Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Phoenix hammered out a 107-76 victory over Terrafirma to snap a four-game skid in the PBA Philippine Cup and move out of a logjam at the bottom of the standings.

That, in a nutshell, was what happened on Wednesday evening at Ynares Center II here.

But it was hardly the story of the night.

Two pairs of siblings suited up during the game, one as teammates and the other as opponents, heightening the drama in the opening match of Wednesday night’s doubleheader.

The Fuel Masters’ Ricci Rivero took on his older brother Prince, who plays for the Dyip, and the game ended with the two swapping jerseys.

Maverick Ahanmisi’s Terrafirma debut, on the other hand, allowed him to finally team up with his younger brother Jerrick, a reunion marred only by the fact that another loss was tacked on the Terrafirma board.

‘It was fun, actually, because it was the first time that we faced each other,’ said Ricci, whose 16 points and six rebounds helped Phoenix improve to 2-5 while sending Terrafirma down to 1-6.

No ride sharing

Ricci said there had been some ribbing between the two in the hours leading to the contest, which saw him turn down Prince’s offer of a ride to the venue here.

‘I told him ‘no, because you’re my opponent,” Ricci said in jest. ‘But we’ve been talking since last night and told him to just play his game.’

Ricci is glad that Prince has been getting the opportunities at Terrafirma. The elder Rivero was a practice player for Phoenix last season, but took a chance at earning a roster spot when the Dyip called for tryouts during the offseason.

‘I was really excited coming into this game because I never imagined that we would be playing together as opponents, and I’m really happy to be given this chance,’ said Prince, who had two points and two rebounds in 19 minutes.

The Ahanmisis teamed up for the first time in a game that might have been a first for the league. There are no records readily available to check if two pairs of siblings had previously played in the same game.

Maverick scored four points on 1-of-3 shooting in 11 minutes as he finally suited up after dealing with a toe injury, while Jerrick was held to two points on 1-of-8 shooting after averaging a team-best 19.5 points.

Another worker injured in the Oct. 31 fire at the Pagbilao coal-fired power plant in Quezon province has died, bringing the death toll from the incident to three, the Pagbilao Energy Corporation (PEC) announced on Thursday.

‘PEC deeply regrets the passing of Alvin Subeldia this morning at The Medical City in Pasig. Surrounded by the care of his doctors and the love of his family, Alvin fought bravely until the end,’ the company said in a statement written in Filipino and sent to the Inquirer.

‘Losing a member of our team is an indescribable pain. No words can fully express the sadness we feel. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones,’ PEC added.

Subeldia, a contractor under the Kapit-Bisig Ugnayan Multi-purpose Cooperative, was one of the workers injured when a fire of still undetermined origin broke out at Unit 3 of the power plant facility in Barangay Ibabang Polo, facing Tayabas Bay.

‘At this time, our utmost priority is to assist Alvin’s family. PEC continues to provide full support to them-emotionally, financially, and through post-mortem assistance,’ the company vowed.

The blaze initially killed one worker on the spot and injured nine others. On Nov. 6, another worker, Michael Castillo of the PEC operations team, also succumbed to his injuries while being treated at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City.

Of the seven remaining injured workers, two have been discharged while five continue to receive specialized medical treatment, according to PEC.’Their recovery remains our top priority,’ PEC said.

The company did not disclose further details on the condition of the remaining patients or the hospitals where they are confined.

Following the incident, the Department of Labor and Employment issued a Work Stoppage Order for Unit 3 on Nov. 7.

‘We have fully complied with this order and voluntarily suspended operations at the affected unit following the incident,’ PEC said, adding that ‘all employees-including contractor partners-will continue to receive their salaries and full benefits’ despite the suspension.

PEC said it is cooperating fully with the Bureau of Fire Protection, which is still investigating the cause of the blaze.

‘We are ready to accept, with full transparency and sincerity, whatever recommendations or findings may arise from these investigations,’ the company said.

