Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Sexbomb Girls member Aifha Medina recalled being romantically linked to actor Derek Ramsay some years back, but stressed that there is no truth to this rumor.

Medina spoke about this during her ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda’ interview along with fellow Sexbomb Girls member Aira Bermudez on Thursday, Nov. 27.

The topic was brought up after show host Abunda asked who of them has the most number of exes who are also showbiz personalities. Bermudez pointed at Medina who then said, ‘Hindi naman po madami, meron lang po.’

Medina did not immediately disclose any names, noting that she is no longer friends with them.

Moving on to a similar topic, Abunda then asked Medina to name those whom she was rumored to be dating but was not true.

‘Na-link sa akin? Parang si Derek – ayun ‘yung hindi totoo. ‘Yun po talaga big no-no,’ she answered.

(Those who were linked to me? The rumors with Derek, they are not true. That is a big no-no.)

It can be recalled that Medina and Ramsay were hounded by romance rumors in 2011 after their alleged sighting in Tondo. Both of them denied this at the time.

‘Hindi po talaga totoo. As in never pa kaming nagkita until now, nang harapan, personal,’ she clarified. (It is really not true. We have never even met in person.)

Medina and Bermudez are set to reunite with their fellow Sexbomb Girls for a concert in December at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ramsay, meanwhile, has been making headlines after his estranged wife Ellen Adarna accused him of infidelity and of gaslighting her. The actress earlier shared she has already moved out of the actor’s home.

Gilas Pilipinas may be favored to run roughshod over Guam in their two-game series to start the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday, but coach Tim Cone isn’t taking any chances.

‘If we don’t win this window, then we don’t make the World Cup,’ coach Tim Cone said as Gilas seeks to complete the first part of the task on Friday at Guam’s Calvo Fieldhouse.

Tipoff is at 5 p.m. Philippine time, with Gilas set to face off against Jericho Cruz, the swagger-filled San Miguel Beer forward who will lead Guam into battle against some of his PBA buddies, including teammates June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez.

But Cone, obviously, is not looking at Cruz as Guam’s only threat for the away affair.

‘They got [Tai] Wesley, who has tremendous footwork at the post,’ said Cone. ‘You got [Jonathan] Galloway, who jumps out of the gym and is super athletic. And then you have Gabriel Simon, who is a lights-out three-point shooter.

‘They’re not going to be a deep team where they’re going to play all 12 guys, unlike us, where we have depth one through 12,’ he added.

Cone is also bracing for the challenge of playing on Guam’s turf, which could work against Gilas despite its advantage in manpower.

Nonetheless, Gilas will remain the favorites to come away with a win in the contest that will see the debut of new addition Quentin Millora-Brown.

Millora-Brown, Cone said, has adapted well to the Triangle Offense, but how he performs is likely to be scrutinized by fans back home, given the expectations surrounding his promising talent and his potential contributions to the national side.

On the other hand, the game will have a special meaning for Cruz, who is representing Guam by way of having grown up on the tiny island before returning home for college.

Cruz has not set any lofty goals or declarations of an upset, other than expressing his intent to just ‘enjoy the moment of facing Gilas.’

For Gilas, however, there’s no reason to play below par.

‘We’ve got to come with our best foot forward,’ Cone said. ‘We can’t take anything for granted with them being at home in front of their home crowd.’

It is a truth universally acknowledged by a certain generation of fans that the original Pokémon experience of 1999 possessed a certain magic, a je ne sais quoi that the modern, hyper-commercialized iteration seems to lack. It wasn’t just a game or a show; it was a cultural moment, a phenomenon dubbed ‘Pokémania’ that captured the imagination of the entire planet. But what truly set that era apart, and more importantly, how have the present-day dynamics of collecting-driven by scalpers and resellers-effectively destroyed the very soul of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)?

When did these issues arise, and what caused them? What transformed Pokémon into this global corporate powerhouse? While there are no definitive answers to these questions, I have my own theories rooted in my personal experiences playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) as a child during its rise to global prominence in 1999.

I was in grade school when Pokémon first arrived in our part of the world, and it was an experience unlike any other; the special magic of it was clear to everyone. This import from Japan had the potential to become a cultural phenomenon that went on for decades and is still going strong to this day. The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) was especially significant-it sparked my generation’s interest in learning about game mechanics, strategies, and, most importantly, how to play with others. It’s important to note that I refer to ‘players’ and not collectors, scalpers, or resellers. Those early years of Pokémon provided an experience that can never be replicated for several reasons, which I will discuss below. Why is that, you ask?

