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ZUS Coffee gained a share of the early lead in Pool B after making short work of Galeries Tower, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16, in the PVL Reinforced Conference on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Anna DeBeer sustained her fine form with 18 points as a follow up to her 37-point explosion against Chery Tiggo last Saturday. DeBeer recorded 15 spikes, two aces, and a block in just 85 minutes as the Thunderbelles tied the Akari Chargers atop their group. Rookie AC Miner backstopped the American import with 10 points on an efficient 7-of-13 attacking clip, two aces, and a block.

‘I’ve been with the team for over three months now, so I think my connection with the setter has really improved,’ said Miner in Filipino. ‘It’s still our job to keep working on that connection, not just with the setter, but with everyone. It’s something we’ll continue to develop throughout this conference and in our practices.’

Setter Clo Mondoñedo paced the Thunderbelles with 20 excellent sets. Fiola Ceballos had seven points, while Riza Nogales and Kate Santiago added six points each. Libero Alyssa Eroa protected the floor with 14 digs and nine excellent receptions.

‘We’re still trying to get better. Still a lot of lapses. It’s a work in progress,’ said ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee.

‘We’re really waiting for the more challenging teams to come, because that’s when everything we’ve been working on will really be tested. Hopefully, by then, our lapses won’t be too many.’

ZUS Coffee will have ample time to prepare for its next game against Creamline, which it took down in the PVL on Tour, on October 23 at FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Montenegrin import Jelena Cvijovic was the lone double-digit scorer for Galeries with 11 points and nine excellent receptions. Jean Asis had nine points.

The HighRisers, now 0-2 tied with Chery Tiggo, battle the Cool Smashers in Ilagan City on Saturday.

A total of 845,001 people have been affected by the ‘doublet quake’ that struck off Davao Oriental, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Tuesday, Oct. 14.

In its 6 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said the affected population includes 200,914 families. Of these, 12,960 individuals have been assisted-12,768 in eight evacuation centers and 192 outside the centers.

The death toll remains at eight, pending validation, while 403 injuries have been reported, including 23 confirmed cases.

The agency also reported 2,575 damaged houses, 344 of which have been destroyed.

Damage to infrastructure is estimated at P100,258,000, covering 273 affected structures.

So far, the NDRRMC reported that P39,989,124 in assistance has been provided to affected families.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the back-to-back 7.4- and 6.8-magnitude quakes that struck Davao Oriental on Oct. 10 are classified as a ‘doublet earthquake.’ It refers to distinct earthquakes occurring in nearly the same area, with two (or more) main shocks differing slightly in magnitude.

As of 8:00 a.m., Phivolcs recorded 1,281 aftershocks, of which 604 were plotted and 15 were felt./mcm/abc

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) appeared wary of proposals to withdraw large-denomination peso bills from circulation as a supposed deterrent to corruption, with Governor Eli Remolona Jr. warning that such a move could do more harm than good.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Remolona said the idea, while still under discussion, risked burdening ordinary Filipinos who rely on cash transactions just to create ‘a small inconvenience’ for corrupt contractors and public officials.

He pointed to similar debates abroad, including in the US, where proposals to phase out high-value banknotes to curb criminal activity-from money laundering to drug trafficking-failed to gain traction amid concerns about their impact on law-abiding cash users.

‘It’s a tantalizing proposal, but it’s not so simple,’ Remolona said. ‘To me, it’s like, you know the saying, you cut off your nose just to spite your face. You’re doing more damage than it’s beneficial.’

‘But we’re still looking [into it]. We haven’t decided yet,’ he added.

Purisima

Cesar Purisima, who served as finance secretary during the administration of the late former President Benigno Aquino III, earlier suggested demonetizing P500 and P1,000 bills, arguing that smaller denominations would make it harder for corrupt officials to stash or move illicit cash.

Purisima said other countries have made similar moves before, though he acknowledged that limiting the highest denomination may bring short-term pain for small businesses and ordinary citizens. For that reason, he said this policy could be complemented with a six-month window for the public to exchange their P1,000 and P500 bills.

His suggestion followed explosive testimony in the Senate where two former engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways claimed that roughly P1 billion in cash was once delivered to a lawmaker accused of graft.

Irregularities

The money, they said, was packed into more than 20 suitcases and ferried in six to seven vans to the penthouse of Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co at a five-star hotel in Taguig City. Co, who has been linked to irregularities in flood control projects, has denied wrongdoing.

The former finance chief earlier called on policymakers to adopt tougher curbs on cash transactions. He warned that the country’s reliance on envelopes and bags of banknotes has made it easier for corruption to thrive.

The BSP later issued a new regulation limiting over-the-counter cash withdrawals to P500,000 a day, as part of efforts to reduce money laundering risks tied to large-value transactions.

At the same news conference yesterday, Remolona said the central bank was considering other measures to curb corruption linked to cash transactions, including steps to promote the use of traceable, non-cash channels such as checks and digital payments.

He added that the existing P500,000 cash withdrawal limit had been ‘very effective so far.’

