COURTESY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

THE HAGUE — South Africa and Israel face each other at the top United Nations (UN) court on Thursday where judges will hear a South African case accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and requesting an emergency suspension of Israel’s military campaign.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, also known as the World Court, will have two days of hearings this week in a case brought in late December accusing Israel of failing to uphold its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Israel has called the whole case absurd and accused Pretoria of playing “advocate of the devil” for Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist militant group it is waging war against in Gaza.

South Africa and Israel are both parties to the Genocide Convention, which obliges them to not commit genocide and also to prevent and punish it. The treaty defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.”

South Africa has asked the court to order a series of emergency measures including a suspension of military action in Gaza while the court hears the case on the merits, which can take years.

Israeli forces launched their offensive after fighters from Hamas-ruled Gaza carried out an Oct. 7 cross-border rampage in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 abducted.

Since then, the offensive has laid much of the densely populated Gaza Strip to waste, and nearly all its 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes at least once, causing a humanitarian catastrophe.

Post-apartheid South Africa has long defended the Palestinian cause, a relationship forged when the African National Congress’ struggle against white minority rule was cheered on by Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization.

In November, the now ruling ANC backed a motion in South Africa’s parliament to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel until it agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza.

In its court filings, South Africa cites Israel’s failure to provide food, water, medicine and other essential humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian enclave.

It also points to the sustained bombing campaign which has killed over 23,000 people according to Gaza health authorities.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy said ahead of the hearings that Israel “remains committed to and operates in accordance with international law” and stressed all military action is directed against Hamas.

A ruling on the emergency measures is expected later this month. The court will not rule at that time on the genocide allegations, as it will only rule on those in its final judgment which is likely several years off. The ICJ’s decisions are final and without appeal but the court has no way to enforce them. — Reuters

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