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Ian Sangalang left Magnolia’s 78-76 loss to Meralco in the PBA Philippine Cup after sustaining a bloody nose in the second quarter of the thrilling affair held Sunday at Ynares Center II in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Sangalang was immediately taken to the locker room when he got hit courtesy of Meralco’s Brandon Bates, who was battling his way for space in hopes of getting a basket with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter.

Bates was later called for a Flagrant Foul 1 and was placed on the bench for five minutes.

A report during the game’s broadcast said that Sangalang was taken to the hospital for treatment, but was later seen on the Hotshots bench in the fourth quarter.

Coach LA Tenorio, however, opted to keep Sangalang as a spectator for the rest of the contest.

Sangalang had only four points and two rebounds in almost 18 minutes for the Hotshots, who would go on to absorb their first loss after a 2-0 start.

Bates eventually got to play a pivotal role in Meralco’s win, finishing with seven points, 15 rebounds and three blocks.

The win was Meralco’s third in a row following two straight defeats to begin the season-opening conference.

The incident came after San Miguel Beer’s Marcio Lassiter was elbowed in the nose by Rain or Shine’s Santi Santillan in the second quarter of the 111-93 rout in the opening game of the doubleheader.

Lassiter played the second half and fired 18 points to help the Beermen take care of the Elasto Painters.

A total of 25,349 Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, so far, will be deployed for All Saints and All Souls Day or Undas 2025 security arrangements, its public information chief said.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday, PNP public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño detailed that 5,175 of the police officers to be deployed will be stationed at cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaria across the country.

Further, Tuaño said the PNP will set up 5,293 police assistance desks and 1,616 motorist assistance centers for Undas.

He added that 8,265 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Philippine Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies will also be deployed to assist with security.

Additionally, according to Tuaño, the police’s deployment will be augmented by 22,399 force multipliers or barangay tanods and other volunteer groups.

The PNP public information chief said the law enforcement agency will be on full alert for Undas starting Oct. 31.

The Sandiganbayan will craft its own rules and procedures that would help expedite the filing of cases against personalities involved in cases related to the anomalous flood control projects, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.

‘I was told that the Sandiganbayan is now trying to craft its own rules and procedures, probably for the continued trial of cases. I requested that already to the Presiding Justice [Geraldine Econg], 10 days ago,’ Remulla said in a press briefing on Monday.

He likewise revealed that the Office of the Ombudsman will start its preliminary investigation on six flood control-related cases in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro next week.

Remulla disclosed that they will start filing cases against the personalities before the anti-graft court by next month.

On September 20, the ICI submitted its first-ever interim report to the Ombudsman, flagging possible anomalies in a P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

In its 32-page report, the ICI urged the anti-graft body to determine appropriate charges against 18 public officials, including Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co.

The project, implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways Region IV-B (Mimaropa) through contractor Sunwest, Inc., involves the construction of a road dike along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River.

Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon earlier disclosed that the five cases in Bulacan involved officials from the district office and the contractors last October 14.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday launched Phase 4 of the Pasig River rehabilitation program, promising to turn another stretch of the historic waterway into a walkable, bike-friendly hub for leisure, commerce, and sustainable travel.

‘Every time we gather here by the Pasig River, we are reminded that progress does not always mean building something new. Sometimes, progress means bringing something beautiful back to life,’ Marcos said during the launch at the Lawton Pasig River Ferry station in Manila.

The new 530-meter segment stretches from behind the Manila Central Post Office to Arroceros Forest Park.

It features walkways, bike lanes, and commercial spaces, connecting seamlessly to earlier completed phases near Intramuros.

Marcos said the project aims to create ‘a continuous riverside path that will link people, culture, and opportunity.’

He also envisioned it as a leisure and lifestyle destination for all-from food lovers to fitness enthusiasts and even ‘romantics.’

‘For the romantic at heart, you can enjoy a sunset stroll, hand in hand with your significant other. And if you’re still single, you might just meet ‘the one’ here,’ Marcos said.

He noted that the earlier phases have already become viral tourist spots on social media.

The President said small and medium-sized businesses would be allowed to set up along the new commercial spaces.

To clear the site, the government relocated 63 informal settler families to Naic, Cavite.

