The economy of the Philippines slowed down even further in the 2nd quarter of 2026 landing at 2.3%, according to a news report by GMA News. Embarrassingly, this made the Philippines an economic weakling among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine economy continued to slow down in the second quarter of 2026, still due to a subdued investor and consumer sentiment amid the lingering effects of the flood control corruption scandal and the inflationary pressure brought by Middle East crisis-induced global fuel price shocks, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.
At a press conference, PSA chief and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP)—the value of goods and services produced in a period— grew 2.3% in the April to June 2026 period, slower than the 2.8% growth seen in the first quarter of 2026.
This is the economy’s weakest footing since the fourth quarter of 2009—excluding the contraction seen during the COVID-19 pandemic years— when the GDP growth rate was at 1.8%.
The 2.8% second quarter GDP growth put the Philippines behind its neighbors in Southeast Asia that already released their April to June economic growth rates such as Indonesia at 5.29%, Vietnam at 8.39%, and Singapore at 5.7%.
The first half of 2026 GDP growth rate stood at 2.6%, still behind the government’s downwardly revised target of 3.5% to 4.5% for the entire year.
Despite the economic slowdown, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said, “What we are experiencing right now, I believe, is transitory, temporary.”
“Domestic demand remained subdued, mainly because total investment continued to contract as public construction declined. Household consumption growth also moderated amid higher inflation, job losses, and lower remittance receipts arising from the Middle East conflict,” Balisacan said.
Household final consumption expenditure grew 2.8%, slower than 5.2% in the same period last year, weighed by contractions in transport (-7.5%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-1.9%), recreation and culture (-0.8%), and restaurants and hotels (-0.2%).
Government expenditure, likewise, slowed down by 8.3% from 8.7% year-on-year; while gross capital formation (GCF) —which measures investments— contracted by 9.2% from a growth rate of 0.9% a year ago.
The decline in GCF was due to the decline in construction at 14.8% with government spending on construction contracting 32.4%.
“Although public construction is a small part of the economy, the amount of contraction, at 32%, brought a significant impact on the economy,” Balisacan said.
“The sharp decline in public construction was the main contributor in the decline in investments… driven by continuous caution due to the flood control scandal,” the country’s chief economist said.
Among the major economic sectors, agriculture posted a growth rate of 2.7%, slower than 7% year-on-year; industry declined by 2.4%, from an increase of 2.1% weighed by the construction’s depreciation; services grew slower at 4.5% from 6.9%.
Agriculture, industry, and services sector contributed 7.5%, 27.9%, and 63.3%, respectively to the total GDP during the quarter.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines will eventually fall into a recession in 2027? Do you believe that the hosting of the ASEAN summit by the Philippines will result in economic miracles and more foreign investment?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has officially launched the Swiss challenge for the P7 billion proposal for the upgrading and management of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) and this opened the field for entities to submit their proposals challenging the existing proposal of Cerberus Asia Pacific Investments LLC, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
For previous blog posts about the SBIA project, click here, here and here.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has formally started the Swiss challenge for the ₱7-billion proposal to manage and upgrade the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), as it issued a call to potential challengers to submit competing offers.
In a bid bulletin dated July 31, theSBMA invited firms to submit their comparative proposals for the project proposed by United States (US)-based Cerberus Asia Pacific Investments LLC.
SBMA saidinterested firms have until Oct. 29 to submit their proposals, with thebid opening scheduled to take place on the same day. A pre-bid conference to clarify the requirements and address queries from participating firms is set for Sept. 14.
Under a Swiss challenge, also known as a comparative challenge, the SBMA is allowing other companies to match the unsolicited proposal for the SBIA submitted by Cerberus, which was approved in April last year.
Cerberus has been granted original proponent (OP) status by the SBMA for its unsolicited proposal to upgrade, expand, operate, and maintain the SBIA. As the OP, Cerberus will have the right to match the best offer during the challenge process.
Cerberus is seeking to manage the SBIA under a 25-year operate-rehabilitate-add-transfer scheme to develop the gateway into a strategic cargo and logistics hub that would help ease congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“Currently underutilized, SBIA requires substantial investment and comprehensive operational improvements to realize its full potential over the concession period,” SBMA said.
Cerberus is planning to invest ₱7 billion to develop the project, nearly 13 percent higher than the initial project cost pegged at around ₱6.2 billion.
The investment will focus on upgrading existing airport facilities to align them with international benchmarks, alongside the development of new facilities to transform the airport into a higher-capacity logistics hub.
SBMA noted that the airport’s location and air-to-sea access pose a significant opportunity to develop it into a hub for commercial cargo and warehousing.
