Category: Philippine Star

A major transport group is set to hold a two-day nationwide transport strike on September 29 and 30 as rising fuel prices continue to squeeze drivers’ earnings.

Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) announced on Tuesday, September 22, that at least 70,000 jeepney drivers and operators are expected to join the strike, along with groups representing workers, the urban poor and commuters.

PISTON National President Mody Floranda said affected routes and areas in Metro Manila include:

Cubao-Marikina-Antipolo

Commonwealth

España

Monumento

Novaliches

Baclaran

Pasig

Taguig

Sucat

Alabang

Floranda appealed for understanding from commuters who may be affected by the strike, stressing that rising fuel prices also drive up the cost of basic goods and services.

“Tayo ay nananawagan sa ating mga commuters, sapagkat sa bawat pagtataas ng presyo ng petrolyo, ang kaakibat niyan ay pagtaas ng mga bilihin at halos hindi na makasabay ang maliliit na sahod at kita ng ating mamamayan,” Floranda said in an interview with dzMM.

(“We are appealing to our commuters because every increase in fuel prices comes with higher prices of goods, while our people’s low wages and incomes can barely keep up.”)

Among the groups’ demands are the immediate suspension of value-added and excise taxes on fuel products, the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law, higher wages for workers and a fare increase.

Floranda said other transport groups are welcome to join the strike at the end of the month.

Three major fuel price hikes this September have driven up diesel prices by a total of P18.31 per liter, kerosene by P16.67 and gasoline by P15.25.

The latest round of increases took effect Tuesday, with diesel rising by P8.82 per liter, kerosene by P6.47 and gasoline by P4.88.

The Department of Energy has said upward pressure on fuel prices could persist until the end of the year as tensions in the Middle East continue to affect global oil supply.

Security Bank Corp. is targeting the rollout of Apple Pay and Google Pay in the second half of 2027 as it upgrades its core credit card system and seeks to deepen its presence in digital payments.

Security Bank president and CEO Victor Lee said the lender could not introduce the mobile payment services this year because the bank is still changing its underlying credit card infrastructure.

‘We’re changing our system, our core credit card system,’ Lee said during a recent media roundtable.

Asked when Apple Pay and Google Pay could become available to Security Bank customers, Lee said: ‘Both by the second half next year.’

The planned rollout will allow eligible Security Bank cardholders to link their cards to the digital wallets and make payments through compatible mobile devices, extending the lender’s push to make more banking and payment transactions available digitally.

Lee said Apple Pay could be particularly relevant to Security Bank’s wealth management clients, a segment that forms part of the lender’s three-year growth strategy.

‘About 80 percent of our wealth customers are Apple users,’ he said. ‘So you need to be relevant with them.’

Beyond international mobile wallets, Security Bank also sees greater adoption of quick response (QR)-based payments as an opportunity for traditional banks to reclaim a larger share of transactions that have shifted to electronic wallets.

Lee cited the experience of markets such as Thailand and Cambodia, where he said greater QR adoption has allowed banks to become more directly involved in everyday payments.

‘When QR comes out, banks typically can take back their payments business,’ he said, adding that the opportunity is not necessarily limited to handling the payment itself, but also includes keeping the underlying funds within a customer’s bank account.

Lee argued that banks retain an advantage in holding customers’ larger savings balances even as electronic wallets have become widely used for smaller transactions.

‘Would you put your entire savings into a wallet?’ Lee said. ‘I think that trust gap is still quite evident. You look for micro-payments, but you don’t want to put your entire savings.’

He said making bank-based payments more convenient, particularly when combined with debit and credit cards and interoperable QR payments, could strengthen banks’ relevance in customers’ daily financial activity.

The push fits into Security Bank’s broader strategy of using digital channels not only to process transactions but to deepen customer relationships.

The bank has said its retail digital platform has 1.71 million customers, with about 65 percent considered active users. It is also rolling out an upgraded platform for corporate and micro, small and medium enterprise clients as it seeks to capture more payments, collections and other transaction banking activity.

Security Bank is separately studying whether to expand its offerings around the Personal Equity and Retirement Account, a voluntary retirement savings program that provides tax incentives for qualified investments.

Lee said Security Bank’s trust business is looking at the opportunity as the lender also explores ways to encourage more Filipinos, particularly younger investors, to participate in the capital markets.

