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University of Perpetual Help used its inside might to overcome a feisty Jose Rizal U, 71-65, yesterday in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

Bullstrong John Abis presided over the interior rampage as he scored 11 of his game-high 17 points in the second half to lead the Altas to their fifth win in six outings.

It also kept the Las Piñas-based dribblers atop Group A while bouncing back from a stinging 63-56 defeat at the hands of the Letran Knights last Wednesday for their only loss of the season so far.

Perpetual outrebounded JRU, 41-33, including 22-11 in the final half.

In the other game, Letran leaned on a triple-double effort by rookie Titing Manalili as it repulsed Lyceum of the Philippines U, 95-93, in overtime to improve to 3-3.

On a rain-slicked track under gray October skies, two unlikely champions turned the inaugural ASICS META: Time: Trials (MTT) Philippines into a moving portrait of personal triumph and unshakable resolve.

Artjoy Torregosa of Butuan and Kenya’s Kelvin Kiplagat emerged as surprise winners in the women’s and men’s 10K events, respectively, besting a stacked Open field of elite and up-and-coming runners at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite Sunday.

What began as a performance-driven, data-centric race ended as a deeply human story of emotion, adversity and the power of heart over hype.

Torregosa, in particular, delivered one of the most stirring moments of the race.

Running not just against the clock but against grief, the unheralded athlete stormed past more favored contenders – including national team standout Joida Gagnao – to claim the women’s overall crown with a time of 36 minutes and 23 seconds.

Tears streamed down her face as she crossed the finish line, almost indistinguishable from the rain that had begun falling steadily midway through the race. For Torregosa, the downpour was more than a challenge – it became a fitting backdrop for her emotional breakthrough.

‘Hindi ko po talaga ini-expect (I really didn’t expect this),’ said Torregosa. ‘May mga Philippine team na kasali at hindi naman ako part ng team. Strategy ko lang ay sumabay sa kanila. Pero nung last lap na, nung tinanong ko sa sarili ko kung kaya ko pa, doon ko binuhos lahat ng power ko (There were members of the Philippine national team in the race, and I’m not part of that team. My only strategy was to keep up with them. But in the last lap, when I asked myself if I still had something left, that’s when I gave it everything I had).’

It was more than just a strategic gamble. Torregosa had been carrying a quiet pain throughout her training – the loss of her grandfather, whose wake she missed to prepare for the race. The win, she said, was for him.

‘Emotional po ako kasi inialay ko itong takbo sa lolo ko, who passed away. Hindi ako nakapunta sa libing kasi may training ako (“I’m emotional because I dedicated this run to my grandfather, who passed away. I wasn’t able to attend his funeral because I had training),’ she said, her voice cracking.

Despite being drenched and drained, Torregosa held back nothing in the final lap, drawing on reserves of strength and sorrow to push past the finish line.

On the men’s side, Kiplagat, a first-time Philippine competitor, defied both unfamiliarity and a crack field to post a victorious 30:32 finish, holding off local aces Richard Salaño (30:41) and Sonny Wagdos (31:22), who had recently won in Thailand.

‘It felt kind of funny and exciting at the same time,’ said Kiplagat, who hails from the high-altitude town of Eldama Ravine. ‘This is my first time racing in the Philippines, and the weather was challenging, my body was hurting. But I gave it everything.’

Like Torregosa, Kiplagat was not among the pre-race favorites. But his grit and composure allowed him to keep pace with the leaders before making a decisive move in the final stretch. His goal, he said, is to follow the path of greatness carved by compatriots like Eliud Kipchoge and Daniel Simiu.

Both champions walked away with P100,000 each – but more than the cash prize, they left an imprint of perseverance on a day when the rain tried but failed to steal the spotlight.

Despite the weather, the event – part of the global ASICS META: Time: Trials series – was hailed as a resounding success.

Over 3,000 runners of all backgrounds turned out for the precision-focused loop course, energized by hydration stations, elite pacers and a cheering crowd that braved the storm to support every stride.

From elite competitors to weekend warriors, all shared a common goal: to beat their personal bests. But it was Torregosa and Kiplagat who went above and beyond, reminding everyone that sometimes, the most powerful performances come from the most unexpected places.

Rounding out the Top 10 in the women’s division were Christine Hallasgo (37:07), Jessa Mae Roda (38:45), Nicole Diloy (38:57), Michelle Zamora (39:22), Macrose Dichoso (40:18), Melljoy Gonzales (40:35) and Maricar Camacho (40:54).

