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Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao commended the resolve put up by his team in completing a come-from-behind 124-120 win over Converge in Game 1 of the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals.

The Elasto Painters scrapped their way back from being down 21 early in the second quarter to secure the victory and draw first blood in their best-of-five series that is expected to be a rough-and-tumble one.

‘I think the most important thing in this win is just our playoff toughness,’ said Guiao. ‘We made a lot of mistakes in the first half and we gave up too many offensive rebounds. But if we get to solve our problems, we can get back in the game, which is what happened.’ Rookie Deo Cuajao knocked down his outside shots during the third quarter that helped spark the rally. Adrian Nocum, import Aaron Fuller and Caelan Tiongson came through while Jhonard Clarito and Mike Malonzo shared duties in stopping Converge import Cameron Clark in the second half.

‘Deo waxed hot, Caelan waxed hot, and then we were able to limit their import,’ Guiao said. ‘Their import is so good, he was not missing in the first half. But we experimented with our matchup, and it worked a bit, got us the win.

‘So it’s just the playoff toughness of the guys that was the key,’ he added.

But Guiao said the concern now for him and the Elasto Painters is whether they can replicate or sustain that in Game 2 set Friday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium when they aim for a 2-0 lead.

‘It’s the ‘buwis-buhay’ attitude of our team. But the question now is, can we do it two more times?’ Guiao said. ‘We’re not playing the old format where if you win once or twice, you get to the next round. Now you really have to win in a series.

‘And if it is a series, there’s no fluke involved. There’s no lucky game, there’s no one or two lucky games. You need to win three good games. You need to be consistent in order to get to the next round.’

Malacañang on Tuesday told Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa not to set an example for other fugitives, as it once again urged the senator to surrender.

The call came after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said last week that dela Rosa was considered ‘armed and dangerous’ and that a P50-million bounty had been offered for his capture.

‘Dahil dati rin siyang nagsilbi na PNP [Philippine National Police] Chief, huwag siyang maging ehemplo, huwag siyang maging modelo sa mga taong mayroong kinakaharap na warrant of arrest at magtatago,’ said Palace Press Officer Claire Castro at a briefing in Cagayan de Oro City.

(Since he also served as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, he should not set an example or serve as a role model for people who have arrest warrants against them and choose to go into hiding.)

She also said, ‘Bilang dating miyembro ng kapulisan, siya po ang dapat na unang gumagalang sa batas, unang nagpapatupad ng batas lalung-lalo na siya ay senador. So, huwag siyang maging ehemplo para sa ibang, sabihin nating mga pugante na magtago dahil siyang gagawing idolo.’

(As a former member of the police force, he should be the first to respect and uphold the law, especially since he is a senator. He should not serve as a role model for other fugitives who might choose to hide, only to idolize him.)

Citing a previous statement from Remulla, the Palace official warned of a ‘no mercy’ policy in the arrest of the senator.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa for his role as the national police chief during then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2018.

He was named a co-perpetrator in the ICC’s investigation into crimes against humanity. Dela Rosa went into hiding after reappearing at the Senate last May 11.

P50 million bounty

Also during the briefing, Castro clarified that the P50 million bounty for dela Rosa will be sourced from the intelligence funds of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and PNP.

This move, however, was opposed by the law firm representing dela Rosa.

‘Every peso of a government reward must answer one question – for the arrest of whom, in what case, by order of what court?’ Torreon and Partners said in a Facebook post.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has pushed for the restructuring of the excise on sweetened beverages, arguing that beverages made with natural cane sugar should be subject to lower taxes.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the regulator is pushing for beverages containing natural cane sugar to remain under Tier 1, while beverages made with artificial sweeteners are placed under Tier 2.

Azcona said the SRA hopes that the excise on beverages with natural cane sugar would remain at P6 per liter, or slightly increase it at the most, to avoid affecting both Filipino farmers and consumers.

‘The farmers’ suggestion, which is also our stand, is first, the most important thing to do is separate sugar from everything else. Let’s remove all [artificial sweeteners] from the lower tier, all that is not sugar, cane sugar,’ Azcona said. ‘Our prayer is to keep [the excise on sugar] at P6 per liter. If the DOF (Department of Finance) determines an increase, we’re willing to sit down and talk about it,’ he told reporters.

