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When Far Eastern University needed him the most, Jorrick Bautista showed up to push the Tamaraws past Ateneo at the start of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball second round on Wednesday.

The Tamaraws escaped the Blue Eagles, 75-68, for their second straight win and a 3-5 record.

‘I have to give the credits to my teammates because if it wasn’t for them, those plays wouldn’t have happened,’ Bautista said.

‘It was a team effort plus we really prepared and we really worked on this during our training.’

With the score tied at 67, Bautista went on a personal 6-1 run, including the game-clinching triple, 73-68, with 27 seconds remaining.

The spitfire guard ended up with 20 points, two rebounds and a steal. Janrey Pasaol, FEU’s other guard who is third in the MVP race, had another all-around game of 15 points, 13 assists and two steals.

Kirby Mongcopa added 16 points while Mo Konateh dominated the paint for the Tamaraws with 15 points and 17 rebounds, while Kirby Mongcopa added 16.

The Blue Eagles, meanwhile, dropped their fourth straight game. Dominic Escobar had 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals while Wacky Espina chipped 12 points for Ateneo, which slid to 4-4.

Reigning Miss Universe Philippines Ahtisa Manalo has scored another accolade just weeks before flying to Thailand for the 74th Miss Universe pageant. She has been recognized as one of the ‘Women of Style and Substance’ for 2025.

She joined other accomplished ladies including broadcast journalist Karmina Constantino and Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe, but the entrepreneur from Quezon Province said she may add a few more names to the list.

‘It will be all the women in my family, with the way they raised me. The woman of style and substance that I am, they also deserve that,’ Manalo told Inquirer Entertainment on the sidelines of the ceremonies held at Bellevue Hotel Manila in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, on Monday, Oct. 20.

But for her, receiving such a recognition has validated the work she has been doing in the pageant industry. She has been joining beauty contests since she was 10 and has evolved into a formidable contender on the national and international stages.

Manalo said the award recognized her as ‘someone who not only shows up aesthetically, but also someone who has a passion or something they are fighting for, which I think I do have. And I appreciate PeopleAsia for seeing that in me.’

And on receiving the award just before she is set to compete, she had this to say: ‘It’s a great reminder that my hard work is paying off. That people recognize what I’m doing, that there is something greater than the things that I am able to conceive in my mind.’

Manalo will try to post the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe victory in the international pageant’s 2025 coronation show at the IMPACT Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi, northwest of Bangkok, on Nov. 21. More than 130 delegates are expected to participate. /ra

Local government units in Surigao del Sur have extended the suspension of in-person classes at all levels, both in public and private schools, ‘until further notice’ starting last Monday, while the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis team conducts evaluations of school buildings and government facilities.

The decision came after a magnitude 6 earthquake struck General Luna, the main tourist destination on Siargo Island in Surigao del Norte, on October 17, followed by a magnitude 5.6 tremor that hit 23 kilometers southeast of Cagwait, Surigao del Sur, on October 18.

The subsequent aftershocks continued to be felt across the Caraga region, including Surigao del Sur, prompting intensified inspections of school structures and precautionary measures to protect the public.

Traumatized

The municipalities of Cantilan, Tago, Tagbina, Lanuza, Madrid, San Miguel, Carmen, and Carrascal have issued official advisories and executive orders extending the class suspension to ensure the safety and well-being of students, teachers, and school personnel.

Authorities stressed the importance of prioritizing safety before resuming normal operations.

In Tagbina, classes were suspended from October 20 to October 24, with schools encouraged to adopt modular or alternative learning methods to avoid disruptions in instruction. The municipalities of Tago and Cagwait also extended their class suspensions as part of ongoing safety protocols.

Carmen Mayor Nestor Valeroso explained that while school buildings were found to be structurally sound, the local government decided to keep classes suspended to allow students and teachers time to recover emotionally from the trauma and anxiety caused by the recent quakes.

