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Perpetual Help sustained its hot start in NCAA Season 101 basketballl tournament, stunning title-holder Mapua, 75-65, at the Filoil EcoOil Arena yesterday.

It was the third win in a row for UPHSD that put the team on top in Group A.

But despite their early success, UPHSD coach Olsen Racela was quick to caution his players that they still have a long way to go.

‘It’s a big victory but the league is just starting and anything can happen,’ said Racela.

The Altas did it with defense as they held former league MVP Clint Escamis to just six points while completely shutting down the Cardinals in the last five and a half minutes to steal the win.

During that scintillating stretch of defensive brilliance, UPHSD managed to score 10 points, half of which came from JP Boral, who ended up with a team-best 15 points.

In the other game, St. Benilde clobbered Letran, 95-80, to improve to 2-1. The Knights dropped to 0-3.

British singer Louis Tomlinson honored his late fellow One Direction member Liam Payne ahead of the latter’s first death anniversary, saying he and other band members looked up to him during their time together.

Liam died last October 16 after falling from a window in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31 years old.

Louis told The Rolling Stone UK he found it “really, really, impossibly difficult” with Liam’s passing.

“Naively, I thought that because at this point, I’m relatively well versed in grief for my age, that it might soften the blow,” Louis said. “[That was] super-naive. It’s very different. I’e never lost a friend before.”

The two formed One Direction with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik (who departed the group a year before One Direction’s 2016 hiatus) and last July marked the boy band’s 15th anniversary but the first without Liam.

The milestone was “really uncomfortable” for Louis but still found it “more important than ever” to recognize it on behalf of his late friend.

He admitted that previous anniversaries made him “sick of nostalgia” though the most recent one hit differently with Liam gone.

“You know, there’s still a level in my head [where it feels] unjust and frustrating that he’s not with us anymore,” Louis continued. “So, it just brought up those feelings, although I’m still living with them anyway.”

Louis said Liam had the “safest pair of hands” among the One Direction members as the latter had some entertainment experience already.

“None of us would have admitted it at the time, because you have a lot of pride as a young lad, but we all looked up to him like that,” Louis added.

Meanwhile, on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast, Louis shared that he learned of Liam’s passing through a phone call from Niall.

Louis compared knowing the news to the death of his teenage sister Félicité back in 2019, “I think anyone has this when they’re around someone who’s struggling – my 150% wasn’t nearly enough.”

“And that’s when it’s my own arrogance thinking that I could have helped really, because it was so much deeper than what I could have done for him,” Louis continued.

“He was definitely struggling at that time in his life.”

The singer recalled the tribute post he made for Liam following his passing, explaining he wanted Liam to be remembered “the way that he should be remembered.”

“I could just go on and talk all day about how amazing he was, but I think we all looked up to him,” he reiterated. “I don’t think we would have been brave enough to say at that age when I was in the band, I think I would’ve had too much pride, but we all looked up to him massively.”

Liam’s funeral brought back all members of One Direction, including Zayn, together for the first time since the group went on hiatus.

Louis is set to release his third album “How Did I Get Here?” and promote it with a world tour, and will reunite with Zayn for a Netflix roadtrip documentary series.

Back to square one.

It came to be after the Premier Volleyball League ordered a replay of the Reinforced Conference opening matches that pitted ZUS Coffee with Akari and Choco Mucho with Capital1 Tuesday at the Ynares Center Montalban.

The decision was made after the pro league finally received yesterday the International Transfer Certificates of all its imports and Fil-foreign players, who all can now play for their respective squads starting today.

The league re-start features Galeries Tower battling Petro Gazz at 4 p.m. and Farm Fresh tackling Nxled at 6:30 p.m. at the City of Dasmariñas.

Without the ITCs the day before, the PVL was forced to push through with its opening-day schedule minus the international players.

It ended with ZUS and Choco Mucho ending up as winners.

But all of that will be stricken off the books following the recent developments.

The Cebu City Council has appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City Chapter (IBP-CCC) to begin constructing a judiciary complex on a lot donated by the city government at the South Road Properties (SRP).

The appeal was made through a resolution approved by the council following a privilege speech by Councilor Sisinio Andales, himself a lawyer. His speech came a day after a joint inspection by the city government found the Qimonda IT Center-which currently houses the city’s courts-unsafe for occupancy.

