Category: Sports

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s agricultural production picked up pace in the second quarter, driven by higher crops and poultry output, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

In a report released on Wednesday, the PSA said the value of production in agriculture and fisheries totaled P437.53 billion in the second quarter, up 5.7 percent from the same period a year ago.

The latest reading marked a turnaround from the 3.2-percent contraction recorded in the second quarter of 2024 and an improvement from the 2-percent annual growth posted in the first quarter of this year.

The farm sector has sustained gains for the second straight quarter.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the farm production growth in the first two quarters was “a clear indication that we are on the right track.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Tiu Laurel said the “strong growth” reflected the effectiveness of government interventions and affirmed the policies and direction for long-term development set by the Department of Agriculture.

Tiu Laurel said, “Ongoing reforms—including changes to the Rice Tariffication Law, disease control programs and investments in infrastructure, logistics and R&D (research and development)—are essential to sustain growth.”

READ: Rice Tariffication Law amendment to temper rice prices

Favorable weather

Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. president Danilo Fausto said the relatively favorable weather conditions and the government’s support for postharvest facilities had bolstered the sector’s overall performance in the second quarter.

Among the subsectors, crops registered the biggest growth of 11.3 percent, delivering an output of P244.9 billion, with palay and corn posting double-digit growth. Crops contributed 56 percent to the overall production value.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said improved weather conditions and different government interventions contributed to the recovery of crops following the 1-million-ton palay output reduction suffered by the country in 2024 due to extreme weather conditions.

Poultry output climbed by 7 percent to P75.07 billion, accounting for a 17.2-percent share. The PSA also noted improvements in chicken and chicken eggs.

However, livestock output fell by 5.9 percent to P59.60 billion, with hog production sliding by 7.5 percent.

Rolando Tambago, vice chair of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc., said that low confidence of hog raisers to invest in repopulation, not the actual African swine fever (ASF) cases in the country, impeded the industry.

READ: DA unveils P1-B swine repopulation program

“More so that farm-gate price now is nearing [just] break-even—so it will further impact negatively on succeeding quarters output,” Tambago said in a Viber message.

Alfred Ng, vice chair of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, is hoping for turnaround in the next two quarters.

Fausto said both livestock and poultry sectors “are beginning to “manage and be resilient against ASF and avian [influenza] virus.”

HICKORY, N.C. — He didn’t win in it, but every NASCAR fan remembers Dale Earnhardt’s day-glo red paint scheme that featured Taz from the Looney Tunes.

For the 2000 Daytona 500, Earnhardt’s team ditched his traditional black Goodwrench Plus scheme, painted the car red and slapped Taz on the hood of his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The popular and erratic cartoon character was part of a GM Goodwrench ad campaign at the time. A trailblazer in NASCAR merchandising, there were soon Earnhardt hats and diecasts featuring Taz that his loyal fans flocked to.

The seven-time Winston Cup champion drove well in the Taz car at Daytona that day, running in fourth with about 30 laps to go and even traded some red paint with his son in the rookie’s Budweiser No. 8. But an incident with Jimmy Spencer with about 10 laps to go pushed the Intimidator to the middle of the pack and Earnhardt wound up finishing 21st. The Taz body was cut off Chassis No. 58 and the toy company Hasbro acquired it, chopped it up into little pieces, and included those parts in the Winner’s Circle diecasts that were sold.

Earnhardt died a year later, tragically at the 2001 Daytona 500 in a wreck that changed the sport, and the Taz car was never seen again.

Until this past weekend.

The zMAX CARS Tour — a late model stock car touring series that is co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. — held one of its biggest races of the season this past weekend at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway in western North Carolina. The Throwback Classic, billed as the “biggest night in pavement late model racing history,” boasted the richest purse ever for the CARS Tour: $50,000 for the winner of the late model stock race and $30,000 for the winner of the pro late model race.

