Category: Business Mirror

UNBEATEN defending champion National University (NU) boosted its quarterfinals twice-to-beat advantage bid after beating University of the Philippines (UP), 25-20, 23-25, 25-13, 25-18, for a second straight win in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup second round Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Skipper Vange Alinsug and Celine Marsh did most of the damage as the ‘four-peat-seeking’ Lady Bulldogs again stamped their class over their National Invitationals Davao Leg gold medal match victim for the solo lead in Pool E.

NU came up with a strong third set fightback after yielding the second frame and carried the momentum into the fourth for its fifth straight victory overall in the tournament, backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.

Alinsug scored 14 points from 11 kills, two kill blocks and an ace to go with five excellent receptions and two digs in an all-around performance for the Lady Bulldogs, who were inspired by the presence of their former ace player and decorated spiker Bella Belen watching on the sideline.

Marsh finished with 14 points off 10 kills, including the match-clinching crosscourt hit that ended the one-hour, 53-minute encounter, and four aces, while Alexa Mata added 10 markers for NU, which came off a five-set escape over Adamson University on Saturday.

‘We always motivate ourselves because we’re playing one match after another,’ Alinsug said. ‘And our goal is to perform well each match.’

Frances Mordi, meanwhile, powered Adamson University to a 25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 25-15 rebound win over Ateneo de Manila University in Pool E to remain in contention for a quarterfinals twice-to-beat advantage.

The Nigerian winger blasted 20 points anchored on 17 kills and three kill blocks for the Lady Falcons, who improved to a 1-1 slate following a five-set loss to reigning three-time champion National University on Saturday.

Princess Dote had eight points while Joy Aseo and Lhouriz Tuddao added seven markers each as Adamson opted to sit out ace spiker Shaina Nitura for the second straight game.

The Blue Eagles lost steam in the fourth set after surviving a tight third frame to start their second-round campaign.

May Tsunashima was the lone Ateneo player in double figures with 12 points, all coming from spikes. Zey Pacia had nine markers while Dona De Leon added eight points.

Jelai Gajero and Cassiey Dongallo scored 14 points each with a combined 25 kills in the Fighting Maroons’ 45 attack points.

Nina Ytang added seven points but failed to save UP, which threw away 35 points off errors, from absorbing its first loss in the tournament after a three-game sweep of the preliminary round

Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila urged Filipinos to rediscover the true meaning of holiness and ‘normalize sainthood’ in everyday life as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines launched its new CBCP Office for the Postulation of the Causes of Saints.

Speaking at the First National Postulation Conference held October 7 at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila, he said holiness is not a privilege for a few but a call for all the baptized.

‘Let us normalize the idea of sainthood for all, especially among the young people. God did not call the perfect or the ideal-He looked at the heart and the potential,’ Advincula said during the ‘Llamados a ser Santos [Called to be Saints] Postulation Conference 2025.’

The cardinal described the conference as timely and crucial amid the nation’s moral and social challenges.

‘It was when times were extremely dark that the Lord called saints to serve as beacons of light amid the decadence and despair,’ he said. ‘We are saints in process, and the Lord is not finished with us yet.’

Advincula reminded the faithful that holiness is not measured by perfection or miracles but by love, humility, and service.

‘The Lord is calling every one of us to be saints-to proclaim the light and joy of the Gospel in our homes, parishes, and communities,’ he added.

Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag, chairman of the new CBCP office, said its mission is to assist dioceses and religious communities in promoting candidates for sainthood and to rekindle public awareness of the universal call to holiness.

‘The office aims to help dioceses and communities advance their sainthood causes and to make people aware of this universal call to holiness,’ Mayugba said.

There are currently two canonized Filipino saints-St. Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod.

As of today, the Philippine Church has 22 other causes officially recognized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. Of these, seven remain under investigation in the dioceses where the causes were initiated, while 15 are under review by the Holy See, or in what is known as the Roman Phase.

Among those advancing in the Roman Phase are the causes of Venerables Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, Maria Beatrice Rosario Arroyo, Fr. Aloysius Schwartz, Mother Francisca del Espíritu Santo de Fuentes, Sr. Joaquina Mercedes Barceló, Bishop Alfredo Obviar, and Mother Ignacia del Espíritu Santo.

Advincula expressed hope that through the work of the new office, more Filipinos-clergy, religious, and laypeople alike-will be inspired to live as ‘saints next door.’

