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Emma Tiglao’s deep red Ryan Uson number at the Miss Grand International (MGI) preliminary competition is gaining undue attention with pageant observers critiquing its silhouette and overall design.

The gown featured wing-like shoulder pads adorned with red and orange beads, a low V neckline with gold trim, and a figure-hugging skirt with a high slit, and a flowy sheer overlay.

There appeared to be no sign that Tiglao was uncomfortable wearing Uson’s design when she sashayed onto the MGI stage on Wednesday, Oct. 15, as she competed with 75 other candidates. The Philippine bet was all smiles as she delivered her introductory lines during her spiel. But while the gown may have its own charm as Tiglao paraded it onstage, it nonetheless expectedly garnered divided reaction from pageant observers and fans on social media, especially as it was being compared to those worn by other candidates.

While some praised the red number for its ‘symbolisms,’ red being a lucky color in Thailand, others said it was a letdown from the Filipina’s consistently-styled ensembles during her pre-pageant activities.

‘Love Emma, hate the gown. Buti [magaling] sya magdala. Parang masyado silang nag overthink sa gown na ipapasuot sa kanya,’ one @countocram said on Instagram.

‘Emma’s gown is a big disappointment. Those shoulder part of her gown are not flattering. And [made it look] out of proportion. Might have looked good on paper but it didn’t translate well on camera. It’s prelims not cosplay!’ another @yvantooviOther netizens also pointed out that the gown of Miss Grand Ghana Faith Maria Porter, which was also designed by Uson, looked better than Tiglao’s. Yet there are those who are saying that the seemingly underwhelming gown was part of a grand strategy to let their guard down and allow her to make a strong comeback at the finals on Oct. 18.

They also said that it was only Filipino fans who were criticizing the gown, while other nationalities were praising it. They also credited Tiglao for carrying it with grace and confidence.

Regardless of the gown, luck seemed to be on Tiglao’s side as she was among the beauties who were recognized at the preliminary competition. She won two awards for this round: the Miss Global Beauties Special Award, and was part of the three candidates in consideration for the Pageant Insider Choice Award along with the representative from Thailand and Czech Republic.

Thailand’s Sarunrat Pueakpipat and Indonesia’s Vina Sitorus won the Pageant Insider Choice and Miss Grand Fan Vote awards, respectively.

Uson ‘unbothered’

Despite the heated feedback, Uson reshared on his Instagram Story an artcard about being ‘unbothered’.

‘Unbothered. The art and philosophy of not letting little things get to you,’ the art card read. Neither Tiglao nor the Miss Grand Philippines organization have reacted to the feedback on her preliminary evening gown, as of this writing.

The Pampanga-based stunner is vying to bring home the Philippines’ second Miss Grand International crown and score a back-to-back win, following her predecessor and reigning titleholder CJ Opiaza.

The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Senate, the House of Representatives and several agencies, local government units and private contractors to respond to a taxpayers’ writ of kalikasan to address the country’s flood control problem.

‘Acting on the petition for the issuance of a writ of kalikasan, the Court resolved, without giving due course to the petition, to require the respondents to comment thereon within 10 days from notice of this resolution,’ the SC said in a resolution dated Sept. 30, but made public on Thursday.

Ordered to respond are the following:

Office of the President represented by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Office of the Senate of the Philippines represented by Senate President Vicente Sotto III

House of Representatives

Department of Budget and Management

Department of Public Works and Highways

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Department of Interior and Local Government

Metro Manila Development Authority

River Basin Control Office

All local government units

All contractors awarded and doing flood control projects for the government

The petition was filed by lawyer Edna Selloriquez and several others seeking to compel Marcos to exercise his control over various government agencies for a massive clean-up of the environment.

They also urged the Court to direct the President to disclose or design the master plan for flood control in the country. A writ of kalikasan is a legal remedy that protects one’s Constitutional right to a healthy environment, as outlined under the 1987 Constitution.

Ai-Ai delas Alas marked the first year since she and her estranged husband Gerald Sibayan separated, calling it her ‘freedom anniversary.’

The actress-comedian spent the occasion in Las Vegas, United States, as seen in the video she shared on her Instagram page on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

‘Happy Freedom Anniversary. One year wiser, one year stronger, one year freer,’ she captioned her post.

‘Here’s to the woman who rose when she could’ve [been] broken. Pain was my teacher. Healing is my revolution,’ she added. ‘To GOD [be] all the glory and honor.’

In the clip, Delas Alas showed herself going to a church to attend a mass.

‘Magpapasalamat ako sa Diyos dahil ako ay buhay,’ she said, adding that she would afterwards enjoy her company. (I will thank God because I am alive.) Delas Alas and Sibayan got married in 2017 then parted ways in October 2024. The actress disclosed that the latter broke up with her through an online messaging application.

Delas Alas later alluded to a cheater and confessed that she considers their marriage a ‘wrong decision.’ She further admitted that she only wanted to prove back then that age does not matter.

‘But it matters,’ she said. ‘Obvious ba? Wala na [kami] (Isn’t it obvious? We already broke up).’

