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A Philippine Hawk-Eagle was rescued by the Borongan City Environment and Natural Resources Office (BCENRO) on Monday following a report from a concerned resident of Barangay San Gabriel, Borongan City, in Eastern Samar.

According to a report from the Borongan City Information Office on Wednesday, the raptor was found trapped inside a chicken farm after an apparent faulty landing.

The farm owner promptly reported the incident to the city government, prompting a quick response from BCENRO personnel.

The rescued bird has since been turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for proper care and assessment.

Classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Philippine Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus philippensis) is native to the Philippines and is typically found in moist lowland and montane forests. Known for its keen eyesight and powerful build, the species faces threats from deforestation, habitat loss, and illegal hunting.

This marked the second rescue of a raptor in Borongan City this month.

Earlier, on Oct. 2, a Philippine Eagle was found by a farmer in Barangay Benowangan and was later turned over to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office./coa

A Philippine Hawk Eagle was turned over by a farmer to the environment office in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, on Monday, October 13, 2025. This is the second time this month that a raptor was rescued in Borongan City.

The Philippine men’s football team came from a goal down at halftime to beat Timor-Leste anew, 3-1, on Tuesday to restore its hold on top spot in Group A of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers at New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.

Jefferson Tabinas, Bjorn Kristensen and Jarvey Gayoso scored in the second half as the Philippines overcame a scare when Timor-Leste struck the opener courtesy of Joao Rangel to repeat over the same team they beat five days earlier, 4-1, in Darwin, Australia.

By getting the full three points, the Philippines remained ahead of Tajikistan despite identical 10 points with two matches left in the third round of the continental qualifiers. Tajikistan beat Maldives, 3-0 in the other group match in Male.

Coach Carles Cuadrat’s side is ahead on goal difference which puts its chances of reaching the 2027 Asian Cup well on track. Only the group winner gets to play in that competition which will be held in Saudi Arabia.

The remaining matches, all away, are against Maldives on Nov. 18 and Tajikistan on March 31.

Timor-Leste struck in the first minute of the first half stoppage time when Rangel fired a curling shot that beat goalkeeper Kevin Ray Mendoza, stunning the mostly partisan crowd of 10,000.

It didn’t take long before the Philippines drew level as Tabinas scored off a corner kick a minute into the restart, putting the ball past Timor-Leste keeper Georgino from close range.

Kristensen would later resume his havoc on Timor-Leste as he put up his 13th goal in a Philippine shirt in the 70th to make it 2-1 in favor of the host with a go-ahead score inside the box off a cross from Jesper Nyholm.

It was his fifth goal in two matches against Timor-Leste after accounting for all four during the previous meeting in Darwin.

Gayoso sealed the deal in the 91st with a left-footed shot that assured the Philippines another full three points over its fellow Southeast Asian outfit.

In an apparent confirmation of their romance, Cole Micek dedicated a message declaring his love to beauty queen and birthday girl Chelsea Manalo.

The basketball player-model compiled photos of him and Manalo through his Instagram page on Tuesday, Oct. 14, that showed them in a hug, enjoying the beach, going to the gym, and attending a basketball game.

‘To the most beautiful woman in the universe. Both inside and out. Happiest birthday baby,’ he wrote.

‘I’m grateful for you every day but especially on your special day. Pretty soon you’ll be old like me!’ he added.

Micek also shared more glimpses of his treasured moments with the Miss Universe Asia 2024 via his Instagram Stories, calling her ‘my birthday girl.’

‘The reason I’m always smiling,’ he added. ‘Mahal na mahal kita CM.’ (I love you so much, CM.)

Mariah Carey gave Filipino fans an early Christmas treat after she performed her holiday classic ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ for the first time ever during her sold-out concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday night, Oct. 14.

The Grammy-winning singer surprised the crowd when the sleigh bells of her 1994 hit began to play as the show’s finale. This marks Carey’s fourth concert in the Philippines, but her first time performing her iconic holiday song in the country.

The track, which Carey co-wrote with Walter Afanasieff, has become the biggest Christmas song in history, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for a record 18 weeks and surpassing two billion streams on Spotify as of December 2024.

For one of her looks for the Manila leg, the 56-year-old diva donned a glittering pearl mini dress by Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco. She performed her hits ‘Emotions,’ ‘Hero,’ ‘Fantasy,’ ‘Dreamlover,’ ‘Always Be My Baby,’ and ‘We Belong Together,’ among others.