And the extra layer of coolness and nostalgia to the event is that drivers were encouraged to honor past legends of the sport and memorable cars with throwback paint schemes. For example, Conner Jones drove a white No. 48 car with a Lowe’s ad on it as a nod to Jimmie Johnson. Blayne Harrison and Dawson Sutton both had Darrell Waltrip schemes on their cars. There were also tributes to Jeff Gordon, Alan Kulwicki, Rusty Wallace, David Pearson and Steve Park, among others.

Doug Barnes Jr. always knew that if he got the opportunity to compete in this race, there was only one scheme he wanted his car to have: the Taz.

“I’ve watched this race and seen everyone else’s throwbacks, and I said, ‘If I’m going to do one, I’m going to do the Tasmanian Devil car.’ It’s been on the top of my list. Then we went to (the Dominion Raceway in Virginia) a couple weeks ago and changed the car to red, so then it was cheaper to do it that way,” Barnes told SB Nation. “That’s just been my favorite car ever.”

So, there the Taz was this weekend at Hickory Motor Speedway. The race got pushed to Sunday because of rain, but Barnes ran well in it, finishing fifth in the late model stock competition.

A 27-year-old from Harford County, Maryland that drives for Lee Pulliam Performance, Barnes doesn’t have a lot of memories of watching Earnhardt race when he was a kid, but became a fan through the merchandise.

“I don’t know if it was the diecasts that turned me on to them, but I could tell you all of Dale Earnhardt’s paint schemes,” Barnes said. “I had my favorites, and always been a fan of Junior too.”

If there were any loopholes to go through to run in a racecar with a Earnhardt paint scheme, Barnes wasn’t aware of them.

“Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” Barnes said with a laugh. “I did text it to Dale Jr., and he said it looked cool. When I texted it to him, it was already halfway wrapped, so, it was kind of at the point that there was no going back. I had seen people do Earnhardt schemes in the past, so I didn’t figure I was going to be breaking any laws. It turned out great. Everybody liked it, Junior liked it — I hope he thought it was cool, throwing it back to his dad. I think a lot about them. Happy we could pull it together.”

For Barnes, the fifth-place finish was his third top-five of the year in the CARS Tour and seventh in the top-10 out of 10 races.

This time, the Taz car won’t be chopped up into little collectibles for a toy company. However, Barnes said he plans to cut the door off and have his team and crew sign it before hanging it in his garage in Florida.

SEOUL — A photo of a small dog inside a fridge at a South Korean restaurant sparked disputes over possible animal abuse.

However, the owner of the dog claimed on July 31 that the measure was taken to prevent the extreme heat from exacerbating the animal’s heart issues.

The Busan Jungbu Police Station received a report of potential animal abuse at around 8.10pm on July 29, saying a dog was being kept inside a glass door refrigerator at a local pizza restaurant.

READ: ‘Chikoy’: Cebu City’s beloved library dog

Police checked the site and said the temperature inside the fridge was “not very low”, and are investigating the case to see if the dog’s owner had violated the Animal Protection Act.

Dog in fridge

The dog’s owner, a restaurant owner in her 60s, told local media outlets that she put the 11-year-old maltese named Cookie inside the fridge to prevent her from overheating.

She said Cookie had recently been treated for acute heart issues, and the vet had told her that extreme heat could be fatal to the dog.

“The air-conditioner at the restaurant broke down, so I put a cushion inside the refrigerator and had her (Cookie) sit on it for short periods of time,” the owner said.

She said the dog was like her daughter, and apologized for putting the dog inside a fridge that also contained sauces for customers.

Small dogs like the maltese do tend to overheat due to their long, white hair, which traps heat easily and prevents it from dissipating effectively through perspiration. An excessively high body temperature could lead to heat strokes and other life-threatening medical conditions.

No abuse

Animal rights groups are taking a more reserved approach towards the case after Cookie’s conditions were revealed.

“As of now, (the owner’s) explanation suggests that she had no intention of abusing the dog, although she would need to be careful about keeping her pet inside a refrigerator,” Mr Sim In-seop, the head of the local animal rights group Live in Freedom and Equality, was quoted as saying.

Experts suggest cooling pads for dogs more susceptible to heat, rather than keeping them inside a refrigerator.

