Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

South Korean actors Ahn Bo-hyun and Lee Joo-been will portray a fiery love story in ‘Spring Fever,’ set to premiere on Jan. 5.

Prime Video announced Ahn and Lee’s new project in a press statement on Thursday, Nov. 27, which will be directed by Park Won-gook of ‘Marry My Husband’ and ‘Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist’ fame.

‘Spring Fever’ tells the story of Sun Jae-gyu (Ahn), an unpredictable man who turns a quiet village upside down with his troublemaker ways. He meets Yoon Bom (Lee), a coldhearted high school teacher whose heart melts when they eventually engage in a passionate romance.

The drama also stars Cha Seo-won, Cho Jun-young, Lee Jae-in, Jin Kyung and Bae Jung-nam.

‘Lee Joo-been and Ahn Bo-hyun showcased flawless chemistry, raising expectations for the fresh excitement the two will bring to the screen,’ the streaming service said of the lead stars’ chemistry.

Ahn, who started his entertainment career as a model, is best known for his appearances in ‘Yumi’s Cells,’ ‘Military Prosecutor Doberman,’ ‘Flex X Cop’ and ‘See You in My 19th Life.’

On the other hand, Lee is notable for her knack to create effortless chemistry – whether it’s romantic, friendly or angst-laden – with her co-stars, as seen in her lead roles in ‘The Divorce Insurance,’ ‘Queen of Tears’ and ‘Twelve.’

A Taguig City court has sentenced a woman to life imprisonment and ordered her to pay P4.3 million in fines and damages for sexually abusing seven minors-four of them her own children-in exchange for money from online viewers at the height of the pandemic, the International Justice Mission (IJM) said.

In a Nov. 17 decision, the Taguig City Regional Trial Court’s Branch 163 imposed two prison sentences on the woman: life imprisonment for qualified trafficking and reclusion perpetua (up to 40 years) for possession of child sexual abuse material. She was also ordered to pay P4 million in fines and P300,000 in damages.

According to IJM, the conviction was secured with the help of digital evidence to ‘[spare] survivors from the trauma of reliving their abuse in court and facing their perpetrator.’ The case stemmed from the April 2020 arrest of the 25-year-old woman in Taguig City and the rescue of seven minors during an operation that was conducted based on a tip from the United States Homeland Security Investigations.

It was the second police operation against the online sexual exploitation of children that was carried out while the country was on lockdown due to COVID-19.

The victims, composed of six males and a female between the ages of 3 and 14 at the time, were rescued from the scene. Four of them were the suspect’s own children, the IJM said.

The woman operated under multiple social media usernames, online accounts and contact numbers to conceal her illegal activities.

‘This crime thrives in the shadows-often within homes-which is why community vigilance is key to stopping it,’ said IJM Philippines’ Community Engagement Director Evelyn Pingul.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points despite being ill and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-105 on Wednesday night in an NBA Cup Game.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who was listed as questionable on the injury report, made 12 of 19 field goals and 15 of 17 free throws. Oklahoma City won its 10th straight and became just the fifth team in NBA history to start a season 18-1. The Thunder improved to 4-0 in West Group A and are well-positioned to reach the knockout round.

Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 91 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in NBA history behind two streaks by Wilt Chamberlain. Gilgeous-Alexander can match Chamberlain’s second-place run of 92 straight on Friday against Phoenix. Anthony Edwards had 31 points and eight rebounds and kept the Timberwolves in the game by making several difficult shots, but couldn’t stop Minnesota from losing its third straight. Minnesota made just 22 of 37 free throws.

It was a rematch of the Western Conference finals series last season that the Thunder won 4-1. Last time the Timberwolves visited the Paycom Center, they got beat 124-94 in Game 5 as the Thunder clinched the West.

Oklahoma City’s Kenrich Williams, who had not played this season because of a left knee injury, got his first action in the first quarter.

The Thunder led 24-17 at the end of the opening quarter. It was Minnesota’s second-lowest point total in any quarter this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 19 points in the first half to help the Thunder take a 49-39 lead.

