Cool Smashers, Angels edge foes, take top 2 seedings

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Feb 20, 2025 06:25 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Creamline fought back from a tight second set before edging a resilient Galeries Tower, 25-15, 26-24, 25-19, to take the No. 1 seeding in the next round of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday, Feb. 20. 

Creamline fought back from a tight second set before edging a resilient Galeries Tower, 25-15, 26-24, 25-19, to take the No. 1 seeding in the next round of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Alyssa Valdez flashes her vintage form and finishes with 16 points for Creamline. (PVL Images)

The Cool Smashers displayed their championship caliber anchored on veteran Alyssa Valdez to finish the first-round preliminaries on a high note with a 10-1 win-loss record.

It set them up for a meeting with Nxled after the Chameleons bowed to the Petro Gazz Angels, 25-19, 25-14, 25-17, to finish with the 1-10 mark for the 12th seeding. The Angels, for their part, also finished at 10-1 for the second seed and set up a next meeting with the 11th seed Capital1 Solar Spikers.

Galeries Tower, whose loss also put them at 1-10, but gave them a higher seeding at 10th, arranged a meeting with No. 3 Cignal.

Creamline needed that straight-set victory to seal the top seeding as they entered the match tied with Petro Gazz at the helm, though with a slim set-win advantage 29-27.

The win didn’t come easy, though.

After a dominating opening set, the Cool Smashers found themselves trailing the Highrisers after the Galeries Tower tightened its defense spearheaded by Roselle Baliton and Grazielle Bombita. 

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Jho Maraguinot and France Ronquillo also bannered the Highrisers’ offensive assault, giving them a 22-16 edge.

That turned out to be the Highrisers’ last stand as Valdez conspired with Tots Carlos in finally destroying Galeries Tower’s net defense with their hard-hitting attacks on all angles for eight straight points to grab the 24-22 upperhand.

Maraguinot and Andrea Marzan stopped the bleeding for the Highrisers and tied it at 24-all, but a combination play from Carlos and a down-the-line spike from Valdez sealed the set victory for the Cool Smashers.

From there, Creamline kept that momentum and dictated the pace throughout the third frame en route to the win.

“It was a good game for both sides. Nag-wok yung mga basics namin and we really worked hard on our system these past few days so thankfully, nanalo kami,” said Valdez, who flashed her vintage form by finishing 16 points on 15 kills and one block.

“Every time nagta-time out kami, Coach (Sherwin Meneses) was asking us to get one point at a time. It just so happened the momentum switched on our side so luckily we finished it with a win,” she added.

Carlos paced the Cool Smashers with 18 points built on 16 attacks, while Bea De Leon, Jema Galanza and Pangs Panaga combined for 16 points.

Galeries Tower finished with a 1-10 mark despite Baliton scoring 10 points.

PH tourism poised for robust growth

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Feb 17, 2025 07:36 AM

  

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Tourism has long been a cornerstone of the Philippine economy, serving as a vital engine for growth and development. In 2024, the sector achieved a historic milestone, generating an unprecedented ₱760.5 billion in revenues, a 126.75 percent recovery rate from pre-pandemic levels. This remarkable performance underscores the sector’s resilience and its pivotal role in the nation’s economic resurgence. 

Despite these achievements, the Philippines continues to face challenges when compared to its ASEAN neighbors. As of December 2023, the country recorded 5.45 million tourist arrivals, placing it seventh in the region. In contrast, Thailand welcomed 28 million visitors, Malaysia 20 million, Singapore 13.6 million, and Vietnam 12.6 million. These figures highlight the competitive landscape of Southeast Asian tourism and the need for strategic enhancements to bolster the Philippines’ standing.

Addressing these disparities requires comprehensive policy reforms and targeted initiatives. During the recent  Kapihan sa Manila Prince Hotel forum, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco outlined key strategies in the National Tourism Development Plan for 2023-2028 aimed at upgrading tourism infrastructure, including the improvement of airports, seaports, and road networks, to facilitate seamless travel experiences for both domestic and international tourists. While promoting our rich cultural heritage, the country’s  position as a top global destination is advanced significantly.

