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HOW CAN A.I. HELP MANAGE STROKES?
AI eyed to stretch scarce PHL stroke specialists, equipment
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By Mary Jade Jadormio
ANGKOK—In Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital tools are emerging as potential force multipliers for stroke care as health systems struggle with shortages of specialists, equipment and emergency services.
The Philippines has only five neurovascular surgeons for a Manila population of 20 million to 30 million, highlighting the difficulty of expanding advanced stroke care beyond major urban centers. Government hospitals, which serve most patients, also often lack the advanced imaging needed to treat severe strokes, while limited emergency medical services (EMS) infrastructure can add to delays in getting patients to appropriate facilities. Siemens Healthineers, which develops medical-imaging, AI and digital technologies for stroke care, has deployed or supported technologies in the region that illustrate how such tools can be integrated into stroke systems. In Thailand, for instance, its collaboration with Siriraj Hospital and other partners supports a Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) that combines onboard CT imaging,
AI-assisted stroke recognition and tele-stroke to connect patients with specialists before they reach the hospital. The unit has operated around the clock since 2018 and has treated more than 2,900 patients, showing how technology can move part of the stroke-care pathway into the pre-hospital setting. However, the Philippine challenge extends beyond technology. Dr. Jay Villavicencio, an endovascular neurosurgeon and member of the Board of Trustees of the Stroke Society of the Philippines, said AI could allow individual specialists to manage more cases without replacing physicians. “AI can multiply what a single doctor can do,” Villavicencio said. Some Philippine institutions are already using AI software to detect stroke and help determine whether patients could benefit from treatment, although adop-
ASEAN stroke experts pose during a media roundtable on stroke-care readiness at Hospital Management Asia 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. MARY JADE JADORMIO
Despite these, AI still requires trained professionals, appropriate imaging, referral networks and standardized clinical pathways to translate its output into treatment.
Technology needs a system
THAILAND’S Mobile Stroke Unit–Stroke One Stop (MSU-SOS) brings CT brain imaging, teleconsultation and early stroke treatment closer to patients before they reach a hospital, helping reduce delays in emergency stroke care. MARY JADE JADORMIO
tion remains limited, according to Villavicencio. The technology could become more useful as specialist capac-
ity expands outside Metro Manila, with two neurovascular surgeons in Bacolod, one in Tacloban, one in Cebu and two in Davao, he said.
THE wider Southeast Asian experience shows why simply adding AI will not solve the stroke-care gap. Patients outside major urban areas may need one to two hours to reach a comprehensive stroke facility, while transportation and inter-hospital transfer delays can further reduce the time available for treatment. Specialists are also concentrated in major cities, leaving hospitals in less-served areas dependent on referral networks and remote support. Thailand has attempted to address the pre-hospital gap through its MSU, which integrates EMS, telemedicine, AI-assisted stroke recogni-
tion and onboard CT imaging. Meanwhile, Vietnam has used a public-private model in Can Tho to bring comprehensive stroke care closer to patients in the Mekong Delta, where geographic distance has been a major barrier to advanced treatment. The Can Tho experience involved Siemens Healthineers and Stroke International Services, with the partnership focused on advanced medical technology as well as technical and clinical training. That model treated 13 percent of regional patients who previously could not reach stroke care locally during its first year, while door-togroin time improved by 25 percent over the following seven years. For the Philippines, the lesson is that AI and advanced imaging have to be paired with the rest of the stroke system. Continued on A2
Davao, Region XI strengthen fight against online sexual abuse of children
Atty. Lovelie Faith G. Entoma-Forcadilla, justice system officer, International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines (2nd to the right) listens to participants share their insights during the Multidisciplinary Team-Basic Internet Crimes Against Children (MDT-BICAC) training to improve coordination in responding to cases involving online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) on Aug. 24-28, 2026, at the Police Regional Office 11 headquarters at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido in Buhangin, Davao City. ERWIN M. MASCARIÑAS
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By Erwin M. Mascariñas
AVAO CITY—Government agencies, law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, social workers and a non-overnment organization in Davao City and across the Davao region are strengthening their response to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (Osaec) through a five-day multidisciplinary training focused on investigation, prosecution, victim protection and prevention.
154 participants from law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, social workers and nongovernment organizations took part in the five-day Multidisciplinary Team-Basic Internet Crimes Against Children (MDT-BICAC) training, held August 24-28, 2026, at the Police Regional Office 11 headquarters at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido in Buhangin, Davao City, brought together frontline agencies and partner organizations to improve coordination in responding to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). ERWIN M. MASCARIÑAS
MULTIDISCIPLINARY Team-Basic Internet Crimes Against Children (MDT-BICAC) training participants discuss their options during the Intake Case Analysis Workshop on possible cases involving scenarios of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).
The Multidisciplinary TeamBasic Internet Crimes Against Children (MDT-BICAC) training, held in late August at the Police Regional Office 11 headquarters at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido in Buhangin, Davao City, brought together frontline agencies and partner organizations to improve coordination in responding to Osaec cases, officials said. Police Regional Office XI Regional Director Police Brigadier General Leon Victor Z. Rosete said in a message that the training is driven by a sacred purpose: to protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation and child sexual abuse and exploitation materials. “The numbers should shake
“Silence is the enemy of these children,” Rosete said, stressing the need for faster community reporting and a coordinated government response. He said the Philippine National Police cannot win the fight against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children alone. The response requires government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, faith groups, schools and communities to work together citing the event as the essence of the MDT-BICAP.
us,” Rosete said, citing the International Justice Mission’s (IJM) Philippines 2024 Scale of Harm study, which estimated that nearly half a million Filipino children were trafficked through prostitution in 2022. Data from IJM Philippines show that from 2011 through July 3, 2026, authorities rescued 1,689 survivors nationwide, of these, 568 survivors have been restored, while about 465 suspects were arrested and 296 perpetrators convicted. Rosete said offenders are not always strangers and that, in some cases, children are abused by people within their own homes who are paid by foreign offenders to livestream the exploitation.
ERWIN M. MASCARIÑAS
Faster response, stronger investigations
THE PNP PRO 11 identified five areas where the multidisciplinary
approach can improve the government’s response: swift intervention, thorough investigation, victim protection and recovery, prevention and community engagement, and shared accountability. Every report requires immediate action, with agencies such as the PNP, City Social Welfare and Development Office, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health and local government units coordinating their response. “No delays, no gaps, no child left waiting,” Rosete said. Online sexual abuse and exploitation cases can involve digital Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 62.5420 n JAPAN 0.4052 n UK 84.5380 n HK 7.9764 n CHINA 9.3186 n SINGAPORE 49.3273 n AUSTRALIA 44.7551 n EU 72.6175 n KOREA 0.0463 n SAUDI ARABIA 16.6557 Source: BSP (September 11, 2026)
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A2 Sunday, September 13, 2026
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How can AI help manage strokes? Continued from A1
The regional assessment identified stronger referral pathways, faster emergency and imaging workflows, investment in specialist training, and wider use of AI and tele-stroke as priorities for improving stroke readiness.
Imaging remains a constraint
FOR the country, expanding access to advanced imaging remains particularly important because many government hospitals lack equipment needed for severe stroke cases. The regional assessment calls for government hospitals to gain access to thrombectomy-capable equipment while also recruiting, training and distributing neurovascular specialists beyond the capital. Access to advanced stroke treatment starts with imaging, with hospitals needing CT or magnetic resonance imaging to assess patients before they can proceed to more specialized interventions. That makes trained personnel as important as the equipment itself because specialists and other healthcare workers must be able to operate the technology, interpret results and move patients through treatment quickly. Malaysia offers one example of combining technology with workforce and referral reforms despite having only one neurologist for every 323,000 people. Its approach includes hub-andspoke referrals, direct-to-CT pathways, standardized imaging and
AI-supported alerts and remote imaging. Meanwhile, Singapore has three comprehensive stroke hospitals and a system that allows patients to reach one within 15 to 20 minutes. Ambulance units can also bring patients directly to CT instead of passing through the emergency department first. The system has contributed to a five- to six-fold reduction in stroke mortality since the 1990s, although staffing shortages have emerged among stroke nurses, cath-lab nurses and radiographers.
Coverage could create another bottleneck
FINANCING remains another obstacle for the Philippines. Universal health care does not yet cover mechanical thrombectomy, although coverage for acute stroke care is being developed and expanded. Villavicencio said he recently spoke with the new PhilHealth president about expanding the Z Benefits package, with acute ischemic stroke coverage being developed while mechanical thrombectomy remains outside current coverage. A committee involving the Stroke Society of the Philippines, the Academy of Philippine Neurosurgeons and the Philippine Neurological Association is working with PhilHealth on the requirements needed to establish coverage. “Mostly 50 percent done,” Villavicencio said when asked about the progress of the work. The requirements include
clinical practice guidelines, clinical pathways and costing based on actual treatment expenses.
Working with PhilHealth
“WELL, actually, I don’t think PhilHealth is holding back. It’s just that it takes a while. I mean, it’s not an easy process to do this,” Villavicencio said. He said the group hopes coverage for mechanical thrombectomy and other vital stroke interventions could come “within the year.” “We’re actually working on with PhilHealth right now to help them develop the pathway and increase and cover, and provide coverage to this very vital to see through. So, I hope that it will come within the year,” Villavicencio said. However, wider insurance coverage could expose another weakness if hospitals and specialists are not prepared to absorb more patients. “Definitely the bottleneck would shift,” he said when asked whether the current workforce and hospital network could handle an immediate increase in demand if thrombectomy became covered. Expanding reimbursement without simultaneously increasing hospital capacity, imaging and specialist manpower could therefore shift the bottleneck rather than eliminate it. For the Philippines, AI offers a way to make scarce specialist capacity go further, but its value will ultimately depend on whether the rest of the stroke-care chain can keep pace.
STROKE experts discuss gaps in transportation, hospital capacity and access to timely treatment during a media roundtable. MARY JADE JADORMIO
Davao, Region XI strengthen fight against online sexual abuse of children Continued from A1
forensics, financial trails and offenders operating across borders, he said. The organizers pointed out that through the MDT framework, investigators, prosecutors and technical partners such as IJM can work together to develop cases that comply with legal requirements and can withstand scrutiny in court under Republic Act 11930, or the AntiOnline Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act, and Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act. Emphasizing that an arrest should not mark the end of the government’s responsibility, he said children rescued from exploitation need support from social workers, health professionals, psychologists, community leaders and child protection advocates to help them recover without further trauma. Prevention, meanwhile, must begin in communities, with barangays, schools, parents and faith leaders playing roles in identifying warning signs and reporting suspected abuse. “When the community is informed and empowered, we cut the cycle of abuse before it starts,” Rosete said. Data from the PNP PRO11 revealed that in Davao City from 2018 to 2026, a total of nine operations were conducted, leading to the rescue of 18 victims and the arrest of five individuals from the four cases filed. For Region 11, from 2019 to 2026, a total of 19 police operations were conducted—with 50 victims rescued, 17 arrested and 15 cases filed.