In the men’s division, Dickyias Mendioro (31:25), Eduard Flores (31:32), Mark Mahinay (31:38), Arlan Arbois (31:47), Junel Gobotia (32:02), Roy Laudit (32:14), and Corsino Satinitigan (32:19) completed the Top 10.

‘We are a country enraged!’ This is how I can best summarize the words of Professor Clarita Carlos when she was interviewed by two gentlemen anchors of the Manila station dwIZ which interview was carried live on stream thru the wonders of the internet. Wikipedia reports that Carlos is a political scientist, commentator, academic, and educator who last served as national security adviser under the administration of Pr

esident Ferdinand Marcos Jr., from 2022 to 2023.

Carlos actually verbalized my personal feeling of our national situation. I cannot assume that this is the same anger of our countrymen. The thoughts she expressed in the broadcast, even if spiced with laughter every now and then, were too profound for my ordinary man’s mind. So to avoid the risk of misreading or misrepresenting the complex socio-philosophical declarations which she spoke of, on air, I will talk, not of our countrymen’s rage, but of my own personal anger. Every bit of what is printed here in this column today is mine. I will not claim it as being uttered or felt by someone else. I will be held solely accountable for everything that I write here today.

It was on August 11, this year, 11 Mondays ago, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., revealed that 15 contractors bagged more than ?100 billion worth of flood control projects during the first three years of his administration. President Marcos Jr., named the 15 contractors as: 1.) Legacy Construction Corporation. 2.) Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor and Development Corp., 3.) St. Timothy Construction Corp., 4.) QM Builders, 5.) EGB Construction Corp. 6.) Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., 7.) Centerways Construction and Development Inc., 8.) Sunwest Inc., 9.) Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corp., 10.) Triple 8 Construction and Supply Inc., 11.) Royal Crown Monarch Construction and Supplies Corp., 12.) Wawao Builders, 13.) MG Samidan Construction, 14.) L.R. Tiqui Builders Inc., and 15) Road Edge Trading and Development Services.

Truthfully speaking, I was shocked, but not angered, (yet) that the government played favorites in choosing contractors to do highly-funded projects. I became simply curious to know why such favoritism, apparently unpublicized and clandestine if I may surmise, happened. As I followed the presidential exposé, investigations commenced. Legislative hearings unearthed lurid details of how billions of tax money went to corrupt pockets. Lawmakers, trained to be grandstanders, discovered, during such inquiries, new strategies of pillage. There were two privilege speeches of Senator Panfilo Lacson that pictured a kind of unprecedented plunder of peoples’ money by way of ghost and substandard projects involving some of the names of contractors mentioned by the president. Public funds were apparently channeled by our country’s top leaders. It was at that point when I personally began to feel the rage Carlos spoke about.

In the last two months, I have been repeatedly hearing the names of who these plundering conspirators are. There are contractors, bureaucrats, congressmen, and senators. To my horror, their intricate schemes have been exposed. The web of corruption, once buried deep in thousands of seemingly-inaccessible documents and protected by leeches holding high government positions, is now clear in my mind. But, even if their ways of public betrayal are now vivid, all of them, in the last two months, continue to flaunt the fruits of their thievery, enjoy the luxurious taste of their corrupt and evil deeds and, worse, walk with their despicably arrogant strides, amongst us the victims of their greed. To use Carlos words, ‘I am enraged.’

My rage can probably be appeased only if the initial names repeatedly mentioned in mainstream and social media and unraveled in legislative investigations like Discaya, Abellido, Quirante, Bagao, Hernandez, Alcantara, Beltran, Gardiola, Arbison, Romualdez, Co, Revilla, Villanueva, Escudero, Jinggoy are now made as accused in prosecutions for plunder and warrants for their immediate arrest issued. My anger may perhaps be mollified only if I see these personalities be, instead of roaming freely, jailed in dark prison chambers while awaiting final conviction. I ask no less and let it be immediate.

There are ordinary burgers, and then there’s the Round-the-World Burger at Plantation Bay, a Real Resort with a Real Spa. A long-time favorite at the resort’s retro-themed Route 66 Diner, this 1/3-pound burger has quietly built its own following among guests who believe a burger should be big, juicy, and worth the calories.

This isn’t some ‘gourmet reinterpretation’ or culinary stunt. It’s simply a great burger – a perfectly grilled all-beef patty with generous toppings and bold, internationally inspired flavors. No shortcuts. No hidden fine print. Just a burger done right.

‘We don’t overcomplicate it. We use quality beef, cook it properly, and let the flavors speak for themselves,’ says executive chef Lee Ramas. ‘People can taste when food is made honestly – and that’s why this burger has its own fan club.’

