Cebu Sun.Star

Gilas Pilipinas finally snagged a win last weekend in its ongoing European Tour.

But instead of becoming overly ecstatic, Gilas coach Chot Reyes was succinctly subdued.

“Although we won, I still think that there were still a lot of defensive lapses,” Reyes said in his dispatch to the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas).

“If I were to rate it, this is the poorest game we played since the start of our camp,” Reyes said.

Yet, the win broke a two-game losing streak against the national teams of Estonia and Finland last week.

“I know we won,” Reyes said, “but I thought there was a lot to be desired.”

Like putting up more defensive spunk.

To get the 70-61 win over Ukraine’s under-20 team, Reyes had put premium on defense.

To do that, Reyes took advice from Virginijus Sirvydis, the Lithuanian coach famous for defensive strategies.

“I like his philosophies defensively,” said Reyes of Sirvydis. “He’s the foundation of defense.”

That’s the good thing about Reyes as a coach. He is not afraid to consult and listen to his peers. That’s a good trait, indeed, of tacticians who dare to tread the path taken even by his rivals.

Learning from Sirvydis, the father of former Detroit Piston Deividas Sirvydis, Reyes said: “The better our defense becomes, the better our offense becomes as well. If we defend really well, obviously that’s also gonna sharpen our offense.”

It is to be emphasized again that Reyes brought his Gilas squad to Europe not to win games but to learn from the journey that he calls “a camp tour,” where learning and not winning is the primary goal.

The squad, which plans another trip to China in August, is in deep preparation for the Fiba World Basketball Cup.

Gilas winning the Fiba crown is an outright illusion. But Gilas using the Fiba Cup to bag an Olympic slot in Paris 2024 is not. Doable.

The road to Paris is obstacle-laden, yes, but Reyes’ wards might just do it by defeating two of their three opponents in their group in Manila. Beatable, of course, are Dominican Republic (Aug. 25, PH Arena in Bulacan) and Angola.

Italy? A long shot. But did I hear SBP president Al S. Panlilio say, “Who knows? Bilog ang bola (The ball is round).”

WORLD no. 2 Brazil will go up against No. 4 Italy in Week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila.

Brazil and Italy take the court at 3 p.m. in a matchup featuring Olympic finalists, with the Brazilians owning a 3-0 record over the Italians. They participated in the gold medal matches in Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Rio de Janeiro 2016.

“Everyone is excited with the VNL men’s competition and we’re expecting more fans to march to the MOA Arena to witness thrilling world-class and high flying international men’s volleyball action,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

Crowd favorite Japan, ranked No. 7 in the world, and No. 25 China complete the opening-day doubleheader at 7 p.m.

This marks the second consecutive year that the PNVF is hosting the VNL, the sport’s most prestigious competition organized by the International Volleyball Federation and the Volleyball World.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann and Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto Rubiano are also expected in the opening ceremony of the VNL Pasay City leg.

Eight of the top 25 teams in the world are seeing action in Week 3 of the men’s VNL. The other nations are world No. 1 Poland, No. 9 Slovenia, No. 12 The Netherlands and No. 15 Canada.

Canada and The Netherlands will clash at 3 p.m., while Poland will test Slovenia at 7 p.m. when the event resumes on Wednesday, July 5.

The Philippine leg, according to Suzara, serves as the final and critical stage of the VNL’s preliminary round that will determine the top eight squads which will advance to the final stage from July 19 to 24 in Poland. / JNP

Making the World Cup of any sport is one of the most difficult targets a national team can achieve. It used to be called the world championships but five or six years ago, it seemed almost every other sport had named its biggest event the World Cup, starting with basketball.

If you make the World Cup, it means you’re one of the best in the world, a tag some countries who missed out on the event would envy.

In the Philippines, we’ve made the World Cup in basketball, football and softball. The softball teams are particularly unique as both men’s and women’s teams have secured spots in the Softball World Cup after finishing third in the Asian Championships, a testament to the quality of players in the country.

And here lies the problem. Our basketball-centric sports structure has overlooked other teams.