Marcos likewise highlighted recent efforts to modernize river transport, citing the M/B Dalaray, a locally designed electric ferry launched on Oct. 6, which will be fully operational by November.

The government is also testing ClearBot, a solar-powered, artificial intelligence-enabled robotic vessel, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, to help clean up waterways.

More green spaces

Marcos also revealed that he and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno are eyeing more urban transformations.

These include the conversion of the Intramuros Golf Course into an open public park, the rehabilitation of Plaza Calderon in Binondo, and the planned upgrade of the Lawton Underpass to improve pedestrian access to the esplanade.

‘All these efforts are part of a larger vision to create a culturally rich urban environment where history, nature, and modern living come together seamlessly,’ he said.

He credited first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, whom he fondly called the administration’s ‘non-stop energizer bunny,’ for driving the initiative, which recently earned the 2025 Asian Townscape Award from the United Nations-Habitat. -PNA

Three individuals, including two from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), were cited for contempt for allegedly lying during the continuation of Senate’s hearing on agricultural smuggling on Monday.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, cited for contempt Andrew Calixihan, BOC deputy collector for assessment in the Port of Subic; Mary Anabelle Gubaton, BOC COO III, also of the Port of Subic and Erwin Pascual, owner of EPCB Consumer Goods Trading.

Brenda de Sagun, Berches Consumer Goods Trading broker, was also previously cited for contempt but was temporarily released from detention to gather information regarding a certain individual who allegedly contracted them to import goods.

Calixihan was cited for contempt for allegedly lying about three trucks that transferred goods-declared as chicken poppers but were actually onions and frozen mackerel- from the Port of Subic on the night of June 27.

Pangilinan accused Calixihan of misleading the committee for giving untruthful testimony. The latter also explained that his function as deputy collector for assessment is only supervising the assessment division.

On the other hand, Pascual registered his business under the name of his nephew Dexter Juala, a delivery food rider.

He said he was hoping that Juala would learn something about brokering.

However, Pangilinan cited Juala’s claim that he was never involved in any meeting with brokers. Gubaton, Calixihan, and Pascual were ordered detained in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Pangilinan said there was sufficient circumstantial evidence to believe that local businessmen and government officials are in connivance with Chinese smuggling syndicates.

According to Pangilinan, the Chinese smuggling rings are protected by a number of government employees and officials of the BOC, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Department of Agriculture, the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration.

He said these officials ‘allow these Chinese smugglers and their local partners to operate freely, occasionally raiding and seizing smuggled agri- products to show a semblance of law enforcement while ensuring that no big time smuggler is prosecuted for the non-bailable offense of economic sabotage.’

He warned violators that economic sabotage is punishable by life imprisonment and a fine of three times the value of the smuggled goods under Republic Act No. 12022, otherwise known as the Anti-agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

Pangilinan said that officers / personnel of logistic companies face up to 20 to 30 years imprisonment and a fine double the value of the smuggled goods as well as revocation of their licenses if found guilty under the Economic Sabotage Act.

Three individuals were killed – including a four-year-old – and two police officers were wounded after three armed men ambushed the cops while arresting a most-wanted person, Calamba City police chief Lt. Col. Dennis de Guzman said on Monday.

The police were executing a warrant issued by the Calamba City Regional Trial Court against a certain Regie Abarquez in Barangay San Cristobal last Wednesday, de Guzman said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

‘This is a semi-informal settler area, so there’s a junk shop there in front and a retail store, a sari-sari store. So, there were shoppers, kids playing. When the suspect was being taken to the car, that’s when they were ambushed,’ De Guzman explained.

He identified the officers wounded as Police Chief Master Sgt. Alberto Plaza and Senior Staff Sgt. John Principe, both 44.

He also noted that the two civilians killed were Akhiro Sañez, 4; and Florencia Enmas, 57. The other fatality was suspect Romar Awid.

De Guzman said one of the suspects, Leonardo Rico, was arrested, while another, a certain Itoy Awid, remains at large.

It is unclear how the subject of the arrest warrant and the three armed men were related.

‘The subject of the warrant of arrest is also an alleged member of a gun-for-hire group and they operate from the back of a big factory in San Cristobal (in San Cristobal),’ he added in Filipino.

Police recovered a 9mm caliber pistol loaded with a round of live ammunition, two magazines, both loaded with 14 rounds of live ammunition, an improvised magazine-fed shotgun, and a caliber .38 revolver, according to de Guzman.