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If the first two hours of practice are any indication, McLaren looks unstoppable at the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. Lando Norris topped the timing sheets in both FP1 and FP2, with teammate Oscar Piastri on his heels in both sessions in P2.

But the beauty of this sport is that fortunes can, and often, change with one perfect lap.

We have seen this before during the 2025 F1 season. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Norris was fastest in both FP1 and FP3, but when the clock hit 0:00 and the checkered flag flew at the end of qualifying, it was Max Verstappen on pole position.

Can Verstappen, or perhaps Charles Leclerc, who was third in both FP1 and FP2, spoil the McLaren party? Speaking of spoilers, how about Isack Hadjar, who was fourth-fastest in FP1? Can he and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls deliver a shocker today? What about Aston Martin? Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso caught George Russell’s eye after FP2, as Stroll finished fourth and Alonso finished fifth. “Aston Martin seemed to have good pace on the single lap,” noted Russell in the Mercedes post-practice report on Friday.

It is shaping up to be a fascinating day at the Hungaroring, and we’ll have it all covered here at SB Nation. Qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix begins at 10:00 a.m., and we’ll provide updates throughout the morning here, so please check back early and often.

And tell a friend!

Notes: Updates are in Eastern Time.

Hungarian Grand Prix Provisional Qualifying Results

As results come in, the provisional grid will be filled out here:

Q3

11:03: Qualifying did deliver a stunner. CHARLES LECLERC TAKE POLE POSITION FOR THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX.

10:55: First runs are completed in Q3 and it is Piastri up top with 1 1:15.398. Norris is just off his pace with 1 1:15.494, 0.096 seconds back.

Russell is third, followed by Alonso in fourth and Verstappen in fifth.

10:52: Stroll is first out on the track, followed by Alonso.

10:51: Q3 is underway. 12 minutes to finalize the grid for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

10:48: We should note that after Norris in P1 and Piastri in P2 to close out Q2, Stroll was in third and Alonso in fifth.

Aston Martin might be cooking here …

Russell finished fourth in Q2, with Leclerc in sixth. Hadjar, Verstappen, Lawson, and Gabriel Bortoleto are the other driver to advance to the final segment of qualifying.

10:46: According to Race Control, Q3 will start at 4:50 p.m. local time/10:50 a.m. Eastern.

Q2

10:43: Hamilton is out! He cannot find the time he needs to advance and he is eliminated in Q2, along with Antonelli, Bearman, Sainz, and Colapinto.

10:41: Apologies for the brief delay, in-car WiFi struggling at the moment …

Under two minutes remain in Q2 and Norris is up in P1 followed by Piastri. Final runs are underway with Antonelli, Bearman, Hamilton, Colapinto, and Sainz the five drivers at risk.

10:23: According to Race Control the start of Q2 will be delayed as marshalls clear debris off the track.

Q1

10:19: Leclerc makes it through at the end.

Liam Lawson crosses the line in P14 right at the end, and that drops Tsunoda into the bottom five. Tsunoda, Gasly, Ocon, Nico Hülkenberg, and Alexander Albon are the five drivers eliminated.

10:17: Verstappen jumps to P7 and Tsunoda into P9, they should be through. Isack Hadjar jumps to P3 for the moment.

10:15: As noted above there was a thought that Aston Martin might deliver a surprise. That might be underway as Fernando Alonso has jumped up to P1, with Lance Stroll in P4.

Just over two minutes remain in Q1.

10:10: Early lap times are in and there are some surprises. Piastri leads the way, ahead of the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Norris is in fourth.

At the bottom of the timing sheets? Max Verstappen is in P13, with Yuki Tsunoda in P17. The Red Bull duo needs to find some time here if they want to book spots in Q2. The other four drivers in the drop zone with Tsunoda are Carlos Sainz Jr., Oliver Bearman, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon.

10:03: Qualifying is underway at the Hungaroring.

Notes from FP3

9:20: The pattern largely held in FP3.