The last time they made the World Cup, the Blu Girls and Blu Boys had to beg for support. If not for the generosity of Jean Henri Lhuillier, I doubt if the sport in the country would make strides internationally. It’s the same with women’s football, which made the World Cup for the first time with an impressive comeback victory over Chinese Taipei in a shootout last year.

And just like the softball teams, a private individual’s generosity made it possible. Just last June, PFF president Nonong Araneta said the team hasn’t been getting the support it needs from the government. Again, just like softball, if not for Jeff Cheng, I don’t think the Philippines would be where it is now.

That’s unfair. Every World Cup-bound team should get financial support from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

P65 million should do it.

That’s not a random number by the way.

That’s the amount then commissioner Noli Eala said the PSC would give to the Fiba World Cup organizing committee. That financial aid is controversial for any one who has been paying attention to the basketball World Cup preparations.

Before Eala stepped into the picture, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio told the Inquirer it had allocated P1.5 billion for the World Cup, with the amount serving as MVP’s promise to the nation.

After Eala took charge of the PSC and after giving what, for me, was an unsolicited aid to the organizing committee, the SBP said it needed P3.7 billion for the World Cup and was asking P1.5 billion from the government.

Of course, with a Senate full of part-time basketball analysts, the SBP got it.

Which brings us to other teams making the World Cup, the Filipinas and the PHL Blu Girls and Blu Boys — none of whom, as of now, got anything significant from the PSC for their World Cup qualifications.

And for me, a P65 million financial aid should be fair.

Besides, it’s a nice reward for a National Sports Association (NSA) that achieved world cup qualification and should encourage other NSAs to step up.

THE Board of Directors of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. announced Monday, July 3, 2023, the appointment of Stanley Co as chief operating officer, effective Aug. 1, 2023. Co has been with Robinsons Retail for over 20 years in various capacities and has extensive experience in operations, strategic planning, marketing, merchandising and omnichannel retailing. Immediately prior to this appointment, Co was managing director of Robinsons Retail’s Supermarket Segment — Robinsons Supermarket, The Marketplace, Robinsons Easymart and Shopwise — where he oversaw the segment’s expansion into under-penetrated areas and omnichannel retailing amid an ongoing pandemic, with over 300 stores across the country. He also previously headed Robinsons Retail’s DIY Segment, which is composed of Handyman and True Value, as well as franchises Daiso Japan and Pet Lovers Centre for 12 years. / PR

PERI-PERI Charcoal Chicken and Source disclosed on Monday, July 3, 2023, the launch of its inclusive hiring programs to promote equal employment opportunities in communities where its stores are located. In partnership with the City of Manila’s Public Employment Services Office, Peri-Peri created job opportunities for senior citizens and specially-abled individuals. At present, the chain has eight participants — four seniors and four specially-abled persons and is planning to double its hires under the program by yearend. Peri-Peri’s partnership with the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Inc. is another example of the company’s commitment to inclusivity. Love ‘Em Down is a landmark program of Shakey’s group aimed at supporting individuals with Down syndrome. The Love ‘Em Down program is designed to hire persons with Down syndrome, providing them with meaningful employment opportunities and the chance to learn new skills. (PR)

THE Jollibee Group continued to deliver strong business results in the first quarter this year, with an operating income of P3.6 billion and store-wide sale of P78.6 billion, equivalent to an increase of 80.9 percent and 31.1 percent versus the previous year, respectively. The Jollibee Group also opened 111 stores in the first quarter, on target for its full-year guidance of 550-600 stores for 2023. The group also announced that through its Jollibee Group Foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP), it has enabled over 700 smallholder farmers to directly deliver their produce to the Jollibee Group. A total of 834,000 kilos of vegetables were delivered by FEP farmer groups in 2022, an addition to the over nine million kilos of produce delivered since the program began in 2009. (PR)

THE United States government through the US Embassy in Manila has vowed to bring more American investors to Cebu.

