Filipino boxer Pedro Taduran successfully defends his IBF minimumweight title against Ginjiro Shigeoka in Osaka on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Wendell Alinea
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IN MET R MANILAO
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 98 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES MAY 25, 2025
TADURAN DEFENDS IBF CROWN IN OSAKA NEWS / A2
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TRUMP THREATENS 25% LEVY ON APPLE IPHONES, OTHER SMARTPHONES
LET THE GAMES BEGIN. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. graces the opening of the 65th Palarong Pambansa at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte on Saturday, May 24, 2025. He is joined by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc. Screengrab from RTVM
WORLD / A4
PH’S ALERRE BAGS MS. AURA INT’L CROWN By Eton Concepcion THE Philippines’ Krishan Pauline Alerre was crowned Miss Aura International 2025 during the finals held in Antalya, Turkey early Saturday. Alerre’s win is the fourth international title won this year by the country after Dia Mate in Reina Hispanoamericana 2025, Alexie Brooks in Miss Eco International 2025, and Francine Gabrielle Tajanlangit in Miss Elite Global 2025. Alerre’s runners-up were Miss Romania (first), Miss Czech Republic (second), Miss Thailand (third), and Miss Kyrgyzstan (fourth). In the Top 12 intelligence round, Alerre was asked the question: “How do we teach critical thinking in a world full of online noise?”
PBBM WANTS CABINET REVIEW DONE ASAP BERSAMIN: ‘CLEANSING’ WON’T BE ARBITRARY By Charles Dantes and Joel Zurbano
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RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants the Cabinet performance evaluation to be completed as soon as possible amid the ongoing “cleansing” and recalibration following the disappointing results for the administration senatorial slate in the midterm elections.
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Filipina beauty queen Krishan Pauline Alerre is crowned Miss Aura International 2025 in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday. May 24, 2025.
“You heard the President – he said it should be immediate,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said. “As humanly possible, the evaluation is done one at a time. You cannot lump the Cabinet secretaries because each has a different area of responsibility, each has a burden that is different from the other one,” he added. While declining to disclose the composition of the committee tasked with reviewing the performance of Cabinet members, Ber Ber-
LTFRB WARNS PUVS: NO ‘DOUBLE FARE’ BASED ON PASSENGER’S SIZE, WEIGHT By Maricel V. Cruz THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Saturday warned public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators against imposing “double fare” on passengers based on physical appearance, size, or weight. The agency issued the warning in light of numerous complaints reaching its office that “overweight” or “plus-size” passengers are being charged double the regular fare rate. “Regardless of a passenger’s size, the fare covers one person. This practice of overcharging is not only unlawful—it is discriminatory and fundamentally unjust,” LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said. “Any form of fare manipulation PAG-IBIG Fund’s total assets surged past the P1.1 trillion mark as of March 31, 2025, underscoring its continued financial strength and reaffirming its position among the country’s leading government financial institutions. From P1.069 trillion at the
based on personal characteristics, including body size, is a clear violation of LTFRB regulations and human rights principles... PUV drivers and operators found guilty of such practices will be held accountable and face appropriate sanctions,” he added. The LTFRB said violators will be slapped with penalties including fines, suspension of operations, or revocation of their franchises, in accordance with existing laws and LTFRB guidelines. Meanwhile, Guadiz urged passengers who experience or witness any form of overcharging or discrimination to immediately report incidents through the LTFRB hotline 1342, its official social media pages, or by email at complaints@ltfrb.gov.ph.
samin said the members are “qualified and impartial.” “Evaluations must be done carefully. You cannot be arbitrary,” he said. “You can be sure that they (review committee members) are high-caliber individuals with objective character,” he added. The President also expanded his order for courtesy resignations to include bureau chiefs and heads of agencies of similar level. On Friday, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, and Philippine Commission on Women chairperson Ermelita Vadeavilla also tendered their courtesy resignations. Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio, daughter of returning senator Tito Sotto III who won under the administration’s senatorial slate, likewise submitted her courtesy resignation. Bersamin on Friday said his courtesy resignation was rejected by the President, who also kept five Cabinet secretaries from his economic team while replacing the heads of four major departments – the first tranche of a major shake-up to “recalibrate” the government. The President accepted the resignation of Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, who will be replaced by Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla. Turn to Page 4
EMERSON OBIENA CLINCHES WORLD MASTERS’ GOLD By Peter Atencio EMERSON Obiena, father of Filipino Olympian EJ Obiena, was the lone competitor in the men 60+ category of the 2025 World Masters Games in New Taipei City, Taiwan. The former 1993 Southeast Asian Games silver medalist leapt to his best at 3.60 meters. “Maganda ang resulta kahit hirap ako sa talon ko dahil ako lang mag-isa,” said Obiena in an interview days after he took home the gold medal. Italian Gian Carlo Cichelli claimed the gold medal in the 55+ side with his jump of 3.2 meters while Taiwanese bet Ching Shou Lin landed second at 2.9 meters. Obiena, who serves as Philippine Sports Commission’s
RUNS IN THE BLOOD. Emerson Obiena, the 60-year-old father of world No. 4 vaulter EJ Obiena, strikes gold at the over-60 event of the 2025 World Masters Games in Taiwan.
PAG-IBIG FUND ASSETS BREACHES P1.1-TRILLION MARK IN Q1 end of 2024, total assets grew by P34.37 billion in just the first quarter of the year—driven by the sustained expansion of its loan portfolio, prudent invest-
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ments, and robust member savings. Pag-IBIG Fund posted a solid equity base of P776.52 billion as of the first quarter, representing the
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combined value of members’ equity, retained earnings, and other reserves. This strong financial footing, the agency said, will enable it to stead-
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national team coach and University of Santo Tomas’ head coach for boys athletics, will next go to Gumi, South Korea for the Asian Athletics Championships. The 60-year old Obiena patriarch will handle the jumps of Hocket de los Santos, who recently earned a silver medal at the 2025 PATAFA Philippine Pole Vault Challenge. Because of national team duties, Obiena would most probably skip the Palarong Pambansa in Laoag, Ilocos and miss out at the coach of the National Capital Region in the secondary boys division. Last year, NCR claimed a 1-2 gold-silver finish when Prince Angeles of Angeles University and Francis Sillar of UST cleared 3.8 meters, under Obiena’s guidance at the Palaro. ily grow the value of its members’ savings while continuing to provide accessible loan programs to its 16.55 million active members. The Fund likewise maintained P21.29 billion in cash and cash equivalents and expanded its investment portfolio to P133.06 billion. Turn to Page 4
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