A burger that knows how to travelEven before guests set foot in the resort, they might already meet the burger – or at least its challenger. Plantation Bay has placed an eye-catching advertisement at the baggage carousels in both the Domestic and International Terminals of Mactan-Cebu International Airport, featuring its cheeky ‘Ramsay Challenge’:

‘Dear Mr. Ramsay, Our burger respectfully challenges your burger.’

We’re not exactly expecting the famous chef to book a flight to Cebu (though we’d welcome him), but the message is clear: this burger stands on its own merits.

Where to find it

Route 66 Diner

All-American comfort food, milkshakes, and a burger that needs no introduction.

Available daily for lunch and dinner.

Why it works

While other restaurants fuss over elaborate plating and clever hashtags, Plantation Bay takes a simpler view: good food should speak for itself. And when a burger earns this much attention, it’s probably doing something right.

Sen. Bong Go has expressed full support for investigations into alleged irregularities in government infrastructure projects but denied any involvement or connection with the Discaya contractors.

Speaking at a press conference in the Senate on Thursday, Go said he welcomes any probe, stressing that he has no part in any anomaly and has always acted in service to the Filipino people.

‘I welcome any investigation; let the facts speak for themselves,’ he said. ‘I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear because I did nothing wrong.’

Go urged authorities, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Office of the Ombudsman, to focus their efforts on identifying and holding accountable the real masterminds.

He warned against political maneuvering to divert the truth, saying, ‘The people are waiting for those truly responsible to be held accountable.’

The senator denied any personal or business ties with the Discayas, saying his name is being unfairly dragged into the issue.

Go emphasized that he has always observed delicadeza and never interfered in government transactions, even those involving relatives.

He noted that the issue involving the Discayas has resurfaced repeatedly, especially during election periods, and accused certain groups of reviving baseless allegations to smear his name.

‘Don’t smear me with dirt just to make yourselves look clean,’ he said in Filipino.

Go reiterated his support for the ongoing investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the ombudsman and other agencies, urging them to ‘let the truth come out’ and ‘go after those truly responsible.’

He also warned against attempts to twist facts and use political attacks as a distraction.

‘Some forces are working to distort the truth so the real culprits escape accountability,’ he said, adding that he trusts Filipinos to discern political noise from facts.

‘I have stood by the people through disasters and crises. I earned their trust through action, not words,’ Go said. ‘I will never waste that trust. Let’s stand by the truth.’

Immunity rejected

Acting Senate Blue Ribbon committee chair Sen. Erwin Tulfo rejected the possibility of allowing alleged players in the multibillion-peso flood control scam to turn state witness, saying those most deeply involved should not be absolved of guilt.

Tulfo was referring to developments before the ICI, where top contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya have refused to fully cooperate after their bid for state witness was quashed.

‘Whether they cooperate or not in the Senate Blue Ribbon hearings, I don’t care, because they are the most guilty,’ Tulfo told dwIZ in Filipino, when asked about the pair’s refusal to testify in the remaining Senate hearings on the flood control controversy.

‘Maybe they can be given protection if they testify, but to be made state witnesses and be absolved of their crimes? That’s too much. They committed the wrongdoing, they got all the money and then they walk free?’ he added. ‘I don’t know where the idea came from to make these crooks state witnesses. It’s just common sense – they stole public funds, and you want to clear them? That’s stupidity.’

Tulfo also denounced any plan to grant immunity to key suspects, including Brice Hernandez, Henry Alcantara and Jaypee Mendoza.

‘That would be a slap in the face of the Filipino people. They stole from us, and now you’ll make them state witnesses? I will never agree to that,’ he said.

Despite losing guard Kean Baclaan due to Wello Lingolingo’s unsportsmanlike foul, La Salle head coach Topex Robinson said he believes the penalty imposed to the University of the East Red Warrior is too harsh.

The Green Archers put the whole league in notice on Sunday, after squeaking past the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 72-69.

The team won despite the loss of Baclaan and Mason Amos, who sustained MCL injuries in separate games in a span of a few days.

Baclaan, earlier in the week, suffered the injury after Lingolingo dove for the ball in a scramble, where the latter landed on the knee of the former. In that game, La Salle found a way to get the win, 111-110, in overtime.

Shortly after, Lingolingo was slapped with a three-game suspension. UE head coach Chris Gavina was later banned for four games after a profanity-laced rant.

After Sunday’s win, Robinson said he is hoping the UAAP would reconsider the lengthy suspension.