From Miss Japan’s cartwheeling antics to Miss Philippines’ shoulder rolls, the preliminary competition of this year’s iteration of the Miss Grand International did not disappoint in terms of providing viewers with amusing entertainment on the run-up to its grand finals on Oct. 18.

The Miss Grand International 2025 preliminary competition was held at the MGI Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday evening, Oct. 15, where 76 candidates from all over the world strutted their stuff in the swimsuit and evening gown events.

The Miss Grand International pageant has positioned itself as a platform for entertainment, and has encouraged the participants to conduct themselves differently from the other contests where the ladies are expected to be more demure.

Because of this, the candidates in the international and national affiliate competitions perform outrageous and outlandish stage routines, with extra movements, daring spin turns, and other antics. Even the gowns and costumes have become over-the-top.

Erika Ishibashi of Japan first showcased her cartwheeling prowess on the swimsuit contest. She upped the ante at the preliminary competition when she did multiple cartwheels, but slipped when she attempted a flip. She, however, recovered gracefully and playfully posed on the floor before standing again.

Thailand’s Sarunrat Puagpipat opened her routine sitting on the heel of one of her feet, with one leg crossed over the other. She trained under reigning queen, CJ Opiaza for her national contest.

Ghana’s Faith Porter, meanwhile, took advantage of her pipes during her introduction in her Ryan Uson-designed gown and delivered her country’s name as a song, enchanting the crowd with her angelic voice.

The Philippines’ Emma Tiglao did her signature hair-tussling move and also glided on the runway, with exaggerated hip movements and shoulder rolls in both the swimsuit and gown segments. The evening gown competition became a showcase of capes and long flowy skirts, similar to what Opiaza wore during the preliminary and final competitions of last year’s pageant.

Opiaza is set to relinquish her Miss Grand International title to her successor on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the same venue of the preliminary competition.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has frozen an estimated P5 billion in assets with regard to the flood control anomalies, according to Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) executive director Brian Keith Hosaka.

Hosaka said this in a press conference on Thursday after the ICI met with the AMLC and other government agencies in connection with the bid to recover stolen assets from allegedly anomalous infrastructure projectsAccording to Hosaka, the AMLC shared during their meeting that the P5 billion in frozen assets is comprised of approximately 2,800 accounts.

Hosaka, meanwhile, said he does not have any data yet on the number of people linked to the frozen assets.

When asked about the target amount of assets that the government would freeze in connection to the flood control anomalies, the ICI executive director said, ‘What we want to take back, we can’t say because it’s a moving target right now.’

This Thursday morning, the ICI met with officials from 18 government agencies in connection with its bid to freeze assets. These are as follows:

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)

Bureau of Customs (BOC)

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)

Civil Service Commission (CSC)

Commission on Audit (COA)

Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC)

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

Insurance Commission (IC)

Land Registration Authority (LRA)

Land Transportation Office (LTO)

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)

Philippine Competition Commission (PCC)

Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The representatives of the government agencies assured the ICI that they will cooperate and use their expertise in retrieving the money of the Filipino people from allegedly being lost to corruption due to anomalous infrastructure project.

The Discaya couple’s recent refusal to cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is concerning, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Chair Teddy Casiño expressed on Thursday.

Casiño told the media that this development is proof that the ICI is ‘toothless’ and has no power to get individuals to testify about the alleged flood-control anomalies.

‘The Discayas exposed the toothlessness of the ICI. It turns out that it really has no power or authority to compel those involved in corruption to testify and tell the truth,’ Casiño said in Filipino. Casiño also highlighted that the ICI investigation is worse compared to the Senate and House hearings on the flood-control projects.

He cited that the two legislative courts had the ability to hold witnesses in contempt, and push them to tell the truth, and the hearings were all publicized.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that the ICI is not only ‘secretive in its processes,’ but it also doesn’t have contempt powers. ‘Where is this ICI headed? The process is already secret, very untransparent, and it turns out now that they can’t force anyone to testify in their investigation,’ Casiño continued.

Meanwhile, Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance convenor Prof. David San Juan renewed the calls for an independent investigative body composed of private citizens and representatives from different sectors.

The same call was made by the anti-corruption network Artikulo Onse before the establishment of the ICI.

Progressive groups are also concerned about a ‘whitewashing’ or a cover-up during the investigation, adding that this is the reason why protests against corruption must continue. ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka announced yesterday that the Discaya couple ‘invoked their right to self-incrimination and manifested that they will no longer cooperate with the investigation being conducted by the ICI.’

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday finally disclosed where her controversial confidential funds in the Department of Education (DepEd) went. They were spent on investigations of alleged corruption in the agency she used to head.

That included the alleged anomalous laptop deal with the construction firm owned by former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Speaking at the Pandesal Forum at the Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City, Duterte said the DepEd under her conducted its own investigation into the scandals in the agency and utilized the confidential funds granted to her. This was despite the DepEd’s own claim last year that it was unaware of how the vice president spent the P112.5 million worth of confidential funds in 2023. Duterte was also mum on how the secret funds were used in the DepEd, pointing to the Commission on Audit being the proper agency authorized to disclose where the funds went.

