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James Kwekuteye is gearing up for a new beginning in the PBA, joining his third team ahead of Season 50-and he couldn’t be more excited.

On Friday, Titan Ultra (formerly NorthPort) traded Kwekuteye to Phoenix for forward Ato Ular. Yet on the eve of the deal, the San Beda product was all smiles, chatting with Kai Ballungay during Titan’s unveiling of the LeBron 23 at Bonifacio Global City.

‘I’m excited. I’m pretty excited, to be honest. I’ve been waiting,’ Kwekuteye said. ‘I just have to work hard in practice, and let my game do the rest.’

Kwekuteye was drafted by Blackwater in 2023 before being dealt to NorthPort for Abu Tratter earlier this year. Now, he’ll suit up for Phoenix under new head coach Willy Wilson, who replaced Jamike Jarin.

‘Coach Willie, he’s a Fil-Am and knowing him, he lets everybody rock, lets them play within the system, and gives more freedom. That’s what I think,’ said Kwekuteye.

The sweet-shooting guard joins a youthful Phoenix lineup that includes Will Gozum, Ricci Rivero, Tyler Tio, and Ken Tuffin.

Sen. Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian said on Saturday that he believes Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III’s leadership is ‘very stable.’

This came following Sen. JV Ejercito’s recent remark that he, along with four other senators, planned to leave the majority bloc after several former and incumbent senators were tagged as being involved in anomalous flood control projects being investigated by the Senate blue ribbon committee ‘First of all, I see that Senator Sotto’s leadership is stable,’ Gatchalian, speaking in Filipino, said in a radio interview over DWIZ’s ‘Usapang Senado’ on Saturday.

‘In fact, it was from him that this suggestion came, ‘Oh, let’s just amend on the floor to be transparent,” he noted.

Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise mentioned that they have already agreed not to implement the Certificate of Urgency on the government’s budget.

‘If you remember, second and third readings, only one day, no time to review. Nothing like that anymore. So when we approve on second reading, we will give the senators three days to review one final time before approving the third reading. So Senator Sotto agreed to that suggestion, our President agreed. So that is also a reform to make budget deliberation more transparent,’ the senator explained. ‘For me, the leadership of the Senate [President] is very stable.,’ he reiterated.

When asked if Ejercito or other senators talked to him about the plan of leaving the Senate majority, Gatchalian refused to comment. Will stay with Sotto’s leadership

When asked if he will be staying in the majority, Gatchalian said, ‘Yes, definitely. Will stay with Sen. Sotto.’

Gatchalian affirmed that he talked with Ejercito but refused to give details on what they discussed, saying that he is currently concentrated on the 2026 national budget deliberation and assisting victims of the Cebu quake and the recent cyclone.

‘We talked, but I’m not going to talk about what we talked about or what my feelings are. For me, it’s important that this 2026 budget is done properly, and what’s important to me is how to help those who were hit by the earthquake and cyclone,’ he said.

Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Datu Ali Midtimbang has offered a cash reward of P100,000 for any information that would identify and arrest the suspects in the beheading of an Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) elder on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Midtimbang offered the reward money in a meeting on Friday, Oct 3, with police and military authorities in the province after gunmen attacked and killed Rommel ‘Nel’ Lupos, former village councilman of Barangay Mantao and tribal elder of the Teduray Lambangian people in Barangay Limpongo, Datu Hoffer town, Maguindanao del Sur.

Lupos was resting in his nipa hut in his farm lot in Barangay Limpongo when unidentified gunmen arrived and shot him. Relatives, worried for his failure to return home in the village center, launched a search and found him beheaded just outside his nipa hut.

The governor has personally handed over financial assistance to Lupos’ wife and children, who came to see him after the incident.

Midtimbang also directed the police and military to put up checkpoints in the villages of IPs to protect them from harassment by gunmen out to take over their ancestral lands. Timuay Leticio Datuwata, head of the Timuay Justice and Governance, the indigenous political structure of the Teduray-Lambangian tribe, said Lupos was killed for his refusal to vacate his farm lot as what the gunmen had been telling the IPs in the mountains of Datu Hoffer.