The answer lies in simplicity, nostalgia, and the purity of the pursuit.

1999: An era of simplicity and discovery

For me, the original 1999 Pokémon experience was defined by its accessibility, enjoyability, and a genuine sense of wonder.

A manageable world: With the initial 151 Pokémon, the goal to ‘catch ’em all’ felt challenging yet attainable. Today, with over a thousand creatures, the sheer volume can be overwhelming, a chore rather than a quest. The world felt contained and personal. Nowadays, with every set and expansion set, the new creatures added resemble little to nothing at all to the initial 151 Pokémon in terms of design, originality, and appeal. They look like they were drawn off a laptop or randomly scribbled ideas and thrown together body parts of different Pokémon into one. To be even more honest, I do not think the newer Pokémon creatures were even done by the artists themselves, but a hired group who may not be fans at all of Pokémon or do not know enough about it.

An amalgamation mess is what they have become with the majority of the new creatures of Pokémon. Many of the newer Pokémon are frightening to look at if you were a child; some are demonic, some don’t even have eyes, and some are clearly drawn with zero regard for their final appearance, meaning, most likely, they just designed these creatures anyway they wanted to for the heck of it. Seriously, if you look at many of the newly created creatures, they do not look like they belong in Pokémon. In fact, nearly 90 percent of them would not have been suitable to be part of the initial 151 Pokémon, because they are horribly designed, little imagination is used, and, honestly, they look lazily conceptualized. Why so? Let us take, for example, this, who in the world would think of turning a lantern or a ridiculous inanimate object into a Pokémon creature? Only now, but before, hell no, it is absurdly a bad idea.

The TCG’s humble beginnings: The original TCG was simple. Powerful cards like Energy Removal dictated strategic, skill-based gameplay. The mechanics were straightforward, and the joy came from playing with friends, not appraising the potential resale value of a holographic Charizard. Today, it is all about Ultra Rares, Secret Rares, and Full-Art cards. Gone are the years when it was focused on the attacks, types, and hit points of the cards. Basically, everything to do with the actual game mechanics of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) has eroded, and everything is more about rarity, collectability, and marketability.

Purity of the fandom: Back then, the primary drivers were the engaging gameplay (on the Game Boy) and the compelling anime storyline. ‘Ash Ketchum’ was a relatable novice, and the journey was about friendship and growth. The focus was on the adventure, not the investment potential. This was as pure as one can be. The same can be similarly said with the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) itself, wherein you have players battling against each other, there were tournaments and brackets in who would become the best player among the rest. The fandom was first and foremost, and that is where the purity came from.

The modern predicament: greed over growth

The modern Pokémon landscape, particularly the TCG market, has unfortunately been corrupted by an influx of people who see ‘pocket monsters’ not as beloved characters, but as commodities. The culture has shifted from shared passion to ruthless profit. These days, you have people who clearly do not care about Pokémon but only want to make a steady income out of it, and they do not care if they deprive the remaining players of being able to purchase new Pokémon products because of it. They come in, swoop everything, and then resell it for at least 3x the price in most cases, which is ruthless on their part and shows what their true intentions are.

It has become so bad, so prevalent, and so chaotic that these people have effectively infiltrated the community and turned it into something that all of us never dreamed it would be, and it has hurt the Pokémon company’s name because of them. This is more than a sudden shift, but a terrible outcome no one foresaw would happen.

This new dynamic has been disastrous for the community in several ways:

Scalpers and artificial scarcity: Scalpers employ bots and market manipulation to completely buy out stock of high-demand products. Take, for example, the 25th-anniversary sets, the moment they hit the shelves. This engineered scarcity forces genuine fans to pay double or triple the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on the secondary market. These are all underhanded, manipulative, and unethical tactics that have put the upper hand on the scalpers.

The erosion of the hobby’s spirit: The conversation has fundamentally changed. Many YouTube personalities and online forums now focus purely on the ‘value’ of a card rather than the art, the gameplay, or the nostalgia. This creates a generation of new fans who join the hobby for the wrong reason: making a quick buck. These kinds of YouTube personalities are everywhere, and upon watching a few of their newest uploads, you can clearly see that they do not know how to play Pokémon at the slightest, and all they see and hear is ‘value, value, value’ and nothing more. They are clueless about what Pokémon as a TCG is all about, and a good number of these people are from my generation and even older, so that says it all about who they are.