Emerging online threats
REGIONAL Prosecutor Janet Grace
Devisay-Fabriero, head of the Regional Anti-Child Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force in Region XI, said authorities are confronting an increasingly complicated digital environment in which technology intended for education and communication can also be used to target children. She said the internet has become a “digital hunting ground” where crimes against children can be committed with alarming speed and anonymity. Devisay-Fabriero said authorities are also seeing emerging forms of online threats, including cyberbullying and sadistic online exploitation, while pointing to recent incidents involving children in other parts of the country. She said authorities must continue developing new approaches because traditional methods of dealing with crimes against children may not be sufficient in an increasingly digital environment. “Whatever we learn here this week would also be very significant in all our undertakings,” she said. The prosecutor said the training will help participants identify red flags, improve detection, understand investigative procedures, strengthen case buildup and develop more effective prosecution strategies. She also noted that authorities continue to await legislation addressing some emerging forms of internet-based crimes against children that are not yet specifically covered by existing laws.
From reactive to proactive
ATTY. Lovelie Faith G. EntomaForcadilla, justice system officer of IJM Philippines, said the country’s response to online child sexual abuse has historically been largely reactive. In the early years of IJM
Philippines’ work against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, Philippine authorities often learned about cases only after foreign offenders were arrested abroad, she said. Investigators examining suspects’ devices would discover child sexual abuse and exploitation materials involving Filipino children. The information would then be referred to Philippine law enforcement agencies, triggering investigations and rescue operations. By that time, however, many children had already endured years of abuse. “The reality was that our response to this form of violence against children was largely reactive than proactive,” Entoma-Forcadilla said. She said the situation is changing as agencies invest in the skills and capacities of multidisciplinary teams. The MDT-BICAP training, she said, sends a clear message that government agencies in Davao City and Region XI are preparing frontline personnel to identify, investigate and respond to cases more effectively. “We are preparing ourselves to act swiftly when reports are made to protect children sooner and to prevent further harm,” she said. According to IJM Philippines, the training is the third of its kind in Mindanao: the first was in Zamboanga City on November 23-28, 2025, then in Cagayan de Oro City on July 27-31.
Building public trust
ENTOMA-FORCADILLA also connected the improved response to online child exploitation to public confidence in the justice system. When reports are acted on promptly, investigations are conducted professionally, offenders are held accountable and victims receive protection and support, people are more likely to trust public institutions, she said. “An effective public justice system creates a cycle of trust and action,” she said. As more cases are reported and successfully addressed, communities can become safer and children better protected, she said. For Entoma-Forcadilla, the measure of public confidence is not simply whether people are told to trust government institutions, but whether families see prompt action, fair processes and meaningful results. “When families feel safe and when ordinary citizens trust that their government can effectively respond to violence, exploitation, and abuse, that is the real measure of public confidence in the justice system,” she said.
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Anthropic says it blocked misuse of its AI that could have supported biological weapons
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NTHROPIC said Thursday it has blocked efforts by bad actors to use its artificial intelligence (AI) models for malicious activity such as cyberattacks, surveillance, and research that could have led to biological weapons. As AI models grow more powerful, elaborate cyberattacks no longer require sophisticated skills and even lone individuals can create threats that would not have been possible even a year ago, Anthropic said. The company said it has added stronger safeguards in its latest models to restrict biological research that could also be used to make weapons. “The cases we share here aren’t typical misuse, but rather examples of the most notable and novel threat activity we’ve identified to date,” Anthropic said in its third report since March 2025 describing AI misuse. The report includes snippets of the malicious code and AI prompts Anthropic said it found, and urges governments and AI competitors to identify and prevent similar abuse. “We’re publishing this work because we believe we have a responsibility to disclose malicious misuse of our services. As models become increasingly capable, their risks will increase, unless AI developers and society’s defenders act to make them safer,” the company said. The lengthy report by the AI startup, which is planning an initial public offering this fall, was published two days after one of its researchers announced he’s resigning over concerns that Anthropic and its competitors are not acting responsibly in AI development. He echoed concerns raised inside and outside of the industry
about the technology’s potential to elude human control.
Claude was asked to support making a virus more harmful
BETWEEN December 2025 and August 2026, researchers at Anthropic found misuse by actors ranging from spyware vendors and “politically motivated individuals” to state-sponsored groups spreading propaganda. Among the findings in the company’s report are unnamed actors attempting to use its models for research that could have led to biological weapons. In one instance, Anthropic said its systems blocked a request for Claude’s assistance in authoring a grant application for scientific funding. “The work discussed in the application involved gain-of-function research (that is, research that genetically alters an organism to create a new or enhanced biological property) on the chikungunya virus. This gain of function research was aimed at the virus’ transmissibility and immune evasion properties,” the report said. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus that causes debilitating symptoms such as severe pain and fever. The request involved a grant proposal for research seeking to enhance mutations to make the virus progressively more harmful. While such research could “certainly” be used to develop better vaccines and treatments, Anthropic said, “it could also be used to make the pathogen more dangerous.” See “AI,” A4
Sunday, September 13, 2026
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Gulf States may meet Iran next week to discuss future of Hormuz By Fiona MacDonald & Alex Dooler
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Bloomberg News
SIX-MEMBER bloc of Gulf states are considering meeting with Iranian officials next week to discuss the future of the Strait of Hormuz, people familiar with the matter said, in what would be the first gathering with the Islamic Republic since war erupted more than six months ago. Oman is aiming to get foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iran together on Monday in Salalah, a southern Omani city, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. The meeting is not confirmed and worsening hostilities between Saudi-backed forces and the Houthis, a group based in Yemen and supported
by Iran, may complicate the plans, another person said. Even if it happens, it’s unclear if all states in the bloc, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar as well as Oman, will attend, the people said. Oman’s foreign ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The Financial Times first reported the meeting. The war between Iran and
the US has reached a stalemate of sorts and both sides are preparing for it to continue for months, if not longer, Bloomberg has reported. The Strait of Hormuz, vital for global supplies of oil, natural gas and other commodities, was effectively closed after the US and Israel began bombing Iran in late February. Washington is trying to force Tehran to allow ships free passage again, using a naval blockade to put pressure on the Islamic Republic. While that military operation is hurting Iran’s economy, with the rial weakening rapidly and inflation accelerating to almost 90%, the country’s leadership is signaling it won’t relent on the strait or go back to negotiations until President Donald Trump lifts the blockade. It’s made clear it will keep retaliating against US strikes on its ships and territory. Oman and Iran—the two countries either side of the strait—have for weeks been negotiating a deal to manage maritime traffic. Iran says an agreement is close and that it would give Tehran the right to determine which ships can
sail into the Persian Gulf and possibly charge them fees. The US is likely to reject that. Most GCC members have also insisted on free passage through the waterway, though it’s unclear if they might accept a temporary agreement that would lead to traffic picking up. More ships have been sailing through Hormuz in the past two months. But they are mostly traversing covertly at night, with US military protection and their transponders turned off. They’re coming under regular fire from Iranian missiles and drones. Read more: Qatar’s Deficit Hits Decade-High as Hormuz Ties Up Gas Trade Saudi Arabia and the UAE have managed to use pipelines to bypass the chokepoint for a large chunk of their crude exports. But the effective closure is still hurting their economies and deterring some investors and tourists from the region. This week, Qatar announced a fiscal deficit in the second quarter that was its biggest in almost a decade. Saudi Arabia’s economy contracted in the same period.-
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Sunday, September 13, 2026
The World
As US squeezes the ICC, more countries are leaving P
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Trump $5K check plan gets cool reception from GOP allies By Steven T. Dennis, María Paula Mijares Torres, Caitlin Reilly & Erik Wasson
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HE HAGUE, Netherlands—As the United States ratchets up the pressure on the International Criminal Court (ICC), sanctioning two more high-ranking staff members in recent weeks, a small but growing number of the global tribunal’s member states have announced they will quit the institution. The recent departure of Venezuela and Chad brings the number of countries to pull out of the court in the past year to five, joining Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The surge in withdrawals comes as the ICC faces hostility from Washington and a leadership crisis after ousting its own chief prosecutor. “Five countries so far have announced plans to withdraw from the Rome Statute, and we welcome more announcements in the future,” a spokesperson for the US State Department told The Associated Press. The Rome Statute established the ICC in 2002 as the court of last resort to prosecute individuals responsible for the world’s most heinous atrocities: war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. Based in The Hague, it takes on cases when nations are unable or unwilling to prosecute crimes on their own territory. “The ICC regrets any decision to depart from the collective effort to end impunity for the most serious international crimes,” the court’s spokesperson Oriane Maillet told the AP.
America is piling on the pressure
IN July, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the US was launching a “sweeping campaign
to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to US sovereignty.” Rubio said he will pressure the court’s 125 member states to withdraw from the institution, sanction organizations that work with the court and ban staff from traveling to the United States. Trump’s administration already has sanctioned a dozen ICC staff in retaliation for warrants the court has issued for top Israeli officials over the war in Gaza and investigations into US personnel in Afghanistan. The Central African country of Chad specifically cited the United States in its decision to withdraw. Its Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul said in a statement that in a phone call with a US official on July 23, “the American side expressed its concerns regarding the functioning of this institution and requested that Chad reconsider” its membership. Four days later, Chad said it would leave the ICC. Iva Vukušić, a researcher at Utrecht University, told the AP that the U.S. campaign will lay bare just how committed countries are to the court. “Are they willing to defend it if it costs them something real?” she said. The State Department told AP the U.S. would call upon nations that “enjoy the benefits of the
US security umbrella” to reject the ICC.
Some countries claim the court engages in selective justice
IT’S not just pressure from Trump that is sending ICC members toward the exit door. The ruling military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger blamed selective justice. The ICC has become an “instrument of neocolonial repression in the hands of imperialism,” the trio said when they announced their departures last year. A coup ousted Niger’s democratically elected government in 2023. Since then, a military junta has abandoned longtime partners and has formed new alliances instead, including with Russia, where President Vladimir Putin faces an ICC arrest warrant linked to the war in Ukraine. Mali and Burkina Faso have undergone similar transformations. “These countries are ruled by authoritarian leaders who want to avoid accountability for the harms they are inflicting on their own people,” Mel O’Brien, an associate professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, told the AP. Burundi similarly accused the court of focusing too much on conflicts in Africa when, in 2017, it became the first country to leave the ICC. The court had opened an investigation into the East African nation earlier that year. Most of the court’s initial investigations were into African countries, though most requested the involvement of the ICC. South Africa and Gambia also announced in 2017 that they would leave but later changed course. A change of government can also bring a country back into the fold. Hungary announced it would quit the court in 2025 but following the election of a new government, the country’s parliament voted to stay.
