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Two Sundays ago, the apostles requested of Jesus, ‘Increase our faith.’ Last Sunday, Jesus told the Samaritan who returned with gratitude, ‘Your faith has saved you.’

This Sunday, we close our trilogy on faith as Jesus challenges his disciples, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

Our Gospel today (Luke 18:1-8) begins with a parable that pits a persistent widow against an unjust judge. To allow the story to lead us further, we must first clear the way of possible stumbling blocks. First of all, the unjust judge is not supposed to stand for God. Proof: The judge himself says, ‘I neither fear God nor respect any human being.’ The unjust judge is there to make the persistent widow’s character stand out all the more.

One might think that the defining attribute of the widow is her persistence. One might then conclude that the point of the story is that persistence in prayer will get you what you want. No, completing the nine days of Simbang Gabi or any other novena is not a guarantee that you will get your wish. Kulit and kupit are just one letter apart, but kulit is not the key to stealing favors from God.

What is praiseworthy about the widow is her faith. What is faith?

In the Jewish Palestine of Jesus’ time, widows were among the poorest of the poor. To start with, they were women who were not attached to any man. Most women then were not allowed to earn from a trade or a profession, and most also could not own property. (My apologies to the women of today – that was just how things were, and though things are not as oppressive today, we still have a long way to go in advancing how we see and treat women.) Most women then were voiceless and powerless. Imagine then the chutzpah of this widow to confront the judge in her town.

Faith is audacious. I hope we can see that we have this audacity every time we approach God in prayer. Imagine: We dare to call the Creator and Lord of the entire universe our Father. We brazenly bother him for something as trivial as our daily bread or our petty fights with our neighbors. And we confidently believe he cares. Faith is our assurance that indeed, God does care and wants to be intimately involved in the tiniest nooks and crannies of our lives.

There is still much more to learn from the widow. She does not ask the judge to decide in her favor – which is what we would most probably do if we were in her position. Her petition is: ‘Render a just decision for me.’ She is able to go beyond personal preference. She asks not for what is best only for her; she asks for justice – which is what is best for all.

Faith sees beyond our own needs and wants. Faith trusts that what is right for all is also what is right for me. Faith is not just personal; it is communal.

What the widow does is seen as a model of what the parable is all about: ‘To pray always without becoming weary.’ The Greek word for pray that is used here comes from proseuchomai. It is made up of two parts: euchomai, which can be translated as to wish; and pros, which lexically means to or towards. But proseuchomai isn’t just about bringing your wishes to God. Pros goes deeper.

Pros is also the word in that famous line from John 1:1, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ With is our inadequate translation for pros. Jesus Christ isn’t just beside God. Better: Jesus is always oriented towards God, in a dynamic relationship of mutuality, of give and take, of exchange. I guess this is why some Greek scholars see another way of translating proseuchomai: ‘to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes for His wishes as He imparts faith’ (see https://biblehub.com/greek/4336.htm).

If prayer is an intimate exchange with God, to pray then is to approach God and ask him to change our wishes to his. This is what Jesus prayed before he was arrested: ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done’ (Luke 22:42). This is not at all easy. Remember that this scene is also called the Agony in the Garden.

Maybe this is what’s really behind the tradition of bringing a wish to the nine days of Simbang Gabi. After nine days of closely interacting with God in prayer, you can finally say: ‘Not my wish, but as you wish.’ And for sure, God’s wish will be brought to fulfillment.

How can you do this without becoming weary?

This is where the strange story found in the First Reading (Exodus 17:8-13) comes in. The Israelites were in the midst of a battle against Amalek. ‘As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.’ So two men, Aaron and Hur, had to support Moses’ hands. Is God so petty as to decree Israel’s victory or defeat based on Moses keeping his hands up? I don’t think that is the point of the story. I think the lesson it is trying to teach us is that we can only win our battles if we raise our hands to God, if we pray. And we can only keep our hands up and pray with the support of our community.

Again, faith is not just personal; it is communal.

Jesus, in our Gospel today, promises that the justice we pray for will come ‘speedily.’ In your experience, has God always answered with haste? Or with the Psalmist, do we find ourselves many times lamenting, ‘How long, O Lord?’ Scripture tells us, ‘With the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day’ (2 Peter 3:8). So maybe we should just change our understanding of ‘speedily’?