Local card shops capitulating: Even reliable local game stores have, in some cases, started raising their prices to match the inflated secondary market values, gouging their loyal customers because ‘the market justifies their actions.’ This breaks the trust and community spirit that once made these shops a haven for players and not only collectors. Nowadays, when a new set or expansion set has been released, by the time you get to your local game store, you can see a huge line, and always the first people in front of that long line are scalpers hoarding everything at one go and leaving close to nothing and, in most cases, absolutely zero for others, especially the players.

The result, the simple joy of walking into a store and finding a booster pack to complete your collection, has been replaced by frustration and empty shelves. While the Pokémon Company has promised to increase production to meet demand, in fact, they have been printing at max capacity to the point one of their machines malfunctioned because of it; the current state of affairs remains bleak for the average enthusiast, casual buyer, and even new players. The market today is not going to be easy for any of them to get into.

In the golden age of 1999, we were all ‘Ash Ketchum,’ striving to be the very best, like no one ever was, purely for the love of the game. Today, the market is rife with Team Rocket wannabes, motivated solely by monetary gain. It is a sad evolution of a once-pure phenomenon. All I can say is, I am glad, grateful, and relieved that my generation got to experience Pokémon in its golden age.

At a meeting of the House Committee on Appropriations, Assistant Majority Leader and Representative Brian Poe called for the immediate funding support for House Bill No. 1189, a bill that seeks to establish a dedicated Department of Water Resources as well as proposes a sweeping overhaul of the Philippines’ fragmented water governance system.

Speaking at Nograles Hall on Wednesday, Poe emphasized that while creating a new Department of Water Resources requires upfront investment, the cost of inaction is far greater.

‘More than 30 agencies currently handle water, sanitation, flood control, and regulation,’ he said. ‘The result is predictable: repeated water crises, poor coordination, and wasted public funds.’

HB 1189 seeks to consolidate these scattered mandates under a unified Department of Water Resources and establish an independent Water Regulatory Commission to oversee fair pricing, service standards, and consumer protection.

The measure also embeds climate resilience into national water planning, addressing recurring floods and droughts with science-based infrastructure and long-term strategy.

Rep. Poe argued that strategic, one-time investment would prevent decades of recurring emergency spending.

Rep. Poe highlighted the human cost of the current system: 31 percent of illnesses in the country are water-related, largely due to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation. ‘Every peso invested in water governance protects our families, our workers, and our economy,’ he said.

Acknowledging the bill’s fiscal implications, Poe argued that strategic, one-time investment would prevent decades of recurring emergency spending. ‘Let us invest once, wisely and strategically, rather than continue paying for inefficiency,’ he urged.

Multiple related bills filed by other lawmakers underscore growing consensus that the current system is broken beyond patchwork fixes. Poe’s proposal is among the most comprehensive, aligning water policy with public health, climate adaptation, and good governance.

The House Committee on Appropriations is expected to deliberate on HB 1189’s funding provisions in the coming weeks.

Taal Volcano in Batangas province continues to show heightened activity, with sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and seismic events both on the rise, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Friday, Nov. 28.

In its 24-hour monitoring period, Phivolcs recorded 208 metric tons of SO2 emitted on Thursday.

Although still classified as a ‘weak emission,’ the gas plume rose about 600 meters above Taal Volcano Island (TVI) – the crater landmass locally known as Pulo within Taal Lake – before drifting away.

This figure marks a sharp increase from the consistent 72 metric tons recorded daily since Nov. 18.

The latest bulletin also logged 40 volcanic earthquakes along with 15 episodes of volcanic tremors.

From Nov. 1 to 28, Taal has recorded 458 volcanic earthquakes and 72 tremor episodes.

The figures surpassed October’s 367 quakes and 69 tremors, and were well above September’s tally of 189 quakes and 129 tremors.

Phivolcs explained that volcanic earthquakes result from magmatic or magma-related processes beneath or near an active volcano.

Tremors, meanwhile, are low-frequency seismic vibrations (0.5-5 Hz) caused by resonating magma within cracks and vents, clusters of low-frequency quakes, or small internal explosions.

Taal also produced minor phreatomagmatic eruptions at its main crater on Nov. 12 and 23.

Despite the uptick in SO2 emissions, continued seismic activity, and recent phreatomagmatic events, the volcano remains under Alert Level 1, indicating low-level unrest.

Phivolcs reiterated that entry into Taal Volcano Island – the Permanent Danger Zone – particularly the main crater and the Daang Kastila trail, remains strictly prohibited.

