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PBBM’S NET SATISFACTION RATINGS DROP TO -11—SWS

HOUSE PASSES 2027 BUDGET ON 2ND READING

STOCKS LOSE 2.2%, PESO FALLS TO P62.9 A DOLLAR

NEWS / A2

BUSINESS / B1

VP Sara’s team challenging COA ruling before High Court By Katrina Manubay THE camp of Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday hinted it may elevate to the Supreme Court the Commission on Audit’s (COA) disallowance of her P73-million confidential funds disbursements, but added it

VOL. XL • NO. 234 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

would be up to the prosecution to determine how it would use the issue in the impeachment trial. In a press briefing at the close of the 36th day of the impeachment trial, Duterte’s defense spokesperson, lawyer Michael Poa, said the defense still Next page

PBBM’S GREATEST FEAR IN WPS:

‘Tensions can go out of control’ Chinese navy, coast guard presence nearly doubled in Sept.—AFP

By Charles Dantes and Rex Espiritu

NO HOLDS BARRED.

RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday his greatest fear in the West Philippine Sea is that a single mistake could trigger an escalation that spirals “out of control,” adding that preventing miscalculations was crucial to ensure maritime tensions do not worsen.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. answers questions during the open forum at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore where he highlighted the Philippines’ investment opportunities and continuing economic transformation while confronting security challenges. Inset shows a Chinese coast guard ship turning on its water cannon in an attempt to drive away the Philippine coast guard ship from completing its mission to evacuate a sick soldier and a companion from BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. PCO, Jay Tarriela

The President • CCG ships aired his concern the 24th shadow during Forbes Global CEO BRP Cabra Conference in Sin-

gapore yesterday as the Armed Forces of the Philippines noted that China’s military and coast guard presence in WPS nearly doubled last month. In September, Manila monitored 101 Chinese navy and coast guard ships around Pag-asa Island and Ayungin Shoal, as Next page

Prosecution: Sara practiced law, got paid while VP Sen. Mark Villar breaks ranks, brings Senate majority to 14 By Maricel V. Cruz, Ram Superable, and Joel Zurbano

THE House prosecution panel on Thursday accused Vice President Sara Duterte of violating the Constitution by continuing to practice law and receive professional fees while serving as the country’s second-highest official. House prosecutor Erwin Matib said Bureau of Internal Revenue records showed Duterte remained engaged in legal activities and received professional fees and other income aside from her salary as vice president. “Vice President Sara violated the Constitution. Based on BIR records, she practiced her profession and received professional legal fees and other

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Chief of Staff Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez

income aside from her salary as Vice President,” Matib told the Senate impeachment court on day 36 of the trial. The prosecution cited Article VII, Sec-

EL NIÑO UPDATE

tion 13 of the Constitution, which prohibits the president and vice president from directly or indirectly practicing any other profession, participating in any business or having a financial interest in government contracts, franchises or special privileges during their tenure. BIR official lawyer Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez testified that Duterte remained registered as a professional taxpayer, with legal activities listed as her primary line of business. She said the classification covers legal consultations, court appearances, contract reviews and the drafting of legal documents.

By Joel E. Zurbano SEN. Mark Villar joined the Senate majority bloc, making him the 14th member. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “ Migz” Zubiri made the announcement on Thursday after Villar was elected to the Commission on Appointments (CA) and as chairman of the Committee on Public Works. “Yes, we just elected him to the CA and Public Works committee as part of the Majority,” Zubiri said.

Discrepancies between wealth, SALN raised

Next page Sen. Mark Villar

The prosecution also raised discrepancies between Duterte’s declared wealth Next page

DA to tap TUPAD for El Niño-displaced farmers By Othel V. Campos THE Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to tap the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program to provide temporary jobs to farmers who may be displaced by a potentially strong El

Niño weather phenomenon. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the program could provide an income source for farmers in areas where drought or reduced water availability prevents them from tilling their farms. “There are areas that will be severely affected by the drought. That could spell disaster to our farmers

who are tilling the land in these areas. We need to provide alternative livelihood for them,” Tiu Laurel told reporters on the sidelines of the 3rd Kadiwa ng Pangulong Expo 2026 at the World Trade Center. He said the DA was looking at interventions that would allow affected farmers to earn while agricultural activNext page

El Niño to intensify, then peak in December—UN RAIN CATCHER. A utility worker at Rafael Palma Elementary School in San Andres, Manila, conducts a maintenance check on the rain catchers at the school grounds. The use of rainwater catchment facilities or rain catchers in schools is one of the government’s key strategies to combat the severe drought and water shortages caused by the El Niño phenomenon. Water collected from the rain catchers is not used for drinking but is instead utilized for other needs to conserve the supply drawn from main water lines. Norman Cruz

EL NIÑO will intensify even more before peaking in December, the United Nations said Thursday, warning it could be among the strongest witnessed since at least 1950. The naturally occurring weather phenomenon is set to bring higher temperatures to much of the plan-

et, the UN’s weather and climate agency said, with its impact compounding the effects of man-made climate change. “El Niño will continue to intensify ahead of its forecast peak in December,” the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its month-

ly Global Seasonal Climate Update. “It is likely to bring above-average temperatures to much of the globe and shift rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of drought and floods in different regions.” El Niño warms surface temperatures Next page

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

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PBBM’ s net satisfaction ratings slip House okays 2027 budget on 2nd reading P In the latest poll, results showed that only 25% of Filipino adults were satisfied with the President’s performance, while 20% said they were undecided. SWS noted that, compared with June 2026, gross satisfaction with President Marcos fell from 38%, gross undecid-

edness rose from 17%, and gross dissatisfaction hardly moved, remaining at 45%. Across major areas, President Marcos’ net satisfaction rating was highest in Balance Luzon at a neutral zero, followed by the Visayas at a poor -13 and

Mindanao at a poor -21, while Metro Manila registered the lowest rating, at a poor -27. His net satisfaction also fell in urban areas and among men, while it remained neutral in rural areas and among women. By age bracket, compared with June 2026, net satisfaction with the President fell by 16 points, from a neutral -3 to a poor -19, among 35- to 44-yearolds, and by 5 points, from a poor -21 to a poor -26, among 25- to 34-yearolds. Meanwhile, it remained at a moderate +20 among those 55 and older and at a neutral -1 among 45- to 54-year-

‘Tensions... From A1

on the China Coast Guard to value and respect humanitarian missions moving forward, and to act in a manner consistent with international law and the professional standards expected of any coast guard.” “My greatest fear is that some seaman, some soldier, just makes a mistake. And that mistake turns into something that goes out of control,” Mr. Marcos said He said this was why the Philippines was pushing for progress on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, which he described as an important mechanism for managing potentially dangerous encounters at sea. ASEAN and China seek to complete long-running negotiations by the end of 2026. “I don’t know if we can find a resolution to the problem, but we are resigned to just being able to manage the problem so that we do not have mistakes and we don’t have misinterpretations,” the President said. “We are determined to come to an agreement and to hopefully de-escalate the situation,” he said. Still, the President made it clear that de-escalation efforts would not mean abandoning the country’s territorial and maritime claims. “It is very, very clear that these areas are part of Philippine sovereign territory, and also part of our econom-

ic zone…That (asserting sovereign rights) is my duty to do that as president. It is the duty, in my view, of every Philippine citizen to do the same, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Mr. Marcos said. Beijing claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international arbitral ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, and confrontations between Philippine and Chinese ships have in some cases led to collisions resulting in injuries and damage. The Chinese buildup aims to “break our people’s resolve to keep what is ours,” said Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine military’s WPS spokesman. “It’s called mission kill. It seeks to destroy your capability to continue the mission,” he added. Last weekend, Manila accused Beijing’s military and coast guard of harassing government aircraft and boats in two areas of the WPS. One incident included alleged interference by a Chinese fighter jet with a Philippine Cessna 208 turboprop that was conducting a “routine military patrol” near Bajo de Masinloc on Saturday. A China Coast Guard ship, meanwhile, “shadowed and blocked” Philippine boats trying to approach a foreign fishing vessel it accused of using dynamite to catch fish, the Philippine Coast Guard said. With AFP

Tiu Laurel earlier said the agency was preparing a P45-billion response plan, including interventions for farmers and fisherfolk, as the government braces for the extended drought. The DA has also been coordinating with other government agencies on measures to cushion the impact of El Niño, including fuel assistance, irriga-

tion support and farm inputs. The secretary said the impact would vary across areas, with some provinces expected to experience more severe water shortages than others. The government is also monitoring weather conditions and crop areas that could be affected as it prepares interventions ahead of the expected dry period.

forecast to increase to record levels during October-November-December 2026, reflecting the strengthening of the El Niño event which will drive weather patterns and impact economies, ecosystems and communities across the globe,” the WMO said. The forecast is based on consensus across 13 leading national and international meteorological centers. “El Niño is firmly established and strengthening rapidly,” said WMO chief Celeste Saulo. “WMO forecasts indicate a near-100 percent likelihood that it will persist through February 2027, potentially being one of the strongest since at least 1950.”

Saulo explained that El Niño does not add new heat to the planet, but releases heat being stored in the ocean. “The ocean it’s drawing from is the warmest we’ve ever measured it. There is simply more heat available to release,” she said.

By Katrina Manubay

By Katrina Manubay THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved House Bill No. 10858, or the proposed P7.2-trillion General Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2027, as amended, on second reading. House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing, sponsor of the said proposed bill, said the House version of the 2027 General Appropriations Bill incorporates amendments aimed at making the budget more responsive to the immediate needs of Filipinos while strengthening preparedness for emerging challenges, including the projected impact of the Super El Niño. Approved amendments included expanding sitio electrification activities under the National Rural Electrification Program. The provision authorizes the National Electrification Administration, through electric cooperatives, to use appropriated funds to rehabilitate, upgrade, install, or replace distribution facilities and equipment needed to reduce system losses and improve the reliability and efficiency of electricity distribution. “Given that the proposed amendment of our distinguished colleague is consistent with Republic Act No. 10531, which designates electric cooperatives as the implementing arm of the National Electrification Administration, the Committee accepts the proposed amendment,” Suansing said.

VP... From A1 has legal remedies available regarding the COA notice of disallowance. “I don’t want to put words into the mouth of the prosecution on how it will affect their case. Again, it’s within their prerogative if they would like to include that as part of their evidence for Article 1, which is confidential funds,” Poa said. “And we know that we won’t run out of legal remedies regarding this COA resolution. So, we will simply continue to avail ourselves of the remedies available to the Office of the Vice President, and specifically to the individuals named in the notice of disallowance,” he said. Poa said the defense intends to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court through a petition for certiorari, but noted that they have not yet received a copy of the COA resolution. “So we anticipated that this might have been the resolution of the COA commission proper and we’ve always been ready with that. And yes, definitely we will raise this up to the Supreme Court via a petition for certiorari based on Rule 64 via 65,” he said. He added that the defense would first need to brief the Vice President on the planned filing and review the COA decision before proceeding. On Wednesday, the COA upheld its decision to disallow Vice President Sara Duterte’s P73-million fourth-quarter 2022 confidential expenses.

Prosecution... From A1 and the income reported by her and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio. Matib said BIR records showed the couple had a combined net income of P85.4 million from 2007 to 2025, while Duterte’s latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth placed her net worth at about P98 million in 2025. “The income of Vice President Sara and her husband does not match their declared net worth,” Matib said. He also cited audited financial statements showing the couple had cash balances of about P21 million in 2022, P28 million in 2023, P15 million in 2024 and P13 million in 2025. The prosecution separately presented bank records showing combined yearend balances of more than P59 million in 2022, P71 million in 2023, P22 million in 2024 and P39 million in 2025 across accounts attributed to Duterte and Carpio. House impeachment team adviser

RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s net satisfaction rating fell to -11 in September from -7 in June, with 46% of Filipino adults saying they were dissatisfied with his performance, according to a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

well as off Escoda Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc. That was nearly double the previous month’s total of 56 vessels, according to the AFP tally. As this developed, China Coast Guard vessels shadowed Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Cabra that was on an emergency medical evacuation after a Navy personnel stationed aboard BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal fell ill. PCG Spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said BRP Cabra was able to complete its mission after a nearly 10-hour delay because of the CCG vessels. “China Coast Guard vessel 5306, which had been shadowing BRP Cabra, activated its water cannon. It kept the water cannon running as it closed in from about 1.3 nautical miles to roughly 400 yards of the PCG vessel, in an apparent attempt to drive BRP Cabra away from the shoal,” Tarriela said in a Facebook post yesterday. PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said: “When a life is at stake, there should be no water cannon, no obstruction, and no delay. Saving a sick or injured person at sea is a basic obligation that every coast guard in the world is expected to uphold. We call

DA... From A1 ities are disrupted by prolonged dry spell. The DA is preparing for the possible effects of a strong El Niño which is expected to affect parts of the country, with agriculture among the sectors most vulnerable to water shortages.

El Niño... From A1 in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. It typically takes place every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months. Conditions oscillate between El Niño and its opposite La Niña, with neutral conditions in between.

El Niño ‘strengthening rapidly’

“Sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific are

and spokesperson Ace Barbers said Duterte’s SALNs from 2022 to 2025 declared no cash on hand or cash in bank despite the bank balances presented in the trial. The prosecution said the discrepancies supported its allegations that Duterte failed to fully and truthfully disclose her assets.

Defense: Deposits, insurance to be addressed later

Duterte’s defense, however, said it would address the questioned bank deposits and investment insurance amounts at the proper stage of the trial. Defense spokesperson lawyer Michael Poa said the team had already begun addressing the figures during cross-examination and would provide a fuller explanation when it presents its evidence. “We will address those issues. We tried to address those issues during the cross-examination. It does not end there. When it is our turn to present our evidence-in-chief, we will continue to address these numbers,” Poa said.

“We will be able to explain matters further when it is our turn,” he added. Poa was responding to the prosecution’s allegation that the non-declaration of tens of millions of pesos in bank deposits and investment insurance in Duterte and Carpio’s SALNs for 2022 to 2025 amounted to willful concealment and a culpable violation of the Constitution or betrayal of public trust.

‘Davao City paid Duterte while VP’

The prosecution separately presented evidence that Duterte received compensation from the Davao City government in 2023 while serving as vice president, raising another potential constitutional violation. Garcia-Marquez testified that Duterte submitted two BIR Form 2316 certificates identifying the Davao City government as her employer. One certificate, dated 2023, was signed by city accountant Vingelin A. Bajan and identified Duterte as the employee. The BIR official did not disclose the

Sea temperatures record

The index which measures sea surface temperature anomalies across the central-eastern equatorial Pacific—the region at the heart of El Niño—increased from 1.6C above normal in June to 2.5C above normal in August. For October-November-December, the anomaly is forecast to reach ap-

amount of compensation or the nature of the work Duterte allegedly performed for the city. Matib asked whether Duterte could practice law and accept professional fees or other income while serving as vice president. The defense objected, but Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero allowed Garcia-Marquez to read the relevant constitutional provisions. Article VII, Section 13 bars the president, vice president, Cabinet members and their deputies from directly or indirectly practicing another profession, participating in any business or having a financial interest in government contracts, franchises or special privileges during their tenure. It also requires them to avoid conflicts of interest. Section 6 of the same article provides that the president and vice president may not receive any other emolument from the government or any other source during their tenure.

olds. By educational level, his net satisfaction rating fell among non-elementary graduates by 19 points (from a moderate +17 to a neutral -2) and among college students by 15 points (from a poor -19 to a bad -34). The survey also revealed that 47% of respondents said they had heard or read about the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), while 53% had not. Regarding sources of information, 27% watched the SONA on Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, or other websites; 15% heard about it on TV; and 12% watched it live on TV.

