Category: Philippine Star

ABS-CBN’s newest suspense thriller ‘What Lies Beneath’ made a strong debut, rising to the top of Netflix Philippines’ most-watched TV titles and recording 517,436 peak concurrent views online via Kapamilya Online Live last Monday, October 20.

The pilot episode immediately drew viewers into the intertwined lives of four women – Alice (Janella Salvador), Mel (Sue Ramirez), Erica (Kaila Estrada), and Beth (Charlie Dizon) – whose once-unbreakable friendship was fractured by a traumatic event 14 years ago. Back then, they witnessed the brutal murder of their best friend Louisa and faced pressure from the whole community of Amurao to accuse Edong (Jake Cuenca) of the crime.

Years later, the women have tried to move on: Alice, Mel, and Beth continue to pursue their shared dream of building a retirement home, while Erica distances herself to start anew. But the past comes knocking once more when Edong resurfaces, vowing to make them pay for the injustice they inflicted upon him.

As early as its debut episode, ‘What Lies Beneath’ has sparked online discussions and fan theories, with viewers praising how the series keeps them analyzing and guessing after every turn. Many also highlighted how the show explores the strength and fragility of female friendship amid pain, betrayal, and the search for healing.

‘It’s so good to see a series that talks about friendship that goes beyond struggles, trauma, and how to overcome it. Sobrang galing talaga ng @RCDNarratives sa mga ganitong mystery series – more of this please!’ wrote @dellnario.

Netizens also commended the show’s direction, pacing, and casting choices, noting the seamless transitions between the characters’ younger and present-day portrayals.

‘RCD Narratives never disappoints! Ang ganda ng pilot episode considering di pa ganun katagal since it was shot. Maganda pacing ng flashbacks, di baduy! And perfect match ‘yung mga gumanap at younger versions, pero stand out sina Mutya, Krystal, and Allyson,’ shared @forkoffubiatch.

The series’ stellar cast – Janella Salvador, Sue Ramirez, Kaila Estrada, and Charlie Dizon, together with their younger counterparts Eliza Borromeo, Reich Alim, Krystal Mejes, and Allyson McBride – earned widespread praise for their nuanced performances that balance strength, vulnerability, and emotional truth. Each portrayal deepens the story’s exploration of guilt, survival, and the weight of buried secrets.

As ‘What Lies Beneath’ continues, viewers can expect how Edong will disrupt the lives of the Mabels and how he will seek justice. ‘What Lies Beneath’ airs weeknights at 8:45 pm on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, and TV5. It can be streamed in advance on iWant and Netflix.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is planning to roll out its own blockchain-based platform that enables a more secure digital authentication of reports and other documents filed by corporations.

The commission has issued for public comment a draft memorandum circular on blockchain-based digital signing and authentication of SEC documents using its verification of electronic records and information trust and authentication system.

VERITAS is a digital signature platform that will enable the transacting public to securely sign and authenticate SEC-related documents with the use of public-key cryptography.

The SEC said the system is designed to record digital signing events on a decentralized ledger, ensuring immutability, timestamping and cryptographic verification.

‘By integrating blockchain-based digital signing and authentication into our processes, we aim to strengthen the integrity and reliability of reports and documents submitted by corporations to the commission by making them immutable, permanent and indestructible,’ SEC chairperson Francis Lim said.

‘VERITAS also reaffirms our commitment to digital transformation not only by making transactions more secure and efficient, but also by reducing paperwork and cutting processing time to further improve how we do business,’ he said.

The SEC intends to immediately deploy VERITAS for public use once the guidelines are finalized.

The commission said its deployment would allow other government agencies to assess the benefits and advantages of blockchain technology and see how it could be applied within their own operations.

The draft rules seek to integrate VERITAS into the existing digital identity and credentialing system of the SEC under the electronic SEC universal registration environment (eSECURE) as well as the digital authentication platform under the electronic submission authentication portal (eSAP).

The SEC’s current authentication systems allow the public to register their corporations with the commission through a fully online process, without the need for wet signatures and notarized documents.

