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Alex Eala all business in practice ahead of Singapore Open debut

-A laser-focused Alex Eala held nothing back in practice on Tuesday ahead of her highly anticipated main draw debut at the Singapore Open.

Eala was all business even in training with hitting partner Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich under the guidance of her Spanish assistant coach Sandro Viaene at practice court 2 inside the Kallang sports complex here.

Eala, the WTA 500 event’s headliner, is seeded third in the indoor hard-court tournament at OCBC Arena.

The 21-year-old Eala, who drew a first-round bye, begins her campaign in the round of 16 either on Wednesday or Thursday against the winner of the opening-round duel between Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova and Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas set later in the afternoon at Court 1.

The schedule will be finalized later tonight, according to organizers.

Playing close to home, Eala is the regional favorite with a favorable bottom half draw.

Eala won’t cross paths with a top-10 caliber player until the semifinal, where she’s projected to meet American World No. 11 Amanda Anisimova.

Russian World No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, who replaced Jessica Pegula as the tournament top seed, leads the top half of the bracket.

The Singapore Open also serves as Eala’s warm-up to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.

The Filipino World No. 18 is the consensus favorite to win the gold in the Japan Games, where she’s the highest-ranked player.

What was expected to be a stacked Asiad women’s singles draw was thinned out with other stars like Kazakh World No. 1 Elena Rybakina, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen skipping the continental meet due to a scheduling conflict with the mandatory WTA 1000 China Open in Beijing.

Regular use of erectile dysfunction drug raises risk of vision loss – Study

Regular use of tadalafil, a drug commonly prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction and urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, may be linked to a slightly increased risk of glaucoma, a new study has found.

The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, however, does not suggest that sexual activity causes blindness or that occasional use of tadalafil leads to vision loss.

Tadalafil, widely known by the brand name Cialis, belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. Sildenafil, commonly sold as Viagra, is another drug in the same class.

Researchers examined anonymised health records from the TriNetX Analytics Network and identified 36,927 men aged 40 years and above who had no previous diagnosis of glaucoma and had been prescribed tadalafil regularly for at least three months.

They compared the men with an equal number of matched individuals who had not used drugs in the same class. The groups were matched for factors including age, smoking, existing health conditions, and other medications, with records followed for up to five years.

The researchers found that glaucoma was diagnosed in 3.93 per cent of tadalafil users during the five-year period, compared with 3.16 per cent among non-users.

Although this represented a 22 per cent increase in relative risk, the absolute difference was less than one percentage point, equivalent to about 77 additional cases for every 10,000 men. The vast majority of men in both groups did not develop glaucoma.

The researchers also observed an increased risk of some related eye problems. Tadalafil users were about one-third more likely to develop elevated eye pressure, primary open-angle glaucoma, or begin treatment for glaucoma.

However, there was no significant increase in the risk of low-tension glaucoma or primary angle-closure glaucoma.

Glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve and can result in permanent vision loss. The disease can develop silently, without obvious symptoms in its early stages, making regular eye examinations important, particularly among people at increased risk.

Researchers said there are possible biological explanations for the association. PDE5, the enzyme targeted by tadalafil, is present not only in tissues involved in erectile and urinary function but also in the retina, ocular blood vessels, structures involved in the production of eye fluid, and the optic nerve.

One possibility is that tadalafil could influence blood flow or the production and drainage of aqueous humour, the clear fluid in the front of the eye, potentially affecting pressure within the eye. However, the researchers noted that the biological effects are complex and could also promote fluid drainage, meaning the precise mechanism remains uncertain.

The study was observational and therefore cannot prove that tadalafil causes glaucoma. The researchers relied on medical diagnosis codes and did not have direct measurements of participants’ eye pressure, visual fields, or optic nerve changes.

They also could not establish the exact doses taken by individual patients or calculate their total exposure to tadalafil. In addition, people who regularly take the drug may have more frequent contact with healthcare services, increasing the likelihood that glaucoma would be detected.