Charles Leclerc finished third behind the McLaren duo, but the names were flipped at the front. Oscar Piastri delivered a thunderous lap of 1:14.916 to set the pace. Lando Norris came close to matching Piastri’s lap, finishing 0.032 seconds off his teammates.

Leclerc’s time was 0.399 seconds behind Piastri.

Will McLaren’s dominance carry over to qualifying, or will the Hungaroring deliver a surprise?

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Justin Timberlake is the latest in a long line of global celebrities that were diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

Besides Timberlake, other notable celebrities with Lyme Disease include Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Bella Hadid, Shania Twain, Ben Stiller, Alec Baldwin, and even former US President George W. Bush.

In the Philippines, there is a significant lack of documented human cases of tick infestations and tick-borne diseases, Lyme Disease included (Sharifah, Heo, Ehlers, Houssaini, & Tappe, 2020). However, a research published back in 2023 showed evidences of the bacteria behind Lyme Disease in certain parts of the country, specifically in Metro Manila and Laguna (Lee, et al., 2023).

READ:

Justin Timberlake says he has Lyme disease

Explainer: What to know about lyme disease

 

With so many of our beloved celebrities contracting it, people are wondering what exactly is Lyme Disease? What are its symptoms? How does one get infected with it?

To answer all those questions and more, Cebu Daily News Digital compiled key facts about Lyme Disease for the public’s benefit.

What is Lyme Disease?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is caused by two types of bacteria: Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii. Reported cases of Lyme Disease are commonly from Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper-Midwest regions, which includes the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Lyme Disease is commonly transmitted to humans through the bite of ticks which are infected by either Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii. This disease can be treated with antibiotics but complications from it can affect a person’s  joints, heart, or their nervous system.

According to a World Health Organization report, the rise of Lyme Disease have some correlation with the effects of climate change, suggesting that climate change will most likely facilitate the spread of the disease (World Health Organization, 2006).

How do you get Lyme Disease?

As mentioned earlier, Lyme Disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi or Borrelia mayonii, although the latter is rare. burgdorferi or Borrelia mayonii is commonly transmitted to humans via tick bites, most especially if the ticks have been attached to the skin for more than 24 hours.

Infected ticks are most commonly found in wooded, brushy, and grassy areas, with deer pointed as the most common host for Lyme Disease-infected ticks.

However, there is no sufficient data regarding tick infestations and tick-borne diseases in the Philippines. That said, a 2023 research showed there are evidences of the bacterium being present in pet dogs in Metro Manila and Laguna, which warrants further study as the authors suggested (Lee, et al., 2023).

As per the CDC, although dogs and cats can get Lyme disease, there is no evidence that they are able to spread the infection to their owners. However, it is also possible for these pets to be hosts of infested ticks.

Lastly, Lyme disease is not spread through casual human contact such as touching, kissing, or sexual activity. It is also not known to spread through breast milk or blood transfusions. But, transmission from a pregnant person to a fetus is possible if the infection is untreated, but it is a rare occurrence.

Lyme Disease Symptoms

Lyme disease is diagnosed based on a patient’s symptoms, which often include physical signs such as a rash. Here is a list of other symptoms:

Early signs and symptoms (3 to 30 days after tick bite)

• Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes may occur in the absence of rash
• Erythema migrans (EM) rash:
  • Occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of infected people
  • Begins at the site of a tick bite after a delay of 3 to 30 days (average is about 7 days)
  • Expands gradually over several days reaching up to 12 inches (30 cm) or more across
  • May feel warm to the touch but is rarely itchy or painful
  • Sometimes clears as it enlarges, resulting in a target or “bull’s-eye” appearance
  • May appear on any area of the body
  • Does not always appear as a “classic bull’s-eye” rash

Later signs and symptoms (days to months after tick bite)

• Severe headaches and neck stiffness
• Additional EM rashes on other areas of the body
• Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face)
• Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly the knees and other large joints.
• Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
• Heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (Lyme carditis)
• Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
• Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
• Nerve pain
• Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet

Lyme Disease Prevention, Vaccine, and Treatment

As per the CDC, vaccines for Lyme disease are currently not available after a vaccine that was previously sold in the market was discontinued in 2002 due to low demand. With the steady rise of Lyme Disease cases worldwide, clinical trials for new vaccines are currently underway, and it’s only a matter of time when the vaccines will be publicly available again.