Paul Taylor, commercial counselor at the US Commercial Service at the embassy in Manila, said the embassy will tap the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) through the Cebu Investments Development Concierge Center (CIDCC) to accelerate the inflow of trade investments between the US and Cebu, and vice versa.

“I had a meeting with CCCI three weeks ago, and we began a discussion on ways my office can partner formally with CCCI to create a bridge. My office receives a number of inquiries from American companies asking for access to the Philippines,” Taylor said during the CIDCC Investments Forum & Networking Dinner on June 22, 2023. “I want to work with CCCI and bring those companies to Cebu.

Specifically, Taylor said his “office has the opportunity to help spur Cebu’s fishery and aquaculture sectors by leveraging on US government resources and US’ know-how to bring in an enormous amount of assets to the fishery sector in particular, in a way that would really benefit the Philippines and accelerate economic growth.”

He cited for instance the success of an American-owned Forever Ocean, a US$50 million aquaculture plant that now employs thousands of workers and has augmented Indonesia’s aquaculture export revenues.

Taylor believes this also can be done in Cebu being one of the country’s richest fishing grounds. Cebu also is a top exporter of processed fish and aquaculture products.

Moreover, the embassy official also invited Filipino entrepreneurs to bring their products to the US and take advantage of its big consumer base.

The CIDCC is a project of the CCCI implemented in partnership with the Cebu City Government.

It was designed as an Economic Recovery Stimulus Project to support Covid-19 disrupted businesses and adapt operations under the new normal by strengthening the local supply chain ecosystem particularly for essential industries.

The Cebu City Government approved the project proposal in December 2020 and released the funds to CCCI in January 2021.

Jay Yuvallos, chair of the CIDCC Core Team, said CIDCC was created to position Cebu as the premier investment gateway in the Asia Pacific.

He said this is a collective aspiration of the people of Cebu that aims to bring in more investments to the province to spur more jobs and livelihoods.

TRADE and tourism between Cebu and Japan are expected to receive a boost following AirAsia Philippines’ new route connecting Cebu to Narita in Tokyo, which started on Sunday, July 2, 2023.

Utilizing an A320 aircraft with a seating capacity of 180, this route marks an exciting development for both Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and AirAsia, as it enhances connectivity and provides more travel options for travelers.

Tourism stakeholders in Cebu have long been waiting for the return of Japanese tourists since the Covid-19 pandemic halted leisure travel in 2020.

Japanese tourists were among Cebu’s long-staying and high-spending visitors. They constituted a significant portion of international arrivals to Cebu, along with the island’s top markets, the Koreans and Chinese, prior to the pandemic, according to a tour operators’ group leader.

“We are thrilled to welcome AirAsia’s new Cebu to Narita route at MCIA,” said Athanasios Titonis, Aboitiz InfraCapital’s chief executive officer (CEO) assigned to MCIA, in a statement.

“This new route not only affirms our unwavering dedication to offering passengers a wide range of travel options and seamless connectivity but also holds the promise of revitalizing tourism, fostering stronger business relationships, and mutually benefiting both destinations,” he added.

Julius Neri Jr., general manager and CEO of the MCIA Authority, said “the new route will not only boost tourism but also foster strong business connections, contributing to the growth and development of Cebu and Narita as prominent destinations.”

Alice Queblatin, president of the Cebu Alliance of Tour Operation Specialists Inc., said in an earlier interview that Cebu’s tourism sector is eagerly anticipating the return of Japanese tourists.

She said Japanese travelers are now open to visiting Cebu, but there aren’t enough seats available from Japan to Cebu. There are no direct flights to other destinations in Japan from Cebu, except to Tokyo (Narita).

Cebu welcomed 30,241 arrivals from Japan last year, a significant increase of 613.74 percent from 4,237 arrivals in 2021. Japan was the fourth top tourist source market for Cebu, following Korea (170,943 arrivals), the US (90,107), and China (50,036).

In 2021, 2.8 million foreign tourists visited Cebu, compared to 902,573 in 2021.

The direct connection is also expected to boost trade between Cebu and Japan, and vice versa.