Past crimes still fall under the court’s jurisdiction
THE court also had an active investigation in the Philippines when then-President Rodrigo Duterte said his country would leave the ICC. In 2019 the Southeast Asian country became the second country to leave but as withdrawal from the court is not retroactive, the investigation continued. Duterte is now in ICC detention in the Netherlands awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity for deadly anti-drug crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. Opening statements are set for November. An investigation into possible crimes committed by Venezuelan security forces under former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will continue despite the country’s announcement last month that it will also leave the ICC. In a statement, the country’s Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said the court had been “instrumentalized to deepen inequalities among peoples and disregard their right to self-determination and sovereignty.” Venezuela is currently in the middle of US-backed talks between the ruling party and the opposition following Maduro’s capture in January by US forces.
The court has also welcomed new members
UKR AINE is the court’s most recent addition. T he countr y joined in 2025 and previously had signed an agreement to give the court jurisdiction over crimes on its territory, following the outbreak of hostilities with Russia in 2014. Joining the court was “Ukraine’s way of saying that accountability for the gravest crimes cannot be optional, and that we intend to help build that system of justice,” the country’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Andriy Kostin, told AP. AP
Bloomberg News
RESIDENT Donald Trump’s proposal to send $5,000 checks to every adult US citizen if Republicans sweep the November midterms prompted a lukewarm response from members of his party in Congress, which controls federal spending. Top lawmakers in the House and Senate offered a muted reaction to the plan, which in Trump’s telling would amount to a more than $1 trillion expenditure at a time when inflation and the national debt are weighing on the minds of voters and financial market participants. Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Thursday declined to answer a question on whether the Republican-controlled Senate would approve it. “Well, that’s a good question,” he responded to a Fox News interviewer. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” The US is grappling with persistent inflation and a national debt that has surpassed $40 trillion, which has driven up borrowing costs for Americans. That has exacerbated the cost of living crisis that has put Trump’s fellow Republicans in jeopardy of losing control of the House and Senate in November. Top House GOP tax writer Jason Smith said he is supportive of the idea in principle, but warned passing it wouldn’t be a cinch given deficit concerns in the party. “It’s doable” he said, but added that “legislation doesn’t pass just like that.” Making his announcement during a speech Wednesday at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas, Trump offered no details. Given the price tag, the proposal is unlikely to become law. Trump on Thursday said on Fox News he had spoken to Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson about the plan, but insisted that “a lot of people think I don’t even need congressional approval.” He did not say say what gives him that power. Moving forward without lawmakers’ sign-off would defy the US Constitution, which grants Congress the power of the purse. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Speaking on Bloomberg Television, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said it remains to be seen if Congress will be needed to fulfill Trump’s $5,000 dividend pledge. “I’m sure President Trump, who just launched his big idea yesterday, perhaps has some ideas about the savings being generated from other sources,” Burgum said.
Path forward
Fellow Republicans have already rejected the president’s previous call to pay dividends from tariff revenue. Trump has
also in the past floated the idea of using savings from his government downsizing effort to offer direct payments to Americans. Neither of those ideas came to fruition. Representative Jim Jordan, a close Trump ally, sidestepped questions on the payouts. “I want to see the proposal,” Jordan told Bloomberg Television’s Balance of Power, adding that he’s “always in favor” of letting people keep more of their own money. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the second-ranking Republican leader, told CBS News that GOP lawmakers would “keep delivering more things like” Trump’s proposed $5,000 payments if the party retains control of Congress. “It’s up to us in Congress to make the numbers work to get the details right,” Scalise added. A spokesman for Johnson didn’t respond Wednesday evening to a request for comment on the president’s proposal. The measure would likely need to rely on near-unanimous Republican support if it did go through Congress. Democrats largely panned the trilliondollar idea, with Pennsylvania’s Madeleine Dean saying she thought the idea of such checks were “absurd,” while prominent Texas Democrat Beto O’Rourke said the idea “adds to the stink of desperation” coming from the GOP’s midterm convention. However some Democratic lawmakers indicated they would be open to working with Trump on some form of dividend or subsidy payments if they got the majority.
Spending offsets
ALREADY, Trump’s allies were looking to modify his plan. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said he expected lawmakers to discuss the deficit impact and suggested it would be better structured as a tax refund with work requirements. “It’s something that underscores the stakes of the election,” Cruz said. Republican Representative Ralph Norman said he would insist on spending offsets of at least $2 for every dollar paid out “at a minimum” to support Trump’s proposal. A $2 trillion offset would be more than the government is projected to spend during the current fiscal year on all its operations, outside mandatory entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare and required interest on the national debt. But Congress often offsets current spending or tax cuts with pledges to restrain spending over periods as long as a decade into the future. Two S enate Republicans—Roger Marshall of Kansas and Bernie Moreno of Ohio—endorsed Trump’s plan. Moreno said he plans to introduce legislation so Congress can hold a vote later this year. “Comment how you will spend your $5,000 Trump Dividend when Republicans win in November,” Marshall, who is in a competitive race in deep-red Kansas, said on X.
Analysis: Trump’s solution to Republicans’ midterm troubles is more Trump
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A S H I N G TO N — D u r i n g h i s first address to a Republican convention in 2016, Donald Trump had an audacious message to a nation yearning for change: “I alone can fix it.” A decade later and nearing the midpoint of his final term, Trump is still pitching himself as America’s essential repairman. It’s a strategy that’s helped him overcome daunting odds before but now guarantees this year’s midterms will be a referendum on his unpopular presidency. And it previews how difficult it will be for his party to
prepare for a future without him as he shows little interest in ceding the stage. O n Thursday, the final night of Republicans’ unusual midterm convention, Trump said he would speak for just a few minutes. Instead he held court for a half hour, repeating many of the points he made in a nearly two-hour speech the previous night, then lingered as balloons dropped from the ceiling and his favorite opera singer serenaded the crowd. “You’ve got to do me a favor,” he implored at one point. “You’ve got to get
out and vote, and you’re going to pretend I’m on the ballot. Because in a way, I’m on the ballot.” That reflects Trump’s central challenge heading into the final stretch of the midterms. No one since Ronald Reagan has galvanized Republicans—and helped attract a broader range of voters to the party—quite like Trump. But that success only happens when Trump himself is on the ballot. He has repeatedly struggled to translate his personal popularity to success in competitive races when his
election is not on the line. During Trump’s first midterms in 2018, Republicans lost 40 seats in the U.S. House. When he was off the ballot again in 2022, some of his marquee picks, such as Doug Mastriano for governor in Pennsylvania, lost their races. It’s a vulnerability Trump is well aware of. “There’s no reason for it,” he said of the historic headwinds a president’s party faces in the midterms. “It’s something deep down and psychological.”
AI. . . Continued from A3
Anthropic says it can’t claim its models do no harm
NONE of the cases Anthropic included in its report were found to be using its newer, more powerful Claude Fable or Mythos-class models, with the exception of one illicit distillation case that Anthropic described as “an industrial-scale, covert campaign to extract a model’s capabilities and replicate them in another model without authorization.” Anthropic said its older models, such as Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4.5, from 2025, “were well below the threshold where they could meaningfully assist a sophisticated user in carrying out dangerous biological research.” “As a result, safeguards on these models were less stringent, directed mostly at preventing access to content that might uplift novices in recreating known bioweapons,” the report said. “But for today’s models—which
Republicans break out their classic moves against Democrats
political and financial hurdles but still garnered headlines at a time when it’s tough to capture voter attention. He’s also highlighting what is, in his telling, the most successful opening stretch of any presidential term as he tamed immigration, saved the country from a nuclear-armed Iran and presided over economic success. All the while, he spruced up Washington and added a ballroom to the White House that, much to his chagrin, he’ll only be able to enjoy for a few months before his term ends. AP
are capable of assisting in a range of complex scientific research tasks—the evidence is no longer certain, and we cannot make that same assurance.” Because of this, Anthropic has applied “stronger safeguards that restrict access to a wide range of dual-use biological research queries” in its more recent models, such as Claude Fable 5, the report said. As companies introduce increasingly powerful AI models, experts have called on governments to regulate the technology, rather than relying on the industry to police itself. John Thickstun, an assistant professor of computer science at Cornell University, said it is an uncomfortable position for companies like Anthropic and OpenAI to be in when they are expected to determine what is safe vs. unsafe behavior and make “value judgments at societal scale without any kind of democratic or deliberative oversight.”
hundreds of social media accounts that look like they belong to ordinary people and then posted material amplifying the same political view over the course of a week. The company outlined nine such cases it found, originating in Russia, Iran, Turkey and across the Persian Gulf, South Asia, Africa and Europe. While social media companies can detect influence operations on their platforms once posts are circulating, “we may see it on Claude while the operation is still being built.” Anthropic released this report after one of its researchers, Jacob Coxon, announced he’s resigning amid fears the company and its chief rival OpenAI “are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” Coxon’s post warned that some of his colleagues now believe AI could threaten human life by the end of the decade. But Anthropic said it has blocked each of the malicious activities it identified, used the experience to strengthen safeguards and shared information with government authorities and industry partners. AP
TRUMP is betting that Republicans can maintain their grip on power by returning to a handful of now familiar moves ranging from depicting political opponents in catastrophic terms to leaning in on culture war issues involving transgender people. A pledge to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate faces numerous
Report follows a researcher’s dire warning
ANTHROPIC also found groups that created
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Comics matter: Empowering parents vs bullying
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HE Philippines has one of the highest rates of school bullying in the world: one in every three students is bullied at least once a week, according to the international Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) researchers are now looking at ways to empower Filipino parents to help address and prevent bullying to complement school efforts, said Danika Geronimo of Ateneo Research Communications. Empowerment begins with a deep dialogue with the parents to better understand their concerns and experiences. This is crucial, as parents are well-positioned to recognize early warning signs and provide immediate support outside of school. Rather than simply treating parents solely as learners or recipients of antibullying information, researchers from the AdMU’s Department of Psychology and the Department of Information Systems and Computer Science took a participatory approach to the design process. They invited parents of public-school
students to explore ideas for bullyingprevention materials, which were then developed and refined through feedback from the communities they were intended to reach. Parents suggested using an accessible medium: comic strips. Once the comics were developed, they were shared back to parents to make sure that they were relevant. Notably, the parents challenged conventional portrayals of family roles: they called for fathers to be represented as actively involved in their children’s emotional wellbeing, rather than positioning empathy as primarily a maternal role. Revisions consequently depicted both parents participating in conversations about bullying, including a father who recognizes and apologizes for an initially
PHOTO CREDIT TO HECHANOVA ET AL., 2026
unhelpful response to his child’s experience. Other recommendations led to clearer language, more accessible visuals, and more realistic guidance on how families should work with schools to address bullying. These changes reflect the project’s
central principle of moving from “designing for users” to “designing with users.” By incorporating parents’ lived experiences into the development process, the researchers sought to make bullying-prevention materials more relatable, culturally
grounded, and practical. The comics are part of a larger, ongoing bullying-prevention project rather than a one-time finished intervention. The revised materials will serve as evidence-informed storyboards for short informational reels
intended for further use and evaluation with parents in partner public schools. The project demonstrates how prevention materials can evolve when the communities they are intended to serve are given a role in creating them.
