More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
Rep. Leila de Lima has introduced a bill to give students a 20% "20 percent discount on mobile load and internet services." This is because they need the internet to study.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/738853/solon-bats-for-20-percent-student-discount-on-mobile-load |
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima on Wednesday introduced a measure seeking to grant Filipino students 20 percent discount on mobile load and internet services.
House Bill No. 9859, or the Student Discount Para Sa Load Act, seeks to institutionalize a 20 percent discount on mobile load, text, call and internet services for Filipino students enrolled in authorized elementary, secondary, technical-vocational, or higher education institutions, excluding postgraduate programs.
De Lima said the proposed measure would bridge the digital accessibility gap and address the emerging hindrance to quality education by lessening the financial burden on Filipino students, for whom internet access is now a basic educational necessity.
“In the Philippines, the deepening digital divide exacerbates deep-rooted injustices in the education sector that leave students from underprivileged families and communities behind as they struggle to keep up with various learning expenses not covered by existing public education, scholarship, and learning subsidy programs,” she said in a news release.
“Among these learning expenses is the access to mobile and internet services that allow students to make use of online tools, resources, and platforms to enhance their learning experience and school performance,” she added.
Under HB 9859, all telecommunication services shall be covered, including but not limited to prepaid mobile load for text, call, and data; postpaid mobile plans; and broadband and internet services used for educational purposes.
If enacted into law, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology shall oversee the implementation of the measure, under which TELCOs shall submit quarterly reports on their compliance.
De Lima noted that even as most schools across the primary, secondary and tertiary levels have returned to the face-to-face class modality, the digital tools, resources and platforms used during the pandemic continue to play a vital role in the delivery of education.
“In today’s digital age, equal access to quality education is inextricably linked to digital connectivity or access to internet services. As the role of digital tools continues to expand, unequal access to technology serves as a barrier to quality education,” she said.
The pandemic changed how education is done in the Philippines and around the world really. Internet access is now a necessity and not a luxury when it comes to learning.
OPM singer Miguel Escueta is celebrating his coffee business. They had a lot of trouble during the pandemic.
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| https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/lifestyle/192607/miguel-escueta-frank-dean-tips-a721-20260616 |
OPM singer and entrepreneur Miguel Escueta is celebrating a major milestone as his coffee brand, Frank & Dean, hits its seventh year.
Speaking during the press launch of his album Stand in the Fire held at Pandan Asian Café in Quezon City on May 26, 2026, Miguel expressed gratitude for the continued support the brand has received over the years.
According to Miguel, Frank & Dean started in 2019 and has since grown to six locations, mostly situated in corporate offices around Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
"We've been open for seven years na kami,” Miguel said.
“And we're just so grateful for the people who come and have our coffee every day.”
From the beginning, Miguel revealed that a clear strategy helped shape the company’s direction—focusing on office-based locations and building partnerships within corporate spaces.
"I think what worked out for us is we, we decided to go the corporate route,” he shared, “and build our relationships in the companies that we're in.”
This decision led Frank & Dean to carve out a niche in what Miguel describes as “corporate coffee.”
He explained: “I think the biggest thing from a business standpoint is, number one, figuring out what, what your niche is.
"And for us, we've found that niche in corporate coffee.”
Read more aboutHe added that their stores are intentionally placed in office environments.
“When I say corporate coffee, we are located in office locations, whether exclusively inside offices or in the ground floor of office buildings.”
Despite reaching seven years, Miguel admitted that running a coffee business remains a daily challenge—especially in an industry where closures are common.
“It is challenging,” he said. “Di ba nakakalungkot when you see establishments close because so much goes into putting it out. Di ba?”
For Frank & Dean, consistency has been key to staying afloat.
“For us, it's always been about staying consistent with our product and always catering to our market the best way we can.
"And I think that's what's allowed us to continue.”
Still, he acknowledges that the work never really gets easier. “The challenges don't stop. It's there every day. So we just try our best.”
That same consistency extends to product quality—something Miguel considers non-negotiable.
“And then number two, focusing on the product, making sure it's consistent all the time.
“Because what we've learned is when people come to the shop, they already know what they want.”
“So our goal is to give it the same way every single time.”
Beyond products and location, Miguel emphasized the importance of community in their business model.
“And the third is, focusing on the customer,” he continued.
“And what we call it is we don't see them as customers but our regulars, which we call 'coffee-driven neighbors.'"
