Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Manny Pacquiao, who was chosen to be the captain of Team Philippines, surprised fans and fellow competitors after departing from Netflix’s ‘Physical: Asia’ on its fifth episode.

The eight-division world champion announced his sudden exit from the high-stakes show on episode five which aired on Tuesday, Nov. 4, due to ‘obligations’ that he has yet to fulfill in the Philippines. He didn’t expound the obligations he had at the time.

‘Gusto kong humingi ng paumanhin. Kailangan kong bumalik sa bansa ko, kasi may mga obligation ko for the country (I want to ask for your apology. I need to return to my country because I have obligations),’ Pacquiao said while apologizing to his teammates for his decision.

Reports said ‘Physical: Asia’ was filmed sometime in February, which coincided with the campaign period of the senatorial elections. Pacquiao was a senatorial candidate in the 2025 midterm elections but missed the Senate Magic 12, placing 18th.

Netflix has yet to comment on the boxing legend’s departure from ‘Physical: Asia’ as of this writing.

Manny Pacquiao in a poster for ‘Physical: Asia.’ Image: Courtesy of Netflix

Team Philippines is now composed of newly minted team captain and CrossFit athlete Justin Hernandez, CrossFit athlete Lara Liwanag, national team Sambo athlete Mark Mugen, strongman Ray Jefferson Querubin, national team rugby player Justin Coveney, and national team hurdler Robyn Lauren Brown.

Since Pacquiao was announced to be part of ‘Physical: Asia’ as Team Philippines’ team captain, past episodes showed other teams paying close attention to the country’s representatives, noting the boxing legend’s status as a boxing champion.

According to the show’s creator Jang Ho-gi, the ‘Physical: Asia’ team was invited to Pacquiao’s house for further discussion after they had reached out to the latter ‘several times.’

‘We reached out to Pacquiao several times. He invited us to his home in the Philippines, where we got to watch him train and even shared a home-cooked meal together. I explained the concept of the Physical series to him and he immediately agreed to join the show that same day,’ Jang explained during a virtual press conference.

‘Physical: Asia’ is a spinoff of the South Korean sports show ‘Physical 100’ where teams from different countries compete in a series of physically taxing challenges for a chance to win one billion Korean won (approximately P40.6 million).

Higher prices of edible oil continued to take a bite out of the core profit of food manufacturing giant Monde Nissin Corp., with its first nine months earnings showing a 3.5-percent decline.

The company said on Wednesday that its core net income attributable to shareholders had dipped to P7.19 billion this year from P7.45 billion last year.

Production costs during the period rose 6 percent to P42.23 billion from last year’s P39.79 billion.

For coconut oil alone, prices surged by 109 percent year-on-year in the third quarter.

The firm’s Asia-Pacific branded food and beverage (APAC BFB), however, booked higher revenues reaching P53.3 billion, up 4.4 percent from a year ago. For the third quarter, the segment saw a 4-percent growth.

Profit margins

Gross profit also dipped by 3.4 percent to P18.5 billion. Amid the recent increases in edible oil costs, profit margins narrowed by 279 basis points (bps) year-on-year to 34.8 percent in the January to September period.

The segment’s popular food brands include Lucky Me!, SkyFlakes, Fita and M.Y. San Grahams.

‘Our APAC BFB business delivered modest topline growth in the third quarter, supported by volume growth in biscuits and other categories. Our strong start to October, with record domestic sales, is encouraging; however, we remain cautious given the uncertainties ahead in the fourth quarter,’ CEO Henry Soesanto said in a press briefing.

Jesse Teo, Monde Nissin chief finance officer, said the group is launching aggressive programs amid a decline in its market share.

Noodles

‘For noodles, competition has intensified. We try to regain volume sales . We saw appreciation of shares for premium imported products that ate away some of our shares in noodles,’ Teo said.

Revenues from the meat alternative business, on the other hand, decreased by 1.2 percent amid ‘challenging conditions.’

‘We will continue to focus on driving efficiency and supporting a gradual recovery as we navigate the current market environment,’ Soesanto said.

Soesanto was optimistic about Monde Nissin’s performance in the coming quarter.

‘While higher edible oil costs continue to put pressure on our gross margins, we are beginning to see the benefits of our pricing adjustments and cost-saving initiatives, such as reformulation,’ he added.

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) chair Andres Reyes has called on Filipino people to love their countrymen as he lamented about ‘greed’ and ‘selfishness’ amidst the commission’s ongoing investigation into the flood control anomalies.

This came after Reyes announced the commission’s submission of its fourth referral to the Office of the Ombudsman, recommending an investigation into former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including former Secretary Manuel Bonoan, due to irregularities in a P95-million flood control project in Bocaue, Bulacan.