The Civil Aviation Authority likewise cautioned pilots to avoid flying near the volcano due to the possibility of sudden ash emissions that could endanger aircraft

One of two Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) workers buried in a landslide while monitoring road conditions in San Juan, Santa Praxedes, Cagayan on Friday morning, Nov. 28, died in the hospital.

Both workers were unearthed from the rubble and immediately rushed to the nearest hospital, although one of them had no pulse upon retrieval.

The fatality was identified as Enrico Gantan, 46, a contractual DPWH worker and resident of Barangay Capacuan. He was declared dead at the hospital.

The second victim, Romeo Lumabao, 49, also a contractual worker from Salungsong, survived and remains confined but in stable condition.

According to Santa Praxedes Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Marlene Miralles, the workers were monitoring road conditions when they noticed too late the sudden collapse of soil that buried them.

Their colleagues responded quickly and were able to dig them out.

The affected road section has since been reopened to traffic following clearing operations conducted in the afternoon

Celebrities have joined fellow Filipinos in questioning the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) remark that a family can prepare traditional Christmas dishes with only ?500.

DTI Secretary Cristina Roque earlier said households could supposedly buy ham and ingredients for macaroni salad and spaghetti with that amount, depending on the number of people eating.

The claim immediately drew backlash from the public, sectoral groups and lawmakers, who said the budget was ‘unrealistic’ amid rising market prices.

Actor-host Edu Manzano was among those who reacted online, posting Roque’s quote card as he teased what he called a ‘?500 Noche Buena Challenge.’

‘Para sa mga hindi updated. eto po ‘yung breaking news na nagpa-angat ng kilay ng buong Pilipinas (For those who aren’t updated. here’s the breaking news that made the whole Philippines raise an eyebrow),’ he wrote on social media.

‘Sabi nila, P500 daw. kaya na ang ham, macaroni salad at spaghetti (They said ?500 is enough for ham, macaroni salad, and spaghetti). Kaya naman susubukan natin. Kung sila ay confident. tayo ay curious. Abangan ang 500 Peso Noche Buena Challenge (So we will try it. If they are confident. we are curious. Watch out for the ?500 Noche Buena Challenge),’ continued the actor.

In the comments section, actress Alessandra de Rossi also weighed in with a short but pointed response, reacting to the claim that ?500 could cover holiday staples.

‘Hahahaha, ilang slice? ( How many slices?),’ she simply wrote, implying that such a budget would only yield meager portions. Radio personality DJ Chacha similarly questioned where the DTI was supposedly buying ingredients that would make the figure feasible.

‘Kasya daw ang 500 pesos pang-noche buena. Saan pong palengke kayo namimili? Dun kami pupunta para makatipid sa Pasko (They say ?500 is enough for noche buena. Which market do you shop in? We’ll go there so we can save this Christmas),’ she said.

‘Pashare naman po pls ng inyong palengke tips para magkasya ang 500 pesos pang-handa sa pasko (Please share your market tips so we can make ?500 fit for Christmas preparations),’ the DJ continued in a separate tweet.

Kasya daw ang 500 pesos pang-noche buena. Saan pong palengke kayo namimili dun kami pupunta para makatipid sa Pasko.

– DJ Chacha (@_djchacha) November 28, 2025

On Friday, the DTI defended its claim, citing its noche buena price guide, which it said could help a family of four prepare basic Christmas dishes within the suggested amount.

Akbayan Party-List Rep. Percival Cendaña called the DTI’s statement an ‘insult’ to the Filipinos, while Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Party-list) labeled it as ‘tone-deaf’ amid public outrage over corruption scandals.

Since 2022, DTI has been insisting that ?500 is enough for a traditional Filipino Christmas Eve dinner, saying that ‘consumers can choose cheaper and heavier variations of noche buena food items so they would not spend much.’

Cote d’Ivoire’s Olivia Yace has yet to issue a statement following Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Raul Rocha’s claim regarding her alleged weak passport, however, she nonetheless expressed her admiration for Michelle Obama and Oprah for being an inspiration.

Yace, who relinquished her title as Miss Universe Africa and Oceania 2025, has been making headlines after Rocha claimed in a video that her alleged weak passport is one of the reasons behind her loss in the Miss Universe 2025 pageant. This sparked backlash among pageant fans, including Guadeloupe’s Ophely Mezino, who rallied behind the Ivorian beauty queen.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, November 26, Yace spoke of how Obama and Oprah’s ‘grace, resilience, and wisdom’ helped her become the woman that she is today.