‘There are complaints, and we’re listening to those complaints,’ he said. ‘But for now, I think it’s a good measure.’

The driver of a Department of Transportation (DOTr) undersecretary who figured in a road rage incident in Quezon City recently had his driver’s license perpetually revoked.

The DOTr reported the development after the erring driver appeared at the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) hearing on Monday.

‘This means he will no longer be able to drive,’ the DOTr said.

DOTr Undersecretary for Internal Audit and Special Concerns Ricky Alfonso was a passenger of the vehicle at the time of the incident.

The DOTr said that when the driver appeared at the LTO hearing, he surrendered his license and the vehicle’s blinklers, but not the ’10’ protocol license plate.

‘It’s annoying because he’s so arrogant in the video but he can’t say where the ’10’ is.’ LTO chief Markus Lacanilao was quoted as saying in the DOTr statement.

‘That’s why my recommendation is, revocation of the license [and] impounding the vehicle.’ he said.

Meanwhile, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said that Undersecretary Alfonso filed for an indefinite leave of absence while the investigation is underway.

‘Usec. Alfonso is on indefinite leave while the investigation is pending. The purpose of this is that the respondent will not exert influence on the investigation,’ Lopez said.

After the incident went viral, Lopez on Monday ordered the revocation of protocol license plates issued to DOTr officials and its attached agencies.

‘All concerned officials shall surrender the protocol license plates issued to them, and the LTO shall undertake the necessary coordination and measures to implement the directive,’ said Lopez. /gsg

A solid cushion of foreign reserves and an anticipated easing action by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) this month could give the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) room to front-load further rate cuts, supporting growth without putting too much pressure on the peso.

In a note to clients, BMI Research, a unit of the Fitch Group, said the peso’s recent underperformance could serve as a ‘counterargument’ to a rate cut in December. The local currency had been trading in the 58-per-dollar territory since late September amid a widening corruption probe that has raised concerns about political stability.

Even so, BMI said the central bank’s sizable buffer of gross international reserves-which climbed to an 11-month high of $108.8 billion in September-should allow it to defend the local currency against excessive weakness.

BMI added that it does not expect significant selling pressure even if the BSP trims its key policy rate by another quarter point at its final meeting of the year, given expectations that the Fed will also ease later this month. That move, the firm said, should help keep local yields competitive and attractive to foreign investors.

Business confidence

‘That means the policy rate differential between the US and Philippines will widen back to 75 bps (basis points) for a couple of months before narrowing back to the current 50 bps in December,’ the research firm said.

At its meeting last week, the Monetary Board voted to cut the benchmark interest rate that banks use as a price when pricing loans by 0.25 percentage point to 4.75 percent, citing the need to shore up business confidence bruised by a deepening investigation into dubious infrastructure projects.

That same scandal, the BSP warned, could hurt government spending, adding risks to growth.

The move caught many by surprise: only six of 16 economists surveyed by the Inquirer had seen the reduction coming. Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said the ‘sweet spot’ for the policy rate was now between 4 and 5 percent, adding that the central bank still had room to ease further-possibly as soon as December.

BMI said a potential December cut could be followed by additional reductions totaling 50 bps in 2026, bringing the policy rate to 4 percent. It expects the economy to expand by 5.2 percent next year, below the Marcos administration’s 6- to 7-percent target and slower than the prepandemic trend.

‘For one, the US-Philippines trade deal, which leaves 19 percent tariffs on Philippine goods in exchange for none on American ones, will weigh on the trade balance in 2026. For another, business confidence is likely to remain weak amid graft concerns and unpredictable US trade policy,’ it said.

‘We therefore expect the BSP to ease at a more measured pace while allowing more time for the easing thus far to feed through,’ it added.

Patrick Sleat has been one of the more dynamic players in the Perpetual Help lineup despite being a newcomer.

The former Far Eastern University guard has his teammates to thank for that.

‘I guess I really have to give the most credit to my teammates because they really welcomed me,’ Sleat said, fresh off a 72-67 win over Arellano at Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.

‘When I got here last year, everyone was excited. I used last year as preparation to get to know my future teammates.’

Sustaining his fine form, Sleat contributed big once more for the Altas against the Chiefs.

Sleat did a bit of everything with 12 points, three rebounds, three blocks, one assist and a steal to keep Perpetual Help spotless after four games. The last time the Altas opened the season 4-0 was in 2015, when Scottie Thompson and Bright Akhuetie were running the show.

‘I guess our bond outside the court is getting stronger and that bond is showing inside the court,’ said Sleat, who was named NCAA Player of the Week after averaging 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1 steal and 1.8 blocks.

The Altas shoot for a fifth straight win on Wednesday against Letran at San Juan Arena.

Mandy Moore has become the talk of social media after recent photos of her surfaced online, sparking discussions about her noticeably changed appearance.

Moore’s strikingly different look circulated on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, with users sharing ‘before and after’ comparisons highlighting her transformation.

