Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

People of a certain age can still vividly recall the legendary bout between bitter rivals and boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier that was held on Oct. 1, 1975, at Araneta Coliseum.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest fights of all time, the duel that saw Muhammad Ali coming out on top brought international attention to the Philippines and cemented The Big Dome’s legacy as a world-class venue Fifty years later, Araneta Coliseum remains one of Asia’s largest indoor arenas and one of the world’s largest clear span domes, with a maximum seating capacity of 20,000.

Since opening in 1960-a brainchild of Araneta Group visionary J. Amado Araneta-the coliseum has hosted various world-class events, from world-title boxing matches to international concerts and a whole slew of sporting events.

Thus, it is but right that Araneta City has been chosen as the centerpiece venue for the nationwide celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Thrilla in Manila, a commemoration led by the Philippine Sports Commission. Araneta City will mark the special occasion by holding immersive exhibits in the Big Dome lobby and hosting live boxing exhibitions on Oct 29 featuring top fighters from around the world, in a bid to bring back the spirit of the original ‘Thrilla,’ the group said.

‘This year is really special for us,’ said Irene Jose, COO of Uniprom Inc., the entertainment arm of Araneta City. ‘The Smart Araneta Coliseum has been part of so many unforgettable stories, from legendary concerts to historic fights. We’re proud to be the venue where the Thrilla in Manila happened, and we’re honored to be at the heart of its 50th anniversary celebration.’ -Tina Arceo-Dumlao

McDo deals with Cebu quake

Updated on Oct. 2, 2025 at 8 a.m.

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that devastated Cebu on Tuesday has led to the closure of a few of McDonald’s branches.

In a statement on Wednesday, the fast-food chain said McDonald’s Bogo sustained ‘major damage’ and remained closed, while other stores (JY Square, North Reclamation and Jones) had resumed operations after minor repairs.

The Il Corso branch remained safe and also opened its doors again after safety checks were conducted.

Only two stores – Bogo and Carcar – remained close as of Wednesday afternoon.

‘All other McDonald’s stores in Cebu are open and continue to serve customers and communities,’ the company said in a statement.

McDonald’s, which has 36 branches across Cebu, is also serving hot meals to frontliners and communities affected by the earthquake. -Meg J. Adonis There’s an imposter lurking among us, and it’s impersonating the operator of the local bourse-during a challenging time for the market at that!

The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) on Tuesday issued a memorandum warning against a fraudulent website shown to be using the company’s name, logo and its officers to supposedly promote a trading platform.

According to PSE, thepseinc.com was also offering market analysis and investment guides, along with an investment portal that ‘lures people’ to create their own accounts.

Users are supposedly asked to provide their personal information and register for a subscription to a sham investment tool and other offerings.

‘We would like to inform the public that such a website is clearly fake and unauthorized by the PSE,’ it said.

For regular visitors of the actual PSE website-www.pse.com.ph-they can clearly see that it does not operate an investment portal nor does it solicit subscriptions.

Naturally, PSE also encouraged the public to be cautious and verify the legitimacy of anything they may see online that claim to be affiliated with the company.

After a hard-fought win at the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals last May, Cebuana street dancer Sam Rivera known in battles as ‘Nemesis’, is set to represent the Philippines, showcasing Filipino flair, rhythm, and freestyle creativity at the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2025 World Finals happening on October 11 to 12 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. The World Stage Awaits

After months of high-energy dance battles across the globe, the world’s best dancers are converging in Los Angeles for the ultimate one-on-one freestyle showdown. Champions from over 50 countries will bring their unique moves, cultural influences, and raw improvisation skills, creating a competition that’s as unpredictable as it is exciting.

The Philippines’ very own Nemesis is more than ready to face off the top dancers from all over the world, proving Filipinos have what it takes to take on the biggest international stage for street dance.

Training for the Battle After competing as a Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finalist in 2024, Nemesis returned this year stronger than ever, securing the crown at the 2025 National Finals in her hometown Cebu. Since that milestone win, Nemesis has been getting ready, refining her Krump freestyle, endurance, and stage presence to prepare for the world spotlight.