Although the findings are not a reason for patients to discontinue prescribed tadalafil without medical advice, the experts suggested that regular users, particularly those with glaucoma, elevated eye pressure, severe short-sightedness, or a family history of glaucoma, may wish to discuss appropriate eye monitoring with their doctors.

The 2027 budget might harm agriculture, water use and exports

Because of identified constraints, the 2027 Department of Agriculture (DA) budget submitted by the government’s Executive Branch to the Congress is more of a liability than an asset. In its current form, this budget might harm the growth of our agriculture, the water it needs for irrigation and the agriculture exports required for job creation and poverty reduction.

The Executive Branch’s submission is usually lower than the DA original submission. Within the DA, there is already considerable cost-cutting. When the budget goes to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), there is further significant budget reduction before the Executive Board’s submission is finalized.

Improvements

Changes by the Congress from this submission are often recommended by the private sector. Before finalization, Congressional consultation is done with the relevant department secretary. Quite often, these are welcomed. This is because many of these changes were initially recommended by the secretary, but later turned down by DBM because of identified constraints.

It is now up to the Congress, which is currently deciding on this submission, to use its ‘power of the purse.’ This will address these constraints and prevent this danger from happening.

What are the proposals in this submission? For agriculture, it is an 8-percent decrease from P215.7 billion to P198.5 billion. For water in irrigation, it is a 27-percent decrease from P63.3 billion to P46.4 billion.

For agriculture exports, it is an initial measly P600 million. This is because it is only now that the export initiative will be directly funded.

Agriculture

There are several reasons why the Congress should support a much larger budget for agriculture.

The primary reason is food security. It determines if we will have enough rice, fish, fruits, vegetables and other foods to survive.

In terms of gross domestic product (GDP), agriculture’s total contribution is 33 percent. The sector directly contributes 8 percent to Philippine GDP. Its indirect contribution is from related activities, such as processing, distribution, trade and food services.

In terms of jobs, the food system supports 19 million jobs or 38 percent of total employment.

As for poverty, the rural poverty rate is 22 percent, more than double the 10-percent urban poverty rate.

On manufacturing, 57 percent of Philippine manufacturing is food processing. This is much larger than the 16-percent share from chemicals and 9-percent from electronics and computers.

In terms of outbound trade, the Philippines is the only member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations whose imports surpass exports.

Regarding inclusive growth, this enables our development to include the whole country, especially our provinces and depressed areas.

With regard to natural resilience, a resilient broadly-based domestic food system enables us to withstand external shocks during this difficult time of climate change.

Water use

Agriculture needs water to exist. Water is everywhere (floods) and nowhere (droughts). Irrigation systems allow us to manage water, instead of water managing us. Last Sept. 7, Sen. Francisco ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan said in his Facebook page: ‘Huwag natin hintayin na tamaan tayo ng El Niño bago tayo kumilos. Ayusin natin ang irigasyon ngayon.’ (Let’s not wait until El Niño hits us. Let’s fix irrigation now.)

Roger Allan King responded thus: ‘This is where irrigation management should come in. We need to move from reactive repair to proactive risk-based and life-cycle management of irrigation facilities.’

‘Our rain harvesting rate is 4 percent, compared to India’s 60 percent in some areas. We need a significant irrigation budget increase to address our critical water problem, not a 27-percent decrease.’

Exports

Much of our foreign exchange and additional jobs come from overseas remittances and business outsourcing. Competition from other countries’ increasingly educated workforces and artificial intelligence now pose threats to us in these areas.

We must now focus on our agriculture exports as the new opportunity to overcome these threats.

Last year, we had $9.7 billion in export revenue compared to Vietnam’s $62.5 billion. If we produced only two-thirds of what Vietnam did, we would not have needed our overseas remittances of $39 billion last year to support our economy.

The good news is that our 19-percent agriculture export growth exceeded Vietnam’s 13 percent and Thailand’s 3 percent.

