Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

La Salle snapped a two-game losing streak, routing University of the East, 112-87, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at Philsports Arena.

The Green Archers returned to the win column with a 2-2 record and kept the Red Warriors winless after five games.

‘This is going to make every game very interesting,’ coach Topex Robinson said, referring to the team standings. ‘We came from back-to-back losses, which are big, but with us it’s more about focusing on ourselves. We want to make sure we get better as a group.’

UE showed little resistance early, trailing 31-19 at the end of the opening period.

By the intermission, the Green Archers had already built a 61-42 advantage that proved insurmountable for the struggling Warriors.

Mason Amos scored a season-best 19 points that went with five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Jacob Cortez chipped in 15 points and four assists while his younger brother, Mikey, contributed 11 points.

UE guard Toper Lagat fired a game-high 30 points. Mo Tañedo added 14 points and nine assists, while Gene Carillo and Kean Dungca had 12 points apiece.

The Diocese of Kalibo in Aklan has raised concerns over the recent opening of a casino in Boracay as it reiterated its opposition to gambling and its implications to the lives of many Filipinos.

The opposition was made after a six-story casino hub opened at Station 0 in Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island.

The diocese said does not want to promote hostility towards anyone, but to uphold the dignity of every individual, particularly the welfare of families.

The diocese cited a Catholic Church teaching that while games and chances are not contrary to justice, ‘gambling becomes morally unacceptable when it deprives a person of what is necessary for his or her own needs or for the needs of others.’

It added that the teaching must serve as a reminder that money shall be used for basic necessities, such as education, food, shelter, and livelihood and not for gambling and easy money.

‘Our concern is also about the concrete consequences that gambling can bring to individuals, families, and society. Gambling can lead to financial distress and debt. It can consume resources intended for basic family needs. It can contribute to conflict between spouses, broken relationships, and neglect of children, and in serious cases, to other forms of social harm,’ it said in a pastoral statement.

While it recognizes economic benefits a casino may bring, it then raised the following questions: ‘What happens when a family’s savings are lost to gambling? What happens when money meant for food, education, or medicine is gambled away? What happens when a parent becomes enslaved by the hope of winning back what has already been lost?’

With this, it called on the provincial government of Aklan, municipality of Malay, and other concerned government agencies to consider the welfare of the people and exercise their responsibilities.

It then urged the faithful to not be deceived by easy money that can weaken hardship, sacrifices, and family solidarity.

It also advised the public to treat those already struggling with gambling addiction with compassion, understanding, and concrete help.

Actor-politician Mark Lapid took up the cudgels for his father, Senator Lito Lapid, amid criticisms that he underperformed as a lawmaker, and mocked for supposedly being a member of the Senate ‘committee on silence.’

Speaking to the entertainment press, Mark got candid when asked about how the elder Lapid, known for being reticent on the Senate floor, was really taking the bashing over the years.

The ‘Sigabo’ actor said that he and his siblings also feel hurt when they read about it on social media, but that as public servants they shouldn’t be too onion-skinned when it comes to criticisms. As seasoned politicians, Mark said that they have learned to take the criticisms in stride.

‘Of course masakit yan, bilang isang anak. But we’re here, nandito kami sa trabahong ito, so we just have to accept all criticisms as a learning stage, and we all know na hindi naman totoo,’ Mark said of his father, who is now on his last term as senator.

‘Nasasaktan yan (Lito). Syempre tao naman tayong pare-pareho. Kasi if we will balat-sibuyas, hindi kami dapat dito. Wala kaming karapatan na magsilbi kung di kami tumatanggap ng kritisismo. Kasi hindi naman kami perpektong tao e… It’s part of our job to be criticized,’ he further said.

Mark said his father is naturally quiet and not given to grandstanding, that’s why people often equate his silence to nonperformance. In truth, he said, his father was more of an action man, who has already passed hundreds of bills into law.

”Di namin kelangang i-brag, but the records are there to prove that he has done his job even though he is not loud… There are some issues kase where he doesn’t need to talk or say something to be relevant. So ganun lang yon. Ang kanya, kung kelan sya kelangang maging relevant, dun sya nagsasalita,’ he further said.