Midtimbang also urged the IP communities in Barangays Limpongo and Mantao to avoid establishing their homes away from each other.

‘It is better if your houses are close to each other so it would be easy for the police and military to protect you,’ Midtimbang said during an emergency peace and order council meeting.

Alex Eala bowed out of the 2025 Wuhan Open qualifiers, losing to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, in the first round on Saturday.

Eala forced a deciding set but fell behind 0-3 and was unable to recover, failing to advance in the third stop of her Asian swing. The Filipino tennis ace, who took a medical timeout in the third set, was coming off a quarterfinal exit in the Suzhou WTA 125 on Friday.

Eala has now played five straight three-set matches-including all three in Suzhou-since her semifinal appearance in the Jingshan Tennis Open on September 27.

She fought back in the second set against the 24-year-old Uchijima, stringing together three straight games to claim it 6-3. But Eala couldn’t sustain her rhythm in the decider, as Uchijima built on her early lead and pulled away by winning three of the final four games to close out the match in two hours and 11 minutes.

Eala is listed to compete next in the Japan Open, Guangzhou Open, and Hong Kong Open.

Leaders of Agusan del Sur province hailed a local athlete for a recent triumph in the international arena, providing inspiration for aspiring ones to emulate.

In separate statements, House Representatives Adolph Edward Plaza and Alfel Bascug, and Governor Santiago Cane hoped that Elias Tabac’s glory at the 2025 Spartan Thailand Trifecta Series in Chiang Mai last Sept. 28 would attract more young people to embrace athletics.

Tabac, the pride of Barangay Calaitan in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, clinched a historic silver medal in Chiang Mai. Tabac, who represented the Philippines, placed second in the grueling Super 10K race, finishing behind the Italian champion. The Spartan series is regarded worldwide as one of the toughest endurance competitions, combining long-distance running with obstacle challenges.

He was earlier regarded as ‘Spartan King’ after conquering Leg 3 of the 2025 Spartan Philippines National Series on August 2 at The Trails, Nuvali in Laguna. The Agusan del Sur native is no stranger to international triumphs. In 2021, he conquered the World’s Highest Obstacle Course Race at the crater of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania-a feat verified by Guinness World Records. He completed the high-altitude event in one hour and 15 minutes.

At home, Tabac serves as athletics coach for Agusan del Sur, whose athletes dominated the 2025 Caraga Regional Athletic Games. They are now preparing for the 2026 Palarong Pambansa, set to be hosted at the newly built Datu Lipus Makapandong Sports Complex in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. Tabac dedicated his silver finish to his athletes and their families, while expressing gratitude for the support of Cane, Plaza, and Bascug.

Sen. Christopher ‘Bong’ Go raised alarm over the plight of residents in Pandan Mahawak, Medellin town, northern Cebu, after photos emerged showing earthquake-affected families covering themselves with plastic bags to shield themselves from the rain.

The images, taken last Thursday, October 1, during a heavy downpour, revealed families with no proper evacuation centers, tents, or shelters. Still unable to return to their homes following the September 30 earthquake, residents resorted to covering their bodies with plastic bags while sleeping outdoors.

Go described the situation as both painful and unacceptable. ‘It hurts the heart to see that our own fellow countrymen are sleeping under plastic because they have no shelter. This should not be the condition of a Filipino family who is a victim of a disaster,’ he said.

The senator urged urgent intervention from both local and national agencies to provide additional tents, food packs, water, and other forms of relief.

The disaster stemmed from a magnitude-6.9 earthquake that struck just before 10 p.m. on September 30, with its epicenter located about 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City. The tremor, recorded at a shallow depth, inflicted widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, bridges, and heritage buildings across northern Cebu. In the aftermath, more than 70 people have died and hundreds more were injured. Hospitals in the worst-hit municipalities were overwhelmed, forcing some patients to be treated in makeshift tents or outdoors due to fears of aftershocks.

Evacuation facilities

As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and a staunch advocate for disaster resilience, Go has long emphasized the need for permanent and well-equipped evacuation facilities. He is the principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 12076, also known as the Safe Filipino Centers Act (original: Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act), which mandates the establishment of disaster-resilient evacuation centers nationwide.

‘We cannot keep relying on temporary tents again and again. There must be strong and proper evacuation centers that are ready at all times,’ Go added, stressing that preparedness saves lives.

Beyond immediate relief, the senator is pushing for structural reforms to strengthen disaster response. He refiled Senate Bill No. 173, or the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience Act, which seeks to unify disaster preparedness, response, and recovery under a dedicated agency. He explained that a centralized body would ensure faster and more coordinated action during emergencies.

Housing remains a major concern for displaced families, and Go underscored his proposal for long-term shelter support. He refiled SBN 415, or the proposed Rental Housing Subsidy Program, to provide temporary housing assistance for families rendered homeless by calamities. According to him,

‘A family cannot lose their home and then just be abandoned. There must be a bridging program so they have a place to stay while they are rebuilding,’

Go has also filed SBN 669, which is passed, requiring local government units to grant hazard pay to disaster personnel working in dangerous conditions, recognizing the sacrifices of first responders. Complementing this, his Senate Bill No. 666 aims to modernize the country’s Building Code to enforce stricter construction standards, minimizing the risks posed by disasters.

The senator stressed that these measures are part of a larger vision to protect vulnerable communities. He reiterated that disaster response should not end with relief goods but should include long-term solutions that address resilience, housing, and safety.

‘When there is a disaster, we should not only take care of people in the short term. We must support them continuously until they return to a normal life,’ Go emphasized.

In the aftermath of the Cebu earthquake, Go renewed his appeal for unity and proactive governance in addressing disasters. He said that while Filipinos are resilient, the government must not rely on resilience alone but must ensure systemic solutions are in place.

‘Filipinos are strong, but we should not always depend on being strong. The duty of the government is to provide concrete solutions to problems. We must ensure that in the next disaster, we will no longer see such a heartbreaking situation,’ Go declared.

A lane in the southbound direction of Mindanao Avenue near Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City was temporarily closed.

In a Facebook traffic advisory, the Quezon City government said the lane closure ‘is due to concrete pouring being carried out in the area.’ It said the activity is part of the construction of the Tandang Sora station of the Metro Manila Subway Project.

‘The activity is expected to end tomorrow afternoon, October 5, 2025 (Sunday),’ the QC government said.

Motorists are advised to take alternate routes while the concrete pouring is ongoing.

The local government assured the public that personnel from the Quezon City Traffic and Transport Management Department and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority are on standby to assist with traffic flow on the said road.

The landmark 50th season of the Philippine Basketball Association will also serve as the longest in history, and the journey toward completing the traditional three conferences starts on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

And as with any season, new things are expected to factor out during the 2025-26 campaign that the PBA hopes would be a fitting way to mark the golden anniversary of Asia’s first pay-for-play basketball league. With the Gilas Pilipinas program in mind, the PBA decided to go pragmatic by setting a season schedule that will run until December 2026, spanning 14 months. Season 49 went 11 months from August 2024 to July 2025.

The PBA is set to hold lengthy stoppages during the windows of the Fiba World Cup Asian Cup Qualifiers in late November, February, late June, late August and late November. Gilas is also set to play in the Nagoya Asian Games in September 2026, which would lead to a 40-day break from the Fiba window to the quadrennial meet.

Plans for a pocket tournament that could feature foreign teams are in the works, according to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial. The Philippine Cup will be followed by the two import-flavored tournaments in the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup. San Miguel is the defending champion of the Philippine Cup while TNT aims to defend the two other tournaments this season. Teams will be allowed to field imports of unlimited height in the Commissioner’s Cup while a cap of 6-foot-6 and below is going to be implemented for the Governors’ Cup. All three conferences will likely use the same playoff format, with the top eight teams advancing past the eliminations.

NEW RULES Nine rules were modified for the upcoming season, the most notable being that calls not made on the spot will no longer be reviewed, an offshoot of the controversial Mo Tautuaa dunk that was nullified late in Game 1 of the Philippine Cup Finals.

