Rondina-Pons tandem back on sand to banner PH campaign

BY MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS

Apr 30, 2025 03:05 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons officially make their comeback to the national beach volleyball team as the country hosts the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Futures Nuvali starting on Thursday, May 1, in the City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.

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Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons officially make their comeback to the national beach volleyball team as the country hosts the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Futures Nuvali starting on Thursday, May 1, in the City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Sisi Rondina, right, and Bernadeth Pons lead PH run in  Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Futures Nuvali. (BVR)

Gold medalists in the BPT Future Subic Bay in 2022 who went on to become rivals on the domestic indoor professional league, SiPons reunites with sights set on the Southeast Asian Games gold after twice earning bronze in the regional meet.

They begin battle at the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts on Thursday along with four other Alas Pilipinas women’s pairs and four men’s tandems in the event featuring teams from 19 countries, including the US, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Italy.  

Focus will also be on young stars Khylem Progella and Sofia Pagara of the Universoty of Santo Tomas, who have proven their worth outside the collegiate arena with solid performances in recent international events, as they vie for honors in the tough tournament that also has teams from Czechia, Greece, Lithuania, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Vanuatu, Israel and Japan.

Sunnie Kalani Villapando, who played for Stanford and University of Southern California in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and now among the players looking to compete for the Philippines in the SEA Games, again teams up with Jen Gaviola of the Coast Guard after a promising stint last month in the Songkhla Futures in Thailand where they split their matches.

“We’re going to be competing, training, getting our mind right for the SEA Games,” Villapando said. “This is mental preparation.”

University Athletic Association of the Philippines champions Honey Grace Cordero and Kat Epa of National University are also seeing action, while Alexa Polidario teams up with Dij Rodriguez in the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation led by its president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, also chief of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and executive vice president of the world volleyball governing body FIVB. 

Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures silver medalists again lead the Alas Pilipinas roster in the men’s division.

Jude Garcia and Jaron Requinton, members of the four-man Philippine team that bagged bronze in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, also team up again for flag and country.

Lerry John Francisco again plays with Edwin Tolentino, while the Ronniel Rosales-Alex Iraya tandem has been retained.

Men’s world No. 88. Eylon Elazar and Kevin Cuzmiciovof Israel eye another title after ruling the BPT Futures Songkhla in Thailand last month.

Top guns out to bring the heat as National Open fires off

BY REYNALD I. MAGALLON

Apr 30, 2025 04:05 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The scorching summer heat is just about to get hotter as the Philippine Athletics Championships fire off Thursday, May 1, with no less than Paris Olympians, national team veterans and up-and-coming athletes out to strut their wares in a thrilling four-day competition at the New Clark City Stadium here.

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CAPAS, Tarlac –The scorching summer heat is just about to get even hotter as the Philippine Athletics Championships fire off Thursday, May 1, with no less than Paris Olympians, national team veterans and up-and-coming athletes out to strut their wares in a thrilling four-day competition at the New Clark City Stadium here.

Lauren Hoffman

Over 800 athletes are set to see action including around 60 bets from other countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, India and Papua New Guinea but all eyes should be on the country's very own track stars in Olympians John Cabang Tolentino, Lauren Hoffman and Kristina Knott.

The country’s top guns are certainly bringing their A-games in the competition since the National Open dangles valuable points for their qualification points for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in September.    

Hoffman is expected to provide the highlight in the opening day where a total of 24 golds will be at stake, including the women’s 400m hurdles where she is gunning for a third straight gold after ruling the last two editions in Ilagan City in Isabela in 2023 and in Pasig City in 2024.

The 26-year-old hurdler and national record holder is also looking to use the competitions as a springboard to future competitions, like the world meet and the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, this December.

Although a favorite in her race, Hoffman is seen to face stiff competition especially since she is coming off an Achilles injury and her opponents, which included former Asian women's 400-meter hurdles champion Robyn Brown, are surely eager to make an impression with the National Open also serving as part of the selection process for the national team for the SEA Games.

“It’s been an uphill battle with the Achilles issues this year but things are slowly trending upward,” said Hoffman. 

