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PSE to gamify stock trading for Filipino students

What’s the best way to demystify the stock market for the next generation of Filipinos? Maybe gamification is the way to go.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) will launch next year a stock trading game for college students, aiming to jumpstart investor interest in schools and encourage participation in the local bourse.

PSE president and CEO Ramon Monzon tells the Inquirer in a chance interview on the sidelines of the Philippine Tax Academy Convention that they will first offer the training program at the De la Salle College of Saint Benilde and the Ateneo de Manila University in the first quarter of 2026 Both schools are currently offering PSE’s Certified Securities Specialist course. This is a 124-hour, 14-module education program on financial and securities market theories, valuation techniques and analysis, investment portfolio management and ‘real-world’ applications of financial principles.

PSE Academy

Participants in the stock trading game will be given virtual money to ‘invest’ in stocks using actual market data, according to Monzon. They will access the game through a website developed by PSE Academy, the market education platform of the local bourse.

Every three, six and 12 months, the PSE will reward the student with the highest portfolio, Monzon explains. He did not elaborate on the specific prize to be given.

For OFWs too

‘We’re testing it on our employees . it’s really a stock investing competition,’ he says. Eventually, the game will be offered to Filipinos abroad.

‘We want schools, OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) to have the real-life experience of trading,’ Monzon added.

This comes amid a challenging time for the stock market, which recently suffered some heavy bleeding because of corruption allegations involving high-ranking government officials.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) has so far tumbled by 6.74 percent to 6,108.86 on Friday from 6,550.39 at the beginning of the year. It also dipped to a six-month low by the end of September, erasing its recent gains brought by improving macroeconomic conditions.

Confidence

While analysts were initially optimistic, the current political environment has not been promising for the index.

Monzon himself tells reporters that only ‘very positive results’ from the government’s investigation into anomalous flood control projects could revive the market.

Storm east of PH may enter PAR; to be named Quedan – Pagasa

Tropical Storm Halong, spotted far from the country, may soon enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), according to the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Halong’s last location was recorded around 2,150 kilometers east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon, slowly moving northwestward.

Pagasa also recorded that Halong carries maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) with gusts of up to 90 kph. While there’s a chance that a high-pressure area may pull Halong to avoid entering the PAR, Pagasa reported that another high-pressure area near Mainland China may also cause Halong to move westward and into the periphery of the PAR.

According to the state weather bureau, should it enter the PAR, the cyclone will be named Quedan.

Meanwhile, Typhoon Matmo, formerly Paolo, was reported to be strengthening the southwest monsoon, or ‘habagat,’ that is causing rains in the western section of southern Luzon. Paolo was last seen approximately 1,190 kilometers west of extreme northern Luzon as it continues to move west-northwestward at 20 kph, Pagasa said.

It has maximum sustained winds of 150 kph, and gusts of up to 205 kph.

At 7:05 p.m., Pagasa warned of ‘moderate to heavy rain showers with lightning and strong winds’ in parts of Zambales and Bulacan.

The same weather conditions are already being experienced in Pampanga, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.

Bacolod NGO offers streetchildren way out of abuse, trafficking

‘I will study hard so when I finish school, I can be with my mother again someday,’ Mary (not her real name) said as she finished a second cup of ice cream.

Sept. 11 was a busy afternoon at the Kalipay Negrense Foundation in Bacolod, where she and other children welcomed guests, including representatives of the US Embassy in Manila and journalists who were also there to attend a seminar on human trafficking.

Mary told the Inquirer she did not want to return to her father who, she said, had physically abused her and her siblings while their mother worked abroad.

‘Beg and steal’

Now a Grade 7 student, she lives at Recovered Treasures, a residential care facility run by Kalipay that shelters survivors of child trafficking, child labor, abuse, abandonment, neglect, malnourishment and orphanhood.

She cannot recall much about how she and her siblings ended up there, but this she knows-she is good at math, loves to sing and dance, and dreams of becoming a painter.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Kalipay rescued another minor-Cedrick, a 9-year-old boy from Leyte who was trafficked with other children and forced to beg for money at fiestas.

Cedrick stopped going home because he had nothing to eat there, recalled Kalipay executive director Mhel Sillador.

Instead, he joined a group that brought children from one fiesta to another until they reached Bacolod, where they were abandoned by the syndicate.

Hard realities

‘They beg and steal. So what they do is they gather at the end of the day and [count their earnings] while an the adult cooks their food,’ Sillador said.

