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The 26 Filipino medalists in the recently concluded 3rd Asian Youth Games got an early Christmas gift from both the government and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) for their feats in Manama, Bahrain.

As mandated by law, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair Pato Gregorio Monday announced that gold winners in the quadrennial meet will receive P500,000 while those who copped silver and bronze will get P300,000 and P100,000, respectively.

‘Win or lose, sports is good,’ said Gregorio during the lunch hosted by the POC at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Parañaque.

POC president Abraham Tolentino, for his part, said they would give half of what the PSC will give the athletes plus an iPhone 17 each.

‘We will know the exact amount when the POC board meets this week,’ said Tolentino.

The country, which fielded 140 athletes, raked in a total of seven golds, seven silvers and 10 bronzes, which was good for 12th place overall.

Muay’s Jan Brix Ramiscal will take home the biggest bounty after snaring a gold in the mixed team Mai Muay with Tyron Jamborillo and the silver in the boys’ Wai Kru 16-17.

Other gold winners were Pi Durden Wangkay (boys’ 200m), Isabella Butler (jiujitsu), Charlie Ratcliff (mixed martial arts), Zeth Garbiel Bueno (muay), Lyre Anie Ngina (muay) and Kram Airam Carpio (pencak silat).

Silver winners were Naomi Cesar (athletics), Travis Rartcliff (mma), Jamesray Ajido (swimming), Kristel Ambriel Aguila (taekwondo) and Jhodie Peralta (weightlifting) while those who grabbed bronze were boxer Leo Mhar Lobrido, Mara-Alexandria Sarinas (jiu-jitsu), Alexander Tagure, Jr. (mma), Iyeshia Blair Bituin (muay), Aeden Roffer Cereño (taekwondo), Crystal Cariño and Nicole Tabucol (teqball), Peralta (weightlifting), Jay-R Colonia (weightlifting), Alexandra Ann Diaz (weightlifting) and Princess Jay Ann Diaz (weightlifting).

Patrick Coo finished with the bronze medal at the Asian BMX championships in Japan over the weekend to raise hopes for a potential gold at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next month.

‘It’s a strong prelude for Patrick to win the gold medal in Thailand which are a little over a month away,’ said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, who also heads the national federation for cycling, PhilCycling.

‘He’s a strong potential for the gold and improve on the two bronze medal our sport got in Cambodia two years ago,’ added Tolentino, referring to Ronald Oranza’s two bronze medals in road in 2023 in Siem Reao.

Japanese Asuma Nakai and Ryo Shimada frolicked at home on the Nagoya Keirin Stadium BMX Race Course in Aichi Prefecture to bag gold and silver, respectively, in the eight-athlete race where Filipino Niño Martin Eday finished eighth.

Conspicuously absent was Thailand ace Sukprasert, who won the race and time trial gold medals the last time BMX racing was on the SEA Games program during the 30th edition in 2019 in Tagaytay City.

A fire that broke out in Purok 5 in Barangay Dalahican, Lucena City claimed the lives of two children, aged two years and one year, on Saturday.

Investigation showed that their mother left them inside their house to buy coconut oil for their improvised lamp as there was no electricity at the time.

Before firefighters arrived, their neighbors organized a bucket relay to put out the blaze and prevent it from spreading.

Arson investigators said one of the victims was found lifeless inside the bedroom, while the other was rescued by neighbors but was later pronounced dead at the hospital. No other injuries were reported.

City fire marshal Supt. Elias Baguio III reminded the public to observe fire safety precautions when using open flames or lamps and to never leave children unattended inside their homes.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Monday, November 3, announced reduced costs for several building materials after some were found to have been inflated by as much as 75%.

Several former DPWH officials had admitted to inflating material prices as part of a kickback scheme. Following these revelations, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the reduction of construction material prices in a bid to curb corruption in government infrastructure projects.

In a press conference, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced the new prices of several construction materials and compared them with their previous rates.

Asphalt and hot mix showed the largest price discrepancies. In the MIMAROPA region, for instance, prices reached as high as P23,659 per metric ton. The DPWH has since reduced the Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD) to P5,937, indicating that the previous cost was inflated by nearly 75%.

On average, the cost of asphalt and hot mix was reduced by 50%, from P13,863 per metric ton to P6,961.