Pagbilao Unit 3 remains on forced outage, while Units 1 and 2 continue normal operations.

The 735-megawatt Pagbilao coal-fired power facility supplies electricity to the Luzon grid.

Aboitiz Power’s Therma Luzon Inc. currently operates the plant following its transfer from TeaM Energy to the government last August.

After Joy Barcoma missed a finalist spot in the recently-concluded 2025 Miss Earth pageant, even with an applauded performance in the interview round, the Filipino beauty queen is still grateful, penning a list of those who have been instrumental in her journey.

‘I am beyond grateful to stand as one of the Top 8 Finalists and a runner-up among 79 remarkable women in this year’s Silver Lining Edition of Miss Earth,’ she posted on social media on Wednesday, Nov. 12.’Carrying the Philippine sash on the international stage has been one of the greatest honors of my life. It is a journey that taught me resilience, gratitude, and the power of authenticity,’ Barcoma continued.

Many of her fans and other pageant followers expressed their shock with her non-inclusion in the final four of the Miss Earth coronation night in Parañaque City on Nov. 5, especially with how well-received her response to the previous round was.

Barcoma’s gift of gab and expansive environmental knowledge have etched her as one of the favorites to win the title, with the Miss Earth pageant’s propensity for crowning great speakers.

But her journey ended in the Top 8, and was rewarded with a runner-up spot, along with the delegates from Brazil, Chile, and Ukraine, whose answers in the earlier round also earned applause.

‘This journey would not have been possible without my core team, the incredible people who poured their hearts, creativity, and patience into this journey,’ Barcoma said, as she enumerated names from a long gratitude.

Barcoma acknowledged the immense contributions of Mark Agbayani, Ken Adrienne Batino, Jevin Salaysay, her Mama PJ, Mama Zeea, Mama Keiv, and Ed Mark. She also thanked RL Lacanienta, ‘who not only taught me how to walk on stage but also how to walk through this journey with purpose. Your guidance and advice grounded me, and reminded me that confidence paired with humility creates true grace.’

Australian beauty queen Jessica Lane who won in last year’ competition also trained under Lacanienta, whose clientele list boasts of beauties from different countries.

Barcoma also thanked all the people behind Carousel Productions, organizer of both the Miss Earth and Miss Philippines Earth pageants. ‘I don’t know of any other organization that supports authenticity the way Miss Earth does. Thank you for trusting me to carry the Philippine sash and represent our country with pride,’ she said.

‘To all my fellow Miss Earth candidates, especially Eco Group, thank you for sharing this unforgettable journey with me. Your passion, authenticity, and kindness inspired me every day, and I am grateful for the friendships, memories, and support we shared,’ Barcoma added.

‘Being part of your sisterhood reminded me that together, we can lift each other higher and shine brighter, carrying the spirit of Miss Earth wherever we go,’ she continued.

Barcoma went on to thank more people, including her ‘friends and cheerleaders, local government officials and public agency officers, her designers, members of the media, and her family and loved ones.

‘And finally, to all the Filipinos who rallied behind me, sa lahat ng mga Jusaaa, maraming maraming salamat po (to all the goddesses, thank you very much). From every comment, message, vote, and cheer, maraming salamat (thank you),’ she said.

Barcoma said her Miss Earth journey was never just about the crown, but about purpose, resilience, and love. ‘I am proud to have shown that the true essence of a queen is not measured by the glamour the stage brings, but by how she raises her voice for her people, champions her nation, and leads with unwavering purpose,’ she said.

Min Bernardo, mother of Kathryn Bernardo, broke her silence and cried foul over those spreading twisted and false stories about her daughter just to attract more viewers on social media.

The celebrity mother spoke up after Star Magic, Kathryn’s talent management company, warned the public against a fake quote attributed to the actress.

Min shared the company’s statement on her Instagram page on Wednesday, Nov. 12, along with a screenshot of another post claiming that Kathryn’s fake remark prompted criticisms against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

‘Please stop using my daughter’s name or image on your platform, especially if the stories you share are not true/splice,’ Min said. ‘Ang isang kwento pag dinagdagan o binawasan ng kahit isang salita, naiiba ang kahulugan, at nagiging FAKE NEWS.’

