Filipina golfers play for bragging rights in 1st LPGT PH Masters

 

Harmie Constantino (left) and Daniella Uy

MANILA, Philippines – More than the crown, bragging rights will be on the line when the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour stages the inaugural ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters on May 24-26 at the Villamor Golf Club in Pasay City.

Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy headline the compact field all primed for a three-day duel of ball control and putting in pursuit of the championship in an esteemed event that used to serve as one of the men’s tour versions of four major championships.

It will be held side-by-side with the 72-hole men's championship featuring the cream of the country's pro crop.

Constantino and Uy figured in a sudden death in the last LPGT stop at Luisita with the former edging the latter to cap her fightback from four shots down in regulation and nail her fifth victory in a three-year pro career.

“Hopefully, I’ll play another good round at Villamor,” said Constantino.

But while she is ready for another title crack on a course she calls home, Uy and the rest of the 21-player cast are going all-out to stop the former national champion from reigning again at the quaint military layout kept in championship form year-round.

Constantino likewise ruled the first ICTSI Villamor Match Play Invitational last year, also via playoff over top amateur Rianne Malixi, making her the marked player in the upcoming P1 million event serving as fifth leg of this year’s LPGT organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Marvi Monsalve, for one, is back in the hunt, upbeat of her chances for a breakthrough following a stint in the Thailand LPGA Tour while Sarah Ababa is likewise pleased of her ever-improving game with top five finishes in the first four tournaments, including a runner-up finish in Bacolod last March and a third place effort at Caliraya Springs.

Meanwhile, a slew of others are keen on bouncing back, including Uy, reigning Order of Merit winner Chihiro Ikeda, Pamela Mariano and Korean Kim Seoyun, while the likes of Gretchen Villacencio, Kristine Fleetwood, Florence Bisera, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Minoza, Apple Fudolin, Rev Alcantara, Majorie Pulumbarit, Monica Mandario and Korean Yan Juyoung are all ready for a big surprise at the long, tight Villamor layout.

Spicing up the title chase are national team mainstay Mafy Singson and fellow amateur Nam Eunhua and Lee Jiwon of Korea.

Microplastics found in Laguna de Bay

Laguna Lake. File Photo

By Aric John Sy Cua

A HIGH concentration of microplastics was found in Laguna de Bay, the country's largest lake, with the highest recorded on the side that is facing Metro Manila, according to two scientists who made a study on the matter.

In a joint video interview with The Manila Times, Prof. Cris Gel Loui Arcadio and Dr. Hernando Bacosa, Mindanao State University (MSU) scientists, said they have analyzed the waters at the 900-square-kilometer lake for microplastics, as their presence could lead to harmful effects on humans and marine life.

The Laguna de Bay is a main source of water for Metro Manila. It stretches over the provinces of Rizal and Laguna. In the vicinity are Manila, Quezon City and San Pablo. Laguna de Bay is fed by 21 rivers, with a catchment area of about 3.820 sq km.

"We were able to extract 100 microplastics," Arcadio, who authored a study, conducted in February of last year, said. "We examined the morphological characteristics of it, and the majority of the microplastics that were found in Laguna Lake were fibers and they were all blue colors."

In that study that was funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program, it showed that the West Bay of the lake, which is the Metro Manila side, has the "highest concentration of microplastics, with an average of 20 microplastics per cubic meter, compared to the Central, East, and South Bays of the lake, which all registered 10 microplastics per cubic meter."

"Microplastics were ubiquitously detected in all sites with the concentration highest in areas of the lake characterized by intensive human activities such as but not limited to household discharges, effluents from chemical industries, and intensification of economic activities," the study said.

Effects on human health

In the same interview, Bacosa said that once microplastics enter the human body, this could cause oxidative stress in the cells.

"When the cells are stressed, they cannot function normally and they cannot actually detoxify," he said. "That could lead to inflammation in the long run and abnormal functions of our organs."

Red tide warning up in 5 coastal areas

By Janine Alexis Miguel

HARVESTING and selling shellfish in five coastal areas in the Philippines have been prohibited after its waters tested positive for a paralytic toxin that causes red tide.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported on Wednesday that water samples gathered from Daquis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, San Pedro Bay in Samar, Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur have tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or toxic red tide.