Below are the DPWH’s average reduced costs for various construction materials:

Dizon added that the review and adjustment of project costs, including those for classrooms and roads, are still underway. He said materials used for finishing works, such as paint, will also be evaluated and adjusted accordingly.

With the reduction in material costs, Dizon said the savings from previously inflated prices could reach as much as P60 billion.

He added that basing construction material procurement on market-level prices is the ‘single biggest reform’ within the DPWH, emphasizing that these prices will remain fixed regardless of changes in administration. The new pricing order will take effect for projects starting in 2025, he said.

‘If the private sector can build a road at those prices, why cannot the government do the same? There is no reason not to. No other reason except for corruption. That is the only reason why that has been done,’ Dizon said.

The DPWH’s budget has already received initial approval from both chambers of Congress, though deliberations are still ongoing.

Dizon said the revised material price list has been submitted to legislators, who will determine how it may affect the DPWH’s budget.

Construction Materials Price Data

Use the column header buttons to sort columns by ascending or descending orderCurrently not sorted

Material

Previous Cost (Average)

New Cost (Average)

Variation

Asphalt, Mix (per metric ton)

13,863.85

6,961.32

-50%

Steel Sheet Pile, U-Type (per kilogram)

62.07

39.89

-36%

Gravel Grade 1 (per cubic meter)

1,014.56

690.12

-32%

Sand (per cubic meter)

951.53

649.93

-32%

Reinforcing Steel Bar, Grade 60 (per kilogram)

54.04

36.99

-32%

Reinforcing Steel Bar, Grade 40 (per kilogram)

51.650

36.06

-30%

Cement (per 40 kg bag)

236.31

213.05

-10%

Ready Mix Concrete (per cubic meter)

5,781.69

5,402.69

-7%

Source: DPWH

GCash, the leading e-wallet in the Philippines, expects to jack up its subscriber base in the US by about 100,000 with the launch of its joint holiday promotion with flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL).

‘We hope to jack up the number of our users here in the US by at least 100,000,’ GCash North America business development head Joanne Rivera said during a Kababayan Get-Together event to launch the GCash Your Way Home raffle promo at the PAL office along Century Boulevard in Los Angeles last Oct. 31.

Run by G-Xchange Inc. (GXI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mynt, the first and only $5-billion unicorn in the Philippines, the GCash app has been used by millions of Filipinos, a large chunk of whom are unbanked, since 2004. At present, over 94 million have used GCash.

Through the app, users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills via partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over six million partner merchants and social media sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money all at the convenience of their smartphones.

Rivera said their latest promo combines the accessibility of GCash with the service of PAL as the country’s carrier, which would make homecomings easier and more meaningful.

She said all active GCash users in the US with +1 area code mobile numbers, who use the service between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30, 2025 will earn a raffle entry. Five winners will be drawn on Dec. 10, 2025, each getting two round-trip tickets to the Philippines for free, redeemable within one year.

‘We’re happy to share our mission of uplifting the spirits of Pinoys all around the world by transforming homesickness into a homecoming. With GCash and PAL, our kababayans are a step closer to coming home,’ said Paul Albano, GCash International general manager. ‘And that’s really our goal- to gift Filipinos this festive joy and bridge the distance’.

To join the raffle, simply download, register and verify your GCash account using your +1 US mobile number, open and engage with your GCash app during the promo period and use GCash features available in the US. The long list of transactions includes send money, bank transfer, pay bills, gifting, GSave, buy load and Pinoy Channel.

Jomito Torres, officer-in-charge and area manager for PAL’s Los Angeles Sales District, said the promo is a deeply meaningful extension of their services.

‘We believe that every tap, every send, every payment tells a story of love, care and connection. It’s our honor to give back the same way they send their love miles away,’ Torres said.

Aside from the raffle promo, the partnership between GCash and PAL extends to making the lives of Filipinos abroad less complicated.

To help passengers get ready before departure, using QR codes at PAL check-in counters link to the eTravel platform and the GCash app. For all transactions under this promo, Torres said interested parties could use a PAL promo code ‘PRGCash.’

‘It’s a quick, practical touchpoint that removes last-minute hassles and sets our kababayans up for a smoother trip home,’ Torres said.

At the same time, Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles consul general Adelio Cruz and Department of Tourism (DOT) attache in LA Gerry Panga indicated the possibility of using the similar tieup between GCash and PAL for the 2026 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour program.

