PETER Sancho Del Rosario and Anisha Eunice Caluya dominated their respective division in the sprint junior elite category of the National Age Group Aquathlon (NAGA) held at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City yesterday.
Del Rosario ruled the men’s division with a time of 15 minutes and 54 seconds.
“I feel very accomplished today, I was thinking about my strategy last night and I think I executed that perfectly,” said 16-year-old from Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Darell Johnson Bada settled for second in 16:07, improving his 16:51 perfomance in winning last year’s crown. Giro Don Rafael Gito place third with a time of 16:25 but also improved the 17:13 he registered to claim the silver last year.
Caluya, on the other hand, clocked 18:00 to defend the women’s title over Kariel Rosacena of El Nido Teen Sharks (22:10).
“Today, I’m so happy that I was still able to come up with a good performance despite the numerous international and local competitions,” said the 19-year-old Caluya of De La Salle University.
After this year’s Subic Bay International Triathlon, she will make her debut at the Asian Junior Cup scheduled on June 10-14 in Kampar, Malaysia.
Caluya and Del Rosario at the podium with the honorable Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian G. Sotto during the awarding ceremony. (photo credit: Triathlon Philippines)
Meanwhile, Dustin Dame Eslay of North Pine Aquatic Swim Team and national team mainstay Erika Burgos bagged the gold medals in the sprint elite men and women divisions, respectively.
Other sprint winners were Ralf Bernhard (16-19), Jan Mikaela Caruncho (20-29); and Fritzie Labastida and Patty Dimaano-Moncera (40-49).
In the U15 Youth 13-15 category, the Top 3 winners Pio Mishael Gabriel Latonio (15:11), Remsen Balog-Asan Cayowet (15:37) and Kurt Evans (15:55) in the boys division, while in the girls division were Alainia Bouffaut (7:14), Eliesse Julia Dela Cruz (17:35) and Jovie Yzelle Calisog (17:37).
In the Super TriKids, Gavin Tantoco and Ma. Georjina Pacquing-Sumale pocketed the gold medals in the boys’ and girls’ 9-10 divisions, while Knight Hiliel and Ysabella Leana ruled the under-6 category.
Other winners in the Standard category were Aivan Dail Toquero and Kiandra Emiko Lee (18-24); Joshua Abante and Mariniell Clarete (25-29); Fil-Maur Louis Nacion and Jemimah Abdrea Fajardo (30-34); Renze Rovie Banawa and Patricia Anne Castillo (40-44); Boj Cardona (45-49) and Dato Arroyo (50-54).
Triathlon Philippines, led by president Tom Carrasco, has expressed its gratitude to the Quezon City LGU for the smooth conduct of the event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Milo, Gatorade, Power MAC Center, Western Guaranty Corp., Gardenia and Lemon Square Bakery Treats.
Japan, which is one of the largest economies of the world, has an enduring population growth problem as low fertility rates stubbornly remained. That said, the child population of Japan has declined yet again reaching a new all-time low of 13.29 million, according to a news report of Kyodo News. The said figure even includes foreign residents.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s child population has shrunk to an estimated 13.29 million as of April 1, down 350,000 from a year earlier and marking a new record low, the government said Monday.
The ratio of children under 15 dropped 0.3 percentage point to 10.8 percent of the total population, also the lowest since comparable data became available in 1950, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ahead of the national Children’s Day holiday on Tuesday.
The figures, including foreign residents, were calculated using population estimates that are based on a national census conducted every five years.
While the Japanese government has prioritized measures to address the declining birthrate and designated the period through 2030 as a “final opportunity to reverse the trend,” the decline has continued for 45 years despite steps such as expanding financial support for child-rearing households.
By gender, there were 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls, according to the data.
By age, 3.09 million children were 12 to 14, whereas 2.13 million were 0 to 2, indicating a trend of fewer children being born.