The country’s big business and civil society groups have called for mandatory lifestyle checks of all government officials to validate their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

In a collective statement on Thursday, the Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines, Justice Reform Initiative and Institute for Solidarity in Asia lamented that without rigorous verification, SALNs would remain ‘symbolic records rather than effective tools against corruption.’

‘Lifestyle audits are much easier to do now with accessible digital footprints that show spending patterns, travel, social media activity and ownership of luxury assets of public officials and their family members,’ the groups said. ‘They are essential to uncover if declared wealth aligns with actual living standards.’

They noted that the Constitution (Article XI, Section 17) already mandates every public official, both elected and appointed, to submit a sworn SALN upon assuming office. Republic Act (RA) No. 6713 further extends SALN requirements to spouses and minor children living in the same household and mandates annual updates.

‘The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act imposes penalties, including disqualification and imprisonment, while the Plunder Law punishes with lifetime imprisonment those who amass ill-gotten wealth of at least P50 million, a low benchmark given what we now know,’ they said. Transparency isn’t sufficient

But while the recent Ombudsman decision restoring public access to SALNs is welcome, the groups said transparency alone was ‘insufficient.’

‘Lifestyle audits enable this legal presumption. Discrepancies uncovered through these checks must trigger immediate, impartial investigations and prosecutions under the Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate,’ they said. The collective also called on the public to remain vigilant and report signs of excessive or unexplained wealth among officials.

‘The corruption we now see, we cannot unsee. We can no longer allow pilferage to prosper under the cover of pretense, political patronage, and public indifference,’ the groups said. /dda

The football team from the Hong Kong district reeling from a deadly apartment blaze wore black arm bands and stood in silence ahead of their match on Thursday in Asian club competition.

A massive fire broke out in an eight-building housing estate in Tai Po on Wednesday, killing at least 55 people in Hong Kong’s worst blaze in decades.

Tai Po FC faced Australian side Macarthur FC away in the AFC Champions League Two, the second-tier club tournament in Asian football, about 24 hours later.

Tai Po’s players wore black arm bands and both teams stood in solemn silence ahead of kickoff at Campbelltown Sports Stadium outside Sydney.

Tai Po’s Brazilian captain Igor Sartori declined to celebrate after putting his side ahead in the 24th minute, instead putting his hands together in prayer.

Several domestic sporting events in Hong Kong, including a trail race and rugby matches, have been postponed or are set to be, the South China Morning Post newspaper said.

Gaming operator DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus) has boosted its payment channels through a deal with PayandGo, allowing its players to load their e-wallets at 3,500 self-service kiosks.

The company on Thursday said its partnership with PayandGo-operated by BTI Payment Philippines, a subsidiary of Australia-based Banktech-would initially cover BingoPlus, before expanding to ArenaPlus and GameZone.

A cash-out feature is also on the table, with the launch targeted by early 2026. ‘Our commitment at DigiPlus has always been to deliver digital entertainment that is engaging, trustworthy and service-oriented. Achieving that requires strong partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to customer trust and service excellence,’ said Jasper Vicencio, president of AB Leisure Exponent Inc. and Total Gamezone Xtreme Inc., subsidiaries of DigiPlus.

Amid issues hounding the online gaming sector, DigiPlus reiterated that it would only team up with payment channels certified by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), in accordance with the requirements set by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. The BSP earlier directed e-wallet operators like GCash – on which DigiPlus had heavily relied in the past – to remove gaming apps from their platform.

Retailers expect a strong Christmas season ahead despite economic headwinds that could trigger more cautious spending patterns among Filipinos, said Alice Liu, president of the Philippine Retailers Association.

‘It may be a little bit more tempered because people will be a little bit more conscious about how they spend,’ Liu told reporters. ‘But you know, with Filipinos, they never really cancel Christmas.’

Liu, who heads Golden ABC Inc., which handles six major Filipino apparel brands, including Penshoppe, Regatta and Oxgn, said the company began feeling the holiday surge in November.

