Category: Business Mirror

Seemingly frustrated by the government shutdown and Democrats’ unwillingness to accept a Republican funding bill, President Donald Trump is once again demanding that the Senate eliminate the legislative filibuster.

The filibuster is a longstanding parliamentary tool that halts action on most bills unless 60 senators in the 100-member chamber vote to move forward. Over the years, it has stymied policy priorities for Democrats and Republicans alike, and Trump has been complaining about the maneuver since his first White House term.

Getting rid of it would be a way for Republicans to immediately end the now month-long shutdown, he said. ‘It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option – Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!’ the president wrote on his social media site Thursday night.

But majority Republicans have strongly resisted calls to eliminate the legislative filibuster, since it would dilute their power if and when they are in the minority again. In its best form, the filibuster encourages compromise and dealmaking.

Here are some common questions about the filibuster, and why it’s coming up now in the shutdown debate.

What is a filibuster?

Unlike the House, the Senate places few constraints on lawmakers’ right to speak. But senators can use the chamber’s rules to hinder or block votes. That’s what’s effectively a filibuster-a term that, according to Senate records, began appearing in the mid-19th century.

The filibuster isn’t in the Constitution and it wasn’t part of the Founding Fathers’ vision for the Senate. It was created inadvertently after Vice President Aaron Burr complained in 1805 that the chamber’s rule book was redundant and overly complicated, according to historians.

But how the filibuster is used today doesn’t resemble the public’s longstanding perception of the tactic, which was made famous by the 1939 film, ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,’ in which James Stewart played a senator who spoke on the floor until exhaustion.

Now, senators inform their leaders-and often confirm publicly-that they will filibuster a bill. No lengthy speeches required. Nonetheless, the Senate still needs to muster 60 votes to move past that obstacle. If they get that, then senators can move to final passage, which only requires a simple majority.

Wait-isn’t the filibuster

already gone?

Yes, but only for nominations. In 2013, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., led Senate Democrats in eliminating the filibuster for all nominations except for candidates to the Supreme Court, triggering what’s known in the Senate as the ‘nuclear option.’ Democrats were fed up with repeated Republican filibusters of President Barack Obama’s nominees, especially to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, then the minority leader, furiously warned Democrats that they’d come to regret going nuclear. And he returned the favor in 2017, when Republicans moved to eliminate the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees as they confirmed Neil Gorsuch to the high court.

Trump mentioned in his Truth Social post that eliminating the filibuster would help Republicans get the ‘best Judges’ and the ‘best U.S. Attorneys,’ but it’s unclear what he meant since he needs only a simple majority to install those picks.

Democrats came close to dumping the legislative filibuster for voting rights legislation in 2022, but faced resistance from then-Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. They said changes to the filibuster would haunt Democrats if Republicans regain control of Congress and the White House-which the GOP did, not long after.

Earlier this year, Republicans changed the Senate’s rules further to make it easier to confirm large groups of the least controversial executive branch nominees. But they have resisted calls from Trump to eliminate so-called ‘blue slips’ that allow both senators to sign off on some lower court judges regardless of party.

What does this have to

do with the shutdown?

As with any government funding bill-and most other legislation-Republicans need help from at least a handful of Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold in the Senate since they control just 53 votes.

In exchange for their votes on a stopgap funding bill, most Democrats have been demanding an extension of subsidies for people who purchase health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say that’s a costly nonstarter, especially on a bill that keeps the federal government operating for a mere seven weeks.

Democrats argue that because the Senate needs 60 votes to advance funding bills, that gives them leverage. As the shutdown drags on, frustrated Republicans have been floating the idea of getting rid of the filibuster in order to erase that leverage.

‘Maybe it’s time to think about the filibuster,’ said Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, on Fox News earlier this month. ‘Let’s just vote with Republicans. We’ve got 52 Republicans. Let’s go, and let’s open the government. It may get to that.’ (There are 53 GOP senators, but one-Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul-is a committed ‘no’ on funding bills.)

Where do Republicans stand

on dumping the filibuster?

