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TRUMP WANTS ZELENSKY REPLACED ON DIESEL ISSUE

EALA, SONMEZ TEAM UP AT WUHAN OPEN

WORLD / A6

SPORTS / A8

NEWS / A7

ISRAEL CONTINUES Gomez, Aguda out; new TO POUND HEZBOLLAH

PCO head: Lino Cayetano

VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •

WORLD / A6

PNP resurrecting probe into PCSOalarmed official's over slay Marcos China ‘funding’ Sara By Katrina Manubay and Jimbo Gulle

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. announced yesterday the appointment of People’s Television Network general manager Lino Cayetano as Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary even as he also

Lino Cayetano

Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm

By Rio N. Araja

Palace orders probe, 'could be nat’l security issue if true’ T HE Philippine National Police (PNP) is reopening its investigation into By Katrina Manubay the murder of and2020 Rex Espiritu Philippine Charity RESIDENT Ferdinand Sweepstakes Office Marcos Jr. secretary yesterday (PCSO) board warned that allegations Wesley Barayuga.

that Vice President Sara Duterte PNP Chief Police andOnherSunday, husband, Manases General Rommel Francisco MarCarpio, millions of of bil said hereceived ordered the reopening the cold caseChina, after could whistleblower pesos from pose a Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told threat to the country's national the House Quad Committee that he security. helped carry out the killing at the

DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'

Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as Robin floats 'Julian' strengthens

VOL. XL • NO. 240 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026 •

behest of ex-PCSO general manager “ThisGarma. is a different matter altoRoyina gether. We arenarrated talking about sovMendoza beforetheconereignty ofhow the Republic,” Marcos said gressmen Garma allegedly faduring athe press briefing in Singapore, cilitated PCSO official’s roadside referring to allegations raised by forassassination on July 30, 2020 by mer senator Trillanes III last providing theAntonio necessary information week. his schedule, details about his about “Theand mostthe disturbing aspect of ittois vehicle funding necessary the Chinese carry it out. money that now rises to a national security issue,also if itimplicated is true. If it The whistleblower is true, it is aNational national security incumbent Police issue,” Comhe added. Edilberto Leonardo in the missioner Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast planning of the murder. Guard deployed aircraft and vessels Barayuga was a retired policeto Next page general and lawyer who supposedly threatened to expose corruption within the PCSO shortly before he was shot dead in Mandaluyong City. Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Colonel, allegedly gained the top spot at the PCSO because of her in-

PAGASA

minority impeach trial boycott

THE government has readied P1.48 billion worth of aid for communities that may be hit hard by typhoon ‘Julian’ which PAGASA says could turn into a supertyphoon. As of 5:00 PM on Sunday, PASENATOR RobinTropical Padilla inCyclone a radio GASA raised interview on Sunday and his Wind Signal No. 3 said overheBatanes alliedthesenators mightportion skip the imand northeastern of Bapeachment trial of Vice President buyan Islands. Sara Duterte.is forecast to continue “’Julian’ Padilla, in the dzBB intensifying overSuper the Radyo next 24-36 interview, added that senators in hours as it moves towards Batanes the minority bloc had not discussed and/or Babuyan Islands. With the skippingtrend the trial, a discussion current in but its such intensification, Next page couldpossibility take place soon. the of reaching super typhoon category is not ruled out,” PAGASA said in its advisory. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 1.9 million family food packs worth P1.48 billion, other food items worth P276 million, and non-food items (NFIs) worth P919 million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Some P171 million in standby fund is also available for utilization by the DSWD, including P123 million which can be allotted as Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the central office of the DSWD. In Batanes, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) advised residents to secure their roofs and install window shutters as Typhoon Julian is expected to make landfall Next page

A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio Gonzales and David Suarez presented this matrix during the last QUAD Comm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael Yang, then economic adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in the drug tradeVOTE and extrajudicial killings. OF CONFIDENCE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. describes the P44.5 billion investment of Mitsubishi Corporation into Ayala Corporation as a vote of confidence in the country’s economy. The President met with officials of both conglomerates in Singapore where he is on an official visit. Story on B4. PCO

PH lobbies UN for Security Council seat

Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry 3 Pinoys among scores hurt in Houthi attack on Riyadh airport THE legal counsel of Chinese businessman Tony Yang sought to disparage lawmakers’ conclusions about his client’s supposedly sketchy past and his alleged ties with Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators (POGOs) and even organized crime. Lawyer Raymond Fortun questioned the House Quad Committee’s impartiality and its ability to pin Chinese national Yang down for ay wrongdoing in a real criminal court. “I am very interested in how they [Quad Comm members] can prove this criminal network in court. In Congress, lawmakers act as both prosecutor and judge,” he said. Yang, who already admitted having a fake Philippine birth certificate, is the brother of Michael Yang, a presidential economic

adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Fortun, a lawyer who often finds ALL SET. The himself at the center venue ofhigh-profile the cases, apparentlyNational sought Board to mock congressmen, calling their probe of Canvassers “unacceptable.” is all ready for However, House argued themembers tally of the the they did not come results by theirofsuspicions vote for senators about Yang recklessly. andDeputy party-list at On Friday, Senior Speaker Manila Aurelio GonzalesTent Jr. City, of Pampanga Hotel. Danny and Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Pata Quezon presented a matrix showing Yang’s first appearance and his subsequent activities at the Quad Comm hearing. “We saw a pattern, and we tracked it to the top of these corporations... we stripped it of its layers , to get to the top and through it all, we have discovered and identified at least two main actors or players in the issue

Navy spokes debunks China claim Commission of military exercises in Truth Scarborough shoal Pinoy among 13 nabbed in drug lauds ICC ruling By Rex Espiritu By Darwin Amojelar bust of 521 kilos of shabu in Laos Rody fit for trial BUSTED. Laotian authorities present three suspects who were arrested in a drug

THE Philippine government on Sunday publicly called for the Unitof illegal drugs and illegal activities ed Nations (UN) to give it a seat on associated with POGOs,” Suarez said the UN Security Council, highlightin a mixture of Filipino and English. ing the country’s strong record and The solons explained how the dedication to upholding the rule of matrix details Yang’s connections to law. other individuals involved in illicit Department of Foreign Affairs activities, including the operations of for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reBy Vito Barcelo (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo in illegal POGOs. ported stranded in Manila following a speech delivered at the UN GenAmongFilipinos the companies implicated flight cancellations triggered by atTHREE were among 300 eral Assembly in New York said the are Brickhartz Technology Inc. tacks on King Khalid International injured while 12 persons were killed Philippines continues to emphasize and Technology Co. Ltd., Airport. in a Xionwei Houthi attack on King Khathe “importance of upholding the which are being Airport linked to The incident was the third reported lid International in alleged Riyadh, rule of law and the integrity of the kidnapping. attack on the airport within a week, Saudi Arabia, Department of Migrant multilateral system in the face of toThe (DMW) two firms supposedly according to Workers day’s global challenges.” have connections the DMW. Secretary Hans with the Baofu Quoted by reports, Manalo also Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, The DMW Leo Cacdac consaid: “The Philippines has consiswhich, in turn, can be directly traced is expected to firmed Sunday. tently pursued peace, the sovereign to disgraced Alice Guo. provide addiCacdac ex-mayor said equality of states, the rights and digFriday’s Quad Comm tional informatheDuring DMW would all persons.” hearing, tion on the conWORLD /nity A6Heofadded provide lawmakers further cited Tony Yang that the country is also in contempt dition of the updates on for the“lying” to about his recognized as the “first Asian Rebusinesses and business partners. injured Filipiinjured Filipinos nos and the assistance being extended Next page within the day. Next page to them. Meanwhile, around 10,000 overNext page seas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound

12 dead as Houthi strikes Riyadh airport

bust at the Luang Prabang International Airport. Inset shows another suspect being taken into custody at the airport. Screengrab from Malaysia’s The Star BAUTISTA

TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime Bautista denied an online news report claiming Malacañang was angry By Rio that N. Araja, with the increase in airport fees without Vince Lopez the approval of the Cabinet members. and Katrina Manubay “The Bilyonaryo article is malicious and unfounded,” Bautista said THE Philippine Drug Enforcement in a Viber message, referring to the Agency that on Sunday confirmed arwebsite published the saidthe story. rest of a Filipino at an airport Laos “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” heinadded. on Bilyonaryo Oct. 1, alongreported with 12 other onlinepeople that suspected and in transporting 521 kilos in of “Bautista his long-time protege shabu in a Airlines, private jetUndersecretary bound for Manila. Philippine for Meanwhile, the Philippine NationAviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are al the Police (PNP) is coordinating at center of the storm after it with was authorities in Laos and Malaysia to Next verify claims that that private jetpage in-

THE Philippine Navy debunked on Sunday the recent announcement by China that it conducted military exercises off Bajo de tercepted in Laos carrying suspected Masinloc, illegal drugsalso wasknown bound as forScarborthe Philough Shoal, in the West Philipippines. pine (WPS).development, Vice In Sea a related China madeexpressed the anPresident reportedly Sara Duterte nouncement with the concern aboutcoinciding the Philippines’ alfourth Multilateral Coleged association withMaritime regional drug operative trafficking. Activity between the Philippines, Japan,a The Filipino Australia, reportedly booked New Zealand, thebefore United flight on Sept. 23,and a week the States Manila’sInternational exclusive bust at within Luang Prabang economic Airport. zone (EEZ) in the regional waters overFrederick the weekend. Lawyer Joseph Calulut, Philippine Navy PDEA spokesman, saidSpokesperson however, they for WPS Rear Admiral Roy NextVinpage

cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did not monitor any such activity, adding that Beijing’s statement was meant only for its Philippine internal audience. THE Truth Commission “Our did by notanobserve welcomedtroops the ruling Internaany exercise, we have to that undertional Criminal Court (ICC) forstand that sometimes, China mer President Rodrigo Duterte is is fit doing this forfor their audito stand trial the internal case of crimes ence, For pending them notbefore to look againstright? humanity the weak and embarrassed,” Trinidad court. said. In a statement over the weekend, Chinese a warships theTwo Commission, civilian-led were indemonitored at a distance pendent body that seeks to ranging uncover from eight to 14 nautical miles. the truth about Duterte’s Drug War, One of these went up to said the decision allows the1,000 longyards at trial the to MMCA site but evenawaited proceed. tually went away. “Itremoves was not “The court’s decision the threatening, just normal,” last major obstacle to a trialaccordthat the Next Next page page

AWARD. Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, was honored by the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) with its Outstanding Filipino Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail development. (From left to right): PRA Director and Director of SM Retail Jorge T. Mendiola, PRA Vice President and President and COO of Golden, ABC, Inc. (The Penshoppe Group) Alice T.NAVAL Liu, SM Prime Holdings DANCE Chairman ofCOMPETITION. the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy, LAPresident STREET One of seventeen PRA and of Quorum Inc.Dance (Toby’sCompetition Sports) Roberto groups shows its Chairman wares in the first VivaInternational, La Naval Street held S.as Claudio, Director and President of Sportshouse Inc. and part ofand thePRA annual celebration of La Naval in Quezon Int’l. City.Leisure, QC Government proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua

NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ADB offers $500-m loan for super El Niño response ADB Country Director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries said the government can draw from the bank’s standby emergency facility if the

weather event results in a disaster requiring immediate financial support. “We have existing standby emergency assistance facilities that can

be drawn down by the government if needed,” Jeffries said on the sidelines of the ARANGKADA Forum 2026. The facility, known as the Disaster Risk Improvement Project 2 (DRIP 2), provides short-term financing after disasters. Part of it has been drawn previously, but it remains replenishable and available for future emergencies, he said. Jeffries said the bank could deploy the facility upon the government’s request, particularly if authorities declare a state of emergency. For now, the government is not projecting a

Marcos...

is one less thing that I have to worry about. But if it is true, it is a threat at the highest level to the Republic,” Mr. Marcos said. The President cited investigations initiated by the Department of National Defense into the allegations. The National Security Council also said it would examine the reported financial inflows and coordinate with intelligence and investigative agencies to assess any national security implications. “The NSC will look into the information presented and, as a matter of policy, continue to task the intelligence and investigative agencies and coordinate with relevant government institutions to assess the national security implications, if any, arising from the reported transactions,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban Jr. said. Duterte’s spokesperson, lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo, rejected the allegations, saying the claim that the Vice President had links to China because of the reported funding was baseless. “There was a donation from the Chinese government to the Tapang at Malasakit Foundation, and the Vice President is one of the trustees. Does that automatically mean the Chinese government is supporting the Vice President?” Panelo said. “What if it was used to build

classrooms? Or what if it was used for charitable purposes and there is proof?” he added. ‘A new phase of escalation’ The allegations surfaced amid heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over the WPS, where Mr. Marcos said China’s reported obstruction of a medical evacuation at Ayungin Shoal appeared to signal “a new phase of escalation.” In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times on Oct. 8, Mr. Marcos rejected claims that the Philippines was acting aggressively toward China, saying Manila was defending its territory and sovereign rights rather than initiating conflict. “We have never been aggressive in any way whatsoever,” he said. “What is the aggression in that? We are just showing what is happening. We are not making up a story. It’s not propaganda. It’s a fact, and it’s very hard to argue with the truth,” Marcos added. He said the Philippines would not abandon its maritime claims to ease tensions with Beijing. “To say aggressive, aggressive is to go out and initiate some kind of conflict. We have never done that. We are there, we are sitting in our country, and all we do is defend our rights, defend our territory,” he said. Mr. Marcos warned that an error by a sailor or soldier could trigger a

confrontation that neither side could control. “My greatest fear is that some seaman, some soldier, just makes a mistake. And that mistake turns into something that goes out of control,” he said at the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore on Thursday. He said the Philippines remained committed to negotiations with China and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea to prevent dangerous encounters. “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,” Mr. Marcos said. “We are determined to come to an agreement and to hopefully de-escalate the situation,” he added. No surrendering territorial claims ASEAN and China aim to conclude negotiations on the code by the end of 2026. Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said in July that ASEAN was working toward an effective and substantive agreement within the year. Mr. Marcos stressed that de-escalation would not mean surrendering Philippine territorial claims or maritime entitlements.

“It is very, very clear that these areas are part of Philippine sovereign territory, and also part of our economic zone,” he said. Marcos said Manila’s position on freedom of navigation and overflight was consistent with international law and shared regional principles. “And so, no, I do not feel that it somehow separates or puts us in a different place than our neighbors and our partners in ASEAN,” he said. Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the military’s WPS spokesman, said the Chinese buildup sought to weaken Filipinos’ resolve to defend the country’s maritime interests. “It’s called mission kill. It seeks to destroy your capability to continue the mission,” Trinidad said. At Hubo Reef, also known as Hardy Reef, a PCG aircraft issued multiple radio challenges to the ship, but received no response. The agency said it observed no submersible or other equipment deployed in the water during the overflight. The PCG traced the vessel’s entry into the Philippine EEZ to Oct. 9 and said it had stopped transmitting automatic identification system signals before resuming transmission. Its declared estimated arrival date of Oct. 17 suggested it planned to remain in the area for at least another week.

confirmed the resignation of Secretary Henry Aguda from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Mr. Marcos also confirmed Sunday the departure of Secretary Henry Aguda from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) during a press briefing in Singapore, as the administration considers possible replacements for the post. The President also ruled out an immediate return of Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to the Department of Transportation. “As we sit here together today, no, he’s not moving,” Mr. Marcos said.

