NEWS
POC’s suspension of PATAFA paves way for Obiena to join SEA Games
March 17, 2022 3:53 p.m.
THE Philippine Olympic Committee Executive Board suspended the national sports associations of athletics and tennis during its special meeting on Thursday, a move that opened the door for world-ranked pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena to participate at least in the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games in May.
POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the Philippine Tennis Association was suspended for its non-compliance with an order from the International Tennis Federation to amend its charter and hold fresh elections to select a truly representative set of board members.
The Philta has been serving a two-year suspension by the ITF since late 2020 and the sanction faces extension unless the NSA complies with the world tennis body’s instruction.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, Tolentino said, was also suspended for failing to serve its purpose as an NSA, which supposedly “has the dedication and commitment toward the development of the sport, promoting the ideals of the Olympic Movement and the spirit of sportsmanship.”
“Our constitution states that POC may suspend for any reason. However, it’s transparent that PATAFA has deliberately and intentionally disregarded our basic principles of promoting sports and development,” Tolentino said.
“Unfortunately, the non-endorsement of EJ has created a national issue,” Tolentino added. “EJ Obiena, under our International Olympic Committee Charter, has two reasons to be endorsed—sports merit and inspiration to the youth.”
Tolentino said that despite sincere efforts by Obiena to mediate, “PATAFA prioritized its pride, and it saddens [me] to look closely on a chance slowly gripping away. They have withheld an opportunity of the Filipino people to have another world record.”
PATAFA denied Obiena’s request that he be endorsed to the world indoor championships that start Friday in Belgrade as well as to the Vietnam SEA Games, Eugene (Oregon) world championships in July and Hangzhou (China) Asian Games in September.
“The time is clearly now for EJ who is mentally and physically prepared,” Tolentino said. “We are in a reachable milestone within our grasp.”
The suspension will be effective for 90 days and will be ratified by the POC General Assembly during its regular meeting on March 30. If ratified, PATAFA will not have any authority over the national athletics team to the SEA Games, giving Obiena a chance to defend his gold medal in Vietnam.
But Tolentino said both suspensions could be dismissed sooner than their terms.
“If PHILTA complies with the ITF order, and the ITF accepts PHILTA’s compliance, the suspension of the tennis association will be lifted immediately,” he said.
For the PATAFA, it looked simpler.
“If the PSC’s mediation effort over PATAFA and EJ [Obiena] is completed and ironed out, its suspension will also be lifted,” said Tolentino, adding a separate resolution on the automatic lifting of the suspensions were also forged by the board.
Nine members of the board voted for the suspension, while two—Charlie Ho (netball) and Cynthia Carrion-Norton (gymnastics) abstained. POC Chairman Steve Hontiveros and International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski were absent from the special board meeting.
The suspensions will give the POC direct supervision over PHILTA and PATAFA’s national athletes—including Obiena—coaches and sporting officials, while financial matters will be under the control of the Philippine Sports Commission.
“These suspensions are actually not a landmark decision by the POC,” Tolentino said. “We have at least two precedents when similar athlete-NSA issues rocked Philippine sports in the past.”
Former Asian sprint queen De vega was endorsed by the POC, then under the late Gov. Jose Sering, for her participation in the Asean Cup.
The late Leopoldo Serantes, Tolentino said, could not have clinched a boxing bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics if the POC didn’t endorse his participation. The boxing association at that time was experiencing leadership intramurals between Roilo Golez and Mel Lopez.
The suspensions were meted a day after Senator Pia Cayetano led the filing of a motion to cite the PATAFA in contempt for disobeying the Senate Committee on Sports’ order for PATAFA’s to amicably settle its differences with Obiena.
The contempt charges also stemmed from the PATAFA filing a case against Obiena and the POC with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. PATAFA filed the case with the CAS four days after it agreed to undergo mediation during a Senate hearing on February 7.
“PATAFA filed a case before the CAS in Switzerland. This is an act of bad faith, as PATAFA practically and effectively closed any possibility of amicable settlement with Obiena,” Cayetano said.
NEWS
MILO, PSC strengthen ties to build stronger grassroots sports development
4:02 p.m. April 20, 2026
FOR decades, MILO® Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) have stood behind the journeys of Filipino champions.
On April 14, 2026, these two pillars of sports renewed their commitment through a landmark partnership aimed at strengthening support systems and building a more inclusive sports culture across the country.
The collaboration aligns with the PSC’s “Grassroots to Gold, Gold to Greatness” campaign, which emphasizes that excellence is built early and consistently with the right support. Present during the signing at the Nestlé Hub in Rockwell were PSC Chairman John Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, Veronica “Caron” Cruz, Senior Vice President of MILO® Philippines and Business Executive Officer at Nestlé Philippines, and Carlo Sampan, Head of MILO® Sports.
A shared vision for a stronger nation.
PSC Chairman Gregorio joins MILO® Philippines’ Veronica Cruz and Carlo Sampan to officially renew their longstanding partnership. The collaboration reinforces a joint commitment to athlete welfare and the “Grassroots to Gold” mission, ensuring every Filipino athlete is empowered from their first step to the podium.
Nurturing Champions in Life
The core of this renewed partnership is a shared focus on expanding grassroots reach to ensure inclusivity across the archipelago. By leveraging platforms like MILO® Active Pilipinas, Batang Pinoy, Women in Sports, and community-based sports programs, the collaboration aims to provide every child, regardless of background, the space to discover their potential.
