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Eastwood City, the country’s first-ever pet-friendly mall, proudly celebrated the 21st year of the longest-running pet blessing in the Philippines with a glamorous, star-studded event themed ‘Pawlywood.’ Eastwood City transformed into a red carpet playground for pets and pet parents alike, packed with blockbuster activities and Oscar-worthy moments.

Coinciding with World Animal Day and the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, this annual tradition once again brought together the pet-loving community for a meaningful and joyful celebration of life, love, and companionship.

Paw-some Activities for Pets and Pet Parents

The celebration featured a pet adoption drive, educational talks about pet care, and activities for furparents and their furbabies. Guests explored pet merchandise booths, posed at themed photo booths, and took part in various interactive stations designed for pets and their owners.

The celebration culminated on October 5 with the highly anticipated Pet Blessing Ceremony at the Eastwood Mall Open Park. Fr. Chris Fajardo prayed for the health, safety, and happiness of every animal present, blessing them with holy water.

Spotlight on the Stars of Pawlywood

Ten pets were honored with Best-Dressed Award-each receiving cheers and applause from the community. Also adding excitement to the event were fun activities such as the pet trivia challenge and games sponsored by partner brands.

Celebrating Pet-Friendly Living at Eastwood City

As a pioneer in pet-friendly living, Eastwood City continues to champion spaces where pets are not only welcome but celebrated. With its pet-friendly restaurants, shops, parks, and regular pet-centric events, Eastwood City remains a beloved destination for animal lovers all over Metro Manila.

Elreen Ann Ando delivered a gritty performance at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships on Sunday in Forde, Norway, clinching a bronze medal in the clean and jerk category of the women’s 63 kg division.

The 26-year-old Cebuana, a two-time Olympian, hoisted 131 kilograms in the clean and jerk, edging out Colombia’s Yenny Sinisterra Torres, who managed 128 kgs.

However, Torres came up with 103 kgs versus Ando’s 100 kgs in the snatch, resulting in a tie at 231 kgs total. The tiebreak favored Torres, who reached the total in her first attempt, relegating Ando to fourth place overall.

Despite missing the podium in the snatch and total lift, Ando, from Carreta, Cebu City, and seen as the successor to Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, showed progress ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.

North Korea’s Ri Suk topped the event, sweeping the three gold medals with a commanding 253 kg total – 111 kg in snatch and 142 kg in clean and jerk.

Canadian Olympian Maude Charron bagged the silver, lifting 236 kgs (103 kg snatch, 133 kg clean and jerk).

Ando represented the Philippines in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing seventh in the women’s 64 kg category.

Silver medalist in the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Southeast Asian Games, Ando bagged gold at the 2023 SEAG in the 59 kg class, before returning to the Olympic stage in Paris 2024, where she placed sixth.

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) announced last week that it conducted last September 30 an agency-wide orientation on the responsible use of Microsoft Copilot with governance safeguards in observance of Development Policy Research Month (DPRM).

Anchored on this year’s theme, ‘Reimagining Governance in the Age of AI,’ the online session underscored the need to embrace artificial intelligence responsibly to ensure that innovation is balanced with accountability and transparency in the workplace, read a statement the Pagcor issued on October 3.

AI Workforce Specialist Christeen Padilla introduced Microsoft Copilot Chat, an AI-powered assistant to 98 Pagcor employees. The AI assistant is designed to ‘boost productivity through features such as drafting correspondence, summarizing reports, generating ideas, and answering work-related queries.’ Citing industry data, Padilla noted that 86 percent of AI-assisted chat application users in the Philippines had adopted Copilot in 2024, reflecting the country’s rapid shift toward AI-powered workplace solutions, the statement read.

While highlighting Copilot’s potential to streamline tasks and improve efficiency, the orientation also placed strong emphasis on governance safeguards to ensure its responsible use. These include compliance with enterprise data protection standards, observance of organizational policies, and vigilance in distinguishing between web-based and internal data to protect sensitive information.