Next year’s VIP Tour will take place in Manila, Dumaguete and Cebu from July 12 to 21. Formerly called Ambassadors, Consul Generals and Tourism Directors Tour, the VIP Tour is an annual event organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs, DOT and Rajah Tours, with special air fare rates provided by PAL. Other travel agency-partners of the VIP Tour 2026 include GTT Global,Leisure Life Travel Agency, Mondee and Skybird Travel and Tours.

‘We could ask those who would want to join the VIP Tour for 2026 to download the GCash and make payment for their PAL booking through the app.

Sportradar is a technology company that specializes in data in the sports world.

Sportradar inputs tens of thousands of data points into its proprietary AI engine to analyze historical data, and it can predict outcomes for the upcoming seasons of leagues like the NBA.

I met Samantha Woosnam recently, and as a senior rights and partnership manager for Sportradar, she works closely with all key sporting partners throughout the Asia Pacific region to support their commercial and digital strategy, including through rights acquisition and sales, implementing technology stacks to enhance their games, and connecting partners to the global Sportradar media network.

With a long-standing passion for basketball following an elite career as a player and now coach, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in managing and developing strategic and personable relationships with Sportradar’s partners, and contributing to the business’ global basketball strategy.

Prior to Sportradar, Sam worked as a partnership executive for Synergy Sports, a company specializing in basketball analytics technology designed to scout, develop and educate players, as well as provide deeper, richer data for coaches, media, front office and fans. Synergy Sports was acquired by Sportradar in 2020.

I’m curious to find out your personal challenges in getting to where you are now, in what’s obviously a male-dominated area?

Despite efforts to increase diversity, women remain underrepresented in men’s sports. I am the only female head coach of a men’s sporting team in Australia. I have been fortunate not to face any personal challenges when I shifted from coaching women to men. There is a power in rethinking my role as the only woman in the room. While it’s easy to feel like an anomaly, I focus on seeing myself as an innovator, who’s breaking down barriers and proving that women can thrive in any environment.

Would you say there’s extra pressure to perform?

I would not characterize it as ‘pressure”. I do feel a sense of obligation to succeed in my position, as I am representing women. If I were to fail, how would that impact the chances of other women being appointed as Head Coaches of men’s sports teams?

Advice for young ladies just entering this male-dominated space?

Have faith in your own capabilities and refrain from self-doubt. Seek out allies and mentors; a robust support network is essential for achieving success. Tune out external distractions, as there will always be individuals who criticize and express negativity. Approach situations with humility, recognizing that you do not possess all the answers; it is vital to collaborate as a team and to continue to learn and develop.

Can you pls explain Sportradars Synergy Platform?

Synergy Coaching and Scouting is Sportradar’s advanced sports analytics platform that combines video technology and data-driven insights to transform how teams, coaches, and scouts evaluate performance. It provides a centralized system where users can access game footage, analyze plays, generate customized statistical reports, and create curated video playlists to enhance player development, game preparation, and talent scouting.

The overall goal is to equip the coaches and scouts with the right data and insights, and help them make smarter decisions faster.

How is Sportradar’s Synergy Platform transforming coaching and player development worldwide?

Data has always been used by coaches to improve their game strategies and player development plans, but by integrating video technology with analytics, Synergy is redefining how basketball is coached, played and managed.

The platform helps coaching staff make evidence-based decisions on tactics, rotations, and player progress by giving them access to a huge collection of game footage, allowing them to customize playlists, and generate detailed reports. Synergy is used by the biggest professional basketball leagues in the world, including the NBA, NCAA, Euroleague, G League, and top leagues in Australia and Japan.

The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) slammed an online post about an event described as a ‘Special Dinner and Talk Show.’

In a statement released on their social media platforms earlier, MUO said that the event is “not authorized.”

‘Any independent or third-party activity using the Miss Universe name, logo, marks, or related branding without prior written authorization is considered a violation of intellectual property rights and brand integrity,’ MUO said.

‘The Organization further declares that any promotional materials, contests, or voting initiatives currently circulating online under the Miss Universe name, including those associated with the aforementioned event, are unauthorized and misleading,” it added.

Miss Universe Thailand’s official social media pages posted about a ‘Special Dinner and Talk Show’ last Sunday.

