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Close to 115,000 school children in the Davao Region, mostly in the eastern side, were affected by the October 10 doublet quakes that struck off the Pacific coast of Davao Oriental, with some afflictions needing sustained psychotherapy sessions to treat trauma, the regional Department of Education (DepEd) Region said.

The DepEd XI recorded a total of 918 classrooms that were totally damaged, following the doublet earthquakes that struck the region on October 10.

A big number of them, 41,310 would have to seek available spaces from open spaces to under the shade of trees, as their 918 classrooms were totally damaged when a magnitude 7.4 quake, the strongest in the country in decades, occurred just 48 kilometers northeast of the town of Manay in the morning, and another magnitude 6.8 occurred at 43 southeast of the same town in the evening.

The regional DepEd spokesman, Jenielito Atillo, said Davao Oriental was the hardest hit with 316 classrooms rendered totally damaged. Davao del Sur, which is three provinces further west of epicenter, sustained the next numerous number of damaged classrooms with 186, while the adjacent Davao de Oro reported with 178. Davao Occidental had 25 damaged classrooms.

Among the cities, Davao City had 100, Mati City of Davao Oriental with 76, and Tagum City of Davao del Norte had two.

The DepEd said 114,820 learners in the region were affected in various ways, from damaged classrooms and suspended classes, to panic, injury, and trauma.

The quakes caused minor injuries to 215 learners, almost half of them, or 100, in Davao Oriental. Some 3,653 learning materials, 4,133 chairs, and 1,036 pieces of digital equipment were damaged.

While damaged classrooms were many in Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro accounted for the largest share of affected learners with 45,718 Atillo said this was due to the number of schools and school children population in the province than in Davao Oriental, which posted only 16,177 affected school children.

Tagum City was third with 16,156, Panabo City with 8,518, and Davao City with 8,369.

Davao del Norte recorded 5,028 learners affected, Mati with 4,576, Davao Occidental with 4,355, Davao del Sur with 3,568, Island Garden City of Samal with 1,782, and Digos City with 573.

Atillo said the Davao Region has adapted various approaches, with Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro implementing blended classes, as with the cities of Mati, Panabo, and Davao. Davao del Sur has returned to face-to-face classes while Davao Occidental adapted face-to-face and online classes.

He said, though, that schools will only resume full face-to-face classes after these were cleared of danger by technical experts. Other agencies send health, social aid services.

The regional Department of Health sent mobile water treatment plant, health workforce augmentation, and mental health and psychosocial services to the affected communities in Davao Oriental.

The mobile water treatment facility focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. The DOH has partnered with the local government unit to optimize the use of this critical asset.

Engr. Mohammad Fahrudin Aliuden, program manager of DOH Davao Environmental and Occupational Health Unit said the machine is equipped with a gasoline-fed generator and can be utilized next to natural water sources like a river to supply potable water.

The Philippine Information Agency report citing DOH sources said machine is equipped with testers to ensure water potability.

Also, a mental health psychosocial support team, led by Dr. Clarence Nuval, the DOH Davao Mental Health Cluster Head, has set up camp in Mati City to deliver psychological first aid and to spot signs of depression, panic, and anxiety attacks.

A 19-member Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team was also deployed by the DOH-Southern Philippines Medical Center (DOH-SPMC) to augment the health workforce in the Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital-Manay. The team was comprised by four medical specialists, eight registered nurses, and support personnel, including a midwife, pharmacist, biomed and physical therapist.

The regional Department of Social Welfare and Development has also established Child Friendly Space facilities in the center of the Tent City in Tarragona, the adjacent southern town next to Manay’.

Protective Services Division Chief Gemma dela Cruz of DSWD XI said the facility accommodated children, especially those who experience trauma due to the disaster.

The DSWD XI said 65,429 families in the province of Davao Oriental were affected by the doublet earthquake. Some 2,528 families in Tarragona were temporarily sheltered in evacuation centers.

Lorela Ramos, policy and plans division officer In charge of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) told last week’s government briefing that the DSWD already distributed 75,370 family food packs amounting to P44,064,316, and complemented this with 3,679 non-food items valued at over P13,000,000 and ready-to-eat meals worth more than P5,000,000.

Of the total funds deployed, approximately P46 million was allocated to Davao Oriental, where more than 73,000 family food packs were distributed alongside 3,200 non-food items, 3,600 ready-to-eat meals.