DOST eyes wood waste as water filtration material
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ANY industrial waste materials can be processed or turned into new high-value products—and can be profitable. Like wood waste, it should not be discarded because it is still useful, especially during emergencies. This is the aim of the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) in exploring how discarded wood waste could help communities access safer water, especially during disasters and emergencies. The Science department is partnering with Sorsogon State University (SorSU) for “Project Pagpawi,” a technology that upcycles industrial wood wastes, such as sawdust and wood chips, into water filtration materials. Being developed by DOST-FPRDI, Project Pagpawi is a portable, gravity-driven, multistage filtration system for emergency use. It is designed around a simple idea: make use of materials already available from wood processing and explore whether they can serve a new purpose in addressing a critical need. “Science and technology must ultimately stand with people in their most vulnerable moments,” said Science Secretary Renato U.
Solidum Jr. “By testing these technologies in actual conditions, we can build solutions that are more responsive to the realities of Filipino communities, especially during emergencies and disasters.” Pagpawi is studying treated sawdust as an adsorbent for sediments and trace metals that may cause health concerns when ingested. It is also exploring nanocellulose extracted from wood chips as a filter material for biological contaminants, such as E. coli. The water filter will undergo performance testing, feasibility trials, cost analysis, and life-cycle analysis. According to Project Leader Engr. John Kenneth A. Cruz, the value of this technology goes beyond convenience. “In communities affected by typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and other disasters, having a portable filtration system can provide a layer of support when regular water sources become inaccessible,” Cruz said. The partnership between DOST-FPRDI and SorSU was formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed on July 29. Under the agreement, SorSU will help assess Pagpawi’s filtration performance. By
Bags of wood chips and sawdust supplied by a wood pallet manufacturer DOST/FPRDI PHOTO
collecting and testing water samples from Sorsogon, researchers can examine how the filtration system performs, as water quality and environmental conditions can differ from one location to another. Besides SorSU, DOST-FPRDI also inked an agreement with the municipality of Los Baños in Laguna, and with the Laguna Water District. “The findings can help identify where the system performs best, reveal limitations that may emerge during use, and guide improvements needed before the technology can be deployed for wider application,” Cruz said. For DOST-FPRDI Director Dr. Rico J. Cabangon, this field-based approach is essential to develop technologies that serve real community needs. “Emergency-response technologies must be anchored on the people and their actual needs,” Cabangon said. “Our partnership with SorSU allows us to ground our research in the very communities where these technologies are intended to make an impact.”
Addressing industrial wastes
THE project also addresses another issue that is often less visible: the growing amount of
waste generated by industrial activity. Sawdust and wood chips are by-products of wood processing. Instead of discarding these materials, Pagpawi explores how they can be converted into higher-value products with potential social and environmental benefits. This circular approach makes the project more significant as it connects wood waste management to clean water access—a solution worth pursuing for disaster-prone communities. The project reflects DOST-FPRDI’s commitment in developing technologies that can translate research into practical solutions. By working with universities, government agencies, local enterprises, and communities, the Institute can bring together scientific expertise and real-world experience to refine technologies, such as Pagpawi. “The work ahead is straightforward but important: test the technology, learn from actual conditions, improve what needs to be improved, and ensure it can deliver the kind of practical, reliable water filtration that communities can depend on,” Cabangon said. Maria Greatchin S. Brucal/S&T Media Service
EVALUATING the effectiveness of treated sawdust for water decontamination using a column filtration setup. DOST-FPRDI PHOTO
DOST, IRRI partner to advance rice research, capacity building
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HE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) ink a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on September 7 for shared commitment in advancing agriculture, nutrition, and food security in the Philippines through emerging technologies and innovation. The long-established partnership looks forward to initiatives in further exploring the areas of rice genomics, bioinformatics web tools for omics research, high-performance computing, science cloud, research infrastructure, grain quality and nutrition for healthy diets, and other rice research domains. The new MOU are expected to produce joint research projects, knowledge exchange, sharing of technological resources, capacity building, and development of information
and educational materials. Their earlier fruitful collaboration through a five-year MOU resulted in the sequencing of 3,024 rice varieties through the help of the DOST’s Computing and Archiving Research Environment and Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network. They also studied rice grain quality and drought tolerance to advance rice science and address food security issues. Through the current MOU, the two institutions aim to further study rice varieties, work on climate-smart adaptation planning tools, and develop biotechnology applications for high-yielding, nutritious, and climate resilient rice. Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. emphasized the significance of delivering concrete scientific solutions to the society
He said: “Our areas of collaboration are highly technical and expertise-focused. Our greatest mission is not just to arrive at our research results but also to communicate them effectively to our different stakeholders,” Solidum said. “Staying true to our mantra ‘OneDOST4U: Solutions and opportunities for all’, we hope to champion transforming our knowledge and findings into technologies and innovative practical solutions that address real-life challenges. We hope to significantly help in the improvement of Filipino lives by having our innovations reach the grassroots,” he added. For her part, IRRI Director General Dr. Yvonne Pinto, reaffirmed the Institute’s dedication in progressing agricultural research and providing tangible outputs that will benefit the Philippines.
“Our renewed partnership with DOST reflects IRRI’s commitment to demanddriven, impact-oriented research. Working hand-in-hand with DOST allows us to combine global cutting-edge science, from genomics to digital tools, with the country’s agricultural priorities,” she said. “As framed in our 2025-2030 Strategy, we are not just driving innovation but ensuring it delivers lasting value to our Philippine partners and the communities that they serve,” Pinto added. The DOST and IRRI said the signing of the MOU would drive the common objective to enhance nutrition and food security, promote sustainable production, and strengthen resilience through research collaborations, development of information and educational materials, sharing of technological resources, and knowledge exchange, among others.
THE University of the Philippine Los Baños project team and local stakeholders hold a workshop in Sagada with to develop nature-based solutions from Indigenous knowledge for climate-smart agriculture. Photo credit to Gemmalyn Trespalacio and UPLB Project Team
DOST-PCAARRD, UPLB promote Indigenous knowledge for climate-smart agriculture in northern Philippines
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S climate change continues to threaten agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods, innovative solutions are often sought through modern technologies. However, some of the most effective approaches have long existed within the indigenous knowledge systems and practices (IKSP) of local communities in the Philippines. Despite their proven value in environmental conservation and climate adaptation, these knowledge systems remain underutilized and underrepresented in development planning. Indigenous cultural communities in Sagada in Mountain Province and Burgos in La Union were the project sites of the two-year project, “Integration of Indigenous Knowledge in Designing Nature-based Solutions for Climate-Smart Agriculture Sector in Selected Municipalities in Northern Philippines,” implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The project, with funding support from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), documented indigenous knowledge and demonstrated how it can be integrated into practical, community-led nature-based solutions for climate-smart agriculture. The project proved that indigenous knowledge is more than something to preserve, it is a resource that can help make agriculture more resilient and sustainable. Project leader Dr. Nico Anastacio shared that through close collaboration with local stakeholders, the project examined the social, cultural, institutional, and environmental contexts of the communities to identify indigenous knowledge that can strengthen climate adaptation and sustainable agricultural practices. Among the indigenous farming practices documented were terrace management, agroforestry, communal irrigation, coffee cultivation, contour farming, and tiger grass production. Beyond sustaining the livelihoods of Indigenous people (IPs), the practices contribute to biodiversity conservation, watershed protec-
tion, and improved resilience to the impacts of climate change. One of the project’s most important achievements was turning research into real policy. By collaborating with Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives and local government units, the project was able to create ordinances that make indigenous knowledge part of local development and agricultural planning. In Sagada, this ordinance has already been approved by the Sangguniang Bayan and supported at the provincial level. In Burgos, a similar ordinance was being considered and deliberated. These steps are important for making indigenous knowledge a key part of local governance and climate adaptation. The project also produced several knowledge materials to help people use indigenous knowledge. They include a training manual for local government units, three policy briefs, four draft research publications, an information pamphlet, a coffee table book, a nationwide webinar, and an animation video showing the project’s results. Through strong partnerships with Indigenous people and community organizations, the project ensures that collaboration would continue and that its benefit would last for local communities. During the terminal review, the external evaluators acknowledged the project for bridging science and indigenous knowledge, while recommending stronger monitoring systems and specific policy adaptation to maximize the long-term impact. Overall, the project demonstrates that addressing today’s climate challenges does not always require entirely new solutions. By recognizing, documenting, and integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific research and evidence-based policymaking, it highlights how generations of communitybased knowledge can help build a more resilient and sustainable future for Philippine agriculture. Nathan Lorienz R. Reyes and Ma. Roselle U. Precilla/S&T Media Services
Faith
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Bishop to families: Teach kids to protect nature
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ORONGAN CITY—A Catholic bishop has urged parents to teach children from an early age to protect the environment, saying care for creation should begin at home. Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan said families should raise children who understand that protecting nature is part of being responsible members of society. “It’s about time we become aware that all of us must be involved in protecting our environment. It starts with the family,” Varquez said during Mass at Borongan Cathedral for the feast of
the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8. The Catholic Church marked September 1 the annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and the beginning of the five-week Season of Creation. It will end on October 4, when the Church commemorates the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Tagle at father’s funeral: End wars and violence
Pope Leo XIV recently recalled that the late Pope Francis drew inspiration from the saint in writing his encyclical Laudato Si’ (Praise be to you, my Lord). Varquez urged parents to teach children proper waste disposal and respect for nature, saying careless habits at home can contribute to wider environmental problems. Citing the Borongan City Council’s resolution against mining, Varquez called on local governments across Samar Island to oppose destructive mining and protect forests, watersheds and other environmentally sensitive areas. “I hope all the LGUs [local government units] in Samar Island will make a stand: ‘No to mining in the island of Samar,’” Varquez
The Associated Press
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ANILA—Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle invoked his father’s childhood wounds from World War II in a forceful appeal Thursday for an end to wars and violence that leave lasting scars on families and communities. “In the name of ‘Tatay’ Maning: Please, no more wars. No more widows—women who are made widows without any sense. Please, no more violence that will create wounded young people,” Tagle said during his father’s funeral Mass at Imus Cathedral in Cavite, south of Manila. Manuel “Tatay Maning” Tagle Sr. was 14 when an air raid struck his neighborhood during the war, killing his father and injuring him. He survived with shrapnel lodged in his body for the rest of his life. “Tatay” is the Filipino word for father. “He bore in his body, in his mind, in his memory, the horrors of war,” Tagle said in his homily. The pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization said his father’s story showed that war wounds extend far beyond the battlefield, affecting people, families and entire communities for generations. Tagle sa id h is fat her a lso su r v ived bec ause people a rou nd h im of fered suppor t du r ing t he wa r, a lesson he connected to t he impor t a nce of hu m a n rel at ionsh ips. “Life is in communion. Life is in relationship with God, with brothers and sisters, with the whole of society, with the whole of creation. That’s where we find life,” he said. Manuel Sr. died on September 6 at 96, days after he and his wife, Milagros, marked their 70th wedding anniversary on August 26. Tagle recalled his father’s quiet service to others, including bringing Holy Communion to the sick as a Eucharistic minister and helping young people pursue education, including blind students. He said those acts showed a life centered on service and connection, themes that also shaped his reflection on death and Christian hope. “Others may forget you, but with God remembering you, time is healed by eternal memory,” Tagle said. Twelve bishops, including Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan and papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown concelebrated the funeral Mass with more than 100 priests.