Asked about the transition at the PCO, the President said an interim official would take over. The change, he added, would take effect “when we get back. It’s really just a question of formalizing everything.” Before his PTV stint, Cayetano served as Taguig City mayor from 2019 to 2022 and represented the city’s second congressional district from 2013 to 2016. He had a public falling out with his brother, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, over several issues. The senator or his sister, opposition Sen. Pia Cayetano, have yet to react to their younger sibling’s appointment as of press time. Lino Cayetano has openly and publicly distanced himself from his older brother's political statements.

This includes Lino telling Alan "Tama na, Alan" ("That's enough, Alan") and apologizing to the Aquino family over Alan's political tirades, as well as publicly disagreeing with Alan's remarks on corruption and vote-buying. The public tension continued when Lino challenged his brother's proposal for a mass resignation and snap election, stating that the family should lead by example and give up power. Lino Cayetano was named GM of the state-run PTV-4 in June, an appointment that Marcos officials previously stressed had no political motive or connection to his siblings' stances in the Senate. Ombudsman probe part of Remulla disclosure Meanwhile, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla first broke Aguda’s resignation on his radio program on

Saturday. The President said Remulla disclosed the DICT chief’s departure before the Palace could formally announce it. “Yes, but we were holding it back until we found the … replacement,” Mr. Marcos said during a Kapihan interview in Singapore, where he is winding up a five-day working visit. The President did not identify Aguda’s replacement or explicitly say that the investigation was the reason for his resignation. He hinted that Remulla’s disclosure was related to the progress of the Ombudsman’s probe into alleged ghost connectivity projects at the DICT. “I think that is because of the investigation that he’s conducting,” Mr. Marcos said, adding the Palace and the Office of the Ombudsman had approached

the matter separately, resulting in the uncoordinated announcements. Aguda, who assumed office in March 2025 and succeeded Ivan Uy, leaves amid public criticism over the DICT’s temporary blocking of the Discord platform and an Ombudsman investigation into alleged irregularities in the government’s Free Wi-Fi program. Among those being considered to succeed Aguda are DICT Undersecretary for e-Government David Almirol Jr., former presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center executive director Aboy Paraiso. Almirol, founder of software development firm Multisys Technologies, has experience in software engineering, system architecture and digital platform development.

Truth...

Robin... From A1

families of those killed during Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘drug war’ have waited years to see,” said Carlos Conde, Truth Commission commissioner and spokesman. On October 8, the ICC’s Trial Chamber III bared a September 28 decision that Duterte is fit to stand trial set to begin on November 30. He said the ruling means Duterte will finally face the charges against him in open court, allowing the evidence and testimonies related to the killings accompanying his drug war to be presented. Conde noted that an independent panel of experts unanimously found Duterte understands the case against him and can help his lawyers prepare his defense, adding that the ruling means the former President can no longer invoke health reasons to delay or stop the proceedings. He said the proceedings would provide a chance to establish what happened during the anti-drug campaign. The Truth Commission, chaired by former ICC Judge Raul C. Pangalangan, was organized by church and civic leaders in May to document human rights violations in Duterte’s drug war, honor the victims, provide a forum for closure among their families, advance accountability and institutional reform, strengthen human rights and the rule of law, and contribute to national healing and lasting peace.

“There has been no such discussion yet, but it may happen soon,” Padilla said. He also opposed the Senate impeachment court’s ruling that the twothirds voting threshold should be based on the number of senators who are “legally and factually participating in the impeachment proceedings.” “There have been many surprising developments. Let us not identify whether we belong to the minority or majority bloc because it would not look good if we engaged in politics while an impeachment trial is ongoing. We believe in upholding the Constitution,” Padilla said. “We do not want the law to be distorted. If the distortion of the law does not stop, the time may come when we will no longer attend

pressed disappointment over Padilla’s statement, emphasizing that attending the impeachment trial is a senator’s constitutional duty, regardless of political affiliation. “It is unfortunate that they have that attitude because this is a constitutional duty. Regardless of your party or political allies, it is your duty to be there, hear the case, and decide on it,” Flores said. He added that senators who believe the proceedings are flawed should challenge the ruling before the Supreme Court, saying their absence reflects on them as lawmakers. Flores also described the decision of some senators to follow the proceedings online from their offices instead of attending in person as an “insult to the impeachment court,” stressing that participation in the trial is an obligation of every senator. With Ram Superable

3 Pinoys...

From A1

the proceedings." Earlier this week, Padilla and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go filed a petition asking the Supreme Court (SC) to nullify the Senate impeachment court’s ruling on the voting threshold. In a petition for certiorari and prohibition, the senators and the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) asked the SC to issue a status quo ante order or a temporary restraining order directing the impeachment court and the House of Representatives to refrain from excluding any senator from the count of “all members of the Senate” under the Constitution. “The Constitution does not count only the senators it finds convenient. It says ‘all,’ and ‘all’ has never meant ‘some.’ Two-thirds of 24 is 16,” the petitioners said. In a separate radio interview with dzBB, House prosecution panel member Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores exterrorist group." No official confirmation of Pinoy arrest -- PNP PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said the police have yet to receive official information confirming the alleged arrest of a Filipino passenger aboard the jet, which was intercepted in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Oct. 1, 2026. Speaking at a press briefing at Camp Crame, Co said authorities have yet to establish whether the aircraft was headed for the Philippines, noting that the claim came from Laotian officials. "There is nothing official about (the report). It was the claim of the Laotian or Malaysian authorities that

it’s bound for the Philippines, not to Manila, so we are verifying and we are already coordinating through the proper channels with the Laotian and Malaysian authorities,” he said. Co also said investigators would examine the aircraft’s flight plan and other records to determine whether it was scheduled to fly to the Philippines after stopping in Laos. "It is not enough to simply claim that the plane was headed here. We need to establish whether it actually flew from Malaysia to Laos and whether it had a flight plan indicating that it was en route here (in the Philippines). That is what we will be checking and verifying," he pointed out.

By Othel V. Campos

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is prepared to make up to $500 million in emergency financing available to the Philippines if the projected Super El Niño causes significant damage to the economy and agriculture, a bank official said.

From A1

challenge Chinese deep-sea research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao, which it said was operating without Philippine authorization inside the country’s exclusive economic zone near Hubo Reef in the West Philippine Sea. PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment on Sunday, Oct. 11. The vessel was spotted about 5.63 nautical miles west-northwest of Hubo Reef and continued to declare restricted maneuverability and diving operations, the agency said. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that China had not sought Philippine consent to conduct marine scientific research in the EEZ. ‘A threat at the highest level’ During Duterte’s impeachment trial, the Anti-Money Laundering Council confirmed that a company linked to the Vice President and her husband received P319 million from China and Hong Kong. The transactions were raised during proceedings on Article II of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth, among other allegations. “Nothing would make me happier than proof that it is not true. Then it

Gomez,... From A1

Pinoy... From A1

cannot confirm yet if the seized drugs would be dumped in the Philippines or transshipped to another country. He said the PDEA is coordinating with its foreign counterparts regarding the case. Calulut said it is not yet clear if the arrested Filipino was acting as a drug mule. While the PDEA has some initial details on the Filipino suspect, he said the agency cannot make them public. He said the PDEA is "pushing for the classification of drug rings as a

need to tap the funding. He said Super El Niño poses a near-term risk, with effects expected mainly in the fourth quarter and the first quarter of 2027 before the weather cycle subsides. The potential economic damage remains uncertain. ADB’s economic research team is studying the impact but has yet to produce an estimate of losses from the prolonged dry spell, Jeffries said. Some parts of the country are already experiencing reduced rainfall,

raising concerns over the impact on agriculture and other economic activities, he said. Jeffries said the weather shock could also complicate monetary policy as authorities balance elevated inflation against slowing economic growth. The ADB’s regular assistance to the Philippines focuses largely on longerterm programs to improve agricultural productivity and resilience, while the emergency facility provides immediate financing after a major disaster.

From A1

The incident has raised concerns over the safety and welfare of OFWs in Saudi Arabia, which hosts a substantial number of Filipino workers. The department has yet to disclose the identities, employment details and medical conditions of the three injured Filipinos. Operations at Riyadh's international airport remain suspended following fatal attacks on the facility, a senior aviation source in the Saudi capital told Agence France Presse (AFP), after authorities announced a temporary closure the night before. "Riyadh airport has suspended operations again today. They informed us of this at dawn," the source said. Air traffic monitor Flightradar24 also noted the suspension, saying "the closure of Riyadh Airport has been extended by another 24 hours, until 21:00 UTC today,” in a statement posted on X. Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh amid security concerns and disruptions to airport operations. Those stranded include both homecoming and departing OFWs, many of whom are household service workers. Authorities and airlines are expected to keep monitoring security conditions before determining when normal flight operations and worker deployment can resume.

NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

MST.DAYDESK@GMAIL.COM

HAPPY SUNDAY. Quezon City residents enjoy a car-free, carefree Sunday along Tomas Morato, taking part in jogging, Zumba, cycling and other exercises, with the Quezon City Housing, Community Development and Resettlement Department (HCDRD) leading the program.

‘More PH-Singapore tech partnerships’ IN BRIEF P By Katrina Manubay

Phivolcs monitors Strombolian activity over Mt. Mayon

MAYON Volcano in Albay recorded minor Strombolian activity, characterized by brief, mild explosions, early Sunday, producing a 500-meter plume that drifted west-northwest. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded ash emissions at 1:28 a.m. and 5:15 a.m. The plumes rose 400 meters and 600 meters, respectively, before drifting northwest and west. The explosive eruption lasted two minutes Saturday, from 12:46 p.m. to 12:48 p.m. Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said the eruption opened a pathway for gases and volcanic materials to escape, carrying fine ash upward. Meanwhile, ashfall from Kanlaon Volcano affected several areas in Negros Occidental. Residents within its four-kilometer permanent danger zone had evacuated. Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 2 as Phivolcs assesses whether to raise its alert status. Rio N. Araja

Official warns Nazareno devotion is being exploited

A FORMER rector of Quiapo Church has warned that devotion to Jesus Nazareno is being exploited for profit, urging Church leaders to protect its spiritual integrity. “As shepherds, we must safeguard the devotion and the name of the Nazareno because, frankly, it is being used to make money,” said Balanga Bishop Rufino Sescon Jr. at the first National Conference of Spiritual Directors of Jesus Nazareno Devotees in Quezon City. Sescon urged devotees to go beyond religious rituals and become missionary disciples who proclaim the Gospel and bring others closer to Christ. He also cautioned against measuring devotion by physical suffering during the annual Jan. 9 Traslacion, saying genuine vows are measured by love. The bishop called on priests and pastoral leaders to establish formation programs that deepen faith and promote evangelization and service. He said genuine devotion also involves prayer, regular Mass attendance, fidelity to personal vows and Christian living. The conference gathered 40 priests from dioceses nationwide and lay leaders to strengthen devotees’ spiritual formation and participation in the Church’s mission. Vito Barcelo

DFA: No Filipinos reported injured in Panama quake NO Filipino nationals have been reported injured or killed following two earthquakes that struck Panama, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed Sunday. DFA spokesperson Analyn Ratonel said the update came in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Mexico. The embassy remains in contact with Filipinos in Panama through the Philippine Honorary Consulate in the country, Ratonel said. Powerful magnitude 7.7 and 6.6 earthquakes struck Panama on Friday, or Saturday Philippine time, damaging buildings and causing road collapses. The Panamanian government declared a state of emergency as aftershocks from the two powerful earthquakes continued to shake communities for hours. Katrina Manubay

RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hopes to forge lasting partnerships between the Philippines and Singapore in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, beyond the end of his term in 2028.

In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times on October 8, Mr. Marcos pointed to the city-state’s leadership in AI development in Southeast Asia. “Hopefully by then, we will have entered into partnerships in the new

areas that are becoming, the new opportunities that are being made available to us by the advent of new technology,” Mr. Marcos said during his working visit to Singapore. Mr. Marcos also cited Singapore’s role in advancing AI and digitaliza-

tion in the region, noting that these are among the key areas of discussion during his working visit. He noted that the visit followed his working trip from July 14 to 16, during which he discussed expanding cooperation in trade and investment, environmental initiatives, healthcare, and regional and global development with investors. “They have been very focused in the areas that they had wanted to develop, but now we are exploring new areas, even areas such as health care, of course the digital economy, infrastructure, which generally, traditionally, Singapore has not been involved

Monument of a living justice icon rises in Capiz By Edward Contreras PERHAPS only in the town of Panay, Capiz, can one find a monument to a living icon erected on a prime corner lot in the poblacion. This is the monument of retired Senior Associate Justice Josue N. Bellosillo of the Supreme Court, a native of the town who is still going strong at the age of 92. He still cracks jokes, especially the risqué ones disguised as seemingly innocent remarks. He still guffaws loudly in a room and continues to read and write in his library in Alabang Hills. Panay, Capiz, is the oldest town on Panay Island, being the second settlement of the Spanish conquistadors after their settlement in Cebu. It hosts the biggest bell in this part of the world, hanging in the belfry of the massive Sta. Monica Church, where the remains of Gerardo Antonio Roxas, father of President Manuel Roxas, are buried in a crypt beside the altar. Roxas was killed by the Guardia Civil for his alleged anti-Spanish revolutionary activities. The town proper was razed to the ground by Spanish forces in May 1897 in retaliation for an ambush in Barangay Lahab that killed a considerable number of Guardia Civil members. This historic event is recalled in the book Visayan Fighters for Freedom (Iloilo City, 1962) by historian Demy Sonza: “After a light skirmish at Sitio Tadiao, the delayed attack on Pan-ay took place on May 4, 1897. The Spanish soldiers were outnumbered by the revolutionaries in Tanza at the entrance of the town, but soon a reinforcement of Spanish carabiners arrived from Capiz. This troop was met by brave Capiceños at Barangay Lahab, outside the town. The fierce battle that followed lasted for four days. When the smoke of the fight cleared away, 150 Filipinos lay dead, including Lt. Fabiano Bellosillo. Overpowered by superior arms, the Capiceños withdrew by boat toward Pilar Bay. As punishment and to instill fear in the hearts of the townspeople, the Spaniards put Panay to the torch.” Thus, the first armed revolt against the Spaniards outside Luzon took place in Panay, Capiz. This is supported by a historical marker installed by the National Historical Commission on the outskirts of the town.

in before, but they are coming into that now in the Philippines,” Mr. Marcos said. As part of his visit, Marcos visited the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI), following his openness to utilizing nuclear energy amid the continuous rise in electricity prices. He also met with executives from Mitsubishi Corporation and Ayala Corporation in Singapore to discuss Mitsubishi’s $700 million investment in Ayala, which will increase the Japanese firm’s stake in the Philippine conglomerate from 4.7% to 15%.

Ombudsman Remulla marks first year in office By Rex Espiritu

TRIBUTE. Retired Court of Appeals Justice Edward Contreras poses in front of the monument of former Associate Justice Josue N. Bellosillo, whom he previously served as confidential attorney at the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

OMBUDSMAN Jesus Crispin Remulla will mark his first year in office on Monday, October 12, with a renewed commitment to pursue accountability, prevent corruption, and Remulla is expected to deliver his first-year address during the Office of the Ombudsman’s flag-raising ceremony at its headquarters in Quezon City, where he will highlight the agency’s accomplishments and outline major initiatives for his second year. The anniversary comes amid the Ombudsman’s pursuit of high-profile corruption cases involving government officials and private individuals implicated in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal. Among the personalities implicated in cases and investigations pursued under his leadership are former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co. Beyond investigating and prosecuting corruption cases, Remulla is expected to emphasize a stronger approach to corruption prevention, consistent with the constitutional and statutory mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman. He is also expected to introduce major reforms aimed at making government transactions more transparent, strengthening accountability among public officials, and protecting ordinary Filipinos from corrupt practices.

