Seventh straight hike pushes diesel prices up P6.40 since start of 2026

Dominique Nicole Flores - Philstar.com

February 9, 2026 | 10:24am

Motorists queue at a gasoline station in Quezon City on July 7, 2024.

STAR / Miguel De Guzman

MANILA, Philippines — Motorists will brace for another fuel price hike of up to P1 per liter on Tuesday, February 10, as gasoline posts its fifth straight weekly increase, while diesel and kerosene climb for a seventh week.

Oil firms will increase gasoline and kerosene prices by P0.60 per liter and diesel by P1 per liter, with diesel recording the biggest gains among petroleum products in the past month.

Shell Pilipinas, Seaoil, CleanFuel and PetroGazz announced the upward price adjustments on Monday, February 9. 

Jetti Petroleum President Leo Bellas attributed the anticipated fuel price hike to several factors, including persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that directly affect supply flows as Europe shifts away from Russian oil imports.   

Bellas said Lunar New Year festivities may also have a short-term impact on domestic prices, as higher demand during the period may have reduced diesel exports from China. Escalating threats between the United States and Iran could also further accelerate the rise in oil prices, he added.

The Department of Energy (DOE) also projected that shifting weather conditions would play a role in fuel demand, as warmer temperatures reduce heating fuel consumption, while cooler weather boosts demand.

However, Bellas noted that oil prices "seesawed" last week, fluctuating on expectations of a possible de-escalation in US-Iran tensions and fears of disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which pushed prices higher. 

Last week's price hike was steeper, with gasoline rising by P0.80 per liter, kerosene by P1.10 per liter, and diesel by P1.60 per liter.    

Based on DOE's monitoring, petroleum products sold at Metro Manila stations for the week of February 3 to 9 fell within the following price ranges:

• Gasoline (RON97/100): P52.20 to P74.63
• Gasoline (RON95): P50 to P75.89
• Gasoline (RON91): P49 to P67.39
• Diesel: P48 to P67.25
• Diesel Plus: P55.15 to P77.38
• Kerosene: P75.00 to P96.49 

After this week's hike, gasoline prices would have a year-to-date increase of P3 per liter, while diesel and kerosene would climb by P6.40 and P4.40 per liter, respectively — almost double the net increases recorded over the same period in 2025.   

— with reports from the Philippine News Agency

No retirement for learning

BY ELEANOR PINUGU

FEBRUARY 9, 2026

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Many people grew up subscribing to the traditional three-stage model of education-work-retirement for mapping out their future. Education is about equipping oneself with knowledge, work is about building a career, advancing professionally, and saving for the future, and retirement is about pursuing rest and leisure. This trajectory has always been a linear way of dividing one’s pursuits into chapters that correlate well with the natural stages of youth, maturity, and old age. At Arizona State University (ASU), however, there is a pioneering community for senior citizens that is creatively reframing retirement as an opportune time to be an active member of the academic ecosystem.

Mirabella at ASU is a university-based retirement facility that promotes active, purposeful aging through intergenerational learning. The community, which currently houses 400 older adults, encourages its residents to go back to school and audit university classes that they are interested in. The center promotes itself as enabling senior citizens to major in “having the time of your life.”

What distinguishes the Mirabella model is that it does not see senior citizens as passive recipients of care. Instead, it recognizes how they can bring their lived experiences into learning spaces. Intergenerational classrooms have been shown to enrich discussions, improve critical thinking, and promote empathy. Young people offer boundless energy and fresh ideas, while the “seasoned” older adults help provide context, judgment, and more tempered perspectives. The result is reciprocal education where everyone learns and connects more meaningfully.

BARMM voter registration resumes Feb. 9

 

By Philippine News Agency

Published Feb 8, 2026 08:53 pm

Voter registration in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for the November 2026 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) resumes on Monday, Feb. 9.

In a social media post, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) called on those qualified to be voters in the barangay and youth polls to visit local Comelec offices or designated satellite registration centers in their city and municipality to list up.

The offices of the Election Officers are ready to accept applications for registration from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, unless there is an announcement from the Comelec.

BARMM provinces are Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Special Geographic Areas.

Those who are eligible to register as regular voters must be 18-years-old and above, residing in the Philippines for at least one year, and residing in the area where he/she is looking to get registered for at least six months before Election Day.