Pope Leo XIV consoles Cardinal Tagle
POPE Leo XIV reached out to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle after the death of his father, offering condolences to the Filipino cardinal and his family. In a message to Tagle, the pope said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Manuel Tagle Sr. and offered his heartfelt condolences to the cardinal, his mother and the entire family. “Praying for his eternal rest, I assure my spiritual closeness to all who mourn his loss in the sure hope which draws its strength from the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Leo said. The pope also offered his apostolic blessing to Tagle and all those who cherish his father’s memory, describing it as “a pledge of consolation and peace” for the family. Norman Dequia/CBCP News
said, drawing applause from the congregation. Varquez has repeatedly op-
posed destructive mining in Eastern Samar, including on Homonhon Island, warning that mining
US Jews feel ‘precarious’ on High Holy Days amid antisemitism fears, internal divisions By David Crary
CARDINAL Luis Antonio Tagle presides over the funeral Mass for his father, Manuel Tagle Sr., at Imus Cathedral on September 10. RAYMOND MAGAYANES/RCAM MEDIA
BISHOP Crispin Varquez. THE BORONGAN CATHEDRAL/FACEBOOK
activities threaten communities and natural ecosystems. He also urged parents to teach children values beyond environmental protection, including respect for elders, concern for the poor and honesty in the workplace. “A family becomes a blessing when you teach your children, not the mindset on how much one can get, but about how much one can share,” Varquez said. He said families should become a “school of love” and a “school of faith,” where children learn to serve others rather than measure success by what they can acquire. “Let’s destroy this mindset in the family,” Varquez said, referring to selfishness and the tendency to measure success by personal gain. CBCP News
EW YORK—As the High Holy Days approach, rabbis in the United States say their congregations are deeply unsettled by antisemitic threats and aware of sharp divisions in their own communities. But many are also determined to embrace the coming days of celebration and reflection. “Jews feel extremely precarious right now,” said Rabbi David Ingber, founder and spiritual leader of Romemu, a fast-growing, nondenominational Jewish congregation in New York City. Ingber says many of his congregants are politically liberal and opposed to Israel’s policies on Gaza and other issues, yet are troubled by vehement assertions that Israel has no right to exist as a Jewish state. “Most of us see Israel as an ancestral homeland,” he said. “What’s disconcerting—we’re being told our own sense of history is illegitimate.” Adding to unease, he said, is an upsurge of antisemitic and antiIsrael sentiment coming from the political right, augmenting the deep-seated anti-Zionist views of many on the left. In aggregate, Ingber said, “it is the worst uptick of antisemitism we’ve seen in my lifetime.” “There’s a sense of absolute vulnerability,” he added. “We’re not sure where we belong.”
Ahead of holy days, webinars and training on response to threats
THE High Holy Days began at sundown last Friday, September 11, with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year; it will be observed until nightfall on Sunday, September 13. A week later comes Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is widely considered the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. This year, it is observed from sunset on September 20 until after nightfall on September 21. Ahead of the Holy Days, the Secure Community Network (SCN), which provides safety advice to Jewish institutions throughout North America, has been offering security webinars and in-person training on how to respond to active threats. “Hope is not a strategy,” said Michael Masters, the SCN’s national director and CEO. “It’s about preparation, training individual members of the community, getting everyone engaged.” Masters said the network’s task
has become more complicated as antisemitic threats surface from a wider variety of domestic and foreign sources—ranging from proxies of Iran to white supremacists in the US. “People are looking for who is the enemy, and it’s not an easy answer who’s behind the increase of anti-religion hate crime,” he said. Violent attacks targeting US Jews this year include an August assault at a Manhattan synagogue, a March truck-ramming at a temple in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and a January arson attack on a synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. Yet even as Jewish leaders across the political spectrum condemn such incidents, the broader Jewish community is riven by divisions related to Israel’s role in ongoing Middle East conflicts. Notably, about three in 10 Jews in the US say Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians, according to a recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Intra-Jewish divisions are a major concern
MASTERS says it’s clear that events in the Middle East can affect the “threat environment” in the US. “But more broadly, the community understands this threat is the continuation of well over 3,500 years of threat,” he added. “It’s fundamentally about hatred of the Jewish community.” Noting that some Christian churches also have faced recent violent attacks, Masters says there
may be an opportunity “for all of us as faith groups to come together.” And similarly, he said efforts to improve security could be a “unifying component” for the different branches of US Judaism. “Our adversaries do not distinguish between Orthodox, Reform, Conservative,” he said. “We would be very wise to understand that as a community we are strongest when we stand as one.” Ingber also addressed intraJewish divisions. “We should create a space to hold differences, to be together with all of our differences,” he said. “There is a grave danger of schism around the Jewish people and its relation to the state of Israel. It’s being weaponized.” “Rabbis will have to try to speak into this space,” he added. “You don’t want to get up in the High Holy Days and speak of division.” This year’s Holy Days will be a time of powerfully contrasting emotions, said Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, an umbrella group for more than 800 Reform synagogues in North America. He noted that the Hebrew name for the Holy Days can be translated as “the days of awe” or “the days of fear.” “The fear is genuine,” Jacobs said. “People are fearful in many cases to be publicly expressing their Judaism.” “At the same time, we are human beings who crave the majestic dimension of these High Holy Days—the beauty and possibility of the new year,” he added. “You
MEN are in “Tashlikh” prayer at a Tel Aviv beach during Rosh Hashanah, 1980. Tashlikh is performed on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year, by most Jews. Prayers are recited near natural flowing water, and one’s sins are symbolically cast into the water. Many throw bread or pebbles into the water, to symbolize the “casting off” of sins. SA’AR YA’ACOV, GPO/WIKEPEDIA CC BY-SA 3.0
have to hold both of these at the very same moment.” Divisions within the Jewish community “are pronounced,” Jacobs said. “Parents and grandparents may have one view of Israel. Their children may have very different ideas.” Jacobs said one challenge for his movement is emphasizing “the connectedness within and beyond the walls of our congregations.”
An appeal to Congress for more security assistance
AHEAD of the Holy Days, major Jewish organizations have called on Congress to allocate $1 billion—triple the current allotment—to help houses of worship and other nonprofits harden their physical security. Among those urging the funding boost is Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, representing the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization. In a commentary for Jewish News Service, he said annual funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program had grown from $10 million in 2004 to $300 million in 2026. But the increase has not kept pace with the demand, he wrote, with only 20 percent of the more than 8,000 nonprofit applicants receiving funds last year. “With the High Holidays around the corner, millions of American Jews will attend synagogue with a sense of trepidation…because sitting in synagogues for hours at a time makes us think about the attacks that have occurred.”
Biodiversity Sunday BusinessMirror
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Editor: Lyn Resurreccion
Mindoro bleeding-heart: Click! A camera trap proves it still exists, not yet extinct
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By Jonathan L. Mayuga
OR almost two decades, the iconic Mindoro bird, the bleedingheart, was thought to have gone extinct due to massive habitat loss and accidental or intentional trapping. A critically endangered species, the the bird was last sighted in 2005. In August 2026, researchers obtained the first photographic evidence that it continues to exist and may even be thriving in the upland forests of Mindoro. Scientifically called Gallicolumba platenae, a photograph of the Mindoro bleeding-heart was captured by a camera trap installed in the forest of Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, a popular tourist destination in Luzon because of its white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. Endemic to Mindoro, the bleeding-heart is a small, secretive, ground-dwelling pigeon named for the distinct red patch on its chest. Once described as common on the island’s forest interiors, it later became highly localized as its lowland forest habitat was lost, fragmented, or altered.
A wandering bird?
RECORDED at more than 900 meters above sea level—beyond its historically documented elevational range—the image provides important evidence that the species persists in Mindoro’s forests. The documentation resulted from an Indigenous people-led initiative within the Iraya Mangyan ancestral domain under the Mindoro Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Programme. It involved Iraya Mangyan communities, Center for Conservation Innovation Phil. (CCIPH) Inc., and the local governments of Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, and Baco in Mindoro. In a statement, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Mimaropa, or Mindoro -Marinduque Romblon-Palawan Regional Office, lauded the CCIPH and its partners for successfully documenting Mindoro’s rarest bird. The finding builds on DENR’s continuing coordination with CCIPH.
Biodiversity assessments, ecological recovery
THROUGH Community Environment and
Natural Resources Office (Cenro) Socorro, the agency has joined biodiversity assessments and ecological recovery discussions and supported the training and deputation of CCIPH forest guards. “A proposed memorandum of agreement will formalize this coordination and facilitate information-sharing, field collaboration, and joint conservation action,” the DENR-Mimaropa office said. Following the discovery, DENR-Mimaropa committed to participate in further verification studies and rapid assessments to validate the record and gather updated information on the species’ distribution and habitat. For the regional agency, the photograph is more than proof that the bird endures—it is a basis for coordinated action to protect the forest landscape on which its survival depends.
A surprising discovery
DENR officials and conservation advocates said the discovery of the Mindoro bleedingheart outside its known habitat is a welcome development. Neil Anthony del Mundo, assistant protected area superintendent of the Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park, said told the B usiness M irror that documenting the bird outside its range or known habitat is surprising, and somewhat disturbing. “The Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon’s known habitats are lowland forests, and its previous sighting was in the Siburan forest in [the municipality of ] Sablayan, [Occidental Mindoro.] So, it is a surprise that it was seen just now at 900 meters above sea level. It might have changed its habitat elevation because our lowland forests are already degraded and heavily hunted. In Siburan, yes, because there are so many bird traps,” del Mundo said via Messenger on September 6. Kyle Cielo, executive direc tor of the Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (MBCFI), said their group
THE photo of the Mindoro bleeding-heart captured in August by a camera trap in the forest of Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. PHOTO CREDIT TO CCIPH/DENR MIMAROPA
has been advocating for research and conservation of the Mindoro bleedingheart for years, and that its rediscovery is a powerful reminder of why continued biodiversity research, field surveys, and evidence-based habitat protection are so important.
Home to rare, endemic species
CIELO said the photo-documentation provides valuable evidence that Mindoro’s forests continue to harbor exceptionally rare species, threatened, and found nowhere else in the world. “It reinforces the need to protect the remaining forests of Mindoro—not only for the Mindoro bleeding-heart, but for the many other species that depend on these ecosystems and still need to be discovered, documented, studied, and protected,” she told the B usiness M irror via Messenger on September 5. According Cielo, Mindoro’s biodiversity is important not just because of the tamaraw. “The island is home to an extraordinary assemblage of endemic and threatened species, many of which remain poorly understood,” she said. She said that every rediscovery or new record is a reminder that there is still so much there is to know about Mindoro’s forests. “We are happy to see other organizations and communities contributing to conservation efforts for the Mindoro biodiversity. Conservation is a collective effort, and we welcome every initiative that helps bring attention to Mindoro’s unique biodiversity. But we also hope
that this does not stop with rediscovery or photo documentation. Rediscovery should be the beginning—not the end— of conservation action,” she explained.