‘We noticed that when we imposed a higher tax on HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup), manufacturers simply looked at the tax rates and saw that HFCS has higher taxes than artificial sweeteners. They shifted to artificial sweeteners,’ Azcona said, noting that artificial sweeteners are cheaper since these require only a small amount to reach the desired level of sweetness.

‘At the end of the day, the government didn’t generate additional revenues. Revenue remained the same,’ he added.

The Philippine Sugar Millers Association Inc. (PSMA) had urged the DOF to reconsider its proposal to increase the excise on sugar-sweetened beverages as this could affect local sugar farmers amid pest infestations, El Niño and other production challenges.

‘The government is encouraging sugar farmers to continue cultivating sugarcane and has recently extended emergency assistance, or ayuda, to farmers struggling to recover from severe RSSI (red-striped soft-scale insect) infestation. Yet the DOF is proposing a tax measure that could further weaken demand for the very sugar these farmers produce,’ PSMA executive director Jesus Barrera said.

Under the Promoting Growth, Revenue, and Equity towards Socio-Economic Sustainability Bill, the government seeks to raise the excise to P20 per liter from only P6 per liter on beverages that use sugar or other caloric or noncaloric sweeteners.

The proposed measure also calls for an increase in excise on beverages using HFCS.from P12 to P40 per liter.

Coco Martin believes Filipino films could gain greater recognition on the international stage if the government equips the local film industry with proper support.

Martin made the remarks during an interview with select members of the press at Ihaw Fest 2026, where he discussed the success of his series ‘Sigabo’ and his desire to highlight Filipino culture and values through his work.

‘Kung nasusuportahan lang tayo ng tama ng gobyerno natin, maipagmamalaki natin ang buong Pilipinas,’ he said.

He discussed the show’s storyline, which features characters working to improve their community that should reflect how leaders should prioritize the welfare of the people.

The actor-director recalled his beginnings in independent filmmaking, where he worked on movies with budgets of only P500,000 but still managed to compete internationally.

‘Nanggaling kasi ako sa pinakamababa, sa indie films. Nung gumagawa kami ng pelikula, P500,000 lang ‘yung buong pelikula namin, pero lumalaban kami international, na kami ang nananalo,’ he said.

Martin recalled how their films competed at the Cannes Film Festival, emphasizing the potential of Filipino filmmakers despite limited resources.

He lamented that the country’s problems often overshadow the talents and strengths of its people, which he believes deserve greater recognition.

‘Sa dami ng problema, natatabunan siya lahat, hindi natin naaangat ‘yung talent natin, nanghihinayang ako,’ he said.

His remarks came as the grand culmination of Ihaw Fest 2026, an event celebrating Filipino food and culture. The event, which was hosted by Dimples Romana, featured live performances from Maris Racal, Shuvee Etrata, and Fyang Smith. The gathering also featured a tribute to Martin’s decade-long partnership with the brand.The ‘Batang Quiapo’ star also pointed to the Philippines’ natural attractions as assets that could help the country stand out internationally.

‘Sa totoo lang, napakaganda ng bansa natin. Pagdating sa tourism, kumpleto tayo, dagat, bundok, at kung ano-ano pa, pero bakit bagsak? Kasi hindi tayo tinutulungan,’ he said.

Martin said he wants ‘Sigabo’ to remind Filipinos, particularly younger audiences, of their cultural identity.

‘Ang gusto ko ngayon ipakita is ‘yung kultura ng mga Pilipino, which is ‘yung mga good values natin na nakalimutan na ng maraming mga Pilipino, lalo na ‘yung mga kabataan,’ he said.

Most people these days spend a good chunk of their time wearing earphones or headphones to listen to their favorite music, podcasts, audio books, and even take calls while on the go.

And while it’s great to have that convenience of being able to do that, you still have to make sure you’re completely aware of things going on in your surroundings as you go through your day.

It’s easy to get distracted by what you listen to for a quick moment, especially when it’s that final chorus in a song you love, or a good punchline from a podcast that makes you laugh hard. These small instances can easily turn from special moments to accidents, which could easily ruin your day.

One of the best ways to still be able to listen to what you want whenever and wherever is to get a solid pair of OWS (Open Wearable Stereo) devices, and one of the best ones out there right now is the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2.

All-day comfort without falling off

Long commutes or morning jogs can be made fun with a bit of music, so a pair that’s comfortable to wear for hours can make or break your day.