As such, the only way to prevent being infected is to be mindful of your surroundings and overall health. To prevent contracting Lyme Disease, it is suggested to avoid areas where infected ticks can be commonly found. Additionally, performing regular tick checks and promptly removing ticks are effective ways to prevent the disease.

In case a tick bite is discovered, immediately remove the ticks to hopefully prevent the transmission. In case symptoms occur, promptly consult a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. After all, Lyme Disease can be treated with antibiotics.

References

• Lee, C. E., Ikeda, J. H., Manongdo, M. A., Romerosa, D. R., Sandalo-De Ramos, K. A., Tanaka, T., & Galay, R. L. (2023). Molecular detection of Bartonella and Borrelia in pet dogs in Metro Manila and Laguna, Philippines. Vet World, 1546–1551.
• Sharifah, N., Heo, C. C., Ehlers, J., Houssaini, J., & Tappe, D. (2020). Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in animals and humans in the island nations of Southeast Asia: A review. Acta Tropica.
• Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease. (2024, May 15). Retrieved from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs-symptoms/index.html
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 26). About Lyme Disease. Retrieved from CDC Web site: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/about/index.html
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September 24). How Lyme Disease Spreads. Retrieved from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/causes/index.html
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, December 17). Lyme Disease Vaccine. Retrieved from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/about/lyme-disease-vaccine.html
• World Health Organization. (2006, September 23). Lyme borreliosis in Europe: influences of climate and climate change epidemiology, ecology and adaptation measures. Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789289022910

Coming off a 29-win season and a Sweet 16 appearance, North Carolina women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart was left with some holes to fill in her rotation this offseason.

A cornerstone of her program and the Tar Heels’ all-time leading rebounder, Alyssa Ustby, had finally exhausted her eligibility, as did fellow starters Lexi Donarski, Maria Gakdeng, and reserve guard Grace Townsend. Banghart filled some of that void with pickups from the transfer portal, bringing in Louisville’s Nyla Harris and UCLA’s Elina Aarnisalo, but she’s confident in the group of freshmen that have arrived in Chapel Hill too.

This incoming rookie class is another strong one for Banghart as it features three players ranked in ESPN’s top 100 recruits for 2025. The headliner, and perhaps the player that Banghart is most excited about, is Nyla Brooks.

“You know, I haven’t had a McDonald’s All-American here since (Deja Kelly), and Nyla Brooks is moving every bit like one,” Banghart said this week. “Every day, Nyla Brooks walks in the gym, hugs me and says, ‘Coach, I got two goals: To get better and to learn.’ And she’s doing both… She’s every bit as good as a McDonald’s All-American should be, and she’s handling this process even better than most do, because she’s patient. She understands her job right now is to learn. She doesn’t take that process too seriously.”

The McDonald’s All-American stat isn’t totally true: Destiny Adams, Teonni Key and Kayla McPherson were chosen to play in the game in 2021, but it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indya Nivar, who began her career at Stanford before transferring into UNC in 2023, was a McDonald’s All-American too.

Still, that Banghart thought it was worth pointing out Brooks’ singularity and mentioned her in the same sentence as Deja Kelly is noteworthy. The way that Banghart — now about to begin her seventh season in Chapel Hill — talked about Brooks could be an indicator that she’s going to be an impactful contributor right away and perhaps a transformative player for a program eager to take the next step.

“She’s gifted. She’s able to get to her spot. She’s tough. I mean — I’m trying to be patient so I don’t just give away all the things I love about her, but she is just such a bright spot,” Banghart said. “So, she’s got great length, great athleticism, elite defensively, and can really get to her spot. She’s shooting the heck out of it too. So she adds a lot to our team.”