A joint team from the Office of the Building Official (OBO), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), and structural engineers from the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) assessed that the building poses serious risks to both the public and its employees, recommending its immediate evacuation.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, along with other court officials, also inspected the Qimonda IT Center on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

The structure sustained severe damage from the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Cebu on September 30.

In his speech, Andales recalled that the Marcelo Fernan Palace of Justice at the Capitol compound was also declared unsafe after the 2013 earthquake. This forced the transfer of all 30 Cebu City trial courts to the privately owned Qimonda IT Center, for which the SC has reportedly been paying around P1.2 million in monthly rent.

‘Although functional, it was far from being an ideal one,’ Andales said.

He added that the Supreme Court had long expressed its intention to build a dedicated judiciary complex equipped with modern and comfortable courtrooms in Cebu. In 2019, then-mayor Tomas Osmeña, representing the Cebu City Government, and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez signed a deed of donation for a 1.5-hectare lot at the SRP for the project, which was envisioned to house all courts in Cebu City, including the Court of Appeals.

However, despite the urgent need for improved court facilities, Andales said the plan has remained unimplemented, leaving the courts still operating in Qimonda. He added that the monthly rent has since increased to at least P1.4 million.

‘The dream of a judiciary complex-secure, accessible, and dignified-remains only on paper,’ he said.

In his appeal, Andales urged the Supreme Court to coordinate with the IBP-Cebu Chapter, the Executive Judge, and the Office of Mayor Nestor Archival to begin utilizing the donated SRP lot and start the construction of the judiciary building.

He also proposed redirecting the monthly rental payments for the Qimonda IT Center toward funding the project’s initial construction phase.

‘Let us show the people of Cebu that justice is not only served-it is housed in a place that reflects its importance,’ Andales said.

‘This is not merely a matter of infrastructure; it is a matter of institutional respect. Our judges, our lawyers, our litigants, and our citizens deserve a space that honors the gravity of law and the sanctity of due process,’ he added.

Following his appeal, the council approved Andales’ motion calling on the Supreme Court and the IBP-Cebu Chapter, among others, to begin constructing the judiciary complex.

The IBP-Cebu City Chapter already passed a resolution appealing to the SC to expedite the construction of the long-awaited judiciary complex at the SRP.

‘A purpose-built, secure, and properly managed court facility is indispensable to the efficient administration of justice and aligns squarely with the goals of the Supreme Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), particularly its pillars of judicial efficiency, access, and innovation,’ the IBP-CCC statement read.

It was earlier reported that in 2010, the city’s legislative body passed a resolution approving the donation of a 7,123-square-meter lot at the northeast side of the SRP for the Court of Appeals-Cebu Station building. Both the Supreme Court and the city government formalized this through a Memorandum of Agreement that same year.

The 15,000-square-meter property designated for the judiciary complex is located at the southwest portion of the SRP, identified as Lot 9 of the Consolidated Subdivision Plan.

The Office of the Ombudsman has launched another investigation of former Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia in connection with the cancellation of a 20-year water supply contract, which reportedly resulted in higher water rates.

In a two-page order dated Sept. 25, the ombudsman gave Garcia 10 days from receipt of notice to file her counter-affidavit and documentary evidence.

Garcia was directed to furnish the complainants, led by a certain Aileen Rama Donal, with a copy of her affidavit and documentary evidence.

The complainants were given the option to submit their reply within 10 days from receipt of Garcia’s counter-affidavit.

The ombudsman said Garcia’s failure to comply within the prescribed period would be deemed as a waiver of her rights, and the preliminary investigation will proceed according to existing rules on procedures.

In July, state prosecutors suspended Garcia for one year without pay for issuing a permit to a quarry operator without requiring an environmental compliance certificate.

But since Garcia is no longer in office, the ombudsman said the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to her basic salary for six months.

The new investigation was for alleged violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and for committing administrative offenses of grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority.

The investigation stemmed from a complaint filed by Donal on July 25.

Donal alleged that Garcia was behind the premature cancellation of the 20-year bulk water supply contract signed between the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. (CMWD) in December 2013.

The complainant said the termination of the contract between the CMWD and the MCWD led to an emergency procurement arrangement between the MCWD and the provincial government.

Donal said the contract was replaced by a new deal between the MCWD and the Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc., which allegedly resulted in the increase of water rates from P24.59 to P58 per cubic meter.