After reading his statement about the referral, the ICI chief held a placard that reads, ‘What the world needs now is love, not greed, not selfishness.’

When asked about his reason for holding the message, Reyes answered, ‘We need to love our country. We need to love our countrymen. You know, we need to love one another.’

Reyes said it would be better for people to share with others, especially with the less fortunate, and help the government make the country better.

‘If you have extra money, help the poor. If you have time, help the government.Do not be greedy that you hide all the money, that you don’t share it,’ he said in Filipino.

‘Because it seems to us that we want to be greedy; everything is ours. If you have three shoes, isn’t that enough, rather than having five shoes?’ Reyes pointed out.

‘I mean, sometimes, we have to realize that we are not a rich country. So, we have to save. We have to save so that the money that went to the bank can go to development. But if we just buy imported things, we have to understand that we have poor people who can live on a pair of nice shoes,’ he further said.

Created in September, the ICI is currently investigating the alleged anomalies in the multibillion-peso flood control projects across the country.

The driver’s license of a motorcycle rider, who appeared to be a police officer, seen driving his motorcycle recklessly in the bike lane without a helmet has been suspended for 90 days, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Thursday.

‘In the viral video, a uniformed police rider can be seen passing through the bicycle lane without wearing any protective helmet while driving his motorcycle recklessly,’ the DOTr said in Filipino in a statement.

According to the DOTr, the supposed policeman was identified as Homer Sanares Urbano; however, the location where the incident took place was not disclosed.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) issued a show-cause order to Urbano, requiring him to explain why he should not be held liable for disregarding a traffic sign and violating the mandatory use of motorcycle helmets.

Urbano was also asked to explain why his driver’s license should not be suspended or revoked for being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

Apart from the 90-day license suspension, Urbano’s motorcycle was placed under alarm to prevent any transactions while the case is under investigation.

Following this, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez emphasized that no one is exempt from traffic laws, including police officers.

‘Anyone who violates traffic laws will be subject to appropriate punishment. Even if it is a police officer, he is expected to help enforce and respect traffic laws,’ Lopez said, as quoted in the statement.

Three Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi)-hit transmission lines in the Visayas remain unavailable as of 9 p.m. on Wednesday, while another line has been restored, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported.

NGCP said the Ormoc-Baybay 69 kV line, which serves the Leyte IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LEYECO IV), was restored at 5:41 p.m.

It said the Ormoc-San Isidro 69 kV line is still partially returned to service. This caters to Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DORELCO), Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative Inc. (SOLECO), (LEYECO III) and LEYECO V.

The Maasin-Baybay 69 kV line serving the LEYECO IV, and the Calongcalong-Asturias 69 kV line serving the Cebu II Electric Cooperative (CEBECO II) remain out of service.

‘There is also one 230 kV line, which is currently unavailable,’ it said, but no other details were disclosed.

‘NGCP has mobilized its line crews and is currently conducting patrols. Simultaneous restoration activities are also being conducted in areas already accessible,’ it added.

The reported death toll from Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) rose to 114 with Cebu province bearing the brunt of its effects as it tallied the most number of fatalities, missing and injured individuals, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano said.

Mariano said the latest tally, as of Thursday morning, also included 127 missing and 82 injured.

Most of the reported fatalities are in Cebu province at 71, followed by Negros Occidental (18), Negros Oriental (12), Agusan del Sur at (6), and Southern Leyte (2).

Also, one death each was logged in Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Bohol, and Leyte.

Sixty five of the missing persons were reported in Cebu and 62 in Negros Occidental.

Also, of the 82 injured, 69 are from Cebu province.

The Visayas suffered the worst damage, with Tino tearing off roofs, uprooting trees and electric poles, and triggering massive flooding.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)-the implementing arm of the OCD-said a total of 544,081 families or 1,951,546 persons were affected in eight regions nationwide due to Tino.

Of the affected individuals, the NDRRMC said 127,827 families or 445,744 individuals were served inside 4,933 evacuation centers.

Although Tino exited the Philippine area of responsibility at 2 a.m., rain is still expected in parts of Luzon and Mindanao, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., upon the recommendation of the NDRRMC, has declared a state of national emergency due to Tino.

The declaration of a national emergency will allow government agencies to access emergency funds and expedite the procurement of essential goods and services for typhoon victims.

China Banking Corp. or Chinabank earned P20.2 billion, an increase of 10 percent, in the first nine months of 2025 amid the growth of its lending business.

In a statement on Thursday, the bank said gross loans jumped 14 percent to P994 billion as it witnessed higher demand from companies and individual clients. As a result, net interest income rose 15 percent to P53.5 billion.

