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The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) launched a revised handbook for barangay watchmen (tanods).

In a statement on Thursday, the DILG explained: ‘Instructions for barangay tanods as first responders were improved to become effective agents in providing aid and support in procedures undertaken at a crime scene.’

‘It also includes their roles in upholding the laws concerning gender and development, child protection, cultural sensitivity, and human rights protection,’ the department added.

The DILG said the revised handbook was a collaboration with its National Barangay Operations Office and the Justice Sector Coordinating Council.

The handbook can be accessed through bit.ly/2025TanodGuidebook. The department cited the Local Government Code, which tasks barangay councils with deploying tanods as part of their peace and order mechanisms.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously said it was considering tapping barangay tanods as part of its enhanced law enforcement visibility measures.

Andres Muhlach will lead a mix of rising stars who will breathe new life to the characters of Adie and Topee in the musical adaptation of ‘Bagets.’

The original ‘Bagets’ was a coming-of-age movie that sealed Andres’ celebrity dad, Aga’s status as a matinee idol. With Aga at the hem as ‘Adie,’ the 1984 movie was a star-studded cast with JC Bonnin as Topee, William Martinez, Raymond Lauchengco, Herbert Bautista, Eula Valdez and Yayo Aguila.

Casting Andres in the musical is a passing of the torch of sorts, and that it had played a huge part of his childhood.

‘To be part of it, let alone play my dad’s role, feels surreal. When we first found out that I got his breakthrough portrayal, [my dad] was super happy for me. He was also excited to see how I’m going to approach the character,’ Andres said.

The pressure to live up to his father’s legacy as a ‘Bagets’ icon is real, but Andres said he will make sure to give the role his own best interpretation. ‘I want this to be my own path. At the end of the day, the hard work is on us, the new ‘Bagets’ cast. What we put out isn’t because of what the original actors did, but because we want to create something worthy for today’s fans.’

‘Playing Adie now is a completely new experience. He’s still the charismatic, charming boy-next-door type, but his story feels more mature because of his love interest,’ he continued. ‘Atasha (his twin sister) and I studied abroad, but I enjoyed my time here more because I was with my best friends. Nothing beats being close to the people who made student life bearable. That’s really at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.”

Relatable character

Meanwhile, Mico (who will alternate with Andres) said he realized that he is ‘a lot more alike’ with Adie than he originally thought.

‘I think many can relate when I say we’ve all had that time in our lives when we were young, naive, and just letting our emotions get the best of us,’ he said, ‘I’ve had those encounters before – stealing glances at your crush and all. But it’s all in the past now. I think I’ve matured since then.’

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On the other hand, Jeff and Sam said they are aware of the emotional weight of Topee throughout the musical’s storyline, with Jeff sharing that he shares the character’s Hiligaynon roots.

‘Let’s go home to Bacolod. That’s what he often tells his mother. Ako ramdam ko ‘yung bigat nu’n kasi tuwing holidays na lang din ako nakakauwi sa’min. (I can really feel the weight of that because I only get to go home during the holidays),’ Jeff said. ‘Topee is kind, mature, and treats his friends like family. Pero deep inside, may tinatagong vulnerability.’

Agreeing with his co-actor, Sam said the musical is a story about everyone, except that it takes place in a different timeline.

‘I see a lot of similarities between me and Topee. Most teenagers, or even adults, have felt emotions that are hard to explain. These feelings are at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.’ The story is about us. Just a different timeline, different variables, but the same plot,’ he said.

Last September, it was announced that Milo Cruz and Migo Valid will star as Tonton; Noel Comia Jr. and Tomas Rodriguez were cast as Gilbert; and KD Estrada and Ethan David will portray Arnel.

The official movie trailer for ‘Predator: Badlands’ is here and, to be brutally honest, something feels. off. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of the franchise, and ever since the movie ‘Prey’ was released, I’ve had high hopes for its future because the official teaser trailer looked much better than this. I, in fact, prefer that one flat out over this. Sometimes it could have been a case of the full-length trailer showing a bit too much and perhaps things that should have stayed in the movie itself.