The number of children, including foreigners, born in Japan in 2025 hit a record low of 705,809, declining for the 10th consecutive year, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Japan’s child population has been falling since 1982, after peaking in 1954 at 29.89 million, while a second baby boom was observed between 1971 and 1974. The ratio of children has also been falling for the 52nd consecutive year since 1975.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the government’s efforts to reverse Japan’s low birthrate will eventually create positive results over the next several years? Are you convinced that allowing a larger number of foreigners to migrate to Japan will solve the birthrate problem? Do you think the government of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae will come up with new plans to increase Japanese birthrates?
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 stage is set for the 2026 National Age Group Aquathlon (NAGA) event scheduled for May 17 at the Amoranto Sports Swimming Pool as the Quezon City Government and Triathlon Philippines (TriPhil) formally signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) this past Monday.
The MOU was signed by the Honorable Vice Mayor Gian G. Sotto together with Triathlon Philippines president Tom Carrasco and Nico Carrasco which was witnessed by many local officials. This development highlights a strong partnership between the City Government and TriPhil for grassroots sports development.
Triathlon Philippines president Tom Carrasco delivered remarks in Quezon City. (photo credit: Rey Nillama)
The Honorable Vice Mayor Gian G. Sotto and Triathlon Philippines president Carrasco shook hands highlighting the partnership for grassroots sports development. (photo credit: Rey Nillama)
Copies of the MOU for the May 17 National Age Group Aquathlon shown to the many people and members of the press who attended. (photo credit: Rey Nillama)
It also highlights Quezon City’s unwavering support in promoting youth sports, healthy lifestyles and the continued growth of triathlon and aquathlon in the Philippines. Triathlon Philippines has confirmed that more than 300 participants have registered for the May 17 aquathlon which is an improvement over the previous aquathlon event that was also hosted by Quezon City last year.
The banner of the May 17, 2026 NAGA in Quezon City.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of Jim Lee’s original WildStorm universe through the original Gen13 mini-series.
Historically, Gen13 (stylized as Gen13) was launched at a time when Jim Lee’s company was establishing and expanding the original WildStorm shared universe with such comic book titles like WildCATS: Covert Action Teams, StormWatch, Backlash, Wetworks and the prequel title Team 7. When compared to those mentioned titles that had strong paramilitary elements combined with conspiracy and intrigue, Gen13 stood out with its concept of super-powered teenagers who don’t realize they are subjects of International Operations (IO) which has a long history of abuse, corruption and human rights violations. Gen13 #1 started strongly thanks to the solid writing of Jim Lee and Brandon Choi who challenged themselves to expand the WildStorm lore differently.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Gen13 #2, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi with artwork done by Jeffrey Scott Campbell. This is the second issue of the mini-series.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Caitlin Fairchild, Grunge, Roxy, Bobby, Rainmaker and Tom Hallinan in the middle of a desert running away from the floating troopers of Project Genesis. They just escaped from the top-secret facility.
Tom Hallinan suddenly uses his power to shock three troopers on a floating craft (gunship) and brings them down to an explosive end. As Caitlin has trouble accepting the fact that the troopers were killed, Tom emphasizes that they can fight back using their super powers and Bobby (Burnout) agrees by utilizing his own powers of flight and flame to confront even more troopers on their gunships.
As the conflict escalates, Fairchild begins to use her super strength to tear off a huge rock and successfully destroys one of the gunships with it. Nearby, Roxy, Rainmaker and Grunge find themselves cornered by armed troopers. Roxy gets hit by the tangler from the troopers…
Quality
Roxy, Grunge and Rainmaker cornered by the armed troopers.
Similar to the first issue, this comic book has a solid plot structure and the writers took their time to emphasize the tale, develop the characters within their limits, and doing both build-ups and pay-offs.
Following the events of issue #1, Fairchild and her eventual Gen13 teammates here are only discovering their respective super capabilities at a time of confusion and desperation. They still have yet to form the rock-solid bond as a team and they are still struggling with the new situation they found themselves in. The tale opened with a desperate escape from the Project Genesis facility (with a clever flashback used to explain what happened) putting themselves into a series of unfortunate events with no guarantee of survival ahead.