AI filmmaking involves more than generating individual clips. For creators developing episodic stories, production also requires a structured script, recurring characters, consistent environments, shot planning and final editing.

When these steps take place across separate tools, creators must repeatedly transfer files, rebuild sequences and manage assets between platforms.

At CapCut World Singapore, CapCut presented how CapCut Video Studio brings these stages into one connected workspace. Video Studio is CapCut’s web-based AI video workspace for long-form storytelling. Its core workflow is built on an infinite canvas, with an editing timeline available for final production.

CapCut recently introduced Director Mode, an advanced mode in Video Studio dedicated to film and drama production. It combines an AI Agent, a built-in storyboard, leading image and video models, editing tools and reusable Skills within the same project.

Vee Camallere, a web developer from the Philippines, has developed storytelling as a parallel creative practice alongside her work in technology. Vee created the AI series Featherweight, which has reached more than 25 million views across platforms.

With recurring characters, connected episodes and two distinct timelines, Featherweight provides a real-world example of the production demands involved in serialized AI storytelling. At CapCut World, Vee used a 30-second trailer from the series to demonstrate how Director Mode supported the process from the initial premise to the final edit.

Director Mode brings story development onto the canvas

Vee began with a simple premise: an investigator named Daisy takes on a case that leads back to her college years and someone from her past.

Vee entered the premise directly onto the Video Studio canvas and worked with the Agent using language models including GPT and Gemini. Through the conversation, Vee developed key parts of the story, including where the college memories should appear, how quickly the tension should build and when Daisy should realize that the case had become personal.

The Agent responded with follow-up questions and organized Vee’s narrative decisions into a three-act outline.

The conversational process allowed Vee to retain control over the pacing, the placement of the college memories and the point at which the case becomes personal. The resulting script remained on the same canvas as the visual assets and production materials used later in the process.

Reusable assets support character and environment consistency

Once the outline was complete, the production moved to one of the central challenges in AI filmmaking: keeping characters and environments consistent across scenes and episodes.

Featherweight depends on viewers recognizing Daisy across both the present-day investigation and the college-memory sequences, making continuity central to Vee’s production process. Vee provided the Agent with Daisy’s character profile, covering both her appearance and her role in the story.

The profile captured the contrast at the center of the character: a sharp and driven investigator who still carries the weight of her college years. Using image models such as GPT Image and Nano Banana within Video Studio, Vee generated a complete character sheet and refined it through further conversation with the Agent.

After the character was finalized, Vee saved Daisy as a character asset. The same process was used for the other characters in the series. For Featherweight, this meant that Daisy and the rest of the cast could remain recognizable from scene to scene and episode to episode, without being rebuilt for every new sequence.

Video Studio applies a similar process to environments. Vee provided notes for key locations, including the police headquarters, college campus and library. The Agent developed the spaces from multiple angles and could also generate a floor plan. Vee then adjusted details such as layout and lighting before saving each environment for continued use.

By keeping the characters and locations as reusable assets, Director Mode helped maintain the same visual identity as the story moved between scenes.

Storyboard and editing remain in the same workspace

With the script, characters and environments prepared, Vee selected the relevant assets and asked the Agent to turn them into shots.

Video Studio generated a storyboard that organized the story into scenes and included production details such as shot type and dialogue. Vee could then rearrange shots, change their order, or split and combine scenes directly on the canvas.

Individual shots could also be revised without regenerating the full sequence. When an early version of a shot showing Daisy running through the streets did not fit the story, Vee regenerated that specific shot and retained the rest of the storyboard. For Vee, this turned the storyboard into a directing space, where one moment could be tested and revised without disrupting the rest of the sequence.

The production used Seedance 2.5 to carry the selected characters, environments and shot directions into the video sequence. Across the 30-second trailer, Daisy and the story’s locations remained consistent from one shot to the next.

Video Studio’s built-in editing timeline then allowed Vee to arrange and trim the footage, add subtitles and apply effects. The project could move from storyboard to final edit without requiring the shots to be downloaded and reconstructed in a separate editor.

Skills make production methods reusable

For creators producing a series, efficiency also depends on preserving the methods that already work. Video Studio allows creators to save prompts, visual treatments and production methods as reusable Skills.

In Featherweight, color helps Vee distinguish between the story’s two timelines. Scenes set during the present-day investigation have a cold, blue tone, while Daisy’s college memories use a warmer look. Vee saved both color-grading approaches as custom Skills, allowing the appropriate treatment to be applied to new clips whenever the story moved between the two timelines.