Unlike many other demands from Trump, GOP senators have generally resisted his calls to get rid of the filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has long defended the filibuster, and began his tenure as the Senate’s top official in January pledging to preserve it.

He reiterated those sentiments in early October, saying the filibuster is ‘something that makes the Senate the Senate’ and that the ’60-vote threshold has protected this country.’ His spokesman emphasized on Friday after Trump’s comments that Thune’s position hasn’t changed.

Veteran senators who have seen the chamber swing back and forth from Democratic to Republican control are generally the ones who are the most firm on keeping the filibuster. But even some newer members agree.

‘The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate,’ Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, elected in 2024, said on social media on Friday. ‘Power changes hands, but principles shouldn’t. I’m a firm no on eliminating it.’

Oftentimes, House Republicans weigh in on Senate strategy, urging GOP senators to follow Trump’s wishes to eliminate the filibuster. But House members-unfortunately for them-have no influence on what the Senate does.

Speaker Mike Johnson said he texted with the president after Trump’s late-night demand but refused to publicly weigh in on the filibuster question.

‘It’s not my call,’ Johnson said during his daily press conference at the Capitol.

PI DURDEN WANGKAY has proven he can rise on the Asian athletics stage and although he admits there’s still a long road ahead to reach the elite level, he’s confident he has what it takes.

The sprint champion, along with other Filipino medalists from the Third Asian Youth Games (AYG), already has plans to invest in his development after learning about the incentives pledged by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

‘I have potential,’ the 16-year-old Wangkay, winner of the 200-meter run in the AYG at Isa Sports City in Riffa, Bahrain.

‘I believe I can go beyond the SEA Games, not now but in time. I can compete at the Asian level. As for the World stage, I’m not sure yet-but we’ll work hard for it,’ he said.

‘The incentives will go a long way in helping me reach my goals,’ he added.

Each gold medal won by a Filipino individual athlete or pair in the Bahrain AYG is worth P500,000 and silver medals earn P300,000 and bronze medals P100,000, the PSC announced on Monday.

And there are more as POC president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino said that the POC would give P250,000 for the gold medalists, P150,000 for the silver winners and P75,000 for the bronze medalists.

The gold medalists will also be given iPhone 17 Pro Max units, while iPhone 17 will be given to silver and bronze medalists care of Sportsplus, the official gaming partner of the POC.

With a packed schedule leading up to his Southeast Asian Games debut later this year, Wangkay is prioritizing safe and strategic preparation-focusing on nutrition, training, and equipment.

‘I hope to clock the best times while avoiding injury so we’re trimming the schedule,’ the De La Salle Zobel product said.

Elite-level athletics training requires specialized resistance equipment that is not cheap, and Wangkay is grateful for the support.

‘I’ll use the incentives to cover the expenses of my mom and coach,’ he said.

Kram Airam Carpio was first to deliver gold for the Philippines, winning in pencak silat, while Charlie Ratcliff made noise with a 63-second triumph in the girls’ 45-kg modern mixed martial arts.

Muay was the most productive team with three gold medals from Lyre Anie Ngina in girls’ wai kru, Zeth Gabriel Bueno in boys’ wai kru, and the mai muay pair of Jan Brix Ramiscal and Tyron Jamborillo.

The Philippines capped its campaign with a thrilling finale, with Fil-American jiujitsu fighter Isabella Butler sealing her dominant week with a submission win for the gold in the girls’ -63kg class.

Jhodie Peralta, who had earlier earned incentives from the Zamboanga sports program following her triple-gold performance at the International Wrestling Federation World Youth and Junior Championships in Peru, now has additional funds for to support her family’s plan to purchase land.

At the AYG, she bagged silver in the snatch and bronze in the clean and jerk in the 53kg class and like Wangkay is also gearing up for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December.

The Philippines haul of seven gold, seven silver and 10 bronze was good for 12th place.

Tolentino lamented the country’s missed chances in other events such as beach volleyball and 3×3 basketball and urged sports stakeholders such as University Athletic Association of the Philippines teams to rally behind a common goal: ‘Put flag first.’

