Mindanaoan student wins Top Global Architecture Prize

Mindanaoan student wins Top Global Architecture Prize

Yadu Karu
Facebook Post
20 July 2026

DAVAO CITY — A 23-year-old Mindanaoan architecture student made history as the first Filipino to be named Global Designer of the Year in the architectural category at the AYDA International Awards.

Ejhey L. Durias, a student at the University of Mindanao, earned top honors for his project “Banuas Lawod” (Aquaculture Community Hub). 

The design selected from more than 9,000 entries across 17 countries and regions preserves the Bajau community’s cultural identity while providing sustainable livelihoods.

The international finals were held from June 11 to 12 in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme “Converge: Crafting Cultural Legacies”. 

The winning design draws inspiration from scallop shells, traditional lepa houseboats, and the bahay kubo. It features flood-resilient homes, aquaculture facilities, rainwater harvesting, and reef-inspired foundations that restore marine ecosystems while protecting against storm surges.

"To take a Bajau home is to take their life," Durias said during his final presentation. "For them, home was never land. Home was the rhythm of tides beneath their feet."

Durias shaped the project through research and interviews with members of the Sama-Bajau community in Davao who faced displacement due to environmental pressures, armed conflict, and social exclusion.

Chen Lee Siong, general manager of Nippon Paint Philippines Inc., praised the project, noting that Durias successfully communicated both the architectural solution and the human story behind the Sama-Bajau community to an international jury.

With the victory, Durias earned a fully funded fellowship to the Design Discovery Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts, valued at $10,000.

The Philippines also secured recognition in the interior design category, where Patria Danielle Malijan of De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde won the International Nippon Paint Colour Award for "KAMPIHAN," a project reimagining playground as cultural spaces for traditional games.

(Photo courtesy of Chaichana Thongsamrit)

Jollibee named 'best fast food fried chicken' in the US for third straight year

Jollibee named 'best fast food fried chicken' in the US for third straight year

Brooke Villanueva
Philstar Life
20 July 2026

Here's some news that could trigger your next Chickenjoy craving...

Jollibee has again claimed the top spot on USA TODAY's list of "Best Fast Food Fried Chicken" in America for the third consecutive year. The annual rankings were determined through public voting among its readers for the publication's 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. 

"With around 100 stores in North America and more than 1,700 stores internationally, Jollibee is the largest and fastest-growing Asian restaurant company in the world. They're best known for Chickenjoy, the signature juicy, flavorful fried chicken. Order it in buckets or accompanied by sides—and don't forget to dip it in their silky gravy," its description read.

In a statement sent to PhilSTAR L!fe, Ernesto Tanmantiong, Global President and CEO of the Jollibee Group, described the recognition as "meaningful."

"It reflects the consistency of the quality, taste, and customer experience that we work hard to deliver with every serving in Chickenjoy,” he said. "It gives us even greater confidence in Jollibee’s ability to deepen customer trust and brand love in more markets, as we continue bringing the products and experiences that have made our brand a source of joy for many families."

For her part, Maribeth dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Philippine Brands North America, expressed her gratitude to the USA TODAY readers for the recognition, saying it "reflects the dedication of our teams who prepare and serve Chickenjoy every day, helping ensure a joyful and satisfying experience with every visit."

Dela Cruz added that the feat inspired them "to keep delivering the Jollibee experience people love, while introducing it to even more customers across North America and beyond."

Jollibee now has around a hundred stores in North America and over 1,800 branches globally.

The USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards puts the spotlight on standout destinations, restaurants, attractions, and travel experiences in different parts of the US. 

Bretman Rock, Niana Guerrero, Valkyrae make 2nd 'Time100 Creators' list

Bretman Rock, Niana Guerrero, Valkyrae make 2nd 'Time100 Creators' list

Kristofer Purnell 
Philstar Global
18 July 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Three individuals of Filipino descent landed on the "2026 TIME100 Creators" list by Time magazine, a compilation of 100 content creators deemed to have "the most influential digital voices."

All three representatives — Niana Guerrero, Bretman Rock and Rachel Hofstetter (better known as Valkyrae) — were included in the list's Titans category.

Niana, the only one of the three based in the Philippines, is the most-followed Filipino on TikTok at nearly 47 million followers and her inclusion featured a write-up by Leslie Horn Peterson.

The writer shared how Niana went viral in 2017 as a 12-year-old dancing to "Despacito" and now has collaborated with international artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, Lisa of Blackpink and Katseye led by Filipina Sophia Laforteza.

United States-based Bretman and Valkyrae, who is of Filipino and German descent, both had their write-ups done by Kara Nesvig.

Nesvig noted how Bretman's Instagram and TikTok feeds are filled with beauty content around the world, as well as nature scenes from his Hawaiian home.