“At MILO, our purpose is to build champions in sport and in life,” said Cruz. “Developing sport, especially at the grassroots, cannot be done by one institution alone. It takes committed partnerships that bring together a shared purpose and a long-term view of impact. We are inspired by the PSC’s direction and are honored to stand with them.”
A Sustainable Legacy of Sport
This vision is further reflected in MILO® Philippines’ ongoing efforts to champion active lifestyles nationwide. Earlier this year, the brand marked the 50th year of the MILO Marathon, a milestone that highlights its long-standing role in grassroots sports.
“At MILO®, we believe in a holistic approach to sports development: one that goes beyond physical training to include values formation, proper nutrition, and access to meaningful opportunities,” said Carlo Sampan, Head of MILO® Sports. “This partnership with the PSC allows us to further strengthen that commitment by creating a more complete support system for young athletes, from grassroots to elite levels,” Sampan added.
NEWS
TikTok, Plan International Partner for safer digital spaces for teens
7:15 p.m. April 19, 2026
TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile video, continues to strengthen its #ThinkTwice Troop advocacy program through a partnership with Plan International Pilipinas, a non-government development and humanitarian organization specializing in girls’ and children’s rights, reinforcing its commitment to online teen safety.
In an event to mark National Women’s Month, Rinoa, Shantel, Marianne, and Kathleen, Youth Advocates from various Plan International Pilipinas projects, were announced as the first teen members of the #ThinkTwice Troop, contributing youth perspectives to TikTok’s ongoing efforts to promote digital literacy, safety, and positive online engagement among Filipino teens, especially young girls.
“Safety has always been at the core of everything we do at TikTok,” said Yves Gonzalez, Head of Public Policy for the Philippines at TikTok. “Expanding the #ThinkTwice Troop through our partnership with Plan International Pilipinas allows us to directly engage with more young people, understand their aspirations and challenges, and empower them to navigate digital spaces safely with confidence and creativity.”
Safe Spaces for Creativity, Learning and Connection
During the Youth Panel, Rinoa, Shantel, and Kathleen shared their perspectives on navigating the digital world, citing they feel comfortable to share content and participate in online communities when educated on safety tools and privacy features.
They also cited how platforms like TikTok are positive spaces, where they can express themselves, connect with others, and discover new interests, a testament to how the digital world has become a meaningful part of teens’ everyday lives.
Finally, advocates underscored the importance of involving teens and young people in shaping safer online spaces and continued support from platforms, educators, and communities through digital literacy programs, reflecting the important role of young people not only as beneficiaries but as active partners in shaping safer and more inclusive digital environments.
“Teen-friendly and easy-to-understand policies, user-friendly tools, insights from the youth–these are just some of the aspects that are vital for platforms to understand and apply in creating safer environments for us,” said Marianne.
Empowering Teen Girls and Young People
In a separate panel, Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang, Executive Director of Plan International Pilipinas, Irish Almeida, Chief Privacy Officer of Globe Telecom, and licensed professional teacher and TikTok creator Lyqa Maravilla (@lyqamaravilla), highlighted the importance of women representation in tech leadership, policy development, and content creation, ensuring society builds online spaces where women and girls can thrive.
NEWS
Puregold spotlights sari-sari stores as neighborhood lifeline at ‘Tindahan ni Aling Puring’ Convention 2026
10:12 p.m. April 14, 2026
As Filipinos confront rising prices of basic goods, the friendly neighborhood sari-sari store is once again proving to be a reliable lifeline for Filipino families and communities.
Leading supermarket chain Puregold Price Club is putting the spotlight on the sari-sari store’s invaluable role in Filipino neighborhoods as it holds this year’s Tindahan ni Aling Puring (TNAP) Sari-Sari Store Convention.
Happening on May 14 to 16, 2026 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City with the theme “Panalong Lakbay Tungo sa Tagumpay,” the 2026 Tindahan ni Aling Puring Sari- Sari Store Convention is set to honor neighborhood store owners with a three-day event filled with exclusive discounts and treats from brand partners, free masterclass sessions, performances from a star-studded lineup, and a grand raffle.
Day 1 is exclusive to Aling Puring members, while Puregold PERKS members can also join on May 15. They just need to bring their membership cards to enter for free. The third and last day is open to the public.
“At this year’s Aling Puring Convention, we salute our sari-sari stores as an indispensable pillar of Filipino society. At a time when we bear the impact of price hikes, sari-sari stores shine as an extension of Puregold, a reliable ally of Filipino families who need to stretch their budget. That’s why we have made it our core mission to support these micro-entrepreneurs,” said Vincent Co, Puregold President.
This year, the Puregold Sari-Sari Store Convention is extra special as Puregold marks a milestone of surpassing the 1-million membership mark for Tindahan ni Aling Puring. The loyalty program currently has 1.061 million members across the country, with Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao seeing the fastest growth.
“We have prepared a relevant lineup of activities where our Ka-Asensos will not only enjoy but also learn from industry experts. Through the convention, we aim to help our sari-sari store partners face the challenges of today while strengthening them for future disruptions,” said Co.
Reflecting its commitment to sari-sari store owners, Puregold has also launched new interventions to address the rising costs of doing business for sari-sari store owners.
For one, Puregold has significantly increased its specialized “Case Deals” and “Dealskarte Bundles,” designed to help sari-sari store owners maximize their profit margins despite inflation.
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MILO, PSC strengthen ties to build stronger grassroots sports development
TikTok, Plan International Partner for safer digital spaces for teens