The PBA has also scrapped the use of a playoff for the No. 8 seed in the quarterfinals in the event of a tie after the eliminations, with head-to-head and quotient system, and possibly-but a long shot-a coin toss to be used as a tiebreaking scenario.

NEW TEAM 2023-2024 PBA Opening Ceremonies. -PBA IMAGES

The landmark 50th season of the Philippine Basketball Association will also serve as the longest in history, and the journey toward completing the traditional three conferences starts on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

And as with any season, new things are expected to factor out during the 2025-26 campaign that the PBA hopes would be a fitting way to mark the golden anniversary of Asia’s first pay-for-play basketball league.

14-MONTH SEASON

Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. -FIBA PHOTO

With the Gilas Pilipinas program in mind, the PBA decided to go pragmatic by setting a season schedule that will run until December 2026, spanning 14 months. Season 49 went 11 months from August 2024 to July 2025.

The PBA is set to hold lengthy stoppages during the windows of the Fiba World Cup Asian Cup Qualifiers in late November, February, late June, late August and late November. Gilas is also set to play in the Nagoya Asian Games in September 2026, which would lead to a 40-day break from the Fiba window to the quadrennial meet.

Plans for a pocket tournament that could feature foreign teams are in the works, according to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.

THREE CONFERENCES

FILE-PBA trophies for the season. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Philippine Cup will be followed by the two import-flavored tournaments in the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup. San Miguel is the defending champion of the Philippine Cup while TNT aims to defend the two other tournaments this season.

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Teams will be allowed to field imports of unlimited height in the Commissioner’s Cup while a cap of 6-foot-6 and below is going to be implemented for the Governors’ Cup. All three conferences will likely use the same playoff format, with the top eight teams advancing past the eliminations.

NEW RULES

San Miguel Beermen’s Mo Tautuaa dunks the basket during a play in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against TNT Tropang 5G. The basket was later overturned. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Nine rules were modified for the upcoming season, the most notable being that calls not made on the spot will no longer be reviewed, an offshoot of the controversial Mo Tautuaa dunk that was nullified late in Game 1 of the Philippine Cup Finals.

The PBA has also scrapped the use of a playoff for the No. 8 seed in the quarterfinals in the event of a tie after the eliminations, with head-to-head and quotient system, and possibly-but a long shot-a coin toss to be used as a tiebreaking scenario.

NEW TEAM

Players of the newest PBA team Titan Ultra Giant Risers, which took over NorthPort Batang Pier. -PBA IMAGES

Titan Ultra is the league’s newest team after the PBA Board of Governors approved Pureblends Corporation’s purchase of the NorthPort franchise for a reported P90 million.

The sale was completed in early September, with the approval taking weeks in order to allow Pureblends to complete several requirements. New ownership, though, was already actively managing the team while still carrying the NorthPort name.

NEW COACHES There will be four rookie coaches and one returnee entering the new season.

The most popular being LA Tenorio, who will act as playing coach of Magnolia after several seasons with Barangay Ginebra. Also debuting are Willy Wilson for Phoenix, Ronald Tubid for Terrafirma and Pampanga vice governor Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda for Converge.

Johnedel Cardel was tapped by Titan Ultra to call the shots, a year after he was let go as Terrafirma coach.

The rest are the seasoned ones in TNT’s Chot Reyes, San Miguel’s Leo Austria, Barangay Ginebra’s Tim Cone, Rain or Shine’s Yeng Guiao, Meralco’s Luigi Trillo, NLEX’s Jong Uichico and Blackwater’s Jeffrey Cariaso.

YOUNG ONES

About 12 rookies, including Converge’s Juan Gomez de Liano and Blackwater’s Dalph Panopio, were lined up for the start of the season, with several more expected to join upon the conclusion of their stints in either the MPBL or the NCAA.

Terrafirma’s No. 1 overall pick Geo Chiu is among those that will be around sometimes midway to the season, at the maximum, as he’s still with Abra in the regional league.

YOUNG ONCE

Four players at least at the age of 40 are still strutting their wares in San Miguel Beer’s Chris Ross, Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood, TNT’s Kelly Williams and Converge’s Rafi Reavis.