The Anker soundcore AeroClip 2’s open ear design clips onto the outer portion of the ear to hang and stay in place. Them falling off won’t be an issue having been precision-modeled using a database of over 2,000 ear profiles, as well as being tested on 1,000+ diverse users.

In addition, its material is durable yet lightweight, having been tested for over 10,000 flex tests and only weighing 6.2 grams per earbud, so you won’t even notice that it’s there while you wear it for hours, which mitigates any form of discomfort.

Enjoying your own little bubble without missing out on the world around you

Poor audio quality adds stress and can sour your mood, of course we don’t want that. Your favorite songs and podcasts should be there to lift you up to get through your day.

Sound-wise, the combination of the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2’s 12mm dual-magnetic drivers, LDAC support (for Android devices), Hi-Res certification, and Anker’s own customizable HearID 5.0 provide a worthwhile listening experience that’s both immersive, yet not too distracting that you’ll lack spatial awareness.

These are also great for fulfilling your fitness era, being able to wear them and set high volumes with hype music playing to pump you up for sprints when running, getting in the zone in padel or tennis, and just going all out.Never missing a beat at work When taking calls for work regardless of when you’re at the office, at home, a cafe, or outdoors, there’s bound to be those loud ambient noises that disrupt an ongoing meeting or make you miss important points discussed.It also gets rough when all your colleagues hear from your end of the call is nothing but construction noises or road rage, so voice isolation in a pair of earbuds is important.

To solve that, the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 comes with an advanced voice-calling system through its use of the brand’s own THUS AI Chip and 6-Sensor Call Technology to extract your voice and make it so the people you talk to only hear you and not the noisy environment around you.This technology earned the device a Guinness World Records certification as the ‘World’s Clearest Open-Ear Clip-On Earbuds for Calls’.

A proper ambience for resting No matter how strong or energetic a person you are, the daily hustling that you do to get the most out of life can be inevitably draining, so you’ll always need even just a few moments to relax.Coming with built-in white noises, the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 can enter something called ‘Nap Mode’ with just 3 clicks on the button of either earbud.

In this mode, you can choose from a wide selection of offline white noises that can be downloaded through the Anker app, from ‘rainy alley’ to ‘campfire crackle’, there’s going to be something there for that quick break to meditate or power nap right before getting back to work.

Highly reliable, rain or shine

As human beings, endurance is a quality that’s truly looked up to given how chaotic or peaceful life can be given its unpredictability.

And the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 is capable of tagging along with you in this adventure we call life.It has ingress protection (IP) rating of IP57, the earbuds will be able to withstand potential damage against dust and other small particles, as well as splashes of water. Sweat and rain are also a few of the things it’s able to endure, making it a great partner to use at the gym, in the courts, and even outdoors during your morning run.

And with up to 8 hours of use per charge for each earbud, and up to 32 hours total with the charging case, these earbuds are ready to last a full week through your day to day grind.

The earbuds are also quick to charge, allowing up to 4 hours of use with just a 10-minute charge.

Seamless Apple integration

Great device compatibility also matters when choosing a pair of earphones to include in your EDC, and the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 is ‘The World’s First Open-Ear Clip-On Earbuds with an MFi Certification’.This allows a smoother, more reliable experience and connectivity with iOS devices, ensuring that there won’t be any technical issues that hold you back while going through your day.

A complete OWS packageWhether your day involves commuting, calls, workouts, a lot of moving around, or even taking quick breaks and staying still, the Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 is made to fit in without getting in the way. It lets you keep listening while your day keeps moving.

Price and Availability

The Anker soundcore AeroClip 2 comes in several colors including Burgundy Red, Midnight Black, Cloud White, and Mist Blue.

It retails for only P9,995 and is now available through Anker’s official e-commerce stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop and as well as at Anker authorized stores and retail partners nationwide and Authorized e-commerce stores in Anker Authorized Store PH on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop and Anker soundcore on TikTok Shop.

To secure the hundreds of thousands expected to pour into congested graveyards and sprawling memorial parks this week, Northern Mindanao’s police force will deploy over 7,200 officers and volunteers starting Saturday, October 31.

The Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) will go on full alert for the traditional observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, blanketing the region with a mix of regular officers and community peacekeepers to secure the public until November 2.

The region-wide deployment consists of 4,044 regular police officers, 1,059 personnel from allied law enforcement units, and 2,103 force multipliers, including barangay peacekeepers and local traffic enforcers.