While this comic book featured the eventual core Gen13 characters, the tale is still pretty much focused on Caitlin Fairchild and the writers did a really good job developing her with not just the present-day events but also with her own perception of how her life turned out. Apart from being a very smart college student, Fairchild is also very observant and does her best when dealing with the challenges in new situations. At this stage, she has yet to realize her true goals as she deals with the sudden changes and dangers that came with being a super-powered teenager under the grasp of IO.
Grunge, Roxy, Burnout and Rainmaker also got their own shares of the spotlight but nowhere as great as Fairchild which is understandable. At this stage, it clear that the writers had something planned for them for further parts of the story.
More on the story itself, the plot really moved forward without being rushed. The pace moved from medium to fast, and as generous pay-offs to previous build-up’s took place, more plot elements were being built-up. In line with the greater lore of WildStorm, the concept of the government testing drugs on people for decades is raised and it makes the sinister moves of IO on human subjects really believable. Symbolically, the government and IO have affected generations of people with mad science and experimentation, and these are reflected well on the characters.
The plot indeed has intrigue and strong dramatic moments to back it up. However, the storytelling got weakened with the way one of the new characters here expressed himself which made the late-story twist predictable and unsurprising. Along the way, the visual eroticism ramped up here as Jeffrery Scott Campbell went on to visualize the script. The said visual eroticism (perhaps eye candy to those who enjoyed it) is unnecessary in my opinion and they took away from the written dialogue. The sexy imagery is a reminder of the 1990s comic book trends.
Conclusion
For the first time ever, Bobby becomes Burnout.
With the exception of the mentioned storytelling weakness and the unnecessary erotic visuals, Gen13 #2 (1994) managed to be a solid follow-up to its predecessor and is also an entertaining read. The continued strong writing by Lee and Choi ensured strong engagement, suspense and spectacle throughout. Revisiting this old comic book resulted in a fun read in my experience and I am convinced to keep going on with this WildStorm mini-series.
Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, volunteer teachers from Korea were deployed children development centers (CDCs) where they taught lessons and brought smiles to local kids, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government welcomed the fourth batch of Korean volunteer teachers who were deployed to childhood development centers (CDCs).
The partnership of the Muntinlupa City government with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) drives the program, which is designed to improve child development in the city.
Under the fourth batch, 16 volunteer teachers were assigned to the Laguerta Bulilit Center in Muntinlupa where they set up a Korean-style classroom model to teach parents and learners about nutrition, physical education, home play and music.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon said the volunteers are supporting the city’s Early Childhood Education Division.
“They go on duty at our childhood development centers,” he said, adding that the fourth batch includes volunteers who are specialists in child education.
Some had previously volunteered in Muntinlupa and other parts of the country and have returned.
For the volunteer program, the Muntinlupa City government was recognized as an International Local Volunteer Partner Institution Awardee by the PNVSCA.
In December 2023, Muntinlupa was recognized as the first Volunteerism Local Learning Hub in the country.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you wish to see more Korean volunteer teachers get deployed to local child development centers?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
DIEGO Jose Dimayuga of Get Coach’d Academy and Lauren Lee Tan dominated the Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) U15 Youth category held yesterday at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Dimayuga finished the super sprint race (500m swim, 10km bike and 2.5km run) in 35 minutes and 59 seconds. Teammate Pio Mishael Gabriel (36:31) placed second followed by Cebuano Joseph Ian Caluste of Be Tritans (36:58).
In the girls division, Tan clocked 38:25 to beat Naomi Dimayuga (39:10) and Alaina Bouffaut (40:15) in the event organized by Triathlon Philippines (TriPhil) and supported by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), NTT, Gatorade (official hydration partner), Western Guaranty Corporation, C-Vitt and Subic Bay Travelers Hotel (official race hotel).
“I was sick for two weeks, I only had a week to train for this tournament,” said the 15-year-old Dimayuga, who lives in Silang, Cavite.
