Rodrigo Duterte proclaimed Mayor

 Detention in The Hague, Netherlands did not stop former President Rodrigo Duterte from securing another term as Davao City mayor as he won a landslide victory in the 2025 midterm elections.

Based on the official city canvass report, Duterte garnered 662,630 votes—far from Atty. Karlo Nograles' 80,852. #Eleksyon2025

Full story at the comments section.

NU frustrates Canino, La Salle, nears back-to-back UAAP women’s crown

 

By Mark Rey Montejo

At A Glance

National University reaffirmed its mastery over De La Salle University, 25-17, 25-21, 13-25, 25-17, to take Game 1 of their best-of-three finals series in the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball at the jam-packed Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday, May 11.

NU Lady Bulldogs are one win away from winning their back-to-back UAAP titles. (UAAP Media)

NU Lady Bulldogs are one win away from winning their back-to-back UAAP titles. (UAAP Media)

National University reaffirmed its mastery over De La Salle University, 25-17, 25-21, 13-25, 25-17, to take Game 1 of their best-of-three finals series in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball at the jam-packed Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday, May 11.

Veterans Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and Vange Alinsug took charge on the offensive end for the Lady Bulldogs to deny the Lady Spikers’ attempt of extending the match and put Angel Canino’s 22-point effort to waste in front of the rapturous 15,192 crowd inside the Big Dome.

La Salle, though, had its break in the third set but eventually ran out of gas in the fourth no thanks to Solomon and Alinsug who led NU's counters that kept the Sherwin Meneses-mentored crew afloat.

Aside from extending its win streak to four against the girls from the Taft Avenue, the Sampaloc-based squad is now one win away from repeating as the women’s champion with Game 2 set on Wednesday, May 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

A win could give NU its third championship -- 5th overall -- in four years, while La Salle tries to bounce back to keep its 13th crown bid alive.

Sherwin Meneses, for his part, notched his first-ever victory in the finals in the collegiate ranks, and also a first versus La Salle’s long-time tactician Ramil de Jesus, who is coaching in his 21st finals appearance.

Alinsug took the spotlight as she pumped in 21 points, all attacks, while Belen and Solomon provided the offensive support off 19 and nine points, respectively.

Alexa Mata (7), Erin Pangilinan (6), and Arah Panique (5) also boosted NU’s scoring column with Lams Lamina, as expected, going splendid in her playmaking ways with 22 excellent sets.

Canino’s 22 points came with 13 excellent receptions, Shevana Laput had 16 points while Amie Provido added 10.

Fil-Am composer Susie Ibarra bags Pulitzer Prize for music

 

Filipino-American composer Susie Ibarra (Facebook)

By Carissa Alcantara

Published May 13, 2025 11:57 am

Pinoy pride indeed! 

Filipino-American composer and percussionist Susie Ibarra won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her work "Sky Land," which features an eight-piece ensemble inspired by the rainforests of Luzon.

"Sky Land" premiered on July 18, 2024, in New York commissioned by the Asia Society. Susie mentioned in a statement that "the composition draws from the rainforest ecosystems of Luzon and explores themes of biodiversity, climate change, and community practices. Traditional Philippine sounds featured in the piece include Northern-style bamboo instruments, gongs, and the flute."

The premiere performance featured an eight-piece ensemble, including Ibarra herself, flutist Claire Chase, pianist Alex Peh, and members of the Bergamot Quartet.

Her fellow nominees were Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson for "Jim is Still Crowing" and George Lewis for "The Comet."

The Pulitzer Board praised the composition for “challenging the notion of the compositional voice by intertwining the profound musicianship and improvisational skills of a soloist as a creative tool.” Ibarra received a $15,000 (P830,000) together with her fellow recipients.

Founder of Susie Ibarra Studios and Habitat Sound, the Fil-Am composer works at the intersection of sound, sustainability, and social justice.

Well-known venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Museum of Modern Art have displayed Susie's work. In addition to that, she is also a co-founder of Song of the Bird King, an organization dedicated to preserving indigenous music and ecological knowledge in the Philippines.

Raised in Houston by her Filipino parents, Ibarra is trained in both Western classical music and the Philippine kulintang tradition.

Like Susie, several Filipino-Americans have won the Pulitzer Prize, including Bryan Acohido, Alex Tizon, Jose Antonio Vargas, and Cheryl Diaz.

Other Pulitzer Prize winners include the late diplomat Carlos P. Romulo in 1942 and writer Manny Mogato in 2018.

PSEi rallies after peaceful elections, pause in US-China trade war

James A. Loyola

Published May 13, 2025 

The local stock rallied after the early release of results of a peaceful mid-term elections and a pause on the US-China trade war.

The main index jumped by 108.62 points or 1.68 percent to close at 6,566.82 as the Services sector lead the charge while Miners lagged behind as gold prices dropped. Volume was high at 1.15 billion shares worth P8.89 billion as gainers outnumbered losers 96 to 83 with 58 unchanged.