Over the past 26 years, the Philippines’ exports to Japan have increased at an annual rate of 4.95 percent, from $3.28 billion in 1995 to $11.5 billion in 2021.

These were composed mostly of insulated wire ($1.38 billion), wood carpentry ($799 million) and bananas ($706 million).

During the same period, Japan’s exports to the Philippines grew at an annual rate of 1.56 percent, from $6.94 billion in 1995 to $10.4 billion in 2021.

These were composed mostly of integrated circuits ($992 million), delivery trucks ($402 million) and office machine parts ($363 million).

LISTED company Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) on Monday, July 3, 2023, denied that it had bought a majority stake in the low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines and emphasized that any such developments would be properly disclosed through official channels.

“We would like to clarify and state that this information is not true and accurate. At this time, we are actively verifying the sources that led to the publication of this article and have requested that the article be taken down,” AEV said in a statement.

According to a report by The Philippine Star on Monday, the Aboitiz Group was said to control AA Com Travel Philippines Inc., the firm that allegedly acquired a 60 percent stake in AirAsia Philippines in June, based on multiple sources.

The report also mentioned that an industry source claimed the Aboitiz Group made the buyout in support of its proposal to rehabilitate and upgrade the airports in Albay and Bohol.

In a separate statement, AirAsia Philippines denied the report.

“It has come to our attention that a leading news organization published an article today stating AirAsia Philippines is now majority owned by the Aboitiz Group. We hope to clarify that this statement is not true and accurate,” the AirAsia said.

However, the Malaysia-headquartered firm acknowledged that Capital A companies, including AirAsia, are “fostering strong relationships with the Aboitiz Group and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.”

“We remain committed to engaging in fruitful discussions with various stakeholders who share our vision of democratizing air travel in the Association of Southeast Nations,” the airline said.

Capital A Berhad of Malaysia is formerly AirAsia Group.

There is a new place to dine at IL Corso Life malls. Yes, the newest branch of Ulli’s Streets of Asia. Indeed, the Urbina family sets a historic food trend in Cebu. History has seen how Cafe Laguna and Laguna Garden have made a mark in native dining, specifically the Laguna favorite dishes.

The IL Corso Lifemalls opened with a line-up of Asian “street food.”

Taste its laksa, daebak chicken and bibimbap, etc. Complement them with fun drinks from its selection like its Thai iced tea, iced Vietnamese coffee and fruit juices, “best options for every mood!”

Ulli’s at IL Corso is ideal for small gatherings like club meetings, ideal for 40 people inside, with extra outdoor tables for 20 people. How relaxing to dine amid nice ambiance and delectable food. The place is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

My dear friend Lita Urbina and children continue to uphold the generations of gourmet making food tourism excel in Cebu. Like the new tourism slogan, “Love Cebu,” its people, heritage line-up, and to add, the food and drinks.

This July 4, Americans all over the world are celebrating the 247th anniversary of US independence. Here in the Philippines, we are also commemorating the 69th Philippine-American Friendship Day, making July 4 doubly special -- a time to celebrate all that the Philippines and the United States have accomplished together as steadfast friends, partners in prosperity, and ironclad allies.

Since I arrived in July last year, I’ve had the opportunity to see the deep, multifaceted US-Philippine relationship at work. During a recent trip to Cebu, I met talented new friends from the vibrant network of US exchange alumni in the Visayas. In Ilocos Norte, I learned how our development efforts are improving energy efficiency standards, a key part of the Philippines’ clean energy transition. Last October, I had the honor to share the stage with President Marcos in Tacloban to commemorate the Leyte Gulf landing, honoring our shared history; while during a recent visit to Isabela Province, I witnessed how US and Philippine troops are working together today to modernize our alliance -- training at Camp Melchor Dela Cruz. These trips and the many other milestones mark strong momentum in US-Philippine relations.