‘This year I’m really in it to win, but I also remind myself to have fun on stage when I’m dancing. Just vibe with the music and trust my body’s instincts,’ said Nemesis. ‘I’m the type of freestyle dancer that doesn’t prepare for sets, I just need to condition my body, relying on muscle-memory, as well as drills, also concepts and ideas to generate movements from there.’

The Filipino finalist also shared how mindset is just as important as physical training: ‘Readying myself mentally and emotionally for the pressure, because LA is where the best dancers are. But I take it as an opportunity to learn from them.’

On Nemesis’ approach for the World Final, she shared, ‘My goal is still to just give a good performance. So others will see that ‘Wow! This is what dancers in the Philippines are like!’ It depends on the crowd, but as long as you give a good performance, other people will see that you’re amazing.’Countdown to the Finals in LA

The Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals will bring together the best of the global street dance scene during the World Finals Week, running from October 7 to 11. The main World Finals competition takes place on October 11 at the Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, where dancers will go head-to-head in freestyle battles, with the twist that the crowd decides who moves forward. Catch the action live on Red bull TV on October 11 at 9 PM (PDT) / October 12 at 12 PM (Philippine time).

With global champions, rising stars, and local heroes in the mix, the competition promises to be an explosive display of creativity and artistry. Only one dancer will walk away as the 2025 Red Bull Dance Your Style World Champion.

Cheer On Nemesis’ World Finals Journey On October 7 to 11 show your support for Nemesis as she represents the Philippines on the world stage in Los Angeles. Follow Red Bull PH and Red Bull Dance on social media for the latest updates.

For more information and updates, visit the official Red Bull website and the following social media pages (Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok )

Alex Eala battles veteran Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the Suzhou Open WTA 125 on Friday.

This will be their first career meeting. The 32-year-old Golubic is currently at No. 70 in the WTA rankings and reached a career singles best of No. 35 in 2022. She also holds two WTA Tour titles.

Her best result in the Grand Slams was a quarterfinal stint in the 2021 Wimbledon.

Eala, meanwhile, is ranked No. 58, boosted by a busy year that included a historic run at the Miami Open, a finals appearance at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, and long-awaited main-draw debuts in the Grand Slams. She won her first WTA 125 title in the Guadalajara 125 Open last month.

Seeded sixth in Suzhou, Golubic reached the quarterfinals after two straight set victories over fellow Swiss Rebeka Masarova and Czechia’s Linda Fruhvirtova.

In contrast, Eala, seeded fourth, has had to grind out back-to-back three-set wins-rallying past Katarzyna Kawa of Poland and surviving a three-hour battle with Belgium’s Greet Minnen.

The Filipino tennis ace is aiming for a second consecutive semifinal in China after her run in the Jingshan Tennis Open last week, where she fell to eventual champion Lulu Sun.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30 has displaced more than 170,000 people, leaving families in urgent need of food, water and shelter.

Authorities said over 50 cities and municipalities have been placed under a state of calamity as aftershocks continue to shake the region. Power and water services were disrupted, and many residents remain outdoors for safety.

Survivors urgently need drinking water, ready-to-eat food, tents, blankets, clothes, sleeping mats and hygiene kits.

Responding to appeals for help, the Inquirer Foundation extends its relief and fund drive to the families affected by the earthquake.

Cash donations may be deposited in The Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco de Oro (BDO) Current Account No. 007960018860 or donate any amount to the Philippine Daily INQUIRER via Gcash Pay Bills and indicate that the payment is for Cebu donation.

Inquiries may be addressed and emailed to Inquirer Foundation office: [email protected]

Tropical Storm Paolo will bring over 200 millimeters (mm) of rain in Isabela, Quirino, and Aurora from Thursday evening to Friday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Paolo was last located approximately 480 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon at 4 p.m., moving west-northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph), Pagasa reported.

The state weather bureau also said Paolo has maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gusts of up to 105 kph.

In its 5 p.m. advisory, Pagasa also reported the following rainfall forecast from Thursday to Friday afternoon.