For him, it’s all about shifting perspective.
“They are the hero of our story. We're not the heroes.
“They are the hero and we're just here trying to help them, achieve their goals through, through our coffee.”
Like many businesses, Frank & Dean faced its toughest test during the pandemic—a period that forced the team to rethink their operations.
“And I think the pandemic forced us to pivot to some extent,” Miguel shared.
This shift led to major developments within the brand, including sourcing and roasting their own beans.
“That's when we started sourcing and roasting our own coffee,” he said.
It was also during this time that they introduced new products.
“That's also when we built our signature products, like our Dream Latte, which is a bottled coffee.”
The product, born out of necessity, has since become a strong seller.
“That was born because of the pandemic, but it continues up to today to be one of our best-selling products.”
While he described the pandemic as “the toughest time,” Miguel said it also reframed how he approaches challenges in business.
“The challenges never end. The problems don't go away.”
Hence, he changed his mindset.
“We don't look at them as problems, but we look at them as opportunities to get better every day.”
“I think when you... when you're able to shift our mindset to that, it became easier for us to navigate issues when they come along.”
Seven years in, Frank & Dean continues to grow, with new locations opening within corporate hubs.
“Well, we just opened a new espresso bar... corporate espresso bar in the Mead Johnson headquarters in BGC,” Miguel shared. “So that's our sixth.”
Another branch is already in the works.
“And we're opening our seventh at the end of this month in a CrossFit gym called TLC in BGC.
“And hopefully we can open a couple of... couple more corporate espresso bars, uh, before the end of the year.”
As Miguel balances music and business, Frank & Dean’s steady growth reflects his focus on purpose, adaptability, and community—ingredients that have kept the brand thriving for seven years.
The pandemic forced them to adapt and the did. Now they are thriving. Another pandemic success story.
The stage show "Bongga Ka, 'Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical" is in production.
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| https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/2026/06/17/2535889/atasha-muhlach-bags-annie-batungbakal-musical-lead-role/amp/ |
After her twin Andres Muhlach took on the role originated by their father Aga in "Bagets" musical, it is Atasha Muhlach's turn to take on the lead role as the titular star in "Bongga Ka, 'Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical."
The production is based on the songs of the Manila Sound band Hotdog, which was supposed to be staged six years ago but was postponed due to the pandemic.
The '70s-Manila set musical will follow Atasha's Annie who sneaks into the glamorous disco scene to chase her dream of becoming a fashion designer and risks losing herself in the process.
Hotdog hits like "Manila," "Pers Lab," "Beh, Buti Nga," "Panaginip," "O, Lumapit Ka," "Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko," and the titular track are expected to be featured.
Newport World Resorts, VIVA Communications, and The Philippine STAR are reuniting to produce after staging "Bagets the Musical" earlier this year at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.
"Bongga Ka, 'Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical" will run this September at the same venue where coincidentally Atasha made her theater debut in 2011 for "The Sound of Music" as Brigitta von Trapp.
That musical and several Jollibee commercials with her family were initially Atasha's only showbiz experience as she focused on graduating from college.
She signed a contact with VIVA in 2023, which led to stints a hosting stint in "Eat Bulaga," and starring in the shows "Bad Genius," "Everyone Knows Every Juan," and "Da Pers Family" with her parents, Aga and Charlene, and twin Andres.
Atasha was also able to record and releases her first single "Pasuyo."
Atasha joins previously announced actors KD Estrada and alternating stars Sam Concepcion, Jeff Moses, and Anthony Rosaldo.
Jackie Lou Blanco and Ring Antonio will alternate the head of House of Pasion.
Annie's gay co-worker and best friend, Toots, will be played by Gerhard Krysstopher, while Air Paz-Pablico will play Annie's mom, Suzy.
Yani Lopez and Andrea Babierra will alternate as Annie's younger sister, Iste, while the street-smart balut vendor Amor will be played by Akie Cedilla.
Completing the main cast are John Lapus and Dindo Divinagracia as they take turns playing Coco Banana's proprietor Tarurit and the Batungbakals' neighbor, Tito Tambay.
It was postponed due to the pandemic but is now about to show.
Philippine sports is fragmented, with different institutions like schools, clubs, and leagues following separate and inconsistent rules. This creates gaps in accountability and protection, especially when athletes move between systems and no clear handover of safety information exists. The COVID-19 sports bubble briefly showed how a unified safety system with clear roles and protocols could work effectively.