‘I know it’s already late, but with regards to… Me and Kean had a talk yesterday and he felt sorry that Wello has to lose three games. And the coach and competitor in me, obviously, he deserves to get suspended. But the father in me is pardoning the committee to kind of lower the games because he’s not really a bad player,’ he told reporters.

‘Those opportunities or those incidents really happen. And sana mabigyan pa siya ng chance na makabalik pa because three games is going to be huge for him. I’m not talking about UE as a team, but Wello as a person because he’s a nice kid,’ he added.

‘And I hope that he’ll be given a chance. I know he made this mistake and I hope he’ll be given a chance to lessen yung suspension. Because I know how hard it is going to be for him.’

UE, on Sunday, dropped its seventh straight loss this season and 13th straight defeat overall after getting trampled by Far Eastern University, 95-76.

Without Lingolingo, who served the first of his three-game suspension, Precious Momowei, Nico Mulingtapang and Tope Lagat spearheaded the team.

Momowei had 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Mulingtapang and Lagat had 13 apiece.

Still, it was not enough against FEU, which had five different Tamaraws score in double figures, led by Jorick Bautista’s 22.

Lingolingo’s scoring punch was surely missed.

‘So hopefully, it’s also going to be… Because we already lost our player. We don’t want to lose other players from other teams because ang hirap e. As you said earlier, it’s hard for me to lose Kean and Mason. But I know how also hard it is for Wello,’ Robinson said.

‘So hopefully, he’ll be given at least a fair share of suspension.’

Still, losing Amos and Baclaan were ‘really hard,’ the coach admitted.

‘They are playing on borrowed time because of the rules. And it just feels bad that we get to lose them in this battle. But as a reminder to everyone, the only way we could have them back is if we’re going to make it all the way,’ he said.

‘And hopefully, by God’s grace, they’ll be okay by that time. So that’s always been the call of the team. We’re doing this not just only for ourselves as individuals, but also for those two players that we’ve lost.’

That’s the lesson Christ wants us to draw from that gospel parable about a woman who persisted in asking a judge to render her justice –even to the point of disturbing him– and finally got what she wanted. (cfr. Lk 18,1-8))

Like that woman we should also persist in asking God for help so we can carry out our duty of resolving very difficult problems we are having in our country and in the world in general.

We know that in the end, God will always give in to grant our petitions, even as we also should be ready to do what God would want us to do. We should just persist, never giving up, because we need nothing less than divine, and not just human, intervention. Difficult and complicated problems require difficult and complicated solutions as well.

We cannot deny that we are facing very complicated problems and issues –widespread poverty, injustice, a culture of ingrained corruption in all levels of government and society in general, etcetera– and we just cannot be indifferent to them even if at the moment we seem to be helpless.

We have to heed what Christ told the apostles once: ‘Duc in altum,’ go to the deep, (cfr. Lk 5,4) unafraid of the challenges along the way. We know that God will take care of everything even if we have to meet and carry the cross.

Like Christ we should not even be afraid to offer our life. Let’s remember that our human redemption was achieved through the cross. We should expect the cross to come. More than that, we should love it.

The first thing to do is to pray, to connect ourselves with God who knows everything and has the solution for all our problems and difficulties. In this regard, let’s pay attention to what St. Paul once said: ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ (1 Thes 5,16-18) We need to be strong in the faith to fuel our hope of a better tomorrow.

It’s when we pray when more than us talking to God, begging for some favors, it is God talking to us. It’s more a matter of listening to God and carrying out what he will be telling us or showing or insinuating to us.

Definitely, to tackle the daunting challenges and immense difficulties we are facing today, we really would need to study well the doctrine of our faith and know the as much as we can the facts on the ground, the actual situation of the issues involved.

We have to make plans and strategies as well as learn to coordinate with the involved parties, the stakeholders, key players, and those who in one way or another can collaborate with us.

We should not be afraid to complicate our life. We should not be afraid when our life gets complicated. As long as we are with God, we even would be willing to complicate our life. I think that is the proper attitude to develop in ourselves. We should not just wait for our life to get complicated. We somehow should complicate by truly involving ourselves in the mission of resolving the serious problems of our country and of the world.

Obviously, we should try our best to be properly prepared for this unavoidable condition in our life. Let’s prepare ourselves for this physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and morally. For this, we need to avail of all possible and appropriate means.

There is no end in sight to the Dubai style pistachio chocolate dessert trend, be it in cakes, desserts, and even ice cream.

