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June Mar Fajardo captured a record-extending ninth Most Valuable Player award which he received in Sunday’s PBA Leo Awards at Novotel Manila in Cubao, Quezon City.

The San Miguel Beer star garnered 3,041 points compiled through statistics and votes from the media and players to beat out NLEX’s Robert Bolick and former NorthPort gunner Arvin Tolentino for the league’s most prestigious honor. June Mar Fajardo receives his record-extending ninth PBA Most Valuable Player during the Leo Awards @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/kRlwKKaVkr Bolick was second in the race with 1,914 points followed by Tolentino with 1,901.

Fajardo, Bolick and Tolentino also secured membership to the Mythical First Team alongside San Miguel’s CJ Perez and TNT’s Calvin Oftana.

Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero, Converge’s Justin Arana and TNT’s RR Pogoy. June Mar Fajardo and Ramon Fernandez pose for photos after the PBA Leo Awards at Novotel Manila @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/tyF7M5gHVS

– Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) October 5, 2025

Fajardo was also included in the All-Defensive Team with Lucero, Ginebra’s Stephen Holt, NorthPort’s Joshua Munzon and TNT’s Glenn Khobuntin.

Other winners were Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos as the Rookie of the Year, Munzon as the Most Improved Player and Rain or Shine’s Gian Mamuyac, who won the Sportsmanship Award.

Fajardo has more than doubled the MVP awards each won by Alvin Patrimonio and Ramon Fernandez, who was on hand to witness the event.

In the twilight of the 19th century, José Rizal penned ‘Noli Me Tangere’ and ‘El Filibusterismo,’ novels that exposed the moral decay and institutional corruption of the Spanish colonial rule.

His words were razor-sharp, dissecting the cancer that infected Philippine society-greed, abuse of power and the betrayal of the Filipino spirit.

His death in 1896 became the spark that ignited a revolution, not just against Spain, but against the idea that Filipinos were powerless. More than a century later, Rizal’s diagnosis remains tragically relevant. The cancer he described has not been cured but has metastasized. Today, the Philippines faces a new reckoning, not against foreign colonizers, but against itself.

In the movie ‘Heneral Luna’ (2015) Gen. Antonio Luna tells the Cabinet, ‘Brothers, we have an enemy bigger than Americans: ourselves.’

This is an acknowledgment of the fact that Filipinos are, indeed, fighting themselves amid this floodgate scandal.

The floodgate scandal: Anatomy of a betrayal

The floodgate scandal is not merely a case of corruption; it is a revelation of systemic state capture. Billions of pesos allocated for flood control projects were siphoned off through ghost infrastructure, substandard construction and collusion among contractors, government officials and lawmakers.

Whistleblowers like engineers Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza have testified that up to 70 percent of the flood control budget vanished, amounting to over P1 trillion in losses over 15 years.

This is not just theft; it is betrayal. Communities in Bulacan, Metro Manila and Central Luzon remain vulnerable to floods, while the funds meant to protect them were funneled into luxury cars, shell companies and political war chests.

The scandal has triggered the ‘Trillion-peso March,’ with over 50,000 Filipinos marching in Metro Manila, demanding transparency, accountability and governance.

President Marcos Jr. has created an Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), but skepticism remains. Will this be another Agrava commission? Another PCGG (Philippine Commission for Good Government)? Symbolic but toothless?

Economic fallout: A nation bleeding

The economic implications are staggering.

Direct losses: The Department of Finance estimates P42.3 billion to P118.5 billion in economic losses from 2023 to 2025 alone, equivalent to 95,000 to 266,000 lost jobs.

Investor confidence: Foreign investors are pulling back. South Korea backed out of a $503-million loan, and ESG (environment, social and governance)-aligned capital is fleeing due to governance risks.

Currency depreciation: The Philippine peso has weakened past 58 to the dollar, reflecting political instability and capital flight.

Interest rates: While the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently cut rates to 5 percent, the scandal may force a reversal if inflation spikes due to lost infrastructure and weakened investor sentiment.

Stock market decline: The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) has dropped below the 6,000 psychological support level, with a 4-percent decline in less than a month.

The scandal has created a toxic mix of political risk, fiscal uncertainty and social unrest. It threatens the Philippines’ investment-grade rating and undermines its medium-term fiscal framework.

Forex and interest rates: Fragile stability

The peso’s depreciation is not just a technical issue; it reflects a deeper erosion of trust. Traders cite political unrest and the fear of contagion arising from US tariff uncertainty as reasons for the sell-off.

Risks toward the 60:$1 levels are highly probable in the coming months. If the BSP is forced to raise rates to defend the currency, it could choke off growth and worsen unemployment. Meanwhile, the government’s debt servicing costs are rising. With 16 percent of national revenues dedicated to interest payments, any increase in rates could derail fiscal consolidation efforts.

What is worrisome is that the trend of interest rates since 2020 has been on the rise. With upside risks to inflation medium-term bias for interest rates remains tilted to the upside.

Stock market sentiment: A crisis of confidence

The PSEi’s decline is not just about numbers-it’s about sentiment. Investors are pricing in risk, not waiting for verdicts.