In addition, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.’s export initiative has resulted in $8.5 billion exports. This is three years ahead of the official $8.6 billion target for 2028.

Though some components of other DA bureaus and program budgets are used indirectly for exports, we need much more than P600 million to be directly focused on export development and marketing.

Time is running out. Our competitor countries are progressing swiftly in agriculture. Some have already overtaken us in key areas such as bananas and mangos.

Asian Games: PH karate team bags bronze in women’s kata

The Philippine national karate squad delivered the country’s third medal in the Asian Games 2026 after beating Thailand, 4-1, in the bronze medal match of the women’s kata team event on Tuesday at Toyohashi Gymnasium.

Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante and Rebecca Cyril Torres delivered a composed performance, posting scores of 7.8, 7.7, 7.9, 8.7 and 8.1, against Thailand’s 7.6, 7.5, 7.7, 8.5 and 8.3.

‘I feel like it was our teamwork. I feel like we were always showing up for each other. We trained non stop regardless how long or regardless of the time. So, I feel like we were able to show up for each other, motivate each other,’ Veguillas said.

Arrogante said the team blocked out its opponents and focused solely on executing its routine.

‘We just gave it our best. We didn’t think about who we were up against. We just focused on ourselves. This is ours – we earned the bronze,’ she said.

The Filipino trio won their quarterfinal match against Cambodia, 5-0, but fell to Iran in the semifinal, 0-5.

Karate Pilipinas president and Chef de Mission Richard Lim credited the athletes’ sacrifices during their preparation for the Asian Games.

‘I would say, though, yung sacrifice nila. The time that they dedicated to the training. Some of them stopped attending school temporarily just to concentrate for the Asian Games. And they are away from their families due to the demands of the training,’ Lim said.

ADB offers $1M funding to address gender gaps

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is proposing a new technical assistance program worth about $1 million for the Philippines and six other countries to address gender gaps in the energy and transport sectors, including women’s participation in jobs and leadership.

The proposed assistance, which will also cover Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste, includes a regional component for cross-country work.

The Philippines is earmarked $25,000 under the program, according to the ADB.

According to the multilateral lender, the program will support participating countries through analytical work, policy advice, institutional support, capacity development, and assistance in project design and early implementation.

‘The support will address common constraints across energy and transport operations, including women’s limited participation in technical and leadership roles, institutional and workplace barriers to recruitment and career progression, and gaps in the accessibility, affordability, reliability, and safety of services for women,’ the Manila-based development bank noted in its project document.

The ADB expects the assistance to generate cross-regional evidence and strengthen policy dialogue on gender equality in the two sectors. It will also support the integration of inclusive approaches into energy and transport operations.

The proposed program will be financed by the ADB’s ‘technical assistance special fund,’ with India receiving the largest country allocation at $300,000. Uzbekistan follows with $195,000, Tajikistan with $145,000, Sri Lanka with $120,000, and Timor-Leste with $115,000 in country allocation.

The regional component has $200,000.

According to the ADB, the initiative is aligned with its energy policy and sector strategies, as well as the country partnership strategies and priorities of participating developing member countries.

The project has yet to move beyond the proposal stage, with the ADB granting concept clearance on June 30, 2026.

Aequitas Research tracks Mynt IPO as major ECM event

The upcoming initial public offering of Mynt Inc., the parent company of GCash, is being tracked by independent Asia-Pacific equity-capital-markets research firm Aequitas Research, placing the PSE-approved listing among significant regional equity-market transactions being watched by investors.

Aequitas Research specializes in independent research on initial public offerings and share placements across the Asia-Pacific region, providing an investor perspective separate from investment banks directly involved in an IPO.

The research firm’s monitoring is significant because the Mynt offering is expected to be one of the largest equity transactions in Philippine market history, with up to 8.03 billion shares to be offered at a maximum price of ?10 apiece.