Bretman made the shift from Vine to YouTube by keeping in touch with short- and long-form content and now the more down-to-earth side of his life.

"With hilarious videos about naming baby peacocks or applying false lashes to his chickens so they look more like him — not to mention the farmland video that won him the 2025 TikTok Video of the Year Award— Bretman's content is a reminder of how living in harmony with nature can make life more beautiful," Nesvig wrote.

Gaming icon Valkyrae, meanwhile, was praised for being a standout Twitch streamer in a male-dominated space, picking up millions of views in the last decade.

Valkyrae's influence has extended beyond gaming with her Hihi Studios media company, "Wine About It" podcast, music video appearances, and voice roles in animation.

Joining the three in the Titans category were Joe Rogan, IShowSpeed, Druski, Alex Cooper, Alan Chikin Chow, Markiplier, Mark Rober, Subway Takes' Kareem Rahma, Quenlin Blackwell, and cover star Alix Earle — many of whom were on last year's inaugural list.

Notable names in other categories were Mark Phillips, Whitney Leavitt, Lex Fridman and "Backrooms" director Kane Parsons.

Cup of Joe wins special honor at Music Awards Japan 2026

Cup of Joe wins special honor at Music Awards Japan 2026

Kristofer Purnell 
PhilStar Global
16 July 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino pop-rock band Cup of Joe bannered the Philippines well at the recent Music Awards Japan after winning a special honor for the country.

Music Awards Japan, organized by Japan's Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association, honors musical talents from within Japan, around Asia, and in the Western regions.

The group attendend the ceremony last June 13 in Tokyo, where it performed hit track "Multo" during a premiere event in the afternoon ahead of the main proceedings.

"Multo" was up for Best Song Asia but lost to "Golden," the popular song from animated juggernaut "KPop Demon Hunters."

Cup of Joe did not leave emptyhanded, however, as "Multo" received the Philippine Popular Music Special Award, won last year by fellow band Lola Amour for its own hit song "Raining in Manila."

Similar regional special awards went to G-Dragon's "Power" for Korea, Youngohm's "My Heart Follows You" for Thailand, Hindia's "Everything U Are" for Indonesia, and Hòa Minzy's "Boc Bling" for Vietnam."

Local rock band Sakanaction won Song of the Year for "Kaiju," while pop singer Fujii Kaze and another rock act, Mrs. Green Apple, retained their Album of the Year and Artist of the Year awards, respectively, the former for his album "Prema."

Pop groups Hana and XG were honored with the New Artist of the Year and Best Global Hit from Japan awards respectively, the latter for "Hypnotize."

Mrs. Green Apple, Fujii Kaze, Hana, and XG won other awards during the ceremony but it was Kenshi Yonezu's "Iris Out — the theme song of "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc" — that won Best Song in four different continents including Asia.

For the international song categories the winners were Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra" for Pop, Tyla's "Chanel" for R&B; Green Day's "Smash It Like Belushi" for Rock; Tyler, The Creator's "Stop Playing With Me" for Rap; Rosalia's "Reliquia" for Alternative; and Blackpink's "Jump" for K-pop. BTS won Best K-pop Artist.

Low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines made it as the world’s fourth most punctual airline

AirAsia Philippines lands on world’s most punctual list

Elijah Felice Rosales
Philstar Global 
16 July 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines made it as the world’s fourth most punctual airline in June, according to aviation analyst OAG.

OAG said AirAsia Philippines turned in an on-time performance of 92.96 percent last month, the fourth best score among all carriers.

In addition, AirAsia Philippines posted zero cancellations — the only one among the leading 10 on the list — over its 2,535 flights in June.

Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia topped the list with an on-time score of 97.13 percent, while Fuji Dream Airlines came next with 93.29 percent. South African airline FlySafair ranked third with 93.18 percent.

Saudia tailed AirAsia Philippines at fifth with 92.41 percent, followed by Royal Jordanian (92.14 percent) and Sky Airline (91.87 percent). South African Airways came in at eighth with 91.44 percent to stay ahead of Copa Airlines (90.75 percent) and Jeju Air (90.12 percent).

The OAG on-time list is different from the one produced by aviation expert Cirium, which also issues a monthly index of punctual airlines, frequently including flag carrier Philippine Airlines.

AirAsia Philippines president and general manager Anna Victoria Lu said the carrier is focusing next on sustaining its on-time performance for the benefit of passengers.

Lu recognized the challenges faced by airlines recently, especially when flights were delayed, if not canceled, due to airspace restrictions and jet fuel price hikes.

At the height of flight disruptions, Lu said AirAsia Philippines managed to keep its on-time rates up by maintaining aircraft availability. She underscored the importance of working closely with air traffic control to improve flight dispatch and turnaround.