Secretary Frasco also emphasized the importance of digitalization in modernizing tourism services. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is actively developing digital platforms to provide real-time information, streamline booking processes, and offer virtual tours, thereby catering to the evolving preferences of tech-savvy travelers. 

Furthermore, the DOT is committed to diversifying tourism products by promoting lesser-known destinations and cultural experiences. This approach not only alleviates congestion in traditional hot spots but also distributes economic benefits to rural communities, fostering inclusive growth. 

The Philippines has emerged as a leading player in the regional tourism sector, surpassing its Southeast Asian counterparts with a contribution of approximately ₱4.31 trillion (or $78 billion) to the national GDP. Moreover, the sector’s resilience is highlighted by a 111 percent recovery in visitor receipts, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. She explained that domestic and international visitor receipts amounted to over ₱3.36 trillion, generating substantial revenue for businesses, supporting livelihoods, and creating tourism-related jobs. In 2023, she added, the tourism industry provided employment for around 6.21 million Filipinos, accounting for 6.4 percent of the total employment increase as compared to 2022. In turn, this has generated downstream employment for around 16 million Filipinos as reckoned in the first quarter of 2024.

Sec. Frasco expressed optimism about surpassing the target of 7.7 million international tourist arrivals for 2024. She said that while challenges such as visa policies and infrastructure development persist, the DOT remains committed to addressing these issues and expanding connectivity, including the recent Manila-Paris direct flight.

The upcoming ASEAN Summit in 2026, which the Philippines is set to host, presents a significant opportunity to showcase the nation’s tourism offerings on a global stage and accelerate initiatives to ensure that infrastructure and services meet international standards. A restored budget of  ₱500 million will go a long way toward conducting tourism campaigns, particularly in key markets such as Europe. 

While the Philippine tourism sector has demonstrated commendable resilience and growth, there remains substantial potential for advancement. By implementing strategic infrastructure improvements, embracing digital innovations, diversifying tourism offerings, and securing necessary funding, the Philippines can elevate its position within the ASEAN region and ensure that tourism continues to be a driving force for economic prosperity.

Disappearing bananas

 From ancient, seeded varieties to today’s Cavendish exports, bananas have shaped Philippine history, cuisine and economy.

BY SOL VANZI

Feb 14, 2025 08:32 AM

  

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BANANAS in all their different varieties (Photo from Unsplash)

Man has been eating bananas for thousands of years, consuming the first varieties, which were small and fully seeded. Over time, the fruits grew, developed various shapes and tastes, and became the most popular commercially grown tropical fruit.

Bananas have been a part of the Philippines' history since ancient times. The Philippines is one of the regions where bananas are thought to have originated and now is one of the exports supporting our economy. Various sources estimate our annual banana exports at between 3.5 million and 6 million tons of Cavendish bananas.

According to Philippine export data, the country shipped the most bananas to Japan, which recorded a share in value of 37%. The Philippines stood as the second-largest banana exporter in the world.
For local consumption, Filipinos prefer Saba bananas, which are native to the country. Saba is the most popular type planted in home gardens and small farms because of its versatility as a main ingredient in many Pinoy dishes for breakfast, snacks and main courses. 

Although there are dozens of banana varieties, only a handful are available in local markets; there are only two or three sold in supermarkets. Most Manileños are familiar only with señorita, lakatan, saba and Cavendish.
Señorita is a must-buy for local and foreign tourists who visit Tagaytay. Visitors are attracted to the whole bunches of small yellow bananas neatly clinging in tight rows and selling for less than P100.

Cavendish bananas, developed for export and grown commercially in Mindanao, are like what Tagalogs of old called bungulan. The fruits are long and green and stay green even when ripe. Very aromatic, it is best used fully ripe, mashed for fritters, pancakes, muffins and banana bread.