Meanwhile, Robert Joseph Montes De Claro, president and chief executive officer of the Social Security System said the agency has offered calamity loans to SSS members in Davao Oriental of as much as P20,000 at a lowered interest rate of seven percent per annum.

Sec. Leo Tereso Magno, chief of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has expressed gratitude to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian and DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon on their joint ocular inspection of the quake affected areas on October 11.

He said funds had been secured to establish an operations center to effectively respond to disasters.

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has imposed stricter rules to prevent schemes used to avoid excise taxes in the sale or transfer of automobiles.

Revenue Regulation 027-2025 altered the rules on how ad valorem tax-or tax imposed on an item based on its assessed value-is computed when a tax-exempt entity sells or transfers an automobile to a non-tax-exempt buyer.

The BIR said the new rule aims to ‘ensure equitable tax computation and alignment with market-based valuation.’

According to the BIR, the tax will be based on the actual selling price agreed upon by the parties or the depreciated value of the automobile at the time of sale, whichever is higher.

The annual depreciation rate is set at 16 percent, but limits the total allowable depreciation to no more than 80 percent of the vehicle’s original cost or value.

For vehicles acquired by a tax-exempt person or entity before-but sold after-the effectivity of the new rules, the computation of ad valorem tax will be governed by the current regulation, according to the BIR.

When it is determined that a tax-exempt automobile was acquired primarily to avoid the payment of excise tax, the ad valorem tax will be assessed based on the vehicle’s original purchase price or importation value at the time of acquisition, with no allowance for depreciation, the BIR stressed.

If the BIR finds that the sale or transfer was mainly intended to avoid the payment of excise taxes, then the ad valorem tax will be assessed based on the original purchase price or value of importation at the time of acquisition, with no allowance for depreciation.

The regulation also outlined several indicators that may suggest a scheme to circumvent excise tax obligations, unless proven by evidence.

These include the sale or transfer of a vehicle within a short period from acquisition without valid justification, repeated purchases by the tax-exempt person or entity and disposing of them shortly after, or transfers to officers, employees, relatives or closely affiliated entity without arm’s length transaction terms.

Other circumstances that may raise red flags include records showing the automobile was hardly used for official operations, prior agreements indicating intent to sell or transfer existed before or shortly after acquisition, or the entity’s nature or operations do not justify the acquisition of a luxury or high-value vehicle.

The same applies when the automobile was never registered under the tax-exempt entity or used predominantly by non-affiliated individuals.

PRESIDENT Marcos said he is looking forward to deeper diplomatic ties between Manila and Tokyo following the election of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Japan’s first female leader.

In a social media post, the Chief Executive congratulated Takaichi for her historic election on Tuesday.

‘Her assumption demonstrates Japan’s firm democratic advocacy, and reflects the country’s commitment to progress and representation,’ Marcos said.

‘I look forward to working with her in commemorating the 70th Anniversary of [Philippines-Japan] diplomatic ties in 2026, and in deepening the Strengthened Strategic Partnership for the peace and prosperity of our peoples,’ he added.

Takaichi is the third Japanese Prime Minister Marcos will deal with since he assumed presidency in 2022.

The 64-year-old lawmaker, who is a professed admirer of England’s Margaret Thatcher, said she wants to become Japan’s ‘Iron Lady.’

Among the former Japanese Prime Ministers Marcos interacted with were Shigeru Ishiba and Fumio Kishida.

Both resigned owing to mounting pressures from their political party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Kishida left his post after it was revealed that LDP funds were illegally funneled in the private accounts of some lawmakers as well as the stagnating Japanese economy. In the case of Ishiba, it was due to poor performance of LDP candidates in a snap election, which he called last September.

Midwives across the Philippines are being urged to evolve into stronger advocates for women’s rights and reproductive choices, a key theme at the recent Midwives Summit 2025.

Dr. Bernabe Marinduque, Past President of the Philippine Society for Responsible Parenthood, highlighted the pivotal role of these healthcare professionals. He emphasized that strengthening midwives’ competencies, particularly in areas like long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), is essential for saving more mothers and newborns and empowering women to decide when and how many children to have.

‘Midwives must evolve into strong advocates for women’s rights-the right to decide when to get pregnant and how many children to have,’ said Dr. Marinduque. He added that improved education and supportive supervision would help save more mothers and newborns.

Summit Focus, Collaboration

The Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP), in partnership with Organon Philippines, organized the summit, themed ‘Sustaining Women’s Health – Well-being in Every Community.’ Held on October 7, 2025, at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City, the forum brought together midwives, government agencies, and development partners.