The opening day events begin with the women open 10000m walk and men U18 5000m walk in the morning session before Hoffman and Brown’s 400m hurdles qualifying round at 2 p.m. and then the finals at 6:40 p.m.

Knott, a Tokyo Olympian and SEAG double-gold winner, likewise, is seeing action in the opening day when she races in the women’s 200m qualifying round in the afternoon and then the finals at night 

Other medal events are men’s 400m hurdles, men’s 200m, men and women’s open discus throw, men’s long jump, and men’s and women’s open 5000m along with several finals for the U18 categories.

Ex-K-pop girl group member accuses her agency’s CEO of sexual harassment

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Apr 30, 2025 06:56 PM

  

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A former member of a K-pop girl group has filed a complaint for sexual harassment against the CEO of her agency. 

Ga-eun, 19, former member of idol group Madein, accused CEO Lee Yong-hak of 143 Entertainment of sexual harassment. She is also seeking a formal apology and the termination of her exclusive contract with the agency. 

K-pop girl group Madein (Instagram)

Former Madein member Ga-eun (X)

On April 29, Ga-eun’s side, including her mother, held a press conference about the sexual harassment, which reportedly happened in October last year.  

During the press conference, a handwritten memorandum allegedly made by Lee Yong-hak was released. 

The memorandum stated, "I sincerely apologize for the sexual harassment. In future contractual relationships with 143 Entertainment, I will step down from the position of legal representative director and take responsibility to ensure that I am not disadvantaged. I will also give Ga-eun the right of first choice in contract extensions and other contractual relationships,” Korean media reported. 

143 Entertainment issued a statement, saying, "It is also deeply regrettable that Ga-eun's side demanded a large sum of consolation money based on one-sided claims related to an incident that was already reported last year, and when this was refused, they filed a criminal complaint about six months after the incident occurred." 

The controversy was first reported by a current affairs program of Korean TV channel JTBC in November last year. 143 Entertainment denied the allegations. 

Also last November, 143 Entertainment announced the departure of Ga-eun from Madein and denied the sexual harassment allegations. 

Madein, formerly Limelight, debuted in September last year. The group’s current members are Mashiro, MiU, Suhye, Yeseo, Serina, and Nagomi.

Labor Day: A tribute to work and the worker

BY MANILA BULLETIN

May 1, 2025 00:15 AM

  

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Today, the global community observes Labor Day — a day to pay tribute to the workers, the backbone of our societies. Being a holiday, it is more than a day of rest, Labor Day is a powerful reminder that labor is not just an economic input — it is the heartbeat of our nation, the engine of progress, and the soul of everyday life.

Labor is everywhere. It is in the hands of farmers who cultivate the rice and vegetables that nourish us; in the strength of construction workers who work on our buildings, bridges, and roads; in the commitment of teachers who shape minds and prepare future generations; in the resilience of factory workers who power our industries and exports; and in the precision of health workers who safeguard our lives.

Our lives are made convenient by labor.  The linemen who maintain telecommunications networks give us connectivity. We are secure in our homes, work places and on the road because of public safety officers and soldiers. The conveniences of mobility and efficiency are provided by drivers, clerks, and domestic workers who keep services running smoothly. Behind every product or service, there is a worker whose time, effort, and skill made it possible.

The origins of Labor Day date back to the 19th-century labor movements, born from demands for humane working conditions. In the Philippines, the first Labor Day celebration was in 1903, led by the Union Obrera Democratica de Filipinas. Since then, the Philippines has made significant legislative strides — from the Labor Code of the Philippines (PD 442) to RA 6727 on wage rationalization, and RA 11058 on occupational health and safety.

But laws gain meaning only when enforced. Labor organizations have long been catalysts of this enforcement — securing landmark legislation like the Batas Kasambahay (RA 10361), ensuring domestic workers are no longer invisible.  Because of that law, domestic workers’ basic pay and benefits are not only dependent on an employer’s kindness. 

Still, millions of Filipino workers remain vulnerable. Many endure inadequate pay, job insecurity, and unsafe workplaces. Informal workers, including street vendors, tricycle drivers, and home-based micro-entrepreneurs, contribute to the economy daily but often without any social safety nets.