Carpio says credit card expenses were personal and not linked to VP By Gwyneth Nolasco

ARTS FESTIVAL. Artist delegates gather for a musical session and bonfire during the 16th Tam-awan International Arts Festival in Baguio City on Sunday, Oct. 11, enjoying an evening of warmth and camaraderie. Dave Leprozo

LAWYER Manases Carpio has denied that his credit card expenses were linked to his wife, Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the transactions discussed during the impeachment trial were for personal purposes and were paid for with his own money. In a statement released on Saturday (Oct. 10), Carpio said the expenses had nothing to do with public funds or the Vice President’s official functions. “There is nothing illegal about spending my own hard-earned money. No public funds were used for these personal expenses,” Carpio said.

Carpio emphasized that he personally paid for the expenditures using his own credit card and that Duterte was neither involved in nor present when they were incurred. Carpio explained that he used his credit card to settle expenses in Japan during a trip with a large group, believing that many participants did not have cash on hand and that the costs would be shared among them. “The expenses in Japan were incurred during a trip with a large group. Since many of us did not have cash on hand at the time, I used my credit card to settle the expenses, and we shared the cost among ourselves,” Carpio said.

OPINION

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

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EDITORIAL

This Niño is not a saint JUST as the Philippine Statistics Authority reports that inflation rose to 7.2 percent, soon the reports will show that our GDP will rise by a mere 1.8 to 2.0 percent, our “chill” president goes to Singapore where his main purpose is to watch the F-1 Grand Prix. Our Finance Secretary spoke before an audience of, to be kind, perhaps 20, seated sparsely in a room with plenty of empty chairs and empty tables, to “promote” the country for “investments” before a hardly noticed Milken Institute. He must have been terribly embarrassed, but “the show must go on.” But while our top officials imbibe expensive wines and liquor and nibble at haute cuisine hors d’oeuvres, back here where reason to “love the Philippines” is hardly found, our farmers have begun to see and feel the effects of a Super El Niño like no other in their entire lives. While habagat was pouring rain and flooding Central and Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard and strangely the Mindoro provinces have not seen rain for almost two months now. Isabela and Cagayan, behind Nueva Ecija as our top rice producing provinces are parched. Ditto for corn, which consumes less than the 5,000 liters of water needed to produce a kilo of rice. The Mindoro provinces altogether produce some 800,000 metric tons of rice, but due to lack of water and cracked earth, will probably harvest much less this season. Leyte, Bohol and Cebu as well, plus Caraga in Mindanao. But the Super El Niño gets progressively cruel as the months pass and the long holidays approach. No amount of tinsel and glitter that our local government units splurge on, wasting funds on a “feel good” illusion, will assuage the fear of impending doom that farmers will experience. It will get worse by the first quarter of 2027. The last strong El Niño of recent memory was in 2015-16, when average sea temperatures in the Pacific was 2.72 degrees higher than normal. It is already 3 degrees higher now. By the first quarter of next year, it will be an all-time record 4 degrees higher, something we have never experienced in four generations. And by then, all 84 provinces of the benighted islands will be as dry as dry can be. The present harvest is much lower than normal because farmers could not afford to fertilize their fields. And floods affected the western parts of Luzon. Assuming farmers are given enough “ayuda” out of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund plus congressional allocations to re-plant next month and early December, the Super El Niño will destroy the crops they plant by the start of 2027. Many may not even dare plant and waste their efforts and borrowed capital. Some will switch to cassava and kamote especially in the Visayas and Mindanao, at least to be able to feed their families.

In Cebu’s Sinulog, the faithful will chant “Viva El Niño” and “Pit Senyor” during the feast of the Santo Niño. They would best pray to the Niño for succor against the severity of his “super” visitation. And in Tondo as in Pandacan, revelers might faint of dehydration as they dance to honor the “patron.” In all of Metro Manila and beyond, Prime Water or crime water, Maynilad or Manila Water might find their sources of the life-giving juice unable to produce enough for the population they serve. In the two Agusan provinces, as I write, people are already shouting “tubig!!!”, not just for their farms, but for their daily needs as well.

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It will get worse by the first quarter of 2027. What will this visit of the Niño who is not a saint mean to us all? With farm produce diminished, assurances of Kiko Tiu notwithstanding, our farmers could starve. And the prices of food, including our life-giving rice, will rise much more than the present headline inflation metrics that PSA reports. The “wa-is” importers made tons of money with a lot of help from two GOCC’s in the last three quarters, having bought “low” from Vietnam, India and other sources early this year, yet kept the consumers buying “high.” Didn’t government say 45 pesos per kilo, never mind the idiotic 20 pesos of forgotten memory? Yet go to the market, and buy at 55 to 65 per kilo. Ask Kiko Tiu why. I will not dare foretell how much rice will cost after the Christmas season, just as I dread the specter of long queues or “pila” to buy the precious commodity as the heat intensifies, not just in these benighted isles, but in India, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia as well. With southern China affected too, expect the Chinese government to buy increased tonnages with frenzy through their land borders with IndoChina, as they need to feed not only their population, but North Korea as well. And it’s not only rice, or corn, but bananas too. And vegetables that will wilt in the heat. How many hog and poultry farms in the country are airconditioned? Ask Vince Dizon, who revealed in 2014 that the Binay hogs in Batangas were air-condition cooled. And fish that would swim deeper into the depths of the ocean in search of cooler temperatures. As well as farmed fish that would float dead. Meanwhile, our officials listen to endless debates on how to de-commission Inday Sara, how to earn more through budget manipulation, while our president is “chill lang!” I remember Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned.

Anthropic AI model sent fake murder tip to Philadelphia police SAN FRANCISCO -- An artificial intelligence model developed by Anthropic submitted a fabricated tip about an unsolved homicide to Philadelphia police, authorities said Friday, criticizing the company for taking two months to report the incident. The Philadelphia Police Department said the false submission was made in July through PhillyUnsolvedMurders. com, a public website where people can share information about unsolved killings. According to Anthropic’s account, as relayed by police, the model was running a test that involved interacting with randomly selected websites when it reached the site and filed false information about an unsolved murder. The AI model presented itself as someone who might have knowledge of the case. The incident echoed other recent cases of unintended behavior involving AI models, including one where an OpenAI agent undergoing a security evaluation broke out of its testing environment and breached systems at AI platform Hugging Face. Anthropic’s breaches have prompted the White House to mandate that AI companies notify and correct security

incidents, news outlet Axios reported citing administration officials. “This notification and remediation process is not optional... It is a critical national security obligation,” White House Super Intelligence Force leaders said in a statement to Axios.

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The AI model presented itself as someone who might have knowledge of the case. The episode heightened concerns about the industry’s increased use of AI agents, systems programmed to take multi-step actions without human supervision. Anthropic published a report Friday outlining multiple types of “unintended” actions that its models have taken, including the incident involving the Philadelphia Police Department website. Other organizations impacted included the White House and other US government agencies, the report said.

How not to be a fanatic

T IS so much easier to think that people are either good or evil, and that they deserve only one of two things: our complete devotion or utter condemnation. There is nothing in between.

This has kept our politics simple for many decades. One is for or against a certain administration or personality. If “for,” we praise that person’s political decisions, support their actions, and defend them from those who believe otherwise. If “against,” then nothing that person would do would sound right. There will always be ill motive, or stupidity, or both. And those allied with them, by pure reason of association, will be Unfortunately, this kind of easy thinking has brought us to the sorry state of our democracy. It has consigned our people’s critical thinking skills to the bare minimum and allowed many to give in to the baser tendencies of their discourse. Polarity has been pronounced and vicious. Suddenly we have stopped respecting the views of others and use facile labels that reinforce the fact that they are so much different from us.

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Thinking in binaries is easy but intellectually fatal. But it must begin sometime. We have seen the detrimental effects of hero worship, and prospects for the future seem bleak. We can no longer continue evaluating our options in ones and zeroes. We have to stop thinking about people as good or bad and their adversaries as the opposite. Instead, people are equally capable of good and bad decisions. In public

ENERGY security must be measured by whether households and businesses can obtain reliable electricity at a cost they can afford. A strategy that secures supply while leaving consumers exposed to high prices addresses only part of the problem. Reducing electricity costs and limiting exposure to fuel shocks must therefore be pursued together with urgency. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that inflation accelerated to 7.2 percent in September from 6.1 percent in August. With prices rising, affordable electricity becomes more pressing. Consumers need dependable service at a cost they can manage, alongside protection from the next fuel shock. The immediate task is to ease that burden while building a power system less vulnerable to future price increases. That concern gives the recent energy discussions in Manila their practical significance. Following the 44th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting and the ASEAN Energy Business Forum, an October 9 forum organized by the Global Renewables Alliance and the Global Wind Energy Council examined how renewable energy, electrification and stronger grids can strengthen regional energy security. The discussion deserves attention because securing enough fuel addresses only part of the problem. Robert Cooke of the Global Renewables Alliance emphasized that exposure to imported fossil-fuel prices carries costs already being felt by consumers and businesses. Keeping supplies available matters, but we also need to reduce the vulnerability that makes an overseas disruption so expensive at home. Atty. Monalisa Dimalanta, former chair of the Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Renewable Energy Board, made a useful distinction: stockpiles buy time, but they do not remove exposure to volatile prices or imported supply. She identified domestic renewable energy, supported by storage, efficiency, electrification

and regional power trade, as part of the longer-term answer. Consumers are entitled to ask whether renewable electricity will actually cost less. The International Renewable Energy Agency’s analysis of projects commissioned in 2024 found that solar and onshore wind had lower global average generation costs than the cheapest new fossil-fuel alternative. That is encouraging, but global averages cannot establish what a particular Philippine project will cost or what households will ultimately pay.

Technologies and projects differ. Financing, location and the cost of connecting generation to the grid all matter. Solar and wind also need a system that can maintain supply as their output fluctuates. Storage and other sources of dependable power have costs. Any claim of cheaper renewable power must therefore account for these additional costs and show how the resulting savings will reach consumers’ bills. This makes grid readiness central to affordability. New generation can deliver its intended benefits only when the network can carry electricity where it is needed. Transmission improvements and storage must develop alongside power plants. For our island communities, microgrids and distributed resources such as rooftop solar also deserve attention, with solutions suited to local demand and conditions. Regional cooperation may widen those options. The ASEAN Power Grid, a Philippine chairship priority, would connect national grids through transmission lines and undersea ca-

bles, allowing countries to buy and sell electricity under agreed rules. This could improve reliability and access to cheaper generation. However, longer inter-ASEAN connections lose electricity in transit. Savings must therefore be assessed after transmission losses and delivery costs, rather than by generation prices alone. Offshore wind illustrates how domestic energy development could also support livelihoods. GWEC’s Ann Francisco identified opportunities for ports, shipyards, manufacturers and service providers as projects are developed. For workers and local enterprises, this could mean jobs and business alongside additional power supply. These wider benefits strengthen the case for investment, provided projects can also deliver electricity at a cost consumers can afford. Dimalanta’s call for emergency responses to become permanent systems is particularly relevant. Stronger generator accountability, enforceable reliability standards, transparent reserve obligations and firm grid-planning deadlines would make preparedness more concrete. Consistent monitoring should show which commitments are advancing, where delays persist and who is responsible for resolving them. Consumers should not have to wait for another crisis to see progress. Government, regulators and industry must explain how the investments being discussed will improve service, what they will cost and when their benefits will reach electricity bills. Necessary investment deserves support when costs are transparent and the consumer benefit is clear. The meetings in Manila have put useful choices before the region. The next step is to turn those choices into projects and enforceable commitments. Consumers should be able to judge progress through fewer service interruptions, reduced exposure to fuel shocks and electricity costs they can manage. That is the standard our energy agenda must meet.

The newly revealed incidents “had minimal real-world impact” and were “significantly less severe” than other cybersecurity incidents previously reported, Anthropic said. ‘Unacceptable’ delay The company outlined four categories of incidents that it found during an internal review of its Claude model: exploiting “basic” coding flaws, submitting forms on websites, bypassing requirements for tokens or fees, and using short URLs to get around other limits. Anthropic has turned off internet access for Claude during all internal test-

ing for now “until we have confirmed that our security and monitoring measures... reliably catch behaviors like these,” the report said. Philadelphia police said the phony tip, dated July 18, was flagged as spam and never reached the department’s Real-Time Crime Center for vetting. They added that there was no sign that police systems had been breached or department data compromised. Anthropic discovered the incident on September 28, shut down the automated testing process responsible and added a new validation step for future tests, police said.

The company alerted the department on October 7, and the two sides met the following day. “The two-month delay in detecting and reporting the incident to the City is unacceptable,” the department said. Police said their safeguards had limited the impact, but that these “do not diminish the seriousness of an AI system presenting fabricated information as though it came from a person with knowledge of a homicide.” “Unsolved cases involve real victims, grieving families and investigators working to secure answers,” the statement added. AFP

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Consumers should not have to wait for another crisis to see progress.

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser

Emil P. Jurado+ Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher

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MEMBER

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Keeping the lights on and costs down

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 8-5646225 and 8-5646229 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandard.net

Snapping out of this lazy dichotomy would take a lot from our people, who are much too preoccupied with making ends meet, putting food on the table, and staying hopeful amid the many depressing things in government.

service, the people should be able to focus on the decisions that their leaders make and criticize these decisions on their merits, without altogether cancelling the personalities. If the decisions repeat themselves in a pattern, it is then we should take action on whether or not to listen to them again. So whether this is a former presidential candidate who diplomatically received a visitor from Israel, a former audit commissioner who failed to express full support for the LGBTQIA+ community, a former chief justice who inappropriately advertised his interest in a senator’s civil status, even an acknowledged forensic financial expert who unnecessarily imitated a female lawyer’s previous pronunciation of “baril,” people must be able to question and seek clarification on the acts. The persons in question must see why they are being criticized, their contributions not necessarily negated and their personalities not necessarily cancelled. Our propensity for blind following must come to an end. It has caused our nation enough grief.

Mario R. Policarpio Jr. Head - Finance

Baldwin R. Felipe

Head - Ad Solutions

Joyce Pangco Pañares Managing Editor

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Opinion Editor

Feliciano T. Buscas Jr. Head - IT-MIS

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Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

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WORLD

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

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Houthi strike on Riyadh airport kills 12 R

IYADH — The deadliest strike on Saudi soil in more than a decade killed 12 people at Riyadh’s international airport and wounded hundreds, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to vow on Sunday a decisive response against Yemen’s Houthis.