Faith is patience, yes, but faith is also trusting that even if we don’t see its fruits yet, God has already answered speedily. Maybe all we need to see is the beginning, not the full promise fulfilled. Recall our reflection on the Samaritan who gave thanks to Jesus.

Justice will be done speedily-even when it seems nothing seems to be happening, something is. Even when it seems that God is far, God is near. Faith is holding on to the God who is both near and far. Recall the reflection with which we began this three-week journey of faith.

Maybe much of faith is also re-calling, not just ‘not forgetting,’ but actively calling to mind how we have seen God’s faithfulness in the past and experiencing him calling us again. and again.

And the “brightest star” shone that night.

Drag queen Brigiding, dubbed “The Brightest Star,” emerged as the winner of the inaugural edition of “Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale.”

The season’s finale saw the top four queens: one international queen and three Pinay queens. Canada was represented by Suki Doll, while the Philippines has Arizona Brandy and the Divine Diva sisters, Viñas Deluxe and Brigiding, who emerged as the final two to battle out for the final lip sync.

Philstar.com talked to the very first “Slaysian Royale” winner, Brigiding, in an exclusive interview.

Coming from her badgeless performance in Season 1 and winning this “Slaysian Royale” edition, she feels so “grateful: “For ‘Drag Race Philippines,’ the platform, the late nights, my sisters, my family, my team, my fans and for every supporter and believer who showed up. This crown belongs to all of us.”

The newly crowned winner shared her thought going against her Divine Diva sister, Viñas Deluxe, in the lip sync battle for the crown.

“Going up against each other again for the crown was both the best possible outcome and the hardest. Viñas is my Divine sister, and from the very start, we’ve always been allies. We’ve shared stages, dreams, and even tears, so to stand side by side at the very end felt full-circle.

“It was emotional, of course, because you want to give your all, but you also want your sister to shine. But more than anything, I felt grateful. Grateful that the final battle was between us,” she shared.

Brigiding has always believed that “learning is the new winning.”

“Each moment shaped me and brought me to where I am now. My light shines brightest when it’s honest and shared. I can celebrate my wins while holding space for others to shine, too. That’s the real glow,” she said.

Brigiding is excited to tour around the Philippines to bring drag to more provinces. She is looking forwad to connecting with people and celebrate the art of drag to the different places in the country. She is also thrilled to meet her fans from all over the world.

“Drag has always been about connection, and I can’t wait to represent our community and share the ‘Slaysian’ spirit globally,” Brigiding said.

The drag artist said that wants to honor her journey, team and artistry through her Slaysian journey showcase, which features her most iconic looks and moments from the show.

A true queen of the Queendom, Brigiding has nothing but gratitude to her supporters, the Brigiding darlings.

“You’ve been with me from the very beginning, through every challenge, every look, every moment of doubt and triumph. You are the reason I keep shining,” she said.

She also shares her triumph to her fellow queens who have been part of her journey: “I also want to thank my fellow queens, my sisters who lifted me up, believed in me, and stood beside me. This win isn’t mine alone; it belongs to everyone who has ever rooted for me, collaborated with me, or saw the spark in me when I couldn’t see it myself.

“Thank you for reminding me that no star shines alone. This crown is ours – and we’ll keep glowing, together.”

Asia United Bank (AUB) is targeting to grow its HelloMoney user base by 1.2 to 1.5 million customers this year as it expands its digital ecosystem through a new partnership with Singlife Philippines, integrating microinsurance products directly into its e-wallet app.

The collaboration allows HelloMoney users to access Singlife’s insurance offerings seamlessly within the app, marking the first time AUB has embedded a third-party service inside its digital platform.

The move is part of the bank’s broader push to provide a wider range of financial services to its growing base of working-class and payroll clients.

‘HelloMoney’s customer base is now about six million, and the market we serve are really the working-class Filipinos who will need the protection the most,’ AUB head of operations and technology group Wilfredo Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said that HelloMoney has around six million users since its launch in 2019. AUB expects to add another 1.2 to 1.5 million customers in 2025, bringing its total closer to 6.5 million.

The growth comes as the listed bank rolls out new digital services, including a recently signed partnership with the Social Security System, which serves around 40 million members nationwide.

Through the new Singlife Insurance Microsite, HelloMoney and Hello Pag-IBIG users can now explore, purchase and manage protection products entirely online – without paperwork or in-person transactions.

‘For all of the HelloMoney users, they will have easy access to the insurance products that Singlife has to offer,’ Rodriguez said, noting that both companies share the same digital-first DNA.