Prior to their PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup opening game, NLEX Road Warriors team governor Ronald Dulatre said the team is eyeing to ‘raise the bar’ this season and go deeper in the playoffs.

On Wednesday, the squad shared a glimpse of what they are capable of.

Playing without star guard Robert Bolick, whose dad passed away a few days ago, NLEX delivered an early upset in the All-Filipino conference after squeaking past the defending champions San Miguel Beermen, 85-84, at the Ynares center in Antipolo.

Brandon Ramirez and Jonnel Policarpio stepped up for the Road Warriors with 16 points apiece. The former had six rebounds and three assists, while the latter shot 6-of-9 from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc.

Kevin Alas chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and two steals, while JB Bahio added 12 markers and 12 boards.

After the game, Policarpio and head coach Jong Uichico said they are dedicating the win to Bolick, who was supposed to play against San Miguel before ‘something happened that he had to leave right away.’

‘Alam naman namin na you know, malaking epekto ng laro ni Berto sa amin. It was a collective effort ng lahat in the absence of Berto. We’re trying to dedicate this game to Berto, whose father passed away. He was supposed to play today before leaving, pero we understand naman,’ Uichico told reporters.

‘He wants to be with his father for the last time. Medyo may motivational factor kami in today’s game,’ he added.

Without the spitfire guard, NLEX trailed by as much as 13 points, 43-56, in the third quarter after a pair of free throws by newly-crowned Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo.

The Beermen still held a 12-point advantage at 66-54, before a 14-1 run capped by a Policarpio gave the Road Warriors the lead, 68-67, early in the fourth quarter.

Slowly, NLEX kept the Beermen at bay, as a pair of free throws by Bahio gave them an 85-80 lead with about 17 seconds left.

Don Trollano, then, hit a booming 4-pointer to make it a one point game, 84-85.

After Bahio was fouled anew and missed both free throws, San Miguel had one final shot to go for the win, but Trollano hesitated from beyond the arc and drove the ball to the basket. And, as he kicked it out, he turned the ball over, icing the NLEX win.

‘Dine-dedicate ko yung laro para kay Kuya Berto. Alam naman natin yung nangyari, kaya Kuya Bert, be strong,’ Policarpio said.

The forward also thanked his team for the trust that was given to him, as he scored 12 of his total offensive output in the second half.

Uichico, meanwhile, tipped his hat to the players that stepped up.

‘Everybody stepped up e. Si Baser [Amer,] si Matt [Nieto,] lahat ng napasok ko, contributed to the best of their ability. So hindi lang isa, hindi lang dalawa, pero lahat because we had to make up the absence of Berto nga,’ he stressed.

‘Alam naman namin na hindi madali ang San Miguel, so we just tried to stay in the game as much as we can, yung striking distance, huwag lang lumaki masyado yung lamang,’ he added.

‘Hopefully, through the game, maka-streak kami, which we did. Na-timing lang yung tamang tama yung run namin at the end na konti na lang yung oras. But of course, yung mga player ng NLEX, maski anong mangyari, lalaban lang sila.’

Fajardo stood tall for San Miguel with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Don Trollano backstopped with 17, while Jericho Cruz provided 12 markers for the Beermen.

The Road Warriors will return to action on Sunday, as they take on the Terrafirma Dyip at the same venue.

Isabela Fernandes of Brazil bested 42 other delegates to be crowned Miss Asia Pacific International 2025 at the culmination of glitzy rites held in Cebu City.

Miss Asia Pacific 2018 Sharifa Akeel crowned the Brazilian beauty. Isabela also won as Miss Zanea and Miss NuStar earlier in the evening.

Miss Asia Pacific Philippines 2025 Anita Rose Gomez was proclaimed as 1st runner-up. Anita was also named Miss Hotel 101, Miss Cindyrella Drip, and Miss RMBC Nutramins.

Bowomrat Maneerat of Thailand was named 2nd runner-up, aside from winning as one of three Miss Cindyrella Drip beauties.

All Top 3 queens fast tracked their entry to the first cut by winning the pre-pageant challenges. Isabela won the Best in Evening Gown, Anita won as Best in Swimsuit, and Bowomrat won the Best National Costume.

Jana Jannsens of Belgium and Delilah Almira Wildboer of Netherlands were declared 3rd and 4th runners-up, respectively.

