Category: Philippine Star

Elijah Canlas is putting an end to the speculations regarding his breakup with fellow actor and on-and-off partner Miles Ocampo.

The two began dating in 2021 but only went public with their relationship a year later. They initially split in 2023 before going out again sometime last year.

Now Miles and Elijah have broken up for good, as the latter confirmed to showbiz personality Ogie Diaz on their YouTube channel while promoting his upcoming movie “Edjop.”

“Totoo siya [na hiwalay na kami] and out of respect for Miles, siyempre I’ll always have love for her,” Elijah said, adding the confirmation was to avoid any further rumors about their split.

The actor acknowledged that fans may have thought he and Miles were the endgame after reuniting and though they tried to make it work, the result was a mutual and amicable breakup “with no hate on his part.”

Elijah also noted that gossip will emerge given they are public figures, but out of respect for their relationship, he will keep the full details private.

“Ang dami naming pinag-daanan. Ang hirap na i-minimize lang ‘yun sa recap or speculation na ganito. It’s much more than that,” he continued. “Kaming dalawa lang makakaalam talaga ‘nun. Sana go easy on Miles, on me, let us heal basically.”

Because the amicable breakup is still quite fresh, Elijah is not sure yet if he and Miles are prepared to be friends again after a five-year on-and-off relationship but he is open to the idea after some time.

The actor also stressed there was no truth to allegations that he is a cheat or a third party was involved in the split, adding that Miles and people close to them would back him up on that.

“I don’t want to come off as defensive pero ‘yun yung totoo. Wala naman talaga. I guess ‘yun talaga madalas na nangyayari na speculation when it comes to a couple breaking up – na ‘yung lalaki may kasalanan or nagloko yung lalaki. Sobrang… mahal na mahal ko [si Miles] at na-experience ko na rin maganun kaya ‘di ko gagawin.”

Thea and Kakie

Ogie brought up viral photots of Elijah with another artist, Thea Astley, taken from a video of them in La Union, which for the actor was another non-issue.

“OA ng mga tao, they made a mountain out of a molehill… there was no molehill to begin with,” Elijah said, clarifying that Thea is a longtime friend and they had other companions in the La Union trip.

He also pointed out that he never held Thea’s hand in the video, as opposed to what some headlines and individuals online indicated.

“People blew it out of proportion. That was really unfair to me, Thea, Miles, my friends who were there also, and everyone involved,” the actor said, lamenting the fake news and how some were quick to assume he found someone new.

Ogie quipped how fortunate it was that Elijah is not being linked to his “Edjop” co-star Kakie Pangilinan, daughter of Sharon Cuneta and Kiko Pangilinan.

While they play a married couple in the film, which is Kakie’s feature debut, and have been promoting the project together a lot, Elijah made it clear that they were just friends.

“Sobrang magkakilala na kami ni Kakie, sabi niya, ‘I feel like I know you more than you know yourself,'” the actor shared.

He reiterated how annoying it is for people speculate on such matters but again acknowledged it came with being a public figure.

“Edjop,” based on the Martial Law activist Edgardo Jopson, arrives in Philippine cinemas this September 16.

Welcome to New York, Alex Eala.

Eala barged to the next round of the 2026 US Open after dominating Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, Wednesday morning (Manila time) at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York.

The 17th-seeded Filipina started off the match with guns ablazing, going up 5-0 as she simply outmuscled Stoiana.

The American, though, finally put herself on the board after holding her serve, 1-5.

But the Filipina blanked her opponent in her own serve to take the first set, 6-1.

In the second set, the two tennisters traded games, with the World No. 122 taking a slim lead, 2-1.

But the World No. 18 Eala could not be stopped, stringing together back-to-back-to-back-to-back games to grab a 5-2 lead.

And in the eighth game, with Eala serving, Stoiana went up, 30-0.

But after Eala forced the deuce, back-to-back errors on the return pushed her to the win after an hour and 18 minutes.

‘Yeah, of course it was very difficult. Every exchange had its own challenges, especially in the start of the second set. I think she put me in uncomfortable positions,’ Eala said after the match.

‘She’s been having a great run, coming from qualis in a good past couple of weeks. So I’m really happy with this match,’ she added.

The Filipina sensation will now take on Oleksandra Oliynykova in the next round.

The Ukrainian is ranked 46th in the world. She defeated Reese Brantmeier, 6-4, 6-4, earlier in the day.