He also dispelled the notion that holiness is reserved for those who perform miracles or live without sin.

‘Holiness is a lifelong process of spiritual growth and deepening one’s relationship with God,’ the cardinal said.

The national conference gathered postulators, diocesan representatives, and members of religious congregations from across the country to strengthen collaboration in promoting Filipino sainthood causes.

Advincula called on the faithful to persevere in their spiritual journey.

‘May we raise more Filipino saints-canonized and the ordinary ‘next-door’ saints. May the Lord bless the work that you do. Padayon tayo sa landas ng kabanalan [Let us continue on the path of holiness],’ he said.

Angel Reese is getting a pair of wings.

The Chicago Sky star announced on Instagram that she will be walking in the upcoming Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on October 15.

It will be the first time a professional athlete will walk the runway in the show.

‘Stepping into a dream: From Angel to a Victoria Secret ANGEL,’ the 23-year-old Reese posted on Instagram. ‘I’m finally getting my wings I’ll be walking the Victoria’s Secret 2025 runway show for the first time, and it feels like destiny. Wings on, heels ready.Catch me on the runway.’

The retailer posted a video on Instagram of the announcement showing the Women’s National Basketball Association player in a pink robe, black lingerie and white feather wings.

‘Angel Reese, welcome to the runway. The first professional athlete angel.major is an understatement,’ the post reads.

The lingerie show began in 2001 and took place annually for nearly two decades. Victoria’s Secret canceled the show in 2019, but brought it back last year, with Reese attending.

Two cousins will meet in the final of the Shanghai Masters after qualifier Valentin Vacherot stunned a hobbled Novak Djokovic and relative Arthur Rinderknech fought back to beat Daniil Medvedev on Saturday.

The 204th-ranked Vacherot earned the biggest win of his career by downing Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 and becoming the lowest-ranked finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history, the ATP said.

While Djokovic was aiming to add to his 100 career titles, the 26-year-old Vacherot will go for number one – against his cousin and fellow Texas A and M alum.

A couple of hours after beating Djokovic, Vacherot walked back onto the court and hugged Rinderknech to help celebrate his cousin’s 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 comeback win over Medvedev and relish the rare moment. Sunday’s final will be the first time the cousins have played each other on the ATP circuit.

‘In the best dreams, we couldn’t have dreamt about this, so I can’t even say it’s a dream, because I don’t think even one person in our family dreamt about it,’ the 54th-ranked Rinderknech said. ‘Now we are here, we fought through so many matches and somehow we are the guys standing at the end, so it’s just incredible.’

Vacherot, of Monaco, was an alternate in qualifying but is having a career week, which included a quarterfinal win over Holger Rune.

‘Is this real? I don’t know,’ the 26-year-old Vacherot said moments after defeating Djokovic. ‘To have Novak on the other side of the court was, first of all, an unbelievable experience for me.’

The 38-year-old Djokovic was slowed throughout the match by a sore hip. He took a medical timeout after falling behind 4-3 in the opening set. He won only one point in the next two games.

But the four-time tournament champion did not make an excuse of his physical struggles.

‘It’s all about him,’ Djokovic said. ‘I wish him all the best in the final, and the better player won today.

‘Going from qualifications, it’s an amazing story,’ the 24-time Grand Slam champion added. ‘I told him at the net that he’s had an amazing tournament, but more so his attitude is very good, and his game was amazing as well.’

SENATOR Christopher ‘Bong’ Go underscored the importance of sustained partnerships and government investment in sports, saying the victories of Filipino athletes in international competitions are clear proof that proper funding and support lead to historic achievements that bring pride to the nation.

Speaking during the budget deliberations for the proposed 2026 allocations of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Games and Amusements Board (GAB) and Philippine Racing Commission (PhilRaCom) last week, Go recalled the country’s strong performance in recent years including the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.

Go-as chair of the Senate Committee on Sports and Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee-proudly pointed out that whole-of-society approach played a vital role in the success particularly in winning its first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo through weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and securing two gold medals in Paris courtesy of gymnast Carlos Yulo.

‘Those gold medals make us proud as Filipinos,’ Go said.

Go said these victories prove that the country’s investments in athletes-from training to equipment and facilities-yield results that elevate the Philippines’ global reputation.