In addition to custom Skills, Video Studio includes a library of official Skills for tasks such as copywriting, screenwriting and storyboarding. Creators can use these as starting points for areas of production in which they have less experience.

More time for storytelling

Across the production process, Vee remained responsible for the central creative decisions: how the tension should build, how Daisy should look, which shots carried the story and how the two timelines should feel. Video Studio connected these decisions to the production work required to turn them into a finished trailer, while saved characters, environments and Skills allowed established creative choices to carry into later scenes and episodes.

For a creator developing a series alongside a career as a web developer, the benefit extends beyond producing one video more quickly. Reducing repeated setup and tool switching gives Vee more time to focus on the story and its characters.

‘AI definitely helps me work faster, but what matters is the time it gives me back,’ Vee said. That time can be used to refine the characters, tension and details that shape the story.

CapCut is an all-in-one AI-powered creative platform. CapCut World in Singapore, held from September 5 to 6, has concluded, and the global event series will continue in Los Angeles in October and London in November.

Clair Marlo, the hitmaker behind the late ’80s hit ‘Till They Take My Heart Away,’ hasn’t performed on stage for 33 years as she focused on raising her kids. Now an empty-nester, the 56-year-old singer-songwriter is making her comeback, starting in the Philippines.

Marlo was at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino last September 13, where she joined Australian artist Rick Price (known for his hit ‘Heaven Knows’) for a nationwide tour that included an earlier stop in Bacolod on Sept. 11 and wrapped up in Metro Manila on Sept. 15.

She explained her decision to start her comeback in the Philippines: ‘It’s the natural place to be in. If you look at which country plays my song the most, it’s the Philippines.’

In the ’90s, Marlo played a show at the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (then called the Folk Arts Theater) in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Malate. She also guested on Johnny Litton’s late-night talk show ‘Oh No! It’s Johnny!’ and various radio shows, including one on a heavy metal station – an experience she recalled as being ‘blown away’ and ‘incredible.’

A hit in the Philippines, ‘Till They Take My Heart Away’ has been covered by various Filipino artists, including Kyla and M.Y.M.P.

Marlo said she was ‘astonished’ by how much her song resonated with Filipinos, saying, ‘When you see somebody who says they can relate to the song, they can grow with it. It’s a form of satisfaction, as I connected with somebody.’

While she was absent from the stage for three decades, Marlo hasn’t given up on music, continuing on a more dormant path by composing songs for various movies and television shows. Her profile on IMDb lists her as having composed music for 176 projects, with 46 additional credits as part of the music department, including ‘The Equalizer’ and an episode of ‘Stranger Things’ – the latter of which was uncredited.

She explained that creating music for Hollywood productions allowed her to continue making music while raising her children. She said, ‘I couldn’t imagine being on tour while the children are at home, and they require [attention] so much. Now, I am free to go around the world as I choose.’

Marlo has always lived and breathed music, having been musically trained at the age of five and starting to write her own songs when she was nine. However, she thought that being a musician wasn’t a practical career, so she initially had her eye on becoming a doctor. It was her daily conversations with her next-door neighbor, who was studying in medical school, that changed her mind.

She recalled, ‘When he got into the cadaver part of it, I said to myself, ‘I don’t think I want to become a doctor.”

Marlo eventually decided to pursue music academically. She first studied at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, City University of New York. Growing up in the Big Apple, her parents didn’t want her to pursue her studies too far away from them, especially since she finished high school at the age of 16.

When she realized she preferred writing pop music instead of making classical music, Marlo transferred to Berklee College of Music, where she earned her degree. She said of her alma mater, ‘There was nowhere else that you could learn how to write popular music, and that was the absolute perfect place for me.’

For Marlo, songwriting is an instinctive process, with no set formula for how a song comes together. She embraces the waiting that comes with creating music, allowing her mind to work through an idea until it eventually becomes a song.

‘I let my mind do the talking because it’s working 100 percent of the time, even when you’re sleeping. Your mind is always working, solving problems, working out thoughts you’ve had. The subconscious doesn’t usually tell the conscious what it’s doing,’ she said.

‘I wrote a song [in my head] in five minutes, but it took me seven years to write it because I couldn’t figure out how to put these words into music,’ she added. ‘There was somebody who once said that writing a book would mean opening your heart up and bleeding all over the paper. It’s true because it’s a way to get in touch with yourself.’