Mark said the bad perception about his father may be due to the fact that people still look down on his father, who is just a high school graduate and actor before joining politics.

With the presence of social media, they are hopeful that more people would be more aware of his father’s achievements.

‘Hndi lang nya binibida, hindi alam na sa kanya, dahil siguro tingin pa rin sa kanya hindi sya nakapagtapos, high school graduatuate sya, so medyo mababa ang tingin, artista lang sya. May mga ganyang factors siguro. We hope with all the records out there, sana ma appreciate na sya,’ he added.

Mark is currently the chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), an attached agency under the Department of Tourism in charge of tourism infrastructure. Prior to this post, he was the general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority, the precursor of Tieza, after serving as governor of Pampanga from 2004 to 2007.

Marian Rivera has been recognized as one of the top taxpayers of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Revenue District Office 041 in Mandaluyong City.

The BIR RDO 41-Mandaluyong City recognized Rivera as one of its ‘Natatanging Taxpayers’ during a ceremony on Oct. 1, according to a post on the district office’s official Facebook page.

‘RDO 41-Mandaluyong City proudly honors Ms. Marian Rivera as one of its Natatanging Taxpayers for her valuable contribution to nation-building through responsible tax compliance,’ the BIR said.

Photos shared by the agency showed Rivera receiving a plaque from BIR officials.

The plaque cited Rivera as one of the top taxpayers of RDO No. 41-Mandaluyong City and recognized her contribution to the district’s revenue collection for the first semester of 2026. No specific amount of taxes paid by Rivera was disclosed.

The recognition comes as Rivera continues to maintain an active career in show business. She is set to star in the upcoming Star Cinema film ‘Remember,’ which reunites her with husband Dingdong Dantes and ‘Rewind’ director Mae Cruz Alviar. The film was shot in Quebec, Canada, and is slated for theatrical release later this year.

She is also set to headline Prime Video’s upcoming mystery drama ‘Behind Closed Doors,’ where she will play a radio announcer who becomes a prime suspect in the assassination of the Philippine president. The project marks Rivera’s return to series after ‘My Guardian Alien’ in 2024.

Meanwhile, aside from Rivera, other Filipino celebrities have also previously received tax-related recognition from the BIR.

In July 2026, Alden Richards and Barbie Forteza were recognized among the country’s top taxpayers. Richards was recognized as one of the highest taxpayers for 2025, while Forteza was also honored for her tax contributions and for using her platform to promote proper tax compliance.

In 2025, the BIR also honored several other entertainment personalities as responsible taxpayers, including Jennylyn Mercado, Dennis Trillo, Vice Ganda, Kim Chiu, Darren Espanto, Catriona Gray, Karla Estrada and Julia Barretto, among others.

It is not every day that a movie such as ‘Forgotten Island’ ends with an audience applauding.

The reaction felt particularly fitting for a film that puts Filipino culture and mythology at thecenter of a major animated production.

Earlier this year, excitement grew when DreamWorks Animation announced the film, which promised to bring Filipino folklore to a global audience. For Filipino viewers, it was a rare opportunity to see familiar elements of our culture take center stage in a mainstream Hollywood production.

‘Encanto’ brought Colombian culture to audiences worldwide, while ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ drew inspiration from Southeast Asian cultures. Filipino mythology, meanwhile, rarely – if at all – received the same kind of mainstream treatment.

‘Forgotten Island’ follows best friends Jo and Raissa, voiced by Grammy and Oscar-winning artist H.E.R. and Filipina actress Liza Soberano. After being transported to the mysterious island of Nakali, a fantastical world populated by creatures from Filipino mythology, the two must find their way home while confronting the possibility of losing their memories of each other.

The premise gives the film plenty of room to explore its Filipino influences, but at its heart, ‘Forgotten Island’ remains a story about friendship. Jo and Raissa’s relationship anchors the film emotionally, while Nakali provides the larger adventure.