Jessica Soho, Ara Mina, Alex Gonzaga, and Mikee Morada were among the celebrity attendees at ‘Mariah Carey: The Celebration of Mimi.’

Given that it’s been seven years since Carey visited the Philippines, her Filipino fans went all out to attend the one-night-only concert, with many supporters earlier expressing that they had failed to purchase tickets as it sold out immediately. /edv

Residents of northern Cebu, particularly in Bogo City, continue to endure aftershocks following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the area on Sept. 30.

On Tuesday, a magnitude 3.9 quake hit Bogo at 8:44 a.m., sending Bogohanons already weary from the constant shaking out into open spaces anew.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the tectonic tremor, traced at a shallow depth of 1 kilometer, was located about 21 km southwest of the city. It was felt at Intensity 4 in Bogo and Intensity 3 in the nearby town of Tabuelan.

Phivolcs confirmed that the latest quake was an aftershock of the Sept. 30 magnitude 6.9 earthquake that devastated parts of northern Cebu. The agency added that no damage or additional aftershocks were expected.

Free health services

Residents, still reeling from the previous disaster, were again urged to remain alert and follow safety protocols amid the continuing seismic activity.

The City of Bogo Health Office, in partnership with various health agencies and local and international nongovernment organizations continued to serve the Bogohanons, particularly children, affected by the emotional experience last week, the city government said in a social media post Tuesday.

The free health services included general medical consultation, psychosocial counseling, sanitation hygiene and other services to help ease their ‘feelings of fear, danger and terror left by this tragedy,’ it added.

The Sept. 30 quake caused widespread destruction and left some 75 people dead in northern Cebu, 32 of whom were from Bogo, the quake’s epicenter.

With numerous classrooms damaged or destroyed by the earlier quake and its aftershocks, classes remained suspended in Bogo City.

Volcano watch

Bogo Mayor Mayel Martinez met Tuesday with members of the City School Board, where they agreed to prioritize the use of the Special Education Fund to support teachers and students and prepare to implement modular learning as an alternative to in-person classes.

City personnel also continued distributing food packs and relief items to families displaced by the earthquake.

On nearby Negros Island, the recent earthquakes in Cebu may have caused fractures within Kanlaon Volcano due to strong ground shaking, according to Phivolcs officials.

But Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief Ma. Antonia Bornas noted there were no significant changes in Kanlaon’s volcanic activity so far.

Bornas added that Phivolcs was investigating a newly discovered ground subsidence, or sinking of the earth’s surface, in Barangay Talaptap, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, near the volcano.

The hole, measuring 20 centimeters wide and 60 cm deep, poses low risk and does not affect traffic or livelihood but authorities have urged residents to immediately report any new cracks or ground shifts.

Classes in all public and private schools and government work in Caloocan City were suspended Wednesday afternoon following a ‘series of bomb threats,’ Mayor Along Malapitan announced.

According to Malapitan, schools in both North and South Caloocan received bomb threats. He said the city hall also received a similar threat.

‘The cancellation of classes in all private and public schools in Caloocan City, as well as the suspension of work in all government offices in our city, will be implemented immediately following the series of bomb threats received by schools in North and South Caloocan and by the city hall today,’ Malapitan said in a social media post.

The mayor ordered local police to ensure the safety of residents and investigate the threats.

A trickle of sweat raced down my hairline to join the one pooling above my upper lip. Inhale. Exhale.

Zeroing in on what seemed to be a loose end at the bottom of the tower, I stretched my hand outward to give it a little push. The entire column shook with the force, threatening to topple over if ever acquainted with a wisp of wind. I threw my hands up in surrender with the hopes of being shown mercy for my impulsivity, and after wobbling for a time too alarming for my sanity, the structure resumed the position it had before me.

One would think that all these ceremonies were a tad dramatic for a game of Jenga, but I wasn’t about to get my first taste of defeat. After inspecting every angle of the tower, I caught a slab and wiggled it out of place, though the harder part was having to add its weight to the pile. I hovered my hand above . The collective gasps reached my ears before the realization did, and that’s how I knew I had done it . then.

Exhale.

I stared at the screen in front of me, attempting to ignore the fact that my heartbeat resided on each side of my head, but the way my hands shook might’ve betrayed any composure I had left.