Marlo warned, however, that a music career is not for the faint of heart, cautioning, ‘If you can imagine doing anything else other than music, do that because [making music is] a very tough road to go down.’

Marlo also said those who have a passion for music and want to make it their lifelong mission should go for it. ‘I gave up a lot of things to do what I do. But that’s not a choice for me, because if I don’t write music, I am unhappy,’ she said. ‘I have to write. It flows through us. I would be miserable if I don’t write music. I always go to the studio, sit down and play something because it’s ingrained in my blood.’

Having grown up in a Croatian immigrant household where her father was a mechanic and her mother was a homemaker, Marlo wanted to impart to her children that they should pursue things that make them happy and that they have the heart for.

‘I am not that special,’ she said. ‘I am just somebody who loves to do what I do. If you want to do it, and if you have a yearning, go for it if this is your path. Do what you love, because even in the miserable times, you can still do something that satisfies you in some way.

Alexa Cruspero and Matthew Morris turned the Governor’s Cup Juniors Tennis Championships into a showcase of their versatility, sweeping two singles crowns and one doubles title each as the Group 2 tournament wrapped up Sunday at the Capitol Tennis Courts in Siquijor.

Cruspero saved her toughest battle for last.

After cruising through her first three matches, the top-seeded Cruspero had to dig deep into her arsenal – and keep her composure – to outlast a stubborn Etha Seno, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, in a gripping girls’ 16-and-under final that could have gone either way.

Cruspero came through with timely shots and clutch returns in the decider to deny Seno and claim the 16-and-U crown. She then completed her singles double by beating doubles partner Mercy Pinili, 6-3, 6-2, in the 18-and-U final.

Morris matched Cruspero’s feat, ruling both the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under divisions before teaming up with Hazer Malicay to capture the 18-and-U doubles title.

Morris survived Xian Calagos, 7-6(2), 2-1(ret.), to take the 16-and-U crown, then produced a far more emphatic finish in the premier division, blanking doubles partner Malicay, 6-0, 6-0, for the 18-and-U title.

Cruspero and Morris later capped their respective three-title feats by joining Pinili and Malicay, respectively, in winning the 18-and-U doubles championships in the tournament presented by Dunlop and staged under the Palawan Pawnshop nationwide talent-search.

Their MVP performances highlighted a busy week of tennis in Siquijor, which hosted the Governor’s Cup for the first time through the initiative of Gov. Jake Villa. The province also staged the inaugural Governor’s Cup Open, where Eric Jay Tangub emerged champion.

The third-ranked Tangub stunned top seed JB Aguilar, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(2), in the semifinals before defeating No. 2 Nilo Ledama, 6-3, 6-3, in the final to pocket the P50,000 championship purse in the event backed by ICON Golf and Sports and Palawan Group of Companies and sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Rating.

In the other junior singles finals, Seno bounced back from her 16-and-U setback by dominating the 14-and-U division, drubbing Zhynaiah Gargaceran, 6-0, 6-1. Calagos likewise gained redemption by beating James Estrella for the boys’ 14-and-U crown.

Gargaceran took the girls’ 12-and-U title with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Athena Lanterna, while Dale Diamante ruled the boys’ youngest division, beating Leonid Sigeda, 6-0, 6-3.

In the other doubles finals, Merylle Monte and Julienne Tampus defeated Rhonalyn Samson and Faith Banico, 8-1, for the girls’ 14-and-U crown, while Diamante and Estrella edged Prince Centino and Rothmuel Escobar, 8-5, in the boys’ 14-and-U final.

In the Legends division, Roy Tan defeated Wisley Estrella, 8-5, to win the singles 35 title, while Jun Carreon captured the singles 50 crown with an 8-2 victory over Kurt Kilat Sr

Injectable weight-loss treatments are becoming increasingly popular in the Philippines but health experts are warning Filipinos against self-medication and purchasing unregistered or compounded products online.

They said growing demand for obesity treatment must be matched by greater attention to patient safety.

The call was made during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum marking World Patient Safety Day and Obesity Prevention Awareness Week, where doctors, patient advocates and health care stakeholders stressed that treating obesity safely begins with recognizing it as a chronic disease requiring proper diagnosis, appropriate treatment and continued medical supervision.

The warning comes as the Philippines faces a significant obesity burden.