“This highlights a growing demand for air cargo services, driven by the need for industrial supplies and the transportation of finished products,” it said.
In addition, SBMA noted that the ongoing development of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) further increases the need for improved air connectivity.
The LEC is an initiative led by the Philippines, the US, and Japan aimed at accelerating high-impact investments to enhance connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas.
“All these factors lead to the conclusion that the manufacturing industry in the Philippines, and particularly Central Luzon, is highly likely to significantly grow in the upcoming decade, both in terms of size of current facilities, and additional factories,” SBMA said.
“This leads to demand for air cargo in terms of industrial supplies, as well as output products, and attracts population growth and consumer wealth, leading to consumption increase and related air cargo demand,” it added.
By developing the SBIA, SBMA said it is ensuring that Clark International Airport will not be the only alternative once NAIA reaches its cargo capacity limit in the future.
The agency said an upgraded SBIA can ensure competitive pricing and provide additional options for airlines operating or planning to set up shop in Manila.
With this, Subic Bay is expected to help accommodate an additional 200,000 tons of cargo by 2035.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there will be a lot of corporations locally and overseas that will submit their Subic Bay International Airport proposals to the SBMA? When was the last time you arrived at the international airport in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone?
Inflation here in the Philippines for the month of July 2026 landed at 6.2% which is clearly above the government’s comfortable ceiling of 2% to 4%, according to a business news report by GMA News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News business report. Some parts in boldface…
The country’s inflation rate slowed down further for the third straight month in July 2026 amid improved fuel supply conditions during the period, when the Middle East conflict was waning.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, National Statistician and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) chief Claire Dennis Mapa said inflation — the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services — slowed down 6.2% last month from 6.4% in June 2026.
July’s inflation print brought the year-to-date rate to 5%, still above the government’s comfortable ceiling of 2% to 4%.
Mapa said the main contributor to the downtrend was the slower increase in the Transport index at 11.9% from 12.8% month-on-month.
“Ito [Transport] ay may 57.4% share sa pagbaba ng pangkalahatang inflation sa bansa (It had a share of 57.4% to the overall deceleration of the country’s inflation),” the PSA chief said.
This as inflation for gasoline and other passenger transport by road slowed down to 34.1% from 39.2% and 5.3% from 5.4%, respectively.
Meanwhile, food inflation was steady at 5.3%, as lower meat prices and slower increases in vegetable prices offset sharper rice inflation.
“Every peso saved from slower price increases means more room for the family budget for food, transport, education and other essential needs,” Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.
“While challenges remain, particularly in managing food price pressures, these results show that our interventions are making a difference in easing the impact on Filipino households,” Balisacan said.
The DEPDev chief the government’s UPLIFT Committee will continue implementing targeted interventions to protect vulnerable sectors from the effects of higher prices and other economic shocks.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the government is running out of new ideas on bringing down inflation? Do you think the high inflation is a sign that the economy of the Philippines will grow weaker going into 2027? Do you think inflation will end up above 5% by the end of this year?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Following the unfortunate decision made the by Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) regarding birthright citizenship, US President Donald J. Trump signed two new Executive Orders to formally end birth tourism while also protecting the meaning and value of American citizenship.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the News24 (formerly Sky News Australia) video covering the Oval Office. Watch it and pay close attention to the details.
In America, birth tourism is already a huge problem that has yet to be full resolved. If it is left unchecked, it will negatively impact and even deform democracy in the US. That said, President Trump signed the Executive Order ending birth tourism. To understand it fully, posted below is the entire content of the said Executive Order sourced from the White House website. Some parts in boldface…
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. United States citizenship is among the greatest inheritances the Nation can bestow. It embodies a sacred bond between the American people and the Nation in which they live, and carries profound rights, privileges, and responsibilities reflective of the enduring allegiance of citizens to the United States and our Constitution. Citizenship is not a commodity to be acquired through calculated exploitation and evasion of the immigration laws, such as by entering the United States on a nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth within the Nation’s borders.
Birth tourism operators use deceptive advertisements and inducements to entice foreign nationals to travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth on American soil. They promise citizenship; access to public benefits; and short-term stays in specialized facilities, hotels, or rentals, but often fail to deliver on these promises. These operators coach their clients to misrepresent the purpose and duration of their travel to consular and border officials to obtain visas authorizing entry into the United States. Failure to appropriately combat these schemes has resulted in thriving industries around the world that profit by enabling the evasion of American immigration laws to obtain citizenship and other immigration benefits for foreign visitors, and the exploitation of the women who travel here for purposes of giving birth.