Her confidential funds in DepEd, along with the P500 million granted to her for the Office of the Vice President, were used as the basis for her impeachment complaint for allegedly misusing the secret funds, which she repeatedly avoided discussing with the media.

For Duterte, however, she said that the confidential funds were primarily used to start a probe into the corruption that she claimed was rampant within the agency. ‘There were many reports of corruption inside the Department of Education, not just in the central office, but also the regional offices,’ she told reporters.

‘So, whenever there are reports, we will investigate, and one of those we investigated was the laptop [deal],’ she also said.

This was in reference to the P2.4 billion laptop procurement during the time of her predecessor in the DepEd, former Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who was among the officials charged at the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged anomalous deal. This also involves the Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. founded by Co, one of the lawmakers at the center of the flood control scandal.

But according to Duterte, she claimed that their investigation found that the procurement of the alleged overpriced laptops ‘did not happen’ inside the DepEd, but within the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

‘So, not all the procurement documents are in the DepEd,’ Duterte said. ‘What we could only do back then was to blacklist [companies].’

However, she said they also did not succeed in blacklisting the companies, which led to ‘our hands being tied’ and would only rely on the fraud audit reports conducted by the Commission on Audit and the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the matter ‘to determine the personnel involved.’

Whether she reported this to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when she was still part of the Cabinet, Duterte responded: ‘My God! Have you ever considered that our President was even working? He never asked that, at all!’ ‘I swear to the flag. Haven’t you noticed that the governance has no direction at all? He doesn’t command, he doesn’t ask,’ Duterte said.

Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, retired Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., took his oath as executive director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday.

The ceremony was held at Malacañang Palace. Acorda was the PNP Director of Intelligence from August 2022 to April 2023, and Regional Director for the Police Regional Office X (Northern Mindanao) from November 2021 to August 2022. He is a pioneer of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, who held multiple key positions, including Deputy Regional Director for the National Capital Region Police Office, Director of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, Chief of Staff of the Civil Security Group, and Chief of the Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Division.

Acorda replaced Gilbert Cruz, who took office in January 2023.

PAOCC is responsible for implementing measures to ensure an effective and efficient anti-crime drive. It is also tasked to identify and prosecute criminal groups and their protectors in government through efficient intelligence and counterintelligence efforts.

As the race to the Miss Universe 2025 crown heats up, the Philippines’ own Ahtisa Manalo revealed her official headshot for the upcoming international tilt.

Taking on a model off-duty-inspired look, the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 titleholder is strikingly beautiful in a simple peach tube top and peach-toned makeup, as seen in her official headshot photo released by the local pageant organization on Thursday, Oct. 16. Manalo’s headshot earned praises from her followers in the comments, including her pageant sisters Winwyn Marquez and Graciella Lehmann. The pageant veteran kicked off her campaign for the Miss Universe crown earlier this month, sharing a teaser video of herself wearing a series of gowns, as well as dropping an editorial-like photoshoot where she dripped in gold.

Before entering the Miss Universe tilt, the Quezon Province-based beauty queen had a colorful journey in the national and international pageant scenes.

She went up against Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray for the coveted title, where she ultimately settled for the Binibining Pilipinas – International crown. She ended up bringing home the first runner-up title in Miss International 2018.

Manalo made a strong comeback in local pageantry, where she competed at Miss Universe Philippines 2024. She earned the title to represent the Philippines at the inaugural edition of Miss Cosmo and finished in the Top 10.

The beauty queen is on a quest to win the country’s fifth Miss Universe crown, which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 21.

None of the undersecretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is connected to any contractors linked to the flood control controversy, Secretary Vince Dizon said Thursday, responding to earlier allegations by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste.

Dizon thanked Leviste for his candor and straightforwardness and said he would personally investigate the claims.

‘He heard rumors, but it is still important for me to know if he has specifics. Because of my commitment to him and to our fellow citizens, and in line with the President’s directive, I will immediately remove that person and press charges,’ Dizon said in a press conference.

‘I look forward to having a conversation with Cong. Leviste. As far as I know, the undersecretaries we invited-and given how rare it is these days to get people to work as undersecretaries in the DPWH-none of them have contractors. But because of this report, I will also investigate on my own. I would really appreciate it if Rep. Leviste could provide specific names and circumstances,’ he added. Earlier, Leviste said members of Dizon’s team were allegedly meeting with contractors linked to controversial flood control projects. ‘Someone just told me before I arrived here now that not only did one person tell me that they heard that members of the team are actually contractors, but that other members of the team had already been meeting with contractors outside of DPWH at may hinihingi na daw (and they are asking for something),’ Leviste said.

‘Maybe Sec. Dizon can also check with all of his appointees who are contractors, if any, that they’ve met since their appointment, and what they discussed during those meetings. It’s quite tragic because so many people have high hopes for Sec. Dizon’s leadership in the DPWH,’ he added.

During the latter part of the press conference, Leviste took a call from the official and spoke for a few minutes. He declined to disclose the official’s name but said the person was committed to investigating the claims and removing any officials found to have ties to contractors.