The latest data from the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) show that that the prevalence of obesity among Filipino adults aged 20 to 59 years old rose to 44.5 percent in 2025 from 39.8 percent in 2023.

Nemencio Nicodemus Jr., an endocrinologist from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital, said the growing prevalence is particularly concerning because obesity is associated with four of the five leading causes of death among Filipinos: ischemic heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Safe obesity care

Wei Sun, general manager of Novo Nordisk Philippines, stressed that the availability of medical treatments for obesity should not encourage self-medication.

‘Prescription medicines for weight management should be prescribed by a qualified health care professional and obtained through legitimate channels, with treatment based on an individual patient’s condition and medical needs,’ said Sun.

One of the weight-management medicines recently launched in the Philippines is semaglutide (Wegovy®), a Philippine FDA-approved prescription medicine for appropriate patients living with obesity or overweight. While it offers another treatment option for weight management, Wegovy® should be used only under the guidance and supervision of a qualified health care professional.

The media forum also emphasized that medicines are only one component of obesity management. Nicodemus stressed that, similar to hypertension and diabetes, obesity requires long-term management rather than a ‘magic pill’ or quick solution.

Appropriate care may involve medical treatment alongside balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep and continued guidance from health care professionals.

Providing the patient perspective, Karen Villanueva of the Obesity Philippines Association – a newly formed group representing and advocating for people living with obesity – shared some of the everyday challenges faced by people living with obesity, including ‘food noise,’ or persistent thoughts and urges related to food that may be influenced by biological and hormonal factors.

She urged health care workers and the public to move away from stigma and body shaming, which can discourage people living with obesity from consulting health care professionals and getting appropriate care.

With patient safety in focus, experts urged Filipinos to consult qualified health care professionals before using any weight-management medicine, obtain prescription treatments only through legitimate channels and avoid products from unauthorized online sellers.

Suspected unregistered, counterfeit or illegally sold medicines may also be reported to the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to raise its benchmark interest rate to 5.25 percent by year-end as elevated oil prices and peso weakness complicate the inflation outlook, according to Union Bank of the Philippines and ANZ Research.

Their separate reports point to another 25-basis-point increase from the current five percent policy rate, which influences borrowing costs for households and businesses.

However, the two banks differ on how soon borrowing costs could decline.

UnionBank chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion sees an increase in October potentially paving the way for a year-end pause, while ANZ projects a 5.25-percent rate by December.

Asuncion said an October increase would bring cumulative tightening in the BSP’s current cycle to 100 basis points as policymakers seek to contain inflation risks from oil prices above $100 per barrel and a peso approaching 63 against the dollar.

‘Such an outcome could strengthen the case for a pause in the hiking cycle by year-end,’ the UnionBank report said.

A weaker peso makes imported fuel and other goods more expensive in local currency, potentially raising transport and production costs that businesses could pass on to consumers.

ANZ head of Asia research Khoon Goh identified the Philippines as among the economies more exposed to high oil prices and rising interest rates in the United States, despite broader resilience across Asian financial markets.

Much of the region has benefited from an artificial intelligence (AI) investment boom that has lifted demand for semiconductors, servers and equipment used in data centers.

Stronger exports have helped several economies build current account surpluses, providing a cushion against more expensive oil and higher global borrowing costs.

Goh identified India, Indonesia and the Philippines as exceptions to the region’s stronger position because they run current account deficits and are not major beneficiaries of the AI boom.

‘The currencies of these three economies are also the worst-performing ones year to date, as high oil prices raised the import bill while higher US interest rates made it more challenging to attract portfolio inflows to fund external deficits,’ he said.

ANZ forecasts the peso at 63 against the dollar by end-2026 before recovering to 61.50 by end-2027. UnionBank projects year-end levels of 62.30 and 61.52, respectively.

The two also expect slower Philippine economic growth this year, although their estimates differ. UnionBank forecasts gross domestic product, the value of goods and services produced in the country, to expand by 2.8 percent in 2026, while ANZ projects a 3.5-percent growth.

For 2027, UnionBank sees growth recovering to 3.8 percent while ANZ expects five percent.

UnionBank forecasts inflation to average 5.3 percent this year and 4.3 percent next year, compared to ANZ’s estimates of 6.2 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively.

Despite the pressures, Asuncion cited buffers including a well-capitalized banking system, international reserves covering more than six months of imports, and steady receipts from overseas Filipino workers and business process outsourcing services.