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| https://politiko.com.ph/2026/06/20/everyones-responsibility-no-ones-job-the-fractured-state-of-philippine-sports-safety/roy-mabasa-reports/ |
If you map out who is supposed to keep an athlete safe in the Philippines, the picture is not a straight line. It is a scattered set of dots, each operating in its own orbit.
Schools have one set of rules. Clubs have another. National sports associations may have none at all. Professional leagues fall under different regulators. Local government units that own sports venues may have their own requirements, or none whatsoever.
Coaches and athlete support personnel, standing in the middle of all this, are often left to fill the gaps with instinct and goodwill.
No single person or body holds the whole picture. That is the problem.
When the deaths of Ateneo student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili forced the country to confront safety failures, the immediate instinct was to search for a point of failure. What rule was broken? Who was in charge? What protocol was missed?
These are fair questions, and they deserve answers. But if we stop there, we miss the larger truth. Our system is not broken at one point. It was never built as a system in the first place.
I have spent years moving across the different layers of Philippine sport. I have served as a national officer of a wrestling association, worked for the Games and Amusements Board, managed training venues for the First Summer Youth Olympic Games, organized several professional fighting leagues, and helped develop the return-to-play protocols that brought professional sports back during the pandemic. I have seen the view from every level. What strikes me is not how different these institutions are, but how disconnected they remain.
Each part of the system operates according to its own logic. Schools prioritize academic calendars and enrollment targets. Clubs function on tight budgets and volunteer energy. National federations are often underresourced and politically fragile. Professional leagues answer to commercial pressures. Regulators have limited reach.
The Philippine Olympic Committee’s Safe Sport Commission is a step in the right direction, but its mandate largely covers athletes under the Philippine Sports Commission and national sports associations. That leaves the vast landscape of school sports, community clubs, and private leagues outside its direct scope.
The result is a patchwork system in which responsibility is passed around like a ball nobody wants to hold. Athletes move through these spaces every day, yet no single standard follows them.
This fragmentation has consequences. When a school team travels to a competition, who is accountable for what happens off campus? When a young athlete moves from a collegiate program to a national team camp, does anyone transfer their medical history or risk profile? When a coach or support staff member works across multiple environments, which set of safety rules applies?
The honest answer is that nobody knows because nobody has designed the handover points. We treat each setting as an island, and athletes are left to navigate the gaps on their own.
The COVID-19 pandemic briefly forced a different approach. I saw it firsthand. The professional sports bubble was not merely a set of health protocols. It was an attempt to create a unified environment in which every person knew their role, every risk was mapped, and every line of accountability was clearly drawn. It worked because the crisis left no room for the usual fragmentation.
But the lesson was never extended. Once the urgency passed, we retreated to our separate corners.
What the Philippine sports industry needs now is not another set of guidelines. It needs a connective spine. It needs a national framework that links every level of sport, from school programs to professional leagues, through a consistent set of safety standards, reporting mechanisms, and accountability structures.
This does not mean centralizing everything into a single bureaucracy. It means agreeing on minimum standards that every institution must meet and creating clear bridges so that safety information and responsibility do not disappear at the boundary between one domain and the next.
Other countries have done this. They have established national sports safety authorities, independent of federations and government departments, with the power to set standards, investigate complaints, and impose sanctions. They have created a single point of reference that athletes, coaches, and parents can turn to, regardless of the sport they play or the level at which they compete.
The Philippines has nothing equivalent.
We have individual initiatives, passionate advocates, and reactive crisis management. We do not have a system.
We have the knowledge. We have people who have worked at every level and understand the gaps because they have lived inside them. What we lack is the political will to connect the dots and the determination to reject the notion that fragmentation is simply the natural state of things.
It is not natural. It is a choice, renewed every time we decide that someone else’s domain is not our problem.
The families of Rene and Divine did not lose their children because of a single broken rule. They lost them within a system that lacked a coherent safety architecture. That is a harder truth to confront because it cannot be fixed through a single investigation or a single dismissal. It requires rebuilding the way we think about safety in sport from the ground up.
Every athlete who steps onto a court, a field, or a mat tomorrow deserves to move through a system where safety is continuous, not confined to one setting. A system where the dots are finally connected.
That is the reform we have not yet attempted. And it is the only one that will endure.
However, that approach was not sustained, and there remains a need for a permanent, connected national framework for athlete safety across all levels of sport.