The brightest young athletes of the Philippines will be celebrated at the 5th Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) Siklab Youth Sports Awards presented by the Philippine Sports Commission on Saturday at the Grand Ballroom of Diamond Hotel Manila.

This year’s edition shines a spotlight on the Youth Heroes Awardees, led by weightlifters Jay-R Colonia, Alexandra Ann Diaz, Althea Bacaro, Jhodie Peralta, and Albert Ian Delos Santos.

Their stellar performances at the 2025 World Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Lima, Peru earned the Philippines the top spot among 33 nations, with a remarkable haul of 10 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

Joining them are elite junior athletes from various disciplines: Karl Eldrew Yulo (gymnastics), Rianne Malixi (golf), Pi Durden Wangkay (athletics), Dean Darnet Venerable (taekwondo), Tenny Madis (tennis), Kira Ellis (triathlon), and Sam Cantada (volleyball).

Yulo, the younger sibling of the double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo, will be recognized for the fifth consecutive year, underscoring his continued excellence in the sport. The event is also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, CEL Logistics, MVPSF, Smart/PLDT, Go For Gold, Homegrown, Orich and Blue Hydra.

Seven-year-old jiujitsu prodigy Aielle Aguilar returns for her third straight Siklab honor after dominating her division at the Pan Kids IBJJF Tournament in Orlando, Florida-the world’s largest youth jiujitsu competition.

Also being hailed as Super Kids are Xian Baguhin (boxing) Sophia Catantan (fencing), Kyra Abella (judo), and Joan Denise Lumbao (karate).

Top performers from the 2025 Palarong Pambansa will also be recognized, including swimmer Titus Sia, archer Naina Tagle, chess player Mar Aviel Carredo, dancesport standout Bhenz Rudolf Owen Semilla, and gymnast King Cjay Pernia.

Not to be outdone, the Batang Pinoy Games will be represented by standout athletes such as Albert Jose Amaro II (swimming), Hazel May Risma (athletics), Haylee Garcia (gymnastics), Mariano Matteo Medina IV (archery), and Arvin Naeem Taguinota II (swimming).

A total of 73 awardees will be honored by the PSC-PPC-POC Media Group, with three special distinctions to be conferred: gymnast Carlos Yulo as Sports Idol of the Year, Cynthia Carrion of gymnastics with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Christian Gonzalez as Godfather of the Year.

Just months after Oliver Liao arrived in Pretoria as Taiwan’s de facto ambassador, South Africa began a campaign to downgrade its relationship with the island-thrusting him into the epicenter of a geopolitical drama.

While South Africa decades ago broke formal ties with Taipei in favor of relations with Beijing, now the country wanted to dilute things further, a sign of how the chip hub is increasingly being squeezed on the global stage. In April last year, a formal notice arrived to move Liao’s office from the seat of government to the financial hub of Johannesburg, ending five decades of representation in South Africa’s capital.

Taiwan refused. South Africa, which counts China as its largest trading partner, responded with bureaucratic firepower on an official government website, where it changed the office’s address, wiped all mention of Liao and listed the names of other Taiwanese staff-at least one of whom was dead.

‘They put on some names of our staff who have already passed away,’ he said in an interview late last month. ‘Wow.’

The dispute is a stark example of the precarious moment facing Taiwan in a world order upended by the US under Donald Trump. While a global spending boom around artificial intelligence has turbocharged the self-ruled democracy’s position in critical supply chains, even countries that don’t recognize Taipei are becoming more inhospitable as they draw closer to China, the world’s second-largest economy.

Over the past decade, nations ranging from Burkina Faso to Kiribati and Honduras have cut diplomatic ties with Taipei. But, Liao says, with the exception of Nigeria in 2017, Taiwan has been allowed to keep representation in their capitals. That makes his battle in South Africa all the more significant.

Liao’s 7,000 square-meter (75,000 square-foot) residence, roughly equivalent to the size of one soccer field, boasts tennis courts and a dining area for more than 40 people. At the entrance is a tropical fish tank while the garden has a barbecue area installed and a jacaranda tree beginning to burst into purple bloom in the South African spring.