‘We saw it mid-November,’ she said. ‘Probably because when the government bonuses started to be released, some people started spending already.’

She cited the appointment of Finance Secretary Frederick Go as another reason to be optimistic, saying his business experience as a former Robinsons Land CEO could help improve business confidence. ‘Coming from the business sector, he will really be able to understand the pains of retailers and can help stir the economy again to make the playing field more even,’ she said.

Plans

Liu said Golden ABC remains bullish heading into 2026, planning to open 50 to 80 new stores in malls nationwide with a capital allocation of about P100 million.

By the end of the year, the company expects to operate over 1,000 stores nationwide. ‘Growth plans continue. The malls continue to open, so we need to be able to continue to position well with them,’ she said.

‘We just have to be agile and be able to react well, depending on what circumstances happen.’

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has reminded private employers that their employees’ 13th-month pay must be paid on or before December 24, 2025.

This is under the Labor Advisory No. 16, Series of 2025, which sets the guidelines for the issuance of the 13th-month pay. ‘The 13th-month pay shall be paid to rank-and-file employees in the private sector regardless of their position, designation, or employment status, and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid, provided that they have worked for at least one (1) month during the calendar year,’ the advisory read.

The DOLE noted that the 13th-month pay should not be less than 1/12 of the total basic salary in a calendar year.

‘No request or application for exemption from payment of 13th month pay, or for deferment of its payment shall be accepted and allowed,’ DOLE stressed. The agency also added that the computation for the 13th-month pay using the basic salary shall include all remuneration and earnings paid by the employer for services rendered.

However, this does not include other monetary benefits and allowances (such as unused credited leaves, night differential, cost of living allowance), unless stated otherwise by their collective agreement or the company’s policy.

Further, DOLE said that piece-rate workers, or those who are paid based on their production or the amount of work done rather than the time employed, are also entitled to the 13th-month pay. The basis of their payment is the total earning from the production during the year, divided by 12.

Personnel of the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao intercepted P8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a maritime patrol off Pata Island in Sulu province on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Authorities reported that upon boarding and inspection, the team found that the vessel and its cargo were operating without the required documents and were not displaying the markings mandated under the government’s Safety, Security, and Environmental Numbering System. Coast guard operatives towed the vessel and its cargo to Coast Guard Station-Sangali in Zamboanga City for custody, inventory, and proper disposition.

Pageant fans extended an outpouring of support to Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel, making calls to follow the beauty queen on Instagram after Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Raul Rocha pointed out her supposed less follower count compared to recent titleholders.

Rocha made the remark during a recent interview with Mexican journalist Adela Micha, in which he noted how controversial Miss Universe 2025 titleholder Fatima Bosch gained 3 million social media followers in just a week.

The MUO executive further said that Miss Universe 2023 and 2024 queens Sheynnis Palacios and Victoria Theilvig, who were both crowned under his term as MUO president, likewise marked a notable growth in the number of their social media followers.

He then compared these to Gabriel’s Instagram followers which, he said, had only reached around 800,000 since she was crowned.

A clip from the interview was shared by one Lucas Sigarini on Instagram, eliciting a reaction from Gabriel herself.

‘I’m so tired of being measured by follower count,’ she commented on the post. In a separate post, Gabriel celebrated surpassing the 1 million follower mark on Instagram, thanks to the thousands of new followers she earned in only a few hours.

‘In less than 24 hours, yall got me to 1 MILLION followers! It was never about the numbers, but people have looked down on me just because of my social media follower count,’ she said.

The beauty queen expressed her gratitude to those who have supported her, crediting them for giving her a bigger platform for her passion and advocacies.

‘Maraming salamat sa suporta,’ she continued. ‘It feels crazy to celebrate this, but I’m happy.’

‘Let’s not forget there’s still a whole world out there beyond digital platforms. Human connection and impact is still what’s most important.’ Among those who celebrated with Gabriel were Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, and Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios.

‘Never about numbers! You are loved!’ Gray said in the comments section.