Aside from Soberano and H.E.R, the animation movie also boasts of Filipino talents who lent their voices to some of the interesting characters that are distinctly, well, Filipino – Lea Salonga, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, and Jo Koy. The animated original also features homegrown talent for the soundtrack, with groups like BINI and SB19 in its roster.

Visually, the film is one of its strongest elements. Nakali is colorful and imaginative, populated by creatures and environments inspired by Filipino folklore. The world feels designed to give audiences plenty to look at and discover, while grounding the fantasy in references that Filipino viewers can recognize.

The film received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, with a Certified Fresh score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an audience score of 97%.

It is no mystery then that ‘Forgotten Island’ became the number one movie in the country on its opening weekend, grossing P97.23 million, and becoming the biggest opening weekend for Universal in the country for 2026. ‘Forgotten Island’ has also snagged the biggest non-franchise animation film of all time.

No player won the Ultra Lotto 6/58 and Super Lotto 6/49 jackpot prizes on Sunday, October 4, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Ultra Lotto 6/58 draw result: 10-48-11-15-46-26 Jackpot prize: ?361.49 million

Super Lotto 6/49 draw result: 06-19-45-24-44-03 Jackpot prize: ?34.46 million

Minor games

3D Lotto 2 p.m.: 8-5-8 – ?4,500; 179 winners

3D Lotto 5 p.m.: 0-2-7 – ?4,500; 101 winners

3D Lotto 9 p.m.: 0-7-0 – ?4,500; 197 winners

2D Lotto 2 p.m.: 17-05 – ?4,000; 135 winners

2D Lotto 5 p.m.: 04-21 – ?4,000; 214 winners

2D Lotto 9 p.m.: 29-10 – ?4,000; 428 winners

Draw schedule

Ultra Lotto 6/58 draws are held every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, while Super Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Alexandria Enriquez closed out the Philippine campaign in the 20th Asian Games as the team’s top jiujitsu performer, delivering a silver-medal run that further cemented her status as one of the nation’s best athletes.

Yet even in defeat after a finals duel with Thailand’s Orapa Senathan in the women’s -63-kilogram division, her focus was never solely on herself.

‘The Philippine national team of jiujitsu is such a special group of people,’ said Enriquez. ‘I was able to develop a relationship with them through the years. We had a training camp in the United States, and I feel like all the competitors had great performances.’

That bond is what fuels her belief that the Philippines will continue to make its mark in jiujitsu after a two-gold haul in Hangzhou in 2023.

‘Our team is very strong, and other countries can see that,’ Enriquez added. ‘It’s just a matter of time before you see more Filipinos on the medal podium.’

The US-based Enriquez proved that strength in her own run after a first-round bye, followed by decisive wins over Palestine’s Dania Obaid and Kazakhstan’s Marian Zhuravleva, then a gritty semifinal victory over Mongolia’s Narankhishig Baasanjargal.

Her teammate, Andrea Lois Lao, finished fourth in the same division, while Kaila Napolis secured bronze in the -52-kg class on Friday.

Still, Enriquez’s mission extends beyond medals. She wants people to pay attention to her sport.

‘I want to give a performance that people will always remember,’ she said. ‘Competing like that gets you invited to other big opportunities and gets … more people interested in the sport. That’s my goal; it’s not just being an athlete, but also being an entertainer as well.’

The next stage for Enriquez is the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in December.

‘Yes, I want to be there as long as I stay healthy,’ said Enriquez. ‘There are no regrets, and I hope that the nation still supports me. This will not be my last Asian Games.’

Amid rising prices of basic commodities, Sen. JV Ejercito has proposed doubling the monthly social pension for indigent senior citizens from P1,000 to P2,000.

Ejercito’s Senate Bill No. 2522 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11916, which sets the monthly social pension at P1,000, to address the rising costs of food, maintenance medicines, healthcare, and basic utilities.

‘P1,000 a month is simply no longer sufficient to significantly support the daily needs of an elderly Filipino,’ he said.

According to the senator, the modest monthly pension received by many retirees is quickly consumed by expenses for maintenance medicines, medical consultations, food, rent, electricity, transportation, and other necessities.

‘The small statutory pension they receive every month is far from the financial security we envisioned for our seniors,’ he added.