Three years later, Kalipay reunited Cedrick with his family-an emotional moment, Sillador said, because the boy felt abandoned and even asked them, ‘Why didn’t you look for me?’

Mary’s and Cedrick’s stories are just two of many exposing the hard realities Filipino children face-the abuse and trafficking that remain widespread despite the government’s crackdown, with minors forced into labor or online sexual exploitation, or sold under the guise of adoption and recruitment.

Nongovernmental organizations like Kalipay play a vital role in complementing government efforts to combat trafficking-rescuing children, providing safe spaces, helping survivors recover and rebuild their lives.

Advocacy programs for children in Negros have made substantial progress, according to Sillador. But he also noted the still prevalent reality that ‘no matter how educated and civilized our community seem to be, . sexual abuse, child labor and child trafficking still exist in the island.’

He also pointed out that Kalipay does not follow the usual routine of simply feeding, bathing and clothing rescued children.

‘Horrible beginnings’ Sillador emphasized the value of education, as he cited a 14-year-old girl among the many children rescued by Kalipay who did not know how to read or write-not because of special needs but because they were never introduced to schooling.

Treasures, the nonprofit’s care facility, currently houses 106 children, with more than 38 of them under protective custody-meaning they have pending cases in court.

‘[Regarding] a significant number of them, the perpetrators are at large and the cases involve certain syndicates,’ he said.

Sillador recalled the ‘horrible beginnings’ of the foundation, when its education program meant sending children to the nearest public school.

‘A lot of our kids feared going out because of the trauma they underwent. In 2016, we were able to put up our very own school and we eventually partnered with UST (University of Santo Tomas) Angelicum College.’

He said this partnership was particularly beneficial to the children, since they could ‘graduate with a UST diploma, which is very good for them when they apply for college.’

Alternatives

Kalipay’s ultimate goal is to reintegrate the children with the community, Sillador said, because ‘no matter how much love and care we give these children, no matter how nice, probably,.our facility is, there’s no substitute for the love and care that can be given by their own family.’

When that is not possible, the foundation works to provide alternative family placement through adoption or foster care, or to prepare children for independent living by giving them access to college or vocational education.

Apart from Kalipay, other nongovernmental organizations, such as the International Justice Mission (IJM) are also working with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, an agency of the Department of Justice, in fighting child trafficking, especially illegal acts online. In its campaign against online sexual exploitation of children, IJM monitors such activities as livestreaming of child sexual abuse-with its considerable market of sex offenders.

Despite the collective efforts by the government and groups, such as Kalipay and IJM, formidable challenges remain in prosecuting sex trafficking, especially as it involves child victims.

Phivolcs reports increase in Kanlaon’s seismic activity

Kanlaon Volcano logged an increase in seismic activity on Saturday, based on the 24-hour monitoring of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs’ Sunday bulletin said that Kanlaon Volcano recorded 65 volcanic earthquakes, a sharp increase from Saturday’s 11. The volcano also emitted 1,805 tons of sulfur dioxide, which is a slight increase from Saturday’s 1,531 tons. Aside from this, Phivolcs said that the volcano generated a plume that rose 650 meters tall that drifted west-northwestward and northwestward.

The state seismologist also observed that the volcano’s edifice is still inflated.

The volcano, which sits between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, remains under Alert Level 2 or increased unrest. The agency still prohibits entry into the four-kilometer radius, or the permanent danger zone. Flying any aircraft close to the volcano is also not allowed.

It also reminded nearby communities that possible hazards such as sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions and precursor magmatic activity might occur.

Banking luminary: Xavier P. Loinaz, 82

Banking luminary Xavier P. Loinaz – a pillar of risk management, innovation and credit discipline at Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) – died on Oct. 4, about a week short of his 82nd birthday.

A BPI community post said on Sunday they were deeply mourning the passing of Loinaz, also known as ‘XP’ at BPI, where he had served as CEO for 22 years and board member for another 16 years.

‘XP was a captain of industry who steered BPI through local political turmoil and global crises. His 22-year presidency set benchmarks in responsible and innovative banking, and led the technology and operational transformation of the Philippine banking industry,’ the community said.

‘To us at BPI, Xavier Loinaz was not only a visionary leader but also a mentor and an inspiration. He taught us discipline, integrity, and the importance of serving with purpose. The innovations he introduced, and the people he guided, continue to carry his legacy forward,’ BPI president Jose Teodoro Limcaoco said.

‘We will always be grateful for his steady hand and his belief in the Filipino spirit. He leaves behind an institution made stronger by his leadership-and a family of bankers who will forever remember him with respect and gratitude,’ added Limcaoco.