In theory, after so many disappointing sequels and reboots, it was inevitable that the franchise would finally return to its former glory and that it would not be a case of trying to capture lightning in a bottle again. Why so? The filmmaking process has evolved tremendously since those years, and whatever woes the Predator franchise has been experiencing could be corrected with the right person to helm this project moving forward, because that would be a pivotal turning point in getting the Predator IP back on track in the eyes of moviegoers who are familiar with it since the beginning. But based on this final trailer, I have my doubts, and here is why.

For starters, let’s address the big, ugly ‘elephant’ in the room: the CGI. What in the world is happening with the main Predator’s face? I know that this is a younger, rebellious, and outcast Predator, and perhaps that is part of the story and, more importantly, his storyline itself. Perhaps he is not as skilled, strong, or as physically intimidating as the others. But I could have sworn that I saw a CGI face on him that looked so awkward and out of place, I had to double-check if I was watching a fan film or not. I know that CGI is a very important part of filmmaking nowadays, but it can be so distracting when it is not executed properly. This is an example of that.

I’ve always admired the classic Predator designs, with their animatronic, jungle warfare appearance, and practical effects that made them look so menacing, intimidating, and authentic. There were so many praiseworthy aspects to the design itself that it became an immediate favorite for many people upon seeing it for the first time, but here, the new Predator’s facial design does indeed look like an alien version of Jojo Siwa, with his braids not hanging down as I have previously alluded to! The close-up shots of the Predator’s face further point out the awkward facial similarities with Jojo Siwa. Haha. If you guys don’t know who she is, look it up, and you will know why I keep comparing her to the new Predator’s face. Hehe. The other point worth bringing up is the suggested overall tone of the movie. Director Dan Trachtenberg himself has called it a ‘buddy-comedy,’ with the unlikely pairing of a young Predator named ‘Dek’ (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) and an android named ‘Thia’ (Elle Fanning). To me, the casting of Elle Fanning in ‘Predator: Badlands’ was one of the praiseworthy decisions they made because Elle Fanning has always been a credible, reliable, and fantastic actress for years. To anyone familiar with Elle Fanning’s filmography, you would know why I have said that. Now, as a fan, going back to the ‘buddy-comedy’ approach is a head-scratcher. I get the need to try something new, but, c’mon, a ‘buddy-comedy’ treatment of a Predator? Seriously, ***! That’s three big asterisks right there, meaning you know what! Haha. Were they drinking or up too late when they decided to make that perplexing creative decision? Haha.

I am not so sure about this, but who knows, right? It might work out for the movie. I hope it does because I want their winning streak to continue like they started with ‘Prey.’ Hey, it’s hard to find that formula of success in movies; that is why this has to work out for them.

Here is a more positive note: the official movie trailer shows some intense action and battles with other alien creatures, but the comedic elements, especially Thia’s unflappable attitude, might dilute and water down the horror, suspense, and tension that the long-running sci-fi franchise has been famously known for. Remember when the Predator was a terrifying creature who mainly hunted humans for sport? Now, he seems to be teaming up with a Weyland-Yutani synthetic android that has been cut in half at some point in the movie to fight other aliens.

Furthermore, there is the issue of the movie’s rating. Producer Ben Rosenblatt has stated that they are aiming for a PG-13 rating, which is a major departure from the R-rated gore, intensity, and violence that the franchise is known for. Don’t get me wrong, the official trailer showed some cool, entertaining, and awesomely shot snippets of fight sequences, but with the decision to try to target a broader audience by toning down the more gritty, brutal, and intense battle scenes, they are sacrificing a big part of what the earlier Predator movies feel complete to begin with. However, they reason that since there are no human characters, they can get away with a lot more in the CGI-based action scenes. That is true. But a Predator movie without the bloody, over-the-top violence? I don’t know about that.

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Despite all my concerns, which some might say are premature, however, I still find myself cautiously optimistic. The official movie trailer for ‘Predator: Badlands’ promises a new and expanded sci-fi universe, with different creatures and an exploration of the Predator’s native culture. Given that this takes place in the future, the filmmakers have more leeway to play around with the established lore and make some tweaks and changes in the process. And I have to admit, seeing the new Predator tearing through the badlands on a speeder bike is pretty cool. It gave me ‘Return of the Jedi’

Imperial 74-Z Speeder Bike vibes. The only way to know for sure if ‘Predator: Badlands’ lives up to the hype is to watch it when it is released in cinemas here from our side of the world. Will it be a worthy addition to the franchise or another disappointing entry? We will have to wait and see. /edv

Ex-Spice Girl turned designer Victoria Beckham describes herself as someone who ‘desperately wanted to be liked’ in a new three-part documentary about her life.