Stronger management, habitat protection
THE MBCFI expressed hope that the renewed attention on the Mindoro bleeding-heart will translate into stronger management planning, concrete conservation interventions, habitat protection and restoration, stronger law enforcement, sustained biodiversity monitoring, and meaningful engagement with the communities and Indigenous peoples who are part of the landscapes. “The Mindoro bleeding-hear t has reminded us that our forests still hold remarkable secrets. Our responsibility now is to make sure that these forests—and the species that depend on them—are still here for generations to come,” she said. Anson Tagtag, Wildlife Resource Division chief of the DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) said the recent rediscovery is proof that the Philippines is rich in biodiversity. “Some of these species are very rare, and it demonstrates our high endemicity. This is a reason why we must continue to protect our forests that harbor our endemic wildlife,” Tagtag said in an interview at the sidelines of the recent ASEAN Heritage Parks Forum 2026 in Quezon City.
Wonderful, hopeful news
I N T E R N AT I O N A L biodiversit y exper t
A MINDORO bleeding-heart. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Executive Director, Environmental Studies Institute, Miriam College said via Messenger on September 6 that the photo-documentation of the Mindoro bleeding-heart is truly a wonder ful and hopeful news for Philippine biodiversity conser vation. “I remember years ago, when I was still regularly going to Mindoro for tamaraw conservation, there was already a real fear among us that the Mindoro bleeding-heart might have joined the ranks of our extinct species. To finally document it alive in the wild after two decades is therefore nothing short of exciting,” said Lim, a former DENRBMB director, and executive director of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).
Renewed hope for species, ecosystem recovery
LIM said rediscoveries are a reminder of the remarkable resilience of nature and give renewed hope for species recovery. “New technologies, such as camera traps, combined with the knowledge and dedication of people who continue to watch over our forests and wildlife habitats, are allowing us to better detect and understand species that may have quietly persisted despite enormous pressure,” she said. Most importantly, Lim said that the finding tells us that it is not yet too late. “ We h a v e b e e n g i v e n a n o t h e r chance—another opportunity to protect the remaining biodiversity of Mindoro and of our other small islands, strengthen conservation efforts, and do better for species we once feared we had already lost,” she pointed out. For his part, ACB Executive director
Jerome Montemayor said that the recent sightings of critically endangered species, such as the Mindoro bleeding-heart, demonstrate that local conservation efforts are yielding real results, offering renewed hope for ecosystem recovery.
Stronger Protected Area management
MONTEMAYOR added that these “reappearances” highlight an urgent need to strengthen protected area management and accelerate habitat restoration to halt biodiversity loss. “This pressing issue will take centre stage at the ongoing Asean Heritage Parks Forum, an Asean Chairship event hosted by the DENR and the ACB, bringing together conservation managers, policymakers, youth leaders, and experts in Quezon City on September 8 and 9, 2026,” Montemayor told the B usiness M irror on September 8. He said that the recent discovery also testifies to the invaluable efforts of all biodiversity heroes, especially park rangers and wildlife defenders who are at the forefront of biodiversity conservation. “The ACB is set to launch the third batch of Asean Biodiversity Heroes next year, which aims to recognize biodiversity champions across the Asean region. The ACB continues to call for multi-sectoral conservation of forests and other critical habitats, such that Indigenous peoples like the Iraya Mangyan communities, youth, women, and children in the province of Mindoro, can coexist harmoniously with the rich ecosystems that sustain them,” he said.
Hungry black bears running into trouble in the Rocky Mountains By Brittany Peterson & Mead Gruver The Associated Press
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OLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado— Patrick Sullivan was sure it was a “crazy neighbor” honking a car horn nonstop while Sullivan was up feeding his infant son at 3 a.m. this summer. It was a neighbor all right, but not a human one. A black bear had opened the door of a Toyota SUV and was trapped inside the vehicle in Gold Hill, Colorado, northwest of Denver. In one of hundreds of examples of bears getting into more trouble than usual in the parched Rocky Mountains this summer, the animal kept bumping the horn as it ripped apart the Toyota’s interior, desperately trying to escape. “It’s totaled. It’s unfit to drive,” Sullivan said of the car. Millions of people live in or near bear habitat across the Rockies, where widespread drought has reduced supplies of nuts, berries and plants that bears eat. That’s prompting the animals to roam far and wide for food. Sullivan’s brother-in-law eventually freed the bear trapped in the Toyota. But such encounters can be deadly for bears. One recently stuck in a car in Colorado
Springs died from the heat, and wildlife officials have killed dozens of others that could endanger people.
fisherman in the mountains southwest of Denver. The young bear was tracked down and killed. On August 20, on the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico, a black bear attacked a man who later died. Police shot and wounded the bear, which fled but was later found and killed.
Hungry bears are on the move
COLORADO officials report twice as many bear sightings and conflicts with humans this year compared with the average, including bears roaming where they aren’t normally found. Wildlife managers in New Mexico and Utah report record numbers of hungry bears have lost their natural hesitancy to raid homes, cars and campgrounds. A black bear up a tree in central Denver recently was tranquilized and relocated. At Colorado State University in Fort Collins, a bear had to be caught and released elsewhere during the fall semester move-in. In Utah, authorities moved four bears from the town of Moab where they had been feasting in orchards. “Bears aren’t necessarily behaving any differently but they are definitely increasing their activity in the places that they’re looking for food,” said Travis Sauder, a state wildlife officer in southeastern Colorado. Black bears usually stick to Colorado’s mountains and foothills. This year, they’ve been spotted on the plains more than an hour’s drive east of Colorado Springs.
A dry winter persists into summer
A BEAR sits in a car after getting stuck inside of it in Gold Hill, Colorado, on July 19. PATRICK SULLIVAN VIA AP
“When they get that far east, there’s just zero natural food sources that they would be looking for, like oaks or chokecherries,” Sauder said.
‘A fed bear is a dead bear’
THERE are plenty of temptations for hungry bears around homes: pet food in open garages, bird feeders and grease traps under barbecue grills. And then there’s trash in unsecured bins, by far the biggest attractant behind this year’s surge in bear activity, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife data. Many bears that visit populated areas are tranquilized and moved out of town. If they start associating food with people, however, they can be euthanized.
“A fed bear is a dead bear,” is the mantra of wildlife officials. They urge people to stash away anything a bear might even think of eating. Black bears typically avoid people and are less dangerous than the larger grizzly bears of the Northern Rockies. Black bear run-ins with people are far more often destructive than violent. But black bears can be aggressive toward humans: In June, a black bear followed and then attacked and scratched a hiker in Golden, Colorado. Colorado has had at least four more attacks, including a bear outside an apartment building near Vail that scratched a man on August 17 as he left a laundry room. Five days later, a bear tackled and bit a
IN Utah, over three dozen bears have been killed this year. That’s more than the past three years combined, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The number killed by wildlife officials and authorized property owners in New Mexico is already up to 187, the most since 2011. Across the Upper Colorado River Basin spanning Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, this year’s snowpack was the worst on record. Scientists say human-caused global warming made that far more likely. “Human-animal conflicts in the context of climate change haven’t really been fully researched yet. And we’re still starting to kind of tease out what this means for us and what this means for all the species that we share the ecosystem with,” said Samantha Miller, senior carnivore campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. Add in vast areas of bear habitat
scorched by record wildfires and it’s a recipe for problems.
It’s not always an unhappy ending for bears or people
A FEW bear-trouble stories are heartwarming, like orphaned cubs successfully released into the wild after time in a rescue facility, where they learned to live on their own without raiding. “We’ve got to rescue a lot of bear cubs out of trees, including standing on some pretty shaky ladders to pull a bear cub that’s sleeping in a tree,” said Sauder. While working on a deck in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, this summer, Andy Kerrigan found a cub that climbed into his truck through a window. He banged on the truck to scare it off. “But it had found my lunch in the seat. And it was like, ‘I’m not going anywhere,’” said Kerrigan, who eventually chased it away with a piece of wood trim. In Gold Hill, Sullivan’s brother-in-law solved the bear-in-Toyota problem by tugging a rope tied to a door handle. The bear bolted for the woods through the open door. “It was just sitting there waiting for someone to help him, basically,” Sullivan said. “So I’m glad we could have done that for him.”
Sports BusinessMirror
A8 Sunday, September 13, 2026
mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Editor: Jun Lomibao
CEASING TO LIV, FINALLY So what now? Will the likes of Rahm, Hatton, De Chambeau and Niemann stay as “part-owners” of LIV 2.0? Will there be a beeline for tour qualifying and amends to get back to the major tours?
ALEX EALA’S head-turning campaign in August makes her the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player in Women’s Tennis Association history. AP
Eala gets PSA’s nod as August’s best performer
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ES, it’s official, LIV is no more, at least not as we knew it. In fact this week LIV Golf, once threatening to take the PGA Tour head on, has filed for bankruptcy. While the eventuality was always expected since the Saudis pulled the plug early this year, actually seeing the process drives the knife further in. During the filing, records showed that LIV owed huge amounts of money to venues, suppliers, and not surprisingly, to their top players as well. PIF spent $5 billion over the five
LIV Golf season-long champion captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII poses with the trophy after the final round of LIV Golf Indianapolis last month in Westfield, Indiana. AP or so years since LIV began until April this year when they stopped the bleeding. In total, it looks like the league is $500 million in debt. According to LIV CEO Scott O’Neil: “The
next phase of LIV Golf will be built around a sustainable business model and deeper alignment between players and the League, with team golf at its core. Players will have the opportunity to share directly in the value they help create, while teams will be positioned to grow into enduring global sports businesses. And fans will remain at the center of everything we do.” “Deeper alignment between players and the league” sounds like a player-owned league is part of their plans moving forward. But with the amounts reportedly owed players like Jon Rahm ($7.5 million), Bryson DeChambeau ($5.7 million), Dustin Johnson ($5.5 million), Cameron Smith ($4.8 million), Tyrrell Hatton ($3.4 million) and Brooks Koepka ($1.7 million), this seems like more of a way out of a lawsuit than a choice. During the first couple of years of the league, when they paying pros left and right to jump ship, this seemed unthinkable. Oil money was expected to be bottomless, and I can still remember Greg Norman’s attempts at hiding his smugness at knowing he had huge backers. The contracts offered were huge, attracting top talent to cross. Excuses were made, cash was deposited and eventually, after the bickering died down, everyone went along their merry way, some more flush with cash than others. But not all that sparkles is gold, and if it were gold, it was in limited supply. So what now? Will the likes of Rahm, Hatton, De Chambeau and Niemann stay as “part-
Bulldogs come out masters of Valorant at Falcons’ expense
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LEX EALA’S star shines even brighter in August. Eala, 21, ruled the WTA500 Mubadala Open in Washington and she did it in the most emphatic fashion. On her way to this historic WTA Tour crown, the Filipino tennis darling took down a murderers’ row of elite players—Paris Olympics queen Qinwen Zheng, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, world No. 10 Elina Svitolina, former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and world No. 3 Jessica Pegula. This propelled Eala to a new career-best No. 18, thus becoming the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player in WTA history. Eala eclipsed the old high of 19th previously set by Indonesia›s Yayuk Basuki (1997) and Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn (2002). Such stellar showing put Eala front and center in the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s honor roll for August. Pole vaulter EJ Obiena, a friend of Eala, also ranked high with his string of triumphs in Europe. Regaining his old form, Obiena cleared a season-best height of 5.91 meters in topping the Golden Sand 2026 in Międzyzdroje, Poland, and setting a new meet record. The two-time Olympian won two other events in between—the 30. Int. Stabhochsprung Meeting in Jockgrim (5.83m) and ISTAF 2026 in Berlin (5.82m) in a show of force on German soil. Sparkling in other fronts were the Obstacle Course Racing team, the youth and junior weightlifters led by Albert Ian Delos Santos, 13-year-old speed skater Keirsten Layne Fernandez, 10-year-old golfer Kamilla Edrianna Guerrero del Mundo and the Alas Pilipinas Women beach volleyball aces. Sandi Menchi Abahan, Marites Nocyao, Jeffrey Reginio and Jordan Paul Biollones captured the gold medal in the Mixed 30+ 400m Team event of the OCR World Championships in Limerick, Ireland with a winning time of 2:18.400. The weightlifters collared 16 gold, 6 silver, and 9 bronze medals at the Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan. Delos Santos led the charge with a sweep of his three events in the Junior division Men’s 70-kg highlighted by world and Asian record-breaking lifts in the Clean & Jerk (180-kg) and Total (321-kg). Fernandez scored a milestone for Philippine winter sports with her breakthrough triumph at the 2026 Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy in Dehradun, India. Fernandez stamped her class in the Junior C Girls 1000M event with a 1:44.307 while posting a podium finish in the Junior C Girls 777-meter with 1:19.989. Xsandrie Guimba (silver in the women’s 1000 meters) and eight-year-old Zymone Zurbito (bronze in Junior F Boys 333 meters) made podium, too.