Celebrity chef Jackie Ang Po has recently shared her recipe of Chocolate Chip Cookie Pistachio Ice Cream Bars. This time, she shares another variation to it – Open-faced Strawberry Pistachio Ice Cream Bars.

Light and fruity, it is absolutely refreshing as a dessert or cold merienda treat.

Open-faced Strawberry Pistachio Ice Cream Bars

Ingredients:

For the cookie dough crust:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup bread flour

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chip cookies

Procedure:

1. Prepare 2 pcs. 8×8-inch baking pans lined with parchment or baking paper.

2. Cream butter and sugars until light.

3. Add egg and vanilla.

4. Sift together dry ingredients and fold into chocolate chip cookie dough.

5. Fold in chocolate chips.

6. Divide dough into two and flatten in each pan. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 10 minutes.

For the pistachio cream:

2 1/4 cups white chocolate baking bar, chopped

1/2 cup Nestlé All Purpose Cream

1/3 cup pistachio paste

1/3 cup Carnation Condensada

1 1/2 cup Nestlé All Purpose Cream

Green food color

Sliced fresh strawberries for the assembly

Procedure:

1. Melt white chocolate and Nestle All Purpose Cream using a double boiler (bowl over saucepan with simmering water). Add the pistachio paste. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Beat together very cold Nestlé All Purpose Cream and Carnation Condensada.

3. Fold the mixtures together and adjust color to your liking.

4. To assemble, arrange sliced strawberries on an 8×8-inch pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover with pistachio cream. Top with a cookie crust layer. Gently pat down so it sticks to the pistachio cream. Freeze.

5. Slice when super frozen. Serve with open-faced strawberry side on top.

Several local government units have announced the suspension of classes on Monday, October 20, due to Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen).

As of 4 p.m., state weather bureau PAGASA said that several areas in northern and central Luzon remain under Signal No. 2. Ramil is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, other LGUs cited ongoing earthquakes and rising cases of influenza-like illness as reasons for class suspensions.

Below is a running list of class suspensions:

Region I (Ilocos Region)

Pangasinan province

Bayambang – no classes, all levels, public and private

San Carlos – no classes, all levels, public and private

Region III (Central Luzon)

Pampanga province

Angeles City – no classes, all levels, public and private

Arayat – no classes, all levels, public and private

San Fernando – no face-to-face classes, all levels, public and private

Bataan province

Hermosa – no classes, all levels, public and private

Region IV-A (Calabarzon)

Cavite province – no classes, all levels, public and private

Rizal province

Montalban – no face-to-face classes; shift to alternative learning modules

Rodriguez – no classes, all levels, public and private

Quezon province

Lucena City – no classes, all levels, public and private

Region IV-B (MIMAROPA)

Occidental Mindoro

Lubang – no classes, all levels, public and private

Region VI (Western Visaya)

Capiz

Roxas City – no classes, all levels, public and private (October 20 to 22)

Region VII (Central Visayas)

Cebu province

Lapu-Lapu City – no classes, all levels, public and private

Region XIII (Caraga)

Surigao del Sur

Cantilan – no classes, all levels, public and private

The Philippine team troops to the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand in December without its most decorated athlete – Paris Olympics double-gold gymnastics medalist Carlos Yulo.

‘Carlos isn’t joining anymore,’ said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion. ‘He wants to give his teammates a chance to win a gold in the SEA Games.’

Without Yulo, who has won a total nine golds and the same number of silvers in the biennial meet since 2019 in Manila, it will now be up to Juancho Miguel Besana, John Ivan Cruz and Justine Ace de Leon to carry the fight and raked in those mints that the former used to harvest.

Yulo made the decision after Thailand limited participants to just one apparatus each, and scratched the team event where the Filipinos would have been the heavy favorites to win.

But Yulo remained focused on the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships that opened yesterday in Jakarta, Indonesia where he would nurse a minor wrist injury he sustained recently.

‘I kind of have been having trouble with my wrists,’ said Yulo in a recent interview with sports website olympic.com.’I still want the taste of competition, that is the most important thing for me right now.’

‘My goal is to perform beautiful gymnastics, to be really graceful. I want to show really good and graceful gymnastics. (So) I’m just really happy that I get to compete,’ he added.

Yulo, along with the rest of the men’s squad, was scheduled to see action in the Subdivision 6 of the men’s qualification last night, hoping he could make the men’s individual all-around finals set Wednesday and, hopefully, the apparatus finals slated Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, the country’s women’s squad of Paris Olympians Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo and Haylee Garcia and Yulo’s younger sister Elaiza, is set in the Subdivision 7 of the women’s qualification Tuesday.