In the Netflix series due to launch on Thursday, the 51-year-old once known as ‘Posh Spice’ recounts her battle to reinvent herself as a fashion designer after the British girl band split.

‘People thought I was that miserable cow that never smiled,’ she said, referring to her straight-faced public persona.

Performing had been her ‘dream’, she said, but when the band came to an end she found fashion to be a ‘creative outlet’. Beckham, who frequently becomes emotional in the series by director Nadia Hallgren, said she struggled to establish herself as she came up against a world that said, ‘she’s a pop star, she’s married to a footballer, who does she think she is?’

Former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour admitted to initially having her own doubts.

‘Most of the celebrities who get involved in our world are not true designers,’ Wintour said.

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‘I was skeptical. I think we can all be a little bit snobby in the fashion business, and think maybe this is a side gig, but Victoria was one that totally proved us wrong,’ she said.

Designer Tom Ford said his first reaction on hearing that Beckham planned to start her own fashion label was astonishment.

‘I wanted to call her and say, ‘Why? Why would you do this? Do you understand this business is so tough?” he said.

‘I think a lot of people thought, ‘Oh, OK, Victoria Beckham is starting a collection. Someone else will probably design it. She’ll stick her name on it,’ he added.

‘Uncool kid’

The series, titled ‘Victoria Beckham’, traces the celebrity’s early life and pop career, and follows her as she prepares for a high-stakes catwalk show at Paris Fashion Week.

Reflecting on her school days, Beckham said she did not fit in but always yearned to be valued.

‘That uncool kid at school who was awkward, that was me. But I desperately wanted to be liked, have a sense of worth,’ she said.

Byeon Woo-seok, the breakout star of ‘Lovely Runner,’ has become a rising star in an era when the K-drama scene is increasingly dominated by a saturated A-list. Once a B-list actor navigating the margins, Byeon now represents the lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon, a talent whose momentum can carry a series from domestic acclaim to global recognition almost overnight.

Into this narrative steps Lee Chae-min, the lead of ‘Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’ – tvN’s biggest hit of 2025 – whose explosive popularity after his performance as a handsome yet exacting tyrant king has fueled comparisons calling him the next Byeon.

The drama itself spins a layered premise: Ji-young (Lim Yoon-a), a top chef transported back in time, must navigate the refined palate of Lee Heon (Lee Chae-min), a Joseon-era king with a taste for perfection. The series struck gold, peaking at a 20 percent viewership rating to become tvN’s most-watched show in 2025 and claiming the title of the first non-Netflix-original Korean drama to hit No. 1 globally on Netflix, according to FlixPatrol.

The role came to Lee under unusual circumstances. Park Sung-hoon (‘The Glory,’ ‘Squid Game’) was originally slated to play the lead, but controversy erupted last year when a pornographic ‘Squid Game’ parody surfaced on his social media, forcing him to bow out. Ten days before filming, Lee was brought on board, and facing the role with virtually no preparation time, Lee admitted feeling the full weight of expectations. ‘It’s true I had almost no time to prepare, but since it was a project with such an excellent director and senior actors I respect, I worried a lot about causing trouble as a rookie. Honestly, I even wondered, ‘Why did such an opportunity suddenly come to me?” the 25-year-old actor said in an interview in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on Sept. 30. ‘But since they saw me in such a positive light, I felt I had to give everything in return – to throw myself into it for the sake of the project without being a burden.’

Stepping into the shoes of seasoned actors and sharing scenes with global K-pop star Lim Yoon-a, who is ten years his senior, the actor who made his debut in 2021 said he initially wrestled with anxiety.

‘At first, I was really anxious and lacked confidence. At that time, Lim gave me courage. She told me, ‘You’re already doing well, just like Lee Heon,’ and that gave me great strength. Honestly, working with her was really good,’ he said.