The Philippine Stock Exchange has approved Mynt’s listing application, with the final offer price scheduled to be determined on October 1 following the book-building process, the public offer set for October 6 to 12, and the tentative listing scheduled for October 20 under the ticker symbol GCASH.

In simple terms, the significance of Aequitas’ attention to the transaction is that the GCash IPO is being viewed not only as a large Philippine corporate fundraising exercise but also as an equity-market event with relevance to investors beyond the country.

For the Philippine capital market, however, one of the most important questions is not only how much money Mynt can raise but how many Filipinos the IPO can bring into the stock market as actual shareholders.

PSE President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon Monzon has said the availability of IPO subscription through GStocks in the GCash app could result in a significant increase in new retail investors.

This is important because retail investors are reportedly ordinary individuals who buy shares using their own money, rather than large institutions such as investment funds, banks or insurance companies.

In layman’s terms, the GCash IPO could make the stock market more accessible to people who already use the GCash app for everyday financial transactions but have never owned shares in a publicly listed company.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has similarly said the size and reach of Mynt’s offering could help deepen retail participation and bring more Filipinos into the capital market as investors and shareholders, rather than remaining only users of financial services.

This potential is particularly relevant because GCash already has a large consumer base, while its GStocks service has introduced stock-market investing to users through a digital platform.

The importance of the IPO to the broader capital market, therefore, may ultimately extend beyond the performance of Mynt shares after listing.

If more first-time investors become familiar with buying and owning shares, the transaction could help expand the country’s pool of retail investors and make equity ownership a more familiar form of long-term investment.

At the same time, greater retail participation also requires stronger investor education and consumer protection, particularly because first-time investors may be unfamiliar with IPO procedures and could become targets of fraudulent offers and online scams.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center has already raised concerns about possible fake IPO websites, fraudulent social-media accounts, bogus agents, phishing messages and other schemes targeting people who may be buying stocks for the first time.

For the Philippine capital market, the Mynt IPO therefore represents two related opportunities: the ability of the local exchange to accommodate a large technology-company offering and the possibility of bringing a much wider segment of the public into formal equity investing.

The PSE has said the listing could also encourage more fintech and digital-economy companies to consider raising capital through the equities market.

The ultimate measure of the IPO’s broader market impact, however, will depend on actual investor participation, the final offer price, trading performance after listing and whether new investors remain active in the market beyond the Mynt offering.

For now, the Aequitas Research attention adds another indication that the GCash IPO is being viewed in the context of the wider Asia-Pacific equity-capital market, while Philippine regulators and the PSE are looking at its potential to broaden participation in the country’s own capital market.

The Upstate by Vista Manors Honored as Best Investment Property in Emerging Communities

The Upstate by Vista Manors has been named Best Investment Property in Emerging Communities at the Dot Property and Lamudi Philippines Real Estate Awards 2026, earning recognition for a condominium project situated in one of the evolving growth corridors in South Luzon.

Set in Bay, The Upstate introduces the vertical living concept of Vista Manors to a municipality gaining greater relevance within the South Luzon growth story. The distinction underscores the fundamentals behind the proposition: strategic accessibility, proximity to established institutions and retail parks, practical layouts and lifestyle amenities imbued in resort living, and prospective occupancy from end-users and lessees.

‘This award affirms our belief that asset value is strengthened when location, livability, and long-term demand advance together,’ said Red Rosales, Vista Land South Luzon Group Head. ‘The Upstate enters Bay as economic activity moves beyond metropolitan centers and regional cities, creating new reasons to live, lease, and invest across South Luzon. For buyers, this presents an opportunity to secure a condominium property that can answer present priorities while participating in the future evolution of a growth corridor.’

An emerging community within an expanding landscape

In real estate, a growth corridor is no longer defined by distance from a tourism destination, a business district, or a lifestyle district. It takes shape as economic activity, employment, mobility, establishments, population, and property development reinforce one another, generating requirements for residences, commerce, and everyday essentials over time.