The partnership introduces Singlife’s flagship products such as Cash for Income Loss (Accidents), which provides up to P1.8 million in coverage in case of disability or death, and Cash for Medical Costs, offering up to P1.3 million for hospitalization or critical illness.

‘We’re incredibly excited about this partnership with AUB, one of the country’s top banks, as it brings us closer to our mission of making insurance truly accessible to every Filipino,’ Singlife Philippines CEO Lester Cruz said.

‘By embedding our digital-first protection solutions into the HelloMoney app, we’re not just offering convenience but also empowering more people to take charge of their financial future with confidence, control, and ease. This is a big step towards transforming how Filipinos experience insurance,’ Cruz said.

Insurance penetration in the Philippines remains below two percent, among the lowest in Asia. Singlife said partnerships like this are key to reaching underserved markets.

Meanwhile, AUB said HelloMoney continues to post strong performance in both revenue growth and customer acquisition, with the app serving as a key driver of the bank’s record results since 2022.

The integration with Singlife expands HelloMoney’s functionality beyond payments, bills and transfers, giving users new options for affordable financial protection.

AUB officials said HelloMoney would continue to expand its services and partnerships to empower more Filipinos to save, pay and protect themselves financially, all within one platform.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death of a Filipino national who succumbed to hypothermia while trekking the Northern Japan Alps on Oct. 12.

In a statement issued Friday night, the DFA said the Filipino national was in a group with six other Filipino mountaineers.

The DFA said the Philippine consulate general in Nagoya is working closely with Japanese authorities, the family of the deceased and all concerned parties to ensure the proper documentation and transfer of remains.

It noted that two other Filipino mountaineers in the group who suffered trauma have received medical attention. One was discharged, while the other is expected to be discharged by next week.

‘The Department will continue to extend assistance to the Filipino mountaineers and their families,’ the DFA said, without releasing names and other details.

The Department of Justice has designated prosecution lawyer Raphael Niccolo Martinez as new spokesperson, following the transfer of former DOJ spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano IV to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Clavano joined Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla as the anti-graft body’s new spokesperson and assistant ombudsman.

According to the DOJ communications division, Martinez was previously assigned under the Office of the Secretary of Justice Prosecution Staff and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Prior to joining the DOJ, Martinez was an associate in a private law firm. He studied law at the Ateneo de Manila University and passed the Bar in 2021.

Justice undersecretary Fredderick Vida is serving as DOJ officer-in-charge as President Marcos has yet to appoint a new Justice secretary to replace Remulla.

Now that the Marcos family’s recognized successor, ex-speaker of the House Martin Romualdez, seems to have been knocked out of presidential contention due to accusations that have linked him to the massive corruption scandal, with the surveys showing his numbers to be dismally dismaying, the analysts and armchair columnists have written finis to his ambitions and started speculating.

The next burning question is: who’s going to be the chosen one? Who will be hand-picked to raise the banner and protect the family’s fortunes? With the Duterte family out for revenge, giving up the throne to any member of that vengeful clan will be tantamount to political (and most probably financial) suicide.

Of course, not the sister, who has made it very clear she wants to continue sleeping in the arms of the enemy. Not the son, who is too young, and rumor has it, has been associating too closely with the uncle and enjoying the largesse that came with his territory. Will it suddenly become the wife, who has been credited as being the strategic genius behind the throne?

But all these speculations, however, ignore the constant grumbling against political dynasties. Why must the Marcos family’s political longevity, especially given the track record of the members, be of any further concern? Let the dynasty stop being dynastic, and maybe, after a couple of election cycles, a fresh-faced representative from that clan can then come forward and plead his or her case to the electorate. Take a rest, please.

Meanwhile, the next best thing for the Marcosians is to look for a winning candidate who will shield them from the Dutertes. Then, they can throw the full weight of their vaunted support behind that anointed one. Cash, machinery, goons, everything.

If our national pie is divided into thirds, with a slice each going to the Dutertes and the Marcoses, then wouldn’t the natural solution be to wave the white flag and parley with the other third?

But practically, that would mean olive branches, nay, entire olive plantations, waved at Leni Robredo, now happily serving as Mayor of Naga City.