GIRL ON A DONKEY. An internally displaced Yemeni girl arrives on a donkey at a water tank dispenser to fill jerrycans in the Abs, Hajjah Governorate on October 10. Many Yemenis have fled conflict in northern Yemen and are living in camps as fighting between the Iranian-backed Houthi group and Yemen’s internationally recognised government -- supported by Saudi Arabia -- surged in July 2026. Yemen, one of the world’s poorest countries, was already suffering from a vast humanitarian crisis even before the war reignited in July. AFP

IN BRIEF At least 4 perish Brazil’s Lula raps Meta for election interference BRASÍLIA — The campaign of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused tech giant Meta of election interference on Saturday after his social media content was allegedly blocked on the company’s platforms. The leftist leader is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term in the October 25 runoff, where he will face Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro. In a statement, Lula’s campaign reported instances where platforms owned by Meta -- the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram -- allegedly restricted the distribution of his content. The campaign claimed that in recent days, Meta “prevented President Lula’s profile from promoting Instagram feed posts,” while a post from his official account “experienced an interruption in view counts, which affected its reach.” It also said that prior to last Sunday’s first round of voting -- in which Flavio Bolsonaro finished first -- the profiles of Lula and other leftist leaders “suddenly disappeared from Instagram’s search function.” AFP

Okinawans fearful, frustrated after killing NAHA, Japan — A week after a US marine was arrested on suspicion of murdering a Japanese woman in Okinawa, resident Takako Kakazu is clear what she wants: American soldiers to leave. The case has prompted public outrage, caused Japan’s premier to slam the “heinous crime” and reignited controversy over the heavy US military presence on the southern island. “I just can’t accept this anymore. How many more women in Okinawa have to suffer like this? Everyone is angry,” she told AFP. “I know America says they’ll protect us if there’s a war, but all we ever get is suffering... Please leave,” said the 55-year-old housewife, who has one daughter. On a busy, sunny weekend close to Okinawa’s capital Naha, life seemed normal as tourists and Americans who appeared to be from the military packed beaches and shopping streets. AFP

as ‘Isaias’ floods southern US

PENSACOLA — Four people died in the southeastern United States as posttropical cyclone Isaias threatened flooding and tornado risks Saturday as it moved northward after making landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Isaias roared ashore late Friday as a Category 2 hurricane near the resort community of Destin, packing sustained winds of 105 miles (165 kilometers) per hour before weakening overnight, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. It was the first hurricane of an Atlantic season tamed by a historic El Nino weather phenomenon, and the first hurricane since 2024 to hit the US mainland. In Mary Esther, a coastal community near Destin, Matt Howard said he was fortunate the storm weakened ahead of landfall. Despite losing power and having his neighbor’s metal shed crash into his backyard, “overall, we were okay,” he told AFP. “We hunkered down, got in the center of our house, and did all the things you’re supposed to do, and luckily came out on the other side,” he said. Officials reported at least four deaths related to the storm, including two from trees falling on homes -- one near Pensacola in Florida and another in Birmingham, Alabama. AFP reporters saw overturned vehicles, downed trees and power lines, and numerous buildings with damaged roofs. Streets along the coast were largely deserted after authorities ordered mandatory evacuations ahead of the storm. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned at a briefing Saturday afternoon that threats remained even though the storm had passed. “Just be careful out there. Downed power lines, standing water, any of that can be very, very hazardous. Don’t run any generators inside your home or inside your garage,” he said. AFP

Trump wants Zelensky replaced; diesel row rages WASHINGTON — Donald Trump called on Saturday for Ukraine to “get a new leader” after Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Washington’s easing of Russian diesel sanctions, as the US president faces fuel price pressure weeks before midterm elections. Trump, whose Republicans face dim prospects in next month’s vote partly because of soaring energy costs, defended a deal allowing more Russian diesel onto global markets after saying Vladimir Putin wanted “strongly” to reach a settlement in Ukraine. Trump accused the Ukrainian president of blocking a deal with Moscow and

ignoring instructions to not strike Russian refineries, while Kyiv and its European allies warned that easing pressure on Moscow would help fund the Kremlin’s war. The row unfolded as the latest Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 21 people, including children. Trump announced Friday that he had spoken to Putin and agreed for Russia to release large amounts of diesel into world markets. Ukraine and its European allies expressed dismay, with Zelensky telling reporters Friday it was a “weak decision.” Asked about the criticism, Trump said

Zelensky had disobeyed his orders not to strike Russian refineries and that the attacks risked worsening fuel shortages linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran. “He better damn well stop,” Trump said. “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals that, for some reason, he never does,” Trump said. Trump later said Putin was interested in ending the war. “Russia would like to make a deal... but for whatever reason, Zelensky does not want to make a deal,” he told reporters. AFP

‘COCKROACH’ CAUGHT. Police personnel detain a supporter of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) during a protest demanding the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter roll irregularities linked to the “special intensive revision” (SIR), in Ahmedabad on October 10. AFP

Indonesia releases 8 orangutans freed from fires to protected forest

Traumatized Panama begins quake recovery CHITRÉ, Panama — Residents near the epicenter of a major earthquake in southern Panama began cleaning up on Saturday, traumatized by the previous day’s strong shaking that left widespread damage but so far no reported deaths. “This is something we’ve never seen before. We weren’t prepared for this kind of event,” said Aldulfo Quintero as he cleared debris from a store in Chitre, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Panama City. The 41-year-old told AFP he has a “great fear” that a new earthquake could strike any moment. After the initial 7.7-magnitude quake around midday Friday, more than 100 aftershocks have been recorded, some as strong as magnitude 6.0. AFP

The coalition blamed the Iran-backed group for the strike on King Khalid International Airport, describing it as a “fullfledged war crime” that a diplomatic source attributed to a missile. The attack came during an unprecedented wave of Houthi strikes on the kingdom since a truce in the group’s long-running war with Yemen’s Riyadh-backed government unravelled in July. The spiralling violence has raised the possibility of a wider escalation, with US President Donald Trump signalling Washington could join military action against the fighters. One passenger told AFP they witnessed a strike in the airport’s domestic terminal. “I was on gate 403,” the witness said. “I saw 401 hit, I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running.” Four Saudi citizens were among the dead in the attack, as well as two Bangladeshis, one US citizen, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese, the kingdom’s civil aviation authority said in a statement. It said some of the 309 wounded were in serious condition. Operations at the airport were suspended following the attack and authorities said damage assessments were continuing. The attack prompted health officials to activate a rare mass call-up of doctors to deal with the “serious emergency situation”, a medical source said. Two doctors told AFP that several pilgrims headed to Mecca had been among the wounded. ‘War crime’ Foreign embassies warned their citizens to avoid the airport. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki described the strike as a “cowardly terrorist attack” against a civilian facility. “The cowardly terrorist attack by the Terrorist Houthi Militia... which resulted in deaths and injuries among civilian passengers and airport staff, constitutes a full-fledged war crime,” he said in a statement on X. AFP

NORTH KOREAN GALA. Youths and students participate in the evening gala in celebration of the 81st founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on October 10, 2026. AFP

JAKARTA” — Eight orangutans rescued in recent weeks from blazes that tore through Borneo island have been released into a protected forest, Indonesian authorities and rescuers said on Sunday. The apes were saved from several locations razed by fires -- mostly plantations near their forest homes -- in the West Kalimantan province on the Indonesian side of Borneo last month, the forestry ministry and the YIARI wildlife rehabilitation foundation said in a statement. The orangutans, three mom and baby pairs as well as two male teenagers, were relocated on Friday to the Batu Nyambu Protected Forest in West Kalimantan, a 23,000-hectare reserve with primary and secondary forest cover. YIARI CEO Karmele Llano Sanchez said relocating the animals to a new location was a “necessary step” when their

habitat was no longer safe. “Protection of habitats will always be a top priority to ensure orangutans continue to have safe forests to live in, but as long as their habitat remains threatened, rescue is one of the best options we can take to help them survive,” Sanchez said. The reserve was chosen due to availability of food and water sources as well as its connectivity to other forests, said YIARI operational director Argitoe Ranting. “We want to ensure that rescued orangutans are not simply moved from one place to another, but actually have a chance to survive in their natural habitat,” Argitoe said. Indonesian authorities and YIARI rescued 46 orangutans from threats of fires between August and October 9, local natural resources agency head Murlan Dameria Pane said. AFP

NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF P30-m gov’t building to rise in Dupax town DUPAX, Nueva Vizcaya—A P30million multi-purpose building broke ground here designed to bring government services closer to the people. Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Timothy Joseph Cayton and Dupax del Norte Mayor Juan Paolo Cayton led the ceremony for the project meant to operate as a one-stop shop for local residents seeking essential government services. “We witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for our people in the South District to travel great distances just to seek government assistance. That challenge inspired us to create a home where services are truly within reach,” the lawmaker said. “This will be a one-stop center, a place where every Novo Vizcayano can turn for help, support, and public service without leaving their district,” he added. Jessica M. Bacud

SPRUCING UP THE GRAVES. Caretakers at the Manila North Cemetery are having their hands full repairing, painting, and cleaning up the graves ahead of the observance of All Saints Day or Undas on Nov. 1. Norman Cruz

Daraga bridge to open soon after 15-yr. delay THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced that the long-delayed Kilicao-Binitayan Bridge in Daraga, Albay will soon open to traffic, ending a 15-year wait for a project intended to ease travel in the town and adjoining areas. The projected completion comes five months after DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon inspected the project and ordered officials to speed up construction. Dizon inspected the bridge on May 4 following concerns raised by Albay Gov. Noel Rosal over the stalled infrastructure project. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier ordered the bridge opened before Undas, or the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, to help residents and motorists traveling to other destinations and cemeteries avoid delays and inconvenience. Vito Barcelo

Pinoys in Japan told to be cautious vs. flu THE Philippine Embassy in Japan has urged Filipinos in the country to take precautions against influenza amid increasing incidence of the disease. In an advisory issued Friday, the embassy advised Filipinos to practice good hygiene, wear face masks in crowded places, and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms. “We urge our fellow citizens to take precautions and follow the steps below to protect their health,” the advisory read. The embassy also urged highrisk individuals to consult a physician immediately if they develop flu symptoms and encouraged Filipinos to stay informed about announcements from relevant authorities. Katrina Manubay

Gov’t allots P3.75-b for CAF in ‘27

HE national government has earmarked a record-setting ₱3.75 billion for the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) in 2027 to enable more Filipinos access essential anticancer services, with the disease claiming nearly 200 lives daily, according to House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan. “In the 2027 National Expenditure Program, the ₱3.75-billion allocation for the CAF is 150 percent higher than the ₱1.5 billion appropriated for the fund this year,” Libanan said in a statement. “As members of Congress, it is our duty not only to scrutinize how public funds are allocated, but also to inform

the people where their money is going, especially when it comes to programs that directly affect their health and welfare,” he added. Libanan said the increased funding is intended to help more Filipinos gain access to cancer screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and other es-

sential medical services. The CAF may be accessed through Department of Health (DOH)-run hospitals and health facilities nationwide. “The numbers tell us that cancer is not just a health issue. It also imposes a tremendous financial and social burden on Filipino families,” Libanan said. “The CAF can help ease that burden and ensure that a cancer diagnosis does not automatically force a family to choose between life-saving treatment and putting food on the table,” he added. Libanan said the P3.75 billion for the CAF is on top of the P1.31 billion for the Cancer Control Program fund in 2027. A lawyer by profession, Libanan also

Group eyes bolder action to address child malnutrition

BIG SHABU HAUL.

Government agents take stock of a huge catch of shabu estimated at P278.8 million was seized during a buybust operation in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City over the weekend. Alan Tangcawan

Nartatez eyes stronger cybercrime response at community level By Vince Lopez PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Sunday directed all units to strengthen cybercrime response at the frontline by assessing training gaps and equipping more officers to handle complaints, preserve digital evidence, and assist victims of online fraud. Nartatez issued the order as the PNP welcomed the National Police Commission’s (Napolcom)

holds a degree in medical technology. He is a proponent of House bills seeking to establish a centralized patient record system and put up at least one DOH-run hospital in every province to improve healthcare delivery nationwide. In June this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that 70,668 Filipinos died from neoplasms, or cancers, in 2025, making the disease the country’s second-leading cause of death after ischemic heart disease. The figure translates to approximately 194 cancer-related deaths daily. Cancer accounted for 11.4 percent of all recorded deaths nationwide in 2025, according to the PSA.

plan to reform criminology education and police training to help prepare police personnel for evolving digital threats. “We welcome this initiative because effective policing must keep pace with the evolving methods of criminals. Every police officer must have the knowledge and competence to respond to cybercrime, protect digital evidence, and ensure that victims receive the assistance and justice they deserve,” Nartatez said.

NAPOLCOM vice-chairman and executive officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan announced during the first Philippine Cybercriminology Summit 2026 that the commission would pursue reforms in criminology education, police training programs, and the Philippine National Police Academy curriculum. The proposed changes seek to integrate cybercrime education into basic police preparation and strengthen continuing training for personnel already in service.

A THINK tank group on Friday called for stronger coordination among government agencies and the establishment of an integrated nutrition monitoring system to address rising child stunting, warning that fragmented interventions threaten the country’s human capital development and long-term economic competitiveness. In a statement, Stratbase Institute president Victor Andres Manhit said government feeding and nutrition programs must adopt common performance indicators, standardized data collection, and interoperable information systems to ensure that assistance reaches vulnerable mothers and children. “Child stunting is not simply a hunger problem. It is a long-term development challenge that undermines children’s learning capacity, future productivity, and opportunities to escape poverty. Government must ensure that nutrition interventions are coordinated, sustained, and measured against actual improvements in maternal and child health,” Manhit said. The latest Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute survey showed that stunting among children under five years old increased from 23.6 percent in 2023 to 25.3 percent in 2025, reversing a decade-long decline.

UK group ends six-year mission in BTA By Nash B. Maulana

GROUNDBREAKING. Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Timothy Joseph Cayton and Dupax Mayor Juan Paolo Cayton lead the groundbreaking rite for a P30-million multi-purpose building in Barangay Malasin designed as a one-stop shop to bring government services closer to the people. Jessica M. Bacud

THE British Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) wraps up its six-year mission in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) on Oct. 31. Crisanto Cayon, head of WFD’s operations supporting the development of the region’s parliament, said the British foundation went on a “mothball closure,” meaning a physical shutdown of its office in the region. The closure, Cayon said, also ends the contract of the foundation’s local staff including his own, while WFD keeps its Philippine registration, allowing it to engage in other development programs in the country. Cayon said, “the challenge is (that) not a single donor has committed funding resources for WFD’s continued work in the Bangsamoro.”

He said the WFD collaborated with other foreign donor-organizations to pool resources in support of the foundation’s enabling-programs for the Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) under Speaker Mohammad Yacob. Aside from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and the British Embassy in Manila, other stakeholder-funders of the WFD program operations in the BTA included Japan, Australia (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Norway, and Japan though Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Cayon said although the period of the BTA term has ended, much work is yet to be done for the continuity of the programs created during the transition period. Last week, a delegation from JIKA and Japan’s Kyodo News Agency came down to meet Yacob.

SPORTS

A8 MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

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

Lumbo seeks redemption as Miñoza joins ICTSI golf hunt

Jeffren Lumbo, Reymon Jaraula and Jhonnel Ababa are some of the golfers to watch out for in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which blasts off Monday (Oct. 12) at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.

Eala, close pal Sonmez reunite for Wuhan Open doubles’ test By Jeremiah Sevilla

ILIPINA star Alexandra “Alex” Eala and Turkish pal Zeynep Sonmez clash against Ukrainian wildcards Anhelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska in the opening round of the Wuhan Open 2026 doubles scheduled on Monday in China.

Eala and Sonmez tangle with Kalinina and Yastremska in the first round (Round of 32) of the WTA 1000 tournament, although match time remains to be determined as of writing. The 21-year-old Eala and 24-yearold Sonmez reunite on the court for

the second time this year and fifth overall after teaming up in the Madrid Open last April. Playing as wildcards in Madrid, the Eala-Sonmez duo hacked out a 6-2, 6-2 stunner

over doubles specialists Fanny Stollar of Hungary and Chan Hao-ching of Taiwan in the opening round. The close friends lost to eventual winners Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the USA, 1-6, 5-7, in the second round. Eala and Sonmez are taking on Kalinina and Yastremska, who are Alexandra Eala (Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open IG)

joining forces for their eighth doubles tilt. The Ukrainian pair reached both the second round of the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, yielding to Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina and Croatia’s Aleksandra Krunić. Should Eala and Sonmez overcome their first assignment, they will face a tougher tandem in second-seeded Danilina and Chinese Zhang Shuai in the second round. Meanwhile, the world No. 18 Eala is set to collide with a qualifier in the opening round of the singles competition, with her match expected on Monday or Tuesday.

CAGAYAN DE ORO – Coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes that exposed the fine line between victory and heartbreak, Jeffren Lumbo returns to the Philippine Golf Tour with renewed hunger and a steeled resolve, seeking to turn painful lessons into a breakthrough performance in the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which blasts off Monday (Oct. 12) at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club here. But the Sarangani ace will have his work cut out for him against a talentladen field eager to seize the spotlight in the P2.5-million championship, with recent winners Art Arbole and Jhonnel Ababa leading the charge and golf legend Frankie Miñoza adding star power and prestige to the fourday tournament. Lumbo, whose lean frame belies his power off the tee, had two golden opportunities to claim his second career victory in the last two PGT stops. However, late-hole miscues and faltering finishes proved costly, allowing Arbole to clinch his maiden PGT title in Negros Occidental before Ababa ended a two-year title drought with a victory in Iloilo. The consecutive setbacks were particularly painful for Lumbo, who had put together four rounds of impressive golf in both tournaments only to fall short when the pressure mounted. Yet, rather than diminish his standing, the near-misses have underscored his potential as one of the Tour’s most dangerous emerging contenders – and given him added motivation to sharpen the decision-making and composure required to close out tight finishes. He is keeping his focus on the present, determined to put his best foot forward and enjoy the game. “Hindi ko na iniisip ’yung backto-back second place ko papunta ng Pueblo de Oro. Basta focus lang ako sa laro ko at mag-enjoy,” said Lumbo. “Sana lang mag-click lahat para may chance na manalo,” he added.

PVL, PBA stars grace Mighty Sports volleyball court inauguration Now Super Liga unveils powerhouse integrity board NOW Super Liga (NSL) is putting integrity at the center of its vision for women’s professional volleyball. The Integrity Board and comprehensive governance framework, NSL brings together distinguished professionals to safeguard fair competition, champion athlete welfare, and strengthen accountability. The announcement signals a bold commitment to earning the confidence of team owners, players, partners, and fans as the league builds its future. Behind this initiative is Dr. Philip Ella Juico, whose decades of leadership span national government, sports administration, and professional volleyball. A former Chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, Secretary of Agrarian Reform, and Chairman of the Philippine Superliga, he brings substantial experience in public service and competitive sports leadership. His involvement gives NSL an experienced foundation as it pursues its vision for responsible league development and a stronger future for women’s professional volleyball. The powerhouse lineup includes former Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna, sports governance specialist Prof. Geraldine “Dina” Bernardo, marketing educator and strategist Dr. Catherine “Karen” V. De Asis, Olympian and sports development leader Stephen V. Fernandez, registered dietitian-nutritionist Catherine Agnes Gervacio, physician-lawyer Atty. Dr. Charlie P. Ho, corporate governance expert Atty. Teodoro M. Kalaw IV, and DepEd sports administrator and Palarong Pambansa Secretariat Officer-in-Charge Marivic B. Tolitol. Their collective expertise brings judicial judgment, athletic experience, health and wellness knowledge, and governance leadership to NSL’s integrity mission.

IN RESPONSE to the rapid growth of volleyball in the country, Mighty Sports inaugurated its new volleyball courts at AcroCity in Guiguinto, Bulacan on Saturday, Oct. 10, drawing a good mix of young and old fans. What made the event very special was the presence of the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles and PBA star Scottie Thompson of Ginebra San Miguel. The inauguration of its volleyball facility came after Mighty Sports officially opened its basketball courts

two weeks prior, where former Xavier School and PBA stars, led by Chris Tiu and Joseph Yeo, took part in a charity basketball event. This time, it was the Thunderbelles’ turn to provide action and entertainment to the crowd, especially to the young ones who are also dreaming of representing the country in big-time events someday. The huge turnout of fans elated AcroCity and Czark Mak chairman Caesar Wongchuking, who said: “Volleyball

has a different magnetic force, fans really enjoyed the moment.” “Acrocity’s commitment to Bulacaños is to provide wholesome family entertainment, food and sports facilities,” said Wongcuking. “Soon, we will expand our development in providing quality homes and to cater to the Bulacan residents but as an alternative to Metro Manila and other nearby Central Luzon investors.” Wongchuking said the success of the event would not have been possible with-

out the support of Bulacan Vice Governor Alex Castro, ZUS Coffe owner Frank Lao and the Thunderbelles, especially Jolina Dela Cruz and veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga, and Rachell Anne Daquiz who gamely interacted with the young fans during the meet-and-greet session. The affair was highlighted by the exhibition game ZUS Coffee and the Makata Selection of Bulacan , with the proceeds going to the Tahanang Mapagpala of Immaculada Concepcion Foundation, Inc.

AcroCity and Czark Mak chairman Caesar Wongchuking (standing 3rd from right), Bulacan Vice Gov. Alex Castro (2nd from right) and PBA star Scottie Thompson (far right) are shown with the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles during the inauguration of the Mighty Sports volleyball courts in AcroCity in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

Pueblo de Oro sets stage for LPGT’s high-stakes home stretch

Yvon Bisera

CAGAYAN DE ORO – A first Order of Merit crown is within Yvon Bisera’s reach, but Harmie Constantino stands in the way – and with three legs left in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour season, the race for supremacy is shaping up as a down-to-the-wire battle. Bisera and Constantino lead a talented field heading into the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which gets under way Monday (Oct. 12) at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club here. The P1.25-million championship kicks off a three-leg Mindanao swing that will decide not only the season’s remaining tournament titles but also the coveted OOM crown. Armed with a pair of victories and three other strong finishes, Bisera has built a com-

manding position atop the season-long rankings, with total earnings of P439,150. But the margin offers little room for complacency, especially with Constantino, a former OOM champion, mounting a determined bid to reclaim the distinction she won in 2024. Constantino sits second with P377,100 after also delivering a runaway victory at Caliraya Springs, leaving her with a clear target as the Tour enters its decisive stretch. The final three legs offer ample opportunity to overhaul the standings, putting a premium on consistency and clutch performances when the pressure is at its highest. Bisera, for her part, has shown she can win in contrasting fashion. She opened her title run with a nerve-wracking three-way playoff vic-

tory at Lakewood before asserting her dominance at Pradera Verde, where she romped to a commanding seven-shot triumph. Those results, complemented by three other strong finishes, including a runner-up effort at Summit Point, have given her the upper hand in the OOM race. But the ace Davaoeña knows that a strong finish – not past accomplishments – will ultimately determine whether she can convert her season-long consistency into a maiden OOM title. The Mindanao swing, which will conclude at South Pacific and Apo in the next two weeks, thus presents Bisera with both an opportunity to consolidate her lead and a stern test of her ability to sustain her form under mounting pressure.

BUSINESS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Meralco studies impact of rate approved by ERC By Alena Mae S. Flores

ANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) said Sunday it is assessing the impact of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) ruling on its first regulatory period rate reset application, which approved a revenue requirement 36 percent lower than the utility requested.

AWS INVESTMENT. Finance Secretary Frederick Go meets with Amazon Web Services (AWS) executives in Singapore to explore expanding Amazon’s presence in the Philippines and advancing the country’s digital transformation. Go says the talks focused on expanding digital infrastructure, including data centers, and using cloud technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to help businesses innovate, boost productivity, improve services and create more opportunities for Filipino workers.

PH stocks seen volatile as investors weigh BSP hike By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine stock market is expected to remain volatile this week as investors weigh the prospect of another interest rate hike, rising US bond yields and a weakening peso. TradeAsia.com said investors should remain selective ahead of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) policy meeting on Oct. 22 and the release of key US inflation data, which could influence global interest rates and foreign fund flows. Analysts project the BSP will raise rates by 25 basis points, although a 50-basis-point increase is also possible after Philippine inflation accelerated to 7.2 percent in September from 6.1 percent in August. The brokerage said the latest inflation reading has raised concerns over the impact of higher prices on economic growth and monetary policy. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) ended last week at 5,700.99, up 1.61 percent. The benchmark recovered from a 5-session losing streak but remained vulnerable to swings in investor sentiment. Investors will also watch the release of US September consumer price index data on Wednesday and producer price index data on Thursday. TradeAsia.com also identified Mynt’s planned stock market debut as a test of investor appetite for new listings.

Meralco senior vice president and head of regulatory management Jose Ronald Valles said company officials have yet to receive an official copy of the decision and will review it thoroughly to evaluate its full impact. “Nonetheless, we believe that this will allow Meralco to move forward with greater clarity as we pursue investments and initiatives to modernize our distribution network and enhance service delivery,” Valles said. The ERC approved a total revenue requirement of about P342 billion for Meralco over the four-year period, P190 billion, or 36 percent, lower than the P532 billion the utility sought. The regulatory period runs from July 2026 to June 2030. Valles said planned projects include investments in advanced metering infrastructure, cybersecurity and other network modernization efforts to improve operational efficiency, strengthen system reliability and deliver better service over the next 4 years. “We likewise appreciate the ERC’s commitment to resolving the longpending rate reset application as this addresses outstanding regulatory matters and provides stability for the energy industry,” Valles added, noting that Meralco will carefully assess the decision and comply with its provisions. The ERC set the average distribution rate for regulatory year 2027 at P1.48 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), below Meralco’s proposed P2.34 per kWh and the P1.60 to P1.98 per kWh proposed by intervenors in the case. A rate reset is a regular review

of how much Meralco may charge for delivering electricity through its poles, wires and substations. It covers only the distribution charge for Meralco’s own cost of service and excludes generation, transmission, taxes and other pass-through charges. Meralco’s distribution rates were last reset in 2011 and went unreviewed for more than a decade because of regulatory backlogs. The ERC restarted the process under the Rationalized Rules for Setting Distribution Wheeling Rates issued in November 2025. After public hearings from March to May 2026, the commission evaluated every major component of the application with help from its technical staff and an independent regulatory reset expert. To arrive at the lower revenue, the ERC made downward adjustments and exclusions to Meralco’s proposed capital expenditures, operating expenses, asset base and return on capital, disallowing or reducing costs it deemed excessive, unsupported or premature. The ERC approved capital spending for new and upgraded substations and lines, replacement of aging equipment and the rollout of advanced metering to support a more reliable network and lower system loss. To cushion the impact on consumers after more than a decade without a reset, the commission applied price-shock mitigation mechanisms allowed under its rules. “This final determination shows that the ERC did not simply accept what was applied for,” ERC chairperson and chief executive Francis Saturnino Juan said.

Why teach? TEACHING is not easy, especially if you do it on top of a corporate job. Sometimes I come into my evening classes feeling fatigued from a long day’s work. After the class, I then need to endure Metro Manila’s lackluster public transport system and walk through badly designed roads with no proper sidewalks. In preparation for the class itself, I also have to create modules, grade students’ assignments, and answer queries, among others. And let’s not forget that teaching is generally a not-so-lucrative endeavor. So, why do I still do it if I have all these complaints? There is something about teaching college students that triggers a part of my mind that I can never quite replicate in my corporate job. To date, I’ve taught over 300+ students, and one thought has always struck me: my students are just like me when I was younger. The only difference is that I’m now the one paving the path for them—just like what my professors back then did for me. I have come full circle, and that fascinates me. I can hear the “Circle of Life” playing in my mind. And then it hit me: Teaching is a multi-generational endeavor that perhaps only teachers genuinely understand. For me, I teach not just because it’s fun and adds color to a monotonous corporate life, but also because

I like it when students appreciate the lessons I share with them. The healthy mix of idealism, skepticism, and cautiousness among my students indicates that they take a genuine interest in our lessons. I suppose the act of being a teacher is the “little cousin” of raising your own child. As a teacher, it’s your responsibility to guide the young, and you are ultimately accountable for their success or failure. You also have to ensure that the students feel valued, heard, and seen, much like raising your own kid. Of course, I’m oversimplifying this, and these are just a few similarities.

—“—

Teaching will always be relevant, because a machine can never replicate the emotions and passion that a human teacher brings into the classroom. In teaching, you also need to give yourself room to be vulnerable with your students. No teacher is a master of everything— unless perhaps if you are Albert Einstein or Marie Curie. I always tell my students that not everything I tell them is foolproof, and that they themselves should also question and be critical of what I teach them. Teaching doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and the students are not meant to simply replicate what the teacher says. Rather, they’re meant to build up on it and transform it into something better. Meanwhile—I have to mention and squeeze this in—but artificial intelligence (AI) has also disrupted the act of teaching.

Contrary to what the mainstream media says, I believe teaching has actually become even more relevant today rather than potentially obsolete due to AI. What students need are teachers who can guide them responsibly and ethically into this “new age” that they have entered. AI is (unfortunately) here to stay in the education sector, and it’s the responsibility of teachers to prevent it from taking over the mental independence of students. And this brings me back to my earlier point of why I continue to teach part-time. Teaching will always be relevant, because a machine can never replicate the emotions and passion that a human teacher brings into the classroom. While a machine can generate information at lightning speed via a basic prompt written in just 10 seconds, it has no capability of understanding deep cultural nuances and norms. It’s the teachers’ understanding and grasp of cultural complexities that significantly differentiate them from AI. So let me ask again: Why do I still teach part-time? It’s because teaching is an allin-one package that continues to motivate and challenge me. It helps me stay grounded and optimistic. From coming full circle as a student to now a lecturer, paving the path for young college students, and now navigating the uncertainties of an AI-impacted higher education culture, I feel that teaching has helped me—a jaded person— start believing again in the world one step at a time. Ian Benedict R. Mia is a part-time lecturer at the Department of Management and Organization of De La Salle University (DLSU). He works full-time as a Senior Associate under Sustainability Research at ISS STOXX. He can be reached at ianbrmia@gmail.com. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

BUSINESS

B3 MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

extrastory2000@gmail.com

LRMC upgrades PITX station to ease passenger queues By Darwin G. Amojelar

BOI VISIT. Board of Investments representatives from the Manufacturing Industries Service, Heavy

Industry Division and various services units visit the construction site of SteelAsia Lemery and the SteelAsia Academy in Batangas province. The BOI team met with SteelAsia executives to discuss steel industry development, investment opportunities and national industrialization goals.

PH rice wins bronze in world competition P By Othel V. Campos

HILIPPINE rice won the bronze medal at the 2026 International World Rice Conference, placing the country among the top entries in a global competition that evaluated grain quality, aroma, cooked texture and overall eating experience.

Myanmar won the World’s Best Rice title, while Vietnam took silver. India and Thailand received special honorable mentions. The Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement, led by Rowena Sadicon, nominated the Philippine entry and submitted a local rice sample for evaluation. A panel of chefs conducted the judging through a double-blind process.

The Department of Agriculture, along with the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program, supported the entry. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the recognition showed that Philippine rice can compete internationally, bringing tangible gains for farmers through stronger research, higher productivity and better market access. He added that the award highlights the potential of Philippine rice in international markets. PhilRice executive director John de Leon said strengthening the rice value chain requires linking agricultural research and farm productivity directly with consumer quality. Rice quality depends not only on the variety, but also on seed quality, farm management, harvesting, milling and distribution, De Leon said. The bronze finish provides international quality recognition for Philippine rice as the government and industry continue efforts to boost productivity, strengthen the value chain and raise farmer incomes.