Sen. Mark... From A1 The 14-member majority now includes Villar, Zubiri, Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, and Sens. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Tulfo brothers Erwin and Raffy, Lito Lapid, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Risa Hontiveros, Joel Villanueva, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. Meanwhile, the minority bloc consists of Sens. Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Loren Legarda, and Mark’s sister Camille. Mark recently voted in favor of modifying the threshold required to convict or acquit Vice President Sara Duterte during her impeachment trial. Marcos, when asked for a comment regarding her colleague’s stance on the threshold issue, said the Senate minority bloc cannot blame their colleague for his actions, suggesting that considerable political pressure may have influenced his decision. The Office of the Ombudsman is currently investigating allegations against Mark and Camille, former senators Manny and Cynthia Villar, businessman Paolo Villar, and other individuals. Two criminal and administrative cases have been filed against the Villars for alleged issues related to joint venture agreements with Prime Water Infrastructure Corporation. Mark also did not join the Cayetano-led minority bloc in filing a petition before the Supreme Court regarding the Senate leadership dispute and the designation of Senator Francis Escudero as presiding officer.

proximately 3.7C above normal. This would be the highest since observations began, eclipsing the previous record of 2.6C set in 2015-2016. The last El Niño contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high at around 1.55C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. While El Niño usually peaks between November and February, the resulting spike in temperatures typically comes later. This El Niño is already hitting some regions hard, including in Central America, where animals and crops are dying from drought. AFP

BIR: Income taxed from whatever source

Garcia-Marquez said the BIR continues to tax income regardless of whether it is derived from a lawful or unlawful source because the National Internal Revenue Code covers income from whatever source. Asked by Escudero whether the BIR could determine whether income was legal or illegal, Garcia-Marquez said revenue officers could examine books and other documents during an audit. She said the agency must first issue a letter of authority before conducting such an examination. Garcia-Marquez also confirmed that the BIR had issued a letter of authority involving Duterte or her husband, but said details of the investigation were confidential and could not be disclosed to the impeachment court. Meanwhile, the prosecution challenged Duterte’s claim that she did not recall participating in transactions involving a joint Bank of the Philippine Islands account with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

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VP camp to challenge COA ruling before SC V By Katrina Manubay

ICE President Sara Duterte’s camp on Thursday said it would be up to the prosecution to determine how it would use the Commission on Audit’s (COA) decision upholding the disallowance of her P73 million in confidential expenses in presenting its case. In a press briefing following the 36th day of the impeachment trial, Duterte’s defense spokesperson, Atty. Michael Poa, noted that the defense still has

legal remedies available regarding the COA notice of disallowance. “I don’t want to put words into the mouth of the prosecution on how it

will affect their case. Again, it’s within their prerogative if they would like to include that as part of their evidence for Article 1, which is confidential funds,” Poa said. “We know that we have legal remedies regarding this COA resolution. So we will simply continue to avail ourselves of the remedies available to the Office of the Vice President, and specifically to the individuals named in the notice of disallowance,” he added. Poa also said the defense in-

tends to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court through a petition for certiorari, but noted that they have not yet received a copy of the COA resolution. “So we anticipated that this might have been the resolution of the COA commission proper and we’ve always been ready with that. And yes, definitely we will raise this up to the Supreme Court via a petition for certiorari based on Rule 64 via 65,” he said. He added that the defense would first need to brief the vice president on the

IN BRIEF

Ombudsman warns vs. use of gov’t fuel for private cars

Remulla pays vice mayor’s drug test fee

By Rex Espiritu THE Office of the Ombudsman issued a warning to government workers against the use of gasoline allocated for government vehicles for private vehicles. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla cited a recent case involving a former provincial board member of Bohol who was perpetually disqualified from holding public office and dismissed from service for reportedly using fuel allocated for a government vehicle to be dispensed instead into private motor vehicles. The case cited by the Ombudsman was that of then Bohol Second District Provincial Board Member Vierna Mae Boniel-Maglasang, who was ordered dismissed from service by the agency for two counts of Serious Dishonesty. Boniel-Maglasang was also penalized with all the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility and was barred from taking civil service examinations. Additionally, her retirement benefits were also ordered forfeited by the Ombudsman. The decision stemmed from a complaint filed by Bohol Third District Board Member Dionisio Joseph Balite, which alleged that Boniel-Maglasang, in 2024, used a total of 100 liters of gasoline allocated for a government vehicle for private vehicles. The 13-page decision stated that Boniel-Maglasang’s act of charging fuel expenses for a vehicle not covered by the authorized government fuel allocation system “clearly demonstrates intent to circumvent established accounting and auditing rules which shows an intent to commit material gain, graft and corruption.” The decision likewise stated that a public officer is expected to exhibit the highest degree of honesty and accountability, and lack of integrity warrants administrative sanction. “Acts like this destroy the image of government,” said Remulla. “Such acts—including siphoning gasoline, loading it into non-government vehicles, and falsifying receipts— will not be tolerated by the agency,” he added. The Ombudsman warned that government officials found guilty of similar acts will face the harshest penalty under the law.

planned filing and review the COA decision before proceeding. On Wednesday, the COA upheld its decision to disallow Vice President Sara Duterte’s P73-million fourthquarter 2022 confidential expenses. For its part, the prosecution panel said COA’s notice of disallowance supports charges of confidential fund misuse against the vice president. In response, the Office of the Vice President said that it anticipated the COA’s decision while reaffirming the office’s commitment to its mandate.

KADIWA EXPO. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Atty. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra lead the opening of the 3rd Kadiwa ng Pangulo Expo 2026 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, where P20-per-kilo rice and local agricultural goods, artisanal products, and regional delicacies are available at 54 booths. Norman Cruz

Senate approves bill on minors’ social media use THE Senate on Thursday approved a bill restricting social media use among minors. Senate Bill No. 2424 or the Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces prohibits the creation of social media accounts for children below 18 years old. The social media ban on minors

does not cover email, private messaging apps that do not have public or group features, school platforms, news websites, and online gaming platforms. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian stressed the importance of the bill, also called the Smart Kids Act, which responds to growing worries about children’s safety

in digital spaces amid concerns over the alleged grooming of minors linked to violence. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also described the measure as a “landmark” bill, saying the nation needs social media “guidance and regulation.” “All over the world it’s happening,” Zubiri said.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S MONTH. A

INTERIOR Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said that the medical bill paid by Reina Mercedes Vice Mayor Jeryll Harold Respicio would be reimbursed by him following the municipal official’s online request. Respicio, who responded to Remulla’s remarks claiming the vice mayor was addicted to illegal substances, underwent a drug test at a private hospital in Quezon City. “I’ll get his number from our DILG office and then I’ll give him cash,” Remulla said in a chance interview on the sidelines of the 1st Metro Manila School Safety and Security Summit 2026 in Quezon City. Respicio later posted a QR code for his e-wallet account online, asking Remulla to send P28,011 as reimbursement for the drug test. Remulla responded by posting a screenshot of his P28,011 remittance and said, “Eto na, Happy?” Respicio had earlier said he took an extensive qualitative and quantitative drug test at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City to rebut Remulla’s claims. He challenged the interior secretary to reimburse the P28,000 cost, saying he underwent the test on his own after Remulla failed to accompany him. Vince Lopez

Firm in Palawan ship fire violated labor laws THE shipping company that operated the M/V June Aster, which caught fire off Coron, Palawan, killing more than 70 people on Sept. 9, was also found to have violated labor laws, with breaches involving more than P600,000, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Thursday. The violations included unpaid overtime, holiday and rest-day pay, night-shift differentials, service incentive leaves and wage deficiencies, according to findings presented during a DOLE inquiry led by Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino on Oct. 8. Investigators also found violations of occupational safety and health standards, including the absence of required safety programs, emergency response plans, safety committees and trained safety officers. The vessel also had inadequate personal protective equipment and failed to submit mandatory occupational safety and health reports, DOLE said. Vito Barcelo

HB on OFW financial literacy approved

photographic collection showcases the ethnic identities, traditions, and cultural heritage of the Cordillera Administrative Region’s provinces and Baguio City as the country celebrates Indigenous People’s Month. Dave Leprozo

OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) are closer to being equipped with practical financial knowledge to better manage their earnings, protect themselves from financial scams, and strengthen their families’ long-term financial security after the House of Representatives approved, on third and final reading, the proposed “Free OFW Financial Education Act.” House Speaker Faustino Dy III on Thursday said the measure recognizes OFWs’ sacrifices through lasting benefits for themselves and their families, especially when they eventually return home. House Bill 9806 establishes a continuous financial literacy program for all OFWs, documented or otherwise, and their families. It addresses risks involving loan terms, investment products, consumer rights and fraudulent schemes. The measure makes regularly updated financial education part of pre-departure oriManila Standard entation seminars and requires post-arrival TODAY training for OFWs on their first employment contract or those transferring workplaces without returning to the Philippines. Seafarers may attend training at their points of hire or after returning home. Maricel V. Cruz (PCAT-VAWC). The facility will house

Cebu to build sanctuaries for abused women, children By Minerva Newman

PROTECTION EFFORTS. Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro meets with PNP Women and Children Protection Center Director PBGen. Sheila Portento and Visayas Field Unit head PLtCol. Janet Rafter at the Capitol on Oct. 6 to strengthen protection efforts and address the need for more safe spaces.

CEBU CITY—The Cebu Provincial Government plans to build its own sanctuary for abused women and children dubbed “Balay ni Neneng” as it ramps up its partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to curb violence and online exploitation of women and children in the province. Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro met with PNP Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) Director PBGen. Sheila Portento and PNP WCPC-Visayas Field Unit head PLtCol. Janet Rafter at the Capitol on October 6 to firm up protection efforts amid what officials called an urgent need for more safe spaces. The key agenda of the partnership is “Balay ni Neneng,” a proposed temporary shelter under the Provincial Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children

women and children rescued from abuse, trafficking, and exploitation. The capitol is also planning “Balay ni Dodong,” a counterpart shelter for male children. “I’m really working hard for Balay ni Neneng so we have somewhere to bring abused victims because the DSWD is already full. It’s unfortunate. Imagine how big and rich Cebu is and yet we don’t have our own sanctuary for women and children,” Baricuatro said. DSWD-run facilities in the region have reportedly reached full capacity, leaving local authorities scrambling to find immediate refuge for victims. During the courtesy call, WCPC officials also reported ongoing schoolbased information drives on violence against women and children (VAWC) and intensified operations against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, or OSAEC, across Cebu, the PNP said.

(MS-OCT. 9, 2026)

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

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Chiz pushes bill on calamity survivors S By Ram Superable

ENATOR Francis Escudero on Thursday renewed his push for a bill that seeks to write off more than P9.5 billion in unpaid housing loans for families hit by natural disasters.

JOB FAIR. Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval interacts with job seekers during the Mega Job Fair 2026 at the Malabon Citisquare Mall, organized by the city government and the Public Employment Service Office in partnership with the Office of Senate President Win Gatchalian and the Department of Labor and Employment. Andrew Rabulan

IN BRIEF Agents raid scam dens in Sibugay, nab 9 suspects Brownout ceases court hearings in Ilocos Norte REGIONAL Trial Court Branch 19 and Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Bangui-Pagudpud-Adams-Dumalneg, Ilocos Norte suspended operations on Thursday due to a scheduled power interruption, as announced by Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. The Supreme Court reminded however, that the courts should maintain a skeleton workforce to act on urgent matters, including requests for bail, orders of release, writs of habeas corpus, and similar deeds. The SC also noted that the official hotlines and email accounts of the courts shall remain active, and court users shall be promptly notified of the cancellation of scheduled hearings in relation to the suspension. But if the scheduled brownout is cancelled, work suspension should be lifted and regular operations would automatically resume. Gwyneth Nolasco

Balanga gov’t reaches out to Brgy. Tortugas THE Balanga City government has rolled out its Mapagkalingang Serbisyo to residents of Barangay Tortugas. Mayor Raquel Garcia said the local villagers availed themselves of free health consultations and basic checkups, legal consultations, and other government services through various service booths. She said the program made it easier for the people to access city services. Garcia thanked the health workers, barangay officials, volunteers, partner offices and others who helped bring the Mapagkalingang Serbisyo to the community. Butch Gunio

PISTON fetes driver, activist Tatay Elmer, 78 A JEEPNEY driver and activist reportedly suffered a heart seizure while joining a transport strike last Sept. 29, and died days later at the hospital. Elmer Cordero, fondly called “Tatay” by his peers at the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), was brought to the Caloocan City Medical Center, where he expired last Oct. 7. He was 78. “After nine days of fighting (for his life) in the hospital in Caloocan, he peacefully passed in the arms of his wife Nanay Elvie and colleagues,” PISTON said in a social media post. “He touched so many lives with his kindness and love. Details for the memorial service will be shared soon. We kindly ask for your thoughts and prayers for the family during this difficult time,” the post stated. Maryl de Mesa

By Gwyneth Nolasco A COMPOSITE team led by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has rescued 53 trafficking victims and arrested nine suspects in recent raids on two alleged scam dens in Zamboanga Sibugay. The operations in the towns of Alicia and Siay targeted hubs specializing in love and investment scams preying most on foreigners, the NBI said. Six Chinese nationals tagged as traffickers and team leaders or managers were collared, along with three Filipi-

nos for possession of unlicensed firearms. Two other Chinese nationals identified as the ring leaders remained at large. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) accounted for 255 foreign nationals at the two sites—129 in Alicia and 126 in Siay. The foreigners are undergoing vetting with BI records. The NBI identified 52 foreign nationals and one Filipino woman as suspected trafficking victims. The operations were conducted at Barangay Tandiong-Muslim in Alicia and the Casa de Coco Pension House

in Barangay Kimos, Siay by the NBIOrganized and Transnational Crimes Division, BI Region 9, BI Intelligence Division-Mindanao, Department of Justice-Regional Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Region 9 and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Zamboanga Sibugay. The NBI said the operation stemmed from intelligence information on the alleged forced labor, slavery or involuntary servitude perpetrated by a foreign organized crime group in violation of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, or the AntiTrafficking in Persons Act.

Currently on third reading, Senate Bill No. 2508 or the “Residential Emancipation for Calamity Survivors Act,” aims to delete all outstanding residential debt under the National Housing Authority’s assistance program for calamity victims. The Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement chairman explained that natural disasters severely impair both personal property and a family’s financial capability to meet debt payments. “We cannot bring back what they lost during the disaster. But we can lighten their burden while they recover,” Escudero said. The proposed legislation forgives the full principal amount alongside all unpaid installments, interest charges, penalties, and related fees while directing the issuance of Certificates of Condonation to clear all mortgages on affected properties. Housing rights are restored to beneficiaries who previously lost their homes solely due to nonpayment by dismissing pending forfeiture cases and reversing property cancellations or evictions. Under the bill, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development alongside the NHA must submit a complete list of forgiven debts to Congress within two years. The Registry of Deeds, meanwhile, must issue and register land titles for eligible beneficiaries within 60 days following the release of their Certificate of Condonation. “With this measure, the housing provided as assistance will no longer be a debt that needs to be paid, but a home that will truly be theirs,” Escudero said.

EDCOM 2 report says Cebu faces literacy concern By Minerva Newman CEBU City—More than 31,600 pupils in Grades 1 to 3 in Cebu province are not able to read at grade level, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) reported. The commission placed Cebu as among those with the most challenging literacy concern in the country. Citing the Department of Education’s Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA) for School Year 2025-2026, EDCOM 2 executive director Dr. Karol Mark Yee said the Schools Division Office of Cebu has the third-highest number of struggling readers nationwide. Of this total, 13,300 students in Key Stage 1, or 11 percent of learners in the division, were classified as struggling readers. The data were presented during the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.’s (RAFI) ECCD Convergence 2026 in Cebu City on Oct. 1. Dr. Yee said the problem is most acute in specific localities, identifying Talisay, Balamban, Liloan, Consolacion, and Madridejos as among the LGUs with the largest concentration of struggling readers. “If these challenges in literacy are not addressed early on before they move to Grade 4, data shows that gaps widen substantially in later grades,” Yee said, referring to EDCOM 2’s final report titled “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform.” The report noted that many junior and senior high school students remain unable to read and comprehend at grade level. The commission also linked poor reading outcomes to early childhood conditions. Based on the National Nutrition Council’s 2025 Operation Timbang Plus, about 25,000 children under five years old in Cebu province are stunted. Research cited by EDCOM 2 showed that stunted children are 16 percent more likely to fail a grade, and that cognitive damage from stunting after 24 months cannot be reversed. Under the National Education Plan 2026–2035, EDCOM 2 targets to increase the share of Key Stage 1 learners reading at grade level from 47.74 percent at the end of SY 2024-2025 to 75 percent by 2028, 90 percent by 2031, and 95 percent by 2035.

PARK LAUNCH. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Romando Artes and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto formally open the renovated Ilaya Buting Linear Park in Barangay Buting in keeping with President Marcos’ broader objective of providing more recreational spaces accessible to ordinary citizens. MMDA photo

Isabela activates P1.8-b El Niño mitigation scheme By Jessica M. Bacud ILAGAN City—The province of Isabela has activated a ₱1.8-billion initiative meant to mitigate the impacts of super El Niño, tapping its funds for Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Quick Response Fund to address the damage of the dry spell that has hit over 118,000 farmers across 31,000 hectares of agricultural lands. Vice Gov. Francis Faustino Dy, representing Gov. Rodito Albano III, said early and coordinated action is key. “We cannot face El Niño alone. We need

collective action from the local government and national agencies to ensure that every sector is prepared,” Dy said “Protecting our farmers and ensuring food and water security are our top priorities. We will work together so that no Isabelino is left behind,” he stressed. On agriculture, the provincial government and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have targeted cloud seeding operations and distributed drought-resistant seeds and agricultural inputs to farmers. Two flagship programs with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the World Food

Program (WFP) are also underway. Meanwhile, Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) focuses on the construction of small farm reservoirs, while Project BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) sets up communal vegetable gardens. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and NIA-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIS) will lead irrigation support, while the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) monitors food supply and stabilizes prices.

ON TAMING EL NIÑO. Isabela political leaders activate a P1.8-billion initiative called ‘One-Isabela Integrated Effort’ meant to mitigate the social and agricultural impacts of El Niño by tapping the province’s Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and Quick Response Fund to assist over 118,000 farmers hit by the dry spell. Vice Governor Francis Faustino Dy, representing Gov. Rodito Albano III, says early and coordinated action is key to ensuring food and water security during the crisis. Jessica M. Bacud

OPINION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

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EDITORIAL

Saving Sara, exposing Digong? THERE are courtroom questions asked to destroy an opponent’s case. And then there are questions that may save your client— while creating an entirely new problem for someone else. In the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, her own defense counsel raised a striking point about a multimillion-peso joint bank account she shared with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. Could Digong transact on that account by himself? Yes, according to the testimony of the BPI official. Could Sara do the same without her father’s consent or signature? No. That exchange may have been intended to protect the Vice President. But politically, it opened a door the Duterte camp may eventually wish had remained closed. The defense appears to be drawing a simple distinction: the existence of Sara’s name on an account does not necessarily prove that she initiated, authorized, or even knew about every transaction involving it. As a legal argument, that is understandable. But arguments have consequences. If Sara could not transact alone while Rodrigo Duterte could, then every questionable transaction that the prosecution attempts to connect to Sara immediately produces another question: If not Sara, then who? And the defense itself has now placed her father squarely within the universe of possible answers. That is what makes the exchange remarkable. The prosecution did not have to suggest that Digong possessed unilateral authority over the account. Sara’s own lawyer established it. The defense did not prove that Rodrigo Duterte actually made the transactions being scrutinized. That distinction is important and must be respected. Authority to transact is not proof that a person exercised that authority in a particular transaction. But politically, the dilemma is obvious. To distance Sara from the transactions, the defense may have to emphasize her father’s control over the account. To protect Digong from renewed scrutiny, it may have to avoid leaning too heavily on precisely the argument that could help Sara. Welcome to the Duterte family’s P41million problem. And this is not some theoretical amount buried in an accounting footnote. According to the bank testimony presented in the proceedings, a peso time deposit was opened in January 2010 with P40.65 million. After several renewals, it had grown to approximately P41.72 million by February 2011. The proceeds were eventually credited to another account registered under the names of Rodrigo Duterte and Sara Duterte. Records presented in the proceedings further showed the same amount being used in manager’s check transactions. The prosecution’s theory is still unfolding. It says it intends to connect the P41-million transaction with another P55-million amount and eventually with the purchase of insurance policies. Those allegations still have to be established by evidence. But the defense has already revealed its

possible escape route: Sara’s name on the account does not necessarily mean Sara controlled the money. Fair enough. But somebody did. That is why this defense strategy carries an uncomfortable echo from the past. In 2016, then-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused Rodrigo Duterte of possessing millions in allegedly undeclared bank deposits and specifically raised accounts connected to the BPI Julia Vargas branch. Duterte disputed the allegations and challenged aspects of Trillanes’ claims. A decade later, the same financial territory has resurfaced—not merely through political accusations, but through bank records and sworn testimony being examined in formal proceedings. And now the most intriguing argument is coming from Sara Duterte’s own side.

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To distance the daughter from the transactions, the defense may have to emphasize the father’s control over the account. Her lawyers understandably want to establish reasonable explanations for why her name appears on particular accounts and transactions. But there is a fundamental difference between saying, “This transaction was not Sara’s,” and answering the inevitable next question: “Then whose was it?” That second question could become far more dangerous than the first. Families frequently maintain joint accounts. Parents manage assets for their children. The existence of a joint account, by itself, proves no wrongdoing. But this proceeding is not happening in a vacuum. It involves tens of millions of pesos. It intersects with controversies that have followed the Duterte family for years. And it comes at a moment when lawyers are painstakingly establishing who could control which money, who needed whose signature, and where funds moved. The irony is difficult to ignore. Sara Duterte’s defense may ultimately succeed in establishing that she should not automatically be held responsible for transactions merely because her name appeared on an account. But every step they take toward that conclusion may lead scrutiny in another direction—toward the person who, according to the testimony elicited by her own lawyer, could transact without her: her father. The defense has not proven Rodrigo Duterte made those withdrawals or transactions. Neither has the prosecution, at least not from this testimony alone. But Sara’s lawyers have established something politically consequential: Tatay Digong could. And sometimes, in a courtroom, the most dangerous question is not the one your opponent asks. It is the one your own lawyer puts on the record . (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

North Korea demands South show ‘utmost respect’ to restore relations By Hieun Shin SEOUL — The powerful sister of North Korea’s leader said Thursday that Seoul must show the “utmost respect” to mend ties, after Pyongyang denied responsibility for a DMZ mine blast that wounded South Korean soldiers. North Korea has rejected claims it was behind the explosion that injured three soldiers last month inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the heavily mined buffer area that has divided the two Koreas since their 1953 armistice. A joint Seoul-United Nations Command investigation concluded the blast was caused by North Korean mines laid on the South Korean side of the border. South Korea’s military demanded an official apology last week, accusing Pyongyang of “a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement,” while Seoul’s civilian leadership called for the North to return to dialogue. “If they (Seoul) really want to reverse the relations between the DPRK and the ROK, they should be conscious of their rival’s feelings in every word and action and show their utmost respect, solicitude and sincerity before anything,” North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong said Thursday, using the two countries official acronyms. On Wednesday, a government report revealed Seoul had secured a UN sanctions exemption to send medical equipment next month to North Korea, which

has long suffered poor healthcare infrastructure. Analysts say the move would allow Seoul to provide North Korea with humanitarian aid including ambulances and medical sterilization tools. The North has long been criticized for prioritizing the military over adequately providing for its people. Elizabeth Salmon, UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, said this year that food shortages remained a key humanitarian concern in the country.

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Pyongyang has denied responsibility for a DMZ mine blast that wounded South Korean soldiers. Government sources said the aid program is worth around 9.3 billion won ($6.95 million) in total. But Kim Yo Jong, whose brother is North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said the aid was Seoul’s attempt to pivot from what she called a “self-orchestrated farce” that had failed to get the response it was seeking. “There are two doubts whether they are political immature guys or truly born idiots who can never be remodeled,” Kim said.

HE recent arrest of 244 foreigners in Zamboanga Sibugay should be seen as more than another immigration raid. It is a reminder of how difficult it will be for the country to reclaim its territory and institutions from the shadowy world of offshore gaming.

For years, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators have operated by exploiting weak enforcement, regulatory loopholes and, in some cases, the apparent willingness of people in authority to look the other way. Even after the government banned them in 2024 and Congress passed the Anti-POGO Act in 2025, many simply went underground. The latest raid shows that banning POGOs on paper is one thing; actually shutting them down is another. What is needed now is sustained and determined enforcement. The things authorities found in Zamboanga Sibugay tell their own story: thousands of mobile phones and SIM cards, laptops, computer monitors and other equipment. These were not simply the tools of online gambling. They point to something darker: scamming and other forms of cybercrime. That makes the POGO problem more serious than it first appeared. What began as an issue of illegal gambling has evolved into a wider problem involving organized crime, human trafficking, money laundering and cross-border scams. Such operations can move from

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Banning them on paper is one thing; actually shutting them down is another. But the raid also raises uncomfortable questions. Why were these operations allowed to take root in the first place? The fact that some of those being pursued fled into mangroves and mountainous areas before

The Court offered one idea purely for legislative consideration. Relationships up to the fourth civil degree could apply. Philippine law already uses that threshold in several contexts. Examples include the Family Code and Republic Act No. 6713. The Court framed this idea as a suggestion only. It imposed no binding formula on the legislative branch. Congress keeps full authority over every statutory detail.

UNDER Article VIII, Section 1, courts may examine grave abuse by any branch of government. Prior jurisprudence confirms that inaction can sometimes qualify. The key test involves refusing to perform a constitutional duty. Grave abuse means arbitrary, capricious, or despotic exercise of power. It also includes evading a positive duty required by law. Ordinary legislative delay rarely meets this demanding standard. This case, however, combined several aggravating factors at once. The Constitution gave Congress an express and specific directive. The delay stretched across almost four full decades. Repeated bills showed constant awareness of the duty. Still, the required law never reached final enactment. The constitutional obligation falls first and squarely upon Congress. Electoral mechanisms can develop once a valid law exists. Enforcement must then track whatever Congress eventually enacts. This sequence preserves order across the three branches. This part of the ruling also reflects separation of powers. Each branch keeps its own distinct constitutional role. The Commission on Elections administers the election laws that Congress writes. The Judiciary reviews whether all branches comply with the Constitution. The ruling now places the burden squarely on Congress. Lawmakers must draft, debate, and pass an anti-dynasty statute. The Court left every major design choice to them. Congress must first settle several difficult policy questions. It must choose which degrees of family relationship count. It must decide which national and local positions are covered. It must address simultaneous officeholding and direct succession. It must also set exceptions, penalties, and enforcement mechanisms.

Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen wrote a forceful concurrence. He called the constitutional ban “not merely symbolic or accidental.” He described today’s dynasties as “widespread, concentrated, multi-positional and flexible.” He named the Duterte and Romualdez clans as examples. Each year of inaction, he warned, entrenches political inequality. Leonen also urged coverage of both simultaneous officeholding and succession. A meaningful law, he said, must reach broader dynastic configurations. His concurrence sets a high bar for Congress. The Houseapproved bill may struggle to meet it. Leonen’s warning carries an important practical lesson. Even a court order cannot guarantee good legislation. Citizens may need to supply that pressure themselves. Can Congress be trusted to write limits on itself? Most district representatives reportedly come from political families. The House-approved bill covers only second-degree relatives. Dapat Isa Lang reaches relatives up to the fourth degree. Filipinos now

have a stronger path to reform. Dapat Isa Lang launched on May 8, 2026, in Cubao. It uses the people’s initiative under Republic Act No. 6735. Citizens can now propose the law Congress never passed. The Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan serves as its national secretariat. Each family may hold one national and one local post. Coverage extends to relatives within the fourth civil degree. Relatives cannot hold office simultaneously or swap positions. Direct succession between family members is also prohibited. A one-term coolingoff period completes the safeguards. The movement aims to gather seven million signatures. That equals ten percent of registered voters nationwide. The CBCP formally endorsed it as peaceful and lawful. An online signing platform opened on September 30. The site lets citizens review the full proposal first. Congress had 39 years to act. Citizens can now finish the work themselves. The core holding of the decision can be stated simply. Article II, Section 26 commands Congress to prohibit political dynasties. Congress alone decides how that prohibition will operate. Forty years of legislative silence have now reached their limit. The Supreme Court has spoken with both clarity and restraint. Filipinos need not wait any longer for Congress. Sign the petition today at https://d1l. org. The next chapter in this story belongs to the people. The decision honors the original vision of the 1986 framers. It also respects the boundaries separating the three branches. Equal access to public service remains the enduring constitutional goal. Congress now holds the pen, and the nation is waiting. Website: tonylavina.con Facebook/Instagram: tonylavs

Unwelcome distraction North Korea’s military has placed mines and built anti-tank barriers along the frontier as part of efforts to permanently seal it off following Kim Jong Un’s designation of South Korea as his country’s “principal enemy” in 2024. The mines responsible for the blast last month were believed to have been laid over a year ago as part of Pyongyang’s border fortification work, according to South Korea’s defence minister Kang Shin-chul. Kim Yo Jong previously ridiculed President Lee Jae Myung’s latest overture for dialogue as “the climax of the farce that everyone should watch”, while calling Seoul’s demand for an apology “quite ridiculous.” Seoul’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has also proposed to

Pyongyang talks to address issues along the border. But Kim Yo Jong said Thursday it was her country’s “unshakable” position that North Korea has “nothing to exchange or go with the ROK (South Korea) and no need to (meet) face to face with it.” Any action by Seoul -- whether driven by “evil intention or good faith” -- will be “regarded as a challenge and grave provocation to the DPRK and a violation of its sovereignty,” she added. Kim’s latest statement comes at a sensitive time, as US President Donald Trump’s recent overtures to Pyongyang have raised concerns that Seoul -- an ally of Washington -- could be sidelined in potential nuclear talks involving the North. Analysts say Kim’s message could be

read as a warning to Seoul to stay quiet on the landmine issue, with the North calculating that continued exchanges with the South could complicate its broader, global diplomatic agenda. “Pyongyang’s priority is not inter-Korean engagement but the possibility of a larger deal with Washington, while maintaining its increasingly close relationship with Russia. South Korean interventions are therefore seen as an unwelcome distraction -- or even an obstacle -- to that strategy,” Ahn Chan-il, a researcher originally from North Korea, told AFP. “At the same time, the warning could be interpreted as stopping short of completely foreclosing inter-Korean dialogue: essentially telling Seoul not to interfere unless it has something substantial to offer.” AFP

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The ruling now places the burden squarely on Congress.

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one place to another, setting up wherever they believe they can operate with little interference. The Bureau of Immigration deserves credit for leading the operation. But equally important was the involvement of the Army, NBI and local police. Such cooperation is essential. The participation of the military, in particular, shows how seriously the authorities now view the threat.

eventually surrendering suggests that the groups had been operating there for some time. POGOs cannot simply establish large compounds, acquire equipment and employ hundreds of people without someone knowing. There has to be infrastructure—electricity, communications, transportation and property. And there has to be a certain amount of silence, or even protection, from people in the community. That is why arresting foreigners is only part of the job. Authorities must also determine who helped these operations become established and who profited from them. There is also a diplomatic complication. Many of those arrested are Chinese nationals, which could have repercussions for Philippine-China relations. The government should avoid turning law enforcement into a diplomatic confrontation. But neither should it hesitate to enforce Philippine laws. Foreign nationals who use Philippine territory to commit crimes should be arrested, prosecuted where appropriate, and deported or blacklisted when required by law. The government must keep going. It must follow the money, identify local protectors and enablers, prosecute those responsible, and ensure that communities do not again become safe havens for such operations. The government has drawn a red line. The real issue is whether it has the will to hold it.

Grave abuse by Congress on dynasties

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

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POGOs still a serious problem

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WORLD

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Green turtles offer glimmer of hope M ATAKING, Malaysia – The palm-sized green turtle hatchling flailing through the sand on a Malaysian island may seem vulnerable, but its species has emerged as a symbol of hope for wildlife conservation.