Loinaz was BPI president from 1982 to 2004, helping the bank navigate episodes of political turbulence and economic crises, including two people power revolutions, coup d’ etat attempts, the debt crisis and the Asian financial crisis.

Banking MandAs

At the helm of BPI, Loinaz took the big steps and embarked on a number of mergers and acquisitions (MandAs) to take BPI to a certain scale and size. Four significant MandA deals were done during his term: Family Bank in 1985, CityTrust Banking Corp. in 1995, Far East Bank and Trust Company in 2000 and DBS Philippines in 2002.

The purchase of Family Bank from the Gotianun family in 1985, even at a time of growing political unrest, allowed BPI to enter the higher-margin consumer banking space. This became BPI Family Bank, which was eventually integrated into the parent bank.

Beyond his term as BPI president, Loinaz had continued to serve on the board of Southeast Asia’s oldest bank until 2020, when he resigned for health reasons. He previously survived a bout with pancreatic cancer, industry sources said.

uring legacy

‘His legacy endures through the leaders he nurtured with intellectual rigor, responsibility and discipline, and in his pioneering spirit that lives on in BPI,’ the community said.

When Loinaz retired as board member of BPI in 2020, Ayala Corp. chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala credited him for cultivating BPI’s strong credit culture, building its reputation as a ‘safe haven’ in times of crisis and for growing the bank to be one of the country’s largest.

Under his leadership, BPI introduced to the Philippines automated teller machines (ATMs) as well as the concept of bancassurance.

Including his board directorship at Globe Telecom and Ayala Corp., Loinaz served the Ayala group for four decades.

‘Exceptional’

Loinaz’s successor, Aurelio Montinola III, said in 2012 when he accepted the prestigious MAP Management Man of the Year award: ‘At BPI, I had the good fortune of working with Vic Pacis in corporate banking, and then with Xavier Loinaz everywhere else. All were demanding, never satisfied, and uncompromising; therefore, I learned the hard way how to get things done in an exceptional manner.’

The Freedom We Forget at 65: Mind, Dreams, and Hope – A Mental Health Reflection

It’s been 65 years of independence. Congratulations, Nigeria, and happy Independence! Welcome also to the last quarter of the year, a brand new month of October.

But genuinely, can we say we have come a long way and done so well as a nation in these 65 years? Or are we still trapped in a vicious cycle? Do we even truly believe in this country anymore? How has this shaped our mental health and the way we see ourselves as citizens?

Haven’t many of us lost hope? Are we supposed to lose hope, or are we just fixated on the thought that it can never be better? Worse still, some believe it can only get worse or is already getting worse despite the visible changes here and there, despite the rays of hope that occasionally break through.

So, are we free indeed?

True freedom is not just about flags, anthems, or parades. It is about the state of mind of the people. When a nation struggles with poverty, insecurity, corruption, and dashed expectations, the citizens carry the weight in their hearts and minds. This weight shows up as anxiety, frustration, hopelessness, and even depression. We cannot separate the mental health of Nigerians from the story of Nigeria itself.

Many people now live with a quiet despair, believing that nothing good can come out of this country. Some carry a deep mistrust of leadership, others feel numb and detached, while many more have simply resigned to fate. This collective sense of hopelessness is not just political, it is psychological. When hope dies, it leaves scars on our well-being, our relationships, and even the way we dream for our children.

Yet, hope is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Just as the human body cannot survive without oxygen, the mind cannot thrive without hope. Hope is the anchor that steadies us when the storm is raging. It is the fuel that makes us rise each morning and believe tomorrow could be better. Without it, our resilience weakens, and we risk living in survival mode, never truly alive.

But here lies the irony: Nigerians are some of the most resilient people in the world. We have learned to laugh in pain, to find joy in little things, and to hustle through tough times. Our music, our culture, our community spirit, these are coping mechanisms that keep us going when structures fail us. But even resilience has its breaking point. When every new policy, every new headline, and every new reality seems like a burden, resilience alone is not enough; we need genuine change that restores confidence in the future.

Mental health is not just an individual issue; it is a national one. A society where citizens wake up every day uncertain of safety, food, or dignity cannot boast of true independence. Independence must mean freedom from fear, freedom from hopelessness, and freedom from the mental chains that hold us down. When young people’s biggest dream is to ‘japa’ because they no longer see a future here, it should force us to reflect: what kind of independence do we truly have?