The immigration laws of the United States establish discrete categories of temporary nonimmigrant visas to allow foreign visitors into the United States for study, exchange, temporary employment, tourism, and other transitory activities that are now exploited by birth tourism operators. Participants in birth tourism schemes abuse these categories to establish a permanent foothold in the United States by securing the advantage of citizenship for their children and then potentially for themselves.
Birth tourism, defined in section 3 of this order, undermines the integrity of the Nation’s immigration system by enabling foreign nationals to exploit their temporary admission to obtain permanent immigration-related benefits. Birth tourism also diverts limited consular inspection and enforcement resources away from legitimate visa applicants, erodes public confidence in the faithful enforcement of the immigration laws, and impairs the executive branch’s ability to protect the national security.
The United States has a compelling interest in ensuring that each visa category is used only for the purpose for which it was established. Foreign nationals seeking temporary admission into the United States must adhere to the purposes for which the Congress has authorized their temporary admission, and cannot be permitted to circumvent the immigration laws in an attempt to vest themselves and their children with lasting benefits that are irreconcilable with their nonimmigrant status.
It is therefore the policy of the United States to promote the integrity of its immigration system, to ensure that nonimmigrant visa classifications are used only for their lawful and intended purposes, and to prevent the exploitation of those classifications by persons engaging in birth tourism.
Sec. 2. Authorities. Pursuant to section 301 of title 3, United States Code, the authority granted to the President under section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1185(a), is hereby delegated to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to the extent necessary to implement this order, including the authority to issue or adopt rules, policies, operational guidance, or other guidance to carry out this order.
Sec. 3. Definition. For purposes of this order, “birth tourism” is defined as:
(a) the entry of any foreign national into the United States via a nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil; or
(b) any effort by any foreign national to facilitate the entry of any foreign national into the United States via a nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil.
Sec. 4. Scope and Implementation. (a) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take such actions and update any rules, policies, operational guidance, or other guidance as necessary to effectuate the policy set forth in this order. Such actions may include, within the Secretaries’ respective discretion and authority, appropriate action to prevent the entry into the United States of, or the granting of any visa or other travel authorization to, any alien entering or attempting to enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in birth tourism; revoking the visa or travel authorization and permanently barring entry of any alien who enters or attempts to enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in birth tourism; denial of entry to, or removal of, any alien who previously engaged or plans to engage in birth tourism; or other appropriate action against entities, organizations, or individuals, within or outside of the United States, responsible for facilitating or enabling birth tourism in any manner.
(b) All other relevant executive departments and agencies shall provide such records and information as are necessary for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement the terms of this order and the rules, policies, operational guidance, or other guidance issued pursuant to it, subject to applicable law.
Sec. 5. Exemptions. Notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by this order, the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security may exempt a foreign national from actions taken pursuant to this order on humanitarian grounds or when the foreign national’s entry is in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of any of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
(e) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Homeland Security.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the two new Executive Orders signed by Trump will effectively end birth tourism while protecting the value of American citizenship? What kind of responses do you think the Democrats will come up with to oppose the Executive Orders. Do you think Islamist states like Iran, Pakistan, Qatar and Bangladesh are deliberately sending their citizens to America with birth tourism in mind? Did you spot any Chinese nationals engaging in birth tourism in America lately?
Did a local government unit (LGU) outside of Metro Manila confiscate your driver’s license because you committed a traffic violation within their jurisdiction? The Land Transportation Office (LTO) clarified publicly that all LGUs have no legal basis to confiscate the licenses of drivers who committed traffic violations, according to a news report by GMA News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
The Land Transportation Office on Thursday said local government units have no legal basis to confiscate the drivers’ licenses of traffic violators.
“The LTO wishes to clarify to the public that it is currently implementing Department of Transportation (DOTr) Memorandum Circular No. 001-2026, which sets the policy regarding the non-confiscation of driver’s licenses during apprehension,” the agency said in a statement on its official Facebook page.
“Bilang pagsunod sa kautusan, pansamantalang hindi kinukumpiska ng mga law enforcement officers na may deputasyon mula sa LTO ang driver’s license ng mga motoristang lumalabag sa batas-trapiko,” it added.
(In compliance with the directive, law enforcement officers deputized by the LTO are temporarily not confiscating the driver’s licenses of motorists who violate traffic laws.)
The LTO said it seeks to clarify that existing Supreme Court jurisprudence does not grant traffic enforcement officers the general authority to confiscate motorists’ driver’s licenses.
The agency issued the statement after the City of Bacoor in Cavite on Wednesday issued a, “Clarification on Traffic Enforcement in Bacoor,” on social media.