The event underscored the essential role of midwives in advancing Universal Health Care (UHC) and highlighted the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors to expand reproductive health access in underserved communities.

Midwives from across the country echoed the calls for empowerment. Sandra Rivera of IMAP Region III highlighted the importance of curriculum updates and the inclusion of LARCs in practice. She shared that these methods offer reliable, reversible protection, empowering women with more choices that fit their needs and life plans. Mona Lisa Diones of FPOP Iloilo succinctly captured the sentiment: ‘Midwives are the backbone of reproductive health care in the Philippines.’

Representing the private sector, Organon Philippines reaffirmed its support for midwifery development. Carole Lopez, External Affairs and Communications Lead for Organon in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines, stressed the importance of partnership: ‘Meaningful impact is only possible when government, healthcare professionals, and the private sector work together.’

‘Midwives are often the first and most trusted point of contact for women, and we’re committed to ensuring they have the right tools, training, and innovations to deliver quality care,’ added Lopez.

Government, Health Sector Commitment

Representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), PhilHealth, the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom), the academe, and civil society also shared key updates and insights.

Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa affirmed midwives’ central role in community care: ‘Behind every safe birth and every healthy mother is a competent, compassionate, and courageous midwife.’ He added, ‘When we take care of women, they take care of everyone else, their children, their families, and the next generation of Filipinos.’

DOH also shared measures aimed at lowering maternal mortality and preventing adolescent pregnancies, including adolescent-friendly health services and the HPV vaccination program for Grade 4 girls.

PhilHealth officials outlined the YAKAP package (formerly Konsulta), which integrates primary care, cancer screening, and outpatient medicines.

Demographic opportunities

PopCom Executive Director Dr. Lisa Bersales, for her part, emphasized that linking demographic opportunities with health investments is key to sustainable development.

‘To fully benefit from our demographic opportunity, we must ensure that our people-especially women-are healthy and well-supported,’ she noted, underscoring family planning as a foundation for national progress.

The summit concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen midwifery education, supply chains, and community outreach-critical steps to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths and bring the promise of UHC closer to every Filipino woman.

‘May this gathering inspire us to gain new knowledge, develop practical skills, and renew our passion. By keeping midwives at the center of UHC implementation, we move one step closer to making quality health care a reality for all,’ said Patricia Gomez, IMAP Executive Director.

Earthquakes can strike suddenly and without warning.

Recently, some parts of the Philippines-from Luzon to Mindanao-have experienced strong earthquakes.

Earthquakes can cause not only physical destruction but also psychological destruction like mass hysteria, panic attack, and anxiety.

The Department of Health (DOH) said that they are helping earthquake victims cope with the psychological effects of the said natural disaster as the mental trauma continues after the quakes.

Mass hysteria, panic attack, and anxiety, the DOH said are just some of the concerns of several residents, especially the young people, of earthquake-hit areas.

Program launch

With this, the DOH launched on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the Peer Support Groups Playbook Program at Cavite National High School.

Inspired by a children’s show, where every corner sparks conversations about feelings, mental wellness, and care, the Lusog-Isip Street is made by kids, meant to gently teach the grown-ups too.

The event featured interactive booths such as the Kalma Kit Workshops, Suporta Stations, and Smile Zone.

The booths were designed to promote and enhance awareness on the importance of mental health, normalize talking about emotions and struggles without fear or stigma and to promote recognition of signs of mental health conditions, as well as when to seek support.

The government’s infrastructure spending dropped by 21.8 percent to P84.9 billion in August, as project validation by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and adverse weather conditions slowed disbursements.

Latest data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed infrastructure expenditure and other capital outlays fell to P84.9 billion in August from P108.6 billion in the same month last year.

The downturn stemmed from the ongoing validation of the status of implementation, quality and completion of infrastructure projects implemented by the DPWH nationwide, according to the DBM.

The review process has held up contractors’ submission of progress billings, as well as the timelines for the processing of payment claims and disbursement of funds.

Compounding the setback were adverse weather conditions in August, which slowed the construction of various infrastructure projects, particularly in areas or regions hit by heavy Habagat rains and typhoons.

Despite this, higher disbursements were recorded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for local counterpart funds for foreign-assisted projects and the Department of Education (DepEd) for the construction, rehabilitation, and repair of school buildings-helping temper the contraction in infrastructure spending.