BFAR added that shellfish and acetes shrimp or "alamang" collected from the said areas are not safe for human consumption. Clams, cockles, oyster, mussels and scallops collected from these areas are also unsafe to eat.

The fisheries bureau also said that shellfish are particularly prone to toxin contamination as they feed by filtering microscopic food out of the water.

"Fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking," BFAR said.

Based on the BFAR's administrative order on safety and quality control standards for PSP, the maximum regulatory limit of toxins is 60 micrograms for every 100 grams of shellfish meat for both domestic and foreign markets.

BFAR also released a warning that eating shellfish from red tide areas could cause headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tingling sensation on lips and tongue, and in extreme cases, death.

Possible supertyphoon might enter PAR by May 26; PAGASA to call it 'Betty'

James Relativo - Philstar.com

According to DOST-PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja, the tropical cyclone was observed 2,510 kilometers east of Mindanao at around 3 a.m. this Saturday within the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone.

MANILA, Philippines — State weather bureau PAGASA is currently monitoring a tropical depression east of Mindanao, one that could possibly enter the Philippine area of responsibility next week.

According to DOST-PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja, the tropical cyclone was observed 2,510 kilometers east of Mindanao at around 3 a.m. on Saturday within the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

Maximum winds: 45 kilometers per hour near the center

Gust: up to 55 kilometers per hour

Movement: northward 

Speed: 20 kilometers per hour

"A former low pressure area outside [PAR] has now officially transitioned into a tropical cyclone... We expect that it will continue to strengthen in the coming days while in the middle of the ocean," said Estareja in Filipino during PAGASA's morning forecast.

"We also do not discount the possibility of it its further intensification into a typhoon or supertyphoon."

Meteorologists see the tropical cyclone moving north northwest by Sunday and finally earn an international name once it further intensify into a tropical storm.

In its present track, the tropical depression could possibly be within the vicinity of Guam anywhere from Sunday to Wednesday.

"This tropical depression, which could further strengthen, might enter [PAR] if it continues moving northwest by Friday or Saturday next week... Should this happen, we will give it the name 'Betty' or the second tropical cyclone for 2023, the first for the month of May," Estareja said.

"[If] this tropical depression continues with this track though, the possibility of it making landfall would be low. However, what we should monitor is its intensification of Habagat or the southwest monsoon affecting a large part of the country next week," he added.

The Philippines is continually experiencing rains still because of the ITCZ.

The country is expected to officially transition to the rainy season in the last days of May or early June starting next week.

Tropical storm Mawar may enter PH area of responsibility by Friday or Saturday

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

May 21, 2023 09:32 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The storm, with an international name Mawar, was last spotted 2,520 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao around 3 a.m., Sunday, May 21.
• It will be locally named “Betty” once inside PAR.
• The strengthening of the southwesterly winds caused by the storm could lead to the start of the rainy season in the country this weekend.

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The tropical storm over the Pacific Ocean may enter the country’s area of responsibility (PAR) by Friday or Saturday, May 26 or 27, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In its public weather forecast on Sunday, May 21, PAGASA weather specialist Patrick Del Mundo said the storm, with an international name Mawar, was last spotted 2,520 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao around 3 a.m.

It will be locally named “Betty” once inside PAR, Del Mundo said.

As of Sunday, Mawar has maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph, and may reach the severe tropical storm category within 24 hours.

Del Mundo said the storm has no direct effect on the Philippines yet, but it is pulling winds from the southwest or the southwesterly surface wind flow, resulting in partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms over parts of the country.

“Although it will enter PAR, there is still a low chance of it making landfall in any part of the country. But it still continues to pull the southwesterly surface wind flow that may affect the western part of the country, particularly Palawan, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula later this week. These areas may experience rains caused by the southwesterly surface wind flow and the ITCZ,” he said in Filipino.

Del Mundo pointed out that the strengthening of the southwesterly winds caused by the storm could lead to the start of the rainy season in the country this weekend.