“The City Government of Bacoor reminds the public that, pursuant to City Ordinance No. 11‑2019, Section 23 of the Revised Traffic Code, our traffic enforcers are duly authorized to confiscate driver’s licenses of motorists who violate traffic laws within the city,”the city announced on Facebook.
The Bacoor LGU said that “the recent Supreme Court ruling applies only to Metro Manila LGUs under the MMDA. Bacoor, being outside Metro Manila, continues to exercise its authority under the Local Government Code and its duly enacted ordinances.”
To which the LTO countered: “Existing administrative issuances from the (Department of Transportation) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government—including Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, Series of 2008, issued by the former DOTC and DILG—acknowledge that traffic enforcers from local government units (LGUs) may issue citation tickets but lack the legal basis to confiscate motorists’ driver’s licenses.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Is the clarification by the LTO clear and transparent enough? When was the last time a local government confiscated your license because you committed a traffic violation?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Tron Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear. The details were clearly written for arcade operators.
Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.
2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer
This is a very stylish flyer.
Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.
3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers
The Japanese flyer.
The North American flyer.
Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?
4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad
Fun and excitement emphasized in this print ad.
There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.
5. Blasteroids European Print Ad
Blasteroids for the Europeans.
Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.
6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad
The legends of the NBA in the Japanese version of EA’s Team USA Basketball. Retitling the game as Dream Team USA made more sense because “Dream Team” was a much more popular reference than “Team USA Basketball”.
Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.
7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad
No screenshots of games used. Just the official images from the posters of the two movies.
Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.
8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad
A mesmerizing ad for the acclaimed Super Mario RPG.
Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.
9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad
Did you play this on PlayStation in 1997?
If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.
10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad
Perhaps someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) thought Legend of Legaia was a horror video game.
There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.
In a serious attempt to attract more travelers from Southeast Asia, the tourism ministry of Israel enhanced the existing ties with travel agencies in the Philippines and Singapore, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface.
Israel’s Ministry of Tourism is seeking to attract more travelers from Southeast Asia by strengthening ties with travel agencies in the Philippines and Singapore, as it promotes the country’s destinations and assures visitors of safety.
The ministry recently hosted a seven-day familiarization tour for travel agents from both countries, showcasing Israel’s religious, historical, adventure and leisure attractions as part of its campaign to expand arrivals from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
The itinerary includedvisits to Jerusalem, Dead Sea and Tel Aviv, as well as a jeep tour through the Judean Desert and a wine tour in the Golan Heights.
Hassan Madah, international director of the Israel Ministry of Tourism in Jerusalem, said the country remains open to international visitors.
“We welcome you all. Israel is open to everyone, and travelers can be assured that our country is safe to visit,” Madah said.
He saidthe ministry hopes to welcome more visitors from the Philippines and Singapore, citing the country’s religious sites, historic cities, deserts and beaches as key attractions.
The ministry identified thePhilippines as one of its priority markets in Asia, alongside India, China and South Korea, with growth driven largely by faith-based travel.
Singapore, meanwhile, is considered a strategic market because of its position as a regional aviation and travel hub.
The tourism ministry said it has been strengthening partnerships with Southeast Asian travel industry stakeholders through regional events, including ITB Asia in Singapore.
Despite the lack of direct flights between the Philippines and Israel, Filipino arrivals have remained steady, according to the ministry.
TheDepartment of Tourism and the Israel Ministry of Tourism have signed a joint declaration of intent to promote two-way tourism and are engaged in discussions with airlines on improving connectivity.
Israel Ministry of Tourism Philippines Marketing Manager Anna Oraiza Aban saidvisa-free travel access for Philippine and Singaporean passport holders makes visits to Israel more convenient.
To all my readers, I encourage you to thank the Lord for this breakthrough of cooperation between Israel and both the Philippines and Singapore as the Jewish state seeks more visitors from Southeast Asia.
As such, I encourage you all to pray to the Lord for this breakthrough to lead to more breakthroughs in terms of improved travel, more connections between Israel and Southeast Asia, and more opportunities for Southeast Asian people to visit the Holy Land and realize the legacy of God, Lord Jesus and the Jewish people.
At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
In a serious effort to weaken the fighting capability and severing the resources (financially and militarily) of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran, the United States sanctioned entities and individuals in four nations that enabled the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the official announcement of the Department of State.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire announcement of the State Department. Some parts in boldface…
The United States today sanctioned six entities and individuals in China, India, Russia, and Iran that enable the Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
These include entities that support Mahan Air, the IRGC’s airline of choice for moving weapons, military personnel, and equipment. Today’s action also targets DadeNegar Startup Studio, an IRGC-affiliated front company supporting Iranian military targeting by soliciting locations of American and Israeli equipment in the Middle East.