Modern challenges compound this reality. The pandemic highlighted frontline workers — nurses, hospital staff, janitors, supermarket clerks, delivery riders — who risked their safety to keep society functioning, often with little compensation or protection. Meanwhile, gig workers — freelance designers, content creators, ride-hailing drivers — continue to face uncertain income, no health benefits, and few labor protection, despite their growing role in sustaining modern digital economies.

Encouragingly, more companies are embracing better labor practices — offering mental health support, safety programs, flexible work arrangements, and skills training. These demonstrate that productivity and worker welfare are not at odds — they thrive together.

Let Labor Day be more than a ceremonial gesture. Let it be a national moment of reflection and action — one that compels us – in government and private sector – to ensure dignified work across all sectors, and protect those who labor in silence. Let it spark conversations about shared prosperity.

Nation-building does not begin in the halls of power, but in the fields, classrooms, kitchens, offices, and streets — where millions labor with hope, skill, and sacrifice. It is not merely growth we should pursue, but growth that uplifts those who make it possible.

To every worker — visible and unseen —we pay tribute not just for the work you do, but for the life you help us live.

Rente steigt um 3,74 Prozent

Stand:30.04.2025, 12:02 Uhr 

3,74 Prozent mehr Rente erhalten die Rentnerinnen und Rentner ab 1. Juli. (Symbolbild) © Marijan Murat/dpa/dpa-tmn

Zum Abschied sorgt die Ampel-Koalition noch einmal für mehr Geld bei den Rentnerinnen und Rentnern: Turnusgemäß brachte das Bundeskabinett ein spürbares Rentenplus auf den Weg.

Berlin - Die mehr als 21 Millionen Rentnerinnen und Rentner in Deutschland erhalten zum 1. Juli um 3,74 Prozent steigende Bezüge. Dazu beschloss das Bundeskabinett die Rentenwertbestimmungsverordnung des geschäftsführenden Arbeitsministers Hubertus Heil (SPD), wie es in Regierungskreisen hieß. 

Mit der Verordnung wird der Rentenwert so hoch festgesetzt, dass mit ihm das gesetzlich vorgeschriebene Rentenniveau von 48 Prozent erreicht wird. Beispielsweise bei einer Rente von 1.000 Euro bringt die Erhöhung monatlich 37,40 Euro mehr. Für eine Standardrente bei durchschnittlichem Verdienst und 45 Beitragsjahren bedeutet die Rentenanpassung einen Anstieg um 66,15 Euro im Monat.  Das Rentenplus geht vor allem auf gestiegenen Löhnen in Deutschland zurück – laut offizieller Statistik betrug das für die Rente maßgebliche Lohnplus 3,69 Prozent. 

Heil wertete die Erhöhung der Rente als „gute Nachricht für die Rentnerinnen und Rentner“. Dank der guten Lohnentwicklung stärke die Rentenanpassung ihre Kaufkraft. „Das ist wichtig, denn viele fleißige Menschen sind auf eine anständige Rente nach einem fordernden Arbeitsleben angewiesen“, sagte Heil. „Stabile Renten sind kein Almosen, sondern hart verdient und Ausdruck der Leistungsgerechtigkeit.“

Rentenniveau dauerhaft bei 48 Prozent

SPD-Fraktionsvize Dagmar Schmidt verwies darauf, dass die geltende Haltelinie von 48 Prozent Rentenniveau in diesem Jahr ausläuft. Doch wolle die neue Koalition das Rentenniveau dauerhaft bei diesem Wert sichern, bekräftigte Schmidt. „Ohne gesetzliche Handlung wird das Rentenniveau langfristig sinken. 2038 hätten Rentner mit einer Rente von 1.000 Euro im Monat dann knapp 750 Euro jährlich weniger im Geldbeutel als bei einem stabilen Rentenniveau von 48 Prozent.“ 

Heils Renten-Verordnung für die Anpassung in diesem Jahr tritt – vorbehaltlich der Zustimmung des Bundesrates – am 1. Juli 2025 in Kraft. dpa