owners” of LIV 2.0? Will there be a beeline for tour qualifying and amends to get back to the major tours? I mean, they all jumped across for the cash, even if they each gave absurd reasons and justifications for their decisions. Now that the cash is gone, do they stick it out and ride into the sunset with their stash? Or will they chase glory and history and go back to the major tours, a little embarrassed, but richer like what Koepka was able to do? Speaking of Brooks, the man truly has impeccable timing. He went to LIV at the right time, got paid, won a major while there, left the league at the perfect time, and got back on the PGA Tour relatively painlessly. Not everyone can do that. They were given a chance early in the year and for contract obligations or whatever reason, some chose to stay with LIV. As a spectator in all this, we can only hope for what’s best for everyone involved—maybe everyone except Phil Mickelson (joke). But really, we have no idea how difficult it is to play professional sports, and the pressures these guys are under. The expenses of playing on the top level, the teams they maintain, the people they support, the responsibilities they carry outside the ropes must be enormous. So let’s go easy on the judgement and understand that professionals get paid to play and go where they get paid the most. That’s the pro game.
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GREEK actress Katerina Misichroni, playing the role of High Priestess, passes the flame to another performer during the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games flame handover ceremony at Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. AP
Flame lit in Athens for Africa’s first ever Olympic event—YOG
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THENS—The flame for the Dakar Youth Olympics was lit in Athens Thursday last week for the first Olympic competition ever staged in Africa. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, the organization’s first African and first female leader, said the moment carried profound personal meaning. “As an African, this moment means so much to me,” Coventry, an Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe, said, her voice breaking with emotion. “For so many years we have spoken about the day when an Olympic event would finally come to our continent,” she said. “And now we have that great honor.”
Sun’s rays light the flame
WITH a nod to Apollo, the ancient Greek god of truth, healing and the sun, the flame was kindled using a concave mirror that channels the sun’s rays. The hourlong ceremony was at the Panathenaic Stadium, the venue of the first modern Olympics in 1896. The Youth Games from October 31 to November 13 bring together some 2,700 athletes aged 15-18 in 25 sports in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, and two other cities. Dakar organizing head Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye offered assurances the Games would be a success. “We do not promise the perfect games. We promise real games, warm games,” he said. Thursday’s ceremony featured hip-hop dancers, cheerleaders, a youth choir and a performance by Senegalese singer Kya Loum. The flame was lit after dancers performed as ancient Greek high priestesses.
IN this photo provided by the Rockhmpton Regional Council, rowers paddle on the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton, Australia, on July 24, 2025. Runners then carried the torch and an olive branch through the stadium, built entirely of white marble in the shape of a horseshoe and recently given a deep clean and a new blue-and-white track. Isidoros Kouvelos, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, said the day was dedicated to young people. “This ceremony belongs above all to you: To your dreams, your courage, to the early mornings, the long training sessions, the sacrifices, and the hope,” Kouvelos said. “Sport will teach you many lessons. It will teach you patience and respect. And if you listen carefully, it will teach you something greater: That the true measure of an athlete is the character formed along the way.”
Brisbane 2032 hosts defy ‘naysayers’
NOT crocodiles, not currents, nor criticism over a shortage of beds will stop the Olympic rowing regatta being staged in the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton at the 2032 Brisbane Games—at least not according to the Australian planners. In a news conference T hu rsd ay at t he Roc k ha mpton Row ing C lub, Queensl a nd st ate Prem ier Dav id Cr isa f u l l i l ashed out
at “naysayers,” acc using cr it ics of t he reg iona l venue of el it ism. “I want to put it beyond doubt: rowing and canoeing in 2032 will be held in Rocky,” Crisafulli said, using the local slang for the central Queensland city more widely known as the state’s beef cattle capital. “No ifs, no buts, no maybes...I say to the naysayers, ‘Sorry, we’re not for turning.’” AP
ATIONAL University (NU) rode an improbable Game 2 escape to complete a 2-1 reverse sweep of Adamson University and capture the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Esports Valorant Tournament title last week at the MVP Studios in Mandaluyong City. The Bulldogs recovered from an 8-1 deficit and saved four championship points before prevailing in overtime in Game 2—they carried that momentum into the deciding map to seal the title. It was the Bulldogs’ second esports crown since winning a breakthrough Mobile Legends: Bang Bang crown two weeks ago. NU head coach Luis Yanga credited the Bulldogs’ resilience to the mentality they developed through countless hours of training—a quality that paid dividends in their most important match of the tournament. “The first and second maps were incredibly tough, it felt like we had one foot in the grave,” Yanga said. “If you looked at it, everyone was already assuming the opponents had the win in the bag. But I think what mattered most was what happened behind the scenes—the team’s communication remained solid and their heart was still very much in it.” Rob Ashton Huyong, who provided steady play for the Bulldogs, clinched the MVP award. “I didn’t expect it, but I knew deep down that I had been consistent throughout the series, so in my mind, there was definitely a chance I could win it,” Huyong said. Adamson University swept University of the Philippines, 2-0, and NU secured a similar 2-0 victory over University of the East (UE) to forge the title showdown. UP and UE settled for the bronze medals. In Game 1, the Soaring Falcons won five of the first six rounds on the way to an 11-4 lead, but NU mounted a late rally behind Ramon Bautista Jr.’s marksmanship, winning three consecutive rounds to pull within 11-7. Jhiemart Muto, however, halted the Bulldogs’ comeback with three unanswered kills in Round 19 before Marc Louie Gutierrez delivered three kills in the following round to seal Adamson University’s 13-7 victory. THE champion players from National University are flanked by their counterparts from second-placed Adamson University and third-placed teams University of the East and University of the Philippines. UAAP PHOTO
BusinessMirror
THE TIMES ARE CHANGING:
Luxury watchmakers say Gen-Z buying trends call for bold changes
September 13, 2026
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BusinessMirror SEPTEMBER 13, 2026 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com
SPREADING HER WINGS
YOUR MUSI
Estelle Fly acknowledges difficult emotions on revealing new single
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Story by Zoe Davad
efore she was writing songs about desire, Estelle Fly learned what it meant to suppress it.
At just 17, the Singaporean singer was thrown into the rule-bound world of Japan’s idol industry as a member of the idol group Sea*A, where personal expression often took a backseat to public personas. This experience saw her perform across Japan, appearing at major anime festivals and live events. It also taught her the limits of performing someone else’s vision. Over a decade later, Estelle is now an independent soloist taking full ownership of every lyric she puts forward. Her latest single “Bury It” serves as both a curtain call on her early years and a bold entrance into a new era. Rather than telling a conventional love story, “Bury It” explores the quiet ache of wanting someone you know you can never truly have. It’s a song built on emotional restraint, lingering in the unresolved space between attraction and action instead of chasing
dramatic heartbreak. The result is a sleek, hypnotic pop track that finds tension not in what is said, but in what remains unsaid. That understated tension extends into the accompanying music video. Starring Estelle alongside her longtime friend and Singaporean hip-hop artist Yaung, the MV follows two actors whose convincing on-screen chemistry begins to blur the boundaries between performance and reality. Rather than telling a conventional love story, the video explores how outside expectations can complicate even the clearest relationships. “It’s actually so much harder to act interested in a real friend!” Estelle laughs. “I had to work extra hard to look genuinely intrigued by someone I’ve known forever. But channeling those real-life experiences of being in situations where chemistry gets complicated made the process really exciting to bring to the screen.”
Estelle Fly and co-star Yaung navigate the push-and-pull of unspoken attraction in the cinematic music video for “Bury It.” Photo via Estelle Fly @estellefly
From Idol to Indie
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At 16, Estelle was working at a maid café during Singapore’s Anime Festival Asia when she was spotted by talent scouts. Within a year, she had relocated to Japan to join Sea*A, the SingaporeanMalaysian idol group created to bridge Southeast Asian talent with Japan’s thriving anime and J-pop industries. Sea*A arrived during a period when Japan’s idol industry was becoming increasingly international. The group built a fanbase through conventions, concerts, and TV appearances. For Estelle, it was a crash course in the relentless work ethic that professional entertainment would demand of her. When that chapter closed, Estelle hit a wall. “There was a period where I questioned whether music was even for me,” she recalls. Instead of rushing into another musical project, Estelle stepped away. Leaving Japan forced her to step back and reevaluate her relationship with her craft — a detour that included a stint as a Singapore Airlines flight attendant, following in the footsteps of her parents, who met while flying. Distance from the industry allowed Estelle to rediscover what had drawn her to music before it became a profession. Returning as an independent artist meant taking responsibility for every creative decision. “I’m definitely not afraid to take ownership of my creative decisions anymore,” she says. “It was super scary at first, but it has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made. I’m standing firmly behind my own choices now.” Estelle is not alone in this; her story mirrors a broader shift happening across Southeast Asia’s music landscape. Independent artists have to balance creative freedom with new responsibilities — not only do they have to write and perform, they also have to shape their visual identity, cultivate online communities, and direct the narrative surrounding their work and brand. For Estelle, those demands have become opportunities rather than limitations.