Green turtles have made the rare jump from endangered to “least concern” in global conservation rankings, a remarkable success when many species are declining. Conservation NGO World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in its biannual Living Planet Report released Thursday, found a 73-percent decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations over 53 years. But around 50 percent of the thousands of vertebrates monitored for the report are stable or increasing. That includes green turtles, thanks to decades of efforts including egg relocation, marine protection and trade bans. Malaysian turtle expert Juanita Joseph has spent years on the frontlines, carrying out cutting-edge genetic research and even convincing her own father to stop eating turtle eggs. Still, when the International Union for the Conservation of Nature last year announced green turtles were no longer endangered, she could hardly believe it. “Never in my mind (did I think) that one day turtles can be ‘least concern.’ I cried... I said I’ve done my part,” she told AFP at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, where she is a professor. All six other sea turtle species are still vulnerable or critically endangered, apart from the flatback turtle, whose status is unclear because of data shortages. Turtles are targeted for food and their shells, killed in fishing nets, and constrained by development and pollution at nesting beaches and feeding grounds. Climate change also skews populations more female because heat determines sex development in eggs. Even now, recovery is uneven. While green turtles globally are “least concern”, some regional populations are still endangered and declining. AFP

SPOOKY DELIGHT. Skulls made using a traditional papiermache technique are seen at the Jamaica Market in Mexico City in preparation for next month’s Day of the Dead. AFP

High school students turn out for new protests across France PARIS – High school students across France were preparing for a fresh day of protests on Thursday, despite government efforts to ease the crisis which has rocked the country for days. Students have blocked entrances to hundreds of high schools for 15- to 17-yearolds since late September, complaining of missing teachers, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings that cannot cope with rising temperatures. Student union leaders were urging fresh mobilization Thursday morning outside high school campuses across

France, and in the capital Paris. National education unions have also called for a general strike Thursday in support of the students. In a televised address on Wednesday evening, the prime minister attempted to calm some of the tensions, promising a plan to respond to the crisis by the end of October. Sebastien Lecornu said that the country could not be “indifferent” to the concerns of high school students, acknowledging that the “anger of young people does not come from nowhere.” AFP

IN SOLIDARITY. Members of French trade union General Confederation of Labor (CGT) stand with high-school students protesters during a blockade of high-school Deodat de Severac in Toulouse on October 8, 2026, as part of a nationwide protest movement over learning conditions. Since late September, pupils have barred the entrances to hundreds of schools, complaining of teacher absences, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings ill-adapted to rising temperatures, among other grievances. AFP

3 dead in Saudi airport attacks RIYADH – Saudi authorities said three people were killed in attacks on two of the kingdom’s international airports, including in the capital Riyadh, after Yemen’s Houthis claimed to have fired on both transport hubs. The Iran-backed Houthis have claimed a wave of attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure in recent weeks, which came as Riyadh-backed forces pressed a counteroffensive against the group’s territorial gains. Since Yemen’s civil war reignited in July, more than 200,000 people have been displaced within the country, the United Nations said Wednesday. The Houthis claimed an attack on Riyadh’s main airport, while the Saudiled coalition – which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government in its fight against the group – vowed retaliation. The Houthis later claimed another attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Thursday and repeated a warning – “for the last time” – to airlines to avoid Saudi airspace. “On Tuesday and Wednesday... Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport were subjected to attacks targeting their facilities,” Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said in a statement. AFP

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By Jeremiah Sevilla

4. Prior to the celebration of their marriage, it was their mutual understanding that upon completion of petitioner’s service with the U.S. Air Force, petitioner and his wife would retire to the Philippines;

IN RE: PETITION FOR JUDICIAL RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN DIVORCE DECREE AND FOR THE ANNOTATION/CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE CIVIL REGISTRY RECORD OF MARRIAGE, SP CASE NO. R-MND-26-00952-SP JOSE NESTOR NOSCE y REYES, Petitioner, -versus-

Cone explained the absence of Brownlee along with the unavailability of Gilas’ other naturalized players for the Aichi-Nagoya Asiad during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Sports on Thursday. “It’s not injury concerns. He (Brownlee) has had health concerns,” Cone told the committee chaired by Senator Bong Go. “He’s had health concerns regarding blood pressure, heart issues, so he is not able to play at this point,” the veteran mentor added. The 38-year-old forward, who was part of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games-winning squad that snapped the country’s 61-year title drought in Justin Brownlee the continental tilt, last played for Gilas against New Zealand in the July window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. He then sat out the succeeding game against Australia, with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) baring that he had hamstring strain and peroneal tendinopathy in his right leg, as well as swelling and cartilage defects in his left knee. With Brownlee sidelined, Gilas was forced to field an

all-Filipino lineup in both the August window of the FIBA qualifiers and the Asian Games. The Nationals swept their twogame home stand against Jordan and Iran in the August window of the FIBA qualifiers behind key players Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, and AJ Edu. However, with Sotto and company unavailable due to overseas club commitments, the all-PBA national team crashed out of the group stage in the Asian Games. Cone said Gilas also could not call on its other naturalized options in Ange Kouame and Bennie Boatwright for the Asiad, as the former was already suiting up for a French club while the latter was still waiting for his naturalization to be completed. “Ange signed a contract in France and so he was no longer available. France wouldn’t release him to us,” Cone said. “There’s Bennie Boatwright, who we were waiting for the naturalization papers. They weren’t completed in time for the submission of the lineup,” he added.

The love for speed

THE Motorsports community, car enthusiasts and racing fans will have a busy schedule next weekend as the much-anticipated Clark International Festival of Speed (CIFOS) returns at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga. The three-day event will not only feature championship racing but several side fixtures as well, such as spectacular cars, custom builds, car clubs, food, exhibits, and more. It is also an opportunity to gather the motorsports community under one big celebration of what they love most: speed. Former Broadcast City colleagues and dear friends Geann Pineda and Karen Tayao, the “comms team” behind CIFOS, say that this year’s racing competitions have attracted a record number of entries. At least 90 racers in both the 4-wheel and 2-wheel categories have confirmed their participation. “Through CIFOS, we wish to help establish Clark Freeport Zone as the epicenter of Philippine motorsports and a renowned travel and tourism destination for automotive and motorcycle events in Southeast Asia,” said Johnny Tan, president of Clark International Speedway. This year’s edition will feature at least six signature segments to include the PHIMOS Cup, the Pitlane, Tour d’ Elegance, Track Experience, Rev and Dine, and On the Ground. These events are designed to benefit even the most recent and converted fan of motorsports will surely appreciate and enjoy. “For three days, Clark International Speedway will become a playground for everyone from serious motorsport fans and seasoned drivers to collectors, builders, club members, photographers, families, and first-time spectators. The festival also aims to make motorsport more accessible while giving local drivers, clubs, builders, creators, and enthusiasts a platform to participate and be seen,” Tan added. The CIFOS 4-Wheels Festival takes place October 16–18, 2026 at Clark International Speedway. *** My Bedan Brother Raul Roque is throwing his support to the San Beda Table Tennis Team in Season 102 of the National Collegiate Athletics Association. The Bedan ping-pong squad, more popularly known as the Red Paddlers, is raring to see action in the forthcoming competitions and to improve on their podium finishes in Season 101. The women’s team is hoping to bounce back from a heartbreak-

ing loss in the finals while the men’s squad is seeking to better their second runnerup performance last season. Incidentally, Bossing Raul is also supporting the Red Smashers, the badminton team of San Beda, for the second consecutive season. While the Red Lions, the defending NCAA men’s basketball champs, get the bulk of support from alumni, sponsors and other stakeholders, it is nice to know that several equally important varsity teams also get the push and attention that they richly deserve. Speaking of the Red Lions, the defending champions remain one of the teams to beat in the “NC” cage wars. Despite missing several key players due to poaching and injuries, any title run will have to go through Mendiola. The Red Lions lost a “won” game against the Mapua Cardinals several days ago but managed to win a “lost” fixture against arch-rivals Letran Knights in their last game. Win number five will have to be earned against the unpredictable Altas of the University of Perpetual Help. Will update the game results as soon as possible. And as always, consistency will be the key. The Red Lions can’t afford to lose focus, especially in crunch time moving forward. As of October 8, the Heavy Bombers are the surprising team so far, as Jose Rizal University is just a win behind current Group A pacesetters, the College of St. Benilde Blazers, with a 5-1 win-loss card. The Heavy Bombers are second with a 4-1 card; the Red Lions are in third, with four wins in six games. Over in Group B, the Arellano Chiefs are towing the rest of the field with a 4-2 card. Go San Beda Fight! *** Over in Paranaque, the finals in the inaugural Paranaque Basketball League have been set. It will be a battle for all the marbles and the bragging rights between the San Dionisio Sulong against Moonwalk Vanguards in a title series. Sulong leaned on the last-second heroics of Toton Gascon, who drained a game-changing triple with 3.1 seconds left in the game as San Dionisio nipped the San Isidro Labradors, 85-84, in the second crossover semifinals. The Vanguards, on the other hand, routed BF Atletas, 98-88 to clinch the first finals berth in the tournament. The best-of-three finals will start on October 15 at the Paranaque Coliseum. Stay safe. Stay happy peeps! For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at erel_cabatbat@yahoo.com or follow his account at X (formerly Twitter): @erelcabatbat

5. Few months after the October 15, 1987 marriage between petitioner and his wife, Lilybeth Reyes-Nosce, the latter moved to the United States to live with petitioner and raise a family there. Lilybeth Reyes-Nosce worked in the United States as school teacher and later on also became an American citizen. Considering the estranged relationship between petitioner and his wife, petitioner could not produce his wife’s existing U.S. Passport. Petitioner is, hence, attaching to this petition copy of her U.S. Passport NO.512839918 which expired on 25 February 2024 marked Annex C; 6. Sometime in 2002, petitioner’s marital relationship with his wife Lilybeth Reyes-Nosce turned sour when after filing for retirement from U.S. military service in October 2002 petitioner was told by his wife that she is not joining him in his retirement to the Philippines. The said decision of petitioner’s wife not to join him in retiring to the Philippines led to frequent quarrels and their eventual separation from bed and board;

ORDER

ILAS Pilipinas’ longtime naturalized standout Justin Brownlee missed the team’s title-retention bid in the 20th Asian Games due to health concerns, including issues involving his heart and blood pressure, according to national head coach Tim Cone.

THE country’s longest-running grassroots tennis talent-search returns to Mindanao for another two-week swing, with the Palawan Pawnshop Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships getting under way Thursday (Oct. 8) at the RGS and MIbang courts in Dipolog City. The Group 2 tournament, sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Ranking, opened with action in four of the eight age-group divisions for boys and girls, with a fresh crop of prospects expected to emerge as established contenders battle to strengthen their rankings and build momentum on the national junior circuit. The spotlight shifts to the premier boys’ 18-and-under division Friday, with Keyan Sarip, Christian Dalida, Glandy Tatad and Hazer Malicay leading separate title bids in a field that also includes Jayson Pañares, Ivan Romero, Sky Bacongga and Clark Abalo. A similarly competitive cast is lined up in the girls’ 18-and-U class, where Joy Busig, Marlyn Mesiana, Julienne Aliser and Summer Regalado banner the field against Princess Pampula, Gifthea Sisi, Angelica Acido and Gabrielle Bulado. With ranking points and momentum at stake, the contenders are expected to go all out in the two-week Mindanao swing, which moves to Pagadian City next week. For details and registration, contact tournament director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. The tournament is part of the longrunning program initiated by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro to broaden the sport’s reach, discover promising players from the countryside and provide them with a pathway to higher-level competition and training. Sarip, Tatad and Bacongga will also see action in the boys’ 16-and-U division, where they face Prince Centino, Vincent Balucos, Dwyane Bawiga, Yurham Edulan and Armik Serillo. Centino, meanwhile, leads the title chase in the boys’ 14-and-U class of the tournament supported by Dunlop, ICON Golf & Sports and Palawan Group of Companies, which also features Sherwin Gom-Os, Bawiga and Edulan. In the youngest boys’ division, Edrhean Sumalpong and Nash Diaz are set for a keen battle in the 12-and-U class, with Luke Digal, Kier Mondejar and a host of other hopefuls ready to challenge the early favorites. Bogo City’s Etha Seno headlines the girls’ 16-and-U field as she seeks another leg victory against Kyth Solis, Francesh Navarrez, Bless Labadisos, Ma. Juleah Caña, Alexa Manahan, Rian Daguipa and Bulado.

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila with the Hon. Hilario L. Laqui, as the solemnizing officer The aforesaid October 15, 1987 marriage between petitioner and his wife was registered with the respondent Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City. Copy of the Certificate of Marriage and Petitioners U.S. Passport No. A72509212 which expires on 17 November 2035 are attached to this petition marked Annex A and Annex B, respectively;

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH 210 MANDALUYONG CITY Tel. Nos. 02-85295825 Email address: rtc1mdl210@judiciary.gov.ph

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

Cone: Health issues kept Brownlee off Gilas roster

Palawan jrs tennis returns to Mindanao

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Before this court is the Compliance dated August 10,2026, received by this court on September 1, 2026, filed by petitioner, through counsel, stating that, pursuant to the court’s Order dated August 3, 2026, which directed petitioner to file an amended petition impleading Lilybeth R. Nosce as an indispensable party, the Office of the Civil Registrar, Philippine Statistics Authority, as the office maintaining the civil registry, and the Office of the Solicitor General, as statutory counsel of the Republic of the Philippines, petitioner filed an Amended Petition dated August 10, 2026. Petitioner thus prays that the same be considered as substantial if not full, compliance with the court’s Order. ACCORDINGLY, the Compliance dated August 10 2026 is hereby NOTED and deemed sufficient compliance with the court’s Order dated August 3, 2026. The appended Amended Petition dated August 10, 2026 is likewise NOTED and ADMITTED. As stated in this court’s Order dated August 3, 2026 a perusal of the Petition shows that petitioner seeks not only judicial recognition of a foreign divorce decree issued by the District Court of Clark County Nevada, U.S.A., but also the annotation and/or correction of the parties’ Record of Marriage maintained by the Office of the City Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City. Consequently. pursuant to Rule 108, Section 41 of the Rules of Court, the Amended Petition is hereby set for hearing on November 11, 2026 at 9:00 o’clock in the morning before this court at the 2nd Floor, New Justice Hall Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City. Notice is hereby given to all interested persons to appear and show cause, if any, why the Amended Petition should not be granted. The Local Civil Registrar concerned, the Civil Registrar General/Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Lilybeth R. Nosce, as the other spouse, the Republic of the Philippines, through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), and any person having or claiming any interest in the entries sought to be corrected or cancelled, or whose legal interest may be affected thereby, may file an opposition to the Amended Petition within fifteen (15) days from notice thereof or from the last date of publication of this Order, whichever is applicable.2 The Petitioner is directed to: 1. Cause the publication3 of this Order and the Amended Petition once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, to be selected by raffle conducted by the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court of MandaIuyong City; and 2. Serve a certified copy of this Order together with a copy of the Amended Petition and its annexes, upon the following: a. Lilybeth R. Nosce; b. the Local Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City; c. the Civil Registrar General/Philippjne Statistics Authority’ d. the Office of the Solicitor General; and e. such other persons, if any, who have or claim an interest in the entries sought to be corrected or cancelled and whose legal interests may be affected by the grant of the Amended Petition. In addition thereto, the Petitioner is directed to submit to this court proof of publication and proof of service at least five (5) days before the scheduled hearing. Failure to comply with this Order, without justifiable cause, shall warrant dismissal4 of the Amended Petition pursuant to the applicable Rules of Court.

7. Honestly believing that his marriage with Lilybeth Reyes was already beyond repair after having lived separately with each other for a considerably long period of time already, petitioner filed for divorce sometime in 2025 before the District Court, Family Court, Clark County, Nevada and docketed therein as Case No. 0-25719398-D; 8. The aforesaid petition was granted by District Court Judge Mari D.Parlade of the District Court, Clark County, by virtue of the laws of the State of Nevada, U S.A., which allows for the dissolution of marriage and capacitation of the parties to remarry. The fallo of the Divorce Decree held that: “NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the bonds of matrimony now existing between the parties are hereby wholly dissolved, and an absolute Decree of Divorce is hereby granted to the arties, and each of the parties are hereby restored to the status of a single, unmarried person” (emphasis ours) The copy of the Divorce Decree dated 16 March 2026 and, the Apostille (Official Certificate) issued by Francisco V. Aguilar, Secretary of State of Nevada, U.S.A. are hereto attached and marked as Annex D and Annex E, respectively. 9. To prove that the above-mentioned divorce decree was issued pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada, U.S.A., copy of Chapter 125 of the Nevada Revised Statute which refers to the law governing Dissolution of Marriage, such as divorce, is hereto attached marked Annex F; 10. To authenticate the copy of Chapter 125 of the Nevada Revised Statute, the Legislative Counsel Bureau of the State of Nevada, the legal custodian of copy of the Nevada Revised Statute, which includes Chapter 125 which refers to Dissolution of Marriage, certified to the fact that it is a true and correct copy of the same. The afore-mentioned certification issued by the Legislative Counsel Bureau of the State of Nevada, through its clerk, Amanda Yau, is attached to this petition marked Annex G; 11. Paragraph 2 of Article 26 of the Family Code of the Philippines states that: “Art. 26. Xxxxx

xxxxx

“Where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse shall have capacity to remarry under Philippine law. (As amended by Executive Order 227)” 12 While petitioner and his wife, Lilybeth Reyes-Nosce, were both American Citizens at the time the divorce decree was obtained by petitioner in the state of Nevada, U.S.A on 16 March 2026 - a circumstance that would not trigger the application of the Article 26 (2) provision of the Family Code - petitioner, nevertheless, humbly submits that the instant petition is a proper remedy to effect the correction of the entry of their marriage certificate that is being kept and/or on file with the respondent Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City; 13. Further, even if the Nevada divorce decree expressly indicated that “each of the parties are hereby restored to the status of a single, unmarried person”, the fact remains that record availing in the civil registry of Mandaluyong City shows that petitioner was still married to his former wife, Lilybeth Reyes. Thus, should in the future the petitioner decide to remarry in the Philippines the legally required certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) will not issue to him dashing his hope of living a legally recognized married life again; Name of Witness/es:

SO ORDERED. September 15, 2026, Mandaluyong City.

