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Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David will once again lead the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Residents of Manila can enjoy free tours with the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off bus tour program.

The United States government recently donated nearly P7 million to help promote human rights in the country through the Philippines-United Nations Joint Program for Human Rights.

Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III on July 7 expressed hope that the opposition is consolidating its forces one year into the second Marcos administration and ahead of the midterm elections.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez has expressed confidence that the newly signed Republic Act 11953 or the Agrarian Emancipation Act will serve as a catalyst for rural development.

President Marcos is optimistic the Armed Forces’ modernization program will be back on track as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

After all the frenzy that it has whipped up, the “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign of the Department of Tourism appears to be still on the table.

The Philippine National Police is willing to deploy police officers for beat patrol at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City in the wake of the reported sexual assault of a student in the campus last week – if the university will allow it.

The government has to fix the “complicated” systems in the bureaucracy and ensure an investor-friendly environment, President Marcos said, following the release of the labor force survey which showed unemployment and underemployment hitting their second lowest rates since 2005.

Kiribati communities are gearing up to celebrate Tungaru language this week, as Wikin te Taetae ni Kiribati - Kiribati Language Week 2023 gets underway.

"Our Language Week Series provides an opportunity for all i-Kiribati people to celebrate culture, identity and language of the islands," Barbara Edmonds said.

THE final numbers for Victor Wembanyama in his Summer League debut: nine points on 2-for-13 shooting, eight rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists.

Not on the stat sheet: countless pictures and videos captured on phones, the couple dozen times he applauded teammates and all the autographs that a very friendly San Antonio Spurs coach named Gregg Popovich signed at halftime for kids and other fans.

The Wemby Show is underway. The outcome on Friday night, July 8, 2023, doesn’t matter much and will be forgotten in the next couple days — for the record, the Spurs beat the Charlotte Hornets 76-68. But for the 17,500 people who bought tickets, most of them just to say they saw Wembanyama’s first time sweating in a Spurs game uniform, it was a night to remember.

A night to remember for the No. 1 pick, too.

“Special moment,” Wembanyama said. “Really special to wear that jersey for a first time. It’s really an honor.”

Wembanyama did a lot of things well, which can’t be a surprise. He screened well. Passed well; he even had a left-handed shovel pass for an assist. Defended well at times; Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, the No. 2 pick in the draft, tried a 3-pointer from about five or six feet beyond the arc in the first half, and Wembanyama threw his left arm skyward and blocked it with ease. And his four-point play with 2:50 left put the Spurs up by 14, just about sealing the win.

“He’s a legit 7-6,” Miller said afterward, only slightly exaggerating Wembanyama’s official height of 7 feet, 3-1/2 inches. “Victor is a great guy, great off the court. He’s going to have a great career, and just to see him step up to the challenge, I think that shows a lot of heart.”

Wembanyama struggled shooting and air-balled a pair of 3-point tries in the fourth quarter, got moved out of the way on a few rebound opportunities, and was sort of dunked on when he was trying to defend a lob to Charlotte’s Kai Jones — Wembanyama couldn’t reach it, and fouled Jones as he threw the ball down — and had tons of moments that he’ll learn from on film.

“All in all, I think he did a good job. ... You can see his basketball IQ is elite,” Spurs summer coach Matt Nielsen said.

Again, none of it mattered much, good or bad. Wembanyama’s body of work in France over the last three years more than proved his enormous potential. A 30-point game or an 0-for-30 game on Friday night wouldn’t have changed anything.

There were hundreds of phones pointed at the tunnel where he emerged for a six-minute warmup before the game. Some tickets went for more than $200 on the resale market; that’s pretty much unheard of for Summer League. Fans in Spurs jerseys — they were obviously new jerseys, since they had Wembanyama’s name on them — started showing up inside the arena two games before the Spurs-Hornets matchup just to make sure they had a good seat. No. 3 draft pick Scoot

Henderson played in the previous game for Portland; he came out and stood courtside for some of the second half of the Spurs game.

“I’m glad a lot of people could get to see us play,” Wembanyama said.