Brooks is a 6-foot-1 guard from Waldorf, Maryland and was ranked 13th in ESPN’s top 100 recruits for 2025. She’s a product of Bishop Ireton High School and led it to a state championship as a senior while averaging 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.

In addition to being named a McDonald’s All-American, she was also selected for the Jordan Brand Classic and was named Gatorade Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year. In the McDonald’s game, Brooks finished with 11 points, four rebounds and two steals in just 15 minutes of action. Playing closer to home in the Jordan game, Brooks was even better, pouring in a game-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, often trading baskets with Oklahoma’s Aaliyah Chavez.

Brooks committed to North Carolina back in August 2024. Before signing with the Tar Heels, she listed Maryland, Tennessee and Georgia as her other finalists. She had initially committed to Tennessee, but reopened her recruitment when the Volunteers fired former coach Kellie Harper. Brooks also held offers from Arizona, Mississippi State, Virginia, West Virginia, Pitt, Wake Forest and Georgetown.

UNC’s other two incoming freshmen are Taliyah Henderson and Taissa Queiroz. Henderson is ranked as the 27th best recruit in this class by ESPN and is a fellow five-star prospect, while Queiroz has featured for the Brazilian national team. Queiroz also enrolled early at UNC and has been practicing with the Tar Heels since last winter.

“(Henderson) picked up a late UConn offer because the kid is so athletic. I mean, she makes (Alyssa Ustby) look, at times, slow,” Banghart said. “She’s incredibly dynamic, very bouncy… She’s a pretty darn good basketball player. Can really shoot it, rebounds out of her area really well.”

The hurdle for Banghart is now this: She has two Nylas on the team in Brooks and Harris.

Who is in charge of creating nicknames to differentiate the two of them?

“It’s funny, because I sort of asked the team to take care of it. And then it’s like, ‘Well, let’s call them Brooks and Harris.’ The problem is, neither of them answer to Brooks or Harris, right? So I’m doing that. I’m doing what I was told,” Banghart said with a laugh. “No, nothing has stuck yet… We’re going to rely on both of them, so they’re going to have to figure it out.”

If Brooks lives up to the hype and if Harris makes the leap to becoming an All-ACC standout, folks are going to hear the name Nyla quite often in Carmichael Arena this season.

Barbie Forteza drew praise for her performance in the psychological thriller “P77,” which had its advance premiere on Monday night. 

The premiere night, held at a mall in Quezon City, was a star-studded affair with Alden Richards, Jameson Blake, Bianca Umali, Elle Villanueva, Derrick Monasterio, Jessica Soho, and Atom Araullo, among others, in attendance.

After the screening, Forteza’s lead portrayal in the film was lauded by Blake, who called it a refreshing departure from her usual roles. 

“Good job! The emotions she showed in the movie were so genuine; it’s something everyone should see,” he told reporters. “It’s not the typical Barbie.” 

Richards, on the other hand, who previously worked with Forteza on “Pulang Araw,” also praised the actress’ dedication to her craft. 

“That’s what I love about Barbs,” he said. “She never delivers anything half-baked. When she takes on a role, she pours herself into it.” 

Richards added that Forteza’s performance as Luna in “P77” stands apart from her past roles.

“You don’t see traces of Adelina here. This character is completely different, and everything seemed perfectly aligned for her in this film. Barbie is like fine wine; she just keeps getting better,” he said. 

Forteza then expressed that she was moved by the turnout and shared her gratitude to the people who attended. 

“I’m just overwhelmed,” she said. “The premiere was beautifully put together, and so many people came, even with the storm. I’m incredibly happy and grateful.” 

In “P77,” Forteza plays Luna, a cruise ship chambermaid who resigns to care for her ailing younger brother, Jonas (Euwenn Mikaell). After their mother mysteriously vanishes, the siblings take refuge in a seemingly abandoned condominium unit, which harbors sinister secrets. 

The film presents a mixture of quiet horror and a few jump scares as it offers a raw look at Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Aside from Forteza and Mikaell, the film also stars screen veterans Gina Pareño, Jackie Lou Blanco, Carlos Siguion-Reyna, and JC Alcantara.