At the tertiary level, the North Eastern Mindanao State University announced that its campuses here and in the towns of Cantilan, Cagwait, San Miguel, Lianga, Tagbina, and Bislig City will shift to online learning until further notice, a move aimed at ensuring academic continuity while prioritizing the safety and well-being of students and faculty members.

Local officials and disaster risk reduction offices continue to urge the public to remain vigilant, follow official advisories, and observe safety protocols as aftershocks are continuously felt throughout the region

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) on Wednesday called out the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its ‘abysmal performance’ in its classroom building target and completion rate.

ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo said that the target of 1,700 classrooms by the DPWH was not even enough to address the 165,000 classroom shortage.

‘This is enraging considering that many teachers and students are suffering from our situations in classrooms,’ Bernardo said in a statement.

‘Thousands of students are being crowded in small classrooms and some classrooms are being divided.’

‘This is a clear case of negligence of the state to the education sector and to the rights of students when it comes to our education quality,’ she pointed out.

Bernardo also called out the ‘extreme low completion rates’ of classrooms, saying this only revealed the government’s ‘true priorities’-which is to invest billions of pesos to the flood control projects which are now under scrutiny while quality education infrastructure was ‘completely abandoned.’

She was also skeptical over the proposed Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CBAP), wherein lawmakers want to involve local government units (LGUs) and the private sector in addressing the persistent nationwide classroom shortage.

‘Instead of outsourcing its responsibility, the Marcos administration and the DepEd (Department of Education) must fix and streamline the classroom construction process, hold erring officials accountable for anomalies and corruption in school building projects, and ensure that agencies mandated to deliver these services are competent, transparent and credible,’ Bernardo said.

She urged the Marcos administration to address the worsening classroom shortage, as well as the broader education crisis and to increase the education budget equivalent to 6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) under the international guidelines.

‘While billions are wasted on corruption, public schools continue to suffer from the lack of teachers, education support personnel, classrooms, textbooks and basic facilities,’ Bernardo said.

‘This is nothing less than a grave injustice to teachers, learners and the Filipino people,’ she also said. /gsg

A fire broke out at the office of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Quezon City on Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection – National Capital Region.

Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp. (TFSPH), the automotive financing and leasing arm of conglomerate GT Capital Holdings Inc., has raised P5 billion from its maiden bond offer.

This issuance allowed TFSPH to tap a wider investor base.

In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, GT Capital said the fixed-rate bonds, composed of two-year bonds issued at a rate of 5.7725 percent and three-year bonds at 5.9418 percent, were listed on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

‘With over two decades of experience in the Philippine automotive financing industry and the full support of our shareholders . we are delighted by the overwhelming response from investors, which underscores the market’s trust and confidence in our stability and growth prospects,’ TFSPH president Rommel Ocampo said in a statement on Wednesday.

P20-B bond program

The offer represents the first tranche of its P20-billion bond program. TFSPH received an issuer credit rating of PRS Aaa (Corp). with a stable outlook from Philippine Rating Services Corp. This suggests that TFSPH has a ‘very strong’ capacity to meet its financial commitments.

GT Capital earlier said proceeds from the offer would be used to diversify TFSPH’s funding sources and support the latter’s anticipated asset growth. /dda

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said irresponsible mining will not be tolerated under his administration.

Speaking at the opening of the Mining Philippines 2025: International Conference and Exhibition in Taguig City, Marcos said his administration has implemented measures to promote sustainable mining while ensuring the protection of both the environment and the people.

‘Irresponsible mining has no place in our nation. We will strictly enforce the laws against practices that destroy forests, that poison rivers, that endanger lives. Mining should build communities, not burden them,’ he said.

‘Regarding the revenues from mining, it must bring tangible benefits to the people. The wealth from our soil should translate into schools for our children, hospitals for families, and roads that link people with opportunities,’ he added.

The president also noted that the government is strengthening transparency and accountability in the mining sector, saying Filipinos deserve to know how their natural resources are managed.

‘Sustainability, after all, is measured by how many lives we uplift and how faithfully we guard the blessings of our land for generations to come,’ he added.

Two key mining reforms adopted by the government are the Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining Act and the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System Act.

During the ceremony, Marcos officially opened the Mining Philippines 2025: International Conference and Exhibition, alongside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines.

With the theme ‘From Policy to Progress: Driving Mining Through Innovation and Investment,’ the two-day conference gathered industry leaders to share insights, present solutions, and collaborate on shaping the future of mining in the Philippines and beyond. /mcm

Binibining Pilipinas Myrna Esguerra is gearing up for the 63rd Miss International pageant that will take place in Japan next month. And her grit has become even more pronounced with the recent victories that the Philippines has been enjoying in the global arena.

The country scored an unprecedented back-to-back in the 2025 Miss Grand International pageant when Emma Tiglao inherited the title from Christine Juliane ‘CJ’ Opiaza in the competition on Oct. 18, and Esguerra congratulated the new queen.

‘Aside from being so proud of Ate Emma, I am also greatly inspired to perform just like her. Although not in the grand way, but to really give it my all,’ she told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent interview.

Esguerra, who like Tiglao started her pageant journey in local competitions in Pampanga, said she is undergoing intense preparations so she can showcase the Philippines’ culture in Japan.

‘I’m so excited, and I am greatly inspired now to do my best in Miss International. So, thank you Ate Emma for bringing that spirit out of me,’ continued the beauty queen, who just turned 24 earlier this month.

Esguerra also imparted this message to Tiglao: ‘You’ve come such a long way Ate Emma. From Pampanga, I have idolized you. And I’m so proud that the whole world now sees how a truly amazing woman you are.’

She said Tiglao once sat in the judging panel of a pageant that she joined in Pampanga, and from that moment, she had truly admired the seasoned pageant queen.

‘Whenever you’re in a place, you light up the place. And I just can’t wait to see you when you come back here in the Philippines. I’m so proud of you, Ate,’ Esquerra said. She will be flying to Japan more than a year and a half since earning her Binibining Pilipinas crown in the national pageant’s 60th edition last year, and is set out to post the Philippines’ seventh victory in the global tilt.

The 2025 Miss International pageant will hold its final competition show at the second gymnasium of the Yoyogi National Stadium on Nov. 27. Around 80 delegates from different countries and territories around the world are expected to take part.

Venezuelan beauty Andrea Rubio, who won in 2023, will be one of the hosts of the coronation show. She was also a guest and one of the judges in the Binibining Pilipinas competition where Esguerra won. /edv

Ji Chang-wook and Jun Ji-hyun are reportedly in talks to work on an upcoming romantic fantasy drama, ‘Human X Gumiho.’

South Korean outlets reported on Tuesday, Oct. 21, that the two actors are currently reviewing the material and expressing positive insights about it.

”Human X Gumiho’ is a project that Jun Ji-hyun is reviewing positively,’ wrote the actress’ management, PEACHY.

Chang-wook’s agency, Spring Company, echoed the statement, writing, ‘Ji Chang-wook received a casting offer and is currently reviewing it.’

The news came a month after reports surfaced that Chang-wook and Ji-hyun are working together for the first time in the zombie film ‘Colony,’ which began production in March and is slated for a 2026 release.

Ji-hyun is known for her roles in ‘My Love from the Star,’ ‘Legend of the Blue Sea,’ and ‘Tempest,’ among others. Meanwhile, Chang-wook is fresh from his third visit to the Philippines for his appearance at the 8th-anniversary celebration dubbed DOMIN8 of a Filipino wellness brand.

Known for his breakout roles in ‘Healer,’ ‘Suspicious Partner,’ and ‘The K2,’ Chang-wook credited both mental resilience and the support of people around him to his secret behind his longevity in the industry.

‘I think the mind control, healthy body and mind, and the mental things that I don’t give up when I want to give up,’ he told members of the press on Sunday morning, Oct. 19, in Makati. ‘And my precious people around me. I think these things helped me to stay in the industry for a long time.’

Given that he works in an industry that’s so demanding, the Korean star emphasized that staying healthy remains his top priority as he encourages his supporters to do the same.

‘I do think that being healthy or being careful of your health is one of the most important things that you should take care of in our lives,’ he said.

When asked which of his characters he wants fans to remember most, Chang-wook expressed his hope that his fans would love all of his roles.

‘Everything. I think it goes the same for every actor. All of my works are very precious to me,’ he said. ‘I hope everyone will remember them and love them.’

As for selecting new projects, the Korean actor revealed that he chooses based on instinct that the story will do well.

‘First and foremost, I need to be convinced by the story,’ he explained. ‘And also, I should have confidence when I act in that script. And I also look into the fact that, is this project necessary to compose my color as an actor?’

That intuition led him to his next K-drama, ‘The Manipulated,’ a Disney+ series set to premiere on Nov. 5, where he stars as Park Tae-jung, a man falsely accused and imprisoned who plots revenge to clear his name. The series also features Doh Kyung-soo, Lee Kwang-soo, and Jo Yoon-su.

Now more than a decade into his career, Chang-wook remains one of Korea’s most beloved actors who still has more to offer in the coming years.

‘Every time when a project ends, I kind of find myself a bit different than I was, then I try to go back to the time of the older version of me. And I think I’m still in the process of changing myself,’ he expressed.

Chang-wook made an appearance for the DOMIN8 on Sunday night in Mall of Asia Arena alongside K-pop boy group NTX, Filipina girl group BINI, actors Marian Rivera, and Alden Richards, among others. /edv

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will invite First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to its inquiry into anomalous flood control projects only if there is ‘competent’ basis to do so, an official said on Tuesday.

In a ‘letter of sentiment’ he delivered to the ICI, private citizen John Santander urged it to investigate the alleged ties between the first lady and Maynard Ngu, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s special envoy to China who has been tagged as a conduit of kickbacks from flood control projects.

As of last night, there was no comment from the first lady, Malacañang and Ngu.

But ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said it was too early to tell if Araneta-Marcos would be invited to its hearings since the commission has yet to review Santander’s letter.

‘If there’s any reliable and competent basis for the commission to invite any personality, as I said before, that would lead to finding the truth, so we can know what the truth really is,” he told reporters when asked about the possibility of inviting the first lady to its investigation.

‘But of course, we have to validate this. They will be invited upon their discretion. We are being consistent here. We go where the evidence takes us,’ he added.

Ngu is the President’s special envoy to China for trade, investment and tourism, and CEO of Cosmic Technologies, developer of Cherry Mobile phones.

Close ties

In his letter, Santander, who identifies himself as a cultural and peace advocate, alleged that Araneta-Marcos and Ngu have a ‘close relationship,” noting that they attended public events together.

At a recent Cherry Mobile event, which had the President as a guest, the first lady ‘wined and dined’ with Ngu, Sen. Francis Escudero, and his wife, actress Heart Evangelista.

In March 2022, Ngu hosted a fundraiser for Marcos, then a presidential candidate, at the Cork Wine Bar, reportedly owned by the tech billionaire. Attendees, including Ngu, reportedly contributed P5 million each, Santander claimed.

‘Is this the reason why Maynard Ngu was appointed as Special Envoy and why the First Lady would refer to Atty. Vic Rodriguez a list of appointments recommended by Maynard Ngu?’ Santander said, referring to the former executive secretary.

In an interview with reporters, Santander showed two photos showing Araneta-Marcos and Ngu together.

‘We are not pro-Marcos. We are not DDS (Die-hard Duterte Supporters), and we are not Kakampink. This is our own perspective as a part or as individuals living in our country,’ he said.