Estelle Fly enters a new era with “Bury It,” a hypnotic single about the tension of wanting someone you can’t fully have. Photo via Estelle Fly @estellefly
Creating Without Limits
Estelle’s career spans dance, acting, hosting and content creation, disciplines she sees as feeding into a single artistic vision rather than existing as separate pursuits. Ballet sharpened her understanding of movement and physical storytelling, acting broadened her emotional perspective, and her years as an idol instilled the stagecraft and professionalism that continue to define her live performances. Those influences shape her ambitions as well. Inspired by the theatrical productions of Janet Jackson and Britney Spears, she dreams of creating immersive live shows where choreography, visuals and storytelling become inseparable from the music itself. The emotional world of “Bury It” is the result of this shift in her creative process. To develop the song, Estelle spent time reflecting on conversations with friends and on the complicated relationships that exist outside clear labels. The result is less a song about unrequited love than one about allowing yourself to acknowledge difficult emotions instead of suppressing them. Estelle Fly is no longer asking for permission or leaving her narrative in someone else’s hands. As she pilots her career into uncharted waters, one thing is clear—the Estelle Fly we’re seeing now is the most authentic version yet. And she’s only just getting started.
Creative freedom has become the defining theme of Estelle Fly’s latest era. Photo via Estelle Fly @estellefly
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2026 | soundstrip.businessmirror@gmail.com
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COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
BUSINESS
PHL’s selection night for Eurovision reveals impactful winner
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Story and photos by Patrick Villanueva
AVE you ever gone on a karaoke session with a Filipino? First of all, if you haven’t yet, you should… but to those who have, you know how competitive it can get. Even the most innocentlooking, introverted Filipino in your group, once invited to a karaoke session, will put on any Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston and belt it like they are just breathing. There’s even a joke online asking what’s in our “water,” or that 90% of Filipinos can sing. So you can only imagine how the Selection Night for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 went down for 10 talented artists and songwriters competing to become the country’s sole representative to the globally recognized competition.
The jurors
WITH 10 songs vying to become the country’s entry, the selection committee had to come from judges with pools of talent, or at least have an eye for it. You may recognize the jurors, as they are Nonoy Tan, Vina Morales, Angeline Quinto, Joane Laygo, Jed Madela, Choi Padilla, and Louie Ocampo. These judges understood what was at stake, judging not only the artists’ talents but also their presentation. After all, the representative will not only perform for themselves but will represent the country as a whole. Of course, audience participation played into this as well. The scores were judged 40% by the jurors, 40% by the local audience, and the remaining 20% by the international audience.
The competitive Filipino spirit
From the beginning, all the artists went out of their way to perform their best. Only a year after their formation, DNA showcased their vocal prowess and synchronized movement with “Between Bituin.” As the opener of the night, they set the tone of what kind of competition this is going to be. Meanwhile, “‘Di ‘Yan Red Flag,” sung by Sassa and Jason DY, and “Good For You,” sung by Ryssi Avila, brought an alluring, seductive energy to their songs. Bringing in the emotions, on the other hand, was “Reason To Live,” sung by Khimo, as the song, written by Stephen Tan, had a heartfelt message about finding the reasons to live. P-pop groups AJAA, and VVINK and WRIVE Russu, produced funky
performances with “Make It Exist” and “Round N’ Round,” respectively. “Mapadama” by JM dela Cerna and Marielle Montellano tapped into the Filipino throat chakra that roared through the theater. “Cherie,” as performed by Nar Cabico, Elha Nympha, Esang de Torres, and Lance Reblando, incorporated messaging and funk in the same song. The showstopper of the night was none other than “Beyond Broken Repair,” sung by the talented SAGA. His slow, deep, and orchestral voice was followed by an astonishing, commanding high note that took the audience by storm. The cheers that followed his performance were deafening, enough to make you believe that his song was definitely a contender for the honor.
The winning song
What sets this performance apart from the rest was definitely the energy, visualization, but most of all, the Filipino spirit conveyed through its artistry. Don’t get it wrong, every song contending for the Eurovision Song Contest Asia had the defining trait that would make them the winner. However, Carmelle’s “Sobra Sobra” was “Philippine-incarnate” in a song. Carmelle’s performance of “SobraSobra” could be inferred as a Filipina warrior: rebellious, fierce, loud, and commanding, yet festive and colorful. Her powerful tone, paired with an expressive dance and revelling rap, meshes well with what the Philippines should represent on the global stage. If you are familiar, its vibe is similar to what KZ Tandingan did during her rendition of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” in Singer 2018. Carmelle showed the soul of Filipinos that no other contestant has reached during this competition. She said that the song’s edge was her,
as she wanted her performance to leave a lasting impact on the audience, more so because of the differing genres competing in the contest. “Gusto ko kasi na tatatak siya, lalong-lalo na ‘yung message ng song kasi para siya sa lahat ng mga Filipino,” Carmelle said during the post-interview.
Her next appearance would be on the global stage at Eurovision Song Contest Asia, hosted in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 14, 2026. If you want to relive her performance, you may visit Eurovision Song Contest’s YouTube channel.
THE TIMES ARE CHANGING:
Luxury watchmakers say Gen-Z buying trends call for bold changes brands. If we don’t do that, it will be very difficult to recover volumes,” said Babin.
By Allegra Catelli
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Bloomberg
Rising competitive density
HE luxury watch industry needs bigger, bolder innovation. That’s the view of some industry executives at the recent annual watch world postsummer gathering in Geneva, saying that the industry has hit the limits of its wellworn strategy of boosting revenue with ever-pricier offerings. A record 71 brands set up shop in hotel rooms, boutiques and exhibition spaces to display their wares, but the bullish attendance figures belied watchmakers’ worries over the future. After years of perfecting a blueprint for making more money through the sales of fewer but more expensive timepieces, Swiss watchmakers face younger consumers with less money to spend and a different view on what makes a luxury watch desirable. That, together with a booming resale market and competition from Japanese and credible Chinese contenders, is shrinking Swiss watchmakers’ exports, making the trends a more worrisome development than the war in the Middle East. “Today, that’s the main challenge of the industry,” Jean-Christophe Babin, president of Geneva Watch Days and chairman of Bulgari, said in an interview.
‘More about excitement, emotion, discovery’
SWITZERLAND, which is the undisputed global leader of the luxury watch industry, exported only 14.6 million timepieces last year compared with 25.4 million in 2016, according to the
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BABIN, president of Geneva Watch Days and chairman of Bulgari, cited the viral Royal Pop collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Swatch as an example of the kind of disruption that can attract new buyers without alienating existing ones. BLOOMBERG Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. While Swiss manufacturers have sought to cushion the blow by moving further upmarket—lifting prices as volumes fell— that’s only protecting the largest brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe and Cartier, which have a cult-like following. Mid-market players and suppliers are being hit hard. The ultra-high segment continues to command “collector interest, but it’s a tougher market for those in the middle,” said Rodolfo Festa-Bianchet, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Bianchet, whose watches fall in the higher end of the range. Gen Z and young millennials are less driven by status and brand loyalty, and are “more about excitement, emotion, discovery,” said Babin. Younger buyers are also helping fuel the secondary market. They are more comfortable buying secondhand and vintage
watches online, where they can avoid waiting lists, access discontinued models and get immediate gratification rather than waiting months or years for a new piece. Babin added that the industry has been too cautious and conservative in responding to changing tastes, focusing on technical improvements while failing to deliver bold new ideas. He pointed to the Royal Pop collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Swatch as an example of the kind of disruption that he said can attract new buyers without alienating existing ones. The collection, unveiled earlier this year, recast Royal Oak design codes in an accessible, colorful pocket-watch format aimed in part at younger consumers. Such radical departures have been few and far between, Babin bemoaned. “This is really what we are missing, this type of innovation more often and for more
TO make matters worse, competition is intensifying. Chinese-made movement quality is now comparable to ETA SA or Sellita for standard complications, said Babin. Chinese luxury jeweler Laopu, which became one of the country’s most viral consumer brands, is cited as evidence that Western incumbents risk getting rapidly displaced. Chinese watchmakers are also increasingly selling mechanical watches globally through online channels, bypassing traditional retail networks and adding more pressure on Swiss products, particularly mid-priced ones. That section of the market is also having to take on Japanese brands–Seiko, Citizen, Casio–that are doing well because they don’t really try to trade up the way the Swiss manufacturers do, said Oliver Müller, founder of LuxeConsult, an industry advisory firm. “Gen Z probably gives less weight to the Swiss-made hallmark,” he said. “Each of these brands is marginal on its own, but aggregated they are taking volume away from the institutional Swiss-made brands in the mid-price segment.” While investors are seeking a revival of the luxury industry after a tough few years weighed down by geopolitical tensions, tariffs and dampened Chinese demand, Breitling CEO Georges Kern warns this might be the “new normal” for the sector. For Swiss watchmakers, the challenge is no longer just how to keep raising prices. It’s how to persuade a new generation to buy more watches. n Cover photo by Zeynep Öngel on Pexels.com
Broadway’s ‘The Notebook: The Musical’ makes international premiere in Manila
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HEATRE Group Asia (TGA) brings one of the most beloved love stories of all time to the Philippine stage with the international premiere of The Notebook: The Musical, ongoing until September 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. Based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel and the beloved 2004 film, the musical features music and lyrics by acclaimed singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and a Tony-nominated book by Bekah Brunstetter. The Notebook: The Musical opened TGA’s 2026–2027 season, marking a significant milestone for Philippine theatre as the first international production of the Broadway musical. The musical follows Allie and Noah, whose extraordinary love story unfolds across multiple stages of their lives. Through memory, time, separation, and the
THE Allies and Noahs of Theatre Group Asia’s ‘The Notebook: The Musical:’ Sheena Belarmino, Morissette, and Celeste Legaspi, along with Benedix Ramos, Rody Vera, and Laurence Mossman. choices that shape a lifetime, The Notebook: The Musical explores what it means to love someone deeply, to grow alongside them, and to hold on to the stories that make us who we are.
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Philippine theater icon Celeste Legaspi leads the cast as Older Allie, opposite another acclaimed theater actor Rody Vera as Older Noah. Morissette makes her theater comeback after a decade as Middle Allie, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026
with Laurence Mossman as Middle Noah, while Sheena Belarmino and Benedix Ramos play Young Allie and Young Noah, respectively. The Manila production is directed by Filipino-American theater director Nicholas Polonio, who returns to the Philippines to helm the international premiere. Based in New York City, Polonio is known for crafting emotionally rich productions and nuanced, deeply human performances. Tickets are available through TicketWorld, with prices ranging from P900 to P5,500. Theatre Group Asia’s 2026–2027 season is made possible with the support of Ayala Land, BPI, and Philippine Airlines. More information is available at theatregroupasia.com, @theatregroupasia on Instagram, and the Theatre Group Asia Facebook page. The Notebook: The Musical features music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson.