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Continuing her Asian swing, Alex Eala is set to compete in the 2025 Wuhan Open qualifiers in China.

Seeded fifth in the qualifying draw of the prestigious event, Eala faces Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the opening round on Saturday, no earlier than 5:30 p.m.

Eala is ranked No. 58 in the world, while the 24-year-old Uchijima sits at No. 92.

The Wuhan Open is the final WTA 1000 tournament of the 2025 calendar. It offers eight qualifier spots in the 56-player singles draw.

Eala flew to Wuhan immediately after her quarterfinal exit in the Suzhou Open WTA 125 on Friday.

In her second tournament in Asia, Eala played all three matches in Suzhou in grueling three-setters-including a round-of-16 duel that lasted more than three hours.

‘Some crazy matches this week. Back to the drawing board with a bit more experience and a lot of sweat lost,’ Eala wrote in an Instagram post.

She also competed in the Jingshan Tennis Open late last month.

The Wuhan Open marks Eala’s return to a WTA 1000 event since the Canadian Open last July.

Sen. Loren Legarda reaffirmed her commitment to Indigenous Cultural empowerment and inclusive development during the Ummong Festival held at the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) on October 3, 2025.

Addressing local leaders, educators, students, and Indigenous cultural bearers, Legarda emphasized the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in shaping national identity and safeguarding the country’s cultural wealth.

‘In our celebration of Ummong, we forge a chapter of unity, dignity, and renewed hope for our communities,’ Legarda said in her opening remarks, paying tribute to the province’s enduring contributions to its indigenous communities.

The Ummong Festival, now on its fourth year since its launch in 2022, is a cultural gathering organized by NVSU. Rooted in the word ‘ummong,’ meaning fellowship and reverence for one’s origins, the event brings together IP communities from across the province to showcase traditional songs, dances, crafts, and customs, promoting the preservation of indigenous knowledge. Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, and a staunch advocate of cultural preservation, highlighted key initiatives she has championed in support of Indigenous rights.

‘With all my heart, I fought for and continue to push for laws and programs that strengthen the rights, culture, and livelihood of Indigenous Filipinos,’ she said, citing the Cultural Mapping Law, National Indigenous Peoples Day, and the establishment of Schools of Living Traditions such as the Kalahan Academy in Sta. Fe.

The four-term senator also underscored the importance of language preservation through the Bantayog ng Wika program, noting the installation of a monument in Bayombong honoring the Gaddang language.

‘We also promote the Bantayog ng Wika to preserve and give honor to our Indigenous languages and traditions,’ Legarda said.

Legarda called for continued support for Indigenous Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), recognizing their role in strengthening local economies.

‘Our support continues in order to strengthen the livelihood and self-sufficiency of communities,’ she affirmed.

Reflecting on the spirit of the festival, Legarda described Ummong as ‘a celebration of unity and respect for our origins, way of life, and wisdom.’ She further urged communities to continue passing on indigenous knowledge and values to the next generation: ‘Let us continue the respect and solidarity, the learning, teaching, and transmission to the youth of the wisdom and skills of your community.’

Alex Eala bowed out of the 2025 Wuhan Open qualifiers, losing to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, in the first round on Saturday.

Eala forced a deciding set but fell behind 0-3 and was unable to recover, failing to advance in the third stop of her Asian swing. The Filipino tennis ace, who took a medical timeout in the third set, was coming off a quarterfinal exit in the Suzhou WTA 125 on Friday.

Eala has now played five straight three-set matches-including all three in Suzhou-since her semifinal appearance in the Jingshan Tennis Open on September 27.

She fought back in the second set against the 24-year-old Uchijima, stringing together three straight games to claim it 6-3. But Eala couldn’t sustain her rhythm in the decider, as Uchijima built on her early lead and pulled away by winning three of the final four games to close out the match in two hours and 11 minutes.

Eala is listed to compete next in the Japan Open, Guangzhou Open, and Hong Kong Open.

Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Datu Ali Midtimbang has offered a cash reward of P100,000 for any information that would identify and arrest the suspects in the beheading of an Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) elder on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Midtimbang offered the reward money in a meeting on Friday, Oct 3, with police and military authorities in the province after gunmen attacked and killed Rommel ‘Nel’ Lupos, former village councilman of Barangay Mantao and tribal elder of the Teduray Lambangian people in Barangay Limpongo, Datu Hoffer town, Maguindanao del Sur.

Lupos was resting in his nipa hut in his farm lot in Barangay Limpongo when unidentified gunmen arrived and shot him. Relatives, worried for his failure to return home in the village center, launched a search and found him beheaded just outside his nipa hut.

The governor has personally handed over financial assistance to Lupos’ wife and children, who came to see him after the incident.

Midtimbang also directed the police and military to put up checkpoints in the villages of IPs to protect them from harassment by gunmen out to take over their ancestral lands. Timuay Leticio Datuwata, head of the Timuay Justice and Governance, the indigenous political structure of the Teduray-Lambangian tribe, said Lupos was killed for his refusal to vacate his farm lot as what the gunmen had been telling the IPs in the mountains of Datu Hoffer.

Midtimbang also urged the IP communities in Barangays Limpongo and Mantao to avoid establishing their homes away from each other.

‘It is better if your houses are close to each other so it would be easy for the police and military to protect you,’ Midtimbang said during an emergency peace and order council meeting.

Sen. Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian said on Saturday that he believes Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III’s leadership is ‘very stable.’

This came following Sen. JV Ejercito’s recent remark that he, along with four other senators, planned to leave the majority bloc after several former and incumbent senators were tagged as being involved in anomalous flood control projects being investigated by the Senate blue ribbon committee ‘First of all, I see that Senator Sotto’s leadership is stable,’ Gatchalian, speaking in Filipino, said in a radio interview over DWIZ’s ‘Usapang Senado’ on Saturday.

‘In fact, it was from him that this suggestion came, ‘Oh, let’s just amend on the floor to be transparent,” he noted.

Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise mentioned that they have already agreed not to implement the Certificate of Urgency on the government’s budget.

‘If you remember, second and third readings, only one day, no time to review. Nothing like that anymore. So when we approve on second reading, we will give the senators three days to review one final time before approving the third reading. So Senator Sotto agreed to that suggestion, our President agreed. So that is also a reform to make budget deliberation more transparent,’ the senator explained. ‘For me, the leadership of the Senate [President] is very stable.,’ he reiterated.

When asked if Ejercito or other senators talked to him about the plan of leaving the Senate majority, Gatchalian refused to comment. Will stay with Sotto’s leadership

When asked if he will be staying in the majority, Gatchalian said, ‘Yes, definitely. Will stay with Sen. Sotto.’

Gatchalian affirmed that he talked with Ejercito but refused to give details on what they discussed, saying that he is currently concentrated on the 2026 national budget deliberation and assisting victims of the Cebu quake and the recent cyclone.

‘We talked, but I’m not going to talk about what we talked about or what my feelings are. For me, it’s important that this 2026 budget is done properly, and what’s important to me is how to help those who were hit by the earthquake and cyclone,’ he said.

James Kwekuteye is gearing up for a new beginning in the PBA, joining his third team ahead of Season 50-and he couldn’t be more excited.

On Friday, Titan Ultra (formerly NorthPort) traded Kwekuteye to Phoenix for forward Ato Ular. Yet on the eve of the deal, the San Beda product was all smiles, chatting with Kai Ballungay during Titan’s unveiling of the LeBron 23 at Bonifacio Global City.

‘I’m excited. I’m pretty excited, to be honest. I’ve been waiting,’ Kwekuteye said. ‘I just have to work hard in practice, and let my game do the rest.’

Kwekuteye was drafted by Blackwater in 2023 before being dealt to NorthPort for Abu Tratter earlier this year. Now, he’ll suit up for Phoenix under new head coach Willy Wilson, who replaced Jamike Jarin.

‘Coach Willie, he’s a Fil-Am and knowing him, he lets everybody rock, lets them play within the system, and gives more freedom. That’s what I think,’ said Kwekuteye.

The sweet-shooting guard joins a youthful Phoenix lineup that includes Will Gozum, Ricci Rivero, Tyler Tio, and Ken Tuffin.

University of the Philippines stifled National University for a 66-59 win on Saturday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The Fighting Maroons improved to 2-2 and handed the Bulldogs their first loss of the young season after a 3-0 start. UP clamped down defensively when it mattered most, holding the Bulldogs to just 10 points in the fourth quarter after trailing by one entering the period, 49-48.

Fighting Maroons’ assistant coach Christian Luanzon credited the squad’s defensive showcase to their stellar communication inside the court.

‘What’s important was, everyone was involved in communication, everybody was on the same page with our coverages,’ Luanzon said. ‘I thought we did a better job in the second half for being on the same page.’

At one point in the final frame, the Fighting Maroons built a 13-point cushion, 65-53, off a Reyland Torres mid-range jumper with 34 seconds remaining.

NU tried to rally late but never got close enough to threaten a deadlock before the final buzzer.

The Fighing Maroons’ twin towers of Francis Nnoruka and Gani Stevens finished with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Steve Nash Enriquez paced NU with 16 points, while Gelo Santiago added 10 in the losing effort.

The local government here has launched ‘Tabang Kauban,’ a relief drive for the province of Cebu many of whose residents were affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on September 30.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) chief Nick Jabagat said the city will send non-food relief items, including mats, tarpaulins, and ropes for setting up tents and sleeping arrangements. The items are expected to be dispatched as soon as possible.

Jabagat said residents who wish to contribute may coordinate with the CDRRMD.

Jabagat added that they hope to provide sleeping-related supplies amid the dire need for shelter, especially among those who were left homeless.

As the world observes World Animal Day on Saturday, October 4, FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe called on Filipinos to show greater compassion and responsibility toward animals, pointing out that the first step begins with a simple reminder: Do no harm.

‘On World Animal Day, we are reminded that compassion begins with the simplest act: to do no harm. The very least we can do for animals is to ensure they are treated with kindness, respect, and dignity,’ Poe said in his statement.

He warned that animals are too often the silent victims of cruelty, neglect, and exploitation, stressing that society has a moral duty to protect them. ‘Our duty as human beings is to protect them, care for them, and recognize that their well-being is closely tied to the kind of society we want to build,’ he added.

Poe also highlighted his legislative push for stronger protections through House Bill No. 1746, or the Revised Animal Welfare Act of 2025, which seeks to strengthen animal welfare laws, impose stricter penalties for cruelty, and promote responsible ownership and care.

‘If we strive for a more humane and compassionate Philippines, we must include in that vision the care and protection of creatures who cannot speak for themselves,’ he emphasized. ‘Let us never forget to rescue and safeguard our animals, for they too deserve protection and care in times of crisis,’ Poe reminded, noting that the Philippines has recently been struck by natural disasters.

The lawmaker has been actively supporting animal welfare initiatives. On September 28, 2025, Poe joined animal welfare advocates and pet owners in celebrating Mars Global Adoption Weekend, an annual event promoting pet adoption and responsible ownership.

Animal advocacy runs in the family, as his mother, former Senator Grace Poe, championed a Senate version of the Animal Welfare Bill during the 19th Congress.