This year’s highlight in our bilateral ties was the resoundingly successful visit to Washington, D.C. by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. During President Marcos’ Oval Office meeting with President Biden, our leaders discussed the full spectrum of our relationship as friends, partners, and allies. President Biden reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to the alliance and announced a first-of-its-kind Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines. Our leaders also discussed new efforts to promote clean energy, expand science and technology cooperation, and protect the environment. President Marcos also met with multiple US cabinet members. I was particularly struck by the lively, substantive discussion President Marcos had with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, resulting in innovative programs to tackle food and nutrition insecurity.

This year, we also saw the successful conclusion of the largest, most complex iteration of Exercise Balikatan. Over 17,000 troops from the United States and the Philippines, as well as a contingent from Australia, trained shoulder-to-shoulder on land, at sea, in the air, and -- for the first time -- in cyberspace. Together, we announced four new locations where our countries will make investments to improve Philippine military infrastructure and capabilities under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or Edca. Projects implemented at these Edca locations will advance the Philippine Armed Forces’ modernization goals and bring tangible economic benefits to local communities, creating jobs and opportunities for local businesses. The Philippines is the largest recipient of US security assistance in the Indo-Pacific. Strengthening our alliance helps secure peace and prosperity for our peoples.

US-Philippine economic partnerships are flourishing. In May, I visited two top-tier US businesses in Cebu, Timex and Teradyne. Like many US companies operating in the Philippines, Timex and Teradyne provide thousands of Filipinos with high-quality, high-paying jobs -- including as managers and executives. US businesses value the talent of the Filipino workforce and, more and more, are looking to the Philippines as an attractive place to trade and invest. For example, Moderna has chosen the Philippines as its first-ever operational hub in Asia. We look forward to building on this momentum as partners in prosperity.

The United States is committed to supporting the Philippines’ growth and development goals. Through USAID, the United States recently invested P1 billion to help small and medium-sized enterprises compete in the country’s e-commerce ecosystem. This investment helps build a robust, inclusive, secure, and resilient digital economy. USAID is also supporting the Philippine government and private sector to increase access to fast and reliable internet across the archipelago, train Filipino workers to meet the evolving requirements of the high-tech manufacturing sector, and help youth develop the skills they need to succeed.

This Fourth of July, I hope you’ll agree we have much to celebrate!

Today is US-RP Friendship Day (the previous Philippine independence day celebration until Filipino First thinking became dominant and Independence Day was transferred to June 12).

The July 4 significance further waned when former President Rodrigo Duterte tried to humor China by sidling close to it with the mistaken notion that China would slow down efforts to take over the whole of the South China Sea (including our West Philippine Sea). Thankfully, President Bongbong Marcos is repairing relations with the US and ensuring that China would no longer ride roughshod over our claim to our own territory.

But that is not the topic of this column for now. Rather, let’s go light by talking about the return of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon or TVJ to free TV via billionaire Manny Pangilinan’s TV5. I actually find it interesting because the Sottos once transplanted themselves to Cebu and used it as a base for their politics instead of Luzon. Thus, then senator Tito Sotto (Vicente Sotto III) succeeded in renaming the Southern Islands Hospital to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center or VSMMC in honor of the late former senator “from Cebu,” the first Vicente Sotto.

As expected TVJ, who quit GMA 7 and relocated to TV5 with most of the old Eat Bulaga staff to launch its new noontime show E.A.T. last Saturday, topped the TV ratings game with an AGB Nielsen-surveyed 8.4 percent over the old Eat Bulaga’s 2.39 percent (the show is on GMA 7) and “It’s Showtime’s” 2.62 percent (the show is on GMA 7’s sister station GTV). This even if GMA provided the show’s host with a helicopter, apparently to make a bit of a noise. The gambit failed.

This is largely because TVJ already had the sympathy of the public for the unceremonious takeover by the Jalosjos family of TAPE Inc., the producer of the GMA 7-shown “Eat Bulaga.” Thus, the TVJ show’s dominance on noontime television was not unexpected. The next challenge is on how the TV5 show can maintain its dominance over the competition once regular programming resumes.