‘There were lessons learned there, we could have sent more medal contenders,’ Tolentino said.

PSC chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio emphasized the urgent need for deeper investment in youth sports.

‘When I attended the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, it became clear-we can win at this level. That’s why I’m thrilled the POC is prioritizing the Asian Youth Games. These young athletes are future contenders for the Asian Games and even the Olympics. We need to keep building, because we’re on the right track.’

GMA Integrated News’ podcast ‘Howie Severino Presents,’ hosted by award-winning journalist Howie Severino, returns with a new three-part special series, titled Online Invasion: The Secret Battle for Hearts, Minds, and Headlines. The series unpacks an emerging field of research called Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), which tracks how state-sponsored disinformation moves across borders and shapes what people believe.

A timely response to a growing global threat to democracy, Online Invasion features conversations with leading thinkers in the field.

The first episode, released last October 27, traces the recent history of FIMI, with insights from Dr. Rachel Khan of the University of the Philippines’ Journalism Department and the fact-checking coalition Tsek.ph. (tinyurl.com/3w6mpn78)

The next two episodes, dropping on November 3 and November 10, take deeper dives into how foreign disinformation networks have penetrated the Philippines, and explain how the public can inoculate themselves from manipulation.

‘Our main goal,’ Severino says, ‘is to help audiences think critically about the information they consume. And since podcast listeners are usually already well-informed, we hope they can help their families-their parents, titos, and titas-do the same. In short: think before you click.’

Adds Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, senior vice president and head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy: ‘In an era where information can be weaponized, GMA Integrated News remains steadfast in its commitment to combat disinformation through the ‘Howie Severino Presents’ special series. Our leadership in media literacy and public trust is not just a responsibility but a cornerstone of our mission to deliver credible and responsible journalism.’

Online Invasion is produced by the GMA Integrated News Digital Strategy and Innovation Lab (DigiLab).

Episode 2 of Online Invasion: The Secret Battle for Hearts, Minds, and Headlines is available on November 3, and Episode 3 on November 10, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and GMA Integrated News’ social platforms.

THE Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Monday announced that it has filed criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against 97 individuals who were involved in the violent protest action last September 21 near Malacañang Palace.

CIDG Director Major Gen. Robert Morico II said the involved protesters were charged with inciting to sedition, conspiracy and proposal to commit sedition, and sedition under the Revised Penal Code.

The charges were filed last Tuesday before the DOJ-National Prosecution Service.

Morico added that another batch of a complaint against at least 40 individuals, including the instigators and financiers of the protest, would also be filed soon.

‘The investigation is continuing and in the next few days, we will be filing again cases against the instigators and supposed people behind the violent incident in Recto and in Mendiola,’ he said.

It can be recalled that some of the protesters attempted to storm Malacañang to show their outrage over the massive corruption in the government’s flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Several policemen were injured after protesters threw rocks, bottles and other objects at them while attempting to break barriers.

Protesters also burned several tires in front of a shipping container used by authorities as a blockage.

The PNP has reportedly issued subpoenas against several student leaders to appear before it for investigation in connection with the September 21 rally.

EMINENT local and international artists support the fundraising initiative of the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Dubbed ‘Funding the Future,’ the event celebrates the institution’s commitment to engage with contemporary art and culture, its practice and production, as well as its presentation and interpretation.

As a non-profit museum, MCAD relies on the generosity of patrons, supporters, and its closest advocates to ensure its curatorial and learning programs remain free and accessible to all. Proceeds of the affair will go toward sustaining the museum’s various cultural and art-inspired undertakings.

The projects include Curatorial Conversations, the annual mentorship program for young practicing curators; MCAD Commons, a collaborative exhibition platform with regional institutions and art spaces that allows for creative development, ideas exchange, and curatorial discourse; and MCAD Publications, which promotes the generation and propagation of new ideas in contemporary art and design through exhibition-related catalogues and artist monographs.

Art patron and planning committee member Pam Gonzales Lopez shared: ‘I support MCAD because I truly believe in what it stands for: a free, inclusive space for dialogue and discovery through art.’