Diego Jose Dimayuga (right) during the 10-kilometer bike leg at Subic Bay. He emerged victorious in the Under-15 category with a time of 35 minutes and 39 seconds. (photo credit: Rey Nillama)
Lauren Lee Tan running on her way to victory during the race. (photo credit: Rey Nillama)
Dimayuga, Latonio and Caluste duplicated their performances at the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) last February.
Dimayuga, who made it to the national team at the start of the year, will join the Asian Youth Championships in Xuzhou, China next month.
“I’m excited to represent the country and my team (GCA). I’ll do my best to win,” said Dimayuga, a silver medalist at the Asia Triathlon Junior and U23 Championships in Hong Kong last March.
2026 SuBIT Under-15 champions Lauren Lee Tan and Diego Jose Dimayuga posed with their medals. (photo credit Rey Nillama)
Meanwhile, Qatari Anes Khelili clocked 1:06:36 to prevail over Jarius Miguel Mejia of De La Salle Zobel Triathlon Team (1:06:38) and Lorenzo Claur of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (1:06:48) in the standard men 16-19 years old category of the event also backed by Milo, Ford, Sante Barley, Gatorade, Western Guaranty Inc., C-vitt, Lemon Square Bakery Treats, Gardenia, Fitbar, Ecotrans and RaceYa.
The Top 3 finishers in the girls division were Naomi Felicity Aytin of BYBS/GAS Coaching (1:23:33), Fynley Quiban (1:25:25) and Keirstein Ann Marie Tigullo (1:27:23).
Champions in the super tri-kids category were Marcus Jayden Balaquit and Danica Mireille Angodung (11-12), Rey Matthew Tundayag and Maiko Aleno (9-10), Ethan Geronimo and Jan Christel Culanag (7-8), and Thirdy Geronimo and Lucia Ysabel Sarmenta (6-under).
The other gold medalists in standard age-group men’s division were Earl James Ting of Be Tritans (20-29), Samuel Ebuen Bada of Olongapo Junior Trackers Multisport (30-39), Raffy Dolor of Artemis-Victory (40-49), John Erich Taca of Team Megawide (50-59), and Diosdado Soriano of BOST (60-over) while in the women’s division were Jan Mikaela Caruncho of 2600 Tri Team (20-29), Sandra Inocillas-Pineda of Sante Barley Tri Team (30-39), Lady Ro Anne Alviar of UPLB Trantados (40-49) and Maria Beatriz Azcuna of Beer Racer Beer (50-over).
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of Jim Lee’s original WildStorm universe through the original Gen13 mini-series.
There is a lot to enjoy in the WildStorm comic book universe of the 1990s with such titles like WildCATS: Covert Action Teams, Team 7, StormWatch, Grifter, Backlash and Wetworks to name some. The WildStorm depicts the world as chaotic filled with strong paramilitary concepts, conspiracies and even aliens from deep space.
Along the way, WildStorm has its own take on the sub-genre of super-powered teenagers which was realized as Gen13 (stylized as Gen13). Strangely enough, the team – which actually first appeared in the Deathmate Black crossover comic book in 1993 – was originally titled as Gen X but WildStorm had to rebrand it into Gen13 as Marvel Comics already trademarked the name Generation X for an X-Men-related comic book project. To learn more about production history and background of Gen13, click here.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Gen13 #1, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi with artwork done by Jeffrey Scott Campbell (ink work by Alex Garner). This is the first issue of the mini-series.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins sometime in 1979 when a married couple (Stephen and Rachel Callahan) desperate runs away with their two little children. A team of armored troops (the Black Razors) riding two hovering vehicles catches up with them and hit Rachel with bullets passing through her body. Stephen, who is carrying his son Matthew, uses his power to destroy one of the hovering vehicles. One of the Black Razors realized that the husband is gen-active and nobody informed their team that he was with Gen12.
Agonizing with severe head pain, Stephen tells Matthew to take his little sister Nicole with him and run to the trees. As far as Stephen is concerned, he is finished and all he can do is buy time for the two little children to escape. He tells Matthew to protect his sister. Suddenly, the Black Razors killed Stephen right in front of Matthew and Nicole.