The Nation’s Girl Group BINI was tapped for an original song in “Forgotten Island” because of the P-pop act’s alignment with the movie’s friendship theme.

DreamWorks Animation’s newest film inspired by Filipino culture and folklore features BINI’s newest song “A Parallel World,” which plays midway through the runtime as Raissa and Jo (Liza Soberano and H.E.R.) try to recollect how they ended up on titular island of Nakali.

“A Parallel World” is one of the few original lyrical songs on the official soundtrack, which also features covers of Francis Magalona’s “Mga Kababayan” by SB19 and INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” by Sophia Laforteza of Katseye.

Philstar.com exclusively spoke to Nathan Matthew David, the Filipino-American composrer of “Forgotten Island,” and asked why BINI was chosen for an original song while SB19 and Sophia were tapped for covers.

David began by acknowledging decisions were made in accordance to the needs of the film and the story being told.

An example he gave of moments being worked into the script was Sophia’s take on “Never Tear Us Apart,” meanwhile “Mga Kababayan” was selected as the production team wanted honor the late rapper.

“SB19 did an insanely good cover of that, you know, it’s fantastic,” David praised the P-pop Kings. “And I think really pays homage to Francis M.” The movie set in the ’90s used covers as the composer found it an interesting the idea to blend classic sounds with modern ones.

“BINI in particular for [‘A Parallel World’] and the friendship theme, they just so imperfectly encompassed the themes of this film,” David shared, noting how glad the team was to approach BINI before the group’s historic Coachella performance that raised their popularity even more.

“We knew they were going to be so perfect for this, their themes of friendship, what they stand for,” the composer added. “And additionally their vocals are incredible. And so they were just the perfect fit for one of the original songs in the film.”

David also agreed that it was a no-brainer that Liza and H.E.R. would sing the lead track “BRB,” which plays during the credits.

“It was so perfect, yeah, it’s just incredible they were both on it. The song’s incredible, it’s so great that it all came together,” he ended.

With Liza and H.E.R. in the voice cast are Dolly de Leon, Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy, Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto, Filipino-American actress Amielynn Abellera, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Ronny Chieng, and Lea Salonga, who also contributes to the film’s music.

“Forgotten Island” goes wide in Philippine cinemas this September 23.

The Quezon Huskers subdued the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers, 90-74, on Monday to top the elimination phase of the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season South Division at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos.

Quezon improved its record to 21-4, the same as Binan Tatak Gel, but emerged as the No. 1 qualifier to the quarterfinal playoffs because of its 66-59 victory in their April 21 encounter.

Although the Huskers led throughout, the reigning back-to-back South champions experienced anxious moments as the Golden Coolers crept to within 55-58 after three quarters.

Cholo Anonuevo, however, hit his stride in the fourth quarter with eight points and Christian Pagaran added six, pushing the Huskers out of danger and pulling down the Golden Coolers to 16-9.

MPBL All-Star co-MVP Judel Fuentes led Quezon with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals; followed by Jason Opiso, with 14 points and six rebounds; Anonuevo, with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists; and Pagaran, with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Rizal, which remained the No. 6 qualifier, drew 20 points and eight rebounds from JP Maguliano; 12 points and five assists from Philip Manalang; and 10 points and five assists from Jolo Mendoza.

Gensan trounces Bulacan

The Gensan Warriors started hot and never cooled to beat the Bulacan Kuyas, 102-82, in the nightcap and catch up with the Cebu Greats and the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics at 19-6.

After the tiebreaker, Cebu finished third, and Batangas City fourth, owing to its 76-73 victory over Gensan on September 18.

RJ Minerva paced Gensan with 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists, followed by Hesed Gabo, with 14 points, seven assists, three steals and two rebounds; and Kris Porter with 10 points.

Joshua Fontanilla, Samboy De Leon and JM Versoza supported them with nine points each.

Bulacan, which ended its campaign at 6-19, got 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals from Andre Acop; 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals from Jeremy Cruz; and 11 points and two assists from Benedict Benedictos.

Imus grabs last play-in ticket

The Imus Yangkee bested the Sarangani 10ACT Marlins, 89-84, in the opener to grab the last ticket to the play-in stage.

Imus finished at 4-21, good for the 10th spot in the South Division, and will tangle with ninth-ranked Zamboanga Sikat in the play-in involving teams ranked seventh to 10th after the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 26-team tournament.