Regional pact develops solar, battery standards

RLGB LAND CORPORATION NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS Manila Standard November 06, 2026 TODAY

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of RLGB LAND CORPORATION will be held on November 06, 2026 at 10 a.m. at Level 2, Galleria Corporate Center, EDSA cor. Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila. The Agenda for the meeting of RLGB Land Corporation are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association and the ASEAN Centre for Energy signed an agreement to develop standardized skill competencies and certification for solar rooftop and battery storage installers across Southeast Asia. The memorandum of understanding, signed on the final day of the ASEAN Energy Business Forum in Manila, establishes a framework to professionalize the region’s green energy workforce. The initiative will define minimum required skills for solar rooftop, battery storage and floating solar installations. Competencies will be standardized through a regional certification program administered by ACE. “A green force is one of the key points to increase renewable energy deployment in Southeast Asia,” ACE executive director Razib Dawood said. “ACE, with APVIA, will bring another milestone to support the collaborations to improve the energy transitions for the region.” While ACE is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, the regional certification program will combine online testing with hands-on examinations conducted in partnership with local entities in Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. “The MoU signing between APVIA, ACE, and Asosiasi Energi Surya Indonesia marks a strategic milestone in strengthening Indonesia’s green workforce capabilities while fostering regional collaboration to build a skilled, future-ready talent pool and accelerate the clean energy transition across ASEAN,” AESI Vice chairman Anggita Pradipta said. John Rockhold, president of Ho Chi Minh City-based Pacific Rim Investment and Management Inc., welcomed the agreement. “Vietnam is pleased to join forces with APVIA in this workforce development initiative,” he said. “It is great to see this MOU come to fruition, marking a crucial step toward building a highly skilled workforce for the clean energy sector.”

LIGHT Rail Manila Corp. said improvements aimed at easing passenger congestion and streamlining commuter movement at Light Rail Transit Line 1 PITX Station are targeted for full implementation by the fourth quarter of 2026. Manila Standard The upgrades, carried out in coordination TODAY with the Light Rail Transit Authority and the Department of Transportation, will expand ticketing capacity, reorganize station facilities and improve passenger flow at the rail station connected to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange. LRMC is adding ticket counters to existing booths to accommodate more passengers purchasing single-journey tickets and reloading stored-value cards. The company is also relocating ticketvending machines to areas with high passenger volumes to give commuters more options for buying tickets and topping up cards. In addition, turnstile gates are being

reconfigured and relocated to reduce queues and facilitate smoother movement for passengers entering the platform and exiting arriving trains. LRMC and its government grantors target full implementation of these operational enhancements within the fourth quarter. While permanent improvements are underway, the operator and its government partners are setting up satellite ticket booths to provide additional service points during peak periods. The operator will maintain a dedicated express lane for stored-value card users with sufficient balance while keeping regular lanes open for commuters purchasing single-journey tickets or reloading cards. LRMC is also holding discussions with PITX management to strengthen operational coordination and improve transfers between bus and rail services. The initiative aims to make connections between the transport terminal and LRT-1 more convenient while improving passenger movement across both facilities. Enrico Benipayo, LRMC president and chief executive, said the improvements reflect the company’s commitment to enhancing the commuter experience through immediate interventions and longer-term operational changes. “Our commitment to our commuters goes beyond providing safe and reliable transport; it is about continuously elevating every aspect of their journey,” Benipayo said.

Proof of notice of the meeting and existence of a quorum; Reading and approval of the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders held on October 08, 2025; Presentation of annual report and approval of the financial statements for the preceding year; Election of Board of Directors; Ratification of the acts of the Board of Directors and its committees, officers and management Approval of the Voluntary Dissolution of the Corporation; Consideration of such other matters as may properly come during the meeting; and Adjournment.

Shareholders who wish to vote by proxy may request a copy of the proxy form via email at corsec@robinsonsland.com and must submit a softcopy of the duly accomplished proxy form via email to the same address or deliver a physical copy to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at 17/F Robinsons Cyberscape Alpha, Sapphire and Garnet Roads, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, not later than October 30, 2026. Validation of proxies shall be held on November 3, 2026. We are not soliciting proxies.

SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING. National Solid Waste Management Commission Commissioner Joseph Ross Jocson speaks during the opening ceremony of PackPrintPlas Philippines 2026 at the SMX Convention Center Manila. Jocson also delivered a lecture on AI-powered waste-to-energy solutions during a forum hosted by the Packaging Institute of the Philippines. The 32nd edition of the trade show focused on smart manufacturing and sustainable industry solutions. Revoli Cortez

Atimonan coal plant to bid for 900-MW Meralco contract ATIMONAN One Energy Inc. plans to join the competitive selection process for Manila Electric Co.’s 900-megawatt baseload power supply requirement starting in 2031. A1E is the project vehicle for Meralco PowerGen Corp.’s proposed 1,200-MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant in Quezon province. “Meralco already issued an invitation to bid. I think the deadline is Oct. 15 to submit interest. We will participate. As we have communicated, the plan is still to build the 1,200 megawatt ultra-supercritical coal plant. It’s fully permitted,” MGen president and chief executive Emmanuel Rubio said. “Hopefully, when we win it, we can build it. This is the last opportunity for MGen to execute Atimonan,” Rubio said. Rubio clarified that the Atimonan facility will remain a coal-fired plant rather than converting to liquefied natural gas. “If we’re going to expand gas, it will be in Batangas. If we repurpose Atimonan as an LNG power facility, it won’t be competitive,” he said. A1E is expected to generate enough electricity to power roughly 5 million households consuming an average of 150 kilowatt-hours per month—equivalent to the energy needs of about 1,000 hospitals. The project is also projected to create up to 6,000 jobs during construction and around 300 permanent operational roles. Meralco, through its Third-Party Bids and Awards Committee, invited power generation companies to submit expressions of interest for the contract by Oct. 15, 2026. A pre-bid conference is set for Nov. 6, ahead of the bid submission deadline on Dec. 9. The 15-year power supply agreement will require the delivery of 600 MW starting Feb. 26, 2031, and an additional 300 MW by Feb. 26, 2032, subject to Energy Regulatory Commission approval. Alena Mae S. Flores

By Authority of the Chairman: (Sgd.) ATTY. JUAN ANTONIO M. EVANGELISTA Corporate Secretary

MALLDASH CORP. NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS November 06, 2026 Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of MALLDASH CORP. will be held on November 06, 2026 at 9 a.m. at 11F Robinsons Cyberscape Alpha. Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, Pasig City, Metro Manila. The Agenda for the meeting of Malldash Corp. are as follows: 1. Proof of notice of the meeting and existence of a quorum; 2. Reading and approval of the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders held on October 06, 2025; 3. Presentation of annual report and approval of the financial statements for the preceding year; 4. Election of Board of Directors; 5. Ratification of the acts of the Board of Directors and its committees, officers and management; 6. Approval of the Voluntary Dissolution of the Corporation; 7. Consideration of such other matters as may properly come during the meeting; and 8. Adjournment. Shareholders who wish to vote by proxy may request a copy of the proxy form via email at corsec@robinsonsland.com and must submit a softcopy of the duly accomplished proxy form via email to the same address or deliver a physical copy to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at 17/F Robinsons Cyberscape Alpha, Sapphire and Garnet Roads, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, not later than October 30, 2026. Validation of proxies shall be held on November 3, 2026. We are not soliciting proxies. By Authority of the Chairman: (Sgd.) ATTY. JUAN ANTONIO M. EVANGELISTA Corporate Secretary

BUSINESS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

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

PH seeks $875-m ADB loan for Mindanao roads T By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Philippines is seeking an $875.64-million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve road connectivity in Mindanao.

The proposed Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Project Phase 2 would upgrade 220.6 kilometers of roads across six subprojects in Zamboanga City and the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan and Sulu. The project aims to strengthen regional connectivity, stimulate local economic activity and help address civil conflicts by improving access to communities, markets and economic opportunities, according to the project description. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) identified the road sections as priorities for improving transport links and supporting economic development in the target areas. Works will include building, rehabilitating and upgrading selected roads by paving earth roads, widening existing routes, laying new road surfaces and building bridges. The roads will have climate-resilient features

and road safety measures. Major components include a 6.5-kilometer ocean-crossing viaduct and a 1.06-kilometer seacrossing bridge to connect islands and improve access between separated communities. The structures are expected to address connectivity challenges in island areas, where limited transport links constrain the movement of people, goods and services. By 2033, the project aims to deliver safe, reliable and climate-resilient road connectivity across the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Its central objective is a stronger regional road network that supports economic growth by improving access to markets, services and other economic centers. Better transport links are also expected to help local communities participate more fully in regional economic activity.

SUFFICIENT SUPPLY. Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque inspects the production facilities of Philippine Spring Water Resources Inc. (PSWRI), the company behind Nature’s Spring, ensuring sufficient bottled water supply in preparation for El Niño.

DOT keeps 2026 target of 6.4m foreign visitor arrivals By Othel V. Campos DEPARTMENT of Tourism Secretary Ma. Bernadita Angara-Mathay said she expects the Philippines to reach its target of 6.4 million international visitors this year despite higher fuel prices and airfares and weaker travel sentiment. International arrivals went up 3.46 percent year-on-year as of Oct. 6, putting the DOT on track to meet the goal, she said. The final quarter traditionally brings stronger tourism activity, giv-

ing the DOT confidence that arrivals will keep rising through year-end, she said. “I was really super anxious about, you know, with the fuel prices and, of course, the accompanying higher airlines fees, etc. And the lower sentiment for traveling. I was afraid that it will go down, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Angara-Mathay said. She said she would be pleased if arrivals exceeded 6.4 million, as visitor growth had been trending downward. Angara-Mathay also pointed to

Mitsubishi confident in PH economy, invests another P44.5b in Ayala By Thony Rose Lesaca MITSUBISHI Corp. has expanded its investment in Ayala Corp. by P44.5 billion, reaffirming its confidence in the Philippine economy and its longterm growth prospects, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Sunday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Finance Secretary Frederick Go and Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque announced the investment after meeting senior Mitsubishi and Ayala executives in Singapore. “Mitsubishi’s continued investments reflect its confidence in the Philippines and the opportunities our economy offers. We are encouraged by the deepened partnership that Ayala and Mitsubishi are looking at in the Philippines, particularly those aligned with the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) initiative, which will help strengthen key industries, attract more investments and create greater opportunities for Filipinos,” Go said. Mitsubishi Corporation executive vice president Shota Kondo and Ayala

Corp. executives led by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala discussed plans to deepen Philippine-Japanese collaboration in infrastructure, energy transition, real estate, digital technologies, mobility and logistics. Marcos thanked Mitsubishi for its longstanding commitment and continued investments in the country. The Philippine delegation reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a more business-friendly environment through ease-of-doing-business reforms, renewable energy initiatives and streamlined government processes to support Mitsubishi’s expansion. Ayala Corp. executives expressed appreciation for the administration’s efforts to make the Philippines a competitive destination for long-term investments. The investment builds on the AyalaMitsubishi partnership agreements Marcos witnessed during his state visit to Japan in May 2026. It shows that commitments made during high-level engagements are becoming concrete private-sector investments, the DOF said.

Pag-IBIG Fund, BCDA agree to build housing for New Clark City workers PAG-IBIG Fund and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) have agreed to develop affordable housing for workers on government land, starting with about 14 hectares in New Clark City in Tarlac province. Under the memorandum of agreement, the two agencies will pursue housing and other projects on identified BCDA properties, combining land, infrastructure, financing and housing expertise. The initial focus is a 10-hectare property in Bamban and a four-hectare property in Capas, with the Capas site also intended for a government center and other complementary developments. Camp John Hay, Morong Discovery Park and the Poro Point Freeport Zone have also been identified for possible projects. The partnership builds on President

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (Expanded 4PH) Program, which seeks to raise the supply of quality homes and match them with affordable financing. It coincides with National Shelter Month and with BCDA’s plans for affordable and mixed-income housing within reach of New Clark City’s business, industrial and commercial districts. The planned New Clark City project aims to create a walk-to-work township that combines housing with commercial areas and facilities for rest, recreation and other daily needs. Set amid mountains and trees, the township would give workers and their families access to green surroundings while keeping them near their workplaces and essential services.

PNB eyes bond sale early next year to fund loan growth By Jenniffer B. Austria

CLIMATE CONFERENCE. Climate Change Commission (CCC) vice-

chairperson and executive-director Robert Borje warns that the current El Niño will intensify to very strong levels and will highly likely persist through February 2027, citing a World Meteorological Organization forecast. Borje speaks at the PreCOP31 plenary on priorities for Antalya, ahead of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31). He urges United Nations member states to turn climate forecasts into global preparedness and early action. He said risks can compound across water, food, energy, health and local economies, although effects will vary by location.

IN BRIEF Cebu Pacific gets 15th Airbus A330neo

CEBU Pacific said it has taken delivery of its 15th Airbus A330neo, making it the largest operator of the aircraft in Asia and adding to its fleet of newer-generation planes. The delivery is CEB’s fourth aircraft this year. “The delivery of our 15th A330neo aircraft is an important milestone for Cebu Pacific as we continue to build a more modern fleet,” said Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Xander Lao. “The A330neo offers significant fuel savings compared with previous-generation aircraft and gives us the flexibility to serve different markets across and beyond the Philippines,” he said. New-generation (NEO) aircraft now make up 78 percent of CEB’s jet fleet. The airline expects to receive 7 more NEO aircraft in 2026 as it works toward an all-NEO fleet by 2030. NEO models use 15 percent to 20 percent less fuel per flight than previous-generation aircraft and generate significantly less noise, which helps cut carbon emissions and supports more sustainable operations. Darwin G. Amojelar

PHILIPPINE National Bank (PNB) plans to issue peso- or US dollardenominated bonds early next year to support loan growth, president and chief executive Edwin Bautista told reporters on the sidelines of a recent forum. The bank is considering both currencies because it still has shelf registration for each, Bautista said. It has yet to finalize the size of the offering. PNB has about $700 million in remaining capacity for dollar bonds and P35 billion for peso bonds. Bautista said proceeds would support business expansion and lending. PNB may tap overseas investors if it decides to raise a larger amount, he said, noting the bank has drawn favorable interest from foreign investors as its share price has risen this year despite current market conditions. PNB shares have climbed more than 35 percent this year to P76.20 as of Friday. The bank’s first-half net income grew 17 percent to P14.6 billion from P12.5 billion a year earlier.

Jollibee signs RE supply deals for 189 stores

THE Jollibee Group has completed a series of power supply contracts with First Gen Corp. to expand renewable energy use across 189 company-owned outlets. Jollibee Group and First Gen officials signed the agreements under the government’s Retail Aggregation Program, which lets qualified consumers pool power use and negotiate directly with energy suppliers. The parties signed the final batch of contracts on Sept 26, completing the shift to renewable energy for participating stores. The covered stores represent about 40 percent of the Jollibee Group’s company-owned locations in the Philippines. They operate under the Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, Red Ribbon, Burger King and Panda Express brands. First Gen will supply the stores’ aggregated demand from its geothermal facilities in Ormoc City and Kananga, Leyte. “Transitioning nearly 200 stores to renewable electricity requires close coordination across our organization,” said Jollibee Group Philippines network development head Bong Filart. “By consolidating eligible stores and improving electricity sourcing, we are demonstrating a practical approach that supports operational efficiency while advancing more sustainable business practices.” Alena Mae S. Flores

Bohol officials move to recharge tourism

Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Marilene Acosta (fifth from left) and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and chief executive Joshua Bingcang (sixth from left) lead the signing of a memorandum of agreement on Oct. 8, 2026 at the BCDA office in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Witnessing the signing ceremony are Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary and PagIBIG Fund board chairman Jose Ramon Aliling (fourth from left) and other officials of the two agencies.