Petitioner himself will testify to establish the following facts:

(Sgd.) BENEDICT R. PICHAY III Presiding Judge

i.. Witness, an American citizen and member of the U.S. Air Force, and Lilybeth R. Nosce, then a Filipino citizen, married each other on October 15, 1987 in a civil ceremony held at Me TC of Mandaluyong City;

Copy Furnished: Addressee

Address

Atty. Jose P. Ventajar, LLM Counsel for the Petitioner

Ground Floor, Doña Elena Bldg., J. Miranda Ave., Naga City ventajarlawoffice@gmail.com

Jose Nesto Nosce y Reyes Petitioner

Block 10 Lot 16, Vesuvio St., Camella Heights, Barangay Cararayan, Naga City (Camarines Sur)

Lilybeth Respondent

Nosce

Unit 34K, Fifth Avenue, Plaza Condominium, 5th Avenue cor. 21st Drive, BGC, Taguig City

Local Civil Registry of Mandaluyong City Respondent

2nd Floor, Mandaluyong City Hall, Maysilo Circle, Brgy. Plainview, Mandaluyong City

Office of the Civil Registrar General/Philippine Statistics Authority Respondent

PSA Headquarters, PSA Complex, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101

Office of the Solicitor General Counsel of the State

OSG Building, 134 Amorsolo St., Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229 Philippines

Mode of Service

1 Rules of Court, Rule 108, Section 4, Notice and publication. – Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall, by an order, fix the time and place for the hearing of the same, and cause reasonable notice thereof to be given to the persons named in the petition. The court shall also cause the order to be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the province. 2 ld. Section 5. Opposition. – The civil registrar and any person having or claiming any interest under the entry whose cancellation or correction is sought may, within fifteen (15) days from notice of the petition, or from the last date of publication of such notice, file his opposition thereto. 3 Supra notce 1. 4 2019 Revised Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 17, Section 3. Dismissal due to fault of plaintiff, - If no justifiable cause, the plaintiff fails to to appear on the date of presentation of his or her evidence in chief on the complaint, or to prosecute his or her action for unreasonable length of time, or to comply with these Rules or any order of the court, the complaint may be dismissed upon motion of the defendant or upon the court’s own motion, without prejudice to the right of the defendant to presecute his or her counterclaim in the same or in a separate action. This dismissal shall have the effect of an adjudication upon the merits, unless otherwise declared by the court.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 210 Mandaluyong City,

IN RE: PETITION FOR JUDICIAL RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN DIVORCE DECREE AND FOR THE ANNOTATION/CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE CIVIL REGISTRY RECORD OF MARRIAGE, JOSE NESTOR NOSCE y REYES, Petitioner, -versus-

SP CASE NO. R-MND-26-00952-SP

LILYBETH R. NOSCE, OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MANDALUYONG CITY, OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL and OFFICE OF THE CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA), Respondents. x-------------------------------------------------------x AMENDED PETITION PETITIONER, by counsel, unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully avers that: 1. Petitioner is of legal age, a citizen of the United States of America, single/divorced and with residence and postal address at Block 10, Lot 16, Vesuvio St., Camella Heights, Barangay Cararayan, Naga City (Camarines Sur), where he may be served with notices and other processes should the Honorable Court also require service to him; 2. Respondent, Lilybeth R. Nosce, if of legal age, a citizen of the United States of America, single/divorced and has as her last known address Unit 34K, Fifth Avenue Place Condominium, 5th Ave., Cor. 21st Drive, BGC, Taguig City 1625; respondent. Office of the Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City is an office in the local government of the City of Mandaluyong, Philippines created under Republic Act 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which has among its primary functions the recording and maintaining of vital civil status events like births, deaths, marriages and legal name changes occurring within its territorial jurisdiction. The respondent can be located at Mandaluyong City Hall, 315 Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines; respondent, Office of the Civil Registrar General (PSA), is herein Impleaded being the national government agency which provides overall-direction in the implementation of the Civil Registry Law and related issuances and exercises technical supervision over all civil registrars. It holds office at the PSA Headquarters, PSA Complex, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101; and, respondent Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is impleaded being the statutory counsel of the Republic of the Philippines. The OSG holds office in OSG Building, 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229 Philippines. The respondents may be served summons and other processes of the Honorable Court at their respective addresses. 3. On October 15, 1987, petitioner, a citizen of the United States of America (U.S.A.) and working there as member of the U.S. Air Force, married a certain LlLYBETH REYES, a Filipino Citizen,in a civil ceremony held at the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) of

ii. That such marriage was recorded, and still subsisting up to the present, in the civil registry of Mandaluyong City; iii. After their marriage they lived together in the U.S., with Lilybeth R. Nosce working as a school teacher and there raised a family; iv. Sometime in 2002, the marital relationship between petitioner and Lilybeth R. Nosce went sour due to the latter’s decision not to go live with the petitioner in the Philippines after his retirement from the US Air Force leading to their separation in fact; v. Honestly believing that their marriage was already beyond repair after living separately with each other for a considerably long period of time, petitioner filed for divorce against his wife before the District Court, Clark County, Nevada some time in 2025 vi. The petition was granted and evidenced by a divorce decree dated March 16, 2026 which, among others, held that the parties therein are restored to their unmarried status and hence are capacitated to remarry; vii. He may also testify on matters relevant and/or material to the issue in the above-entitled case. WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that after notice and hearing judgment render granting the herein petition by declaring/ordering. to wit: 1. The judicial recognition of the divorce decree dated March 16, 2026 issued/promulgated by District Court Judge Mari D. Parlade of the District Court, Family Court, Clark County, Nevada. U.S.A.; 2 That petitioner Jose Nestor Reyes-Nosce is capacitated to marry under Philippine law; 3. That the respondents Office of the City Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City and/or Office of the Civil Registrar General, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) effect the annotation in the marriage certificate of the petitioner of the judgment rendered by the Honorable Court recognizing the Divorce Decree dated May 16, 2026 Issued by the District Court Judge Mari D. Parlade of the District Court, Family Court. Clark County. Nevada, U.S.A. in Case No. D-25-719398-D entitled Jose Nestor R. Nosce vs. Lilybeth R. Nosce. . Other reliefs just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for. Naga City, (Camarines Sur), July 27, 2026.

(Sgd.) JOSE P. VENTAJAR, LLM. Counsel for the Petitioner Roll No. 41390; IBP OR No.INV583316, January 2, 2026 PTR NO.5971681 : January 5, 2026; MCLE Exemption No. IX-JMCTCr002348, Pursuant to Rule 7, Section 1 © of Bar Matter No. 850 and Section 5 © of the Implementing Regulations: Valid until April 14, 2031 Ground Floor, Doña Elena Bldg. J. Miranda Ave., Naga City ventalarlawoffice@gmail.com/ 09696282907 VERIFICATION & CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, JOSE NESTOR R. NOSCE, of legal age, single/divorced, after having been sworn according to law, hereby depose and state: That I am the petitioner in the above-entitled case for Recognition of Foreign Judgment/Divorce Decree, that the allegations contained therein are true and correct based on my personal knowledge and on authentic documents; that the complaint is not filed to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation; and, that the factual allegations therein have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likewise have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for discovery. I hereby certify that I have not commenced any other action involving the same issues in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, or any other tribunal or agency and to the best of our knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, or any other tribunal or agency; and that If I should thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding had been filed in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, or any other tribunal or agency, we undertake to report it to the Court within five days from my learning of it. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this __ day of 0 6 AUG 2026 in the City of Naga (Camarines Sur), Philippines. (Sgd.) JOSE NESTOR R. NOSCE Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me in the City of Naga (Camarines Sur), Philippines, this 06 AUG 2026 with affiant exhibiting to me his USA passport no. A72509212 issued on Nov. 18, 2025.

Doc. No.718; Page No.65; Book No. II; Series of 2026

(MStandard - Oct. 2, 9, & 16, 2026)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SPORTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor

Junior Altas crush Red Cubs for 5th win in 6 games

Perpetual Help’s Sizco Roquid defies the defense of two San Beda defenders in an NCAA game won by the Junior Altas, 72-60. Dennis Abrina

By Dennis Abrina TEAM captain Louie Rosales fired a game-high 21 points as the Perpetual Junior Altas secured their fifth win in six games, beating the San Beda Red Cubs, 72-60, in the NCAA Season 102 Juniors Basketball Tournament on Thursday at the FilOil Centre. The General Trias City native knocked down three of six attempts from beyond the arc in 24 minutes and 29 seconds of action, helping the Las Piñas-based Junior Altas strengthen their hold on the top spot in Group B with a 5-1 record, tied with the EAC Brigadiers. Arkin Cristobal added 15 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Sizco Roquid chipped in 13 points, four rebounds and five assists for coach Joph Cleopas’ squad. Perpetual Help took control early, building a 16-point advantage by halftime, 39-23, and kept the Red Cubs at bay in the second half. San Beda threatened late, cutting the deficit to 70-59 with 2:17 remaining, but the Junior Altas held firm to preserve the 12-point victory. Edlex Bonzalida led the Red Cubs with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, along with two steals.

By Jeremiah Sevilla

ILIPINA ace Alexandra “Alex” Eala Eala will not face a sanction from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for choosing to represent the Philippines in the 20th Asian Games instead of playing in the WTA 1000 China Open.

Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) executive director Tonette Mendoza confirmed the development on Thursday during the Senate Committee on Sports hearing chaired by Senator Bong Go. “Thank you po sa government because it really went out that the government was opposing it. I think napressure everybody that they cannot impose a fine on a person who wants to represent the country,” Mendoza said. The PHILTA official also bared that the WTA recently approved new rules that will make it easier for players to play for their countries in major international competitions. As the world-ranked No. 18 player, Eala risked sanctions after skipping the mandatory China Open to compete in the Asiad, which were held during the same period.

Eala escapes WTA penalty after choosing Asiad duty Eala went on to win a second straight bronze medal in the women’s singles event of the continental meet. Eala knows very well that representing the Philippines on the world stage comes with pressure, but the rising tennis star sees it as a source of motivation rather than a burden. During her guesting on the “Pretty Tough” podcast of her childhood idol Russian tennis legend Maria Sharapova, Eala opened up about the weight of carrying the Philippine flag in international tournaments at such a young age. “It can get heavy, and it definitely comes with pressure,” the 21-year-old admitted. “But one thing about this whole journey of support that I’ve been getting is I understand the weight that the representation holds and I know that there’s a big audience that looks up to me,” she added. Eala stressed that representing the Filipino people pushes her to look inward and strive to become the best version of herself.

Maria Sharapova and Alexandra Eala Sharapova YouTube Channel

“I’ll die on a hill saying that you need to be genuine, and I feel like that makes me look at myself and be like, ‘I want to be the best version I can be of myself so that I’m genuinely a good example for whoever looks up to me,’” she said.

“I try to do my best and represent my culture and these people, these lovely people, the way they deserve to be represented.” Eala has proudly carried the national tricolors throughout her

GAB, Japan boxing body push for safer Asian bouts By Randy M. Caluag THE Games and Amusements Board and the Japan Boxing Commission are pursuing closer cooperation to strengthen fighter safety, improve the verification of boxing records and expand competitive opportunities across Asia. The proposed reforms were discussed recently at the GAB Central Office, where JBC chairman Minoru Hagiwara led a Japanese delegation in talks with Philippine officials and promoters from Taiwan. A key proposal involves establishing a shared, real-time database of verified fight records across Asia to help regulators assess boxers’ credentials and scrutinize proposed matchups. The initiative would support closer coordination among boxing authorities, particularly when fighters travel overseas to compete, and provide a common reference for evaluating their competitive records.

Philippines and Japan boxing officials at GAB office in Makati GAB

Fighter protection also figured prominently in the discussions, with

officials taking up stricter match vetting and compliance with LOA

Bisera seeks 3rd LPGT crown at Pueblo de Oro AFTER missing an overseas campaign, ace Davaoeña Yvon Bisera has turned the setback into a golden opportunity, setting her sights on a dominant third victory of the season at home. Bisera headlines a compact yet stellar field for the P1 million ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which gets going on Oct. 12 at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club in Cagayan de Oro City. While a chance to chase a second career overseas title initially beckoned, Bisera was forced to pivot back to the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour after visa complications derailed her entry into next week’s Women’s China Open on the China LPGA Tour. The redirection puts the talented Filipina right back on track in the domestic circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Bisera has enjoyed a strong international and local campaign this year, finishing as runner-up at

Yvon Bisera

requirements to help prevent dangerous mismatches abroad. “We look forward to deeper collaboration between GAB and our Asian counterparts. By unifying fight records and enforcing strict safety protocols, we ensure our athletes develop safely, fight on level playing fields, and deliver top-tier action for boxing fans,” the GAB chairman said. Alongside the proposed safety measures, the participants explored opportunities to stage more regional bouts involving Filipino, Japanese and Taiwanese boxers. The discussions linked the expansion of cross-border competition with stronger regulatory oversight, emphasizing the need for proper scrutiny of fighters’ records and proposed opponents. For Filipino professionals, closer regional cooperation could open more opportunities to compete overseas under coordinated safety standards.

the Singapore Ladies Masters in June, narrowly missing a follow-up to her breakthrough Thailand Ladies Masters triumph last season. She also contended strongly at the recent Kenda Tire Open of the Taiwan LPGA Tour, securing a ninth-place finish despite a costly second-round stumble. Locally, Bisera remains a primary force. She narrowly missed out on her third LPGT win of the season at Summit Point last month, finishing just one stroke behind Chanelle Avaricio. That razor-thin margin firmly establishes Bisera as the player to beat in this 54-hole sixth leg of the eight-leg circuit. However, capturing the crown will be no easy task for the frontrunner. Bisera faces fierce competition from reigning Order of Merit winner Sarah Ababa, alongside tour veterans Princess Superal and Daniella Uy, both eager to snap prolonged title droughts. Rounding out the formidable challengers are former leg winners Tiffany Lee and Chihiro Ikeda.

breakthrough run on the WTA Tour, including her historic Wimbledon campaign and her maiden WTA title in the Mubadala DC Open. “When there’s that much people involved, my experiences become a lot more emotional because of the pressure, because I know how bad I want it, because I know what I represent,” Eala emphasized. “All of those things make this journey so much more emotional. And that’s not a bad thing.” The Pinay tennister also believes the support she receives adds fuel to the competitive fire she already has. “I think it adds to the foundation of discipline and how driven I already am, and you add in all of this love, all this support,” she said. Eala is set to return to the Tour at the Wuhan Open in China scheduled for October 12 to 18. The event marks her first WTA 1000 tournament of the Asian swing this year, with Eala projected as a seeded player.

NU, Letran dispute solo lead in SSL Games on Friday (Rizal Memorial Coliseum) 1 p.m. --- SSC-R vs FEU 3 p.m. --- NU vs Letran 5 p.m. --- UE vs UP FIVE-PEAT-SEEKING National University braces for Letran’s tough resistance when the two unbeaten teams clash for the solo lead in Pool A of the 2026 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Unity Cup on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Lady Bulldogs head coach Norman Miguel sees the reigning NCAA champion Lady Knights as one of the biggest threats to their reign. Miguel knows that even with NU’s advantage in depth and firepower, Letran is not a team to be taken lightly when they meet at 3 p.m. as action in the league’s centerpiece competition, backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R&B Milk Tea resumes after an 11-day break. “Letran, being the NCAA champion, has gained so much experience and we know magagamit nila sa game ‘yun. Kaya walang reason para maging complacent kami sa game,” Miguel said. The Lady Bulldogs had a dominating start in their title-retention bid, sweeping past San Beda University, 25-14, 25-19, 25-18, last September 26. Arah Panique, who scored nine points in the previous match, will again lead NU’s charge alongside veterans Vange Alinsug, Alexa Mata, Chams Maaya, Celine Marsh, Harlyn Serneche and Sam Cantada. The Lady Knights, meanwhile, are coming off a huge opening-day win after tripping Arellano University, 25-19, 1825, 25-18, 25-18, last September 27.

BUSINESS WHAT’S INSIDE?

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026 extrastory2000@gmail.com RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

Stocks lose 2.2% as peso plummets to 62.9 a dollar 62.90

By Thony Rose Lesaca and Jenniffer B. Austria

HE Philippine peso fell to a record low of 62.90 against the US dollar on Thursday as tensions in the Middle East pushed crude prices higher and on expectations of US Federal Reserve rate hike.

Figaro wants to exit PSE

The local currency weakened from Wednesday’s close of 62.75 against the greenback and breached the previous record low of 62.86, set on Sept. 14, 2026. The depreciation has also eroded the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) gross international reserves (GIR), which fell below $100 billion in September 2026 for the first time in three years. The GIR dropped 8.31 percent to $99.997 billion at the end of September from $109.06 billion a year earlier. Union Bank of the Philippines chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion

said the peso’s latest weakness likely reflected the combined persistence of a strong dollar and rising external price pressures. He said the US dollar continues to be supported by the Federal Reserve’s higher-for-longer policy stance and elevated Treasury yields, while oil prices soaring above $100 per barrel raised concerns over inflation and the country’s import bill. “On the domestic front, the surprise acceleration in September inflation to 7.2 percent reinforced expectations of further [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ] policy tightening, but markets remain

more focused on broad dollar strength and global risk sentiment,” said Asuncion. He said the recent decline in foreign reserves could have also contributed to concerns over the country’s external buffers. “Moving forward, we expect the peso to remain volatile and generally biased toward weakness, with US rates, oil prices, geopolitical developments, and BSP policy signals likely to remain the key drivers of the exchange rate in the near term,” Asuncion said. The BSP attributed the decline to its net foreign exchange operations and downward valuation adjustments on its gold holdings and foreign currencydenominated reserve assets. The national government also drew down its foreign currency deposits with the BSP to service external debt and made net foreign currency withdrawals. Philippine stocks also plunged Thursday as investors resumed selling on worries about a possible interest rate hike.