For SK voters, those eligible to register are at least 15 but not more than 30 years of age, and residing in the barangay for at least six months on or before Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Aside from application for voter registration, the poll body is also accepting applications for change of name and status, correction of entries, reactivation of registration records, inclusion of registration records and reinstatement of name in the list of voters.

Also accepted are applications for updating the records of persons with disabilities, senior citizens and members of indigenous peoples and indigenous cultural communities, and transfer from overseas to local.

The registration period will end on March 31. (PNA)

Mariah Carey's Olympic act prompts questions about possible lip-syncing and a curious teleprompter

By Associated Press

Published Feb 8, 2026 10:18 am | Updated Feb 8, 2026 01:06 pm

Mariah Carey performs during the Olympic opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics (AP)

MILAN (AP) — The performance by pop star Mariah Carey at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony was the talk of the town — but it also raised a few questions.

The rendition by the American singer of Italian classic “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu” — better known as “Volare” — was a showstopping highlight in the 3½-hour spectacle that kicked off the Games.

“Such a dream come true to perform (in Italian!) at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony,” she later wrote in an Instagram post.

She received rave reviews from many, who called her marvelous and touted her high notes.

But her performance Friday also prompted a good deal of criticism online, where commenters were confused why an Italian singer wasn’t given the honor. Some noted a large teleprompter with a phonetic breakdown of the song’s Italian lyrics, while others wondered if she was lip-syncing.

Three reporters — including The Associated Press — asked the International Olympic Committee and local organizers about her during their daily news conference Saturday to address the teleprompter and doubts about lip-syncing.

Non-Italian background

Carey was born in New York to an Irish American mother, who was an opera singer, and a Black father with Venezuelan roots.

Despite her non-Italian background, the local organizing committee asked her to perform at Friday’s opening ceremony and touted her for months as a big get to open the Winter Games.

“We believe that Mariah Carey’s performance was exceptional,” Milan Cortina’s director of ceremonies Maria Laura Iascone said Saturday. “She was capable of creating a magic moment.”

It’s unclear whether Carey chose to sing “Volare,” but she told Vogue after the ceremony that the song has long been a favorite of hers.

The show did feature the Italian voices of tenor Andrea Bocelli, singer-songwriter Laura Pausini and mezzosoprano Cecilia Bartoli.

Lip-syncing questions

While armchair analysts mused online that the “All I Want for Christmas is You” singer appeared stiff, especially while singing in Italian, the crowd inside the San Siro stadium cheered and applauded when they realized she was performing in the local language.

She later stunned the audience with her own “Nothing is Impossible.”

Asked Saturday if Carey was lip-syncing, Iascone dodged the question and instead praised her as “really extraordinary.”

She said that “in order to be on the safe side,” they always record performances ahead of time for internationally broadcast events.

She didn’t directly address if Carey was lip-syncing and said the singer wasn’t paid for her performance.

“We were all satisfied with the result we had,” she said.

Phonetic teleprompter

A large teleprompter was visible inside the stadium, spelling out phonetically how Carey should sing the Italian words.

“Voh-lah-reh,” it read for “Volare.” And “Nell blue Dee-peen-toe D blue” for “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu.”

Posts of the scrolling lyrics on social media, including from Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, racked up hundreds of thousands of views online.

When the AP asked Iascone about it, she said “of course” there was a teleprompter.

“Especially for those artists who sang in a different language than their own native language,” she said. “And they needed some support, especially regarding the pronunciation.”

Iascone added: “This is part of the show. It is a way to support the talents on the stage.”

Fire & Ice Entertainment ignites 2026 with concerts, music, movies, and theater

 

By Robert Requintina

Published Feb 7, 2026 11:30 pm

Fire and Ice Entertainment officially unveiled its expanded creative ecosystem with a day of music, storytelling, and significant announcements. The launch brought together concerts, upcoming music releases, original films and series, and theatre productions that will be introduced throughout 2026.

The grand media launch at Noctos Music Bar brought together artists, industry partners, press, and cultural stakeholders as Fire and Ice Entertainment introduced its five interconnected brands: Fire and Ice LIVE!, Fire and Ice Music, Fire and Ice Studios, Fire and Ice Media, and Fire and Ice Consultancy.