According to MUO, ‘such initiatives do not represent the values, operations, or official activities of the Miss Universe Organization.’

‘The Organization reaffirms its ongoing commitment to protecting its delegates, partners, sponsors, and the global public from misleading or unauthorized activities,’ it added.

The Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo arrived in Bangkok last Sunday to vie for the country’s fifth Miss Universe crown on November 21.

A San Juan court has rejected Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez.

Estrada had sought the TRO after Hernandez implicated him in the alleged anomalous flood control kickback scheme. The senator reportedly aimed to prevent Hernandez from making further accusations

Asked for a reaction, Estrada’s office clarified that only the TRO was denied, not the petition for a Writ of Preliminary Injunction.

A preliminary injunction is issued during a trial to either prohibit a person from certain actions or require them to perform specific acts.

The senator’s petition for a Writ of Preliminary Injunction is scheduled for November 12, his office said.

Estrada’s office also emphasized that any public statements or discussions regarding the case are subject to the sub judice rule, which prohibits parties from commenting on ongoing legal proceedings.

The office added that the senator will abide by the law and defend himself in court.

‘The Senator will continue to pursue all legal remedies available to ensure accountability for those who violate his rights, spread falsehoods, or attempt to tarnish his hard-earned reputation,’ Estrada’s team said in a statement to reporters on Monday.

Estrada has filed perjury charges against Hernandez, accusing the former engineer of making false statements under oath.

During a House probe into the alleged anomalous flood control projects, Hernandez claimed that Estrada inserted up to P355 million into the 2025 budget for potential kickbacks.

The senator, who has previously been convicted on bribery charges, has denied these allegations.

After more than a week of investigation into the shooting encounter that killed a police officer and wounded another, testimonies from the suspects have started to unveil what truly transpired in the Sudlon incident.

In the presence of his legal counsel, 64-year-old Dionesio Malabato Labajo, alias ‘Jhuny,’ half-brother of alleged prime suspect, Leonardo ‘Jun’ Manto Jr., faced the media on Saturday (November 1) and admitted his involvement in the crime.

Labajo said he and his companions ambushed the two police officers-PCapt. Joel Deiparine and PEMS Artchel Tero-who were at the time tailing the vehicle of Jun Manto in sitio Balaw, Barangay Sudlon 2, a mountain barangay of Cebu City on October 25.

Labajo confessed that he was one of the shooters and that they were the first to shoot the two police officers, who belonged to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit 7 (CIDG RFU-7).

‘Si Jun g’yud ato, kami ato mahulog ra nga nitabang,’ Labajo said.

Based on Labajo’s account, on the afternoon of October 25, his younger brother , 43-year-old Jun, called and informed him that, while he was driving his Mitsubishi Strada on the way home, he was being followed by two unindentified men on a motorcycle.

He said that Manto’s 17-year-old son took the firearms from inside their house and placed these by the roadside. Among these weapons were five .45-caliber handguns, two high-caliber Armalite rifles, and a 30-caliber Garrand rifle. Labajo said they used these guns to ambush the two riders of the motorcycle that trailed Jun’s vehicle.

But before the ambush, Labajo recalled that Manto called him again and ordered them to get ready because the motorcycle following him was closing in on him.

Labajo then positioned himself on the left side of the metal fence overlooking the road, while his other companions, alias ‘Allan’ and alias ‘Renante,’ were also positioned on the right side.

As soon as he arrived, Manto quickly blocked the road with his pick-up and, when the trailing motorcycle also arrived, Labajo and his two companions immediately opened fire at the riders of the motorcycle.

Labajo said they hit the leg of the backrider, who was later identified as Deiparine. The motorcycle fell into a roadside ditch prompting the driver—later on identified as Tero—to get off the motorcycle. As Labajo and with Jun, this time joining the attack, Tero ran towards the downhill and hid in the woods, amid an exhange of gunfire.

Jun Manto got off his vehicle, and continued shooting the wounded Deiparine on the face. As the smoke of gunfire subsided, Manto, Labajo, and their companions were shocked and panicked to learn that the motorcycle-riding persons they engaged in the shootout turned out to be police officers.

‘Nakugang. kay og nahitabo pa to nga atong kuan (na-engkwentro) mga police diay to, dile mi mo kuan (sukol),’ Labajo said. ‘Pwerte nang pagmahay namo, asta pod siya Jun,’ he added, expressing his regret.