Ogilvy Manila recently hosted the third annual edition of Ogilvy Creator Camp at the Agency’s Headquarters in Rockwell, Makati City, welcoming leading and emerging digital creators for a full-day program designed to elevate content creation into sustainable business management.

Building on the foundation laid in previous years, Creator Camp 2026 focused on empowering creators to transition from content producers to CEOs of their own personal brands.

The program provided practical knowledge in brand equity, corporate structure, financial and regulatory compliance, artificial intelligence, platform audience ownership and real-time co-creation with major brand leaders.

‘When we look at the landscape today, how people consume content, build trust, and interact with brands has changed completely. It’s no longer just about big commercial productions, print ads, or broadcast television-it’s about authenticity, connection, and human stories,’ said Elly Puyat, Ogilvy Manila CEO.

‘Creator culture is not just a trend; it is the core of modern influence. Creators are the storytellers, curators, and trusted voices people turn to for real recommendations and human connection,” she added.

Building business equity and regulatory compliance

The morning sessions focused heavily on establishing long-term business sustainability and operational rigor. Toni Tiu, head of Strategy and Training at Ogilvy, opened the program by exploring how creators can define their creative uniqueness and build distinct personal brand equity.

Manny Gonzales, head of Consulting and Director of Strategy at Ogilvy, followed with a session on structuring personal creator brands as legitimate corporate entities, establishing operational frameworks and optimizing monetization models.

Rounding out the business fundamentals, Dong Mapanao, Group Finance Director at WPP Creative MNL, addressed essential financial and regulatory topics, guiding creators through Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax compliance and agency accreditation processes. The morning wrapped with interactive speed-mentoring sessions, giving participants direct, tailored advice from Ogilvy’s leadership team. Harnessing AI and creator commerce

In the afternoon, the program shifted toward technological innovation and platform optimization to help creators maximize their commercial impact.

Nyko Rodriguez, Influence and Consumer PR director at Ogilvy Singapore, discussed how generative AI tools can serve as a practical co-pilot to streamline content strategy and production workflows while preserving a creator’s authentic voice.

George Panulaya from TikTok’s Global e-Commerce team then examined shifting consumer buying behaviors, demonstrating how creators can integrate social commerce to transform audience engagement directly into point-of-sale revenue.

Driving authentic brand co-creation

Addressing the evolution of influencer marketing, the camp highlighted shared value creation through a dedicated panel discussion moderated by Jako de Leon of Ogilvy Influence. The session focused on moving away from rigid, transactional posts toward long-term brand relationships rooted in mutual trust, professional execution, and shared authenticity.

‘A strong brand-creator relationship is built on authenticity, mutual respect, and trust,’ shared Dhia Hilario, Business Development Head at Nestlé Professional, during the panel.

Echoing these insights, celebrity creator Miguel Vergara added that genuine belief in a brand is key to building sustainable relationships.

The highlight of the afternoon was The Co-Creation Lab, where creators entered hands-on breakout sessions with representatives from prominent global and local brands-including Nestle, Ford, Tokyo Tokyo and Ayala Malls-to pitch campaign ideas, solve brief challenges and collaboratively design high-impact social concepts.

‘If creators are indeed the primary storytellers of today’s culture, our role as agency leaders is to equip them with the business rigor and strategic acumen required to scale that influence. Creator Camp is our commitment to opening our playbook, because treating creators as strategic enterprise partners rather than transactional talent directly elevates the work we do for brands and the industry as a whole,” Leah Huang, managing director for PR and Influence at Ogilvy Manila, said.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said the city may have to pass another supplemental budget to sustain its garbage hauling and disposal operations as the reopening of the Binaliw landfill remains uncertain despite the full lifting of the cease-and-desist order (CDO) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB).

‘Kani karon, we cannot expect that the Binaliw will be open. It’s open in the papers, I would say, nga pwede na. But considering of the things that had passed, nga nahitabo, nga gi-blame nato ang… I think, ha, ang Prime Waste ngano’g daghang nangamatay, ‘Ngano’g ablihan nato nga basin daghan pa niana ang mamatay?’ Then, sila medyo alanganin pa. That’s why tan-aw nako, dili ta, within the next two or three months, dili ta kahimo ana,’ Archival said.

He warned that the city’s current allocation for garbage hauling and disposal may soon be exhausted.

‘Now, if ma-exhausted na atong funds nga available karon, I think we will have to ask the Council for another supplemental budget for another, probably, P100 to 200 million,’ he said.

Earlier this year, the City Council approved Supplemental Budget No. 1 amounting to ?800.54 million, of which ?400 million was earmarked for garbage hauling and disposal.