The AirAsia Group, the parent of AirAsia Philippines, ranked 10th in the world for large airlines with an on-time rate of 83.02 percent in June. The carrier also limited flight cancellations to just 0.92 percent across 14,502 flights.

To be assessed for on-time performance, an airline must have a minimum of 1,500 flights for the month.

Similar to Cirium’s index, OAG assesses a carrier’s timeliness if a flight departed from or arrived at its designated gate within 15 minutes of schedule.

Philippines remains the world’s leading supplier of seafarers

Philippines remains top supplier of seafarers

Bella Cariaso 
The Philippine Star 
July 12, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines remains the world’s leading supplier of seafarers, reaffirming its vital role in providing skilled maritime professionals to the global merchant fleet, the Maritime Industry Authority said yesterday.

MARINA cited the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 which ranked the Philippines as first among the world’s five largest seafarer-supplying countries.

The report estimated that the Philippines supplies 203,179 officers, ahead of India with 140,718 officers, China with 110,893, the Russian Federation with 85,816 and Indonesia with 72,304.

The report said the Philippines and the four other top countries account for 56.25 percent of the global seafarer workforce supply.

MARINA added that data from shipping companies also showed that Filipinos are the leading nationality certified by the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), followed by Ukrainians, Indians, Romanians and Poles.

Filipinos also ranked first in both the officer and rating categories, MARINA added.

The agency said it continues to strengthen the country’s maritime education, training, assessment and certification systems to keep Filipino seafarers competent, globally competitive and compliant with international standards.

“The agency also continues to pursue reforms that improve the quality of maritime training and certification and address the evolving skills and competency needs of the global shipping industry,” MARINA added.

It said the findings reaffirm the Philippines’ leading role in the global maritime workforce and the continued demand for the competence and professionalism of Filipino seafarers in international shipping.

Published every five years, the Seafarer Workforce Report provides estimates on the global supply and demand of STCW-certified seafarers, workforce demographics and the future manpower needs of the world merchant fleet.

Philippines has emerged as a global convergence hub for upholding international law

PH now 'convergence hub' for upholding int’l law –DND chief

By Priam Nepomuceno
Philippine News Agency
July 12, 2026

MANILA – The Philippines has emerged as a global convergence hub for upholding international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) following the historic July 12, 2016 Arbitral Award, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Sunday.

The defense chief highlighted this on the 10th anniversary of the Arbitral Award, calling it a landmark decision that affirmed the Philippines’ rights and entitlements in its exclusive economic zone.

"Given the importance of our location and the fundamental principles of international law we uphold, countries from all over the world have found common cause with us which we channel into purposive action," Teodoro said in a statement.

This is reflected by the growing number of nations that now hold Visiting Forces Agreements (VFAs) with the Philippines. These include the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and most recently France, which became the first European country to sign a VFA with the Philippines early this year.

Teodoro said Philippine partnerships are "increasing because these are based on fundamental freedoms, transparency, and the rule of law unlike sinister and cabalistic United Front Work and illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions."

He noted how "heartening" it is to see Filipinos’ growing awareness and deep sense of ownership over the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

This shifting mindset is consistently backed by public opinion polls, including a recent survey showing that 86 percent of Filipinos support government collaboration with like-minded countries to defend the area, he added.

"We are focused on the fundamental bedrock of our mission-to build a strong, capable, responsive and deterrent defense system with particular attention on capacitating the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept mission while preserving the gains in internal security operations. Without public support, this task cannot be achieved," Teodoro said.

Teodoro also vowed that the defense sector will do everything within its power to enforce the landmark maritime ruling and preserve Philippine territory, while planning to deepen public knowledge of the WPS.

"The DND, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, will continue to be unstinting in the struggle to enforce this Award and to preserve our territorial integrity," he said.

The DND chief likewise reiterated their resolve to "resist and combat any attempt to deny our rights and entitlements in the WPS", adding these resources belong not just to the present but to future generations of Filipinos.

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Oban Jr., who is also the chair of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), said the landmark decision reaffirmed what international law has long recognized: that maritime rights and entitlements are determined by law, not by power or coercion.

"Rendered pursuant to the UNCLOS, the Award is final and legally binding and remains a lasting affirmation of the rule of law in the maritime domain," he said.

Oban was also pleased to note that the Award continues to be recognized and cited in international jurisprudence, reinforcing the rule of law as the strongest foundation for the peaceful settlement of disputes among nations.

The NSA said the ruling affirms the Philippines' sovereign rights and lawful maritime entitlements under international law.

"As we commemorate this milestone, we recognize the unwavering dedication of our uniformed personnel, public servants, fisherfolk, coastal communities, and every Filipino who contributes to protecting our maritime interests. Their service, sacrifice, and resilience remind us that the Award (finds) meaning not only in law, but also in the daily efforts of those who safeguard and benefit from our seas," Oban added. (PNA)