The lucky delegates who made it to the semi-final round (Top 10) were Prapti Rhanabat (Nepal), Budsuren Baansansuren (Mongolia), Mariana Garcia (Mexico), Hanna Leigh Cross (New Zealand) – Miss Sheridan and Continental Queen of Oceania, and Michaela Whilar Lazarte (Peru) – Continental Queen of the Americas.

The other ladies who made it to the first cut (Top 30) were Bejandri Lourens (South Africa)- Continental Queen of Africa, Aisyah Amini (Indonesia) – Continental Queen of Asia, Tracy Victoria Johnson (Nigeria), Danube Kangjam (India) – Miss Photogenic and Miss Stronghold Insurance, Mealyann Nita Saing (Cambodia) – Miss Cindyrella Drip, Elena Cristiana Gogulescu (Romania), Alejandra Violeta Perdamo Soto (Honduras), Patricia Diaz Escalante (Colombia), Kayla Jane Usison (USA), Monica Fernandes de Freitas (England), Devayani Priya Shanmugam (Malaysia), Ngoc Anh Duong (Vietnam), Alicia Mui (Macau), Krishashinii Do Vijaya Raj (Singapore), Charlyn Corona Cruz (Dominican Republic), Chi Kwan Lau (Hong Kong), Hsin-hui Chen (Taiwan), Naomi Shotlander (Canada), Anna Gomes (United Kingdom) – People’s Choice Award, and Lisa Malasch (Germany) – Miss Congeniality and Miss JPark Island Resort.

This year’s selection committee included Pilarcita Pearson, Bryan Ong, Dr. Carelle Herrera, Mila Manuel, Krish Gangwar, Tiffany Vu, and Miss Asia Pacific International 2018 Sharifa Akeel.

The jurors selected the winners based on the following criteria: Beauty of Face (35%), Beauty of Figure (35%), and Personality and Intelligence (30%).

Hosted by Marc Nelson, the 42nd Miss Asia Pacific International coronation rites was beamed live to a global audience from the Cebu Coliseum Complex in the Queen City of the South.

The latest Senate hearing on the budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) has unearthed some P15 billion worth of allocations that ended up in uncompleted and unusable projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the military from 2023 to 2025.

The revelation prompted the Senate finance committee chaired by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to stop the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program of the DPWH and transfer its 2026 allocation of P3 billion directly to the DND.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. also revealed during the hearing last Tuesday that he planned to arrange an inspection of the unfinished projects with Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon so he could gather more evidence in preparation for possible filing of charges against erring officials and their cohorts.

‘We proposed that it be scrapped already and all implementation be by the DND-AFP,’ Teodoro said, describing the DPWH TIKAS projects as nothing more than drainage system and firing ranges that are ‘not part of the core infrastructure-based development program.’

‘This does not fall in line anymore with our strategic basing and operational security requirements for hardened structures and henceforth these will not be pursued anymore, yet recovery must be done,’ Teodoro said.

He explained that there are 944 approved projects under the TIKAS program, of which 648 have reached only the first phase and falsely declared completed.

He said funding for the DPWH projects is done in phases, but is only released in the first year.

‘I fully support the proposal of the chair,’ Teodoro said, referring to Gatchalian’s proposal to transfer TIKAS funds in full to the DND. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa agreed to the proposal and added in jest that ‘tikas’ is a Visayan term for ‘cheater.’

‘We’ll see if we can add, so those projects can be completed. So the goal here is to help the DND complete all of those partly completed projects, because they’re getting wasted,’ Gatchalian said, to the applause of military officers at the hearing, including Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.

Teodoro said the P3-billion allocation for 2026 may not be enough to finish the partly completed TIKAS projects, including some important ones like barracks for military personnel.

Gatchalian, in a statement, vowed to have the budget transfer done as he particularly pointed out unfinished DPWH projects for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Pasay City: two multipurpose buildings worth P72 million and P51 million falsely tagged as completed; and two other unspecified PAF projects, each valued at P60 million and P17 million.

Go supports DND

At the hearing, Sen. Bong Go, vice chairman of the committee on national defense, voiced his support for the DND and its attached agencies, emphasizing his continued adherence to the principle of protecting and empowering the nation’s uniformed personnel – a value he said he learned from former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Go also highlighted his principal authorship of Republic Act No. 12177, or the Free Legal Assistance to Military and Uniformed Personnel Act, which ensures legal protection for soldiers and law enforcers who may have a run in with the law while performing their official duties.