Speaking at his residence in Pretoria’s Waterkloof Ridge, a sleepy diplomatic quarter that houses many ambassadors’ homes-including that of the US nearby and India’s just a block away-the heavy hand of China’s government looms large for Liao.

‘Why bother to make such a move? I think it’s very clear,’ Liao said of South Africa’s decision. ‘Common sense tells us who’s behind the scenes.’

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, known as Dirco, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Its minister, Ronald Lamola, said the decision was in line with international practice.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun didn’t answer directly when asked at a briefing on Sept. 24 if Beijing had applied pressure on South Africa to close or move the liaison office.

Guo said that ‘we commend the South African government’s abiding commitment to the One China principle,’ the recognition that mainland China and Taiwan make up a single nation governed by Beijing.

The spat began in early 2023, when Dirco tore up a 1997 agreement forged with Taipei by former President Nelson Mandela-a deal which, according to Taiwan, among other things allows it to keep the liaison office name and location in Pretoria. Instead, the government agency began to demand Liao’s office be downgraded and moved about 35 miles (56 kilometers) to Johannesburg, where Taiwan already has a small trade mission.

Taiwan has been refusing to comply, with the deadline for the relocation extended from October 2024 to March this year. Then, on July 21, Dirco issued an official notice unilaterally changing the name to the Taipei Commercial Office and backdating the decision to March 31.

‘Abandoning the existing agreement is literally a denial of Madiba’s wisdom given that the existing agreement was so delicately and wisely crafted,’ Liao said, using Mandela’s clan name. ‘They made so much effort to come up with that agreement with Taiwan in order to preserve the friendship and collaboration.’

Now, that relationship is in tatters. In an unprecedented move, Taiwan on Sept. 23 slapped a ban on its semiconductor chip exports to South Africa, saying Pretoria’s actions ‘undermined its national and public security,’ before suspending it two days later to allow further talks.

For Africa’s most industrialized economy and many others, staying in China’s good graces invariably comes at Taiwan’s expense.

With the Trump administration imposing a 30 percent tariff on exports from South Africa-the most on any sub-Saharan nation-it needs to tap demand from China for its goods. In August, South African Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said increased exports to China are a priority, with his country’s having secured duty-free access for five varieties of fruit. That would add to current shipments of nuts and avocados as well as platinum, chrome, coal and iron ore.

The ties go well beyond trade and economics, especially after South Africa in 2010 joined the BRICS political bloc that was co-founded by China. In November, President Xi Jinping is expected to attend a Group of 20 leaders meeting in Johannesburg, his fifth visit to the country, and China’s navy has conducted exercises with its South African counterpart.

Ahead of that visit, pressure is mounting on Liao to move his mission.

‘The current situation has already created a sense of not only instability, but also frustration,’ said Liao, who previously served in the Solomon Islands when the small Pacific nation cut ties with Taipei.

‘It’s not healthy and it’s not encouraging at all because the purpose of our presence here is to promote friendship and collaboration, but everything has come to a total halt,’ he said.

At threat are ties originally forged during South Africa’s apartheid era, when the two countries, both isolated, developed a closer bond.

A wave of Taiwanese migration to South Africa began in the late 1970s with the South African government offering incentives to attract investment, mainly in the textile sector. Taiwanese immigrants were given ‘honorary White’ status, exempting them from South African laws that enforced racial segregation.

Today, according to the Taipei Liaison Office, 450 Taiwanese companies operate in South Africa and have invested about $2 billion. Over 100 South Africans go to Taiwan on scholarships every year.

Still, the Taiwanese community has shrunk to an estimated 8,000 from 50,000 in 1998. Commerce is also shriveling, with South Africa selling Taiwan goods including coal and corn while smartphones and chemicals heading the other way. From $2.3 billion in 2022, trade fell by more than a third last year.

‘We are not welcome here,’ Liao said. If the Taiwanese ‘don’t feel that they’re welcome and cherished here,’ they leave, he said.