I actually believe the Jalosjos-funded “Eat Bulaga” would be the first to fold considering the challenges it is facing. For one, it is merely renting airtime from GMA 7, meaning that it has to pay the airtime every time it airs on TV. How can TAPE Inc. regularly pay the rent and pay the salaries of the new hosts if no advertisements are coming in? They can, if they let their ego rule, but can ego battle the possibility of bankruptcy?

In this situation, “It’s Showtime” has the better odds if battling TVJ is the goal. For one, its producer is the more stable ABS-CBN network, Thus, paying the rent would not be as much of a burden as it is for the Jalosjos family. That should be the reason why GMA’s Felipe Gozon lured “It’s Showtime” to the network. He must have already seen what is written on the faraway horizon: that “It’s Showtime” would again be battling for noontime dominance with TVJ like they were when ABS-CBN still had its franchise.

While mothers are considered modern-day heroes, the never-ending battle of trying to move Heaven and Earth for their children can take a toll on their personal lives and overall well-being.

For Mary Rose Villacastin Maghuyop, the experience of motherhood took her on a whole new beautiful journey of self-discovery and sacrifice.

An artist and a mother of two beautiful daughters, Mary Rose’s journey of motherhood has its own flair and color. She works as an artist, architect and a school administrator. Juggling these tasks as a mother is already as tough as it sounds. However, to Mary Rose, motherhood is amplified in the work that she does.

“Motherhood made me more conscious about the work or art I was doing — the quality, relevance, significance — so I could pass on the love and passion or at the very least, nurture appreciation and support within my children, and by extension, the children in school,” said Mary Rose.

Working also as a director, stage performer, writer and illustrator, Mary Rose’s artistic prowess has taken her to great heights and has allowed her to continually work as an artist, lending her artistic flair to the Cebuano art scene.

“I am always involved in something creative and artistic in school where I teach and plan most of the events. But as full scale productions go, my latest directorial job was ‘The Children of Fatima’ for the Archdiocese of Cebu for the consecration of the Capelinha de Cebu in San Remigio in 2022. As to my latest stage performance as an actor, it was in Monsignor Ancajas’ production, a monologue meant to be part of a Lenten Recollection, ‘Claudia Procula’ in April 2023,” she said.

However, as much of a trooper Mary Rose is an artist, her role as a mother can be incredibly challenging. Balancing her work as an artist, mother and teacher, Mary Rose had quite a lot on her plate but she was able to overcome the obstacles she faced along the way by having her children close to her.

“It’s not a problem now with the girls in college, although some issues recur but these are usually settled by talking or letting time heal. When they were in preschool to junior high school, it wasn’t much of a problem either because we were in one school — they were students, I was a teacher. So we had similar schedules and saw each other most of the day and night. I saw them grow up and this is a blessing my husband and I treasure so much.”

Mary Rose’s love of the arts has greatly influenced her children as her two daughters, Mayumi and Soleil, are also performers and members of the internationally renowned Mandaue Children and Youth Chorus under the baton of Dennis Gregory Sugarol. She is proud to mention that her eldest, Mayumi, is graduating Magna Cum Laude from Silliman University with a degree in Performing Arts Major in Speech and Theater.

“We support each other’s art and passion. My children know that the arts are a very important part of our lives and do what they can to share these with others,” Mary Rose said.

Motherhood is indeed a journey that is not easy to partake in. It is more than just raising children but it is also making the ultimate sacrifice of putting your children’s needs above others.

“Motherhood made me prioritize what I valued most and what I truly enjoyed.” S

POLICE recovered a .45 pistol with two magazines and two live bullets when they raided a house in Sitio Pio Veloso, Barangay Antipolo, Medellin town, northern Cebu past midnight on Monday, July 3, 2023.

But the suspect, Reynante Eyac, 42, married, escaped arrest.

Police Major Timothy Jim Romanillos, chief of the Medellin Police Station, told SunStar Cebu that Eyac immediately fled after sensing the arrival of policemen.

The police were armed with a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Samson Troy Layese, of Bogo City Regional Trial Court branch 79 on June 27, 2023.

Eyac’s sister, Marylou and nephew, Eugene, watched the police search.