‘I love that MCAD is a non-collecting museum, which means it stays fresh and experimental, bringing world-class exhibitions to Manila while supporting living artists,’ she added.

Central to the success of this fundraiser is the generosity of artists, individuals, and galleries, who donated artworks and experiences to the exhibition and auction.

The exhibit will showcase pieces from the collection of artist-supporters, including Pacita Abad, Pio Abad, Poklong Anading, Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan, Martha Atienza, Victor Balanon, Nice Buenaventura, Lesley-Anne Cao, Mariano Ching, Jonathan Ching, Charlie Co, Lena Cobangbang, Kiri Dalena, Corinne De San Jose, Lourd de Veyra, Patricia Perez Eustaquio, Dex Fernandez, Michelle Lopez, and Tona Lopez.

Completing the roster are Zoraya Lua, Dominic Mangila, Lui Medina, Manny Montelibano, Wawi Navarroza, Manuel Ocampo, Kaloy Olavides, Gary-Ross Pastrana, Paul Pfeiffer, Goldie Poblador, Issay Rodriguez, Luis Antonio Santos, Elisa Tan, Maria Taniguchi, Derek Tumala, Miguel Lorenzo Uy, Veejay Villafranca, Liv Vinluan, and Costantino Zicarelli.

The artwork donations, which range from drawings and paintings, to objects, photographs, and video art will be on view to the public beginning November 9, 2025 at the MCAD. It is open from Tuesdays through Sundays, and will run until November 16, 2025.

An online catalogue will likewise be available on the website of Leon Gallery, the official auction partner of the event. The benefit dinner and auction will be held on November 15, 2025 at MCAD. Attendees will receive a limited-edition work by artists Lani Maestro and Neo Maestro.

MCAD is at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) along Dominga Street, Malate, Manila.

THE Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference closes the first of its two preliminary phases Tuesday with a pair of rematches between ZUS Coffee and Akari and Capital1 and Choco Mucho.

The mathes were actually played on opening day of the conference but sans the imports who sat it out in the absence of their ITC, or International Transfer Certificates.

Among the four, the Thunderbelles emerged as the revelation of the conference with powerhouse import Anna DeBeer not only delivering on firepower but also providing inspiration and composure that have elevated the play of the local crew.

The result’s an immaculate 4-0 record in Pool B, making them the only unbeaten squad in both groups.

They’ll look to preserve the streak when they face the Chargers at 4 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

But while ZUS Coffee is brimming with confidence, Akari has quietly built momentum of its own, winning three of its first four outings to nearly secure the No. 3 slot behind the Thunderbelles and the Creamline Cool Smashers (3-2).

In the middle, Akari’s Ced Domingo and Fifi Sharma will have their hands full against Riza Nogales, AC Miner and Thea Gagate, while on the wings, Annie Mitchem, Eli Soyud, Grethcel Soltones and Chenie Tagaod will try to counter the balanced assault of Fiola Ceballos, Kate Santiago, and Jovelyn Gonzaga.

The 6:30 p.m. clash between Choco Mucho and Capital1 is also shaping up to be another thriller-both teams tote 2-2 records and the winner will secure the No. 3 spot in Pool A and advance alongside PLDT and Farm Fresh (both at 4-1) to the next stage.

THE movie exhibition business is closing out one of its slowest Octobers in over 25 years with a sluggish Halloween weekend. Studios avoided opening any major new films with the holiday falling on a Friday. Instead, there were several re-releases including Back to the Future, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the Netflix phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters.

But even with a top 10 in which no films earned more than $10 million, there was still a bit of excitement as two studios claimed the No.1 spot on Sunday. Universal’s horror sequel Black Phone 2 was largely expected to top the charts in its third weekend in theaters, and the studio reported that it was going to be in first place with an estimated $8 million.

About 30 minutes later, Paramount reported that its romantic drama Regretting You had earned an estimated $8.1 million, which would place it in the top spot instead. Box office tracker Comscore went by the numbers and gave the first place title to Regretting You. Sunday numbers are based on estimates and projections, however, and sometimes Monday actuals tell a different story.