She further stressed her limitations in enduring such wrongdoing.

‘Don’t twist the story para lang dumami ang viewers niyo. It’s unfair,’ she continued. ‘We’ve endured in silence for so long because of dagdag bawas at pag-twist ng kwento, but silence means we agree with what is being said.’

‘Remember, as a mother, there’s a limit to how much pain and silence one can bear,’ she added.

In a separate post, Min also acknowledged and thanked an executive of a real estate developer company who attested to the actress’ apparent choice to be ‘apolitical.’

Kathryn also earlier shared Star Magic’s statement on the matter.

Already in the playoffs, National University is working on the next target.

The Bulldogs are looking to wrap up a coveted twice-to-beat advantage and moved a step closer to achieving that, scraping past Far Eastern University, 70-64, on Wednesday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena.

National U notched its 10th win in 12 games and held on to the top seed, and is looking to ride its current wave of success heading into the Final Four.

‘We’re still not that satisfied because we know we’re about to enter the last stretch,’ coach Jeff Napa said.

‘We really have a lot of challenges and we try to explain those to the players. If we want to reach that next stage, we have to do everything right.’

The Bulldogs overturned a one-point deficit with a 9-1 run and took a 67-60 lead in the final 2:22 to hand the Tamaraws their seventh defeat in 11 games.

Jedric Daa tried to keep FEU breathing after a three-pointer 14 seconds later, but Jake Figueroa sank a triple of his own to keep the Tamaraws at bay, 70-64, with 1:18 remaining.

Figueroa scored a game-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. PJ Palacielo helped the cause with 10 points and four rebounds to follow up from their win over Adamson last Saturday.

Lucio Tan-led LT Group Inc. realized record earnings in the January to September 2025 period on the robust performances of its businesses, especially its banking unit.

The company said Thursday that the 14-percent gain in its net attributable net income, reaching P22.57 billion, was its ‘strongest nine-month and third-quarter performance since the company’s follow-on public offering.’ Philippine National Bank (PNB) continued to provide the biggest share in the group’s bottom line at P10.4 billion, followed by Fortune Tobacco Corp. (FTC) at P8.1 billion.

Tanduay

Tanduay Distillers, Inc., meanwhile, saw a sharp increase in earnings at P2.4 billion, 59 percent higher than the P1.51 billion in the same period last year. These strong financial results were on the back of higher liquor selling prices, offsetting the dip in sales volume.

Asia Brewery also reported higher income at P737 million from P715 million. Popular energy drink brand, Cobra, secured a 45 percent market share in the first nine months. Absolute and Summit bottled water brands, on the other hand, got 15 percent.

Eton Properties Philippines, Inc. reported a dip in net income at P483 million from last year’s P499 million, due to cheaper rental rates and an increase in operating expenses.

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics competition schedule was unveiled on Wednesday by organizers, including a showcase spot for the women’s 100 meters and a Super Saturday session.

LA28 revealed a detailed schedule earlier than usual. It starts with the opening ceremony on July 14 and ends with the closing ceremony on July 30.

The biggest-ever Games will feature 11,200 athletes in 51 sports across 49 venues.

Every team sport will feature an equal or greater number of women’s teams compared to men’s teams for the first time with 50.5 percent of total athletes being women.

On day one, July 15, the most women’s finals ever held on one day will be contested, starting with women’s triathlon with a spotlight on the women’s 100 meters.

‘We want to come out in these Games with a bang. We want to start day one with a showcase of the fastest females in the world,’ LA28 chief of sport Shana Ferguson said.

Doing so will mean women must run three 100m heats in one day.

‘We did speak at length with athletes. It was a largely positive conversation,’ Janet Evans, LA28 chief athlete officer, said. ‘We’re kicking off the athletic competition with one of the marquee events for women athletes.