Bay’s progression highlights these dynamics in Laguna, which posted a gross domestic product (GDP) of PHP 1.08 trillion in 2024, maintaining its status as the only Philippine province with a trillion-peso economy. Laguna accounts for 33.10 percent of CALABARZON’s output, 40 percent of regional industry gross value added (GVA), and 27.90 percent of services GVA. Nationally, the province accounts for 9.90 percent of industrial GVA, underscoring its importance in manufacturing.

This foundation is reinforced by CALABARZON’s continued expansion. The region grew by 5.10 percent in 2025 to PHP 3.44 trillion, driven largely by manufacturing. Approximately 7.37 million individuals were employed during the year; services accounted for 67.90 percent of jobs, followed by industry at 24.90 percent. Laguna itself posted an employment rate of 94.70 percent.

Population data further indicates market scale. Laguna reached 3.69 million people in the 2024 census, while Bay registered 69,802 inhabitants. Santo Domingo, where The Upstate is situated, emerged as the municipality’s most populous barangay with 10,404 residents.

Positioned along Manila South Road, Bay sits beside the academic and commercial hub of Los Baños. The nearby University of the Philippines Los Baños recorded 13,170 students in 2024, serving as a substantial institutional anchor. This academic population, along with faculty and employees, drives steady, recurring demand for local accommodations and supporting services.

Investment fundamentals with multiple ownership opportunities

The multi-tower condominium offers studio and one-bedroom units that integrate smart home-ready features and are complemented by a clubhouse, swimming pool, gym, jogging paths, play areas, pocket gardens, and roof decks.

The configurations allow buyers and investors to pursue vibrant ownership opportunities. For Overseas Filipinos, a condominium property can serve several purposes across different life stages: a Philippine-based asset, a future residence upon return, accommodation for relatives working or studying nearby, or a unit available for lease. This flexibility can support personal plans and portfolio-building objectives.

Established Filipinos, including professionals and entrepreneurs across IT-BPM, healthcare, e-commerce, logistics, manufacturing, and production, represent another market segment. These formats can serve as primary residences, weekday addresses, or additional assets, with access to workplaces, educational institutions, transport networks, and retail parks.

LTO summons unnamed TV personality as Eat Bulaga host’s driving video goes viral

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has summoned a TV host over a viral video that allegedly showed several traffic violations, including not wearing a seatbelt while driving and getting out of the vehicle while in the middle of the road.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sept. 22, the LTO said it issued a show cause order (SCO) against the registered owner and driver of an SUV after the agency received a viral video showing people recording themselves singing inside a moving vehicle.

LTO said the driver in the video was seen driving without a seatbelt. It also noted that toward the end of the video, the driver appeared to get out of the vehicle while it was on the road, leaving the vehicle’s door open before getting back inside.

‘Dahil dito, inaatasan ng LTO ang rehistradong may-ari at drayber ng SUV na humarap sa tanggapan ng Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) sa Setyembre 29, 2026 para sa pagdinig,’ read the statement.

The driver is required to submit a sworn statement or explanation, along with supporting documents, to explain why they should not be held liable for possible violations of failing to wear the prescribed seatbelt device and reckless driving.

‘Gayundin sa posibleng pagdeklara sa drayber bilang Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle, na maaaring magresulta sa pagsuspinde o pagbawi ng kanyang lisensya sa pagmamaneho,’ continued the statement.

The agency said it imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver’s license while the investigation is ongoing. The driver was also ordered to surrender his license to the LTO, while the license and vehicle remain under alarm status.

‘Walang masama sa pag-content at pagsasaya sa loob ng sasakyan, pero hindi kailanman dapat isantabi ang kaligtasan para dito,’ LTO Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao said.

‘Bilang lisensyadong drayber, alam niya ang kanyang responsibilidad na magsuot ng seatbelt, manatiling nakatuon sa pagmamaneho, at sumunod sa iba pang umiiral na batas-trapiko,’ he added.