Archival said the allocation was sought by his administration to address the city’s immediate needs following the January 8 trash slide at the Binaliw landfill that killed 36 people and a rescue volunteer.

However, the city’s daily expenses for hauling garbage to Aloguinsan have been rapidly depleting the funds.

Archival said the city continues to spend between ?4.2 million and ?4.5 million a day to transport its waste to Aloguinsan.

Aside from the funding shortage, Archival said the city also has unsettled obligations to Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, the operator of the Binaliw landfill.

‘The question now is, because of what had happened nga gisege’g question ang kanang kompaniya nga Prime Waste sa ubang mga tawo nga dili gusto, ‘O,’ kanang hitabo, ingon sila nga, ‘Okay, we will be opening it for you. Bayri ninyo ang 130 million.’ So, nabutang ta sa sitwasyon nga how can I pay something during the time nga dili nako administrasyon nga kuwang-kuwang man ang papeles?’ he said.

During the City Council’s latest executive session on the Binaliw landfill, Department of Public Services (DPS) head John Paul Gelasque said that even if the city were to resume using the facility, additional funds would still be needed because the current allocation is expected to run out by November.

Archival stressed that Cebu City’s reliance on landfills is not a new practice, saying successive administrations had continued to use landfilling as the city’s primary waste disposal method.

‘For the last, again, 25 years, we depend on, actually we call that as, landfilling. Wala ko nagsugo niana. It has been there pilapila ka buok mayors. Ang tanang mayor sa atong syudad sa Sugbo, ha? Gikan sa 1998 hangtod karon, nisugot sa landfill,’ he said, referring to previous administrations under Tomas Osmeña, Edgardo Labella, Michael Rama and Raymond Garcia.

Archival said that even when he was a councilor, he advocated composting as an alternative to sending waste to landfills.

He said he even processed about 3,000 kilos of biodegradable waste through composting at his home.

‘Unya kung naa lang siguro mga 50 kabuok pareha nako nag-compost, daghan na kay tag ma-save, right?’ he added.

The Cebu City Council is scheduled to inspect the Binaliw landfill today, September 2, but media coverage of the inspection has been barred, raising questions about transparency in the process.

The all-women Daisy Chain Fields Festival organized and headlined by Filipino-American artist Olivia Rodrigo was a massive success as it raised over a billion pesos for charities dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls.

The landmark event featured a lineup of performers composed of female artists – Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, The Breeders, Die Spitz, Bikini Kill, Eli, Garbage, Quiet Light, Rachel Chinouriri, Not for Radio, and Santigold.

Global girl group Katseye was due to perform but backed out as two members, including Filipina leader Sophia Laforteza, are temporarily on hiatus while another member Megan sprained her ankle. Katseye was subsequently replaced by Devon Again.

Stevie Nicks, Sarah McLachlan, and Karen O were tagged as special guests but Alanis Morissette stepped in for Karen O following a family emergency.

All net proceeds from the festival would be going to the following non-profit groups: Baby2Baby, Center for Reproductive Rights, FreeForm, Jhpiego, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Center, and Planned Parenthood.

During her headlining set with the special guests, Olivia announced that the event brought in around 45,000 attendees and managed to raise $10 million (P626 million). This was matched by philanthropist Melinda French Gates and her organization Pivotal, bringing the total sum to $20 million (P1.25 billion) to be distributed equally among the beneficiaries.

Olivia said the festival is “about what can happen when we come together and use our collective power to support one another,” thanking Melinda and Pivotal for their support.

“Most of all, I’m so excited about what this means for the incredible organizations we’re supporting and the women, girls and communities they show up for every single day,” she added.

Gates praised the singer for her efforts, calling her a “force” and proudly backing the Grammy winner’s vision, “What Daisy Chain Fields sets in motion will last far beyond a single night, by opening up opportunity for women and girls around the world and showing a new generation how much their voices matter.”

Olivia now sets her sights on her “The Unraveled Tour” promoting her third and latest album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.”

When NBA teams sign a player, usually it is for a roster upgrade and hope it works out as the contract progresses. Sometimes, things don’t go according to plans, then team and player decide to end the partnership.

Trading is the usual pathway that makes headlines but there is also the buyout market where contending teams make moves to reinforce their rosters.