Jerry West was courtside, as was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who’ll join Wembanyama on stage at NBA Con on Saturday, July 8, for a conversation between a legend and someone who is expected to become a legend.

The numbers didn’t matter. Wembanyama overshadowed everyone. And everything.

Like Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason, for example. They combined for a miracle finish to give Houston a 100-99 win over Portland in the game that immediately preceded Spurs-Hornets. Down by two with 0.6 seconds left, Eason just sort of sidearm-heaved a pass about 40 feet to Smith, who turned and beat the clock with a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Everybody celebrated, some because of Smith’s shot, some because the game was over, and it was Wemby time. It would have been the talk of Summer League, under normal circumstances.

These are not normal circumstances.

And in the adjacent court — UNLV has two separate gyms under one roof — Cleveland and Brooklyn were playing simultaneously to Wembanyama’s debut. Let’s just say there were more than a few empty seats in the gym for that game; only the most ardent Cavaliers fans, Nets fans, or friends and family of players on those rosters seemed to be there for that one. Meanwhile, a few feet away in the big gym, fans were seated all the way up to the rafters.

The debut was a circus. Everyone expected it would be, and that was even before he went to dinner Wednesday night and was approached by Britney Spears — the pop star who grabbed or poked at Wembanyama and set off a two-day story that generated tons of headlines worldwide.

He handled all that with ease, not even knowing until hours later Spears was the person involved, and handled all the attention Friday night with ease as well.

“He’s pretty cool,” Spurs teammate Julian Champagnie said, later adding, “he deserves to have this moment.”

He is a rookie. A very tall, super talented one. He will have great games in San Antonio. He will have bad games. And he’s now had his first game. His NBA story is underway. The Spurs are betting that it only gets better from here.

“I just want to get better every time,” Wembanyama said, “and learn as much as I can.” (AP)

THE Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract extension with guard Dejounte Murray, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Friday, July 7, 2023.

The deal preserves his Hawks backcourt pairing with Trae Young and keeps Murray on the roster for five years, through the 2027-28 season, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the extension has not been announced.

Murray hinted at the agreement on his Twitter account when he posted late Thursday “ATLANTA. Been Locked In From The Moment Y’all Accepted Me” and added “ LOYALTY OVER EVERYTHING Let’s Gooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

The Hawks helped to clear cap space for the extension on June 26, when they traded forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz for veteran forward Rudy Gay and a conditional 2026 second-round draft pick. Collins is guaranteed $25.3 million in the 2023-24 season. Gay, 36, is due approximately $6.5 million.

On Friday night, the Hawks officially announced the Collins trade, which creates a $25.3 million trade exception for Atlanta. The exception, currently the largest in the NBA, can be used to acquire a player in a future deal within a year.

“Being able to create financial flexibility moving forward was a major priority for us,” Hawks general manager Landry Fields said in a statement released by the team. “The added flexibility will give us greater optionality as we look at opportunities to improve our team.”

The extension was especially important for the Hawks following their significant commitment to Murray. On June 29, 2022, the Hawks traded Danilo Gallinari and three first-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs for Murray.

Murray, 26, averaged 20.5 points and 6.1 assists for the Hawks last season, creating the high-scoring backcourt duo with Young that was expected. Even so, the Hawks suffered another first-round loss in the playoffs following their midseason firing of coach Nate McMillan and the hiring of Quin Snyder as his replacement.

The Hawks finished 41-41, again unable to regain the promising form they showed when they advanced to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals. (AP)

Nowadays in professional boxing, it’s not too often that we get to witness a seminal match-up between two undefeated, elite fighters at their absolute primes, duking it out for all the marbles.

Blame that on the promotional outfits, matchmaking issues, and petty management disputes, but we rarely get treated to a dream match-up like we are about to witness later this month.

Errol Spence and Terence Crawford will finally make all our dreams come true as they clash on July 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

SPENCE. Errol Spence (28-0, 22KOs) brings a lot to this table. He is currently the IBF, WBA and WBC welterweight champion.

To get to where he is right now, he waylaid several big names in boxing, to wit: Kell Brook, Lamont Peterson, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter and Yordenis Ugas.