Romanillos said they received complaint from Eyac’s neighbors that the suspect was possessing an unlicensed firearm, which is a violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The neighbors also claimed that Eyac also made gun threats to them.

They, however, were afraid to file a lawsuit.

"As-in bugoy gyud, "bad boy" ilang tawag ani diri! Unya mahadlok man mga silingan," Romanillos said.

(As-in he is really naughty, they call him "bad boy" here! His neighbors are afraid of him).

The police are now preparing to file a case for illegal possession of firearm against the suspect.

Eyac was arrested on May 9, 2023 for grave threat, but later released after paying bail. (GPL, TPT)

CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has defended her daughter, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, whose department has drawn flak after a blogger exposed that the tourism video promoting the "Love The Philippines" campaign contains stock footage featuring clips from other countries.

In her statement posted on her official Facebook account on Monday, July 3, 2023, Garcia reacted to the series of Facebook post of blogger Sass Sasot who were one of the first to point out some video clips included in the new tourism video which were found to be from other countries.

Garcia thanked Sasot for pointing such errors that prompted an investigation by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

But Garcia was not pleased for Sasot's ensuing and continuing "brouhaha," which for her is too much.

"Dearest Sass, I love my daughter very much and will always stand up and speak out for her, if and when I believe she has been treated quite unfairly. I guess that’s what all mothers will do for their own children," said Garcia.

The governor, though, assured that she will not meddle on her daughter's work.

Garcia also posted on her Facebook page on July 2 a photo which is believed to be a tourism campaign of Switzerland, with a text "It's more fun in Switzerland."

Sasot, on her Facebook post on the same day, tagged Garcia and asked the governor for an explanation for "fixing something that is not broken," and further asked if the same is being applied in Cebu Province.

“Bilang government official po, pwede po bang pakiliwanagan kami kung anong morality and efficiency na you are fixing something that is not broken? Kayo po ba dyaan sa Cebu Province eh mahilig magkumpuni ng mga bagay na hindi naman sira?” reads a Facebook post of Sasot.

Sasot also mentioned in her post the similarity between Cyprus and the Philippines' tourism slogans.

She asked the governor if she was aware that the current tourism slogan of Cyprus is "Love Cyprus," having no difference from the country's "Love the Philippines."

“Aware po ba kayo Governor na ang pangkasalukuyang tourism slogan ng CYPRUS eh ‘Love Cyprus,’ tapos tayo eh ‘Love Philippines.’ Parang awkward no?” she asked. (GK Marie Dejacto, CNU Intern)

A DRUG den in Sitio Kalubihan, Barangay Busay, Cebu City was dismantled by the members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA 7) and Mabolo Police Station 4 at 2:39 p.m. on Monday, July 3, 2023.

The operation also led to the arrest of Delfin Bontilao Laurnilla, 27, a waiter, Rafie Camacho Collantes, 30, a flower vendor in Carbon Public Market and Spencer Eslit Patalinghug, 32, who was reportedly in charge of the drug den.

The packs of suspected shabu, weighing 13 grams and valued at P88,400, were recovered by PDEA 7 agents.

The target of their operation, according to PDEA 7 spokesperson Leia Alcantara, was Patalinghug, who they monitored for two weeks. (AYB, TPT)

OPERATIVES of Carbon Police Station detained a guard from Cebu City Hall for attacking Mayor Michael Rama's staff.

The incident happened around 8:40 a.m. Saturday, July 1, 2023.

The guard was identified as Roger Pepito Canilio, 44, a GDS Security Agency employee who hails from Asturias town but currently resides in Purok 8, Barangay Kamputhaw in Cebu City.

Lemuel Sicab Felisario, 48, an Executive Assistant IV assigned to the mayor's office, was the person he struck. He hails from Sitio Tugop, Barangay Babag, Cebu City, although he currently resides in Apple One Banawa.

The two got into an argument over a parking issue, according to Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office.

The guard allegedly lost his composure and punched Felisario.