A buyout happens when a player, giving up a portion of his salary, and a team, mutually agrees to prematurely end a contract. Buyouts are situational – it can be for financial or lineup flexibility which allows a team to clear any remaining salary due to the player from their payroll thus opening more funds to acquire other players. Teams usually opt to focus more on the young talents on their roster, thus buyouts often happen to veterans with huge salaries. In the process, the bought out player becomes a free agent.

It does not mean automatic free agency for the player as he will be placed on waivers. While on waivers, other teams then have 48 hours to submit a waiver claim on the player but if there are several teams with waiver claims, the team having the lowest standing will have the player. If unclaimed, he becomes a free agent and can sign with any team he wants to.

The difference between waiver and buyout is that when a player is waived, the team is still obligated to pay the remaining amount on the contract. If a buyout happens, the player surrenders a part of his salary and it gives teams cap relief, opens roster spots and sends veteran players to other franchises.

A buyout can be advantageous to a player if he can sign with a contending team. There are cases where players have disagreements with coaches or management and their playing times are diminished. A change in scenery will be beneficial to get back their minutes.

The amount that the player agrees to forfeit will be deducted from his salary cap hit. Klay Thompson agreed to leave behind almost $10 million of his original salary to finalize the contract buyout from Dallas, which in turn gave the Mavericks roster and financial flexibility. For the upcoming season, he was supposed to be paid $17+ million by the Mavs but forfeited a significant amount to join Miami for a 2-year, $11.5 million deal.

Unlike trades, there are no deadlines for buyouts but there are deadlines for players to participate in the playoffs. To be cleared for the playoffs, a player’s contract must be bought out before the March 1deadline. A player can play in the regular season but not in the playoffs if buyouts happen after the deadline.

The water level in Angat Dam in Bulacan yesterday increased above 200 meters, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PAGASA said the elevation in Angat was 201.33 meters, or up by 1.13 from the previous day’s 190.47 meters.

Meanwhile, the National Power Corp. will open two floodgates of San Roque Dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan today, to discharge excess water.

The NPC said the water level in San Roque as of noon yesterday was 283.68 meters, higher by 3.68 than the dam’s spilling level of 280 meters.

The power company urged local government units to inform their constituents, particularly those living along riverbanks and low-lying areas to watch out for rising water level.

Ambuklao and Binga dams have opened their spillway gates and reduced their water level by 44 centimeters and one meter, respectively.

La Mesa Dam in Quezon City recorded a slight decrease, from 79.88 meters to 79.61, while Magat in Isabela increased from 178.42 to 179.53 meters.

Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija and Caliraya in Laguna increased by 54 and 10 centimeters, respectively.

Ipo Dam, also in Bulacan, maintained its water level at 100.93 meters.

Sometimes you hear people say to someone, ‘Uy, huwag ka nang magtipid, ang yaman-yaman mo na!’ There’s also a health-related version, ‘Uy huwag ka nang mag-work out, ang sexy-sexy mo na!’

To these, the answers are:

I think I read these quotes many years ago from James Clear of Atomic Habits. Let’s examine these statements. These comments from friends or relatives are usually meant to be compliments. They are acknowledging your financial security or your physical fitness. But underneath, there’s a fundamental misunderstanding of how success, health, and financial freedom actually work.

People often view saving money or exercising as painful chores you endure only when you are in trouble.

If you are struggling financially, you have to save.

If you are facing a health scare, you have to start moving.

But when you do these things before a crisis hits, the entire dynamic changes.

The paradox of discipline

The core paradox is simple: Maintenance is always cheaper and easier than restoration.

In finance, saving money when your income is strong isn’t about deprivation; it’s about buying future options. You don’t save because you’re broke-you avoid being broke because you save. The moment you wait until you “need” to save is when it actually becomes a chore, a big sacrifice, or even a punishment.

In health, working out when you already feel great isn’t about losing weight; it’s about preserving mobility, strength, and vitality for the next decade. You don’t exercise just to fix a problem-you stay healthy because you exercise.

Shifting from fear to freedom

When you save or exercise out of necessity, your motivation comes from fear or desperation. That is mentally exhausting. But when you do it out of habit, your motivation comes from self-respect and freedom.

“I don’t need to” is not a permission slip to stop. It is the ultimate reward for staying consistent. True High FQ (Financial Quotient) isn’t just about having a large bank account-it’s about cultivating the habits that keep you free, confident, and in control of your life.