Heavy security was expected for deployment to Cagayan de Oro City’s 19.8-hectare Bolonsiri Public Cemetery in Barangay Camaman-an.

Recently redeveloped into the City Memorial Park, the site remains the city’s largest. It holds an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 remains, thousands of which were recently exhumed and transferred to a centralized ossuary.

Five private memorial parks are expected to have a massive influx of visitors, as they collectively house an estimated 35,000 graves.

The city’s older public cemeteries also reflect decades of severe congestion, requiring tighter crowd control from authorities.

The Bulua Public Cemetery squeezes more than 10,000 graves into a three-hectare property, while the Carmen Public Cemetery holds roughly 5,000 interments within a compact two-hectare footprint.

With these dense crowds in mind, PRO-10 director Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr. directed his unit commanders to ensure that their heavy street presence translates into actual crime prevention rather than a static display of force.

‘Our goal is to ensure that people can observe Undas safely and peacefully. We are positioning our personnel where they are most needed to prevent criminal activities, assist the public, and respond immediately to any security concerns,’ Babagay said in a Viber message Tuesday.

Police assistance desks will be set up at the entrances of these major cemeteries to help manage the influx of visitors.

State witness and former Public Works and Highways-Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara received at least P5 billion worth of alleged kickbacks from contractors, intended to be delivered to project proponents.

Alcantara’s former staff Carlo Rivera made the revelation on Tuesday before the Sandiganbayan Third Division’s bail hearing of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, stemming from alleged kickbacks worth P7.44 billion.

Rivera said the alleged P5 billion kickback came from around P35 billion worth of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects in Bulacan from 2022 to 2025.

According to him, the biggest amount of project was P14.1 billion in 2024, followed by P12.9 billion (2023), P7.3 billion (2025), and P519 million (2022).

Asked to confirm by the court if the total amount of alleged kickback reached P5.56 billion, Rivera said: ‘About that much, Your Honor.’

Rivera said he personally contacted contractors to coordinate and confirm the deliveries of the commitments to Alcantara’s office.

He also said that he personally followed up and collected cash commitments from contractors, counted the money, and marked the amounts on Post-it notes, before the funds were turned over to Alcantara.

He also said the alleged kickbacks were brought to ‘proponents’ of the projects, including former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, also an co-accused in this plunder case.

Aside from Co, Rivera said the alleged project proponents in their list include state witness and former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former Sen. Bong Revilla, and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Estrada and Revilla face plunder and malversation cases before this anti-graft court over alleged kickbacks.

The identity of the proponents, Rivera said, was only relayed to him by Alcantara.

Rivera was a DPWH Engineer II who served under Alcantara from 2019 to 2025.

The Diocese of Kidapawan has mourned the desecration of a parish church in M’lang town, after unidentified thieves robbed its tabernacle and dishonored the Blessed Sacrament.

In a decree issued on Monday, Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo directed the suspension of Masses and other sacramental celebrations at the Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesus Parish following the break-in incident on Oct. 25, where the consecrated hosts were taken out of the tabernacle and left on the sanctuary floor.

READ: Cotabato church suspends Masses after break-in, desecration of hostsThe bishop said the incident was not merely a property crime but a violation of the Catholic faith, which holds that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus Christ.Under the decree, all Masses and sacramental rites inside the main church building will remain suspended until the church holds a formal penitential rite and Mass of Reparation.Weekday Masses will instead be celebrated at the Parish Formation House at their usual schedules, according to a letter issued by parish priest Rev. Fr. Edward Bacus.Bagaforo will preside over the Mass of Reparation at 5 p.m. on Oct. 31. During the ceremony, the parish church, altar, and a new tabernacle will be blessed with holy water before regular parish services resume.The bishop also directed the parish priest to remove the flowers, decorative lights, and other customary decorations from the main altar as a sign of mourning and penance.If fragments of the consecrated hosts remain, they must be gathered reverently, dissolved in water and poured into the sacrarium, according to the decree.