And yet, we must ask ourselves, can we, as a people, afford to give up? If hope is medicine, despair is poison. To surrender to despair is to let the challenges win twice: first, by creating hardship, and second, by killing the spirit to fight for something better.

So how do we begin to heal? How do we protect our mental health in a country that constantly tests it? We start by choosing hope, even when it feels foolish. We start by caring for ourselves and one another. We start by building little communities of support, families, faith groups, professional circles, and friendships, where encouragement and solidarity keep us afloat.

We also start by telling ourselves the truth: it is okay to feel tired, it is okay to feel worried, but it is not okay to give up completely. Healing begins when we name our struggles instead of masking them. Healing deepens when we seek help from mental health professionals rather than drowning silently in pain. Healing grows when we learn to find meaning in small victories and nurture gratitude for what is still working.

Independence at 65 should not just be a time to wave flags; it should be a time to ask, how free are we inside? Do we have freedom of mind, freedom to dream, and freedom to hope? If not, then our task as a nation is not only economic or political, it is also psychological.

This Mental Health Diary is a call to hold on to hope. Not a blind hope that ignores reality, but a stubborn hope that insists things can be better. For in protecting hope, we protect our minds. And in protecting our minds, we preserve the future of this nation.

So, as we step into this last quarter of the year, may we not just count the years of independence, but also count the strength of our resilience. May we nurture hope, support one another, and keep alive the belief that true freedom is still possible.

As we reflect on 65 years of independence, let us not remain stuck in despair. Healing begins with choosing to hope again, no matter the disappointments of the past. Even when the changes we long for seem slow, we must remember that change itself starts with individuals, each of us, in our homes, our communities, in the way we think, speak, and act. Whether we are in Nigeria or abroad, whether we hold other nationalities or not, nothing changes the fact that the blood is Nigerian.

The freedom we forget is not always about politics or economics. It is the freedom of the mind, the freedom to dream, and the freedom to hope. Without these, even at 65, true independence remains incomplete. To give up hope is to surrender our future, but to heal and hope again is to reclaim it.

Happy World Mental Health Day in advance! This Friday, October 10th, we join the world to mark this important day. Join me in next week’s episode, it promises to be another enlightening edition of Mental Health Diary. Stay with me.

Ekiti govt extends teachers’ retirement age to 65 years

There was thunderous jubilation in Ekiti on Sunday following the approval of Governor Biodun Oyebanji to the immediate extension of the retirement age of teachers in the state from 60 years to 65 years and service years raised from 35 to 40 years.

The Governor also rewarded outstanding teachers in the state with cash gifts totalling N46 million, approved upward review of Science Teachers and Head of Department allowances, as well as immediate payment of 2019 leave bonus areas to further motivate the teachers.

The governor made these declarations on Sunday during the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavalion, Ado Ekiti.

No fewer than 5,000 teachers attended the colourful event which was turned into a carnival as teachers across different cadres adorned in Ankara uniform sang and danced in appreciation of the Governor’s teacher-friendly policies.

Oyebanji, who thanked the teachers for their invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the state, described them as the foundation upon which the future of the state is built.

He affirmed that the gesture was part of his administration’s efforts to motivate teachers, recognize their immense contribution to the development of education, and enhance their welfare in line with the shared prosperity agenda of his administration.

While explaining that the extension of the retirement age was in fulfilment of his promise to reposition the education sector and retain competent and experienced hands in the teaching profession, the Governor said a committee would be set up to oversee the elongation of the service year and ensure that only the agile individuals enjoy the privilege.

Governor Oyebanji further assured the Teachers that his administration would continue to prioritize their welfare and continue to create an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning.

The Governor also informed the gathering that he will be seeking a re-election for a second term and solicited their continued support.

Oyebanji said, ‘ Let me respond to the request by the TUC Chairman, I have been told now that 2019 leave bonus was paid yesterday and you will start receiving the alert by tomorrow.

‘I have heard your yearnings with respect to the mandatory age for retirement and this has been approved as recommended but only for able and willing teachers.

‘ On the issue of science and head of departments’ allowances, I know that the Head of Service is doing the review of the allowances and I have instructed her to bring it by next week for approval.

‘My dear friends, this will be the only opportunity to meet in a group like this before the next governorship election. I therefore want to officially inform you that I will be seeking a re-election into the office of the Governor for a second term.

‘ I have been greatly encouraged by the overwhelming goodwill, enthusiasm and support that you have shown me. I want to assure you that, for you, it will always get better. I am resolutely committed to my pact with you and all Ekiti workers. I therefore solicit for your sustained support and prayers going forward.’