‘Dear Erika,’

My mouse hovered on the pop-up, and it stayed there for one too many minutes to count. I told myself it was because imitating the same concentration was necessary to achieve the same success, either that or I had to subconsciously prepare for whatever the result may be. The sequence was almost a replica of those Jenga games, yet the echoing crash that came after was not.

‘We appreciate your interest in us, but.’

The world around me stopped moving, like the few seconds of silence between the slight misstep and the consequent dismantling of the tower, though I have never been the one to take the brunt of it until now. I didn’t know how to act, didn’t know what to do, but to sit there and stare. I traced the unfamiliar words repeatedly-‘unfortunately,’ ‘regret’-up until I understood what they meant; little did I know the effort was wasted, as I would be more than acquainted with them for years to come.

The messages that came after were almost like a routine. A curdling in my stomach ensued with every expectancy, the enthusiasm I felt for the potential to be part of something, only for the butterflies to be killed by the brutal assault of the same phrases. The plans I had conjured up for this organization, I had to shred all those pieces and force myself to kiss that road goodbye. I knew I could make an impact if given the chance, but with every dismissal, the doubt started to creep in. Applications to organizations turned to ones for colleges and back, though the downcast mood remained, and the letters started to spell ‘rejection’ until they read my name.

Dissociating myself with concepts of failure became progressively harder, for who was I but a product of constant nonacceptance? What could I hold over my head in pride if my qualities didn’t seem to be telling? I only wished to reach my fullest potential, but how would I do that without being presented with even the slightest opportunity to try?

When the latest message came in, I could swear I was stuck in a cruel time loop. I told myself that it was different this time-my sacrifices in the application process were nothing short of significant-but my hand stalled on the notification, maybe because I somehow already knew what the words would read. My eyes started to blur, my palms sweat, and for the life of me, I couldn’t catch my breath before it fell to the pit of my stomach.

What was I going to do now?

Suddenly, I wanted to go home. I wanted to get back on my desk, open my laptop, and draft an appeal letter that wasn’t even due until a week after. I didn’t want to sit here and throw yet another pity party for myself if I knew in my heart that I deserved to be there, that I was somebody they wouldn’t regret taking a chance on. Besides, if one block managed to shift the whole tower, who’s to say I couldn’t change my point of view and have another one take me to victory?

And to victory did I go.

My acceptance to the organization felt like being tossed a lifeline, and when the planning started, it was almost as though I needed to swim to shore before I drowned. Despite the occasional doubts I had in myself, coupled with a spotlight exposing my every move, my composure remained.

By the end of the semester, I was told they were foolish to have stood by their initial dismissal of me, but while they ‘regretted to inform me’ then, I couldn’t say I returned the sentiment; if it meant taking me exactly where I needed to be, ‘remorseful’ wouldn’t be the word to describe any of it.

The next time I played Jenga, I found that I wasn’t scared of a little wind, as the second it howled my way, I felt like I could breathe again.

Cathy Sanchez-Babao, daughter of veteran actress Caridad Sanchez, is honoring her mother through the book ‘Friday’s Child,’ which recounts stories of the former’s ‘non-showbiz childhood.’

Sanchez-Babao announced the Oct. 16-launch of her book through a series of posts on her Instagram page, saying it was a wish from her mom.

‘I wrote this book because I wanted to remember her-the way she talked, the way she dreamed, the way she filled our home with stories and laughter,’ Cathy said. ‘I also wrote it to honor her, because once upon a time, she would say, ‘Write a book about me someday!’ So I did.’

‘Some of those stories have found their way here on Facebook, but Friday’s Child holds many more of those tender, funny, and unforgettable moments that shaped my childhood and my heart,’ she continued.

Cathy also included in her posts the contact person for those who would like to pre-order.

What began as a grassroots effort to bring tennis closer to the youth in the provinces has blossomed into a success story for two rising Filipino athletes. Ariel Cabaral Jr. and Kurt Barrera, who sharpened their skills in Bais, Negros Oriental, are proud members of the Edna Diago Lhuillier (EDL) Youth Tennis Program-a deeply personal testament to Cebuana Lhuillier’s enduring belief in social development through sport. The EDL Youth Tennis Program, which started in 2016, was established to discover and nurture young tennis players from provincial communities, offering them structured training, mentoring, and access to competitive opportunities. Cabaral, the No. 1 ranked player in the Boys division nationwide, has seen his life fundamentally transformed by this support, and now represents National University (NU) as a full scholar. A member of the UTP National Team, he has competed internationally in Malaysia, where he won the 18U Boys title in Penang and received a week-long scholarship at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy.