From January to August, infrastructure and other capital outlays also declined by 5.6 percent to P798.4 billion from P845.3 billion in the same period a year ago.

‘Infrastructure spending was lower pending settlement of progress billings and completed infrastructure projects of the DPWH due to the ongoing validation and audit amid corruption issues,’ the DBM said.

The timing of releases for the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program (RAFPMP) under the Department of National Defense (DND) also weighed on expenditures during the eight-month period.

Meanwhile, infrastructure disbursements, including the infrastructure components of subsidy and equity to state-run corporations and transfers to local government units, slumped by 5 percent year-on-year to P940.1 billion as of end-August from P989.4 billion.

According to John Paolo Rivera, senior research fellow at state-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the decline in infrastructure spending may be a ‘significant risk’ to the country’s fiscal consolidation and growth trajectory.

‘Infrastructure outlays have been a key driver of both aggregate demand and productivity improvements, so a sharp slowdown signals both an immediate demand shortfall and longer-term capacity constraints,’ Rivera told BusinessMirror.

‘The national government itself has flagged this weakness as a factor that may cause it to miss the full-year growth target.’

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the government could miss its growth target of 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent this year due to slower government spending.

‘Rebound possible’

However, Rivera said a rebound in spending is possible if implementation issues, such as project validation and quality checks, are resolved quickly, fund disbursement is accelerated and the weather cooperates.

‘If not, the government must compensate via stronger fiscal stimulus in other areas, prioritize high-multipliers projects, avoid further delays and ensure efficient spending to make up the gap,’ he added.

Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo A. Lanzona said the temporary pullback could ultimately benefit the economy if it prevents misuse of public funds.

‘As long as the remaining money is spent by the government, there should be no effect on economic growth. If we did not stop the theft, the consequences would have been far worse,’ Lanzona told BusinessMirror.

The economist noted that the country all along has been missing its targets, with or without these expenditures, and has dampened its resource collections ever since.

‘In the end, we are in a much better position since we can now use the remaining funds in projects that have greater social returns,’ Lanzona said, noting that placing them in human capital development should boost the economy at a higher rate than what it has accomplished.

Recto said the government only sees upside over the next few months, as the major government cleanup concerning the flood control controversy will result in stronger institutions, better governance and faster growth.

‘The good news is, moving forward, all of that is on the upside because we are solving the problem [on infrastructure projects]. So, moving forward, you will realize your full potential for growth,’ the Finance chief said.

Meanwhile, the DBM said the implementation of infrastructure projects is expected to accelerate in the last quarter of the year, with the end of the typhoon season and the normalization of progress billings as the DPWH puts internal controls in place.

Overall government spending as of end-August reached P3.954 trillion, up by 7.2 percent from P3.690 trillion a year ago.

Personnel services expenditures rose by 7.3 percent to P966.2 billion, while maintenance and other operating expenses rose by 11.8 percent to P724.3 billion.

As of end-August, the remaining program balance amounts to P285.3 billion or 4.5 percent of this year’s P6.326-trillion budget.

THE flavors, lifestyle and vibrance of the ‘Land Down Under’ are closer than ever as ‘A Taste of Australia’ rolls out at Landmark Supermarket Makati throughout this month.

Until October 31, every purchase of select products gives shoppers a chance to win roundtrip airfares for two to Australia on Qantas Airlines-an opportunity to explore the continent’s landscapes, cuisine and hospitality.

‘A Taste. celebrates the dynamic partnership between Australia and the Philippines,’ said Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown. ‘It’s more than great food-it’s about sharing the Australian way of life, supporting sustainable producers, and celebrating our shared love of good food and community.’

Australia is known for its clean, healthy lifestyle, commitment to quality, and environmentally sustainable choices-values now made accessible through trusted brands available at Landmark:

Pure Harvest offers organic almond, oat, soy, and rice milks from one of Australia’s pioneers of plant-based living;

Freedom Fresh Happy Nut delivers only the best Australian macadamia nuts in shell, and in many different flavors-perfect for breakfast or a light snack.

Cobs Popcorn-made from non-GMO or genetically modified corn and natural seasonings-are perfect for picnics, family gatherings and movie nights, or a healthy low-calorie snack.

Dolmio offers Italian-heritage pasta sauces for hearty meals, making busy weeknights easier.

MasterFoods elevates everyday cooking with its premium and trusted range of herbs, spices and sauces.

For environmentally friendly and eco-conscious households, Earth Choice provides the highest quality Earth-safe, biodegradable, and effective cleaning products.