Looks like a Hall of Fame roster to me.

He also had to survive a horrible car crash back in October 2019, which was thought to be career-ending at that time. Thankfully, he was able to bounce back and resume his career.

He is a southpaw who brings a hybrid boxer-puncher approach and is a master at making adjustments mid-game to overcome his opponents.

CRAWFORD. “Bud” (39-0, 30 KOs) has been at the apex of the game for a decade now. He is always arguably in the top 3 of most pound-for-pound lists.

Rightfully so as he had multiple world championships in three weight classes.

He has defeated the likes of Victor Postol, Amir Khan, Jose Benavidez Jr, Kell Brook and Shawn Porter.

Currently, he holds the WBO diadem, a title he held since 2018, after moving up from the junior lightweight division.

Crawford is a master boxer and can switch stances with fluid ease. He is fast, powerful, and a crafty ring technician. Some refer to him as Floyd Mayweather with a punch.

The knock-on Crawford is his lack of a career-defining matchup, one that would propel him to boxing immortality.

FINALLY. Will the Spence fight finally cement Crawford’s claim to being one of the best? Or will Spence prove he has always been the superior fighter and overcome his vaunted rival?

For years now, these fighters have been tiptoeing around each other and for some reason, there was always a contingency that pushed the fight back.

For now, it’s all systems go, and it looks like we are set to witness one of the greatest fights this decade has to offer.

LAST ROUNDS. Are on Kenneth and Anabelle Dyguani who recently celebrated their birthdays. Cheers guys.

MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are encouraged to participate in a digital export hub program to help them grow their brands and overcome barriers to their journey to become global players.

“With a growing global demand for Filipino products, it’s time to seize the opportunity and unlock the full potential of our local businesses,” said technology solution ECFulfill.

ECFulfill is introducing the MSME Digital Export Hub-Global Program designed to address the challenges faced by these businesses in maximizing the growing demand.

These are the limited direct access to the export market, inconsistent sales demand and channels, and limited resources for sales and marketing.

In response to these challenges, the MSME Digital Export Hub provides a comprehensive solution through two powerful phases – the Bridge and Expand phases.

The Bridge Phase (Incubation) consists of branding, or developing a strong brand identity and market positioning; digital export, unlocking the potential of online platforms for international trade; and market testing, or testing market viability and refine strategies.

“We believe that building a strong brand is essential for long-term success. Our platform offers tools and guidance to help businesses define their brand and stand out in the market,” ECFulfill said.

ECFulfill said its platform connects businesses with potential buyers through social media and content creation. It also provides automated marketing solutions and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features that streamline sales and marketing efforts.

On the other hand, under the Expand Phase (Acceleration), the Asian Institute of Management-Dado Banatao Incubator provides startup training, while brands are registered at Amazon Store with one-year subscription.

“Brand registration is the key to export success!” it added. / PHILEXPORT

It rained money bills that day at the south coastal road of Cebu so they thought the heavens must have answered their prayers and dropped onto them almost P4 million.

The saying “Finders keepers, losers weepers” is not a rule, just a children’s rhyme without any ethical reality for both children and adults, including the finders of the money last Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at the Cebu South Coastal Road at the South Road Properties. The reality is if it’s not yours, you return it; if you don’t, you can be cited for theft which can send you to prison for up to 12 years.

Those on the northbound lane of the coastal road at the time the money bills flew out of the busted knapsack of a money collector knew the money they picked up wasn’t theirs. Some of them probably refuse to know or understand that there are consequences to appropriating the bills for themselves.

They must have thought it was their good fortune to be on that portion of the road at the right time, but they were wrong. Court rulings have cited finders of lost items for theft and those who were given the money or profited from it were likewise charged with fencing.

If a finder thinks the money is answered prayer as he has been imploring the saints in heaven for help for his sick father, he could end up endangering himself and his father. That’s a possibility, although finding the finder and building evidence will require much sleuthing.

The finder who turns over the money to local authorities or the collector cannot be held guilty of theft because there is no intent to gain or appropriate the money for himself. But a finder who keeps the money is guilty of theft.