‘When we presented it to the athletes that way, there was excitement. They said let me know early and I’ll train to run three 100s in one day.’

Athletics will for the first time in history span the entire Games, with World Athletics president Sebastian Coe describing the schedule as ‘both innovative but also honours tradition’.

World and Olympic medallist Sha’Carri Richardson remarked: ‘Track and field is having its moment, and the road to LA28 is about to be something special, especially for the women’s sprints.’

The American, who won women’s 4×100 relay gold and silver in the 100m in Paris last year, added: ‘The talent, energy, and competition – it’s all going to shine. Just look at day one of the LA Games.’

Organizers flipped swimming and athletics from the traditional schedule so the opening ceremony venue, SoFi Stadium, could also host swimming in the second week.

Track and field events will be held in the first week of the Games, with swimming in the second week.

Super Saturday

‘You move to the second week. You have 38,000 people in the stands,’ Evans said. ‘Having 38,000 fans watch my favorite sport is exciting as well.’

Swimmers also have a better chance to attend the opening ceremony without next-morning races to consider.

A ‘Super Saturday’ schedule on July 29 includes 26 finals sessions in 23 sports, including 15 gold and bronze medal team matches and finals in 15 individual sports.

Among Olympic champions to be crowned on that day are those in athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, cricket, golf, football, swimming and tennis.

The last Olympic champions will be crowned in swimming just before the closing ceremony.

Organizers scheduled the marathons on the final weekend, the women’s race on July 29 and the men’s marathon on July 30.

No dynamic pricing

About 14 million tickets will be available for Olympic events, with pricing details to be announced later, but dynamic pricing is not being considered, Ferguson said.

Olympic and sport federation officials have helped create the LA28 schedule.

‘We don’t do any of this schedule without them,’ Ferguson said.

Weather considerations went into the plan, with some sessions moved into the evening to have cooler conditions, including for horses at Santa Anita for equestrian events.

Baseball and softball will return to the Olympic lineup. Baseball will be played at Dodger Stadium, home of the reigning Major League Baseball champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with medal games July 19.

Baseball will begin on July 13, a day ahead of the opening ceremony, with a new competition window to allow MLB players to compete in the Olympics.

Cricket rejoins the Olympic lineup after more than a century with the women’s final on July 20 and the men’s final on July 29.

Lacrosse, on the 1908 London Olympic calendar and later a demonstration sport, will return with the men’s and women’s finals on July 29.

Los Angeles will also introduce American flag football and squash on July 15 for Olympic debuts.

Details for the Olympic football tournament, to be staged across the United States, and the Los Angeles Paralympics will be announced later.

MANILA, Philippines-Creamline booked a spot in the PVL Reinforced Conference quarterfinals with a 25-17, 25-17, 25-23 win over Choco Mucho on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The defending champions looked in control early, taking the first two sets, but Choco Mucho rallied in the third, briefly leading 23-22 behind Royse Tubino’s backrow attack. Creamline held its composure, with Coco Schwan and Michele Gumabao delivering timely hits to close out the match in one hour, 18 minutes.

‘The team really performed and responded well today, especially our ousted hitters. They worked hard and so did our bench players. Teamwork helped us win today,’ said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.

Schwan led Creamline with 15 points, Gumabao added nine, and Tots Carlos, Pangs Panaga, Sheen Toring, Alyssa Valdez, and Lorie Bernardo combined for 24 more, highlighting the team’s depth. Playmaker Kyle Negrito, named Best Player of the Game, delivered 18 excellent sets and six points.

‘We know we can’t be complacent in the coming games. We need to work for every point, every possession. Our main goal is to execute our system properly, and we’re happy to have done that today, especially in straight sets,’ said Negrito.

With the Flying Titans breathing down their necks, the Cool Smashers turned to their experience to fend off any attempts to extend the game.

‘We know that if we let our guard down, Choco Mucho will take advantage. We worked hard for that,’ Negrito added.