Fifteen years later, a young, nerdy college student named Caitlin Fairchild makes her way through the college campus in Princeton. She is a gifted student who has been focused on maintaining a high grade and graduate with her advanced degree in computer science in the near future.
Upon arriving at the dormitory, she meets her promiscuous roommate Alexa who informs her that some guys arrived earlier looking for her. The guys were described as middle-aged suits and they wanted to talk to Caitlin about some internship program. Alexa then leaves.
A few hours later, Caitlin wakes up as the door gets knocked. Special agent baker of the National Security Committee tells her that she has been accepted into the Gen13 program and her presence is immediately required in order to process her into the program before it begins the next day…
Quality
Roxy, Burnout, Grunge and Caitlin Fairchild together for the first time at the secret facility of the Gen13 program. One other member – Rainmaker – has yet to appear.
I enjoyed this comic book the first time I had it in 1994. I can clearly say that it is still fun and engaging to read again today.
This comic book was written with the intention to introduce super-powered teenagers as a new and really distinctive team in one corner of the original WildStorm universe while also expanding the lore by focusing more on International Operations’ unethical covert operations which will easily remind people about government conspiracies, top secret missions and the like. The story has really strong elements about conspiracies, unethical scientific experiments and even human rights violations. The story by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi has a strong structure but what stood out to me was the really creative writing done to bring the characters to life complete with a touch of the 1990s vibe (in reference to comic book trends and real-life society).
John Lynch, a former member of Team 7 and also one of the high-ranking officials of IO who occasionally appeared in prior WildStorm comic books, gets a nice share of the spotlight in the story and indeed he is not full control of his organization. In fact, IO’s execution of a new program about developing people with special abilities or powers (without their knowledge) raises Lynch’s concerns as he himself was a victim of betrayal and exposure to an experimental gas during his time with Team 7. Lynch also appeared in The Kindred mini-series (read my reviews by clicking here, here and here).
When it comes to the characters, Gen13’s members here are introduced with notable differences in terms of personality. The nerdy Caitlin Fairchild is the very promising smart young lady who has the potential to succeed. Bobby (Burnout) is the quiet guy who quickly realizes that true unity is needed in order for a group to succeed under the program they are in. Roxy is the undisciplined and rebellious young lady while Grunge is the loose cannon and has trouble with authorities. While it is clear you won’t see much of their powers yet in this comic book, they turned out to be interesting enough to follow thanks to the strong creative writing by Lee and Choi.
When it comes to the visuals, Jeffrey Scott Campbell’s artworks really stood out mainly due to his distinctive style. If you look closely at how he draws the faces of women – particularly the ones who are young and fit – you will realize the exaggerated look complete with the big eyes and curves seen on females in anime or even manga (Japanese comics). If you are looking visual realism on the characters, you won’t find it here at all. Campbell’s style truly defined the look of the characters and yet he was able to draw armored troops (Black Razors and the armed security guard) with a really high level of details (including their weapons) which really stood out visually. Campbell is also good with superhero spectacle and hard action. Last but not least, there is a deliberate amount of erotic imagery in this comic book which serves as a reminder that this is a story aimed at young adult and adult readers.
Conclusion
John Lynch and Ivana having a confidential talk about International Operations and its current project about super-powered beings. Even though he is a very high officer at IO, Lynch was kept in the dark about something crucial.
Indeed, Gen13 #1 (1994) remains entertaining to read mainly because of the strong writing. The story moved at a smooth pace, the exposition was done cleverly, and the characters ended up being worthy enough to pay attention to. By the time I reached the end, I am convinced to go on to the next issue and rediscover not only more of the mini-series but also the way it expanded the lore of the WildStorm universe of the 1990s. This comic book alone strongly emphasized the connections with other elements of the WildStorm universe, particularly with Team 7 (its mini-series launched months after this one) and the dark legacy of IO. It is an adulterated superhero comic book that really offered readers something new and intriguing.
The Summer Swimming Lessons 2026 program at Tropical Palace Resort Hotel in BF International, Las Piñas City officially begins today.