The update from the incident said only about P2 million or half of the money was returned by the finders or gathered by the collector after rushing after the money and asking others to help.

The police have called on other finders to return the rest to the collector or surrender them to authorities. Mambaling police officers said Wednesday, July 5, they have collected video from security cameras at the south coastal road and from witnesses. Police are trying to identify the finders to ask them to return the money. If they refuse, they could face criminal charges. Reports said three finders have returned P30,000 to the police as of last Wednesday.

The saying “Finders keepers, losers weepers” is described as an idiom used by children to mean you can keep what you find and do not need to give it back to the person who has lost it. That idiom has been found to not have ethical merit or any legal basis.

Finders of the money cannot invoke it.

July 08, 2023 8:20 PM

China's meteorological stations have recorded the highest temperatures since record-keeping started in 1961.

As a career-obsessed woman, my dating life has always been an afterthought for me.

However, my looming 28th birthday, bringing me a year closer to 30 has caused me to panic a little at the state of my lovelessness.

After ending a nearly five-month relationship with a man I thought I was in love with, I found myself loveless again.

The recent heartbreak and the longing to be with a partner have pushed me to do the unthinkable ... join dating apps.

This column is neither an advertisement nor a criticism of Bumble, but that app is great entertainment for single people and a huge frustration for those seeking long-term relationships.

So 27-year-old me went on a dating spree over the past month, meeting a total of five men, three on physical dates and two virtually.

One thing I have to say, those dates were not what I expected them to be.

To be clear I dated men in their 30s, ages ranging from 31 to 37 years old.

I was very surprised by the dynamics of this dating spree and by the end of the experiment, I was left surprised.

My first date was with a man who immediately told me I was already his girlfriend. His overconfidence struck me as quite arrogant, but I enjoyed talking to him.

What I didn’t expect was his insistence on being intimate immediately. While I sure did lead him on, too (because it was a date, duh), I was not prepared for the level of aggressiveness he showed.

I left that date feeling both bewildered and honestly flattered but also flustered.

I should have known it was going to be the theme of my entire experience.

Date after date, I enjoyed intriguing and intellectually stimulating conversations with men only to find myself in the trap of love bombing as these men tried to be intimate with me.

And while I do not fear intimacy, I am also wary of who I am intimate with, as should every woman.

Pushing them away at the end of every date was a chore and by the fourth man I dated, I became a rigid pole.

I can’t help but remember the last man I loved, the slow burn, and how he made me slowly fall in love with him.

Maybe men from dating apps are simply a different animal altogether, men on the hunt, eager to have their fill.

But, I am not someone’s meal.

Women are gardens that need to be tended to bear fruit. I realized that I am seeking emotional intimacy more than anything else.

I am seeking a man who would tend to my heart with hard work and patience, and growing love as we learn from each other.

I know this romance I seek is unrealistic. And I perhaps, will have to tend my own gardens, too.

However, I still harbor a little hope, that the next man who enters my life would be a gardener instead of a hunter.

Still, at the end of the experiment, I found a man who likes to garden.

He thinks I’m a doll because I’m short and stout and like to wear dresses. His tall and lean figure towers over me.

I don’t know how good he will be, or how long he will stay, but my flowers are blooming at a happy rate.

I am, after all, going to be loved at 28.

An expansive range of stakeholders from the Central Visayas business community, represented by established business membership organizations namely, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Visayas Region VII Central Visayas, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Cebu Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce . (CFCCC), Mandaue Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce (MFCCC), Subdivision and Housing Developers Association-Central Visayas (SHDA-CV), Philippine Retailers Association-Cebu Chapter (PRA-Cebu Chapter), Cebu Contractors Association Inc. (CCA) and the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc. (HRACC), together with the other business membership organizations (BMO) in Central Visayas, Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI), Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), and PCCI-Panglao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, by mutual agreement and sincerity wholeheartedly support the Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Hon. Christina Garcia Frasco and its “Love the Philippines” campaign.