The scandal has triggered persistent selling pressure, with foreign outflows and tepid trading volumes.

Property stocks have been hit hardest, reflecting fears that infrastructure spending by the government will stall. Mining and oil have shown resilience, but the broader market remains bearish.

We are in a holding pattern. Growth is slowing; confidence is shaky, and corruption is clouding the outlook.

The fundamentals are there-but we’re not firing on all cylinders.

The steep discount to our peers reflects doubt. If no real reforms are implemented that would provide transparency, accountability and governance, growth downgrades will continue.

The index could deteriorate further towards the 5,500 levels.

The current technical patterns are already pointing to a downtrend. Clearly, the charts paint that pattern precedes politics. Will the Philippines recover?

Recovery is probable-but not guaranteed.

The creation of the ICI is a step forward, but its success depends on transparency, accountability, prosecutorial power and political will. The swift filing of charges by Secretary Vince Dizon is encouraging, but systemic reform is needed to restore public trust.

The Philippines must:

Purge the corrupt networks: Dismantle collusion between lawmakers and contractors, enforce conflict-of-interest laws and prosecute not just scapegoats but kingpins.

Rebuild public trust through whistleblower protection, citizen oversight platforms and independent audits.

Restore fiscal discipline: Redirect funds to genuine climate resilient infrastructure, social programs, climate resilience and adhere to good governance.

Signal to investors that the Philippines is serious about reform, through credible governance and ESG compliance.

The revolution within

Rizal once wrote, ‘There are no tyrants where there are no slaves.’

Today, the tyrants are not foreign; they are Filipinos. And the slaves are not bound by chains, but by apathy.

The revolution that follows the floodgate scandal will not be fought with guns, but with truth, transparency, accountability, good governance and civic courage.

It will be Filipinos against Filipinos-but not in violence-in a battle for the soul of the nation.

If the Philippines can rise from this scandal, it will not just recover; it will transform the nation. But if it fails, Rizal’s cancer will continue to spread, and the dream of a just, prosperous and resilient republic will remain just that but a dream. -CONTRIBUTED

A church in Bantayan, Cebu is celebrating Mass outdoors after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit the province last Tuesday heavily damaged a portion of the church.

In an advisory, the Parroquia de San Pedro Apostol Bantayan said this was due to the declaration of building safety experts that ‘it is not yet safe to enter the inside of the church.’

‘The schedule of our Masses will remain the same as usual. We kindly ask that, if possible, you bring your own chairs or benches and umbrellas for your comfort and protection from the sun or rain,’ the church said. The church also shared that a team of experts, composed of engineers, architects, and preservation personnel from the International Council on Monuments and Sites and University of San Carlos Conservation and Heritage Research Institute for Society and its History, have assessed the condition of the church building.

‘Their visit is a vital step in determining the extent of the damage caused by the recent earthquake and in guiding us toward the proper restoration measures. With their expertise, we hope to preserve not only the structural integrity of the church but also the heritage and faith it represents for our community,’ it added.

With this, the church reminded the public to refrain from going near the church, crossing the yellow tape, and collecting debris from the damaged portion of the building. The church said the debris ‘will be preserved and used for future restoration.’ The church also said that a team from the National Historic Commission of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts will conduct their evaluation of the church building on Sunday.

As of Saturday, 8 p.m., the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the strong earthquake generated 5,540 aftershocks, with magnitude ranging from 1.0 to 5.1. Of these, 24 were felt while 1,083 were plotted.

In its latest report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that the 71 deaths, along with 559 injuries are up for validation. Meanwhile, no individuals were reported missing.

The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Sunday issued a cease and desist order to a business process outsourcing (BPO) company in Cebu for lacking disaster response plans during natural calamities.

According to Dole, the BPO had ‘no emergency and disaster preparedness and response plan in its occupational safety and health (OSH) program.’

The government agency also urged the said company to utilize flexible working arrangements. On October 2, representatives of the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) filed a complaint against 30 BPO companies for allegedly violating labor and occupational safety laws during the earthquake that hit Cebu on September 30.

According to BIEN-Cebu, employees were reported to have been forced back to their offices after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that left over 70 individuals dead and over 100 injured.

BIEN also reported that emergency exits in some Cebu offices were reportedly blocked. Additionally, some employees reported being offered double pay to continue working after the earthquake, while others were ordered to resume work right after the earthquake, with some alleging they were asked to return to work 30 minutes after the disaster hit.

Reports of verbal threats and downplaying of workers’ concerns were also made, and some employees who went home after the earthquake were marked as unpaid, lost attendance bonuses, and were suspended from work.

Furthermore, some employees were purportedly coerced into signing memos promising not to speak about the situation on social media.

BIEN-Cebu, in their complaint, asked Dole to investigate the allegations and hold the respective employers accountable for violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards law.

Sean Chambers has seen this happen before.

His Far Eastern University squad would fight its way to the end, and the Tamaraws would eventually wind up with close defeats. In the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament, it’s happening again.

‘I say this humbly and respectfully. We felt we let one get away against Ateneo. We felt we had a moment against [National U] and for sure, we had our moments against La Salle,’ the FEU coach said That was the Tamaraws’ first win this season and Chambers is definitely pleased.