Peso closing vs. US dollar

5,610.30

PSE index on Thursday

$99.99 billion GIR as of September 2026

Businessmen appeal for calm

GIR fell below $100b for first time in 3 years By Thony Rose Lesaca THE Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) fell 8.31 percent to $99.997 billion at the end of September 2026 from $109.06 billion a year ago, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Thursday. It was the first time reserves dropped below $100 billion in three years or since September 2023, when they stood at $98.12 billion. The BSP linked the decline to its net foreign exchange operations and downward valuation adjustments on its gold holdings and foreign currency-denominated reserve assets. The national government also drew down its foreign currency deposits with the BSP to service external debt and made net foreign currency withdrawals. The BSP said the September level remains an adequate liquidity buffer, equal to 6.3 months of imports of goods, payments for services and primary income. It also covers about 3.2 times the country’s short-term external debt based on residual maturity. Foreign investments in securities, the main component of reserves, totaled $64.44 billion, down 16.34 percent from $77.03 billion a year ago. Foreign currency and deposits plunged 37.81 percent to $3.08 billion from $4.96 billion. Gold holdings rose 8.77 percent to $17.82 billion from $16.38 billion a year ago, but were down from $19.11 billion in August. Other reserve assets jumped 66.36 percent to $9.998 billion from $6.01 billion, though they declined from $15.47 billion in August. The reserve position in the International Monetary Fund fell 1.98 percent to $723.1 million, while special drawing rights slipped 0.27 percent to $3.93 billion.

ASEAN ENERGY MEETINGS.The 44th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) and its Associated Meetings and the 26th ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF-26) bring together ASEAN energy ministers, industry leaders and stakeholders at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City to advance regional energy cooperation.

Trucking group slams Manila port ‘rest day’ protest as irresponsible A GROUP of trucking and logistics companies nationwide criticized the weeklong “rest day” protest at the Port of Manila as irresponsible and harmful to the economy. Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO) vice-president Rina Papa said in an interview with 105.1 Brigada News that her group stayed out of the protest. Another trucking group and a group of customs brokers called it to draw attention to what they said was lingering congestion caused by

unclaimed empty shipping containers. “Going on strike, protesting are legitimate actions but this comes with responsibility,” Papa said in Filipino. “There’s a time for protests. But it is not now,” she said. Papa agreed that the protest would hurt the economy. “It’s true, that will really have a disruptive effect on the economy,” she said. She also pointed to what she described as “hypocrisy” among some protest leaders, particularly truckers who agreed on paper to join

the no-work protest. “It’s only on paper,” Papa said of the commitment of some trucking firms that declared support for the protest. “Look at one of the trucking firm owners who declared support. His trucks were the busiest in cargo movements from Monday to Tuesday [the early days of the protest action],” Papa said. She did not identify the company. “There’s a tinge of hypocrisy. They call for strikes, protests but lunch out

PH in talks to purchase rice from US

TAMARAW CONSERVATION.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP), through its social and humanitarian arm Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, donates P3 million to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP) to support the continued conservation and protection of the critically endangered Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) on Mindoro Island. Source: Gregg Yan

By Othel V. Campos

Industry group expects PH goods exports to top $100-b mark this year

BRIDGE REPAIR. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary

Vince Dizon inspects the ongoing repairs at the remaining section of the northbound lane of Dimasalang Bridge in Sampaloc, Manila, including asphalt paving and railing installation, to strengthen the 56-year-old bridge. The work follows an order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to repair and reinforce major infrastructure such as bridges to ensure the safety of motorists and commuters, and to restore normal traffic flow in the area before All Saints’ Day.

in a five-star hotel,” she said. “They declare a lot of things, but do another,” Papa said, referring to continued trucking operations by some protest leaders. She did not name them. Other groups also criticized the protest, saying it would raise prices for consumers and achieve nothing. CitizenWatch and Konsyumer at Mamamayan (KM) said in earlier statements that its only effect would be to disrupt the movement of essential goods.

PHILIPPINE Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) chairman Emeritus Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said Thursday he expects Philippine merchandise exports to exceed $100 billion in 2026, led by strong growth in electronics and minerals and the rapid expansion of services exports. Ortiz-Luis said the country remained on track to meet the target, particularly after merchandise exports grew 27.8 percent in August. He spoke at a pre-event press briefing for the Philippine Business Conference on Oct. 13 to 14. “It’s very possible. As a matter of fact, we’re breaking the target,” OrtizLuis said, referring to the $100-billion export threshold.

He said the services sector was also growing rapidly and could give overall exports a major boost, while electronics remained a key driver of merchandise shipments. “Again, the electronics is growing very fast,” he said. The mineral sector could also help push exports toward $100 billion, he said. Ortiz-Luis said the outlook would partly depend on how US President Donald Trump implements planned trade measures, particularly those affecting Philippine exports. He said Philippine exporters had previously faced uncertainty from proposed US tariff measures, including higher duties on some products. Othel V. Campos

THE Philippines could secure a new source of rice imports from the United States under an agreement targeting 100,000 tons of US-origin rice in 2027 and 200,000 tons annually from 2028. The USA Rice Federation (USA Rice) and the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM) signed a memorandum of understanding in Manila on Oct. 7, 2026 to facilitate the proposed trade, which could restore the United States as a larger supplier to the Philippine market. The agreement covers the supply and purchase of bagged and/or bulk US rice. The two groups committed to working with their industry members and the Philippine government to facilitate the trade flows. The volumes would give Philippine rice importers another source of supply as the country manages growing import requirements and seeks to strengthen food-security buffers. It could also reopen a significant market for US exporters, who are seeking viable export destinations. “Rice has a historic role as a part of the US-Philippine relationship so I was happy to sign this agreement here that recognizes our history and moves our industries forward,” said USA Rice president and chief executive Peter Bachmann.

BUSINESS

B3 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Figaro Culinary wants to exit stock exchange

SOLAR POWER.

Goldilocks Bakeshop Inc.’s Pangasinan plant, operating under Richbake Inc., fully energizes its 494-kilowatt-peak capacity on-site rooftop solar facility following its inauguration on July 10. Installed and being operated by First Gen, the photovoltaic (PV) project complements geothermal power that First Gen has been supplying to the plant since 2022. First Gen gets the power supply for the Goldilocks Pangasinan facility from its BacMan geothermal power station in Bicol.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

IGARO Culinary Group Inc. (FCG) is seeking a voluntary exit from the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), with major shareholder Figaro Coffee Systems Inc. (FCSI) offering to buy all shares it does not own at P0.82 apiece. The price represents a 22-percent premium to FCG’s closing of P0.67 on Wednesday. FCG said in in disclosure to the stock exchange Thursday that FCSI notified it of plans to launch a tender offer and pursue the delisting. The offer covers all outstanding common shares held by shareholders other than Monde Nissin Corp., Carmetheus Holdings Inc. and Camerton Inc., the company’s majority shareholders, and qualifying common shares held by directors. FCSI said it will fund the offer through a senior secured term loan facility from China Banking Corp. FCG’s board, including all three independent directors, approved filing a vol-

untary delisting application with the PSE at a special meeting on Oct. 7, 2026. The application requires approval from FCG shareholders, completion of the tender offer and combined ownership by FCSI and the majority shareholders of at least 95 percent of FCG’s outstanding common shares, or any other percentage the PSE allows. FCG scheduled a special stockholders’ meeting on Nov. 13 to vote on the delisting. The company has asked the PSE for a temporary trading suspension of its shares to give investors time to digest the information. FCG listed on the local bourse in January 2022.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

COREnergy clients save P600m in power expenses since 2023 CORENERGY Inc., a retail electricity supplier (RES) and subsidiary of Vivant Corp., said it has helped more than 100 clients save as much as P600 million in energy costs since January 2023. COREnergy president Francis Del Val told a press briefing that most clients signed up this year and now enjoy up to 30-percent lower energy costs than those charged by distribution utilities. Del Val said the company is eyeing more clients following Phase 4 of the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) framework, which allows businesses with average monthly demand of 100 to 499 kilowatts (kW) to choose their own RES directly. COREnergy’s clients include standalone commercial and industrial users such as DEDON Manufacturing, Villa Escudero, JEG Tower and McDonald’s Philippines. McDonald’s 36 restaurants in Cebu and Negros Occidental and

32 smaller branches joined the RES program through the Retail Aggregation Program (RAP). The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approved in 2025 lowering the RCOA and RAP threshold to 100 kW of average monthly peak demand from 500 kW. The new threshold took effect on June 26, 2026. The ERC estimates more than 12,000 additional end-users in the 100 to 499 kW band across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are eligible to enter the competitive RES market. Del Val said the market could be even bigger under the RAP, which allows smaller establishments below the 100 kW requirement to pool their demand and enter the competitive market as a group. He said COREnergy will continue guiding newly contestable businesses through eligibility and the switching process. Jenniffer B. Austria

MARKETS ANDAND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT MARKETS SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF

CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN THE MATTER OF CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION x-----------------------------------------x

x-----------------------------------------x

: :

NOTICE

REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

Short-term Commercial Papers REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES Short-term Commercial Papers

Notice is hereby given that on 6 October 2026, a sworn Registration Statement (“RS”) was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on behalf of CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (the “Company”) for the registration of SIX HUNDRED MILLION PESOS (PhP600,000,000.00) worth of Commercial Papers, to be issued at face value and traded over-the-counter.

NOTICE

According to the documents presented, the following persons are the directors and/or officers of Notice is hereby given that on 6 October 2026, a sworn Registration Statement (“RS”) was filed with the Company: the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on behalf of CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT NAMES POSITIONS CORPORATION (the “Company”) for the registration of SIX HUNDRED MILLION PESOS Andrew I. Liuson Chairman of the Board (PhP600,000,000.00) Papers, to be issued face value and traded over-the-counter. Grace C. Liuson worth of Commercial Vice Chairman of theatBoard Josef C. Gohoc

President and Director

Emma A. Choa Bach Johann M. Sebastian

Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Independent Director

Helen C. Roxas Director According to the documents presented, the following persons are the directors and/or officers of Benjamin I. Liuson Director the Company: Jefferson C. Roxas Director, Vice President - Marketing and Compliance Officer

NAMES POSITIONS Alberto Wilfredo O. Oxales, Jr. Independent Director RudyI.Go Senior of Vice Andrew Liuson Chairman thePresident Board and Head of Internal Audit Melita L. Tan Vice President and Treasurer Grace C. Liuson ViceVice Chairman of the Board Management & Services Department, Chief Therese Raimunda A. Anoos President - Financial Financial and Corporate Information Officer Josef C. Gohoc President andOfficer Director Christopher T. Chu Vice President - Purchasing Department Helen Director JoelC.C.Roxas Gohoc Vice President - Cash Albert I.Anthony Corporate Secretary and Data Protection Officer Benjamin Liuson H. Ocampo Director Jocelyn C. De Asis Assistant Corporate Secretary Jefferson C. Roxas M. Marcelino Director, ViceRelations PresidentOfficer - Marketing and Compliance Officer Mary Margarette Investor Emma A. Choa Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer The Commission has adopted an alternative mode of viewing and/or downloading the said Bach Johann M.and Sebastian Independent Director documents any subsequent amendments thereto by enabling interested parties to access the same through the Commission’s or the Company’s website at www.cityland.net. Alberto Wilfredo O. Oxales, Jr.website (www.sec.gov.ph) Independent Director Rudy Go Senior Vice President and Head of Internal Audit Melita L. Tan Vice President and Treasurer Therese Raimunda A. Anoos Vice President - Financial ManagementATTY. & Services Department, Chief OLIVER O. LEONARDO Director Financial Officer and Corporate Information Officer Christopher T. Chu Vice President - Purchasing Department Joel C. Gohoc Vice President - Cash Albert Anthony H. Ocampo Corporate Secretary and Data Protection Officer 🖂🖂🖂🖂 TheC.SEC 7907 Makati Avenue Jocelyn De Headquarters, Asis Assistant Corporate Secretary Salcedo Village, Bel-air, Makati City Mary Margarette M. Marcelino Investor Relations Officer 2) 5322 7696 🕾🕾🕾🕾 (+63 www.sec.gov.ph | imessagemo@sec.gov.ph https://linktr.ee/secphilippines

The Commission has adopted an alternative mode of viewing and/or downloading the said documents and any subsequent amendments thereto by enabling interested parties to access the same through the Commission’s website (www.sec.gov.ph) or the Company’s website at www.cityland.net.

(MS-OCT. 9 & 12, 2026)

🖂🖂🖂🖂 The SEC Headquarters, 7907 Makati Avenue Salcedo Village, Bel-air, Makati City 🕾🕾🕾🕾 (+63 2) 5322 7696 www.sec.gov.ph | imessagemo@sec.gov.ph https://linktr.ee/secphilippines

ATTY. OLIVER O. LEONARDO Director

BUSINESS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026 extrastory2000@gmail.com RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

Businessmen appeal for calm By Othel V. Campos

HILIPPINE business leaders are calling for greater political and economic stability as the country seeks to strengthen investor confidence, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Ferdinand Ferrer said Thursday. Ferrer said the business community wants to “remove the noise” around political controversies and other issues that could affect how foreign investors view the Philippines. “We want to remove all the noise. Political instability foreshadows the country’s economic potential,” Ferrer said at a pre-event briefing for the Philippine Business Conference (PBC) 2026, set for Oct. 13 and 14 at

The Manila Hotel. He said the PBC would seek to show the global business community that the Philippines remains stable and open to investment despite political controversies that have dominated public attention. “We really want to show globally that we have political stability and also economic stability,” Ferrer said. He said the country continues to

PCCI president Ferdinand Ferrer

draw interest from foreign business groups, citing frequent meetings between local and foreign chambers where investors ask about opportunities in the Philippines.

“Look at all our foreign chamber meetings here. Every twice a week,” he said. Ferrer said sustaining that interest requires the country to demonstrate stability and ensure that political developments do not overshadow economic opportunities and government programs. He said the business community also wants greater attention on reforms and programs being implemented on the ground, which he said could reinforce confidence in the economy. The PBC will bring together business leaders and stakeholders to discuss investment opportunities, economic prospects and measures to strengthen the country’s competitiveness.

PAL cancels Riyadh flights amid tensions PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) said it canceled flight PR654 from Manila to Riyadh on Oct. 8 and flight PR655 from Riyadh to Manila on Oct. 10 amid the developing situation in the region. It announced the cancellations after Houthi-claimed attacks on two Saudi airports killed three civilians and injured 36, according to a statement from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were targeted in two separate attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday. PAL said its operational teams are assessing airport conditions and their implications for subsequent flights. The airline said it will inform affected passengers of the cancellations and available travel options. The carrier acknowledged the inconvenience and concern the cancellations may cause passengers and said it is continuously monitoring the situation to guide its next steps and support their travel needs. It said the safety and well-being of passengers and crew remain its highest priority and that it will provide updates as appropriate.

Gemini-generated image

JAPANESE INVESTORS. More than 130 Japanese business executives and industry representatives join the Philippine Investment Forum at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo on Oct. 5, 2026, as PTIC-Tokyo and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) promote investment opportunities across the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). The forum highlights opportunities in advanced manufacturing, logistics, aviation, energy, digital infrastructure, and other high-value industries, alongside the Philippines’ competitive investment environment and enhanced incentives under the CREATE MORE Act.

Cebu Pacific, AirAsia launch seat sales By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU PACIFIC and AirAsia Philippines launched seat sales this month, offering one-way base fares from P10 and P160, respectively, for domestic and international trips through 2027. Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific’s four-day sale runs from Oct. 8 to 11 and covers all destinations in the promotion. The P10 base fare excludes applicable fees and surcharges, and travel is valid from Feb. 1 to June 30, 2027. The airline said the long travel window lets passengers plan trips to Japan, Vietnam and Palawan. The window covers Japan’s sakura season. Cebu Pacific flies direct from Manila to Sapporo, Narita, Fukuoka and Nagoya. It will start direct CebuNagoya flights on Dec. 1, giving Visayas travelers another route to Japan ahead of spring. Cebu Pacific flies to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang via Manila. Passengers from Cebu can also fly directly to Ho Chi Minh City. AirAsia Philippines’ 10.10 sale runs from Oct. 5 to 11, with travel valid until Aug. 31, 2027. The airline pitched the fares for holiday trips, 2027 vacations and journeys home for Undas. Domestic fares from Manila start at P160 to Kalibo and Bacolod, P250 to Cebu and Tacloban, P260 to Iloilo, P380 to Cagayan de Oro and P430 to Boracay. International fares start at P730 to Kaohsiung, P830 to Macau and P1,390 to Taipei.