Coach Alec Dequiña will lead the teaching of the swimming lessons. Inside Tropical Palace Resort Hotel are the main swimming pool (rectangular) and the small pool.
Courses offered are as follows: Basic (6-years-old and above) for P6,500 with lessons taking place 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. Advance (6-years-old and above) for P6,500 with lessons taking place 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. Toddlers (3 to 5-years-old) for P7,500 with lessons taking place 9 AM to 10 AM.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
In a serious effort to support the education of over one hundred ten thousand students of Muntinlupa City, the City Government continues to make scholarships and school supplies accessible to them through the established programs, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Amid the rising cost of living, the Muntinlupa City government is supporting the education of more than 110,000 students through scholarships and free school supplies.
One of them is Jaspher Nherie Elviña, a beneficiary under the city government’s Muntinlupa Scholarship Program. For him, it was never just about the allowance but staying in school.
Now a cum laude graduate of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Colegio de Muntinlupa, Jasper recalled being a city scholar.
“Nagsimula ako maging iskolar ng Muntinlupa… simula pa noong 1st year high school, noong nagkaroon ng scholarship program ang Muntinlupa o MSP. Ang allowance na nakukuha ko sa Muntinlupa ay malaki ang naitutulong para sa pandagdag baon at gastusin sa araw-araw na pagpasok at requirements sa iba’t ibang subject ko dati (I started being a Muntinlupa scholar… since my 1st year of high school, when the Muntinlupa or MSP scholarship program was established. The allowance I get from Muntinlupa is a great help for supplementing my pocket money and expenses for daily attendance and requirements for my various subjects),” he said.
The cost of education is not just about tuition fees. There are daily transportation expenses, project materials, printing fees, laboratory contributions, and the small but constant costs of staying enrolled.
Elviña said the allowance he received from the Muntinlupa City government was a symbol of reassurance that allowed him to focus on his studies instead of worrying about daily expenses.
The cost of education is not just about tuition fees. There are daily transportation expenses, project materials, printing fees, laboratory contributions, and the small but constant costs of staying enrolled.
Elviña said the allowance he received from the Muntinlupa City government was a symbol of reassurance that allowed him to focus on his studies instead of worrying about daily expenses.
He is one of the more than 110,000 scholars supported by the Muntinlupa City government in 2025, a scholarship system that started from about 5,000 beneficiaries during its early years.
Today, it has become one of the most expansive local government-funded education programs in Metro Manila.
In 2025, the city government spent P587.8 million in educational assistance or about seven percent of its P8.8-billion annual budget.
In proportional terms, officials said this placed Muntinlupa among the highest in the National Capital Region when it comes to allocating funds for scholarships, even compared with cities that operate on larger overall budgets.
The scholarship program started in 1989 when a scholarship trust fund was established to assist financially struggling students. At the time, only around 5,000 scholars were covered. Under former mayor Jimmy Fresnedi, now Muntinlupa representative, the system was institutionalized and expanded across educational levels.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you approve of the way the City Government is supporting local students?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers armed with a warrant of arrest apprehended an 18-year-old man at his residence for the charge of statutory rape, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Authorities arrested an 18-year-old senior high school graduate for statutory rape at his residence in Parañaque City on Feb. 11.
The Southern Police District (SPD) identified the suspect as Renato. He was arrested at his home in Sampaloc Site 2, BF Homes, Parañaque City.
Police said members of the SPD Special Operations Unit (SOU), together with the District Intelligence Division and the Intelligence Section of the District Mobile Force Battalion, coordinated with the Parañaque City Police to carry out the arrest.
Operatives served the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Ma. Christina De Pio Lim, presiding judge of the Parañaque Regional Trial Court, National Capital Judicial Region, Branch 260. The warrant was issued on Feb. 4, with no bail recommended.
The suspect was brought to the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) office for documentation and proper legal proceedings.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you glad the local police officers succeeded in arresting the suspect? Are you concerned there could be more rapists out there who have yet to arrested by the police?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 