“P77” premieres in Philippine cinemas on July 30. /edv

If you ever wanted to putt like Happy Gilmore… Topgolf has officially given you a chance to do so.

To be clear here, Topgolf is not usually a place known for putting. You show up, blast as many balls as you can, eat some good food in the process and hang out with people in one of the best environments ever. This and next weekend though… putters will be on people’s minds.

What am I talking about, exactly?You are well aware that Happy Gilmore 2 released on Netflix on Friday and as a result the world of golf is buzzing more than ever. To celebrate the film’s release the folks at Topgolf are indeed giving away one of the iconic putters that Happy uses in the films (there are multiple now!) both this and next weekend.

Topgolf venues across the U.S. will become the ultimate Happy Gilmore 2 fan zone this summer as Players have the chance to win a new, limited-edition Odyssey Hockey Stick putter made by Odyssey – the very same putter used by Happy in the new movie –Sunday, July 27, and August 1-3.

…

During game play on July 27 and again the weekend of August 1–3, Players who dispense a golden ball will win the Happy Gilmore 2 limited-edition Odyssey Hockey Stick putter and a tube sock headcover on the spot. Venues will give away two putters total – one per weekend – making this a seriously exclusive prize. That’s just two Players per Topgolf venue that will be lucky enough to take home this epic piece of golf movie history!

Crafted by Odyssey, the number one putter on every major Tour for over 25 years, the Hockey Stick putter was specifically for Happy Gilmore 2. The unique design is as bold as Happy’s backswing – and there are only a limited number that exist. Note: While Topgolf is our happy place, Happy Gilmore-style swings are not permitted. For official rules, please visit: www.Topgolf.com/GBterms.

The putter in my own personal bag is an Odyssey so I am already a part of the family in that sense, but if I pulled a golden ball I would have a hard time not swapping mine (which I love) out for Happy’s. Imagine how cool it would be to win this thing.

Best of luck to those of you who try to find the golden ball!

MANILA, Philippines — Long-time transport leader George San Mateo passed away, the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) announced on Saturday. He was 60.

Piston said San Mateo, who served as its former national president, died due to a heart attack around 9 p.m. on Friday.

“Ka George was known across the country as a fearless leader and activist fighting for the rights and welfare of jeepney drivers, operators, and working people,” Piston said in a statement.

According to the transport group, San Mateo was born and raised in Metro Manila.

“As a teenager during the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, Ka George witnessed injustice early on,” Piston said, noting that this led him to join Kabataan para sa Demokrasya at Nasyonalismo (Kadena), which is “a youth group that stood up for democracy and national sovereignty during the dying years of the Marcos Sr. regime.”

READ: Piston: Staggered oil price hike won’t protect people from rising costs

In 1985, San Mateo served as the chair of the Kadena-Parañaque chapter, and in 1987, he became the group’s national spokesperson.

San Mateo worked as a driver for over a decade before joining the Piston in 2004 as a public information officer.

He was later elected as Piston-Metro Manila secretary general and then appointed as national spokesperson in 2005. He became the group’s national secretary general in 2007.

In 2012, San Mateo was elected as Piston’s national president.

“As president, Ka George led high-profile strikes and protests against fuel price hikes during the Aquino administration,” Piston recalled.

“Under his stewardship, Piston became known for militant yet publicly resonant campaigns that challenge both corporate and foreign interests and government inaction on public transport issues,” it added.

In 2017, San Mateo also led the transport group’s fight against the Duterte administration’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, “pushing instead for a just, people-centered public transport policy rather than a profit-driven phaseout of traditional jeepneys.”

He was arrested for leading a two-day nationwide transport strike in December 2017 and was only released on bail and eventually cleared of charges in 2020.

“These legal actions underscored the Philippine state’s contentious relationship with transport workers and activists resisting anti-people policies,” said Piston.

“After serving as Piston’s national president, Ka George was succeeded by Mody Floranda in 2019 and has since held the title of president emeritus,” it added. /cb