”When they go low, we go high’ @michelleobama. ‘Where there is no struggle, there is no strength’ @oprah. Two women whose grace, resilience, and wisdom have shaped the way I move through the world. Their words remind me every day to rise above, stay rooted in my values, and transform every challenge into strength,’ she said.

The Ivorian beauty queen said she hopes to meet them in the future, while urging her followers to help her in getting her story across to them.

‘I would love to meet them, I want to share my truth with women who have inspired the way I stand, speak, and rise. Family, help me tag Michelle Obama and Oprah so my truth can reach them,’ she said.

Yace, however, has yet to directly respond to Rocha or the MUO, as of this writing.

The Ivorian beauty queen is named as one of the favorites to win the Miss Universe 2025 crown after her strong performance at the coronation night, particularly the question-and-answer segment.

Mexico’s Fatima Bosch is named the reigning titleholder. Despite this, her win has been facing allegations of rigging due to having the same nationality as Rocha, as well as the MUO president’s alleged ties to her father.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday condemned the killing of a barangay captain in Digos City and vowed to ‘protect the rights’ of all Filipinos to voice out their criticisms.

In a statement, Duterte expressed her condolences to the loved ones and the community left by Oscar ‘Dodong’ Bucol Jr., the barangay captain of Tres de Mayo in Digos City who was shot dead in the middle of his daily Facebook live at the garage of his residence while interviewing a person over a lost and found ID on Tuesday night. ‘Captain Dodong only utilized his right and freedom to speak out against corruption and about politics, and he was silenced with a gun and a bullet,’ said Duterte, whose father’s presidency was also marked by alleged rights abuses and multiple killings and silencing of critics.

The administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, now under the custody of the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, was highly known for its approach on critics by filing criminal charges against them and eventually, sending them behind bars. The vice president said she was firm in protecting one’s right, especially in speaking out and questioning the wrongs of the government.

‘In honoring his memory, we are reminded to uphold our stand to protect the rights and freedoms that have always paved the way for us to speak out, question and participate without fear,’ Duterte said.

After taking a single shot on his body, Bucol was rushed to a hospital in Digos City, but he was eventually declared dead.

Bucol had 300,000 followers on Facebook and has been known in his community for voicing out his hard-hitting criticisms against local politicians and even top police officials in his area.

Both Davao del Sur Gov. Yvonne Cagas and former Gov. Marc Cagas raised a P1 million reward to go after Bucol’s killers and the mastermind behind his death.

The legal counsel of the Bucol family, lawyer Israelito Torreon, said Duterte had offered another P1 million reward that would lead to the killers of the village chief.

‘We are deeply honored to receive the People’s Choice Favorite Brand award, together with six other major recognitions at the 2025 PANAta Awards. These honors are a testament to the unwavering trust of our clients nationwide and the dedication of every Ka-Cebuana who brings our mission to life. Each campaign we deliver is built with purpose-to uplift, support, and empower Filipinos-and it is truly meaningful to see that commitment celebrated on such a prestigious stage,’ said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

‘Every award we earned affirms the impact and intention behind our campaigns-from Pasasalamat to Money Guro, Iponventure, and our Gold Bar initiatives. These wins reflect the power of insight-driven storytelling and purposeful engagement. Being named Brand Building Team of the Year is especially meaningful, as it underscores the strength of collaboration, creativity, and strategic execution in delivering meaningful experiences for our customers,’ added Mike Sena, First Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Cebuana Lhuillier.

Cebuana Lhuillier also earned multiple Bronze Awards for standout work across several marketing disciplines. Its Pasasalamat campaign illustrated excellence in on-ground activation, strengthening grassroots engagement in communities nationwide. Money Guro showcased the company’s leadership in financial literacy education through social media, delivering accessible and engaging content for varied audiences. The Iponventure initiative demonstrated strong corporate communication by inspiring financial resilience and long-term savings among Filipinos. Meanwhile, the Cebuana Lhuillier Gold Bar was recognized for its excellence in creating new markets and driving a successful product launch, reflecting the company’s ability to introduce innovative offerings while building meaningful consumer connections.

Cebuana Lhuillier’s strong performance at the 2025 PANAta Awards reinforces its standing as one of the country’s most trusted and influential brands. As it continues to expand its services and deepen its connection with millions of Filipinos, these recognitions highlight the company’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and genuine customer empowerment.