IF there’s one word that defines life in the Philippines today, it’s ‘uncertainty.’ From shifting economic forecasts, rising prices, and political noise to unexpected changes at work and home, many Filipinos are living in a constant state of adaptation. While it’s tempting to feel overwhelmed, it’s also in these moments that resilience shines most-both at the personal and communal level.

Instability affects more than the numbers in the news; it’s felt deeply in day-to-day life. Concerns about job security, higher costs of living, divisive headlines, and shifting government priorities can all trigger stress. It’s important to recognize these feelings as normal responses. After all, Filipino families have weathered many storms before-disasters, political upheavals, and financial challenges.

During turbulent periods, routines become lifelines. Try to set daily anchors, even if circumstances keep changing-meal schedules, exercise, prayer, or quiet time with family bring a sense of stability. Budget wisely: review spending, cut down on unnecessary costs, and save even small amounts if possible. These small habits lay the groundwork for a sense of control.

Managing information overload is another crucial step. Limit ‘doomscrolling’ by curating credible sources and setting boundaries for social media. This allows space to focus on what can be changed rather than what causes fear and uncertainty. Remember, reconnecting with loved ones-even digitally-is a source of comfort and support.

Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing or short walks, reduce anxiety and refresh the mind. Spiritual activities or prayer may also bring peace and perspective, both of which are anchors in Filipino life.

The Filipino values of bayanihan-helping one another- and resourcefulness remain crucial. In unstable times, collective optimism and small acts of kindness have powered countless families through adversity.

Celebrate small wins: a new income stream, a resolved household problem, or any adjustment that worked. Sharing these stories with family, friends, or workmates can inspire others to persevere, too.

Uncertainty is a fact of life, but as a nation, we have thrived amid change through hope, unity, and ingenuity. Today’s challenges invite everyone to practice, share, and strengthen these habits. Change may be inevitable, but our capacity to adapt, uplift others, and look ahead with hope never wavers.

IN these days of back-to-back challenges-budget troubles, illness, family, or relationship problems-how often do we actually stop to check if we are truly caring for ourselves? Most of the time, we put work, family, and obligations first, and our own needs come last. Many people, especially women, take on the world’s expectations to always embody the ‘superwoman’- strong, beautiful, tireless. Yet in Filipino society, many people still hesitate to talk openly about women’s health, whether it’s PCOS, breast cancer, or mental wellness.

Real strength, I believe, is knowing our limits. Sometimes, we must allow ourselves to put our comfort first, to rest, or to sleep in. This month, as we mark Breast Cancer Awareness and Mental Health Awareness, right after PCOS Awareness Month last September, let’s listen to the voices of women who have learned that real courage means knowing how to care for themselves.

Fortunately, there are organizations and companies now advocating for women-offering information, products, and support, such as New Moon PH and their Power Within campaign. This includes supplements (Soft Glow, Hormo Balance, Nighty Bright) that help women on their path to health, comfort, and self-confidence. The campaign calls every woman to see her own strength and resilience while making her health and wellness a true priority. Find @newmoonph on TikTok.

Sparkle artist Mika Salamanca continues to open more doors after being hailed as GMA’s first-ever big winner for Pinoy Big Brother Collab Celebrity Edition alongside duo Brent Manalo. From back-to-back magazine covers and endorsement shoots to a new single, a movie, and a series, Mika remains unstoppable-yet she still makes time to nurture her advocacies.

Mika recently released her newest single with Brent, ‘What If Tayo?,’ further solidifying their bond beyond PBB. This followed the successful release of her rendition of ‘Sino Nga Ba Sya,’ which surpassed 500,000 streams on leading audio streaming platforms in under a month. Her big screen debut is also on the horizon as part of the upcoming MMFF 2025 entry Call Me Mother. On top of that, she reunites with her PBB batchmates in another GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios collaboration, The Secrets of Hotel 88.