Fee-based income likewise grew to P3.1 billion. Deposits also increased by 9 percent to P1.4 trillion. As of September, Chinabank’s total assets stood at P1.7 trillion. This makes the firm the fourth-largest private bank in the Philippines. /rwd

Alas Pilipinas girls couldn’t close out down the stretch and fell to Thailand in five sets, 25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 23-25, 8-15, in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship on Thursday at Prince Hamzah Sports Hall here.

The Filipinos are now set to play in the classification phase, where they still have a chance for a fifth-place finish. They face the third seed of Pool E on Friday at 4 p.m. (Philippine time). After taking a 6-4 lead in the fifth set off Kim Peralta’s down-the-line kill, Alas Pilipinas lost steam as Chayanut Inthanoo’s timely hits and Umarin Kaewkalong’s service run powered the Thais to six straight points for an 11-6 advantage.

Phitchayada Kunrat drilled two clutch kills to reach match point, 14-8, before Paphanan Phimphakhan sealed the comeback with a block on Nadeth Herbon.

Thailand took the third seed in Pool F and will face the fourth placer from Pool E in a crossover match for the right to compete for fifth place. Xyz Rayco’s 25-point explosion on 19 kills, five blocks, and an ace wasn’t enough, as Alas Pilipinas settled for fourth in Pool F.

‘I felt like we were starting to give up on ourselves. I kept telling them to keep fighting, but the other team was gaining momentum while we were getting down. That’s why we lost the drive to bounce back,’ said team captain Rayco in Filipino. Madele Gale delivered seven kill blocks to finish with 12 points, while Herbon also scored 12. Jhenica Sadia and Peralta added seven and six points, respectively.

Alas edged Thailand in the first and third sets but couldn’t finish strong. The young nationals mounted a late rally from 14-21 in the fourth, with Rayco cutting the deficit to one, 20-21. Errors from the Thais tied the set at 22-all, but Alas committed costly miscues before Kannikar Boonrod forced a decider. ‘In the fourth set, we really wanted to win. We fought hard to catch up, but the players were already tired, and one of them got injured, so our balance was off,’ said Alas U16 coach Edwin Leyva.

‘We’ll adjust and simulate our opponents’ movements in practice later. Hopefully, we can get it right because earlier, we had some minor mistakes in reading and defending drop balls. I’m hoping for a better game tomorrow and for the players to recover well.’

Umarin led the Thais with 23 points, while Natacha Thongkham and Phitchayada added 15 and 13, respectively. Chamikon Cankawe chipped in 11.

Former National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Roy Erecre, who once served as secretary of the Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (NCBS) regional committee of the New People’s Army (NPA), has formally surrendered to the government, marking an end to decades of involvement in the communist insurgency.

On Thursday, Erecre, 61, together with his partner Judith Jaron, took their oath of allegiance before Governor Erico Aristotle ‘Aris’ Aumentado at the Bohol Provincial Capitol, signifying their complete renunciation of the armed movement.

Aumentado lauded Erecre’s decision, describing it as a ‘courageous and meaningful step toward peace, reconciliation, and lasting progress in the province and beyond.’

Erecre had earlier carried a P5.4 million bounty on his capture. He was arrested on May 7, 2014, in Barangay Bajada, Davao City, by authorities implementing two warrants-one for robbery in a band in Bohol and another for frustrated murder in Negros Occidental. He was reportedly responsible for several atrocities in Central Visayas, including the 1999 ambush-slaying of two military officers in Carmen, Bohol.

He was detained at the Bohol District Jail (BDJ) but was released by court order on September 19, 2014. His partner, Jaron, was also taken into custody at that time pending investigation into her alleged involvement with the rebel movement.

Erecre said he had long observed the government’s peace and development efforts and decided to return to the fold of the law after seeing genuine governance under Aumentado’s administration.

‘The biggest factor in my surrender is my trust in Governor Aris,’ Erecre said in Cebuano. ‘My trust in him comes from the good leadership of his father.’

Provincial officials said Erecre and Jaron will undergo the necessary legal processes under the Local Amnesty Program facilitated by the National Amnesty Commission’s Local Amnesty Board as part of their reintegration into mainstream society.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) have captured six colorum vehicles along Edsa-Taft Avenue in Pasay City.

This came after the LTO and PNP-HPG conducted an intelligence-driven joint operation against colorum vehicles along the avenue on Wednesday In a statement on Thursday, the LTO said among the six seized colorum vehicles was a utility van express (UVE) with license plate TXV 461.

The agency noted that the UVE was impounded for violations, including driving an unregistered vehicle, an expired Certificate of Public Convenience, and an expired Provisional Authority that was presented at the time of inspection.

Meanwhile, the other five colorums impounded were private vehicles that were identified as illegally operating as ‘for hire’ without authorization from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. Only this Thursday, the LTO impounded and turned over to the Bureau of Customs a yellow Ferrari for multiple traffic violations.