Earlier in her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Olabimpe Aderiye expressed her gratitude to the Governor for his efforts at repositioning the education sector and ensuring that the teachers’ welfare is taken care of.

The Commissioner highlighted various efforts of the Governor at improving the general well-being of teachers in the state to include, ‘ release of over N1.6 billion as running grant to schools in the last three years, payment of over N6.2 billion as UBEC counterpart fund to ensure renovations of schools in the state, payment of over N1.5 billion for WAEC in the last years of the Governors administration as well as prompt payment exam fees for students, placement, BECE and SS2 exams among others.’

In their separate goodwill messages, the National President of ASUSS, Comrade Sola Adigun, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), represented by Mr Lateef Adesiyan, and Ekiti State NUT Chairman, Comrade Adedeji Egbeyemi, all commended Governor Oyebanji for his continue demonstration of love and passion for teachers and the teaching profession in the state.

VIDEO: ‘It was a slip of tongue,’ Laide Bakare apologises over daughter’s alcohol comment

Nollywood actress Laide Bakare has issued a public apology after disclosing that she was the one who first introduced her daughter, Similoluwa, to clubbing and alcohol at the age of 17.

In a recent interview, the actress admitted that she personally gave her daughter her first club experience and even her first alcoholic drink.

‘In fact, I’m the first person that will bring her to a club. That was her first club experience ever. And I like the fact that, in her memory, her very first alcoholic drink and clubbing was through me,’ Laide said.

Following the backlash that trailed her comment, Laide in a video shared online, apologised for the statement, describing it as a slip of tongue.

‘I didn’t know I said it. The video was sent to me where I said it but it was a slip of tongue. Such never happened. I didn’t introduce her to alcohol at all. I will never do that. The little girl (Similoluwa) felt bad as well. She doesn’t like to be put out there as a teenage girl abusing alcohol at a young age.

I am using the video to say sorry Simi, sorry parents that feel like I was wrong with that step. Please forgive me for the blunder,’ she said.

Tribune Online earlier reported that Laide Bakare, in a viral video, claimed she took her daughter to the club for the first time and allowed her to take alcohol even at age 17.

Ondo: Police arrest man for assaulting six-year-old girl in Ore

Men of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested one Bolaji Oluwasetire, a resident of the Osoro area in Ore, for allegedly assaulting a six-year-old girl in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, who disclosed this in a statement, said the suspect was caught in the act while forcing the minor to rub his genitals with her hands.

According to Ayanlade, the victim’s father, Kolawole Joseph, reported the incident to the Ore Police Division, after which the suspect was immediately apprehended.

He said, ‘Acting swiftly on the report, detectives from the Gender Desk Office, Ore Divisional Headquarters, were dispatched to the scene where the suspect was arrested and taken into custody for interrogation.’

The police spokesperson further explained that while in custody, the suspect reportedly began vomiting a greenish substance. Upon interrogation, he allegedly confessed to ingesting herbicide in a desperate attempt to evade justice for his shameful and criminal act.

Ayanlade said the suspect was promptly rushed to the General Hospital, Ore, where he is currently receiving medical treatment under police watch.

He assured that the minor is safe and that her family is receiving necessary support from relevant authorities, while investigations continue.

The spokesperson reiterated the Command’s zero tolerance for sexual and gender-based violence, adding that the State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, has vowed that no offender will escape justice under his leadership.

The Command also urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to remain vigilant and to promptly report any suspected cases of abuse, stressing that Ondo State would never be a safe haven for sexual predators.

Ayanlade said, ‘Ondo State will never be a safe haven for sexual predators. Perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence will be hunted down, arrested, and decisively prosecuted. There will be no hiding place for offenders.’

Police arrest prime suspect in murder of 69-year-old woman in Anambra

Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, acting on credible information, on 4th October 2025, stormed Aguleri and arrested the prime suspect, Obadigbo Emmanuel Anumudu, for beheading the late Mrs Obianuju Akubi, a 69-year-old woman from Umuleri community in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.

According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who disclosed this in a statement in Awka on Sunday, the suspect had allegedly been on the run since 22nd July 2024 after he gruesomely murdered and beheaded Mrs Akubi.

He said during interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and further mentioned members of his gang who participated in the murder and beheading.

He also disclosed the whereabouts of the victim’s head, which was taken away after the heinous act.

Meanwhile, intensive efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the remaining gang members to ensure that justice is served.

Further developments will be communicated in due course.