100 to 200 mm

Cagayan

Kalinga

Mountain Province

Ifugao

Benguet

Nueva Vizcaya

Nueva Ecija

50 to 100 mm

Apayao

Abra

Ilocos Sur

La Union

Pangasinan

Zambales

Tarlac

Bataan

Pampanga

Bulacan

Rizal

Laguna

Quezon

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Catanduanes

Additionally, the trough of the cyclone was forecast to bring scattered rains over Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas.

Pagasa hoisted Tropical Cyclone Signal (TCWS) no. 2 over Isabela, the northern portion of Quirino, the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and the northern portion of Aurora.

Meanwhile, TCWS no. 1 was raised in Cagayan, the rest of Quirino, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, the northern portion of Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, the northern portion of Bulacan, the northern portion of Pampanga, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.

Tropical Storm Paolo (international name: Matmo) maintained its strength, prompting the weather bureau to place more provinces in Luzon under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2.

In its 2 p.m. update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) placed the following areas under TCWS:

TCWS No. 2

The central and southern portions of Isabela (San Mariano, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Benito Soliven, Angadanan, Naguilian, Palanan, Ilagan City, Quirino, Mallig, Quezon, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Cordon, City of Santiago, San Isidro, Ramon, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Roxas)

The northern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Aglipay, Cabarroguis, Saguday, Diffun)

The northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Ambaguio, Bayombong, Kasibu)

The eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin, Barlig)

Ifugao

The northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)

Areas under Signal No. 2 are warned of gale-force winds within 24 hours.

TCWS No. 1

Cagayan

The rest of Isabela

The rest of Quirino

The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

Apayao

Abra

Kalinga

The rest of Mountain Province

Benguet

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

La Union

Pangasinan

The northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)

Tarlac

Nueva Ecija

The rest of Aurora

The northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael)

The northern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)

The northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta), including Polillo Islands

Camarines Norte

The northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Goa, San Jose, Presentacion)

Catanduanes

Areas under Signal No. 1 are expected to experience strong winds within the next 36 hours.

Meanwhile, during the 12 p.m. press conference, Pagasa said that Metro Manila will not be directly affected by Paolo.

‘Right now, the southwest monsoon, or habagat, has weakened. So the concentration of the heavy rains is now in those areas near the tropical storm,’ said weather services chief Engineer Juanito Galang during the conference.

But he added that it is still possible for Metro Manila and nearby provinces to experience light to moderate rainfall as Paolo crosses the country in the coming days.

The center of Paolo was last estimated 530 km east of Infanta, Quezon. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph), with gusts of up to 90 kph, and was moving westward at 20 kph.

It is the 16th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in 2025. Nine more typhoons are expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility before the year ends.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) no. 2 was issued over more areas in northern Luzon as Tropical Storm Paolo moves closer to the Philippine landmass on Thursday, said the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said at 7 p.m. bulletin, TS Paolo was last located around 370 kilometers east of Baler Aurora, moving 20 kilometers per hour (kph) west-northwestward, Pagasa reported.

According to Pagasa, the cyclone has maximum sustained winds of 85 kph, and gusts of up to 105 kph.

TCWS no. 2 was issued over the following areas in the state weather bureau’s 7 p.m. advisory:

Southern portion of mainland Cagayan (Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Solana, Iguig, Tuao, Piat)

Isabela

northern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Aglipay, Cabarroguis, Saguday, Diffun)

northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Ambaguio, Bayombong, Kasibu)

southern portion of Apayao (Conner)

Abra

Kalinga

Mountain Province

Ifugao

northern portion of Benguet (Mankayan, Bakun, Buguias)

central and southern portions of Ilocos Sur (Gregorio del Pilar, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Cervantes, Burgos, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santiago, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Suyo, Sigay, Galimuyod, Quirino, San Emilio, Alilem, Sugpon, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo)

northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)

Meanwhile, TCWS no. 1 was hoisted in the areas listed below:

the rest of mainland Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands

the rest of Quirino

the rest of Nueva Vizcaya

the rest of Apayao

the rest of Benguet,

Ilocos Norte

the rest of Ilocos Sur

La Union

Pangasinan

northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)

Tarlac

Nueva Ecija

the rest of Aurora

northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael)

northern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)

northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands

Camarines Norte

northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Goa, San Jose, Presentacion)

Catanduanes

The cyclone is expected to make landfall in Ifugao or in Aurora on Friday.