“Local shares kicked off the shortened trading week in the green, lifted by a broad rally in U.S. equities on Monday after a temporary U.S.-China tariff reduction deal eased trade tensions,” said Regina Capital Development Corporation Managing Director Luis Limlingan.

He added that, “The positive sentiment spilled over into Asian markets and was further supported by the peaceful conduct of Monday’s midterm elections.”

Chinabank Capital Corporation Managing Director Juan Paolo Colet said “The PSE benchmark index surged above the key resistance around 6,500 on strong volume as investors bought into positive news of a 90-day detente in the US-China trade war as well as the generally peaceful outcome of the Philippine midterm elections.”

“This is a good start to the shortened trading week, but sustaining this will now depend on the market’s reaction to upcoming data flows, including first quarter corporate earnings and the US April inflation print,” he noted.

Philstocks Financial Research Mamager Japhet Tantiangco said “The local market rose further upon the resumption of trading as investors took cues from Wall Street's rally overnight.

“This came as the US and China agreed to temporarily cut tariffs while continuing trade negotiations, raising hopes of a trade deal between the two economic superpowers which would benefit the global economy.”

THE POWER OF LISTENING

 

Do you sometimes feel like this, my dear readers, that you want to discuss something, but the people opposite to you simply cannot listen to you? Sometimes, I would love to tell them, "first, learn to listen"!

Listening is indeed the key in effective communication. A person does not have to speak all the time to be the smartest person in the room. Lack of listening may result in frustration, disappointment, and resentment in our relationships. When we listen, we are able to create stronger emotional connections with people.

Many times during my teaching, I'm happy when my students have one or more questions for me - so, I can listen to them first. Active listening promotes mindful thinking, which can reduce anxiety and depression in students. It can also help students build relationships because as they engage themselves in conversation, their peers are more likely to view them as open and interested.

However, every time you use active listening, it gets a little easier. It can help you to navigate through difficult conversations. More than that, it helps improve overall communication, builds a better understanding and ultimately leads to better relationships with family, friends and co-workers too.

Listening is an active process by which we make sense of, assess, and respond to what we hear. The listening process involves five stages: receiving, understanding, evaluating, remembering, and responding. Not only in school or at the workplace. But especially talking about the workplace: Listening helps managers to solicit feedback and proactively find out about problems before they escalate. It's also the only way for management to get to know people as individuals and ensure that they feel genuinely valued.

Listening and the supreme gift of wisdom belongs together. You can only become a wise person, if you know how to listen. Do you still remember the university lectures in your old student days once upon a time? Anybody can become wise, Proverbs says. Wisdom is not reserved for a brainy elite. Becoming wise requires self-discipline to study and humbly seek wisdom at every opportunity. And allow me to repeat: and, first, learn to listen.

Hot weather in the Philippines

 Some 28 areas in the country were expected to experience the “danger” heat index, from 42 degrees to 45 degrees Celsius, as warm and humid weather prevailed during the midterm elections on Monday, according to the PAGASA. https://tinyurl.com/2dwd544w

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Volcanic unrest continues as Kanlaon erupts anew

By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

Published May 13, 2025 07:51 am

A moderately explosive eruption occurred at Kanlaon Volcano early Tuesday, May 13, lasting five minutes and sending a towering ash plume 4.5 kilometers into the sky, reported the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

This is the fourth eruption of Kanlaon since June 3 and Dec. 9, 2024, and April 8, 2025.

Phivolcs said the eruption began at 2:55 a.m. and generated a “voluminous” grayish ash plume that drifted southwest. 

Rumbling sounds were also heard in Brgy. Pula, Canlaon City, and in La Castellana, Negros Occidental. 

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) descended the southern slopes, reaching up to two kilometers from the crater, while large volcanic fragments were hurled within a few hundred meters of the summit, igniting nearby vegetation.

“Thin” ashfall was reported in parts of Negros Occidental, including Barangays Cubay, San Miguel, Yubo, and Ara-al in La Carlota City; Ilijan and Binubuhan in Bago City; and Biak-na-Bato, Sag-ang, and Mansalanao in La Castellana.

Phivolcs has maintained Alert Level 3 over Kanlaon, indicating ongoing magmatic unrest and an increased chance of further “short-lived moderately explosive eruptions.”

Residents within a six-kilometer radius of the crater are advised to remain evacuated due to the risk of pyroclastic flows, ashfall, and volcanic debris.

Local authorities are also urged to prepare for possible evacuation should the volcanic activity escalate.

Residents in affected areas are encouraged to take protective measures against ash inhalation, particularly vulnerable groups, including the elderly, infants, pregnant women, and individuals with respiratory conditions, who should exercise extra caution.

Phivolcs also warned of the potential for lahars during heavy rainfall.