With VERITAS, the SEC will shift from the use of one-time passwords currently needed to authenticate documents under eSAP, to end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication and cryptographic signing mechanisms using the user’s private key.

The SEC said that one must first create an eSECURE account before gaining access to VERITAS under the draft circular.

Registration under eSECURE involves a mandatory credentialing process, which serves as an electronic know- your-customer procedure, to ensure that the person using the account is the one in charge of authenticating documents himself.

Submission of verified government-issued identification documents and a liveness detection protocol are required for credentialing process to establish a reliable and verifiable link between the digital signature and the legal identity of the signatory.

‘The use of end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication and cryptographic signing mechanisms through VERITAS will ensure that only authorized individuals can sign documents, thereby preventing unauthorized access, tampering or forgery,’ Lim said.

To ensure safe and convenient travel for thousands of Filipinos heading to the provinces for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved special permits for 847 passenger buses covering 124 routes across Metro Manila and Luzon.

Of the 847, 491 buses will ply the Metro Manila-Northern Luzon routes, 189 are for Calabarzon and Mimaropa and 67 for the Bicol Region.

Eighteen buses were approved for the Metro Manila- Eastern Visayas route, 21 for Western Visayas and five for Mindanao-bound trips. Another 56 units will serve routes in other parts of Luzon.

‘These additional buses will accommodate more passengers heading to the provinces to visit their dead,’ LTFRB chief Vigor Mendoza said.

Mendoza reminded bus operators that the approval of special permits comes with the responsibility of ensuring the roadworthiness of their vehicles and the readiness of drivers and conductors.

The LTFRB expects the Undas exodus to begin this weekend, with some schools declaring ‘wellness breaks’ starting Oct. 27.

Mendoza ordered the inspection of bus terminals and transport stations to ensure passenger safety.

‘Oplan Undas’

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will activate ‘Oplan Undas’ today as commuters and motorists start visiting cemeteries, MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana said.

The MMDA held a meeting with representatives from Metro Manila’s 17 local government units, the police Highway Patrol Group, Department of Transportation, North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway to address traffic gridlocks during Undas.

Inspections and random drug testing of drivers will be implemented at bus terminals, the MMDA said.

In Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno said police officers in civilian clothes would be deployed in cemeteries.

Queen of All Media Kris Aquino was out in public to celebrate the birthday of her friend, celebrated designer Michael Leyva.

Photos by host-actor Justin Dizon and makeup artist Patrick Rosas show Aquino looking healthy while at Leyva’s birthday lunch.

Aquino has been in isolation as she continues to suffer from multiple autoimmune diseases. Her most recent health update was a doctor lives with her now and is currently on the look for a physical therapist, two male nurses, two male night duty caregivers and a chef.

Seated beside Aquino at Leyva’s birthday lunch was First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, another friend of the designer.

The two women are related through the First Lady’s aunt Demetria Sumulong, who married Kris’ maternal grandfather Don Jose “Pepe” Cojuangco, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Sumulong is the sister-in-law of the First Lady’s brother Manuel Araneta. Additionally, Araneta-Marcos’ aunt Rosario Cacho married Kris’ uncle Pedro Cojuangco.

Both Aquino and Araneta-Marcos have frequently supported Leyva’s milestones, with the latter wearing a piece by the designer to the latest State of the Nation Address and attending the opening of Leyva’s new Makati atelier.

Pope Leo XIV reiterated his stance of zero tolerance for any form of abuse within the Church as Catholic leaders in the Philippines gathered to address clerical sexual abuse.

In his message for the first National Safeguarding Conference in the Philippines, the pope emphasized the need for effective safeguarding measures and transparency in Church institutions.

Pope Leo described the Church as ‘our spiritual home,’ where every parish and pastoral activity should be a place ‘to glorify God and care for others, especially children and the vulnerable.’

‘In this regard, I renew my appeal that there can be no tolerance for any form of abuse in the Church,’ he said.

The pope also urged participants to adopt essential policies and practices that ensure transparency in handling cases, foster a culture of prevention and safeguard ‘these little ones of the Lord.’

‘In doing so, the Church in the Philippines and beyond will be a more authentic witness of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who always loves and cares for his flock,’ Pope Leo said.

The pope’s message was transmitted by Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown to San Fernando Archbishop Florentino Lavarias, who chairs the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines office on the protection of minors and vulnerable people.

The four-day gathering in Clark, Pampanga brought together more than 370 bishops, diocesan and religious safeguarding officers, as well as pastoral workers from the Philippines and neighboring countries.

Two conversations with two elderlies helped me appreciate and redefine a role I consider both challenging and rewarding.

Like the X, Y or Z generation, the sandwich generation (SG) is a cohort of adults like me who assume the dual responsibility of overseeing the needs of aging parents while ensuring that the necessities of our own family are attended to.

One of these dialogues happened at the airport, as multi-sized and multi-colored pieces of luggage went around the carousel area. The other took place at St. Patrick’s Cathedral days after the unveiling of the peculiarly titled mural, ‘What’s so Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding.’

A towering Caucasian gentleman, who I reckon was in his 70’s, asked how long we have been waiting for our luggage. Isn’t it good to be home, he asked. I replied with a smile not wanting to explain that New York is a temporary home, while the Philippines is and will always be my home. It was a long and tiring flight, he said, but as a veteran he always enjoys going home to the Philippines where his wife comes from. They visit his wife’s aging mother and family regularly.

We are a small family of four, he added, but when it’s time to dine out, everyone in my wife’s family comes along. It’s usually three to four cars, he laughed, and traffic is always bad, he complained.

Back there, he continued, everyone is caring, everyone is willing to help and everyone in my wife’s family picks us up from the airport (a convoy, I imagined). In that sense, I miss the Philippines, he said, sounding appreciative. You see I have another son and I asked him to pick us up tonight but he said he can’t, he’s busy. On a Sunday night when he’s not working? So now I must pay $250 for a car pick up. With my wife’s family, there is always someone to look after the needs of older people, he lamented.

Our talk ended when his younger looking wife and son, lugging their suitcases, approached him. We said hi, had a chit chat then said our goodbyes. I thought of how they must have savored their time back home and how they were pampered and taken care of. The thought of the son who didn’t bother to pick them up irked me.

It was a different story with Pamela; the elderly lady I spent a little time talking with at St. Patrick’s. We exchanged opinions while reading the narrative about the sprawling artwork commissioned by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Painted in oil on canvas by self-taught American artist Adam Cvijanovic, the immersive oeuvre is described as both ‘a tribute to the Catholic tradition and a meditation on American pluralism.’

She asked what brought me to New York, so I shared some tidbits of our life. I asked if she’s a native New Yorker. She is but no longer. Pamela thinks the city is now too busy for retirees like her and her husband. They moved to a new state to be near their daughter and her family. It’s a convenient set up and works both ways. Her daughter and husband get to check on them as often and they get to spend time with their grandchildren. She went on to regale me with their life in the suburb then gave me a list of theaters where I could watch off Broadway shows to support promising talents.

I wished it could be that easy for my parents. Or for my siblings and I to uproot our families to be with our parents. But we’re nomads and my parents are no longer as agile as they were a few years back. These days they prefer the comforts of home and the company of good old friends (literally!).

Once termed as the ‘peculiar position’ by American social work scholar Dorothy A. Miller, the sandwich generation, while more prevalent in societies like America where costs of caregiving and day care can be prohibitive especially for average or single income families, is also a growing cohort in countries like ours. A Pew Research Center study reveals that as life expectancy improves, ‘being in the sandwich generation can be a difficult predicament.’ The study added that the type of help needed by aging parents vary widely – from mundane home tasks to financial assistance. When matched with the needs of a growing family, plus the demands of one’s career, assuming this dual role can result in fatigue from trying to fulfill various responsibilities.

I know of friends – immigrants and overseas workers – whose annual vacations revolve around the medical checkups of their elderly parents. Or siblings who take turns to take care or visit elderly family members, albeit briefly. And I admire someone who gave up a promising career to be with a sickly and aging mother. No compromises.

So that’s how it feels to be sandwiched, to be in the middle: palaman as we call that filling, we slather in between a piece of hot pandesal or the slice of greasy ham or the thin wedge of cheese we insert in between two faces of tasty bread. Metaphorically, to be a palaman is also a feeling that could be disconcerting if we dwell on what we can’t do. On the flipside it could be very gratifying when we devise ways on how to take time off and spend precious moments with elderly loved ones.

The delight comes in relishing the reversal of roles, in pondering on those years when our parents took care of us, raised us, brought us to the doctor or scolded us (now I sometimes scold them out of concern, which I often regret). The gratification also comes from simply listening to their stories of yesteryears (I journaled most of my conversations with them) because God forbid, someday, memory might just leave them.

San Beda sent Arellano U back to earth with a trouble-free 76-53 victory yesterday and stayed unflappable at the Group B helm in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

Rookie sensation Aganti Miller sizzled with a team-high 20 points while Jomel Puno chipped in 10 points but it was the bench that stepped up when it mattered and energized the starters.

Most notable of them was Zedjay Etulle, who did almost everything in finishing with eight points, a game-best 13 rebounds, three assists, the same number of steals and a block.

‘I like to commend our second group, they were very big today,’ said San Beda coach Yuri Escueta. ‘They were a huge positive in the first half that it helped challenge the first group to come into the third quarter with a lot of energy.’

The Lions also took away the Chiefs’ vaunted running game with the former’s unrelenting transition defense.

‘This is a team that we lost in the summer twice actually, they’re really very capable,’ said Escueta. ‘We took better shots and also showed effort in speeding back down especially against this team.’

AU dropped to 3-4 in Group A.

In the other game, Jose Rizal U stunned defending champion Mapua, 66-63, to improve to 4-4 in Group B.

A freak accident fall struck JRU’s top player Justin Lozano, who was unconscious when he was sent to the nearest hospital where he eventually regained consciousness hours later.

From singing about undying love and being charmed in Marahuyo, singer-songwriter Waltz shares a tale of affection that slowly burns and vanishes in the latest single, Cold Soup.

As his publicity team teases, the Ant Savvy Artist Management talent will deliver ‘a soulful heartbreak’ in it and will ‘tug at (one’s) heartstrings with its raw emotion and introspective storytelling.’

‘They are different in terms of flavor,’ Waltz compared Cold Soup to previous releases like Marahuyo in a recent brief chat with The STAR. ‘This time, it’s Motown. The song is about people who are experiencing emotional fatigue with their partners.’

It is the commonplace situation where people argue and agree to stop the tension for a moment but do not resolve anything. Cold Soup may also be taken as a glimpse into the changing emotions that, besides being in love, one experiences in a romantic affair.

Available online information describes Motown as a music genre or style that is a combination of pop and soul and became popular in the ’60s and ’70s.

‘It’s the genre that I wanted to present and return to, the ’70s feels,’ added he. ‘While I was writing the song, I already knew what was going to be its genre, including the time signature, the melody, the chord progression at that moment.’

Regarding his creative process for Cold Soup, Waltz recalled, ‘Nasulat ko po ang kantang ito ng walang music instrument (I wrote and composed it without a musical instrument). I was in Thailand, and I was writing on my notes. And then, I was hearing it in my mind like how it should be (or should be written).’

‘Parang binulong lang ni universe sa akin na parang, ‘Ito dapat ang song’ through vibration (it was like the universe whispered it to me through vibration). Sobrang bihira lang mangyari yun at iba talaga ang inspiration ko nun (it rarely happens and my inspiration was very different at that time),’ added he.

Waltz was on a vacation with his friends in Phuket when the artistic muse came to him. With that, he considers the place, a paradise in itself with beaches and awe-inspiring landscape, special. What a productive breather it was.

Given his notes and the constant play of the song in his head, Waltz sang its entirety for recording, and Cold Soup is now available on all digital streaming platforms.

As a creative, Waltz said his sources of inspiration are everyday life experiences. Thus, his songs are personal.

At first listen, one may think that Cold Soup is about a romantic pair, but it could also be about friendship, as Waltz suggested, ‘Let your imagination play while listening to the song or the lyrics.’

So far, he has Paano, 100 Dahilan, CINDY, Marahuyo and Cold Soup tucked under his recording belt.

What can music fans and enthusiasts look forward to from him before the year ends and the next one begins?

Waltz said, ‘Hopefully, I’ll be able to release another song by the end of this year, Sansinukob, I hope. It’s the title of the song, (which means) the universe (in Tagalog).’

It’s a fitting title since it was the universe that gifted him the idea to compose Cold Soup for people who, at some point in their lives, need to reflect on their present relational plight or situation.

Devoting his time to music and performing, Waltz said, ‘Ang nagpapasaya talaga sa akin, bonus na lang din talaga sa akin na ginagawa ko ‘to (what really makes me glad and it’s a bonus that I’m able to do it), ang nagpapasaya sa akin ginagawa ko yung gusto ko (what makes me happy is doing what I want to do). Gusto ko po talaga ito, yung pagsusulat (it is what I want to do: songwriting),’

‘Minsan may mga times talaga na nakakapagod pero ito talaga yung calling ko (there are times when I feel weary, but it’s really my calling),’ shared he, adding that part of his role as an artist is to share light (of inspiration) with people.

‘I feel like the more I perform in front of everyone, the more I replenish the light (they have) within themselves. Kahit papano ‘pag natapos nila akong mapakinggan o mapanood, may maiiwan akong light sa kanila (after I perform, I hope I leave light to them),’ concluded he. ‘I feel it’s my calling.’

Television presenter Kuya Kim Atienza and his wife Felicia confirmed that their daughter Emmanuelle has passed away. She was 19 years old.

Los Angeles authorities confirmed that Emmanuelle, more popularly known by her nickname Emman, died last October 22. Felicia announced Emman’s unexpected passing on social media the morning of Oct. 24 with a carousel of photos in a joint post.

‘She brought so much joy, laughter, and love into our lives and into the lives of everyone who knew her,’ said Felicia. ‘Emman had a way of making people feel seen and heard, and she wasn’t afraid to share her own journey with mental health. Her authenticity helped so many feel less alone.’

Felicia asked that people honor Emman’s memory by ‘carrying forward the qualities she lived by’ which were ‘compassion, courage, and a little extra kindness in your everyday life.’

Emman is survived by Kim, Felicia, and siblings Jose and Eliana. The family did not disclose a cause of death for the teenage content creator who addressed mental health topics and socio-political issues on her platforms.

Brilliant – the gambit of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla.

Thursday morning (Oct. 23), he gave an extended interview with Karen Davila on ANC. He disclosed he was drafting a letter to Senate President Tito Sotto asking the Senate to implement Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales’ dismissal of Senator Joel Villanueva. On Nov. 14, 2016, Morales had ordered Villanueva’s dismissal from public service for ‘grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service’ over alleged misuse of his P10-million PDAF.

Thursday afternoon, Villanueva disclosed he had actually been cleared, by Morales’ successor, Samuel Martires. ‘To my surprise, when I got to the office, I was confronted with a decision signed by former ombudsman (Samuel) Martires dated July 2019,’ Ombudsman Remulla told reporters.

Martires reversed Carpio Morales’ 2016 decision. But nobody knew about the reversal, until late Thursday. The implication: Joel Villanueva and the unlamented Martires had a secret deal.

Ordinarily, if you are cleared or acquitted of a crime, especially graft or thievery, you announce it to the whole world. Hallelujah! Instead, you keep it a secret. For six years! Why?

By telegraphing his intention to write a letter to SP Sotto, Remulla was able to unearth a pact with the devil.

Result: Joel Villanueva seems cleared, for now. But the Bible-quoting senator struts into the Senate hall with a cloud of doubt over his head. He is what Pinoys would call ‘bahag ang buntot’ – he cannot face the truth (hindi makaharap sa problema or kaharap).