The Central Visayas region has long been recognized as one of the prime tourist destinations in the country. From the bustling streets of metropolitan Cebu to the breathtaking landscapes and seascapes of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, our region offers an expansive range of experiences that enthrall both local and international visitors. Our islands boast a rich tapestry of natural wonders, historical sites, and diverse traditions and culture that continue to captivate both local and international visitors.

We commend the DOT’s proactive approach in its refreshing movement to attract both domestic and international tourists and the steadfast commitment of Secretary Frasco. Her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the Department and its campaign have played a pivotal role in driving the revival of the tourism industry in the country. The “Love the Philippines” campaign serves as one testament to the DOT’s commitment to showcase the natural and cultural wonders that abound in our region.

The recent incident by the ad agency regarding the promotional video is a serious challenge which we firmly believe will be resolved soonest, most especially because of the high professionalism and good governance that Secretary Frasco has shown since her stint as local chief executive. These issues, though serious, should not overshadow the positive impact and potential of the campaign itself. We recognize the great importance of the tourism industry and its relative value chains in the global economy. We believe in the immense potential of the campaign to promote tourism and investments, drive economic growth, and create diverse sustainable livelihood opportunities for our communities.

By focusing on the many positive aspects of our country and collaborating on impactful initiatives, we can help rebuild public confidence and revive our tourism industry in deeper collaboration with local, domestic and international stakeholders. We are supportive of Secretary Frasco and the DOT in pursuing a more collaborative approach to address concerns and improve the outcomes of the campaign. As marketing efforts align with our shared goals of promoting the Philippines as a premier destination and showcasing the unique experiences our country has to offer, we have become more vigilant in creating this added value to the industry and safeguarding the campaign from future anomalies.

We extend an invitation to other stakeholders to join us in supporting the DOT Secretary and the DOT’s “Love the Philippines” campaign. Let us seize this opportunity to strengthen our partnerships, leverage our collective expertise, and demonstrate our resilience in the face of challenges. Through collaboration and good governance, we can help overcome obstacles, promote smart tourism practices, and shape a brighter future for the tourism industry and its related value chains in the Philippines.

RENOWNED Cebuano sports organizer and former Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) executive director, Ricky Ballesteros, passed away on Saturday, July 8, 2023. He was 57.

According to an official from the Cebu City Government, Ballesteros suffered a cardiac arrest while riding an elevator at a mall in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.

Ballesteros, a political science graduate from the University of the Visayas, was manager of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) from 2001 to 2019. In 2002, Ballesteros also assumed the role of executive director of the SFI.

Sinulog Festival

Ballesteros' contributions and leadership elevated the Sinulog Festival to become one of the largest and most prominent in the Philippines and Asia.

In a 2016 interview with SunStar Cebu, Ballesteros emphasized the importance of evaluating each Sinulog event and striving for improvements annually.

Under his guidance, various contests were introduced to enrich the Sinulog celebration, including the festival queen contest, street dancing category, free interpretation category, Sinulog-based category, best participating float contest, and competitions such as the Sinulog photo contest, Sinulog Idol, Sinulog dance crew contest, DJ-mixing competition, music video contest, Sinulog documentary and short film festival, as well as the higante and puppeteer contests.

Throughout his tenure, Ballesteros embraced the consistent theme of "one beat, one dance, one vision" for the Sinulog Festival.

His 18-year stint as manager was marred by the theft of P1.7 million in SFI and CCSC funds from a vault in the sports center's office on January 16, 2012, a day after the Sinulog Grand Parade. The crime remains unsolved.

He held the position for 15 years until his resignation in 2018, following allegations by then Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña of mishandling of SFI funds, which Ballesteros denied.

Ballesteros cited personal reasons for his resignation from the SFI, saying he was not getting any younger.

Other endeavors

Following his resignation, Ballesteros served as the president of the Korea Philippines Festival Cultural Exchange Association.

He brought the Sinulog to other countries, including South Korea, where the Sinulog won multiple times, most notably at the Daegu Powerful Festival.

Ballesteros was also known as a race organizer. (JGS, CTL, FVQ)

July 08, 2023 7:47 PM

She modified the molecular formula of a compound known to cure Fip and added it to another veterinary drug.