Would Marcos willingly swallow all the bitter pills he faced as a result of his excruciating loss in the vice presidency two elections ago? And not just an election loss. Despite his considerable influence, his electoral protest against her was dismissed by the Supreme Court electoral tribunal, thereby ensuring a second, resounding loss. Has his win in the presidential arena sufficed to salve those particular wounds?

Robredo has thrown major shade his way too. She has been vocal about recovering the Marcos wealth, and critical about his chronic absenteeism when he was still a sitting senator. With all of that slung his way, will he able to shrug all of those barbs away, and fake a smile?

Well, survival is at stake. After getting a chance to redeem the Marcos name and brainwash an entirely new generation, and steering a safe course these three or so years, Marcos Jr. is now facing an entirely different challenge. All that hard work, glad-handing, and marquee polishing seems just a wee bit imperiled.

Perhaps, the persistent and quite credible rumors of a planned coup d’etat might provide impetus to a decision to swallow some pride. Some say that were it not for the unpalatable but very Constitutional successor (Sara without an ‘h’) being pushed by the coup plotters, we might very well have woken up to a new government last September 22.

Are all these blood-curdling rumors inducing sweat in the Jr.? Is he taking proactive steps to address these threats? Time is ticking. More protests are coming. Rains keep falling. Floods keep reminding the populace that their taxpayers’ money went to the wrong pockets. Tick tock.

But then again, will Leni Robredo even deign to entertain any overtures from his camp? Will the terms of the proposal be enough to sway her? Is the threat of a return to power by the Dutertes sufficiently horrifying to light a fire under her?

Hurry up please. I don’t have all day to wonder whether another horrible half a decade (and more!) is in the offing. Choose already.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified a total of 21 contractors who possibly engaged in prohibited campaign donations during the May 2025 elections.

‘As of today, there are now 21 contractors who may have contributed to the campaign of candidates – senators or congressmen, in the 2025 elections,’ Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in a radio interview yesterday.

Garcia said that once they are able to finish examining the 2025 Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs), they will immediately report this to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

‘We will have the DPWH confirm if how many of these are contractors, and are they really public works contractors. After that, we will write them and ask for their explanation,’ the poll chief said.

Garcia pointed out that the list of 21 contractors doesn’t mean 21 candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives or party-list.

‘For example, one senatorial candidate could have received donations from three to four contractors. The ratio is not one is to one. It is possible that these (21) represent only six or seven candidates,’ he said.

The official said they will later make public the names of these candidates when the DPWH confirms the identities of the contractors.

A few days ago, Garcia said the Comelec found only nine potentially prohibited contributors in the 2025 polls.

He said the investigation on possible prohibited campaign contributions among 2025 candidates is being done by its Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD).

Garcia added they expect the probe on 2025 SOCEs to be completed within two weeks.

The Comelec-PFAD previously identified 55 potentially prohibited contributors in the 2022 polls.

Of the total, 54 contractors are still subject to the verification of the DPWH if they had existing government contracts at the time of the 2022 elections.

Sean Ramos and Angelo Que turned in impressive Top 10 finishes on two different fronts on Sunday, highlighting a strong showing for Filipino golfers in the regional circuit.

Ramos continued his steady rise on the Asian Tour with a joint seventh-place finish at the Macao Open, capping a stellar week with a 69 in the final round.

The young Filipino, who fired back-to-back 65s at the Macau Golf and Country Club, posted a 72-hole total of 11-under 269 – six strokes behind eventual winner Dominic Foos of Germany, who edged Wei-Hsuan Wang of Taiwan on the second playoff hole.

Wang sizzled with a bogey-free 62 to tie Foos, who also fired a solid 63, at 17-under 263, but the latter proved steadier in the clutch to snatch the victory.

Ramos had a roller-coaster front nine with three birdies offset by three bogeys before settling down with birdies on Nos. 11 and 13. A bogey on the 16th, however, cost him a share of fifth place. Still, the performance marked his career-best on the Asian Tour, improving on a 19th-place finish just last week in Indonesia.

Despite missing nine greens in regulation, Ramos relied on an excellent short game and needed just 26 putts – one better than his previous round – to stay in contention. The former Philippine Golf Tour winner is quickly finding his rhythm among Asia’s elite.

Meanwhile, compatriot Justin Quiban carded a final-round 71 and settled for a tie at 44th with a 72-hole total of 277.

Over at the rain-hit ADT Players Championship at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac, Angelo Que also cracked the Top 10 despite a shaky final-round 72.