Yarra Valley Hilltop offers fruit juice from the harvests of the region in Victoria where the brand shares its name.

The Australian showcase also features Australian favorites including Rafferty’s Garden, Smoovi, Binda Valley, Lo Bros, Leggo’s, Infuzions, Charlie’s Fine Food Co., Tucker’s, Brookfarm, Bega, Vegemite, Chef Joey D, Arnott’s, Laucke, SPC, and Red Rock Deli. These Australian brands are available exclusively at Landmark branches in Makati, Ayala Malls-Manila Bay, Trinoma, Bonifacio Global City, Alabang, and Nuvali-making it easy for families to bring home the best of Australia: from healthy and balanced meals, to eco-friendly products.

The launch event was led by Innes-Brown, Landmark’s President and CEO Elizabeth Cheng and Senior Vice President for Marketing Michelle Keng, with Hans Lim of NexTrade, and supported by Austrade alongside leading Australian brands’ representatives.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 4-A has concluded the Calabarzon Cacao Quality Award (CCQA) 2025, a regional initiative recognizing excellence in fermented cacao bean production, through a two-part event held in Quezon Province this October.

DTI said the initiative was carried out in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 4-A, the Calabarzon Cacao Industry Federation Inc., the Calabarzon Cacao Industry Council, and the Offices of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAs) of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal.

The activity began with the Regional Technical Evaluation and Judging on October 7-8, 2025, at Flor and Daisy’s Agricultural Farm in Sariaya, Quezon, followed by the Awarding Ceremony on October 22, 2025, at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City as one of the highlights of the CALABARZON Cacao Congress 2025.

The two-day judging activity brought together cacao producers from across the region, with a total of 17 entries submitted from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon for a rigorous assessment based on internationally recognized grading protocols.

All entries underwent coding and blind judging to ensure impartiality, with evaluations focusing on moisture content, fermentation level, bean defects, mold presence, and other quality parameters.

The process was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Romel M. Felismino, Lead Technical Consultant from the UPLB Institute of Food Science and Technology. The judging activity also provided participants with valuable technical feedback to help improve their postharvest practices and prepare them for the Philippine Cacao Quality Award (PCQA) 2026.

The culmination of the process took place during the Awarding Ceremony on October 22. The four regional winners were: Florencio Flores, Romeo Manalo, Luz C. Gusto and Paulino Sulibit. They were formally recognized for producing the best fermented cacao beans in Calabarzon. The event honored the outstanding efforts of farmers, cooperatives, and associations who have demonstrated excellence and sustainability in cacao production.

The program featured congratulatory messages, the presentation of plaques and certificates to winners and partners, and a photo session to celebrate the region’s milestone in advancing cacao quality.

‘Local cacao products are more than just ingredients for delicious chocolates – they hold a promise of a brighter sustainable future for our farmers and the entire cacao industry’, said DTI 4-A Assistant Regional Director Revelyn A. Cortez.

‘This gathering celebrates not only the progress of the cacao industry but also the promising development of Calabarzon in shaping its bright future’, said DA Undersecretary Cherryl Marie N. Caballero.

Voltai, a startup under 1882 Energy Ventures of Aboitiz Power Corp., unveiled the country’s first large-scale battery swap ecosystem for two-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs).

Fazlur Abdul Rahman, 1882 Energy Ventures Head of Ideation and Voltai co-founder and CEO, said this is tailored to businesses operating vehicle fleets, particularly those with logistical, food and beverage delivery, and ride-hailing services.

‘As a business-to-business solution, it addresses downtime, frequent maintenance, and fuel cost challenges for fleet businesses and riders, while also providing remote visibility on utilization,’ Rahman said on Tuesday.

A pilot preview of the battery swapping station, two-wheeled EVs, and Voltai’s management application software was launched in Pasig City. It was attended by the Private Express and Messengerial Association of the Philippines and logistics associations.

There are currently 15 battery swapping stations deployed and Voltai plans to further expand next year in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Voltai has partnered with fuel retailer Cleanfuel, as well as co-living and dormitory brand MyTown, to situate the 15 battery swapping stations, which are currently the largest EV swap network in the country.

The venture leases its EVs and batteries for a fixed fee, thereby shielding consumer businesses from rising vehicle costs and fluctuating fuel prices. Battery swapping also allows for faster turnaround when powering up. With consumer businesses switching from gas-powered two-wheel fleets to electric, it also lowers their overall emissions.