‘Our recent performance solidified our country’s reputation as a major contender in international sporting events,’ he said. ‘This just also proves that government support is crucial to the success of Filipino athletes.’

He lauded the PSC for supporting the successful hosting of the men’s world volleyball championship where the Philippines scored a historic win over Egypt as he highlighted the country’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 that gave the nation a rare opportunity to showcase its hospitality and love for the sport.

He emphasized that beyond the medals and trophies, the athletes’ triumphs create a powerful sense of national pride, inspire the youth to pursue sports and contribute to economic and tourism growth.

‘Hosting is great, for as long as it’s well disciplined, the result will be great success, but not only in sports but also in tourism,’ Go said.

Go reiterated his commitment to continuously fight for increased sports funding, noting that the PSC’s share in the national budget remains small compared to the immense value generated by athletic success.

‘The budget for the PSC is about only 0.004 percent of the national budget,’ he said. But if we win, the pride and honor is for each and every Filipino.’ The senator said he will continue working with his colleagues in the Senate to ensure that sports programs receive sufficient resources to nurture more champions in the future.

Tiger Woods has gone through a seventh back surgery, this time to replace a disk in his lower back and had caused pain and mobility issues.

Woods said in a social media post he had the surgery in New York and said it was the right decision for his his health and his troubled back.

He did not mention how long it would keep him out of golf, though it was unclear if he was going to try to play in his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas or the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie. Both tournaments are in December.

He hasn’t played since a playoff loss in the PNC Championship last year.

It was his second surgery of the year – he had surgery in March after rupturing his left Achilles tendon – and second back surgery in the last 13 months.

Woods said he consulted doctors and surgeons have experiencing pain and lack of mobility in his back.

‘The scans determined that I had a collapsed disc in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal,’ Woods said Saturday. ‘I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decisions for my health and my back.’

Woods had the first of his seven back surgery in April 2014, which eventually led to having his lower back fused in 2017. A year later, he won the Tour Championship and then captured his 15th major and fifth green jacket at the 2019 Masters.

Now his back is only part of a body that has been broken over the last five years. Most serious was a car crash in February 2021 that shattered his right leg and ankle, which Woods has said nearly led to a decision to amputate.

He managed to return a year later at the 2022 Masters.

Since the car crash, Woods has played only 15 times in the last four years, four of those at the PNC Championship where he can use a cart for the 36-hole event.

The government’s peace office has honored Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, archbishop emeritus of Cotabato, for his lifelong mission of ‘healing divisions and inspiring hope.’

Quevedo, 86, was among this year’s recipients of the Gawad Kapayapaan award of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).

The cardinal was recognized as the agency culminated the observance of this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month at a hotel in Taguig City on September 30.

He was joined by two other awardees: Maria Veronica Tabara, a former revolutionary leader turned peace advocate, and the provincial government of Basilan.

In his message, Quevedo emphasized that peace is not merely the successful implementation of agreements and laws, but ‘the presence of mutual trust, respect, and understanding.’

‘It is born in the heart,’ Quevedo said. ‘Let us continue building bridges-not only between communities, but between hearts-for only together can we truly walk the path of peace.’

He dedicated the award to the countless individuals-Muslims, Christians, and Lumads-‘who have labored quietly for peace.’

From his early days as bishop of Kidapawan to co-founding the Bishops-Ulama Conference in 1996, OPAPRU said Quevedo has worked to build bridges of understanding, respect, and solidarity among Mindanao’s diverse faith communities.

Now a member of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Council of Leaders, the agency said Quevedo continues to play a key role to help address conflict and promote dialogue, justice, and empowerment, the agency said.

‘His decades of service to the Church and communities in Mindanao show us that peace is built not only through institutions, but through compassion, unity, and faith in humanity,’ OPAPRU said.

Pope Leo XIV commissioned 39 new catechists worldwide, including two Filipinos who devoted years of service to the Church.

Charlita Tabigue of the Diocese of Surigao and Rodina Anonuevo of the Diocese of San Pablo received the catechist ministry during Mass in St. Peter’s Square on September 28.

Catechists from Brazil, India, Mozambique, South Korea, England, the United States and other countries each received a crucifix from the pope as a sign of their mission during the three-day Jubilee of Catechists’ closing liturgy.

In his homily, Pope Leo described catechists as ‘disciples who become witnesses,’ saying their mission is rooted in both word and life.