OPM icon Ice Seguerra, Liza Diño, Chief Executive Officer of Fire and Ice Entertainment, and other Filipino artists pose during the Fire and Ice Entertainment trade show held in Quezon City.

These divisions together create an artist-led platform spanning live events, music, theatre, film, series development, and cultural consultancy—a significant evolution from project-based work to a fully integrated creative ecosystem.

Beyond a company launch, the event established Fire and Ice Entertainment as a lasting creative home for artists, prioritizing sustainability, authorship, and collaboration over one-off projects.

“Fire and Ice Entertainment was built on the belief that artists and ideas deserve long-term support, not just one-off projects,” said Liza Diño, Chief Executive Officer of Fire and Ice Entertainment. “By formally launching these five brands, we are putting structure behind a vision that allows creativity to thrive across live performance, music, screen, theatre, and cultural development while contributing meaningfully to the growth of the Philippine creative industry.”

Fire and Ice LIVE!: Expanding the live entertainment landscape

Fire and Ice LIVE! presented an extensive lineup of major concerts and live productions for the year, underscoring its commitment to high-quality, artist-focused live experiences.

Confirmed headline events include:

● Being Ice: Live! at the New Frontier – Feb. 27, New Frontier Theater, headlined by Ice Seguerra

● Love, Sessionistas – April 18, Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino

● Sittiscape: The City of Bossa – May 17, Newport Performing Arts Theater, featuring Sitti

● Divine Divas: Divine Rules the World – May 31, Newport Performing Arts Theater, starring the Divine Divas.

Fire and Ice LIVE! also announced overseas touring plans, with “Being Ice” scheduled to visit Australia and Europe, signaling the company’s expanding international ambitions.

To further strengthen its presence in theatre, Fire and Ice LIVE! in partnership with Fire and Ice Studios announced upcoming stage productions:

● Still Alice (Sept. 27 – Oct. 5)

● ’Night, Mother (Nov. 26 – Dec. 5)

Fire and Ice Music: Building artist-centric careers

Fire and Ice Music officially unveiled its artist roster, underscoring the company’s commitment to music as a platform for creative expression and career growth. The initial lineup features Ice Seguerra, Princess Velasco, Divine Divas (Precious Paula Nicole, Viñas DeLuxe, Brigiding), and Louise.

The label also announced a slate of upcoming EP releases:

● Tamang Panahon – Ice Seguerra

● Always You – Louise

● Divine Rules The World – Divine Divas

● Still Here – Princess Velasco

These releases are part of a wider strategy focused on original music, narrative-driven projects, and increased artist participation in creative decision-making.

Fire and Ice Media: Original stories for screen and sound

Fire and Ice Media described its expanding pipeline of screen and audio projects, combining auteur-driven works by established and emerging filmmakers with original projects developed by the in-house creative team. This reinforces the company’s commitment to long-form storytelling in film, series, documentary, and audio.

Feature films:

● Aid directed by Brillante Mendoza

● Karaoke News directed by John Paul Su

● Becoming Ice documentary by Tey Clamor

● Funeral Flowers - an original Fire and Ice Media project by Liza Diño and Ice Seguerra

● Island Girl - an original Fire and Ice Media project by Ice Seguerra

Series in development:

● Never The Bride - an original series created by Liza Diño

● Behind The Line - an original series created by Liza Diño

Key announcements include the return of Talk Sheets with Ice and Liza for its second podcast season.

Fire and Ice Consultancy: Creative Strategy and Cultural Development

Completing the ecosystem is Fire and Ice Consultancy, the company’s professional advisory arm focused on cultural, creative, and strategic consulting. Initial initiatives include consultancy support for UNESCO Creative City applications and involvement in the development of QCinema Industry 2026, extending Fire and Ice Entertainment’s impact beyond production into policy and cultural planning.

Fire and Ice Entertainment: A multi-platform creative group

“At the heart of Fire and Ice is the artist. Everything we announced today—concerts, music releases, films, theatre productions—comes from a desire to create work that is honest, intentional, and deeply collaborative,” said Ice Seguerra, Fire and Ice Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer. “This ecosystem allows artists to tell their stories across different platforms without losing their voice.”