DOE targets up to P27b in microgrid investments for 369 remote areas By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy (DOE) said Thursday that energizing 369 un-

served and underserved areas across 23 provinces will require P20 billion to P27 billion in investments. The areas are part of the microgrid competitive bidding, which could benefit more than 100,000 unenergized households. The provinces are Antique, Basilan, Bohol, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Davao Occidental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Lanao del Sur, Marinduque, Masbate, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Palawan, Quezon, Samar, Southern Leyte, Sulu, Surigao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga del Sur. “For families in remote and last-mile communities, electricity means more than keeping the lights on. It supports education, livelihoods, health services, communications, and economic opportunity,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said. “Through microgrid development,

DOE prequalifies 10 firms for natural gas capacity

THE Department of Energy (DOE) said it has prequalified 10 companies to join an auction for 3,840 megawatts (MW) of midmerit capacity from gas-fired power plants, with delivery dates from 2026 to 2031. The DOE, in an advisory, listed three projects of Excellent Energy Resources Inc. in Batangas and the Visayas. LNGPH, an integrated LNG terminal and power project backed by San Miguel Corp., Aboitiz Power Corp. and Meralco PowerGen Corp., controls the company. Four projects of the Razon-Lopez Group also qualified. These are First Natgas Power Corp.’s 420-MW San Gabriel combined-cycle plant, First Gen Ecopower Solutions Inc.’s 600-MW Santa Maria combined-cycle plant, First Gas Power Corp.’s 1,000-MW Santa Rita plant and FGP Corp.’s 500MW San Lorenzo plant. Prime CoreGen, the gas arm of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc., operates the plants, which are in Batangas. Cordova Power Generation Corp. had three plants prequalified, in Luzon, Panay and Cebu. The other bidders are Panasia Energy Inc.’s Bataan combinedcycle plant, Therma Cebu Gas-To-Power Inc.’s Toledo plant, Quezon Power Inc.’s San Francisco plant and Vires Energy Corp.’s gas power project. Alena Mae S. Flores

Angat Dam’s water level declining

WATER levels at Angat Dam, Metro Manila’s main source of potable water, have declined for several days as the country braces for an El Nino drought expected to peak in December. The dam’s water stood at 207.83 meters as of 8 a.m. Thursday, below its high normal level of 210 meters, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

we want to bring reliable and affordable electricity closer to communities that remain unserved, while giving capable investors a clear pathway to help us deliver it,” she said. DOE Power Bureau director Luningning Baltazar said the government should still energize at least 2.1 million households by 2028, as the country is only 95 percent energized. “Our archipelagic nature requires extensive effort in terms of electrifying the many islands that we have,” Baltazar said at the ASEAN Energy Business Forum 2026. “And so far, we are only at 95 percent energized in terms of the households and we are yet to energize — our projection is we need to energize by 2028 at least 2.1 million households. Part of the solution would be the implementation of the microgrid. This is a system that has a generation component together with the distribution, and this generation component must be a combination of a technology that will provide a reliable power to the communities,” said Baltazar.

IN BRIEF (PAGASA) said. The level peaked at 208.82 meters in September. PAGASA listed the Angat sub-basin under a non-flood watch, citing no threat of overspilling or flooding from the dam’s current level. The dam hit a record low of 150.6 meters in July 2026, nearly 10 meters below its critical level. The dam irrigates farmlands in Pampanga and Bulacan and supplies 90 percent of Metro Manila’s tap water. PAGASA’s latest bulletin showed the water level remains within safe operating range. Gene Paul Agapito

Tau Omega Mu to bring medical services to CamSur THE Tau Omega Mu Fraternity and Ladies Circle (TOM) said it will hold free medical, surgical, dental and veterinary clinics in the Camarines Sur towns of Siruma, Pili and Tigaon on Oct. 24 to 25, in coordination with partner healthcare professionals, local government units and civic organizations. The mission targets underserved communities with limited access to healthcare, particularly indigent families, senior citizens, children and persons with disabilities. TOM’s alumni and school-based chapters in Camarines Sur will lead the clinics, supported by alumni doctors traveling from local and overseas locations. The group also encourages fellow Omegans to support the activity through financial contributions, medicines or medical supplies, food and logistical support for volunteers and beneficiaries, or sponsorships. TOM was established at the University of the Philippines Manila in October 1972. It has since expanded to chapters in major universities and colleges nationwide, along with local and overseas alumni chapters.

DIGITAL FARMER.

Edgar Villanueva, a 55-year-old farmer from Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, is one of the first farmers to join the Digital Farmers Program (DFP), an initiative led by the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DAATI) in partnership with PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, in coordination with the provincial government of Davao del Sur-Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Municipal Agriculture Office. Villanueva learned to trust technology and discovered how it complements his knowledge and experience.

Solon seeks answers on recurring water interruptions in Las Piñas LAS Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos asked Maynilad Water Services Inc. to provide firm timelines and measurable solutions to recurring and prolonged water supply interruptions affecting city residents. Speaking at a House Committee on Public Works hearing on Oct. 7, Santos said he first raised the problem in a privilege speech on March 10, 2026. He then filed House Resolution No. 864, which seeks a formal congressional investigation. Santos said repeated explanations about the monsoon season and Laguna Lake’s water quality are no longer enough. “Our constituents deserve concrete solutions, clear accountability and reliable water service,” he said. He said that for months, the interruptions have affected households, businesses and other establishments. Citing the company’s financial disclosures, he said Maynilad earned about P49 billion in consolidated net profit from 2021 to 2025, including P15.2 billion in 2025 alone. He asked why Las Piñas residents still face re-

peated interruptions at that level of profit, how much the company has actually spent to address the problem and when supply will become reliable. Santos also sought an update on the Putatan Water Treatment Plant in Muntinlupa City, which treats raw water from Laguna Lake and supplies southern Metro Manila, including Las Piñas. He asked what upgrades are under way to cope with problems caused by the Amihan season and changes in the lake’s water quality. “Will these upgrades be completed this December, as promised? We need a clear answer and a definite completion date,” he said. Maynilad announced in June 2026 that it is upgrading Putatan Water Treatment Plant 1 by replacing existing ultrafiltration membranes in phases with ceramic ultrafiltration technology. The company said the change is meant to stabilize treatment amid changing raw-water conditions in Laguna Lake.

TRANSPORT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

extrastory2000@gmail.com Darwin G. Amojelar, Issue Editor

DOTr launches third Love Bus route in Davao City THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) has launched the third Love Bus route in Davao City, connecting Toril and Roxas Avenue as part of the government’s efforts to expand accessible and reliable public transportation outside Metro Manila. The new route follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to revive the Love Bus program and extend its services to more cities across the country. Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the new route forms part of the government’s efforts to provide Dabawenyos with safe, reliable, and convenient public transportation.

“President Marcos asked us to bring back the Love Bus and take it to more cities. With the Toril–Roxas route, we are bringing the Love Bus closer to the communities,” Lopez said. The Toril–Roxas route spans 33.73 kilometers and is served by six Love Bus units, with each unit making six trips daily. The route is expected to accommodate an estimated 1,860 passengers per day. Commuters can ride the Love Bus for free during morning peak hours from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and afternoon peak hours from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. under the government’s Libreng Sakay program.

A gift of land, a gain for railway commuters F

OR commuters in southern Metro Manila, a future train station can mean shorter journeys, easier connections and more time spent at home instead of on the road. In Las Piñas City, where a station under the LRT Line 1 South (Cavite) Extension Project is set to rise, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has cleared a crucial hurdle without having to purchase the property. The Villar Group donated about 4,465 square meters of land for the planned Las Piñas Station of the LRT Line 1 South (Cavite) Extension Project—a move that is expected to reduce the government’s financial requirements while helping keep the major rail project moving forward.

LRTA Administrator Hernando T. Cabrera

The donation means the government does not have to spend public funds to acquire the property, allowing those resources to be conserved while another key requirement for the station is addressed. For LRTA Administrator Hernando T. Cabrera, the transaction carries a significance that goes beyond the property itself. “This is a significant milestone for the project as the government is able to secure the property without having to shoulder the cost of acquiring the land,” Cabrera said. He pointed to two immediate benefits: the reduction in the government’s financial requirement for the project and the potential to expedite the completion of the Line 1 South (Cavite) Extension. The successful transfer of the property did not happen overnight. Behind the signing of the contracts was a team from the Line 1 South (Cavite) Extension-Project Management Office that spent weeks coordinating with stakeholders, reviewing documents and working through the technical and legal details

CIAC earns 99.56 percent GCG performance rating THE Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) earned an overall performance rating of 99.56 percent for 2025, its highest score in the past three years, according to the Governance Commission for GovernmentOwned or -Controlled Corporations (GCG). The rating reflects CIAC’s performance in meeting its strategic targets for the year, including employment generated by locators, the completion of new lease agreements and development contracts, and the handling of client and customer feedback. The GCG’s validation also covered the agency’s infrastructure and development initiatives, including the establishment of the Clark Aviation Capital (CAC), as well as personnel competency, disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) planning and the implementation of Gender and Development (GAD) programs. CIAC’s 2025 score improved from 98.93 percent in 2024 and 97.46 percent in 2023, marking a continued

upward trend in the agency’s performance against its strategic commitments. Jojit Alcazar, CIAC president and chief executive attributed the results to the agency’s continued focus on performance, accountability, transparency and good corporate governance. “Management is driven by performance excellence and accountability, and we work doubly hard to ensure transparency and good corporate governance with the guidance of the GCG and our parent company, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), especially in advancing strategic initiatives for the Clark Aviation Capital as our modest contribution to the nation’s economic growth and development,” Alcazar said. The GCG Performance Scorecard is an annual assessment of governmentowned and -controlled corporations based on strategic criteria, targets and corresponding weights.

required to make the donation possible. The LRTA said the process required extensive coordination and work beyond regular office hours. In the final stages, members of the team worked until past midnight on September 10, 2026, to complete preparations for the signing of the donation contracts later that day. The contracts were successfully signed on September 10, formally securing the property for the planned Las Piñas Station. The donated land represents not only a critical property acquisition for the rail project but also an opportunity for the government to conserve public funds that would otherwise have been required for land acquisition. Cabrera subsequently commended the project management team for its efforts in securing the property and advancing the implementation of the LRT Line 1 South (Cavite) Extension. The milestone brings the project closer to completion and is expected to support improved rail connectivity for commuters in Las Piñas and other areas in southern Metro Manila. The LRTA has previously committed to completing the entire LRT-1 Cavite Extension before the end of the Marcos administration’s term in 2028. Phase 1 of the extension connects Baclaran station in Pasay City to Dr. Santos station in Parañaque City through five operational stations: RedemptoristAseana, MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue and Dr. Santos. The remaining Cavite leg, covering Phases 2 and 3, will include three stations yet to be built: Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog. Darwin G. Amojelar

Passengers traveling the full Toril–Roxas route, or the reverse direction, can save P40 per one-way trip by taking advantage of the free service. The new route joins two other Love Bus routes already operating in Davao City: University of MindanaoMatina to Tugbok and Lasang to Sasa via Roxas Avenue. The expansion of the Love Bus service in Davao City is intended to provide commuters with a more affordable transportation option while strengthening the government’s public transport services in the region.

Philippines, Cyprus strengthen maritime cooperation THE Philippines and the Republic of Cyprus have strengthened their maritime cooperation with the signing of a new agreement recognizing seafarer certificates issued by both countries under international standards. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covers the recognition of Certificates of Competency (COCs) and Certificates of Proficiency (COPs) issued in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), as amended. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro signed the agreement for the Philippines, while Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos signed on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus. Under the agreement, qualified seafarers holding recognized certificates may secure Recognition Endorsements that allow them to serve aboard ships flying the flags of either country. The MOU also provides a framework for closer cooperation between the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry. This includes mutual verification of certificates, information exchange and visits to approved facilities to help ensure compliance with international standards on seafarer training, assessment, certification and quality assurance. The agreement is particularly significant for Filipino seafarers, who play an important role in Cyprus’ maritime sector. Kombos noted that more than 15,000 Filipino seafarers were working aboard Cyprus-flagged ships as of last year, underscoring the strong maritime links between the two countries. Cyprus also expressed support for the Manila Declaration, which promotes human rights at sea and seeks to strengthen protections for seafarers, particularly during times of crisis.

PAL extends Mabuhay Miles promo PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) has extended its Great Mabuhay Miles Getaway 2026 promotion through September 30, 2027, while adding more award seats across its domestic and international network. Under the extended promotion, Mabuhay Miles members can redeem flights at mileage rates discounted by as much as 50 percent. Members have until October 12, 2026, to take advantage of the offer. The promotion previously covered travel through March 31, 2027. It now applies to flights from October 15, 2026, through September

30, 2027, giving members more dates to plan their trips. PAL said the promotion has no blackout dates, although redemptions remain subject to seat availability. The mileage discounts vary depending on the destination. Members can get up to 50 percent off redemption rates for domestic destinations, ASEAN cities, Middle East destinations and select international routes. Japan, Korea and Greater China destinations are available at discounts of up to 40 percent, while

flights to Australia, the United States and Canada come with mileage discounts of up to 30 percent. The expanded offer covers destinations across PAL’s network, including Cebu, Davao, Boracay, Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, Hanoi, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Sydney, Melbourne, Dubai, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Toronto. PAL said thousands of award seats are available, providing Mabuhay Miles members with more opportunities to use their accumulated miles for vacations, family reunions and other planned trips.

SHOWBIZ

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com NICKIE WANG, Editor ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer JASPER VALDEZ, Writer

Ian Veneracion (right) and Harvey Bautista anchor a storyline that follows a priest’s search for answers after the death of a young man exposes a wider conspiracy

ITH all six episodes now available, the first chapter of Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence has reached its conclusion. Whether the story continues remains uncertain, but its creators believe there is much more left to tell. The six-episode series returned to the Rein Entertainment YouTube channel, allowing viewers to finally watch its conclusion following its temporary removal from the platform several weeks ago. During a special screening and talkback, director Shugo Praico expressed relief that the episodes were back online and hinted at the possibility of more stories. “We’re just glad that the episodes are back online. And if given the opportunity, if we find the opportunity, we feel there are more stories to tell about this,” Praico shared. The team had gathered far more material than could fit into six episodes, leaving the door open for the series to expand. Nothing has been confirmed, but the creators remain open to continuing the conversation if the opportunity arises. The team also expected Drug War to provoke strong reactions. Anger and criticism were anticipated, but Praico found some of the most memorable responses came from

‘Drug War’ may be far from over

From left: Miggy Jimenez and Harvey Bautista work through a scene with director Shugo Praico during filming of the six-part drama

From left: Shugo Praico, Jonathan Guillermo and Noreen Capili discuss how research, opposing viewpoints and audience reactions shape the series’ treatment of the country’s anti-drug campaign

viewers who were moved by the story and began reconsidering their own beliefs. “Memorable ones are those who are touched by the story,” Praico recalled, referring to conversations with viewers who held different views on the subject but found themselves reflecting on some of their beliefs. That response captures what the creators hoped to achieve: a story that presents different perspectives and allows audiences to connect what they see on screen with experiences they have witnessed, heard about from relatives, or encountered in their communities. Writer Jonathan Guillermo acknowledged that the team knew from the outset they were entering a potentially heated public conversation. “We already had a good idea that

Harvey Bautista portrays a former protégé whose story becomes closely tied to the violence, secrecy and conflicting loyalties examined throughout the drama

we’re entering a potential storm of public opinion where winds blow it to and fro,” Guillermo noted. The possibility of backlash, however, did not alter the writing process. “We were just aware that there will be people who would be angry about it or people who will not like it. And that’s fine. That’s part of the cost of entering the public stories and entering the public discourse,” he added. Writer Noreen Capili stressed that the series was built on research rather than a predetermined narrative. Before writing, the team examined research materials, documentaries, and news reports covering the events that inspired the series. They also sought perspectives from people affected by the drug war and from those who believed the campaign

Andrea Bocelli faces Jordan gig boycott calls over Israel ties

Andrea Bocelli’s Nov. 27 performance in Petra faces opposition from pro-Palestinian groups citing his past appearances and support linked to Israel

PRO-PALESTINIAN groups called on Wednesday for a boycott of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s concert next month in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra over his public support of Israel. Bocelli, who has been blind since age 12, performed in 2022 at a stadium in Tel Aviv before an audience that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the tenor ignoring pro-Palestinian activists’ longstanding calls for a boycott of Israel. Bocelli, 68, also sang in Los Angeles at a fundraiser for a group supporting the Israeli military in 2010. In recent years, Bocelli has also been a rare internationally known musician to perform for US President Donald Trump. “We call on you to boycott Andrea Bocelli’s concert because of his long-standing public support for the Israeli enemy... Do not buy tickets! Demand... the cancellation of the concert,” said the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement in Jordan, one of the joint signatories. “It is unacceptable for Petra—one of the most iconic sites in Jordan and the Arab world—to become a platform for someone who has raised funds for the occupation army,” BDS Jordan added. The Nov. 27 concert is part of Bocelli’s Romanza world tour celebrating his 30-year career. Souha Bawab, the executive director of the association organizing the concert, said it was a chance to “showcase Jordan to the world,” as quoted by corporate news site Travel News Group. She added that the concert would help to “reinforce its status as a destination that combines heritage and cultural experiences.” A UNESCO World Heritage site, the ancient city of Petra is a top destination for foreign tourists in Jordan and is renowned for its monumental temples carved into rose-colored rock. AFP

was necessary to make communities safer. “There were characters who believed na tama lang yung drug war kasi malinis yung lipunan,” Capili explained. The goal was to avoid presenting the issue from a single perspective and instead give viewers a broader view of the people and beliefs surrounding the drug war. That approach allows Drug War to present different perspectives while opening a conversation around an issue that continues to provoke strong emotions and debate. Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence stars Ian Veneracion, Jane Oineza, Harvey Bautista, John Arcilla, Lotlot De Leon, Romnick Sarmenta, Yayo Aguila, Joem Bascon, Ryan Eigenmann, Arthur Acuña, Gabby Padilla, and Miggy Jimenez.