An advocate for mental health, Mika also released her first-ever children’s book, Lipad, which aims to inspire and encourage self-belief. She hopes to deliver the message not only to the younger audiences but to all the people who dream of rising above fear, embracing their truth, and taking flight toward the life they deserve. Proceeds from book sales are dedicated to supporting charities and outreach activities for those in need.

In her recent interviews, Mika expressed deep gratitude for all the love and support she receives, saying it fuels her drive to dream big for her family. Now, with both mainstream and online success, Mika is more determined to continue growing and being a positive influence to her supporters. Beyond being the face of big brands, she ensures that she is not the only one benefiting-part of her brand deals includes donating appliances to cancer patients and the elderly in home care.

To continue honing her craft, Mika diligently attends singing and acting workshops. For balance, she also dedicates time to writing and painting, even converting one of the rooms in her condo into a workstation for her artwork, which she plans to release soon.

Mika’s newfound success feels more than just a breakthrough-it’s a rebirth. And she is now fully embracing the life she was meant to live.

WHEN I am beauty shopping at a big event, I try to be cautious because it’s so easy to get carried away and purchase more than you actually need.

I went to the Robinsons Department Store’s BeYOUty Fest 2025 at Robinsons Manila Midtown Atrium, which was part of the month-long celebration of beauty at all RDS branches. There were discounts of up to 50 percent on selected items.

It took me an hour or so to go around the venue and here are the stuff that I got:

Colourette Blur Base Everyday Powder Foundation SPF 15 in Coron. This shade is a light medium with olive undertone. I got it for P599. True to its name, the powder is indeed blurring. It’s something that you could wear over sunscreen, skin tint, or foundation. I won’t say you can wear it on its own because you aren’t supposed to go out without sunscreen on your face. I like the powder and feel like I got my money’s worth even if Coron is slightly lighter on me. It’s not oily and I didn’t get any breakouts because of it.

Mise En Scene Curling Essence 2x Natural (pink tube). I think I got this for around P400 or slightly less than that.

My daughter has curly hair and she’s been using this Korean curl cream for around two years now ever since I got it as a freebie from an event. So she has gone over several tubes of it. It’s reasonably priced, not sticky, and holds her curls well.

Dazzle Me Our Secret Cover Concealer. I had been looking for this in the shade Medium because on TikTok Shop, they only have it in Light. At the event, it was on sale for only P90, I think, so I got the only tube left in Medium.

It’s a decent enough concealer. I put it in my bag for retouching because I recently attended a makeup workshop where I was told by one of the instructors that for long days, it’s good to retouch your undereye concealer.

Barenbliss Pout Plush Transferproof Lip Liner in 394 Kind (pumpkin latte). This is one of those chubby and super matte lip liners. It’s good for girls who don’t retouch a lot and just like to apply lip gloss because you still have some color on your lips but it’s not bold (this shade at least). I’m not sure how I paid for this but it was less than P200. Barenbliss’ booth was the most fun because their colors and packaging are so cute.

Colorgram Fruity Glass Tint in Lovely Raspberry.My daughter likes these tints so I got another shade for her. It’s a typical Korean tint that young people like to wear and the packaging is so fun. I got it for around P300, I think.

I’m happy that all my purchases were mindful and I didn’t go over my budget. Again, I started shopping with a list in my hand so that I’d buy only the things I needed.

THE government’s debt service bill reached its peak in August, as it more than tripled year-on-year to P664.720 billion, bloated by higher amortization.

Latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed the government’s debt payments soared by 256.96 percent to P664.720 billion in August this year from P186.218 billion in the same month last year.

Amortization, or principal payments, rose by three and a half times to P601.615 billion in August from P133.437 billion a year ago.

About P597.885 billion of the amortization was settled with domestic creditors, a 389.93-percent surge from a year earlier, while payments to foreign financiers fell by 67.29 percent to P3.730 billion.

Meanwhile, interest payments jumped by 19.56 percent to P63.105 billion in August from P52.781 billion a year ago.