Lakatan is the prettiest choice for fruit baskets and pasalubong. It is also the most expensive. It tastes best when slightly overripe, as indicated by tiny brown spots on the skin.

Lakatan has yellow skin and almost orange firm flesh. No wonder it is the most expensive fresh banana in the market. 

Saba bananas are the most widely sold at all stages of ripeness. Some buyers prefer fully ripe saba; others prefer fruit that is almost ripe, while Visayans choose fruit that is really green to eat boiled instead of rice with salted fish called ginamos.

Saba fruit has high levels of nutrients, making it a good choice for consumption. It is rich in starch, with a carbohydrate content similar to a potato. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, B and C and contains dietary fiber and iron. Saba fruit has its highest nutritional value when consumed raw.

Ripe bananas do not travel well; boiled bananas do. Throughout my long career as a journalist, I have depended on boiled bananas during stakeouts and long coverages. They do not need special packing, do not spoil, and are very filling and nutritious.

In my travels all over the Philippines, I still run into banana varieties I knew as a kid but that are now very rare: Gloria, morado and tindok. Gloria has yellow skin and white firm flesh that cuddles dozens of black seeds that resemble whole black pepper.

Morado has short, fat fruit protected by thick reddish skin.

Tindok fruits are large, more than a foot long and as fat as a baby's arm.

Perhaps it is time to focus our attention on our disappearing fruits, lest we find ourselves singing, "Yes, we have no bananas. We have no bananas today!"

Fast-tracking educational reform a higher priority

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Feb 12, 2025 00:07 AM

  

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The Philippine education system has long been the subject of scrutiny and reform, with initiatives spanning decades aimed at enhancing its quality and accessibility. From the Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine Education in the pre-martial law era to the establishment of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), the nation has persistently sought solutions to its educational challenges. However, recent assessments, including the EDCOM 2 Year One Report titled “Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education,” highlight systemic failures that continue to impede progress.  

One of the most significant reforms in the past was the restructuring of the former Department of Education and Culture into three separate entities: the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). This move aimed to provide focused attention on basic education, higher education, and technical-vocational training, respectively. While this structural change was well-intentioned, the persistent decline in education quality, as evidenced by poor Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores, indicates that structural reforms alone are insufficient.

The EDCOM 2’s recent findings underscore the urgency of implementing purposive reforms to address the learning crisis. The Year Two Report, “Fixing the Foundations,” emphasizes the need for foundational changes to rectify longstanding issues. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, co-chairperson of EDCOM 2, has called for urgent measures to strengthen the educational foundations of Filipino learners, highlighting the critical nature of the situation.

In this context, House Bill 11213, known as the Education Pathways Act, has been proposed to offer alternative educational tracks for junior high school graduates. The bill allows students to choose between a university preparatory program and a technical-vocational program, aiming to provide flexibility and address diverse learner needs. While the bill’s intent to alleviate financial burdens and offer tailored educational pathways is commendable, it also presents potential pitfalls.

One concern is that allowing students to bypass senior high school may lead to gaps in essential competencies, leaving them ill-prepared for higher education or the workforce. Additionally, the implementation of such pathways requires robust support systems, including career guidance and counseling, to ensure students make informed decisions aligned with their aptitudes and interests. Without these supports, the reform risks perpetuating existing inequalities and failing to achieve its objectives. 

Educational organizations, such as the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA), have expressed positions on various education policy reforms. Cautioning against “reform fatigue” they are signaling that, instead of enacting new laws, it would be more beneficial to carry on with the EDCOM 2’s reform programs.

Noteworthy, too, is the fact that the DepEd and the TESDA are presently headed by a former senator and a former representative, respectively, who were also involved in shaping the EDCOM 2 report. Hence, they are primed for the implementation of priority reforms that will enable the country to regain its footing in terms of global competitiveness.

In conclusion, sustaining educational reforms requires a balanced approach that considers structural changes, curriculum development, teacher training, and student support services. As the Philippines continues to navigate its educational challenges, it is crucial to learn from past initiatives, heed the recommendations of expert bodies like EDCOM 2, and remain vigilant against potential pitfalls in proposed policies.