China as a major source of potential growth, saying Chinese arrivals were up about 70 percent. “China is growing by 70 percent. So there’s a direct correlation with ease of taking out that friction of the visa with travel,” she said. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is already supportive of the initiative, she said, while the DOT continues to work on securing the participation of another government agency to advance the visa facilitation measures.

THE Bohol provincial government brought together public and private sector stakeholders, including Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) operator Aboitiz InfraCapital Bohol Airport Corporation (ABAC), on Oct. 7, 2026 to chart the province’s next phase of tourism growth. Participants in the one-day Bohol Tourism Marketing Workshop agreed on a market-informed tourism plan anchored on the Visit Bohol 2027 campaign, including campaign direction, priority markets and a working market calendar. “Bohol’s tourism growth is not the responsibility of the government alone. It requires the entire tourism ecosystem—from government and tourism establishments to the airport, airlines, transport operators and the private sector—to work toward a common direction,” Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado said. Representatives from the Bohol Provincial Government, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region VII, Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR), Bohol Association of Tour Operators (BATTO), tourism offices, transportation groups, ABAC and airlines attended the workshop. Their participation reflects the need for a more integrated approach to growing the tourism economy of Bohol, the Philippines’ first and only UNESCO Global Geopark.

PNB would prefer to issue longerterm bonds, Bautista said, but timing and terms will depend on interest rates. The bank’s loan portfolio grew about 15 percent, below its internal target, Bautista said. PNB expects loan growth to stay in double digits. PNB is also monitoring consumer lending as inflation and higher borrowing costs pressure households, he said. Consumer loans make up about 8 percent of the bank’s total loan portfolio, among the lowest shares of the country’s 10 largest banks. Most are secured, including mortgages, while credit cards account for a relatively small share. PNB had aimed to raise the consumer segment’s share to 15 percent of its loan book over about three years because of its higher net interest margins.

REAL ESTATE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

extrastory2000@gmail.com Jenniffer B. Austria, Issue Editor

Luzon warehouse demand doubles as industrial rents rise

Ayala Land Estates Vertis North (Rain Garden)

Vertis North develops into business, lifestyle hub

uezon City’s growing business activity is giving Ayala Land Inc.’s Vertis North a bigger role in the capital’s commercial landscape, with offices, residential projects, shopping centers and hotels taking shape around major transport links. Located at the junction of EDSA, North Avenue and Quezon Avenue, Vertis North is changing the North Triangle area into a business and lifestyle hub. The development brings together workplaces, homes, retail and dining destinations, h o t e l s and open spaces, allowing people to work, live and spend time within the same area. Tr a n s p o r t infrastructure is also expected to strengthen the district’s appeal as the Unified Grand Central Station, MRT-7 and Metro Manila Subway are expected to improve connections between Quezon City and other parts of Metro Manila. The estate forms part of ALI’s strategy of developing mixed-use districts where commercial activity is supported by residential communities and amenities. Beyond office district Vertis North’s office portfolio includes Vertis North Corporate Center and One Vertis Plaza, which add to Quezon City’s growing supply of business space.

The area also benefits from its proximity to major universities, including the University of the Philippines Diliman and Ateneo de Manila University as their graduates provide a ready pool of talent for companies based in and around Vertis North. Outside office hours, shopping, dining and entertainment destinations help keep the district active. Ayala Malls Vertis North and TriNoma serve shoppers and diners, while Seda Vertis North caters to

business and leisure travelers. Solaire Resort North has added another major hospitality and entertainment destination to the city. Together, these establishments give workers, residents and visitors more reasons to spend time in the area beyond their daily work schedules. Homes closer to work Residential developments are adding another dimension to Vertis North’s growth. Veris Residences, a premium residential project by Alveo Land, places homes within the wider business and lifestyle district. Residents have access to nearby offices, retail establishments, dining options and open spaces. The combination of homes and workplaces reflects a broader shift in urban development, as property companies seek to create districts where people can reach more of their daily destinations without traveling across the city. For residents, proximity can mean easier access to work and leisure. For businesses, a growing residential community can help support demand for shops, restaurants and other services. Jenniffer B. Austria

LUZON’S warehouse market is getting busier as logistics firms, retailers and manufacturers look for more space to keep goods moving, pushing industrial rents higher across key locations. Property consultancy PRIME Philippines recorded about 292,000 square meters of industrial space requirements in the third quarter of 2026, more than double the 145,000 square meters recorded a year earlier. The increase follows a pickup in demand over the past two quarters, after requirements stood at about 116,000 square meters in the first quarter. Transportation and storage accounted for 47 percent of classified demand, followed by wholesale and retail trade at 19 percent and manufacturing at 18 percent. Other requirements came from food and beverage, construction, power generation and services. Amid current economic pressures, companies are looking beyond rental rates when choosing a warehouse, weighing factors such as location, truck access, power supply, manpower and the cost of moving goods between warehouses, suppliers and customers. “The decision is no longer simply about rent per square meter,” said Joy Rosario, executive vice president for industrial tenant representation at PRIME Philippines. Companies are now looking at the total cost and efficiency of operating from a location, she said. That means warehouses must meet more specific needs, from ceiling height and loading bays to truck circulation, power capacity and room for expansion.

Meanwhile the stronger demand is also giving landlords room to raise rents, particularly in areas where available modern facilities are limited. Average industrial rents increased year on year in all six markets. Metro Manila posted the biggest increase, with average rates rising 11.8 percent to P259 per square meter. Pampanga followed with a 5.2-percent increase to P163 per square meter, while Bulacan rents rose 1.6 percent to P180. Average rents reached P248 per square meter in Cavite, P225 in Laguna and P257 in Batangas. Across the monitored Luzon markets, occupied industrial space totaled 40.5 million square meters, while 2.1 million square meters remained vacant. This put the overall occupancy rate at about 95 percent. New warehouse completions are adding to available space in Central Luzon, although demand is gradually absorbing the supply. The market is also preparing for more additions. About 118,000 square meters of warehouse space is scheduled for completion in 2027, followed by another 268,000 square meters in 2028. Bulacan accounts for nearly 90,000 square meters of the 2027 pipeline, as industrial development expands north of Meycauayan. Batangas is expected to add 150,000 square meters in 2028. More than half of the planned supply for 2027 and 2028 will be built inside industrial parks, according to PRIME. These locations can appeal to companies looking for established infrastructure and the fiscal incentives available to qualified enterprises.

RLC opens more residential projects to Pag-IBIG home loans

Among the key executives: Alexander Hilario G. Aguilar, deputy chief executive officer of Pag-IBIG Fund (fourth from left); Marilene C. Acosta, chief executive officer of Pag-IBIG Fund (fifth from left); engineer Jose Ramon P. Aliling, DHSUD Secretary (sixth from left); Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio, president and CEO of Robinsons Land (seventh from left); and Teddy V. Bernas, senior vice president and business unit general manager of RLC Residences (eighth from left).

ROBINSONS Land Corp. (RLC) is working with Pag-IBIG Fund to make more of its residential projects eligible for housing loans, giving qualified members more options as they look to buy a home. Through its residential arm, RLC Residences, the property developer is expanding the number of projects that Pag-IBIG members can consider, from condominiums in Metro Manila to developments in growing cities across the country. Three RLC Residences projects are already accredited for Pag-IBIG housing loans: Acacia Escalades Tower B, Cirrus and Gateway Regency Studios. Six others are undergoing accreditation: Aurora Escalades, Woodsville Crest, Chimes Greenhills, Radiance Manila Bay South Tower, Sierra Valley Gardens and The Sapphire Bloc East Tower. The expansion comes as Pag-IBIG raises its housing loan ceiling to P10 million from P6

million and offers promotional interest rates until the end of 2026, potentially giving buyers more room to finance their home purchases. Qualified members may avail themselves of a 4.5-percent interest rate for loans of up to P4.9 million and a 5.75-percent rate for loans above that amount. Both rates are fixed for the first three years, subject to the fund’s terms and conditions. Couples who are both qualified Pag-IBIG members may have a combined borrowing capacity of up to P20 million, subject to loan evaluation and applicable guidelines. One of RLC Residences’ projects already covered by Pag-IBIG financing is Cirrus, a ready-for-occupancy condominium at Bridgetowne Destination Estate. Qualified buyers with approved loans above P4.9 million may be eligible for the 5.75-percent promotional rate.

Aside from Bridgetown, RLC Residences also has projects across Metro Manila and in Cebu, Bacolod and Davao, giving buyers options in established and emerging urban centers. RLC president and chief executive officer Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio said the company wants to offer more choices, from city condominiums to homes in planned residential communities, and make homeownership more attainable. RLC and Pag-IBIG also plan to hold housing fairs, member briefings and online promotions to help prospective buyers explore available units and understand the loan application process. As more RLC Residences projects undergo accreditation, the developer expects to widen the pool of potential buyers who can use PagIBIG financing to purchase a home.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

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

SHOWBIZ Korina Sanchez isn’t saying no to politics just yet

ROADCAST journalist Korina Sanchez celebrated her birthday earlier this month with a wish that has something to do with what drives her nowadays. She was honest, she wants to keep earning so she can continue helping others.

Seasoned broadcaster Korina Sanchez remains open to the possibility of entering politics but stressed that she has made no decision about running for office Korina Sanchez (center) discusses her plans for the new program and her desire to continue helping others

“I wish that I would continue earning because I really want to help a lot of people. Ang dami kong gustong tulungan. Addict ako sa pagtulong,” Sanchez told Manila Standard Entertainment during the press launch for her new TV5 show, Mornings with Ate Koring. The exchange about whether she might eventually enter politics then entered the conversation. Sanchez did

not dismiss the possibility, although she was quick to clarify that no decision had been made. “Puwede siguro. Talagang wala na akong pantulong, kailangan ko nang gamitin ang kaban ng bayan,” she said in jest, before making a more serious point: “You can help people even without a position.” That does not mean she has ruled out a political career. Sanchez

The weekday program features conversations with personalities and people whose experiences have drawn public attention

Gerald Anderson finds his perfect match, and it’s not who you think

Gerald Anderson notes that he values endorsements involving products he actually uses

By Nickie Wang GERALD Anderson has learned that life does not come with a repair kit. Some failures hurt, some relationships fall apart, and some disappointments take time to overcome. The important thing, he believes, is learning from them and moving forward. Asked by a journalist whether he wished there were a tool that could fix the loopholes in his life, the actor turned the question back to the members of the press. “Kayo ba, do you want that?” he asked. “Life is like business. What will you learn if everything is just happy? You learn from a variety of things, from the failures to the heartaches. You just use it to improve yourself. You have to keep improving every day and learn from your failures.” When asked about the hardest failure he had ever struggled to repair, the actor admitted that there had been plenty, spanning different aspects of his life. “Marami. Every day. Like business, relationships, family. Maraming ... na-stop ‘yan. Hanggang nabubuhay ka, marami talaga,” he said. Anderson appeared to take these setbacks as an inevitable part of living and “I think that’s one thing I learned. Ganun talaga ang buhay. Hindi araw-araw Pasko. So pag Pasko, enjoy, but just remember that, you know, ganun ang buhay.” His advice was to stay present instead of becoming consumed by what went wrong or what might happen next. It is a philosophy that seems fitting for someone juggling several

Gerald Anderson (left) and Greenfield Tools vice president Wayne Coherco at the brand’s press conference and signing of contract

careers and business ventures, with little room to dwell on yesterday’s mistakes. Anderson is staying on as an endorser of Greenfield Tools for another year, with the brand pointing to his lifestyle and professional pursuits as reasons for renewing the partnership. “We want to find someone kasi na talagang we felt would have a need and natural fit for the product,” Greenfield vice president Wayne Coherco said during the brand’s press conference on Oct. 5 at Perfect B in Quezon City. “When we chose Gerald, it wasn’t so much because he’s a male and we’re male. But it’s really more his lifestyle resonates with our brand and what we stand for,” Coherco added. The company cited Anderson’s various roles as an actor, athlete, director, and businessman, along with his relief efforts and plans for a resort, as evidence of that connection. “Kaya si Gerald talaga, we felt with his very different, many different roles, and then now he’s building his resort, and he’s doing all of them. He does his relief efforts. There really is a very strong and natural fit,” Coherco said. Greenfield marketing head Allan Ocampo likewise pointed to the actor’s familiarity with the products he endorses. Anderson, for his part, stressed that he is selective about brand partnerships. He wants to use the products he promotes rather than simply lend his name and face to an advertising campaign.

revealed that she has received offers to run for office for years, but whether she would entertain one in the coming elections remains uncertain. “I have to convince my husband, di ba? Kasi maliliit pa ang mga anak ko,” she explained. If she ever decides to run, she added, she would consider serving only one term. Asked whether she would prefer a local or national position, Sanchez suggested that a national office might be easier but stressed that she was speaking hypothetically. “Baka sabihin ninyo tatakbo talaga ako. Hindi pa sigurado iyon. Hindi pa talaga sigurado,” she reiterated. “So, kung sino man ang gustong tumulong sa akin diyan, kayo ang tumulong sa mga dati kong tinutulungan,” she said. It was a revealing answer from a broadcaster whose career has long involved telling the stories of Filipinos from different walks of life. It also provides an interesting backdrop to her latest television show, Gandang Mornings with Ate Koring, which premieres on TV5 at 11 a.m. today. The weekday program puts Sanchez back in the interviewer’s chair, where she will talk to personalities and people whose experiences have captured public attention. The pilot week features singer Lyca Gairanod, comedian Brod Pete, Mary Jane Veloso, who was recently granted clemency, and seasoned actress Maricel Soriano. With her journalistic instincts and conversational interviewing style, Sanchez aims to draw out the experiences, emotions, and personal revelations behind her guests’ public identities. The new show also complements Rated Korina, which airs Sundays at 5:00 p.m. on TV5. The long-running program continues to explore Filipino personalities, unusual experiences, and stories of people whose lives offer viewers a different perspective. Together, the two programs give Sanchez different avenues to do what she has spent decades doing: ask questions, listen to people, and tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.