By his gambit, Remulla in effect indicted both Martires and Villanueva before the court of public opinion.

Who believes Martires? The worst ombudsman; zero credibility. Who believes Villanueva? By now, in the eyes of an angry public, a recidivist. A repeat offender.

Villanueva was implicated by dismissed DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara when he testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing in September 2025. In 2022, Villanueva asked for a multi-purpose building costing P1.5 billion but was only given P600 million from flood control funds in the unprogrammed funds.

Villanueva was first entangled in the pork barrel scam of 2016, called the Napoles PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) scandal. PDAF was a P10-billion lump-sum discretionary fund granted congressmen for priority projects. But the money was laundered into private pockets, stolen. A party-list congressman (2002-2010), Villanueva received a P10-million PDAF but the money went to a non-existent project, then Ombudsman Morales found out.

Ombudsman Martires reversed Morales’ decision on two grounds – Villanueva’s signatures were forged, allegedly, and the P10 million was credited to the wrong party-list.

C’mon. Carpio-Morales (ombudsman from 2011-2018), 84, is not stupid nor incompetent. A UP law graduate, she spent eight years at the Court of Appeals (1994-2002) and nine years at the Supreme Court (2002-2011) before President Noynoy Aquino named her ombudsman. She won the Magsaysay Award for being a ‘fearless and indefatigable ombudsman whose integrity and dignity restored the people’s faith in the rule of law.’

Martires became a judge in July 2000, in Agoo, La Union. In 2002, a fellow La Union judge filed an administrative complaint against Martires for ‘gross ignorance of the law, incompetence, abuse of authority and dereliction of duty.’ Martires allegedly refused to issue a warrant of arrest for a murder suspect despite the presence of evidence and the urgings of the prosecution. The complaint was dismissed for lack of merit.

Meanwhile, the Senate wants to make the Independent Commission for Infrastructure a permanent structure – to fight graft.

SP Sotto and Senators Erwin Tulfo and Risa Hontiveros filed Senate Bill 1215 creating a five-person Independent People’s Commission to investigate anomalies in all government infrastructure projects. ‘IPC will be a permanent non-partisan government agency focused on investigating graft and anomalies in infrastructure projects – in public works, education, agriculture, flood control, disaster resilience,’ explained Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, chair of the Senate committee on justice and human rights. The bill in effect strengthens the present Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

The bill grants ICI the power not just to investigate but also to prosecute cases, offer witness protection, freeze assets, put suspects under preventive suspension and impose hold departure orders, explains SP Sotto.

Pangilinan said the bill was prompted by the news that the biggest of the corrupt contractors, the spouses Curlee and Sarah Discaya (they bagged P207 billion of DPWH contracts and P180-billion cash went to their bank accounts), called a presscon to announce they would not cooperate with the ICI. They thumbed their noses at ICI, heckling it as toothless.

‘The Discayas are hustlers,’ harrumphed Ombudsman Remulla.

‘We need this body (IPC) because of the unrest that we feel in our midst and the need to restore the faith of our people in our democratic system of government,’ former Senate president and justice secretary Franklin Drilon told the Senate committee.

Before the committee, ICI chair Andy Reyes complained that ICI during its first month had only three lawyers attending to hundreds, if not thousands, of flood control scam cases. Reyes asked that ICI be given the power to check bank accounts and scan text messages of culprits. ICI commissioner Babes Singson wants ICI commissioners to be immune from suits.

‘There is nothing in the Senate bill that protects the members of the Commission from harassment suits, especially after their term of office expires,’ notes former Chief Justice Reynato Puno. He also asks that the commission be empowered to ‘subpoena bank records, tax returns, SALNs, data from the AMLC and, especially, if they belong to such personalities as the president, the members of Congress or the justices of the Supreme Court and other independent bodies.’ And lower courts, except the Supreme Court, should be prohibited from issuing TROs on the ICI.

Over P1 trillion of the DPWH was stolen disguised as flood control money, the biggest syndicated stealing ever. Jailed so far: Zero.