‘The name of your ministry comes from the Greek verb katechein, which means ‘to teach aloud, to make resound,” the pope said.

‘The catechist is a person of the word-a word that he or she pronounces with his or her own life,’ he added.

He stressed that the first catechists are parents who transmit faith at home, around the family table.

‘Just as we learned our mother tongue, so too the proclamation of the faith cannot be delegated to someone else; it happens where we live,’ he said.

Pope Leo also called catechesis a lifelong journey, shared across all stages of life. He pointed to the Catechism as the ‘travel guidebook’ of faith, safeguarding unity against individualism and discord.

‘When we teach the faith, we do not merely give instructions, but we place the word of life in hearts, so that it may bear fruits of a good life,’ he said.

Tabigue, head catechist of Saint Augustine Parish in Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, said her journey began three decades ago, inspired by her family’s witness of faith and service.

Her service started in 1990 when she dedicated herself fully to catechesis, continuing even as a wife and mother of three, balancing parish, family and school commitments.

‘At first I thought my family might hinder my service,’ Tabigue said. ‘But with conviction and trust in the Lord, I found peace and joy.’

She embraced catechesis as both mission and joy, teaching in schools, leading adult formation programs and mentoring new catechists across several parishes in her diocese.

‘Through all this, I found true joy even amid difficulties-I find peace in God,’ Tabigue said.

Anonuevo, lay coordinator for the Shrine Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer-Mamatid in Cabuyao City, Laguna, traced her vocation to early involvement in faith formation.

She said teaching has always been her passion, which grew stronger after completing a Certificate in Early Childhood Education and serving children in public and private schools.

Now overseeing catechist formation, training, and outreach in her district, Anonuevo said she serves with gratitude, always finding God’s presence in small, everyday acts of kindness.

‘Through nearly 14 years in ministry, I’ve learned true impact comes through small actions,’ she said. ‘A simple service, a smile, or a simple thank you-these, too, are expressions of catechesis and evangelization.’

Pope Francis established the lay ministry of catechist in 2021 through the apostolic letter Antiquum Ministerium. He described it as a ‘stable form of service’ and a lifelong vocation of teaching the faith, distinct from temporary catechetical tasks.

BUSINESSMIRROR just turned 20 years old the other day, and in this digital age, that is quite a milestone.

By September of 2026, I will have been writing for the newspaper for 20 years now. Not strictly as a sports columnist, but also as a writer in their music section, Soundstrip.

I never thought I would write professionally. As a youngster, I loved illustration and design. Art was my favorite subject, and I attended art workshops during the summer. No doubt, that was due to my love for comics books.

As for design, I made it a habit to visit the annual interior design exhibits of students from St. Paul’s College Quezon City that were held at Greenhills. I spent hours just looking at the exhibits and trying to understand how and why they came up with the designs, the use of space and why specific materials were used.

I parlayed this into designing the sets for our class plays.

Now, my reading skills and comprehension weren’t very good, so my parents enrolled me in a speed reading and comprehension class in Makati on weekends. Furthermore, my dad made sure I read the newspaper every day (news, politics, the economy) where he would quiz me afterwards.

After my graduation from grade school, my mother gave me one hundred pesos as a gift-a princely sum back in 1981.

With that money, I bought my first books-The Lord of the Rings trilogy at National Bookstore Ali Mall that collectively cost less than P70. Actually, the impetus for buying those books came from a Betamax tape of The Lord of the Rings animated film by Ralph Baskhi. My mom rented the tape and I must have seen it five times during that three-day rental period.

I couldn’t stop reading after that.

How that all translated into writing was while reading Sports Illustrated.the swimsuit edition cover dated February 1, 1985. The one with supermodel Paulina Porizkova on the cover.

Does anyone read that?

I did.

One thing that I took away wasn’t just how beautiful and in love I was with the Czech supermodel. It was also the writing. For real!

It was an excerpt from John Feinstein’s book, A Season on the Brink: A Year with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers. In my young life, I had not read such writing that took you behind the scenes and made you feel like you were not only there but knew everyone from afar.

That school year (I was now in college), we were asked by our English professor during our English Honors Section class to write a ‘sequel of sorts’ to JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.

I struggled in my English class, but the paper I turned in for that got me an ‘A-plus.’