The quest for Mutya ng Pilipinas crown is on THIRTY-SEVEN official candidates of the 58th Mutya ng Pilipinas paraded in swimsuits during the Sashing Ceremony & Press Presentation, held at The Bellevue Manila in Alabang, Muntinlupa, on Sunday. Five more candidates representing the Filipino Overseas Communities are expected to join this year’s batch. The winners of the ‘Mutya ng Bayan’ online award challenge were also announced, presided over by Mutya ng Pilipinas president Cory Quirino. They were Rica Mae Villasana of Camarines Norte (first place), Lyra Punsalan of Davao del Norte (second place), and Patricia Dueñas of Cebu City (third place). Voting for the ‘Mutya La Elegante Filipina’ challenge and ‘Heart of Mutya’ challenge is now open, with the winners to

From left: Cory Quirino joins Rica Mae Villasana, Lyra Punsalan and Patricia Dueñas after the three candidates place first, second and third, respectively, in the ‘Mutya ng Bayan’ online challenge

be announced during the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2026 Charity Gala on Oct. 11. Reigning Mutya ng Pilipinas queens graced the event, led by Miss Intercontinental 2025 4th runner-up Christina Vanhefflin, Miss Global Universe 2026 Lyndzy Maranan, Top Model of the World 2026 2nd runner-up Eunice Deza, Mutya ng Pilipinas 2025 World Top Model Naomi Wainwright, Mutya ng Pilipinas 2025 Kultura Glezette Garcia, and newly crowned Miss Polo Universe Ma. Andrea Endicio. The National Costume Competition will be held tomorrow (Saturday), while the Pre-pageant Competition is on Oct. 11. The Grand Coronation Night will be held at the Playtime FilOil Centre (formerly Fil-Oil Flying V Centre) in San Juan City, Manila, on Oct. 14.

LIFE & SHOW

Megan Lee links new listening options to different parts of a person’s routine, from commuting and working to relaxing at home

By Jasper Valdez

OR many young adults, music now moves with them throughout the day, from earbuds on the commute to speakers at home and setups for gaming, streaming, or spending time with friends. JBL built much of its Sound Amplified event at Élan by the Bay in Parañaque City around those different listening situations, introducing products for portable audio, home entertainment, gaming, and personal listening. The products were presented around different parts of a person’s routine rather than as devices tied to one setting, an approach JBL executive Megan Lee said was meant to address a range of everyday situations. “Today, we launched a huge number of products that target all kinds of lifestyles, whether you’re on the go, in transport, want to relax at home or even just sleep at home,” Lee said. JBL’s Cove line of Wi-Fi speakers best illustrates how the company sees audio setups changing alongside their users, particularly young working professionals with limited space or living in a rented room or condo. “When we target customers for this Cove series, it’s really targeted toward young working professionals who want a Wi-Fi speaker,” the company said during a product demonstration. The setup JBL described starts small: someone renting a room might buy a single speaker, add a second after saving enough for a stereo pair, then eventually use both as rear speakers

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

Guests explore products spanning personal listening, gaming, portable sound and home setups

How audio is following young adults through everyday life after moving into a home and adding a compatible soundbar. The Cove M1, P1, and X1 can operate individually, as stereo pairs, or as part of a multi-room system, allowing that setup to expand without requiring the owner to start over. JBL also framed compatibility as a way of keeping existing equipment useful as a setup grows. “We don’t want customers to keep throwing things away. A lot of times, you buy a new system, and you throw out the old stuff,” the company said, adding that compatible portable speakers could continue serving a purpose in newer setups. The same approach extended beyond home audio, with the Pulse 6 combining portable sound with customizable lighting and ambient sounds, the Tune and Wave earbuds covering listening on the move, and the Quantum line aimed at gaming. PartyBox models, meanwhile, were built around larger gatherings. Grace Koh, another JBL executive at the event, pointed to the social side of listening, where music becomes part of gatherings and other shared experiences. “It is how we want to celebrate, connect, and express the moments together,” Koh said.

FRONT ROW

Grace Koh points to music as part of how FIlipinos connect, celebrate and share experiences across different settings

Larry Secreto presents JBL’s latest audio lineup built around portable listening, home entertainment, gaming and larger social gatherings

Japan wants bigger role in shaping ASEAN’s future

ENHYPEN brings music and immersive production together during its latest Manila appearance

ENHYPEN turns Manila fan meet into concert-sized spectacle

ENHYPEN gives Filipino ENGENEs four performances, including two songs performed in the Philippines for the first time and a surprise encore of ‘SHOUT OUT’

Filipino ENGENEs fill the SM Mall of Asia Arena for a night that combines live performances, 3D visuals and games inspired by local culture

FILIPINO ENGENEs got more than a typical fan meet when Dunkin’ Philippines brought K-pop group ENHYPEN back to Manila for Endless Dunkin’ | Enhypen Fun Meet. Held Oct. 3 at the sold-out SM Mall of Asia Arena, the event traded the usual fan-meet formula for concert-sized production, immersive technology, Filipino-inspired games, and plenty of moments that sent the crowd into a frenzy. From the opening sequence, thousands of ENGENEs were surrounded by LED screens, dramatic lighting, and stage effects that gave the night the scale of a full concert. The production came with a surprise. Fans were handed 3D glasses that transformed the opening sequence into an immersive visual experience, bringing ENHYPEN’s entrance closer to the audience. Then came the music. ENHYPEN performed four songs, opening with “Bloody Paradise” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” both performed in the Philippines for the first time, followed by “XO (Only If You Say Yes).” When fans thought the performance had ended, the group returned for a surprise encore of “SHOUT OUT.” The members urged ENGENEs to stand and sing along, turning the arena into a sea of voices. The night’s biggest cheers were not reserved for the

music. Endless leaned heavily into the group’s connection with Filipino fans through games and activities inspired by local culture. ENHYPEN members took on challenges involving Budots, Tinikling, and the unmistakably Filipino “nguso” gesture, giving fans a playful look at their personalities. Jake delivered another crowd-pleasing moment by reviving a familiar phrase from the group’s previous visit. During ENHYPEN’s last Dunkin’ Fun Meet in the Philippines, Jake’s “Take Me Home” line inspired Dunkin’ Philippines’ Take Me Home campaign. This time, he flipped the sentiment with a playful “I-uwi mo ako,” sending the arena into a wave of kilig. The moment captured what the event was designed to achieve: a celebration of the bond between ENHYPEN and Filipino ENGENEs, with music, humor, and local touches woven throughout the night. Fans left with memories stretching well beyond the performances, from the 3D visuals and Filipino-themed games to the surprise encore and Jake’s crowd-pleasing line. Dunkin’ also extended its familiar role of bringing people together, this time through an experience shared by thousands of fans and one of K-pop’s biggest groups.

By Angelica Villanueva FOR decades, Japanese companies have built factories, created jobs, and established business networks across Southeast Asia. As ASEAN looks toward 2045, these companies are looking beyond investment as they seek a larger role in strengthening the region’s supply chains, digital economy, green transition, and workforce development over the next two decades. The Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA) outlined the direction during its 18th dialogue with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn in Manila on Sept. 18, presenting policy recommendations tied to the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. “Japanese investors are not investors from outside. They have been working with us for a very long time already as part of the community in ASEAN member states,” Kao said. FJCCIA represents 7,420 Japanese companies across ASEAN. Its latest survey, which drew 1,041 valid responses, found that 52 percent of companies are expanding or considering expanding their investments in the region. About 63 percent have partnerships with local companies, while 74 percent have appointed local employees to management or department-head positions. “Japanese companies are not merely external investors. As ‘ASEAN Citizens’ deeply rooted in local communities, we want to build prosperity together with ASEAN toward 2045,” From left: FJCCIA chairman Shigeru Shimoda, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and JETRO president Susumu Kataoka discuss closer cooperation on supply chains, sustainability, digital policy and workforce development

said Shigeru Shimoda, FJCCIA chairman and president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines. The federation proposed four areas for closer cooperation: resilient supply chains and connectivity, a greener economy and sustainable industries, digital development and artificial intelligence governance, and inclusive growth supported by stronger movement and development of skilled workers. Among its recommendations are further digitalization of trade procedures through the ASEAN Single Window, closer monitoring of non-tariff measures, and wider cross-border renewable energy trade. FJCCIA also called for common approaches to AI governance, trusted cross-border data flows, and guidelines that would make it easier for skilled workers and intra-company transferees to move within ASEAN. Shimoda described the approach as “integrated resilience,” arguing that supply chains, green transformation, digitalization, and human capital need to advance together. The survey also showed how closely Japanese businesses have become tied to regional operations. About 77 percent of respondents reported production division, trade, or collaboration with bases in other ASEAN countries, while 48 percent said their ASEAN operations have become more strategically important compared with five years ago. Kao said the priorities raised by Japanese businesses closely align with ASEAN’s work on supply chains, sustainable industrial development, the digital economy, and human capital. “As in Japan, cooperation should increasingly move from shared priorities and recommendations to implementation and co-creation,” Kao said. Meanwhile, JETRO president Susumu Kataoka said closer coordination has become more important amid U.S.-China tensions, conflicts in the Middle East, and growing protectionist measures. Kataoka described the current environment as an “era of permanent disruption,” adding that Japan and ASEAN need to deepen cooperation and coordination as trusted partners. FJCCIA has held its dialogue with the ASEAN secretary-general annually since 2008, providing Japanese businesses with a channel to raise regional economic and policy concerns.

LIFE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com NICKIE WANG, Editor ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer JASPER VALDEZ, Writer

Enchanted Kingdom turns 31 with new attraction experience, OPM concert

The flying theater expands its educational focus with an immersive walkthrough on the Philippine eagle, its habitat, and the conservation efforts surrounding the critically endangered species

ENCHANTED Kingdom is marking its 31st anniversary with an expanded AGILA The EKsperience: SARIBUHAY, giving guests a deeper look at Philippine biodiversity while bringing a night of OPM performances to the theme park. The second set of enhancements to the awardwinning flying theater will be unveiled on Oct. 17 as part of EK’s Fiesta ng Saribuhay anniversary celebration. Among the additions is Kwento ng Agila, an immersive walkthrough at the entrance of the AGILA building. The experience takes guests behind the attraction’s creation, exploring its inspiration, architectural symbolism, and development by an all-Filipino team.

Augmented reality and new interactive elements deepen the attraction’s focus on Philippine biodiversity and the country’s natural heritage

The walkthrough also introduces guests to the Philippine eagle, or Agila, its natural habitat, and the species that share its ecosystem. It traces the bird’s lifecycle while drawing attention to its critically endangered status. EK’s conservation efforts include its adoption and continued support for the care and breeding of Enchanting Kagitingan, a male Philippine eagle, in partnership with the Philippine Eagle Foundation. The experience continues beyond the atrium lobby, where augmented reality features will bring the landing queue leading to the Enchanted Forest to life through guests’ smartphones. EK has also revamped PUGAD, its in-house concept store, combining entertainment and learning

to extend the AGILA experience beyond the attraction itself. Existing AGILA facilities will remain operational, while the newly updated areas will officially open on Oct. 17. Nearly a decade after its debut, AGILA The EKsperience: SARIBUHAY was reimagined in October 2025 with a stronger focus on sustainability and the country’s natural heritage. In January 2026, it was named Best ASEAN New Tourism Attraction by the ASEAN Tourism Association. OPM stars headline anniversary concert The anniversary celebrations will reach a high point on Oct. 17 with the Fiesta ng Saribuhay Concert at the Spaceport Grounds.

Award-winning R&B hitmaker Dionela, rising P-pop girl group XONARA, indie band Sacred Red, and other emerging artists will perform alongside EK’s homegrown talents, SMS, and Kingsmen. The evening will end with Lipad ng Agila: A Pyromusical Fiesta, featuring pyrotechnic displays and imagery inspired by the anniversary celebration. The Fiesta ng Saribuhay Anniversary Parade will also take place every weekend throughout October, with EK Storyverse characters appearing across the park’s themed zones. On Oct. 17, street dancers will join the parade ahead of the concert. For those looking to get active, Run to 31: Takbo ng Saribuhay will take place on Oct. 11 in partnership with the United RSBS Boulevard Stakeholders Federation. The fun run will feature 1.5K, 3K, and 5K routes, with registration available through the EK Online Store. EK’s homegrown performers are also joining the anniversary festivities with new music. P-pop girl group SMS will release its rendition of Lipad, while Kingsmen has re-recorded a festive version of Saribuhay. Both songs will be available on major streaming platforms. Food and cultural activities will also take over the park during the anniversary month. The Ube-Matcha Festival, running Oct. 14 to 18 at the Agila Grounds, will combine local flavors with popular favorites, while Palarong Pinoy will feature traditional Filipino street games. EK has also expanded its food options with new tenant partners, including Minimelts, which launched in September, and Mango Royal, which opened Oct. 3.

What real strength means

T IS empowering to watch women looking their best walk into a room knowing that they have already lived through challenges that no one in the audience may ever fully know. At a recent event in Makati, I watched women my age take the runway, each representing a different story, profession, family situation, and season of life. They were dressed beautifully, certainly, but what struck me was not the getup. It was the realization that there is no single way to define a strong woman. We often talk about women as if strength has a uniform or a certain look. We imagine the woman who can handle everything, who never breaks

Personal growth and changing priorities form part of the broader conversation as Kim Molina joins women sharing different ideas of success and strength

Different careers and stages of life shape the event’s message, with Megan Young among the women showing that resilience can take many forms

down, who manages a career, raises a family, builds a business, and somehow makes it all look effortless. Over time, I was able to realize that real strength is much more complicated. For some women, strength means being the breadwinner while still finding time to be a mother. For others, it means raising a child on their own and having the courage to ask for help when they need it. It can mean starting over, changing careers, stepping into an unfamiliar industry, or simply deciding that the person you were five years ago does not have to be the person you remain today. I thought about this while watching women like Ely Halig and Twinkle Dimayuga share their stories. Ely, a solo working mother, advertising professional, breadwinner, and competitive padel player, represents the woman who refuses to believe that motherhood means giving up the other parts of herself.

Balancing motherhood, a demanding career, and competitive sport, Ely Halig reflects how women can continue pursuing goals beyond any single role

Building a support system becomes part of Twinkle Dimayuga’s approach to solo motherhood through her work helping other mothers face similar challenges

Twinkle’s journey as a solo mother and her work with MAMA, Mothers Advocating through Ministry and Action, offered the idea that strength does not always mean carrying everything alone. Sometimes, strength is building a community and allowing other people to carry a piece of the load. There were women like Aubrey Miles, Carlyn Ocampo, Fuschia Anne Ravena, Kim Molina, Max Collins, and Megan Young, each with her own career, identity, and journey. Some of them are celebrities. Different women. Different lives. Different definitions of success. This is what I found most inspiring. Women are made of so many things at once. We can be ambitious and nurturing, independent and deeply connected to others, exhausted and still hopeful, and afraid yet still willing to try. We can change our minds. We can outgrow old versions of ourselves. We can carry responsibilities that are invisible to everyone

else and still make room for joy. There is also something beautiful about the fact that strength does not always look strong. Sometimes, it looks like starting again. Sometimes, it looks like saying no. Sometimes, it looks like asking for help. Sometimes, it looks like choosing yourself without feeling guilty about it. There are times it simply looks like getting up the next morning and doing what needs to be done. That was the theme behind Tecno’s “Make It Lighter: The Living Cover Runway,” which presented these women not just as models, but as living covers of their own stories. The new Camon Slim 5G model may have been the technology in focus during the evening, but for me, the women were the real story. Technology can make life lighter in practical ways, but women have long been finding ways to carry life, reinvent it, power through it, and make something meaningful out of it.

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