The United States calls on the international community, particularly companies and individuals doing business with Mahan Air or any other sanctioned Iranian carrier, to recognize the serious risks raised by continuing such engagement.
The United States will continue to expose and disrupt entities providing the IRGC with the tools and information it uses to threaten American personnel, our partners, and regional stability.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this new move by the US will cripple the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran financial and militarily? Do you think members of the international community will follow America’s initiative? Do you think other nations like Pakistan, Malaysia and Bangladesh have entities or individuals who are supporting the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran?
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced that it has released almost P220 million in revenue shares to the City Government of Olongapo and seven other local government units (LGUs).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the SBMA’s official announcement. Some parts in boldface…
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) released a total of PHP 218,115,671.26 in revenue shares to eight local government units (LGUs) contiguous to this premier freeport zone.
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said that this amount released on Tuesday, July 21, 2026,represents the revenue shares for the first semester of 2026, which is 10.24 percent higher than that of last year’s comparative period.
The recipient LGUs areOlongapo City,the municipalities of Subic, San Marcelino, Castillejos, and San Antonio in Zambales, and the towns of Dinalupihan, Hermosa, and Morong in Bataan.
Taking into account the population and land area,Olongapo was allocated the largest amount of PHP 50,420,165.72, received by Olongapo City Mayor Atty. Rolen Paulino, Jr. This was followed by Subic, Zambales, which received PHP 32,871,521.46, accepted on behalf of Mayor Jonathan John Khonghun.
The remaining LGUs received their allocations as follows: Dinalupihan, Bataan, with PHP 27,438,313.68, accepted on behalf of Mayor German Santos, Jr.; San Marcelino, Zambales, with PHP 26,272,445.97, received by Mayor Elvis Soria; Hermosa, Bataan, with PHP 23,422,520.27, accepted on behalf of Mayor Atty. Anne Adorable-Inton; Castillejos, Zambales, with PHP 19,817,470.23, received on behalf of Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun; Morong, Bataan, with PHP 19,340,287.10, received on behalf of Mayor Leila Linao-Muñoz; and San Antonio, Zambales, with PHP 18,532,946.83, received by Mayor Dr. Arvin Antipolo.
TheLGU shares are sourced from five percent corporate taxes paid by business locators in the Subic Bay Freeport. They aredistributed among LGUs based on population (50%), land area (25%), and equal sharing (25%).
OIC-Deputy Administrator for Finance Editha Marzal, along with the finance team, led the distribution of the LGU shares.
Marzal noted that the net shares distributed to the LGUs include not only the current collection period’s allocations but also the 10 percent retention withheld during the first semester of the 2024 distribution.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you see the increased amount of revenue shares as a sign of better economic activities and finances within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone? Do you think the revenue shares would be higher once the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) and Pax Silica activities finally start economic activities in the near future?
During his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., declared that it is time for the nation to revisit nuclear energy production, according to a news report by GMA News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said it is time to revisit nuclear energy production, as he touted some 200 energy projects in the pipeline in a bid to boost the country’s power supply and bring down power rates.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said the administration is working to revisit nuclear energy, as it is already being used in medicine, agriculture, water filtration, and the upcycling of plastic.
“Pushing the envelope further, perhaps it is time for us to revisit nuclear energy production,” he said, noting confidence in its capacity “to reinforce our energy security and bring down the cost of electricity in our country.”
“Titiyakin nating ito ay ligtas. Titiyakin din nating maipaliwanag nang mabuti sa publiko ang magandang dulot sa atin ng enerhiyang nukleyar” he added.
(We will make sure that this is safe. We will also make sure to explain the benefits of nuclear energy properly to the public.)
According to Marcos, the administration has a pipeline covering some 200 power projects across the country that will have a combined capacity of nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) — 45 of which have already been completed, while 31 are set to be completed this year. The remaining 124 are targeted to be completed by 2028.
These are on top of 1,700 megawatts that the projects will contribute to energy storage systems, which Marcos said will boost energy security.
“Ang mga proyektong ito ay napabilis nang dahil sa mga bagong patakaran at proseso na nagpapadali ng pagnenegosyo dito sa ating bansa, para sa mga Pilipino at dayuhang negosyante,” he said.
(These projects were expedited because of the new regulations and processes that eased doing business here in the country for Filipinos and foreign investors.)
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the highlighting of nuclear energy production in the State of the Nation address will lead to breakthroughs for a nuclear-powered Philippines? Are people in your local community still afraid of nuclear energy? Do you think unchecked corruption inside the government of the Philippines will derail any nuclear-related efforts?
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