He added that the Calamba police filed cases for resisting arrest, disobedience to a lawful order, two counts of murder, two counts of frustrated murder and violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Firearms Regulation Act against Abarquez and Rico before the city prosecutor last Friday.

The recent flood defense scandal in the Philippines underscores the long-standing issue of corruption.

Allegations of misallocated funds and opaque procurement processes have eroded public trust. Valuable resources have been wasted.

These concerns are not just hot air. They are part of a recurring pattern in infrastructure and disaster-related spending.

The need for structural reform in how government accounts for public funds is therefore pressing.

Sen. Bam Aquino’s initiative to explore blockchain technology as part of the national budgeting process is a timely and constructive response. Senate Bill No. 1330 has been officially filed and is under consideration but has not yet been passed into law.

As proposed, it seeks to embed blockchain into the management of the national budget. It would be a world first if enacted.

By ensuring that every peso is recorded on an immutable and transparent ledger, the measure could make the Philippines a global reference point for digital governance.

Blockchain is best understood as a shared digital ledger, comparable to a spreadsheet that is simultaneously duplicated across many computers. Every transaction is recorded in a block, linked to the previous one and secured through cryptography.

Because the ledger is distributed and securely sealed, no participant can secretly alter past entries. This combination of openness and tamper resistance makes blockchain an ideal technology to track government spending.

Public confidence depends on reliable and permanent records. Blockchain has these properties. It therefore directly addresses the weaknesses exposed by the scandal.

With blockchain, every record is carved in stone.

Immutability ensures that once a budget transaction is recorded, it cannot be altered without detection.

Transparency provides real-time visibility of spending to authorized stakeholders and, where appropriate, the public.

If disbursements and contractor payments for a flood defense project were placed on such a ledger, each transfer of value would be time-stamped and permanently verifiable.

This approach is not merely theoretical. Pilot projects in other jurisdictions already demonstrate this.

Examples include blockchain-based land registries and municipal bond issuance.

Applied to the national budget, blockchain could provide line-item traceability from congressional appropriation to agency spending and down to local project execution.

The bill mandates that all government financial platforms, such as budgeting systems, disbursement tools, accounting applications and reporting software, must comply with blockchain interoperability standards.

This requirement would eliminate hidden projects unknown to local governments. It would also enable easy price comparisons for materials such as cement or classroom construction supplies across different contracts.

However, the path to implementation will require careful preparation. Infrastructure constraints must be addressed to ensure reliable digital access across the archipelago.

Chief among these is the availability of information technology skills. Legal and regulatory frameworks must also be adapted to recognize blockchain records as authoritative.

Digital literacy, particularly among local government units and auditing bodies, is essential.

If these challenges are met, the Philippines could position itself as an Asean leader in digital governance.

By embedding transparency at the protocol level, blockchain offers a new paradigm for public finance. The result would be stronger public confidence, more efficient auditing and a deterrent to misuse of funds.

The strength of interest in this idea is evident.

On two recent occasions, I gave talks to large audiences at the Asian Institute of Management.

When mentioning blockchain’s potential to ensure transparency in government budgeting, the concept drew loud applause.

This spontaneous response signals that the concept resonates with professionals, students and policymakers alike. It reflects widespread support for the Senate bill.

Education has an important role in realizing this vision.

At the Asian Institute of Management, we teach blockchain technology in the Master of Science in Financial Technology program and within the Executive Master in Cybersecurity Management modules.

Students learn how to design and deploy blockchain systems and to understand their policy and ethical implications. These programs equip graduates to apply emerging technologies to both industry and governance.

The flood defense scandal is a reminder of the cost of opaque financial systems.

By adopting blockchain, the Philippines has an opportunity to ensure that national budget expenditures can be traced, verified and accounted for.

Such an approach would lay the groundwork for a more transparent and trustworthy fiscal future

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday appointed Engr. Lara Marisse Esquibil as officer-in-charge for operations, overseeing Convergence Projects and Technical Services.

Before her appointment, the 36-year-old Esquibil served as officer-in-charge of the DPWH Bureau of Design starting July 2025.

Esquibil joined the DPWH in 2013 as part of the first batch of the Cadet Engineering Program.