Its mobile app, meanwhile, serves as a rider’s interface for checking battery health and identifying the nearest battery swap station, which they can be routed to via Google Maps. Tracking location, swap history, and rider performance are also available in the mobile app.

Customers will also gain access to Voltai’s web-based Fleet Management System where managers can view location, trip history, cumulative mileage, various alerts, and carbon emission reduction, as well as organize riders by area or shift.

‘We are very excited to share Voltai with the Philippine market and provide businesses with fleet requirements a competitive edge through lower costs, higher efficiency, and reduced emissions without the need to shoulder heavy upfront costs,’ added Rahman.

The Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (Evida) mandates industrial and commercial companies; public transport operators; and local government units, national government agencies, and government-owned and -controlled corporations to ensure that at least 5 percent of their fleet, whether owned or leased, are EVs. The Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050 targets re-fleeting 10 percent to 50 percent of all fleets with electric vehicles by 2040 onwards under Business-As-Usual and Clean Energy scenarios, respectively.

THE first round of the men’s basketball tournament of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is over. The second round begins.

The last game of the round-a rematch between last season’s finals protagonists, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons and the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers-was another classic.

Fans have come to expect the finest quality contest between these two teams of late, as they consistently take their newfound rivalry to the next level.

Tracing its beginning to the days when Ben Mbala was still a Green Archer and the Fighting Maroons were just beginning to find out what a winning culture means, UP-DLSU games have been intense and tightly fought.

Close games, come from behind wins, heartbreaking outcomes sometimes embellished with bench intramurals, have given Maroon and Green encounters the drama and excitement that have fully engaged their respective faithfuls in their rivalry.

Last Sunday, October 19’s game was a confirmation of all that rabid competition.

Packing a crowd of 11,654, the Smart Araneta Coliseum was filled with people wearing the competing school colors-although many also chose to wear white to make a political statement-white was the color of the day for both La Sallians and UP peeps who wanted to make a joint stand against corruption and to demand accountability for the corrupt.

The cheers and yells caused Apple watches to alert their wearers about dangerously high decibel levels that could potentially harm their hearing.

All the roar and thunder of the warring crowds was, however, silenced for a while when the UP Pep Squad and the De La Salle Animo Squad came together on the floor to do a joint ‘anti-corruption’ yell, spreading a mantle of goodwill that united the Taft and Diliman sides for a while.

But that didn’t last long. The second half began and the hostilities not just continued-they escalated and it was a tightly fought game all the way till the final buzzer, with scores as dangerously close as they could be and the balance of power tipping either way with every possession.

La Salle, playing without key players Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan on paper seemed disadvantaged in the showdown. But no, the Green Archers played hungrier, executed better, particularly in the paint, and went home with the win, 72-69.

It was a superb game with high level entertainment, agonizing suspense and supreme unpredictability right down the wire-Green Archer-Fighting Maroons encounters are the game equivalent of nail-biting, heart pounding, edge-of-your-seat movies.

Being right there among the faceless crowd watching the game, I pondered the end score for a while and started to wonder. What is it about the Fighting Maroons and the score 72-69? Or just the number 69, for that matter.

If you haven’t noticed it before, let me tell you why those numbers set off an alarm bell in my head. Remember the JD Cagulangan last-second heave in overtime of Game 3 of the Ateneo-UP championship game in Season 84, May 2022? The final score that time was 72-69, in favor of the Fighting Maroons on the very last day of the ‘bubble season.’

When Season 85 opened on October 1, 2022, in the UAAP’s first and so far only two seasons-in-one-year staging due to the pandemic, UP and La Salle immediately collided on the very first day. Guess what the end score was-72-69, again in favor of the Diliman squad.

Then last Sunday again, the same numbers showed up on the scoreboard of UP vs La Salle on the last day of the first round of Season 88-72-69, but this time, the fortunes were reversed. La Salle was 72, UP was 69.

Which brings us to another observation, this time just about the number 69-UP was fresh off a 69-66 win over the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at the Quadricentennial Pavilion before they faced La Salle.

In UP’s game against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on October 8, the Maroons allowed the Eagles to score only 69 points as they won, 83-69.

What is it about the UP Fighting Maroons and the number 69? I’m sure numerologists would have something to say about it.

Now that the second round is nigh and the game schedules have been laid down as efficiently as a travel itinerary, let’s see if any more quirky number coincidences pop up on the giant scoreboard.

I have a suspicion the basketball gods have some hand in it. But ha-ha. I’m just kidding.