After back-to-back 67s, Que faltered in the closing 18 holes, finishing with three birdies against three bogeys for a 10-under 278 total and a share of fifth with England’s Matt Killen (70).

Carl Corpus, who was tied for fourth after 54 holes, struggled early with three bogeys in the first four holes. A double bogey on No. 11 further set him back, though the rising star salvaged a 74 after birdies on three of the last seven holes. He finished tied for 16th at 283.

Amateur Shinichi Suzuki placed 34th with a 286 after a final-round 73, while Enrico Gallardo (294) tied for 46th following a 78. Fellow amateurs Rolando Bregente (297) and Perry Bucay (298) closed with 78 and 82 to end up tied for 50th and solo 53rd, respectively.

Thailand’s Waris Manthorn staged a stirring comeback to capture the title, rallying from five strokes down to tie England’s Sam Broadhurst at 13-under 275. Broadhurst stumbled with a closing 75, including a costly double bogey on the final hole in regulation.

In the playoff, Manthorn clinched the crown with a routine par on No. 18, while Broadhurst faltered after a wayward drive into the rough and a two-putt bogey.

The Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) is looking to pilot an ambitious initiative to place the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) national budget on the blockchain.

BCP president Donald Patrick Lim said the proposed pilot project would demonstrate how blockchain technology can promote transparency and accountability in government spending, even as discussions on its institutionalization continue.

Lim, at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay breakfast forum, said the BCP can do the pilot within the year.

‘It’s privately funded. The private sector is the one funding it. The council is the one working with all the stakeholders to execute it,’ Lim said.

‘This is at no cost to the government,’ he stressed.

The BCP, which has under it more than 20 private sector groups, signed an agreement last month with the DPWH to launch the ‘Integrity Chain,’ a digital platform designed to track and secure every peso and milestone in select national infrastructure projects.

Through a memorandum of agreement signed on Sept. 30, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon and Lim committed to putting data on the DPWH’s budget, procurement, contracts and project implementation into an immutable ledger that the public can access.

The pilot run will focus on foreign-assisted projects funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Korean Eximbank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, implemented under the DPWH Unified Project Management Office clusters.

BCP will provide DPWH with a one-year free subscription to the Integrity Chain, complete with technical support, training and cybersecurity safeguards.

Lim said the effort is not just about calling for reform, but building the system for it: ‘For the first time, the private sector isn’t just demanding integrity – we’re delivering it.’

The initiative drew backing from over 50 institutions – including business groups, universities, faith-based groups, and civil society organizations – that signed a statement of support.

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, who was in the partnership signing, expressed his support for the project, calling it ‘a new way of governance’ that the country badly needs.

With flood control scams and ghost projects still fresh in the public mind, DPWH is banking on the Integrity Chain to prove that infrastructure spending can be made transparent, tamper-proof and accountable.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao isn’t averse to Gabe Norwood postponing his retirement despite the 40-year-old veteran’s announcement that he’ll hang up his sneakers after this PBA Philippine Cup. ‘Gabe thought of retiring last season but changed his mind,’ said Guiao. ‘He’s still enjoying the game and contributing. I think he can play a few more conferences. Gabe’s a unique player because he’s switchable against big or small guys, he can play all five positions, he’s quick, athletic, long, smart and effective on both ends. But let’s respect his decision. Gabe plans to start a new chapter in his life. If he wants to join our coaching staff, he’s welcome anytime.’

Guiao said if Norwood retires at the end of this conference, it will mark a milestone. ‘He’ll go out at the top of his game and it will be on the PBA’s golden anniversary,’ said Guiao. ‘Gabe will also get a chance to play with Stanley (Pringle). I coached them both with Gilas. Gabe was ecstatic when we got Stanley.’

Guiao said Norwood’s three-point shooting was at its best last season, stroking at a career-high 37.5 percent. ‘As I’ve always told the guys, if you’re open, take it,’ he said. ‘Tough to fill Gabe’s role. Maybe, Luis (Villegas) can do it. We’re hoping he can start playing middle of the conference or in time for the playoffs.’

With Pringle, Guiao said Rain or Shine now has a closer in clutch situations. ‘We’ve made it to the semis the last four conferences,’ he said. ‘No excuses, walang sisihan. With more wisdom and toughness, I think we’re ready to break through. Ang motto namin ay buwis buhay. So far this conference, it’s been unpredictable. That’s what fans like to see, parity. Any team can win at any time.’