Regretting You is the latest Colleen Hoover adaptation to open in theaters since It Ends With Us became a runaway hit in theaters. With a running domestic total of $27.5 million, this newest film is not going to match its predecessor, which made $50 million its first weekend.

In three weekends, Black Phone 2 has made $61.5 million domestically and $104.7 million globally. Universal also handled the nationwide re-release of Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future which earned $4.7 million from 2,290 theaters-enough to snag a fifth-place spot on the North American charts. The 1985 time travel classic now has a domestic total of $221.7 million.

Though there were plenty of HUNTR/X costumes on the streets this weekend, KPop Demon Hunters didn’t do as well as it did when it played in theaters in August. That weekend, the streaming hit sold between $16 and $20 million in movie tickets. This weekend, it’s estimated to have earned somewhere in the $5 million range from 2,890 screens. Two distribution executives shared numbers on the condition of anonymity because Netflix has a policy of not reporting ticket sales.

Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll’s Chainsaw Man-The Movie: Reze Arc dropped a steep 67% in its second weekend and is projected to add $6 million from 3,003 locations, bringing its total to $30.8 million.

Focus Features also launched Bugonia into wide release after several weeks in limited. With an estimated $4.8 million from 2,043 theaters, it marks filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos’s best wide break to date. The darkly comedic thriller stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons and is expected to be an awards season player.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere landed in sixth place, behind Back to the Future, and down 57% in its second weekend. It earned $3.8 million, putting its domestic total at $16.3 million and its global tally at $30.6 million. ‘This was a truly scary weekend,’ said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s head of marketplace trends. ‘It was this imperfect storm of Halloween on a Friday and the World Series on Friday and Saturday. But the studios and theaters knew this was on the horizon and they planned for it.’

The weekend may net out to be one of the lowest grossing of the year, closing out an unusually slow October. With the exception of October 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the month’s total ticket sales ($443 million) have not been this low since 1998 ($455.5 million).

The next two weekends may bring some energy back to multiplexes, however, with releases, like Predator: Badlands and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, but the industry will likely have to wait until closer to Thanksgiving for a real blockbuster when Wicked: For Good and Zootopia 2 enter the mix.

‘This was always going to be a tough weekend. The audience was truly fragmented,’ Dergarabedian said. ‘There are weekends where the movie theaters are the focus of the attention, and those are coming.’

As Typhoon Tino entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that it had prepositioned over 2.1 million family food packs (FFPs) in key areas across the country under its Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, who heads the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), said preparations began as early as last week.

‘Since last week, we have been monitoring this weather phenomenon and are regularly coordinating with PAGASA to understand the forecast track of Typhoon Tino,’ said Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson.

Currently, more than 128,000 family food packs are ready for distribution in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), about 89,000 in Region 6 (Western Visayas), and over 81,000 in the Caraga Region.

The BBH program ensures that food and non-food relief items are ready and strategically stored in regional, provincial, and municipal warehouses-especially in areas expected to be affected by the storm.

She also assured the public that the DSWD has an efficient replenishment mechanism, particularly in the Visayas region. The Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu, produces between 18,000 and 20,000 food packs daily.

As of Monday, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 has been raised in several areas, prompting residents in coastal and low-lying communities to evacuate to safer locations. PAGASA warned of storm surges exceeding three meters in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC) has also been placed under Red Alert status to strengthen coordination and monitoring among government agencies.

Dumlao reminded the public to remain vigilant and follow official advisories for their safety.

‘We continue to urge everyone to listen to government officials and follow evacuation and safety instructions to avoid harm,’ she said.

Despite multiple emergencies nationwide, Dumlao emphasized that the DSWD remains committed to assisting affected families, including those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

Nutritional needs

The DSWD also assured the public that the Family Food Packs (FFPs) and Ready-to-Eat Food (RTEF) boxes meet the nutritional standards for internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by disasters.