I guess I impressed some people because a year later, my aunt, Nena Olivares, president and co-founder of the Times Journal had me writing sports for their expat newspaper, News Today. Then I became a contributor to the Lifestyle and Entertainment section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer under Llita Logarta and Thelma Sioson-San Juan.

From there, I went into advertising where my writing was further refined.

After coming back from a sojourn in the United States, I followed former Ateneo Blue Eagles manager Paolo Trillo in writing the weekly ‘Blue Eagle Bulletins.’ Believe it or not, that brought me not only the Ateneo audience, but others as well.

Then BusinessMirror’s Ricky Alegre and sports editor Jun Lomibao paid me a visit at the marketing offices of Solar Sports for an ex-deal with their new broadsheet. They also provided me with a newspaper column and more. And that leads to this today.

As a young college student, I purchased Atlas Sports Weekly, Sports Flash and then Champ. I cut out columns from my favorite local columnists. Never in a million years did I think I would follow my idols and be a columnist myself.

Truthfully, my writing has been a gamechanger for my life and career. I wrote for all the big broadsheets and many at the same time making me perhaps the only writer to have done so.

I served as editor-in-chief for the Philippine Basketball Association’s publications. Worked as a sports analyst for ABS-CBN, TV5 and Al Jazeera. I have written 10 books. I have traveled around Asia, the Middle East and Europe covering sports and music. And I have sat down with government and sports officials, celebrities and sports legends.

And I am grateful and deeply appreciative to have been a part of the BusinessMirror-Happy 20th Anniversary-that gave me the platform to write.

So on to my personal 20th Anniversary next year and beyond.

Pope Leo XIV has begun correcting some of Pope Francis’ more questionable financial reforms and decisions, canceling a law that had concentrated financial power in the Vatican bank.

Leo abrogated the 2022 law that had decreed that management of the Holy See’s assets was the ‘exclusive responsibility’ of the Institute of Religious Works (IOR).

In his first-ever executive decree, Leo published a new law Monday that says the Holy See generally does use the IOR, but can turn to non-Vatican banks in other countries if the Vatican’s investment committee ‘deems it more efficient or convenient’ to do so.

The law was the clearest sign yet that Leo is starting to fix some of Francis’ more problematic decisions and is recalibrating the Vatican’s centers of power, after Francis tended to lean heavily on the advice of the IOR and its top manager.

The 2022 law had taken many in the Vatican by surprise since it appeared to contradict the Holy See’s founding constitution. The constitution says the patrimony office, APSA, is responsible for administering the Vatican’s real estate and financial holdings.

Even Francis realized the problem and had intended to fix it, Vatican officials said, but died in April before he could.

Second significant reform decision

It was the second significant move that Leo has taken in as many weeks to reform some of Francis’ decisions.

On September 27, Leo removed a top administrator in the Secretariat of State and sent him to Paris to serve as ambassador to Unesco.

Msgr. Roberto Campisi had been close to Francis, and the late pope made him president of a new fundraising commission that was formed to drum up donations for the cash-strapped Holy See.

The commission’s statutes and members were announced while Francis was in the hospital, on February 26, and included only Italians with no professional fundraising experience.

The lack of qualified fundraisers and absence of any Americans immediately raised questions about the commission’s credibility. Americans are among the biggest donors to the Holy See, but also demand levels of transparency and accountability that the Vatican hasn’t always followed.

Campisi’s transfer suggests Leo is planning to revamp the commission and perhaps name new members who would lend the commission more gravitas and credibility with key donors.

The new law was announced on the same day that Leo met with the Knights of Columbus, the influential US Catholic charitable organization that is a major donor to the Holy See.

In his remarks, Leo thanked the knights for their latest charitable project: the restoration of Bernini’s baldacchino canopy over the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica.

A long-running financial trial

Another dramatic development in the Vatican’s long-running financial trial saw a cardinal convicted of embezzlement, among other charges.

Francis saw the trial as a sign of his commitment to financial reform, but it was beset by procedural irregularities and defense complaints that their clients’ fundamental rights were being trampled in an absolute monarchy.

The trial is now in the appeals phase, and Vatican prosecutors are scrambling to salvage their case after making a basic procedural error in their appeals filing, and apparently another error after the filing was ruled inadmissable.

On Monday, the appeals court adjourned the trial until February 3. That will apparently give time for the Vatican’s high court to weigh in on the prosecutors’ motions. The court is made up of four Francis loyalist cardinals, none with a juridical background.