Barrera, ranked No. 10 in the Boys division, forging his own path, is currently a scholar at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu and a recipient of a Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation scholarship. Like Cabaral, he represented the country in Malaysia and Thailand, even taking home the 18U Boys doubles championship.

‘These young athletes are the heartbeat of our advocacy. Their success is living, breathing proof of what happens when raw talent, especially from underserved communities, is given continuous, unwavering support,’ said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. ‘Our mission has always been rooted in social responsibility-to remove the financial barriers, open doors to opportunities, and allow these aspiring players to chase their passion for tennis and represent our country with every ounce of their pride.’

Their achievements are the tangible rewards of Cebuana Lhuillier’s decades-long commitment to social good and community investment, particularly in tennis. For more than two decades, the company – under Lhuillier’s leadership – has championed grassroots programs that nurture young Filipino talents. The Cebuana Lhuillier Tennis Tour, for instance, remains one of the country’s longest-running and most extensive developmental tennis tournaments, offering young players a venue to gain exposure, experience, and recognition across different provinces. Beyond competitions, Cebuana Lhuillier’s sports initiatives also provide scholarships and financial assistance to promising athletes, helping them balance education and athletic growth. These programs are part of the company’s broader mission under the Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc., which focuses on empowering the youth through education, sports, and financial inclusion. The success of Cabaral and Barrera shows how this long-term commitment to sports at the grassroots level continues to produce results – not only creating champions but shaping disciplined, well-rounded individuals.

From the humble, sun-drenched grassroots courts to the electrifying atmosphere of the global tennis arena, the journey of Cabaral and Barrera is an inspiring validation of Cebuana Lhuillier’s legacy of giving. When corporate resources and the dedicated support of the EDL Youth Tennis Program are channeled toward social upliftment, Filipino athletes can indeed shine brightly on any stage, transforming the lives of players and communities alike.

The high-profile corruption scandal over state-funded flood control projects has upended the Philippines’ bid for an ‘A’ credit rating this year, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said, warning that the fallout could hurt economic growth and weigh on the government’s fiscal position.

Recto told reporters on Tuesday that, based on recent discussions with SandP Global Ratings-one of the world’s three major credit watchers-the Philippines would likely have secured the elusive A grade this year if not for governance concerns arising from ongoing corruption investigations.

‘We met with them (SandP) last week-they were ready to give us a credit rating upgrade,’ he said, calling the missed opportunity ‘regrettable.’

‘It’s a governance issue. We have to improve on that. And I’m convinced that we will be able to do it. It will take us a few months to finish all of that,’ he added.

Investment grade

Last year, SandP kept its ‘triple B plus’ investment grade rating for the Philippine sovereign, and improved its outlook from ‘stable’ to ‘positive.’ Explaining its action, the debt watcher at the time cited ‘effective’ policymaking that delivered ‘structural improvements to the country’s credit metrics.’

A positive outlook indicates a good chance for the country to finally bag its first-ever A rating in the next one to two years. The higher rating means better perception of lenders on a borrower’s ability to pay its obligations. This would result in lower interest rates for issuers like the government.

The Philippines also holds investment-grade ratings from Fitch Ratings (BBB) and Moody’s Ratings (BAA2), both of which are two notches away from the entry-level A credit rating.

SandP’s rating scale ranges from D, the lowest, to the highest rating of AAA. Should the debt watcher decide to upgrade the Philippines’ badge of creditworthiness, the next level for the country is A-.

But Recto warned that economic growth could fall short of the 5.5- to 6.5-percent target of the government for 2025, as the widening corruption probe could slow public spending until next year.

Fiscal repercussions

Missing that goal could have fiscal repercussions. Policymakers typically base revenue targets on projected economic growth, operating on the assumption that stronger activity leads to higher corporate sales and household incomes-and, in turn, to greater tax collections for the state.

Recto said both the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) may miss their collection goals this year. The BIR is aiming to raise P3.2 trillion in 2025, while the BOC is targeting P958.7 billion.

Even so, Recto said the government intends to maintain its fiscal deficit ceiling of P1.6 trillion for this year, noting that weaker revenues would likely be offset by softer spending. ‘I think the reduction in interest rates will help,’ he added.