Article continues after this advertisement He added, ‘When acting alongside her, I never thought about our age difference. At least while acting, I was fully focused on the character. To me, Lim was someone I deeply respected who taught me a lot.’

The label of ‘next Byeon’ is both a compliment and a burden – and Lee knows it.

‘It’s an honor, but I also feel a lot of pressure that comes with it. It made me think I need to show even better acting in my next project,’ he said.

Looking forward, Lee envisions a career that spans the gamut: layered noirs, portrayals of high-powered chaebol figures and emotionally charged romances. Yet, amid the relentless pace of stardom, he said he wants to preserve his identity. ‘I don’t want to lose myself. In life, you face many situations and go through changes, but I want to keep the person I am inside from changing. Hearing that many different things might happen in the future makes me think that this is exactly the time when I need to hold on to myself even more,’ he said.

A 90-day suspension was imposed upon the licenses of two drivers for engaging in road rage along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) in Ortigas, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said on Thursday.

In a video circulating on social media, a Toyota Innova and a Toyota Wigo were seen moving closely next to each other in the middle of the traffic, seemingly mirroring each other’s movements before the Wigo suddenly cut into the Innova’s lane. The video also showed the Wigo moving together with the Innova when it tried switching lanes, and the Wigo stopped in the middle of Edsa, causing the Innova to also halt.

After this, the passenger on the Wigo was also seen raising the middle finger towards the Innova.

The driver of the Innova, Marvin Cacnio, and the driver of the Wigo, Sheena Balagbagan, were both issued show-cause orders to appear before the LTO Intelligence and Investigation Office to explain why they must not be held liable for reckless driving and obstruction.

Additionally, the two must also comment on why their driver’s licenses must not be revoked for being improper persons to operate a motor vehicle, the orders read.

Kevin Durant missed his first three shots Wednesday night in his first action with the Houston Rockets in the NBA preseason.

He didn’t miss after that.

Durant scored 20 points in 23 minutes to lead the Rockets to a 140-127 preseason win over the Utah Jazz after sitting out of Houston’s preseason opener on Monday night. ‘I’ve felt right at home since I came here three or four weeks ago, so I felt normal,’ he said. ‘It felt like I’ve been here for a while. The guys are welcoming pretty smoothly, the coaching staff, so it just felt normal. It ain’t feel any different.’

Durant joined the Rockets in July in a blockbuster trade that sent Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to Phoenix. The 15-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist joins a young team that aims to take another step this season after finishing second in the Western Conference in the regular season before losing in the first round of the playoffs.

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‘Just took what the game gave him, wasn’t forcing anything, trying to get guys involved, took the shots that were there,’ coach Ime Udoka said. ‘Ended up 7 for 10 and missed the three that he probably will make usually and so did what he does. ‘Just getting his rhythm going, so it’s good to see him out there.’

The 6-foot-11 Durant was part of a starting lineup Wednesday night that included fellow 6-11 player Alperen Sengun and 6-10 Jabari Smith Jr. He loved the defensive looks they got when Sengun was handling the ball on the perimeter.

‘When you’ve got your 5 man that can handle at the top of the key the spacing just opens the floor up so much for us and then makes us unpredictable because he can iso up there, he can go set the screen, dribble hand off, we can screen for him,’ Durant said. ‘So, it throws the defense off when he has the ball up there and we trust he’s gonna make the right play every time.’

Sengun had 13 points and 13 assists in 27 minutes as the Rockets look for different facilitators in their offense with point guard Fred VanVleet out for the season after tearing his ACL.

‘I didn’t know he had that many assists,’ Amen Thompson said. ‘He just brings so much that he commands so much attention that it just gives us easy buckets.’

Thompson, who had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, was thrilled to see his first game action with Durant.

Authorities confiscated shabu (crystal meth) valued at P1.15 million and arrested one suspect in a buy-bust operation in Taguig City, the Southern Police District (SPD) said.

In a statement on Thursday, the SPD noted that the drug sting took place late Wednesday afternoon along Modomo Street in Barangay Upper Bicutan.

Police only identified the suspect as ‘Michael,’ a 35-year-old male. ‘Recovered from the suspect were eight plastic sachets of suspected shabu weighing 169.3 grams, with a standard drug price of P1,151,240, along with marked buy-bust money, boodle cash, and a cellular phone used in the illegal transaction,’ the SPD explained.