Of the total, P46.377 billion went to local lenders, up by 17.82 percent from P39.361 billion. The remaining P16.728 billion was paid to external backers, a 24.65-percent increase from P13.420 billion.

According to Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, the higher debt service in August is due to the large maturity of retail treasury bonds (RTBs) worth P516 billion.

Sept bill even bigger

Ricafort said August’s debt payments would be the peak, but the government could still see its debt service bill become relatively larger next month, as P288 billion of treasury bonds will mature on September 9.

‘After that, no more large government securities maturities for the rest of 2025,’ Ricafort said.

Next year, bond maturing in February and April, amounting to P200 billion each, are expected to push up the government’s debt servicing, Ricafort added.

9-month debt service

From January to September this year, the debt service bill posted a marginal decrease of 0.64 percent to P1.541 trillion from P1.550 trillion recorded in the same period a year ago.

This is equivalent to 75.02 percent of the P2.054 trillion programmed for debt servicing this year.

Of the nine-month period’s debt payments, P956.739 billion was shelled out for amortization, which dipped by 8.09 percent to P956.739 billion from P1.041 trillion in the previous year.

Amortization payments reached P768.520 billion for domestic debt, down by 12.63 percent from P879.652 billion a year ago.

Payments to external creditors rose by 16.84 percent to P188.219 billion from P161.086 billion.

On the other hand, interest payments grew by 14.66 percent to P584.145 billion during the nine-month period from P509.441 billion last year.

The government settled P429.120 billion worth of interest to onshore lenders, up by 18.30 percent year-on-year from P362.721 billion.

Meanwhile, interest owed to foreign creditors inched up by 5.66 percent to P155.025 billion from P146.720 billion.

BTr data showed the outstanding debt of the government reached P17.468 trillion as of the end of August.

While this slightly dipped by 0.5 percent from P17.563 trillion from end-July, this is seen to increase in the coming months due to more borrowings.

The government has raised a total of P2.266 trillion in borrowings as of end-August, out of its P2.6-trillion program for the year.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) signed a registration agreement with a manufacturing firm which will produce jigs and fixtures within the Cavite Economic Zone (CEZ).

Peza said Acuvex Corp. registered as a new ecozone export enterprise that will specialize in manufacturing jigs and fixtures in CEZ.

The investment promotion agency noted that the firm’s project, with an initial investment of about P3 million, is set to begin by the end of the year.

Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga welcomed the new registration as part of the agency’s bid to attract investors.

‘Acuvex’s entry is another step forward in reinforcing CEZ as a hub for high-value and precision manufacturing,’ Panga said in a statement.

‘Each new locator strengthens the ecozone ecosystem and contributes to our vision of a competitive, sustainable, and resilient industrial base for the country.’

By targeting the precision manufacturing sector, Peza said Acuvex complements existing CEZ locators in electronics, automotive, and robotics-related supply chains, while also engaging local businesses and service providers within the ecozone.

‘This latest partnership not only strengthens CEZ’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing but also underscores Peza’s role in driving inclusive growth and sustaining the Philippines’s global competitiveness.’

Recently, two Chinese manufacturing firms inked registration agreements with the Peza to manufacture transformers, batteries, electric vehicle parts and produce heatsink products in the CEZ.

Peza said the two Chinese manufacturing firms have registered as new ecozone export enterprises set to operate at CEZ in Rosario, Cavite.

It added that CIXIN Precision is investing in the production of heatsink products, CNC products, electroplating, and surface treatment.

‘The project will start commercial operations in March 2026 with a committed investment in new machinery and equipment worth around P40 million within its first year, with a commitment to employ nearly a hundred Filipino workers, mostly in direct production roles.’

Meanwhile, Philippine Newly Ever Rise Technology Corp. will manufacture and assembleof transformers, power supplies, batteries, robotics products, solar systems, and electric vehicle parts, reflecting the growing demand for renewable energy and advanced electronics.

Data obtained by the BusinessMirror from Panga showed that as of August, CEZ has a total of 310 Registered Business Enterprises.