Labajo explained that they mistakenly thought that the two were relatives of the former barangay captain who was allegedly killed in Toledo City, wherein Manto was blamed as one of the suspects. Labajo said that his brother was threatened with revenge.

After the shooting, Manto and his companions separately fled on their own, but Labajo remained in his hut and just waited for the police to arrest him. He also shared that his wife and children were mad at him for getting involved in the incident.

Showing he was filled with remorse, Labajo apologized to the bereaved family of Deiparine, saying he never knew that the person they shot and killed was a police officer.

Guns used in police killing, surrendered

The firearms used during the shooting encounter that killed Deiparine and injured Tero have been surrendered to the authorities.

Manto agreed to surrender his guns, which were hidden after the incident in various locations within Sudlon.

The CIDG RFU-7, the Cebu City Police Office, and the Malubog Police Station 12, confirmed the successful recovery of the firearms used in the shooting.

Among the surrendered items include one STK 100 9mm pistol with its magazine; and one M4 Carbine assault rifle with two magazines and at least 20 pieces of 5.56-mm ammunition.

With the help of the barangay officials, the surrendered high-powered firearms were safely turned over to the Regional Forensic Unit 7 and subjected to investigation through a forensic ballistic examination.

Simultaneously, an alias ‘Rommy’ was arrested in Parañaque City after being found in possession of a .45 pistol and 17 pieces of caliber .45 live ammunition allegedly used by Manto in the shooting incident in Cebu City.

According to the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7), Manto booked and rented a ride with Rommy before the former surrendered in Pasig City on October 29, wherein he also left the firearm with the latter.

Rommy is currently detained at the Parañaque City Police Station for failing to surrender the gun.

Meanwhile, PRO-7 Regional Director P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said that the entire police force is currently conducting a thorough investigation to identify and arrest all those involved in the crime and to serve justice for their fallen police officer.

“We are pursuing a thorough and comprehensive investigation to identify and arrest all individuals involved in this heinous act. Justice will be served for the fallen officers. The Philippine National Police will not rest until those responsible are held accountable,” Maranan said in a statement.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) wants to exempt micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the mandatory submission of audited financial statements in a bid to further reduce their compliance costs.

The SEC has submitted a policy paper to the Department of Finance (DOF), recommending that corporations with total assets or liabilities not exceeding P3 million be required to submit annual financial statements certified under oath by their treasurer or chief financial officer in lieu of audited financial statements.

‘Our proposed policy will not only improve the ease of doing business, but will also cut unnecessary compliance requirements for micro entities, in support of the government’s goal of driving inclusive economic development,’ SEC chairperson Francis Lim said.

The SEC currently requires corporations with total assets or liabilities of at least P600,000 to submit annual financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant, pursuant to Section 177 of the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines (RCC).

Corporations with total assets and liabilities below the threshold need only submit financial statements certified under oath by their treasurer or chief financial officer.

Subject to final approval of the DOF, the SEC’s proposed policy will apply to financial statements covering fiscal years ending on or after Dec. 31, 2025.

Section 74 of the RCC recognizes the authority of the DOF to determine the threshold for the application of the requirement for corporations to submit audited financial statements.

The SEC said that the higher threshold, if implemented, is expected to ease the regulatory and financial burden of micro enterprises, particularly those with total assets or total liabilities not exceeding P3 million, by exempting them from mandatory audits.

Aside from relieving the financial pressure on MSMEs, the proposed policy is also seen reducing incidents of rubber-stamp audits, cut barriers to registration, simplify compliance obligations and allow the SEC to reallocate its supervision efforts toward high-risk entities.

‘We have repeatedly said that MSMEs are the backbone of the Philippine economy, which is why the SEC remains committed to implementing measures that will foster a business environment that is easier to navigate for our budding entrepreneurs,’ Lim said.

The SEC, however, assured that despite the removal of the audit requirement, it will maintain regulatory oversight over the covered corporations through its visitorial powers under the RCC, which grants the commission the power to require audits if warranted by public interest, among others.

‘We assure the public that the proposal will not dilute oversight over corporations, including entities engaged in public infrastructure projects or other regulated sectors, as they generally exceed the P3 million threshold,’ Lim said.