If the congressmen do not want to do the job, then the mayors will do the difficult task of finding the individuals who made the anomalous insertions in the national budget for the past three years, including those who proposed the funding of controversial flood control projects.

The Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) formally sent a letter to Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III on Thursday, requesting access to documents related to the national budget from 2023 to 2025 – the past three years when the Marcos administration proposed and approved its appropriation laws.

The letter was signed by M4GG convenors Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, and Isabela, Basilan Mayor Sitti Hataman.

The group was specifically requesting access to National Expenditure Program (NEP) and General Appropriations Act (GAA) records for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, including specific line items and their proponents and/or endorsing offices.

‘We make this request in the spirit of transparency in the use of public funds and to ensure that allocations reflect the true needs of communities,’ said M4GG, which has the support of close to 200 local chief executives across the country since it was launched in August 2023.

‘Having access to these records will help local governments and civil society track implementation, strengthen accountability, and uphold public trust in our institutions,’ it added. Lawmakers in the the House of Representatives and Senate are pointing at each other on whose chamber did the insertions to line items of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget originate in the past years to fund questionable flood mitigation projects in different parts of the country, including those in provinces considered not flood-prone.

Congressional insertions in the national budget under the Marcos administration might have already ballooned to unprecedented levels, and could reach as much as P2 trillion between 2023 and 2025, according to former Budget Secretary Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad.

These include an estimated P600 billion in flood control projects added at the NEP stage.

Abad was referring to revelations in congressional inquiries into anomalous infrastructure projects that congressmen have been proposing flood control projects as early as the budget preparation stage in collusion with DPWH officials. The national budget legislation starts with the submission to the Congress of the NEP, which is prepared by the executive branch, specifically the Department of Budget and Management.

It serves as the blueprint for the succeeding year’s government expenditures.

The NEP is the basis of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which is sponsored, presented and defended by the House of Representatives’ appropriations committee and subcommittees in plenary session.

As with other laws, the House version of the GAB must pass three readings before it is sent to the Senate.

Once both chambers agree on a final version of the GAB, it goes to the President where it is signed into law as the GAA, either as it is or with some line items vetoed.

During budget deliberations, Congress has the power to amend the NEP so long as the overall spending ceiling set by Malacañang is not breached.

This is also where insertions – also called pork barrel or parked funds – made by lawmakers come in.

During last year’s deliberations for the 2025 GAB, last-minute realignments and insertions happened at the bicameral conference committee level and the ‘small committee’ level-a practice flagged by public watchdogs because they occurred away from public scrutiny. As part of budget reform initiatives, the House in the current 20th Congress deliberating the 2026 national budget abolished the small committee, and created in its place the budget amendments review subcommittee (BARSC) under the appropriations panel.

Deliberations under BARSC were made in open plenary to show the public what items in the national budget are increased or decreased, and to note who made the following proposals.

But for Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, if the House leadership was truly serious about its push to reform public budgeting and investigate anomalous infrastructure projects, it should release the amendments made by the small committee at least for the 2025 national budget.

‘To show good faith, the House leadership should ask Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, who was the chair of the appropriations committee at the time, to release the amendments made by the small committee for the 2025 budget,’ Tiangco said. ‘If the House leadership doesn’t release it, this is just for show. We cannot move forward and simply forget the wrongdoings of the past. We have to uncover the sins of the 2025 budget,’ he added.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) trimmed its growth forecasts on the Philippines, joining other multilateral lenders in tempering expectations for the economy as higher US tariffs threaten to bite exports and investments.

Following its annual staff visit, the Washington-based institution said it now projects the Philippine economy to expand 5.4 percent this year, slightly below its earlier estimate of 5.5 percent.

Growth next year is expected at 5.7 percent, compared with the previous forecast of 5.9 percent.