READ: EXPLAINER: Why desecrated churches have to be closed indefinitelyThe parish has been instructed to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities investigating the robbery.Bagaforo also called on parishioners to observe a period of prayer, fasting and spiritual sacrifice, and encouraged them to participate in the Way of the Cross and pray the Rosary for the conversion of those responsible.In his letter to parishioners, Bacus said thieves had broken into the church and robbed the tabernacle. He asked the community to remain focused on prayer and the parish’s spiritual restoration amid the incident.The diocese said the church building may be used only for preaching, religious instruction and spiritual preparation for the rite of reparation while the suspension remains in effect.Lt. Col. Realan Mamon, M’lang police chief, said a parish worker discovered the incident early Monday morning.

The M’lang police are checking CCTV recordings inside the church and its surroundings to identify the suspects.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday defended the condition of its SF-260 training aircraft following a midair collision in Batangas that killed four pilots, saying the planes remained within their prescribed operating hours despite being more than a decade old.

PAF spokesperson Col. Alvin Jay Capinguian said the aircraft, acquired brand-new between 2010 and 2011, still had several years of service life left.

‘In aviation, we’d like to dispel the notion of katandaan (old age),’ Capinguian said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

He explained that an aircraft’s operational capability is assessed based on its accumulated operating hours rather than its chronological age alone.

‘They are well within their airframe operating hours, and they still have several years of operation to go,’ he said.

The PAF has grounded its remaining 15 SF-260 aircraft following the collision of two units during a training flight at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City on Friday afternoon.

The accident killed Maj. David Joshua Rojo, 1st Lt. Raymart Cabangcala, 1st Lt. Angeleo Adrian Peñaflor and Capt. Ma. Melvin Acebuque.

The Air Force said it was coordinating and extending assistance for their bereaved families.

Capinguian said investigators had secured the crash site and collected debris from the aircraft but declined to disclose preliminary findings to avoid speculation about the cause of the mid-air collision.

He said investigators were examining all possible factors, including environmental conditions, aircraft components, fuel, oil, flight planning and operations.

The PAF has yet to determine how long the grounding will remain in effect, with Capinguian saying corrective measures would depend on the investigation’s findings.

He also confirmed that SF-260 aircraft have no ejection seats, although pilots carry parachutes as part of their flight gear.

Pilots must first exit the aircraft before deploying their parachutes, he explained.

Despite the accident, the PAF has no plans of suspending formation flying, which Capinguian described as an essential but inherently dangerous skill for military pilots.

The grounding has not disrupted student pilot training because one class has already completed its flight requirements while another is still undergoing classroom instruction, he said.

The pilots involved in the collision were conducting upgrade training and were no longer students.

The PAF Flying School also operates T-41D aircraft, which may be used for flight lessons while the SF-260 fleet remains grounded.

In a statement on Saturday, the PAF confirmed that four pilots had died after two SF-260 aircraft collided during a training flight at around 3:51 p.m. on Friday.

Both aircraft crashed within the air base’s perimeter, with no other casualties reported.

The Air Force initially confirmed the incident on Friday but did not disclose the fatalities until the following day.

The PAF subsequently ordered the temporary grounding of its SF-260 fleet as a precaution while investigators worked to establish the cause of the collision.

For as little as P5 per grave, youths and adults living beside Koronadal City Public Cemetery earn extra money by cleaning tombs and lighting candles for visitors ahead of ‘Undas’ (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day).

The annual influx of cemetery visitors offers these residents a chance to earn money for their families’ daily needs, including food.

As Undas approaches, they offer various services, from cleaning and weeding graves to repainting tombs, relettering faded grave markers and lighting candles on hard-to-reach graves.

Some workers even climb stacked, apartment-style tombs to reach graves that visitors may find difficult to access.

They set their own rates, starting at P5 depending on the size of the grave and the work required. Some manage to clean seven to 10 graves a day, although their earnings depend on the number of customers they find.

Grade 10 student ‘Zai’ said young people like him take advantage of weekends to earn money by cleaning graves.

Young workers

He said some students sometimes skip classes when the number of cemetery visitors increases, giving them more opportunities to find customers.

The young workers take on these jobs to help their families pay for daily necessities, Zai told the Inquirer.

The opportunity to earn extra income has also drawn parents to the cemetery, with some joining their children in offering services to visitors.

Among them are Boy and Vanessa delos Santos, who live beside the cemetery and were hoping to earn from the increase in visitors ahead of Undas.

The couple offers to clean and weed graves, repaint tombs, add lettering to grave markers and watch over motorcycles and vehicles parked outside the cemetery.

They hoped the growing number of cemetery visitors would bring them more customers, even if the opportunity lasts only a few days.