“Nahibal-an nato nga katong security guard ang cause diay sa ilang away, murag wala lang sila magka-intindihan. Pero isip usa ka gwardya dapat taas pud kag pasensya,” Dalogdog said.

(We found out that the security guard initiated the altercation. It seems that there was a misunderstanding. But as a guard, you have to be patient.)

A case of physical injury will be filed against Canilio.

The guard may also be stripped of his license if proven guilty. (AYB/TPT)

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO 7) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB 7) in Central Visayas will fine at least 13 bus firms for picking up passengers outside the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT).

During a meeting at the Capitol last Friday, June 30, the bus operators asked for a chance and vowed not to repeat their mistakes.

But according to Sugbo News, Capitol’s online news portal, LTO 7 officer-in-charge Glen Gelario and LTFRB 7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. were determined to punish the erring bus companies, including Yelyel Express, Showbox Bus Line, EDC Liner, Yeoman, Jegans Liner, Vallacar Transit, JRK South Transport, Corominas Bros. Bus Line, JBH Trans, Chan Transit, Calvo Bus Lines, Pioneer Trans and Jhade Trans.

The two government officials instead asked the operators to put their request in writing.

Penalties for the violation range from P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and 30 days suspension for the second offense, and P10,000 and cancellation of franchise for the third offense.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia had already warned the operators that it is strictly forbidden to pick up passengers outside the CSBT.

But the CCTV camera caught the buses picking up passengers outside the terminal.

The Cebu Provincial Government noticed that picking up passengers in the middle of the road will put the lives of passengers in danger and create traffic. (ANV/TPT)

THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) seized illegal drugs worth more than P7 million during a one-day Regional Simultaneous Anti-Criminality and Law Enforcement Operation that started from midnight on June 28, 2023 until noon on June 29.

According to CCPO Chief Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, more than one kilogram of suspected shabu with a standard drug price of P7,506,384 were seized and 40 drug personalities were arrested.

A total of 57 gamblers were also detained in 35 anti-gambling operations.

The CCPO also arrested 42 individuals as part of their campaign against wanted persons, 23 of them were placed on the most wanted list. (AYB, TPT)

MINGLANILLA Mayor Rajiv Enad has imposed a 15-day preventive suspension without pay against municipal assessor Melanie Vargas.

Enad, through an executive order, formed three new teams that started spreading out Monday, July 3, 2023, to inspect establishments and speed up reassessment.

Minglanilla, through Municipal Administrator Junrie Bragat, expressed its commitment to comply with the directive of the Provincial Government on the reassessment, and that the Municipal Government will facilitate a “deliberate expeditious approach without compromising the effectiveness and efficiency of the outcome.”

Enad also asked Vargas to explain within five days the reason for the low percentage in the increase of real property values, and why she only inspected 10 establishments, even if Minglanilla has thousands of registered businesses.

The mayor’s decision is fully supported by the Minglanilla Municipal Council, which approved a resolution authorizing Enad to create task forces and to conduct investigation on the municipal assessor for gross neglect of duty as council members denounced the assessor’s inaction.

Earlier, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia called out the Task Force of Minglanilla after receiving reports that among all local government units in Cebu, Minglanilla has practically the lowest increase on the reassessment and reappraisal of valuation of real property improvements, despite having a large number of commercial establishments and light industries in its territory.

Enad said the result shocked him, and that this is “not acceptable.”

He said he only learned about the matter from the meeting that was aired live on Facebook last June 26, 2023. This is because in their weekly department heads meeting every Monday, the assessor had said that they have complied with the mandates of the Provincial Government and they submitted their reports on time. The assessor did not mention that there were only able to reassess and reappraise 10 establishments.

Garcia had issued Executive Order 37, series of 2022 on the reassessment of values of properties. The Provincial Board also approved Resolution 1778-2022 and Ordinance 2022-06 on the matter.

Enad had said he was dismayed and disappointed by the development, seeing as how Vargas should be aware that timely and correct valuation of improvements would contribute to the efficient and effective enforcement, assessment and collection taxes. (PR)