While LTO did not identify the TV host in its statement, netizens, however, were quick to link its announcement to a video posted by ‘Eat Bulaga!’ host Maine Mendoza on Facebook on Saturday, Sept. 19. It was also reposted by fellow host Miles Ocampo.

The video showed Mendoza, Ocampo, Ryzza Mae Dizon and Ian Red inside a car while singing along to Cueshé’s ‘Ulan.’ Red appeared to be driving, with Mendoza in the front passenger seat and Ocampo and Dizon at the back.

Mendoza, who was wearing a seatbelt, recorded the video as they sang along to the song. Near the end of the clip, Red exaggeratedly sang his part of the song. Occasionally, he would put his hand out of the wheel as he belted out the lyrics.

However, Red was not seen getting out of the car during the video’s duration.

Some netizens also noticed that he was not wearing his seatbelt while driving, a violation of the LTO regulations.

As of writing, Red or any of his companions in the car have not commented on the LTO’s latest statement.

Marcos open to requiring congressional franchises for social media apps

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to a measure requiring social media platforms to secure congressional franchises before operating in the Philippines if the proposal is deemed beneficial for the safety of the public, according to Palace press officer Claire Castro.

The idea was raised anew by Quezon Rep. David ‘Jayjay’ Suarez as authorities grapple with concerns over online content, school security, and youth violence.

Castro, during a briefing on Tuesday, said the Department of Information and Communications Technology is also pushing for a similar proposal that would give the country a greater jurisdiction and authority over social media platforms.

‘Maganda pong panukala iyan. Tingnan po natin, definitely kapag nabasa po siguro ng Pangulo kung ano ang nilalaman ng mga version na iyan, kapag nakitang maganda at nakakabuti sa ating mga kababayan, hindi naman ito maghahadlang,’ she said when asked for a comment on Suarez’s proposal.

(That is a good proposal. Let us see; once the President reads the contents of those versions and sees that they are beneficial to our fellow citizens, he certainly won’t stand in the way.)

House Bill No. 4786, which Suarez filed in September 2025, seeks to classify social media as ‘public services of significant public consequence,’ subjecting major platforms to congressional oversight similar to broadcasting stations and public utilities.

The lawmaker said social media is not just entertainment but also shapes democracy, the economy, and the safety of the children. He said the measure would make platforms more accountable for content moderation failures.

Suarez’s renewed call followed a series of shooting incidents in three different schools, resulting in deaths.

The most recent was in Banga National High School in South Cotabato, which claimed the lives of three students and injured six others.

Who is House lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro in VP Duterte’s trial?

Batangas Second District Rep. Gerville Luistro is the House lead prosecutor for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

This Tuesday, Luistro leads the prosecution team’s direct examination of witness E-Government Procurement Operations Division Chief Rendell Sopeña from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGeps).

Luistro, prior to being the lead prosecutor, also headed Duterte’s impeachment proceedings before the House of Representatives as the chairperson of the House committee on justice.

There, she coined the term ‘mini-trial’ which has time and again been raised by the defense team. According to Luistro, there was no trial that happened in the justice panel but only clarificatory hearings.

She said the term was used with the intent to explain only what will happen before the committee hearings as it determines probable cause as opposed to the trial that will happen in the Senate.

Luistro also served as an interpellator in the House’s quad committee (quadcom) hearings where four House committees investigated large-scale national issues including the confidential funds of Sara Duterte, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, and the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo).

Earlier, Luistro also worked as a former confidential agent of the Bureau of Immigration, and consultant of the witness protection program under the Department of Justice (DOJ).

She also served as the executive assistant of former DOJ Secretary Hernando Perez and taught as a full-time professor at Lyceum of Batangas.

The congresswoman, who holds degrees in liberal arts and commerce, completed her law degree from the University of Batangas where she graduated cum laude and was recognized as best debater, before passing the bar examinations in 2002.