Netizens were particularly surprised after seeing Moore’s recent photo with fellow actress Lupita Nyong’o, taken during their visit to the US Senate and House of Representatives to advocate for funding for the Women’s Health Research Center.

More photos of Moore taken at the 2025 Inspiration Awards of Step Up in Los Angeles, California, last Sept. 26 also drew mixed reactions from the public.

‘I’m genuinely baffled. I can’t figure out how this can be the same person. Mandy Moore was such a natural beauty, why get work done to the point of being unrecognized,’ one person wrote on X.

‘I’m sorry but has anyone else seen MANDY MOORE lately?!!?!?! This is so far from her face assigned at birth????’ reacted another netizen.

In 2022, Moore revealed that she had been diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disorder that causes low platelet counts.

Moore first gained fame in the late 1990s with hits such as ‘Candy,’ ‘Crush’ and ‘I Wanna Be with You.’

She later achieved international stardom for her role as Jamie Sullivan in the 2002 romantic drama ‘A Walk to Remember.’ /ra

Hospitals operated and managed by the Department of Health (DOH) could withstand a powerful earthquake based on the conduct of structural assessments and retrofitting of hospitals, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said on Tuesday.

Herbosa made the assurance after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked several parts of the country in recent days.

‘Yes, we did the safe hospital project. We did a structural engineering assessment together with the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines,’ Herbosa said in Filipino when asked if the hospitals could survive a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

Herbosa shared that some hospitals needed to undergo retrofitting after they were found to have problems with their structures.

Herbosa emphasized that this was done to ensure that the hospitals are resilient.

‘A hospital building needs to be more resilient compared to ordinary stores or structures because we need to keep saving lives so it has higher requirements,’ he pointed out.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology earlier warned that the ‘Big One,’ or a magnitude 7.2 earthquake along the West Valley Fault, could kill more than 33,000 people and cause 168,000 buildings to collapse.

The DOH, citing figures from the National Harmonized Contingency Plan, noted that the death toll from the major earthquake might reach over 52,000 across Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).

It added that this could also result in 679,000 injuries, and over 5.3 million Filipinos displaced from their homes.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 tremors, tagged as the ‘doublet earthquake’ that struck off Manay, Davao Oriental last Friday affected over 845,000 individuals and left eight people dead.

Healthcare workers’ welfare

What are the contingency plans for the healthcare workers who will be at the frontlines in case a strong earthquake occurs?

Herbosa emphasized the importance of making sure that their wellbeing is being taken care of and that their families are safe.

‘Once your family is secure, you can work 100% in the hospital. If you’re here in the hospital and you’re thinking of what happened [to] your family, medyo may problema (there may be a problem),’ Herbosa added.

He also said that they have observed behavior of many healthcare workers that show mental health concerns. He cited restlessness and development of illnesses.

He stressed that rest periods must be mandatory in hospitals, adding that peer support is important in ensuring that they can perform well. /gsg

The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRONIR) assured the public that a full and thorough investigation is underway following the grenade explosion that occurred at around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, at Bangga Salgado, Purok Villa, Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City.

Initial reports from the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) indicated that two unidentified suspects riding in tandem threw hand grenades toward a garage, resulting in damage to parked vehicles.

Two unexploded grenades were also recovered at the scene and safely secured by the Bacolod City Explosives and Canine Unit (CECU) for proper disposal.

Police Brig. Gen Arnold Thomas Ibay, regional director, strongly condemned the incident, calling it ‘a cowardly act that threatens public safety and disturbs the peace of our communities.’

‘We are mobilizing all necessary resources to identify and arrest the perpetrators. PRO-NIR stands firm in its commitment to protect the people of Bacolod and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice,’ he said.

He likewise directed the Bacolod City Police Office to intensify intelligence and police visibility operations, in coordination with barangay officials and other law enforcement agencies, to prevent similar incidents.

PRONIR called on the public to remain calm, alert, and cooperative by immediately reporting any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station./coa

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez on Tuesday ordered the construction of the Mati Airport, formerly the Imelda R. Marcos Airport, in Davao Oriental to hasten for a faster disaster response in future calamities.

This came after Lopez visited the site of the airport where the passenger terminal building is under construction.

According to the DOTr, the Mati Airport’s passenger terminal building is expected to be complete by 2026, and is fully operational by 2027.

Once finished, the Mati Airport will be able to house and fly turboprop aircrafts, and serve as an alternative to the Davao International Airport, the DOTr added.

Despite the ‘limited budget in the past year,’ Lopez said that the DOTr is looking for ways to speed up the airport’s construction.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has already allotted P700 million for the construction of the airport in 2026, the DOTr said.

The P87 million development project at the 49-year-old airport began in February 2025, for upgrades including larger runways, more efficient operations, and spaces for service equipment and fire station facilities.

Since October 10, Davao Oriental has been hit by near-consecutive earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.6 to magnitude 7.4.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, over 1300 aftershocks have been recorded with magnitudes 1.2 to 5.8, 18 of which were felt. /jpv