Under SB 2522, the definition of an indigent senior citizen would be expanded to include elderly Filipinos who have no pension or permanent source of income, as well as those who receive a pension, compensation or financial assistance not exceeding P10,000 per month, subject to determination by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The bill would also remove the existing requirement that an indigent senior citizen be ‘frail, sickly or with disability’ to qualify for the social pension.

If enacted, the measure would also require the DSWD, in consultation with relevant stakeholders and subject to DBM approval, to review the social pension every two years and adjust it when necessary.

The proposed adjustments would take into account the consumer price index, poverty threshold, cost of living, and other relevant economic indicators reported by government agencies.

‘Social pension is not charity. Ultimately, this measure is about how we value those who came before us. Our senior citizens should be able to spend the remaining years of their lives with dignity, not in constant worry about their next meal, their medicines, or their most basic needs,’ Ejercito said.

Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Census of Population, Ejercito said approximately one in every 10 Filipinos is a senior citizen.

Defense Secretary Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro Jr. on Saturday said former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV should submit evidence to law enforcement authorities to back his allegations that Chinese funds went to an organization linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her family.

‘The allegations of [former] Senator Trillanes, if substantiated, raise serious implications for national security,’ Teodoro said in a message forwarded to reporters by Palace press officer Claire Castro.

‘He should submit the evidence in his possession, if any, to our law enforcement authorities so the matter can be thoroughly investigated,’ he added.

Trillanes on Friday claimed that P319 million from the Chinese government and China-based corporations went to CALLE88 Foods Corp., a company linked to the Vice President’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.

He also alleged that Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines Inc., a foundation where Duterte is an incorporator, received a P150 million donation from the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines.

Teodoro has been one of China’s staunchest critics in the Marcos administration, frequently denouncing Beijing’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.

Nat’l security implications

Malacañang said Trillanes’ allegations should not be ignored, provided that they were substantiated by sufficient evidence.

Castro warned that those who tolerate such acts, which could be considered an act of betrayal of the country, should be made accountable.

Trillanes made the disclosures a day after the prosecution panel in Duterte’s impeachment trial announced that he would no longer testify against Duterte.

The former senator said the country should be ‘horrified’ because China’s support for the Vice President has ‘national security implications’ and should be grounds for her impeachment.

The Dutertes are known for their close ties to China. Ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President’s father, pivoted the country’s foreign policy toward China in 2016 to secure economic investments and distance the country from traditional ties with the United States.

While he urged Filipinos to closely follow the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian urged those who may be too tired or sleepy to just stay and monitor the proceedings at home to avoid falling asleep inside the session hall.

‘If they’re sleepy, they shouldn’t come. They can sleep at home and watch the proceedings on TV. It doesn’t look good to attend the impeachment court proceedings and then sleep there. They can just watch from home if they’re feeling sleepy, and so they won’t be reminded or nudged inside the court,’ Gatchalian said in an interview with radio dzBB on Sunday.

‘Even in a normal court, you do not go there to sleep. You’re also not allowed to sleep there. And also, [not sleeping inside the court] is a sign of respect for the court,’ he added.

It can be recalled that Rep. Bienvenido Abante, who was seated at the VIP section of the Senate session hall, was caught sleeping last Monday while Rendell Sopeña, Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System’s (PhilGEPS) division chief, was at the witness stand and answering questions from senator-judges.

Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero then asked former Surigao del Norte and prosecution spokesperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers and prosecutor Rep. Lorenz Defensor to ‘kindly nudge Cong Benny a bit.’

‘It seems he’s tired. He may want to rest somewhere, but at least not right behind the witness,’ Escudero said.

‘I think he’s praying for us,’ lead public prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said in jest.

‘I doubt that,’ Escudero replied, adding: ‘It’s been a long day, I guess.’

In an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the trial, Abante said, laughing: ‘I fell asleep at 2 a.m. this morning, so I fell asleep a little.’

‘You’ll really feel sleepy because of the questions from the defense lawyers…it’s nice to listen, but when [the questions] become boring, you’ll get sleepy,’ he said.