‘These food packs meet the nutritional requirements of our IDPs,’ Dumlao said, explaining that their contents were developed in partnership with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and comply with standards set by the National Nutrition Council (NNC).

Each FFP contains 6 kilograms of rice, 10 assorted canned goods (four tuna flakes in oil, four corned beef, and two sardines), five sachets of instant coffee, and five sachets of chocolate malt drink. Each pack is designed to feed a family of five for two to three days.

Meanwhile, the DSWD also distributes Ready-to-Eat Food (RTEF) boxes-Halal-certified meals intended for evacuees and stranded passengers. An RTEF box includes five cans of tuna paella, one can of chicken pastil, one can of giniling, two packs of arroz caldo, three packs of champorado, two protein biscuits, and one infant food item.

‘There are no noodles included,’ Dumlao clarified.

To complement these food packs, the DSWD deploys mobile kitchens to serve hot meals to residents in disaster-stricken areas.

‘These hot meals are freshly prepared and served through our mobile kitchens to support the food boxes we provide,’ she said.

Red Cross mobilizes Cebu chapters, volunteers as storm Tino approaches

In line with the directive of PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon, the Philippine Red Cross has placed all its Cebu Chapters on full alert as Severe Tropical Storm Tino (Kalmaegi) continues to move westward and is expected to affect parts of the Visayas region in the coming days.

PRC said that all chapters in potentially affected areas have been instructed to undertake precautionary measures, mobilize their 143 volunteers, and ensure that all emergency response assets are on standby for immediate deployment.

Over the weekend, the PRC Lapu-Lapu/Cordova Chapter convened to discuss the chapter’s preparedness and deployment strategy, wherein rescue boats and other lifesaving equipment have been readied in anticipation of possible flooding and sea-related emergencies.

In Northern Cebu, despite the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake that affected the province, PRC personnel and volunteers have intensified their readiness efforts to support forthcoming response operations related to STS Tino.

Meanwhile, the PRC Cebu Chapter in Central Cebu remains on standby, ensuring that all vehicles, rescue equipment, and emergency supplies are fully operational and ready for mobilization should the need arise.

The PRC continue to work closely with LGUs, partners, and its volunteers to ensure that timely assistance are extended to affected and at-risk communities.

For emergencies and urgent assistance, the PRC advise the public to dial 143.

FROM the top of the competition, collecting gold medals across continents, Meggie Ochoa finds herself in unfamiliar territory.

She is still immersed in the world of jiu-jitsu, but now it’s less about chasing medals and more about shaping futures.

It’s much tougher being a coach, Ochoa admits, but she is loving it.

‘It’s much harder than I imagined,’ she admitted. ‘As an athlete, you focus on your own game. As a coach, you think about the whole team. You can’t control everything, and sometimes you just want to jump in and fight the match yourself.’

‘You need to manage your emotions because you have to be on top of things and you also need to be more composed for the athletes, so they won’t be rattled,’ said Ochoa.

Ochoa worked with coach Chris Gallego in guiding the 18-member Philippine youth jiu-jitsu team at the recentThird Asian Youth Games in Bahrain.

The Philippines wound up fifth in the jiu-jitsu medal table with one gold and one bronze medal-the United Arab Emirates topped the list with two gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

‘I used to think I’d just be an athlete forever,’ she said. ‘But when I started coaching in 2024, I found fulfillment I didn’t expect. I realized I was more willing to let go of competing than I was to give up coaching.’

Ochoa made history as the first Filipino to win gold at the JJIF World Championships in 2018.

The 35-year-old Ochoa now helps oversee the development of around 50 grapplers, but she said the Philippine team has identified many more promising talents.

Ochoa was on the corner for 15-year-old Mara Alexandria Sarinas, who claimed the bronze medal in the girls’ -57kg division with a submission win over Thailand’s Prasita Rumakom.

Asian Youth Games gold medalist Isabella Butler is also one of the younger stars-from Art of Jiu-jitsu in California-that Ochoa believes will be an inspiration to their wards.