Be the next singing star with TNT’s Sayaoke TNT is searching for the country’s next karaoke star through Sayaoke, a nationwide singing competition that will connect aspiring performers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao through live singing battles powered by TNT 5G. The competition will begin with online auditions before moving to weekly showdowns streamed on TikTok Live, giving audiences across the country a chance to watch and support their favorite singers. “Connectivity is an important part of how Filipinos experience entertainment, pursue their passions, and connect with one another,” said Lloyd R. Manaloto, first vice president and officer-in-charge of Smart Communications Inc. With Sayaoke, he said, aspiring singers from across the country can showcase their talents and participate in a competition that connects performers and audiences in real time. Aspiring contestants can record their audition videos through the Vivaoke app, TNT’s official audition platform featuring Viva’s library of original Pilipino music (OPM) songs. They can submit their entries during registration at sayaoke.tntph.com. Forty-eight finalists will be selected to undergo an online boot camp featuring vocal coaching and mentoring before competing in the weekly live showdowns. The contestants will perform at Sayaoke Birit Booths to be deployed nationwide, with each weekly competition offering a P300,000 cash prize. TNT subscribers who do not compete can still take part by supporting their favorite singers during the live shows. Subscribers can load select TNT promos to earn voting credits, which they can use to vote for contestants. TNT will also offer opportunities to win prizes, including cash, 5G smartphones, motorcycles, and electric bikes. The nationwide Sayaoke Birit Booths will use TNT 5G connectivity to support live performances and streaming. TNT’s 5G network is powered by Smart, which Ookla recognized for delivering the Philippines’ best mobile video experience in the first half of 2026. Smart recorded a video score of 72.82, the highest among mobile operators in the country. For details on auditions and competition mechanics, visit sayaoke. tntph.com. ‘Sayaoke’ is a nationwide singing competition that will connect aspiring performers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao through live singing battles AI-generated image

LIFE & SHOWBIZ

C3 MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

Why filmmaker Emille Joson waited 15 years to date again

PEOPLE

By Nickie Wang

FTER 15 years without dating, filmmaker Emille Joson has finally found a relationship that appears to align with her preference for privacy and independence. And this story is a reminder that people can approach romance at their own pace rather than feel pressured to meet society’s expectations. Fans have compared Joson to a real-life cross between Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl and Eloise Bridgerton of Bridgerton, citing her independence and discerning personality. She has focused on independent filmmaking rather than pursuing mainstream commercial success, choosing to develop her career at her own pace. Her family has connections in the entertainment industry. Her late father, Carlito Joson, previously worked at Solar Entertainment, while her mother is a close friend of Superstar Nora Aunor. Joson, however, chose to pursue her filmmaking career on her own terms.

Emille Joson and British entrepreneur Louis Steffano Byron keep their relationship largely offline, preferring to maintain their privacy away from social media

Filmmaker Emille Joson maintains a low online profile while continuing her work in independent film and with her family’s producers cooperative

She has taken a similarly selective approach to romance. Joson reportedly waited 15 years after her relationship with Elton Zobel before dating again, leaving her with only one former boyfriend before Louis Steffano Byron, her new romance. Her experience challenges the pressure to find a partner within a certain timeframe. Being single does not mean a person is falling behind, and choosing carefully whom to date is a personal decision. Joson’s current partner, British entrepreneur Louis Steffano Byron, reportedly maintains no social media presence. His absence from online platforms initially caused a misunderstanding between the two.

“When mi choo (Louis) and I first met, he never talked about other women in front of me, plus he was totally off the grid,” Joson recalled. “So at first, he messaged me, di ako nakakareply sabi niya ‘I think I should bin this app, love!’ Sabi ko, ang feeling naman nito, so I blocked him. Then I found out he didn’t even have social media, he literally just downloaded WhatsApp to reach out to me!” Joson eventually replied after learning that Byron had downloaded WhatsApp specifically to contact her. “It totally reminded me of what Paris Hilton said: Sweet guys are nowhere to be found on

any of these platforms. So ayun, nag-reply na ako,” she added. Joson said that Byron’s discretion and lack of social media presence were positive signs. She has since deactivated her own social media accounts to maintain a more private personal life. Despite her lower online profile, Joson continues to work with Alaga Producers Cooperative, her family’s cooperative. Her experience shows that there is no fixed timeline for relationships. Taking time to establish personal priorities and deciding what matters in a partner can help people make choices that suit their circumstances.

Tired of endless group chats? AI could finally get that barkada trip moving KEEPING up with family, friends, and colleagues takes time and effort, from planning weekend getaways and preparing daily meals to coordinating work projects. Rakuten Viber is turning to ChatGPT to help users manage these everyday tasks without getting lost in endless group chat conversations. Available through a dedicated tab and within chats, ChatGPT in Viber can help users organize plans, generate ideas, and streamline routines. Here are four ways the AI assistant can make daily life easier.

Shared travel preferences can be turned into itineraries and packing lists, helping friends organize trips without sorting through long message threads

Plan the long-awaited barkada trip Getting everyone to agree on a destination is one thing. Putting together an itinerary that accommodates the entire barkada is another. ChatGPT in Viber can help sort through the group’s preferences and turn them into a travel plan. Users can tag @ChatGPT in a group chat to request an itinerary covering everyone’s interests and must-see attractions. The assistant can also prepare a packing checklist to help the group get ready. Make family meal planning easier Preparing meals for the family requires creativity, particularly when everyone has different tastes and dietary preferences. Through the dedicated ChatGPT tab, users can generate meal ideas based on ingredients already in the pantry, plan a week’s worth of dishes, and create grocery lists. Suggestions can be tailored to household preferences, including higher-fiber meals for older adults and protein-rich options for active family members. Parents can also ask for ideas to encourage picky toddlers to eat vegetables.

Build a couple’s workout plan Starting a fitness routine with a partner can make it easier to stay motivated and accountable. ChatGPT in Viber can suggest workouts based on fitness levels, lifestyles, and personal goals, whether users work from home, travel frequently, or want to try a new sport. It can also provide introductory tips for activities such as pickleball and golf. Couples can use their chat to discuss their plans and encourage each other to stick to their routines. Brainstorm with colleagues Work group chats can quickly fill with ideas, questions, and competing suggestions. ChatGPT in Viber can help teams organize these discussions, explore alternatives, and develop themes or frameworks for projects without switching between apps. The tool can help turn a stream of messages into a more structured starting point for discussions and decisionmaking. “Viber has always been invested in enhancing how you connect with the people that matter to you,” said David Tse, senior director for APAC at Rakuten Viber. “ChatGPT in Viber is a practical assistant, helping you streamline different areas in your life, especially during times when you need help the most. This allows you to focus on your relationships that make life beautiful and worthwhile,” he added. Tse also emphasized Viber’s focus on secure communication. Users can manage privacy preferences for specific features, including AI summaries and inchat tools, through the app’s settings under “Calls and Messages.”

In-chat AI tools can also help friends and colleagues sort ideas, compare options and turn scattered conversations into workable plans

More Filipinos are filing visa applications for leisure, business, education and family visits, with European destinations remaining among the popular choices AI-generated image

Overseas travel boom fuels rise in Filipino visa applications VISA applications filed by Filipinos rose 20 percent from January to August 2026 compared with the same period last year, with non-Schengen destinations and doorstep application services recording strong growth, according to VFS Global. Applications for non-Schengen destinations increased 28 percent, while demand for Schengen countries remained stable. Australia, Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom were the most popular non-Schengen destinations for Filipino travelers. For Schengen travel, the leading destinations were Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Demand for personalized visa services also climbed, with VFS Global’s Visa At Your Doorstep service recording 58 percent year-on-year growth. The service allows applicants to submit visa applications, complete biometric enrollment, and arrange passport delivery at their homes or another location of their choice. VFS Global offers doorstep visa services for 20 countries in the

Philippines, including Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and several European destinations. Its Mobile Visa Application Centre service also extends access to visa application services beyond its regular centers. Atul Lall, VFS Global’s regional head for North Asia, attributed the increase in applications to Filipinos’ interest in international travel for leisure, business, education, and family reunions. He encouraged travelers to plan ahead and submit applications well before departure, while urging them to use official channels to avoid visarelated scams. VFS Global serves 36 sovereign governments in the Philippines through 64 visa application centers in eight cities: Batangas City, Cebu, Davao, Makati, Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon City, and Taguig. The company handles administrative tasks, including collecting application forms and supporting documents and recording biometric information when required. Visa decisions remain the responsibility of the relevant governments.

LIFE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026

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

Mercury Rising

Bob Zozobrado

Feasting on flavors of possibility

F there is any culinary event that I really look forward to every year, it’s SMX’s Culinaire that’s the runaway winner. This is where I get to taste new gustatory masterpieces from the metro’s leading kitchens, served in the massive halls of SMX Convention Center Manila and presented in a uniquely attractive manner that, just by looking at them, your inner cravings start to rev up. Now on its 7th year, Culinaire, this time, featured mouthwatering specialties from nine partner caterers: Bizu Catering Studio, The Creamery Catering, Hizon’s Catering, Juan Carlo The Caterer, Kitchen City, M Catering and Fine Foods, Richgold Weddings, TJIOE The Caterer, and Via Mare. Unlike in previous years, this year’s event made it easier for guests to appreciate and enjoy the featured delicacies. Guests did not have to line up at each booth just to try its delicious offerings. We were just seated at our assigned tables while each caterer’s culinary masterpiece was served to us. Of course, if we wanted more of each featured dish, we could still go to the particular caterer’s booth and ask for seconds…or thirds…or fourths! Filipino flavors, indeed, took center stage this time, enhanced by the artistry and craftsmanship of the featured caterers. I felt that each dish was a beautiful expression of the corresponding chef’s artistry. It certainly put familiar ingredients and regional inspirations from across our archipelago to good use, showcasing the many ways our Filipino specialties can be creatively reimagined and enjoyed. Guests were also given a card containing the logos of each featured caterer, which should be dropped off at each of their booths when asking for more of their primary dish or when tasting the other specialties they offered. The caterer with the

Cebu lechon joins the Filipino-inspired menu served during Culinaire at SMX Convention Center Manila, where nine caterers reinterpret familiar local dishes

Tawilis fish and chips with calamansi aioli gives the British staple a distinctly Filipino treatment

most logo stubs, meaning it was the most popular, won a prize. The primary dishes served to us represented the best of Filipino cuisine. Starting with the appetizers, Bizu had Poached Duck Egg Penoy, which was

Sinuglaw brings grilled pork belly into the lineup of regional dishes highlighting the range of Filipino cooking at this year’s Culinaire

served in its shell and came with a very small spoon that fit perfectly into the open top of the eggshell. The Creamery served us Chicken Inasal Pani Puri, which came with a mesh of potato strings and was mounted on a banana leaf.

YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE A FORLORN HUSBAND: I don’t need Google. My wife knows everything! belly, which was served the way it was because something that good didn’t need any garnishing. Of course, the most anticipated was the Cebu Lechon served to us by Richgold Weddings. TJIOE The Caterer also made its mark by serving us Laguna Angus Kulawo, the most tender beef I have ever laid my teeth on. It was the “meltin-your-mouth” kind! Via Mare capped the dinner with its Tawilis Fish and Chips with Calamansi Aioli, a very creative interpretation of London’s famous fish and chips. The calamansi aioli gave the tawilis and the fries a heavenly taste! As if that was not enough, dessert “glorified” the evening further. Juan Carlo The Caterer mesmerized us with his Ginto: Gateway To The Islands, which was his own version of halo-halo. M Catering further pleased my palate with its Coconut Inutak Brulee, which had my favorite sticky rice and a cube of mango. It was an evening of pure gustatory pleasure, as it celebrated the creativity of our kitchen artisans. It

Poached duck egg penoy opens the dinner with a contemporary take on a familiar Filipino ingredient at SMX Convention Center Manila

Kapampangan Sisig Crisp, which was served in a crust shaped like a small bowl and came with its sauce, was Kitchen City’s primary offering. The main courses included Hizon’s Sinuglaw, or grilled pork

certainly transformed the massive gathering into an experience worth remembering! I wonder what culinary surprises SMX and its partner caterers will have for us next year. For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

Travel fair puts Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam on Filipinos’ radar

Hong Kong’s scenic waterfronts reveal a new New convention developments in Pasay City and South Road Properties, Cebu City, form part of SMX’s continuing expansion into major business and tourism markets

SMX Convention Center wins third consecutive TTG Travel Award SMX Convention Center has been named the Philippines’ Best Convention & Exhibition Center for the third consecutive year at the 35th TTG Travel Awards, strengthening its position in the country’s meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry. The award was presented during the TTG Travel Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on Sept. 24, 2026, at Centara Grand at CentralWorld in Bangkok, Thailand. Winners are determined through votes from TTG readers, including travel and tourism professionals across the AsiaPacific region. SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC), which operates SMX Convention Center, continues to expand its MICE portfolio through new venues in established commercial centers and emerging regional markets. “SMX’s third repeat win at the TTG Travel Awards reflects the strength of our MICE operations and our continued commitment to investing in key markets where commerce, tourism, and economic activity can grow together,” SMHCC senior vice president for operations Walid Wafik said. “As SMHCC expands its portfolio, we are not simply increasing our footprint. We are creating platforms that connect people and organizations, bring events closer to regional markets, and

contribute to the growth of local economies and communities,” he added. SMX Convention Center Seaside Cebu, set to become the largest venue in the SMX portfolio, will rise at Cebu’s South Road Properties to support the city’s position as a business and tourism destination. SMXCITE Center for International Trade and Exhibitions will expand exhibition capacity within the SM Mall of Asia complex, complementing SMX Convention Center Manila. SMX is also developing trade halls in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; Sto. Tomas, Batangas; and Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The facilities will accommodate exhibitions, corporate gatherings, and other professional events in growing regional markets. The expanding network is expected to benefit hotels, restaurants, transport providers, tourist attractions, and local businesses through increased visitor spending and business activity. SMHCC aims to accommodate events ranging from international conventions and exhibitions to regional trade fairs and corporate gatherings, while strengthening the Philippines’ competitiveness as a MICE destination in Asia and creating opportunities for local communities.

KLOOK Travel Fest 2026 returns to Manila on Oct. 17 and 18, featuring two days of travel deals, exclusive promo codes, and discounts on attractions across Asia. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at One Ayala Concourse, Level 2. Admission is free, but visitors must register online and secure a QR code through Klook. First-time travelers can get one-on-one booking assistance to plan their itineraries, while seasoned explorers can take advantage of exclusive offers for upcoming trips. Deals cover Philippine destinations and popular international hotspots, including Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and China. Hong Kong attractions take the spotlight Travelers planning a Hong Kong getaway can find special offers at Hong Kong Disneyland, Ngong Ping 360, and Ocean Park Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland features eight themed lands, combining thrilling rides with immersive storytelling. Ngong Ping 360 offers panoramic

views of Lantau Island and Tung Chung Bay, ending at Ngong Ping Village near the iconic 34-foot Tian Tan Buddha. Ocean Park Hong Kong caters to families and adventure seekers with animal encounters, educational activities, rides, and theme park attractions. Vietnam and China offer more adventures In Vietnam, deals are available for Sun World Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, where visitors can explore Fantasy Park, ride the Alpine Coaster, and visit landmarks such as the French Village and Golden Bridge. In China, travelers can find offers on Shanghai Disneyland, home to the world’s first Zootopiathemed land, plus attractions like TRON Lightcycle Power Run and Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure. Universal Studios Beijing features themed attractions inspired by Kung Fu Panda, Transformers, and Harry Potter, alongside shows, events, and dining experiences. More ways to save Travelers can maximize savings through payment promotions from participating banks and digital payment providers. Metrobank cardholders can get up to 25 percent off sitewide, while UnionBank cardholders can receive an additional 25 percent discount on attractions in Japan and Vietnam. BDO cardholders can enjoy a 15 percent sitewide discount. Additional offers will be available through GCash, RCBC, and Security Bank during the event. How to prepare Visitors should download the Klook app, register for the free admission ticket, and save their QR code for entry. A valid government-issued ID and the app should also be ready on their phones. Travelers can follow Klook Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for event updates and promotions. With deals covering local getaways and international attractions, Klook Travel Fest 2026 gives travelers an opportunity to plan their next adventures while saving on experiences across the region. Japan remains among the destinations featured at the Oct. For details and free admission registra17 to 18 Manila travel fair, with offers covering attractions and tion, visit www.klook.com/en-PH/tetris/ other travel experiences across Asia promo/klooktravelfestph/