For Choco Mucho, Isa Molde led with 11 points, while import Marlee Smith and Royse Tubino added five and six points, respectively. But the Flying Titans’ late rally fell short.

Creamline improved to 5-2 ahead of the knockout quarterfinals, which begin November 24 at the Araneta Coliseum. Choco Mucho ends its campaign at 2-5.

Buy-bust operations in Cavite and Lanao del Norte led to the confiscation of a total of P27.2 million worth of suspected shabu (crystal meth) and the arrest of seven individuals, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Thursday.

Authorities caught five individuals in a drug sting, confiscating P20.4 million worth of suspected shabu at the parking lot of a fast-food chain along Antero Soriano Highway in Barangay Sahud Ulan, Tanza, Cavite on Wednesday night, the PDEA noted in a statement.

The agency only identified the arrested suspects as ‘Arapat,’ 23; ‘Geolds,’ 50; ‘Muhaimen,’ 24; ‘Mama,’ 50; and ‘Pinda,’ 35.

‘Confiscated from the suspects were one brown-colored packing containing a vacuum-sealed plastic pack with suspected shabu weighing approximately one kilogram, which was the subject of sale,’ PDEA noted.

Operatives also seized ‘two red-colored packings containing vacuum-sealed plastic packs with suspected shabu weighing approximately two kilograms,’ it added.

Meanwhile, the Lanao del Norte operation caught two suspects and confiscated P6.8 million worth of suspected shabu at Barangay Poblacion, Kapatagan, the PDEA noted in a separate statement.

The agency identified the arrested individuals as ‘Mado,’ a 42-year-old tricycle driver; and ‘Clyde,’ a 41-year-old businessman.

‘Confiscated from the suspects were approximately one kilogram of suspected shabu, a cal. .22 revolver with live ammunition, buy-bust money and other non-drug evidence,’ the agency noted.

All seven arrested suspects were taken into the custody of their respective local units, awaiting charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday the government is considering the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to effectively monitor the status of flood control projects in the country.

”The AI is looking at the contract process. And when there’s something wrong with the contract process, it will flag it,’ he said in Filipino during his President’s Report in Malacañang.

‘We have smart technology to check what the standard really is, if the construction is good. This checks if the rebar is really being put in, if the concrete is really-if the cement is really thick, if the cement is to the right specification,’ Marcos explained in Filipino.

Moreover, the President said that reforms to ensure transparency and honesty in the implementation of these projects will be implemented in various sectors of the government.

‘We are creating a transparency portal to provide the public with broader access to information about projects, including details regarding contractors. The portal shows the implementing office, location, and project status,’ he said.

Since its launch on August 11 up to November 10, Marcos said the Sumbong sa Pangulo website already received 20,078 reports.

‘We will also implement systematic reforms in three key areas to improve transparency, the security of our data, and citizen participation in monitoring our projects,’ he also said.

Improvements on the design process, bidding, and procurement will also be carried out, he said.

Marcos further said that AI will specifically focus on checking and identifying any anomalies in the contracts associated with these flood-control projects.

In the same report, Marcos issued a stern warning to personalities involved in the questionable flood-control projects.

‘They’re going to be locked up; they won’t have a Merry Christmas,’ he said when asked when these persons would be put in jail.

He is also hopeful that the billions of pesos worth of government funds will be recovered through the Bureau of Immigration’s filing of tax-evasion cases against those involved.

‘I’m sure we can still recover a lot from this, so we’ll continue to do that,’ Marcos said.

Issues related to alleged corruption, specifically in relation to flood control projects, currently plague the Philippine government.

On September 11, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 94, establishing the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, to investigate all public works projects undertaken over the past decade.

The superbody has already transmitted its first batch of case referrals to the Office of the Ombudsman, implicating 37 individuals. These include high-profile politicians, former Department of Public Works and Highways officials, and contractors.

On September 21, tens of thousands of people staged protests in various parts of Metro Manila. The demonstrations coincided with the anniversary of the declaration of martial law under then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in September 1972.