Dizon said Esquibil has earned ‘a lot of great words’ from people in the agency, including former DPWH Secretary Rogelio ‘Babes’ Singson.

‘She has my full trust and confidence,’ Dizon said when he presented Esquibil during the agency’s flag-raising ceremony.

Dizon told reporters that Esquibil was initially hesitant to accept the post due to the controversy surrounding the agency. However, he described her as someone who ‘loves the country very deeply.’

‘I had a very long conversation with Director Lara. She was afraid not only because of the responsibilities of the job but also because of the intrigue,’ Dizon said. ‘I told her, ‘As long as you do what is right, do what is proper, keep your integrity, you will be okay. We will always be behind you.”

The public works secretary is also confident that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign off on Esquibil’s appointment, saying the president ‘wants good people.’

The appointment came after DPWH undersecretary Arrey Perez resigned from his post on October 17, one month after he was given the job.

Perez stepped down after he was linked to contractors involved in the alleged flood control project anomalies. /mcm

Citing a spike in influenza-like illnesses, Quezon Governor Angelina Tan has reinstated the mandatory wearing of face masks.

‘Due to the increasing number of cases of illnesses such as colds, coughs, influenza-like illness, and severe respiratory infections like community-acquired pneumonia-and in accordance with Executive Order No. DHT-60-the wearing of face masks is hereby strictly mandated in all indoor settings, as well as in outdoor areas where physical distancing cannot be observed,’ Tan, a medical doctor, said in a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 19.

Tan did not specify how long the policy will remain in effect.

EO No. DHT-60, issued on Dec. 27, 2023, requires face masks in all government and private offices, public spaces, hospitals, clinics, indoor settings, and outdoor areas where physical distancing is not possible.

The governor did not provide current figures for influenza-like illness cases in the province.

When Tan suspended school classes from Oct. 16 to 17, she had already warned of rising respiratory illnesses at the government-run Quezon Medical Center (QMC) in this city.

Tan reported that QMC is operating at more than 200 percent of its authorized bed capacity.

‘In fact, there are no more available beds. Some beds are being occupied by two patients,’ she said, adding that QMC and 14 other government hospitals across the province are struggling with limited resources.

Lucena City, the provincial capital and a highly urbanized city, is not covered by Tan’s mask mandate. However, Mayor Mark Alcala has followed the governor’s order, requiring residents to wear face masks for protection.

Alcala also suspended in-person classes at all levels in public and private schools from Oct. 20 to 22 ‘due to the rising cases of influenza virus.’

‘Online classes will continue as scheduled,’ Alcala said in a Facebook post. /mcm

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said repair works for schools damaged by Typhoon Opong in Masbate are right on schedule with restoration efforts slated to be completed by December 2025 to February 2026.

DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara announced the development after leading an inspection of the DepEd’s recovery efforts in the province.

‘By the President’s directive, we immediately began the repair of schools here in Masbate,’ Angara said in Filipino in a statement.

‘We want to ensure that learning continues despite the typhoon’s impact, and that we are better prepared for future disasters,’ he added.

Data from DepEd shows that 1,651 classrooms, most of which were in Masbate City, were damaged by the typhoon in September with estimated losses amounting to P1.079 billion.

However, Angara said the agency has already downloaded P14.4 million to the Schools Division Offices of Masbate and Masbate City for cleanup and minor repairs and has also already requested an additional P23.4 million to sustain ongoing rehabilitation.

Repairs for two schools are nearing completion, specifically at Nursery Elementary School, where work on damaged roofs, ceilings, and electrical wiring has already been completed.

Meanwhile, repairs to the school buildings are about 40 to 45 percent finished.

Masbate Comprehensive National High School, on the other hand, already has its multi-story buildings and other structures at 30 to 90 percent completion.

The DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), for its part, has allocated 20 upgraded temporary learning spaces in the ongoing emergency procurement to accommodate learners from schools still under repair.

‘Most of the remaining major repair works [are expected] to be completed between December 2025 and February 2026, while funding for the replacement of totally damaged classrooms is being programmed under the Basic Education Facilities Fund 2026 and the Quick Response Fund 2026,’ the DepEd said in a statement.

Angara has likewise directed its regional offices in Cebu and Davao to expedite the assessment and repair of schools affected by the recent earthquakes.