Butler’s dominating performance-Gallego was on the corner having previously trained at Butler’s jiujitsu academy-has been an eye-opener for the Philippine team, Ochoa said.

‘Bella is a huge inspiration and a valuable lesson for us,’ Ochoa said. ‘We want to learn from the system that’s helping her grow. We need to study how they build champions so we can elevate our own system in the Philippines. Because right now, it’s clear-we’re not yet where we should be.’

‘We’re still far from where we need to be to reach our vision,’ Ochoa added.

‘But I’m excited because we’ve started identifying what needs to be done. Jiu-jitsu already delivers medals in the adult division. Now we need to bridge the gap in youth development.’

Ochoa likens herself to a white belt again-this time in coaching.

She’s attending clinics, learning from fellow mentors.

She’s not done competing entirely-she’ll still fight outside the national team, just to satisfy that competitive urge-but her heart is now with the kids.

‘I’m challenged every day,’ she said. ‘And when I’m challenged, that’s when I’m most driven to grow.’

AS Thomas Frank led Tottenham players to pay respects to fans in spite of a 1-nil loss to Chelsea at home this past Saturday evening, the fans at White Hart Lane rained down boos.

This despite Tottenham currently at fourth place in the Premier League with a 5-2-3 record.

In this thrilling and exciting World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays (won by the Dodgers Sunday despite the Blue Jays’ home field advantage), there is no love lost for fans of the former for George Springer who is playing for the Toronto.

The Dodgers and their fans finally got one back against Springer.

Springer was part of that Houston Astros team that was called out for cheating during the 2017 season when they met in the World Series. The New York Yankees also called out Houston for sign stealing, a camera that was illegally installed in a spot where it should, and banging on a trash bin to relay signals.

And this past week, Mexican Formula 1 fans lustily booed McLaren’s driver Lando Norris who won the race and took over teammate Oscar Piastri who he leads by a slim point, 357-356, in the Driver’s Championship standings.

Fans feel that Piastri is being shafted by McLaren so Norris will win. And there’s Mexican fans not taking to Norris’ comments about Sergio Perez in the previous season when he said that the latter wasn’t good enough to push teammate Max Verstappen.

With four races left-Sao Paolo, Las Vegas, Qatar and the season-ending Abu Dhabi-the title is still up for grabs-third running Max Verstappen can still win it.

And a couple of weeks ago, when the Oklahoma City Thunder received their championship rings, Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets were in town. The OKC crowd cheered for their former center Steven Adams who now wears a Rockets uniform. Yet, when Durant was announced immediately after, a rain of boos cascaded down the Paycom Center.

Fans feel that Durant was supposed to lead them to a title but departed for Golden State where he won with Steph Curry.

The funny thing is-Durant booed the fans right back.

Of course, it is nothing new especially in sports as booing is a sign of displeasure whether because of a loss, unsportsmanlike behavior, players leaving their team in a lurch especially for a rival, lethargic performances by their own team, and others.

Booing of course can be an efficient weapon by the huge home field ally, the fans. It backfires when the foe takes the victory.

There’s the case of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun who after being suspended for the use of performance enhancing drugs for 65 games without pay. When he returned, in spite of being on the receiving end of a fusillade of boos, he would smack home runs-game winning ones-on home fields of opposing teams. He performed even better on the road.

In a National Hockey League match, Montreal Canadiens fans booed the playing of Star Spangled Banner against the New York Islanders in protest of the war in Iraq. It pumped up the Islanders who dealt the Canadiens a 6-3 defeat.

When Real Madrid ventured to the Etihad Stadium, to play Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, fans booed Vinicius Jr after his team’s insisting he should have won the Ballon d’Or over the home side’s Rodri who took home world football’s biggest individual award.

‘Where’s your Ballon d’Or’ fans mocked Vinicius.

Madrid knocked out Man City, 3-2.

So booing can be a weapon or a great motivator. It really is how one responds to adversity whether they have the mental fortitude or not to deal with it.

Having said that, people should take consolation from that Alex Rodriguez quote, ‘Nobody never booed a nobody.’