Only through such a comprehensive and thoughtful approach can the nation hope to reverse the decline in education quality and ensure a brighter future for its learners.

National Arts Month: Nurturing creativity and our shared sense of humanity

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Feb 8, 2025 00:03 AM

  

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February is National Arts Month (NAM), an annual tribute to the richness and diversity of Filipino creativity. 

 

Since 1991, February has been designated as National Arts Month through Presidential Proclamation No. 683, signed by President Corazon C. Aquino. This month-long commemoration underscores the importance of nurturing and recognizing local artistry as a vital part of nation-building and cultural identity.

 

The theme for NAM 2025, “Ani ng Sining: Diwa at Damdamin” (Harvest of the Arts: Soul and Passion) aptly captures the flourishing state of Philippine art. After years of pandemic-related challenges, the local art scene is now in full bloom, ready to showcase creative works that speak to the heart and reflect the passion of Filipino artists. 

 

Art, in its many forms, whether visual, performative, architectural, or literary, serves as a mirror of society. From paintings and sculptures to music, theater, and even digital media, art captures the complexities of human experience and preserves the soul of a nation. The creative process itself embodies freedom, imagination, and resilience, values that Filipinos have long demonstrated.

 

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) opened this year’s NAM with a ceremony held in front of its newly decorated building inside Intramuros, with its facade decked in intricately designed bamboo inspired by Bulacan’s Singakaban festival. 

 

The NCCA spearheads numerous events this month, in collaboration with both public and private institutions. The activities include a parade, free tour at Museo de Intramuros, a light display at the Metropolitan Theater, workshops, and art shows. Art Fair Philippines is among the highlights, moving this year from its traditional venue at The Link carpark to the more expansive Ayala Triangle, offering new experiences for art enthusiasts.

 

Moreover, galleries and museums nationwide, including the National Museum of Fine Arts and the recently renovated Ayala Museum become hubs for cultural immersion. The National Museum of Fine Arts provides an immersive survey of local art history and houses Juan Luna’s “Spoliarium,” a most precious example of Filipino fine art. 

 

It is time to bring the family to visit a museum or two. Visiting these spaces offers us a chance to connect with our artistic heritage and gain a deeper appreciation for contemporary expressions of creativity.

 

Art is often misunderstood as a luxury reserved for the elite. However, its impact is far-reaching. Throughout history, Filipino artists have used their craft to advocate for social justice, document the struggles of everyday life, and envision a better future. Art gives voice to what words sometimes cannot express and reveals truths that actions alone cannot convey. It fosters empathy, challenges perspectives, and inspires change.

 

This month reminds us of the essential role art plays in shaping our identity and collective memory. Pausing to engage in artistic activities — whether attending exhibits, watching performances, or simply creating something ourselves — nurtures not just our individual creativity but also our shared sense of humanity.

 

As our nation continues to evolve, art will remain a vital marker of its growth and maturity. National Arts Month serves as a reminder to celebrate the soul and passion that define us as a people. Let us continue to support and uplift Filipino artists whose works inspire, provoke, and unite us. In doing so, we contribute to a vibrant and enduring cultural legacy that will shape generations to come. 

Write as you speak (not really)

Do we ever learn rhythm in writing at grammar school?

BY AA PATAWARAN

Feb 7, 2025 02:20 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Always be a poet, even in prose. —Charles Baudelaire

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I’m usually very conscious of my deadlines when I write but only because I want time to read what I write over and over, sometimes aloud, and to change it here, there, everywhere I can make it sound better. Mostly, I only change for rhythm, what sounds good to my ears. 

 

I have no idea how I trained my ear, but then I also have no idea if my ear is trained enough. I mean, it’s possible that the rhythm I hear in my prose is lost on everybody else. It’s also possible that what sounds like music to my ears is just jarring to somebody else’s.  