‘As the lifeblood of our nation’s defense and security, our soldiers have often faced dangerous situations that jeopardize their lives and limbs. For these reasons, I principally authored RA 12177 or the Free Legal Assistance to MUPs (Military and Uniformed Personnel) Act, which provides free legal aid to MUPs involved in cases related to the performance of duty,’ he said.

When Kai held his 2025 Kai Solo Concert Tour in Manila, the sold-out show drew a crowd whose energy never wavered from start to finish. From the opening number, Sinner, the intensity with which fans waved their banners and lightsticks made it clear how much excitement filled the Araneta Coliseum. The excitement only grew as Kai launched into the hits Mmmh and Nothing on Me.

Kai paused to greet the Filipino audience warmly, asking if they had missed him and confessing that he missed them just as much. ‘Masaya ako,’ he told them, earning a chorus of cheers and playful chants of ‘pogi.’ He noted that the Manila crowd’s energy was unlike any other and expressed his wish that the whole concert (mounted by Pulp Live World) would become a cherished memory for everyone who bought tickets.

He then performed Hello Stranger, Slidin’, and Ride or Die, which were met with applause and screams of excitement. A video interlude filled the arena with images of flowers before the man of the hour returned to the stage to perform Come In.

He reminded the fans that this was his very first solo concert and thanked them for making it possible. When they sang along to Baby Don’t Cry and Angel, he gave them a perfect score, praising their singing and their cheers. Spotting several fans holding roses, he playfully asked if they were proposing to him, earning laughter and more chants.

The concert grew more playful as fans repeatedly chanted, ‘Take it off!’ Kai teased them by pretending not to hear, laughing as the audience’s screams grew louder. He explained that his director told him to keep his jacket on, but when the crowd’s chants continued, the director gave his approval, and Kai obliged, making the fans scream in excitement.

He continued to turn up the heat with Vanilla, Peaches, and Adult Swim, before powering through Wait on Me, Pressure, Walls Don’t Talk, and Bomba, showing his versatility as both a dancer and performer.

In his remarks, Kai expressed how much the evening meant to him. ‘I hope our time spent together today will forever be engraved in your minds. Alright? I was so happy today. And really, my Manila fans, I love you,’ Kai told the crowd, who answered with chants of ‘Walang uuwi!’

He also thanked them for the fan events, which included fanchants, flowers, and slogans. ‘I’ll never beat your love. Next time, I’ll prepare more. Today, I lost,’ he laughed.

Before closing with his last song, Kai reminded his fans to keep their memories of the 2025 Kai Solo Concert Tour in Manila close: ‘I hope this moment we spent together is not a second we erased in our memory. Guys, did you get a lot of memories stored in your minds and in your eyes? So keep watching it again until we meet again, do not forget me, OK?’

Business group Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has selected Hans Sy, chair of the executive committee of SM Prime Holdings Inc., as recipient of the MAP Management Person of the Year 2025.

The announcement was made during the MAP’s general membership meeting yesterday.

‘I have never seen myself as someone deserving of awards or recognition. I simply try to do my part. What matters most to me is using what we build to make a difference in our country,’ Sy said.

‘At SM, it has long been our responsibility to create spaces that protect people, support communities and help Filipinos stand stronger for the future,’ he said further.

MAP said the conferment of the award would be held on Nov. 24.

The MAP Management Person of the Year is awarded to those in business or government, who have demonstrated unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and made valuable contributions to nation-building.

Recipients of the award are leaders and managers who are considered exemplary models that should be emulated by their peers and younger generations of leaders.

MAP said Sy was chosen as this year’s recipient for his commitment to environmental stewardship, social inclusion, good governance and resilience, by establishing SM Prime as a benchmark for sustainable and resilient urban development.

The business group also cited Sy’s people-centered style of leadership that promotes employee welfare, professional development and work-life balance and builds an organization that exemplifies the United Nations (UN) Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles.

Sy was also recognized for helping provide growth opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises, local government units and the communities where SM malls operate.

The award also recognizes Sy’s role in helping shape global and local guidance on integrating disaster risk reduction into core business strategies by representing the Philippines in the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and by founding ARISE Philippines.

MAP said Sy’s leadership has also shown how Filipino companies can compete successfully with global big brands.