The IMF’s downgrade makes it the latest to temper expectations for the Philippines. Earlier this week, the Asian Development Bank held its 2025 forecast at 5.6 percent but trimmed its 2026 projection to 5.7 percent from 5.8 percent. In June, the World Bank projected growth of 5.3 percent this year, 5.4 percent in 2026 and 5.5 percent in 2027, and is expected to release updated estimates soon.

Gov’t target

Taken together, the forecasts cluster near the low end of the Marcos administration’s targets of 5.5- to 6.5-percent growth for 2024 and 6 to 7 percent by 2026.

‘The revision reflects factors related to the first half performance, which was weaker than expected,’ Elif Arbatli Saxegaard, who headed a visiting IMF team, said in a press conference in Manila on Wednesday.

The local economy grew by 5.4 percent in the first six months. ‘The important drivers of growth would be the higher tariffs which are imposed on Philippine exports to the US. It will weigh on exports and investment. While the envisioned decline in government expenditure to meet the deficit target is expected to more than offset an increase in private consumption,’ Saxegaard added.

But still ‘resilient’

Looking ahead, the IMF said it expected the Philippines to remain resilient despite losing some momentum amid external headwinds. The Fund suggested implementing ‘concrete and durable tax measures’ to limit the need for restraint in priority spending and help the government make a bigger contribution to growth.

It added that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas still had room ‘for a slightly more accommodative stance’ to ‘reduce economic slack.’

CEBU CITY -The devastating Cebu earthquake that recently jolted parts of the province and neighboring localities has prompted the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant to cancel its preliminary competition that involved the swimsuit and evening gown events in favor of relief operations.

The crucial stage of the pageant was originally scheduled on Friday, Oct. 3, in Lapu-Lapu City. There, the delegates were to be judged in their swimming attire and evening wear, and score points that will help them clinch a semifinal spot.

‘Miss Asia Pacific International stands with Cebu after last night’s earthquake. The preliminary competition has been cancelled out of respect for those affected at this time, our focus is on compassion, safety, and solidarity,’ the pageant posted on social media on Wednesday evening, Oct. 1.

‘True transformation is found not only in pageantry, but in rising together through challenges with empathy, strength, and unity,’ the statement continued. Images posted on the pageant’s social media pages showed several delegates packing rice at a warehouse to be given to victims of the calamity.

On Tuesday evening, Sept. 30, on the delegates’ first day in the province, the pageant held its benefit gala night at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City. Just as the program was about to close, it was halted by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake with the epicenter traced to Bogo City.

Hours after the incident, the pageant issued a statement assuring the public that the delegates and members of the organization were ‘safe and secure.’

In a succeeding statement released Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 1, the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant said it was realigning the delegates’ activities ‘in a spirit of compassion and solidarity’ with the province of Cebu.

The international pageant said the delegates ‘will devote their time and influence’ to relief and fundraising events and initiatives, awareness and empowerment, and solidarity events and programs.

‘Through compassion, purpose, and action, Miss Asia Pacific International reaffirms its commitment to its international and local partners-to serve not only in times of celebration, but most importantly, in times of need,’ the statement said.

In the most recent statement on the cancelation of the preliminary competition, the organizers said, ‘we believe it would not be appropriate to hold a celebratory event at this time, as our focus must be on compassion, safety and solidarity.’

Another event that was cancelled was the scheduled press presentation on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 1, at the Cebu Provincial Capitol. The delegates instead volunteered to pack relief goods at the province’s warehouse.

Lawyer and beauty queen Eva Patalinjug-Lim, the pageant’s president, oversaw the delegates at the relief center. ‘I toured around when I arrived, I toured and asked the candidates how they are, and they said they had no sleep, just like me. But they’re still here because they want to help,’ she said.

‘This day was supposed to be their rest day. I intended it to be the rest day and canceled the press con because I wanted mental and physical rest for them,’ she added.

‘We just asked the candidates who are willing to volunteer, we’re not forcing anyone to do relief packing. But I’m really glad of the turnout because they volunteered from their heart. It’s not because they’re candidates, but because this is volunteer work, they listed their names to be here, so I’m thankful for the candidates,’ Patalinjug continued.