The winner between Imus and Zamboanga will then dispute the eighth and last playoff slot with the loser of the other play-in game between seventh-ranked Mindoro and No. 8 Basilan. The winner of the Mindoro-Zamboanga tussle advances outright to the quarterfinal playoffs.

Sarangani closed its campaign this year with a 3-22 record.

Joseph Marquez, a 6-foot-3 forward out of Our Lady of Fatima University, posted 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals for Imus and was named SportsPlus Best Player.

Other Yangkees who delivered were Ian Pardo, with 16 points, including three game-clinching free throws in the last 8.7 seconds; homegrown Paul Christian Ferrer, with 13 points and eight rebounds; and homegrown Patrick Dale Beltran, with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Sarangani drew 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists from Carl Bryan Lacap; 13 points, five rebounds and two assists from John Cantimbuhan; 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals from Alex Desoyo; and 15 rebounds, eight points and three assists from Ken Brillantes.

The tournament returns to the Pasay Astrodome on Tuesday, featuring games between Caloocan and Zamboanga at 3 p.m.; Pasay City and Pasig City at 5 p.m.; and Valenzuela City and Quezon City at 7 p.m.

At Mandarin Nest Boracay, a trip to the island is more than a change of scenery, it is an invitation to slow down, reconnect and enjoy the kind of moments that are better when shared.

Set along Station 2’s beachfront, the resort brings together comfortable spaces, good food, and activities that make family trips, barkada escapes and group getaways easier to enjoy.

Because when everyone finally gets to go, even the simplest plans can become part of the adventure.

More than just a place to sleep

Someone wakes up early for the beach, someone sleeps in and someone is still deciding what to wear when everyone else is ready. But that is part of the fun.

Mandarin Nest offers 77 tropical-inspired rooms, including accommodations designed for larger groups and families. Options range from rooms for smaller groups to the Premier Family with Daybed, One Bedroom Premier, and Two Bedroom Premier, which can accommodate up to eight adults and two children.

With everyone staying in one place, the room becomes part of the experience-where mornings begin slowly, plans are made, and the day’s stories are retold before everyone calls it a night.

Good food makes the trip better

There is always that one question every group eventually asks: ‘Where are we eating?’ At Hakuna Matata Boracay, the answer can be as easy as gathering around the table.

The restaurant serves group-friendly options such as the Boodle Boat Feast, available in Seafood, All-Meat, and Combo selections. For a more casual bite, guests can go for the Lava Cheese Burger or Hakuna Pizza.

More than simply filling up between activities, shared meals give everyone a reason to pause to talk about the day’s adventures, argue over the last piece, or decide where to head next.

A reason to celebrate

Boracay has a way of making ordinary occasions feel special.

A birthday becomes a beachside memory. A reunion becomes an excuse to finally get everyone in one place. Even a simple gathering feels different with the sea and sunset in the background.

Mandarin Nest offers occasion setups, welcome treats, and turndown service for guests marking special moments. For bigger celebrations, the fully air-conditioned Sky Bar can accommodate up to 100 guests, while the Function Room can host up to 30 for more intimate gatherings.

Whether it is a milestone or simply a long-overdue get-together, the setting gives groups more reasons to celebrate together.

Everyone has their own way to unwind

The challenge with group vacations is finding something everyone enjoys.

At Mandarin Nest, guests can spend their time differently without being far apart. Kids can play at the Kids Play Area, while others can work out at the Fitness Area or relax at the Sky Pool.

Guests can also enjoy complimentary afternoon treats through Pamahaw sa Nest, along with a 15-minute foot massage. As the day comes to an end, the Mandarin Nest Sunset Dancers bring music and energy into the evening.

There is no pressure to follow the same schedule. Some can stay active, others can slow down, and everyone can still come together when it matters.

The moments you take home

The best part of a group vacation is rarely the itinerary. It is the breakfast that turned into an hour-long conversation. The poolside laughter. The shared food. The last-minute decision to watch the sunset together. The stories that only make sense to the people who were there.

Mandarin Nest brings these moments into one stay, giving families, friends, reunions, and groups a place to eat, celebrate, unwind and simply be together.

Because a Boracay getaway does not have to be packed with plans to be memorable. Sometimes, all it takes is good company, a little time and a place that gives everyone a reason to stay awhile.