 

Come to think of it, has any of your writing teachers in grade school, high school, or college ever taught you about rhythm? OK, we learned about poetry at an early age. In nursery or kindergarten, we learned everything in rhymes, even onomatopoeia (“Baa Baa Black Sheep,” “...with a quack quack here/and a quack quack there...”), but I guess you had to be so far advanced or specializing in language or composition or poetry to cover those things extensively. Otherwise, unless you had been lucky to have a poet on a day job for a language teacher, you were mostly limited to grammar and syntax.

 

James Ellroy

 

All I know is that you learn much about rhythm from reading constantly, the more diverse the material, the more you pick up. Some writers like Marcel Proust (Remembrance of Things Past) are generally slow and leisurely. Others are mostly fast and furious, say, James Ellroy (Black Dahlia, L.A. Confidential). But all writers must accomplish rhythm by varying the length of their sentences from paragraph to paragraph, lest they sound tedious or monotonous and tire the reader out. 

 

Marcel Proust

 

To illustrate the wonders a variety of sentence lengths can do to your writing, here are some basic tricks I learned, which I try not to keep in mind, except unconsciously:

 

         —Start with a short sentence. It gives the reader a jolt, which allows you to hold his attention long enough to follow it up with a long sentence that gives away the reason he is jolted in the first place. (Note: The preceding two sentences are an example of the trick we can call “The Short Sentence Followed by the Long Sentence.”)  

          —A short sentence that follows a long sentence packs a wallop, wrapping it up, if not punctuating it. Exactly what this sentence does. (Let's call this trick “The Long Sentence Followed by the Short Sentence.”)

 

          —There’s a short sentence. There’s a long sentence. There’s a way these sentences connect. That’s what you call rhythm. (This trick invokes “The Power of Three” or “The Rule of Three,” which is to use a succession of seemingly repetitive sentences, usually short and snappy and most effective if there are three of them. Again, the sentences above are an example: The first three are similar in length and style, and the fourth, departing from what the preceding three sentences have in common, strings them all together into one whole idea, instead of three separate ones.)

 

          —Whatever you do, don’t just do the first trick or the second or the third. You have to do them in combination and together with all the other tricks you might find in the book. In fact, all these three tricks you have to do sparingly and only to great effect.

 

Maybe, it’s all technical. When I started dabbling in poetry, I used to just play it by ear. I didn’t even know the first rule about haiku, which is to stick to three lines, the first and third line each with five syllables and the second line with seven. In the beginning, it sort of made it easier for me to do haiku, confident that I was at least technically grounded. Later on, however, I started to feel I was counting syllables rather than writing. 

 

 

In my book Hai[Na]Ku And Other Poems (2016, Anvil Publishing), I wrote “D|SLOYALTY,” a poem of nine passages, each of the five lines in each passage only 10 syllables long, no more, no less. That was a poem of nine passages, 45 lines, and 450 syllables, but I’m not sure: Do nine passages, 45 lines, and 450 syllables a poem make? Surely not. It’s always the beautiful thought, but it doesn’t hurt to make a beautiful thought even more beautiful in a thoughtful package.

 

At the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA), where I taught Fashion Journalism, I had a Filipino-American student, whom I considered the best among all the writing students I’d ever had in that school and in others. She wrote as she spoke and even verbally she was articulate, not eloquent, but articulate. At some point, I told her, “I would be the last one to tell you not to write as you speak because you can’t get more authentic than that, but given that you seem to have ease with words, I’m looking for some craftsmanship in your work.”

 

Don’t get me wrong: I had no objections to her style. I only wanted to push her further because since her writing was flawless, grammatically at least, I believed she could worry about other things and elevate her writing to an art form, the words well curated to provide images similar to that provided by a painting.

 

I guess that as her reader, at first impressed by the ease with which she took me from idea to idea, I began looking to be entertained not only by what she had to tell but by the way she told it.

 

Practice. Practice. Practice.

 

All of us who went to grammar school (and took it seriously) can write, but not all of us are writers. As Alexander Pope wrote in his Essay on Criticism, "True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, as those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.”