So the next time someone tells you, ‘Uy, hindi mo na kailangang magtipid, ang yaman-yaman mo na!’ or ‘Uy hindi mo na kailangang mag-work out, ang sexy-sexy mo na!’ just smile and say, ‘Kaya nga hindi ko na kailangan, kasi ginagawa ko kahit hindi ko kailangang gawin. Oh, and the secret to a lasting High FQ (Financial Quotient) and High HQ (Health Quotient) is actually protecting the very habits that got you there in the first place!’

Filipino-American filmmaker Mike Talplacido’s queer drama “In This Moment” is set to screen at two more film festivals in the United States this September following a world premiere last month.

The North Carolina-set movie follows a Filipino-American writer and his husband as they navigate infidelity, caregiving, loss, and the possibility of redemption.

It premiered at the historic Roxie Theater as part of the 6th San Francisco Queer Film Festival and will next screen at Palm Springs’ Cinema Diverse on September 18.

“I’ve never been to Palm Springs before,” said the Philippine-born Talplacido, expressing excitement about meeting the Filipino-American community there as well as fellow queer filmmakers and creatives. A week later on September 25, the film will head to the OUT at the Movies International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, where it has been selected as the North Carolina festival’s opening film.

Talplacido considers the latter festival screening a “homecoming premiere” given “In This Moment” is his love letter to North Carolina, where he lived for almost 17 years with his husband, a native of the state.

“The majority of our cast and crew are also from North Carolina, so I’m excited to finally screen the film with them and our local community,” the director also said about his feature directorial debut.

“In This Moment” was previously named a finalist in the 2026 AAPI Renaissance Rally, received a 2025 Filmed in NC Grant from the Cucalorus Foundation and the North Carolina Film Office, and had its screenplay workshopped through Lambda Literary where Talplacido served as a 2025 Writing Fellow.

A consumer advocacy group has called on authorities to launch an immediate, sustained and resolute crackdown on the proliferation of fake goods in e-commerce platforms.

In a letter addressed to Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Teodoro Pascua, Malayang Konsyumer stressed that while e-commerce platforms have reported high takedown rates of online shops selling counterfeit products, the digital marketplace remains heavily flooded with dangerous, unregulated imitations.

Earlier, Lazada reported a proactive takedown rate of 85.5% against counterfeit listings from June 2024 and May 2025, while Shopee posted a 93.6% proactive removal rate on its platform. The Department of Trade and Industry’s E-Commerce Bureau, meanwhile, earlier reported that it issued 171 Takedown Orders and 67 Compliance Orders from June to December 2025. And in the first half of 2026, the bureau issued 268 more Takedown Orders and 105 Compliance Orders.

Despite such regulatory action, the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights’ (NCIPR) still seized a staggering Php18.64 billion in counterfeit goods from June 2024 to May 2025.

‘The glaring truth could no longer be denied nor glossed over: the digital marketplace has become a 24/7 open market for dangerous, unregulated imitations. Our members experience this regularly when shopping online, encountering pirated or trademark-infringing goods that carry both intellectual property and consumer safety implications,’ said Mark Jansen Magsano, convenor of Malayang Konsyumer.

The group warned that these online ‘leakages’ pose severe, immediate health and safety risks to Filipino families, highlighting several high-risk product categories flagged by their members.

These include medicines, vitamins, health supplements, and beauty products that may contain toxic chemicals. The group also cited substandard electronics and gadgets that may lead to fire and electrocution hazards, along with household adhesives, sealants and other building materials that may cause both structural failure and toxic inhalation.

Malayang Konsyumer also cited knock-offs of popular retail goods such as clothing, footwear, toys and perfume, which may expose consumers to hidden health hazards.

‘It is clear that while e-commerce platforms and government agencies have already taken action, these efforts are not enough. The IPOPHL is uniquely positioned to bridge safety gaps by fully deploying its statutory powers under the Intellectual Property Code,’ said Magsano.

The group appealed to the IPOPHL to undertake stricter enforcement, including motu proprio investigations targeting online channels, issuance of compliance and takedown orders, coordinating with the National Telecommunications Commission to enforce site-blocking, and pushing for the cancellation of business permits for repeat violators.

IPOPHL’s Bureau of Legal Affairs should also issue cease-and-desist orders, execute the seizure and condemnation of infringing goods, forfeit manufacturing paraphernalia, and impose maximum administrative fines, while also fully utilizing provisions against unfair competition, trademark infringement, and digital piracy.

‘Filipino consumers deserve a digital marketplace that is safe -one where sellers comply with intellectual property regulations and violators are held accountable. Allowing the status quo to fester exposes consumers to health and safety hazards. Let us not wait for the worst case to happen before taking drastic action,’ said Magsano.