Michael is now under the custody of the Taguig police, awaiting charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act.

The House subcommittee on budget amendments on Wednesday approved a special provision in the proposed 2026 national budget setting a deadline for the Commission on Audit (COA) to publish its annual audit reports (AARs).

During a meeting led by House appropriations chair and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, the budget amendments review subcommittee (BARSc) approved an amendment to Section 103 of House Bill No. 4058 requiring the COA to publish its AARs ‘on or before Oct. 31 of the following year.’

Based on the matrix comparing the changes for HB 4058, COA Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba proposed that the deadline be set for August 15 of the following year. This would have been within the usual timeframe for Congress to begin budget deliberations for the next fiscal year. The BARSc did not explain why it chose October instead. However, this was still a slight improvement over the 2023-2025 General Appropriations Acts (GAA), which included a provision mandating agencies to submit to the COA a status report on their audit observations and recommendations within 60 days of receiving the AAR.

During the budget deliberations for COA last year, Assistant Commissioner Alexander Juliano stated that this clause required them to wait for the agency’s response to their initial findings before publishing the AAR.

As a result, the state auditor published most of its 2023 AARs only in December 2024. Even now, the 2024 AARs are still incomplete even though Congress was already at the final stretch of the 2026 budget deliberations.

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Civil society watchdogs have argued that the timely release of COA reports could help Congress more prudently allocate public funds.

Last August, Suansing promised she would study the ‘historical reasoning’ behind this GAA provision.

Additionally, the BARSc approved an amendment to Section 103, which states that the agencies concerned shall submit a status report to the COA on the actions taken in response to its audit observations and recommendations. The COA shall then publish the status report as an appendix to the AAR of the agency involved.

Before this, AARs – including the explanations of the agencies -were usually published starting June so that the findings could be included in budget deliberations.

A bill that requires the creation and regular updating of hazard maps will complement the recently signed Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, as it will allow the government to assess and prepare for calamities, Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said.

Yamsuan, in a statement on Tuesday, said that House Bill No. 4035, or the proposed National Multi-Hazard Mapping Act, aims to produce different hazard maps for every city and municipality in the country, and eventually integrate these into disaster risk reduction efforts and local development planning.

If enacted, this will help government agencies decide and act better whether there is a need to declare a state of imminent disaster, in accordance with Republic Act No. 12287, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently signed. ‘While disasters cannot be prevented, it is possible to mitigate their impact by understanding their behavior and adopting science-based and data-driven strategies. One such approach is hazard mapping,’ Yamsuan said.

`Multi-hazard maps’

‘Multi-hazard maps would provide our DRRM (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) councils with effective tools in implementing the Declaration of Imminent Disaster Law. On top of being helpful for land use planning, these maps would aid the DRRM councils in pinpointing the most vulnerable areas where preemptive action should be urgently carried out to help save lives and reduce losses before a calamity strikes,’ he added. If HB No. 4035 is enacted, the following agencies will be tasked to conduct hazard mapping for each locale:

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

National Mapping and Resources Information Authority (Namria)

Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)

Climate Change Commission (CCC)

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)

local government units (LGU)

‘The term ‘multi-hazard map’ as used in this Act shall refer to a map that identifies the vulnerabilities of each LGU to threats, such as but not limited to landslides, flooding, sea level rise, storm surges, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes,’ the bill stated.

‘The multi-hazard maps shall be updated by the DENR, in coordination with the concerned LGU, every three (3) years,’ it added.

Under the bill, the DENR will be in charge of maintaining a national registry of multi-hazard maps.

‘To ensure the effective use of the multi-hazard maps, the DENR, in coordination with NAMRIA, DOST, PhilSA, CCC, NDRRMC, and other relevant agencies, shall develop and implement a comprehensive plan to ensure their accessibility and proper use across the country,’ he said.

‘This plan shall include, but not be limited to a nationwide information drive, training programs for local officials, disaster response teams, and community leaders, and other similar efforts,’ he added. According to Yamsuan, the bill aims to build on what the Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) has achieved in identifying areas that would be affected by natural disasters.