‘[When] you finally get over [the hump], you guys know how it is, you’ll feel so much better about yourselves,’ the legendary PBA import said.

But he can’t be blamed for counting how differently his team’s record should be, not with how two of FEU’s three losses could have easily been overturned by a field goal or two.

Before FEU’s first win of the season at the expense of the Soaring Falcons, the Tamaraws lost a squeaker at the hands of La Salle, 74-72. In their season-opener against Ateneo, the Tamaraws lost by just three points, 86-83, in a game where the team held a six-point lead entering the final two minutes.

Only National U dealt FEU an 84-68 beatdown from NU seemed definitive.

Chambers and company, though, made sure they wouldn’t say ‘if only’ this time around.

Janrey Pasaol headlined FEU’s first win of the season with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

‘I only got this kind of confidence from him (Chambers) with my whole career,’ Pasaol said, crediting Chambers for another one of his all-around performances.

‘I already repaid his trust in practice, so it’s good that I got to do it in the game this time,’ he added.

Mo Konateh dominated in the paint for FEU with a monster double-double of 18 points and 21 rebounds.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a show cause order directing Senator Francis Escudero to explain the P30-million donation he received from a government contractor for his 2022 campaign.

It is a potential case of election code violation against the former Senate president, one that has surfaced as an offshoot of the ongoing inquiries into public works anomalies.

Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia on Saturday confirmed that the order was already served to Escudero, who was asked to appear in a hearing of the poll body’s Political Finance and Affairs Department on Oct. 13. But Garcia said the senator can either make a personal appearance or submit an affidavit through a lawyer.

In a statement on Saturday, Escudero welcomed the show cause order.

‘We welcome the opportunity to prove that-like the others who are similarly situated in the PCIJ (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism) report on the 2022 elections-no law has been violated,’ he said.

Prohibited contributions

Escudero was referring to the PCIJ report last month which also revealed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, among others, received millions of pesos in campaign contributions in 2022.

The Comelec hearing will determine whether the funds donated to Escudero by Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., violated Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code. The provision prohibits contributions from any public or private institutions, including contractors, to any political candidate or political party.

The distinction between personal donation and corporate contribution will determine the Comelec’s decision, Garcia said.

‘The purpose of Section 95 [of the Omnibus Election Code] was to prohibit all contractors of the government from abusing the donation [to candidates and parties] so that they can secure more contracts from the government,’ he said in Filipino in an interview with dzBB radio.

The Comelec earlier issued an order against Lubiano to explain the P30 million donation. Garcia said Lubiano recently replied which prompted the poll body to issue another order to Escudero.

Complaint

Lubiano admitted during a hearing of the House of Representatives tri-committee, which probed anomalies surrounding the faulty infrastructure projects nationwide, that he donated to Escudero for his senatorial campaign in 2022.

Escudero himself confirmed that Centerways Construction donated P30 million, but insisted that the company did not secure any flood control projects with the government.

He was slapped with a complaint at the Senate ethics committee filed by private lawyer Marvin Aceron over this donation.

This issue was also seen as the tipping point for Escudero to step down as Senate president, with the majority of senators voting for Sen. Vicente Sotto III to replace him.

Aside from Escudero’s case, Garcia said the Comelec’s political finance and affairs department will also look into 55 other contractors that gave donations to various candidates.

Confirmation

He disclosed that the Comelec had sought confirmation from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on whether these contractors have existing contracts with the government.

The 55 contractors, Garcia revealed, donated to the President, Vice President, six senators, five district representatives, three party list representatives, two governors and two vice governors.

He, however, declined to provide names.

Fan favorite Alex Pereira dethroned Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, taking the light heavyweight championship with a first-round stoppage Saturday night.

Pereira (13-3-0) floored Ankalaev (21-2-1) after hurting him with a huge right hand and quickly went to work using thunderous elbows during a ground-and-pound before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the bout at the 1:20 mark. Pereira brought an end to Ankalaev’s 14-match unbeaten streak, while exacting revenge for a loss in the fighters’ first meeting in March.

‘I wasn’t well that night, but tonight I was very well,’ Pereira said through his translator.

Pereira lost to Ankalaev by unanimous decision on March 8, when the judges graded the fight on aggressiveness. This time, Pereira wasted no time in attacking Ankalaev with relentless pressure.

The 38-year-old Brazilian landed 28 of the 45 significant strike attempts, while Ankalaev, 33, was only able to land four of his nine attempts.

Pereira closed +200 at BetMGM Sportsbook, which means a $100 wager would have won $200. A Pereira by KO or TKO in under 2.5 rounds was +475. While Pereira entered the arena with the sold-out crowd standing and roaring in approval, Ankalaev was greeted by a chorus of boos.

The 19,081 in attendance, which included Golden State Warriors stars Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, went into a frenzy the moment Dean stepped in to stop the fight.

Earlier in the night, in what some might have considered a title eliminator bout in the light heavyweight division for the right to face Pereira, second-ranked contender Jiri Prochazka (32-5-1) delivered a brutal left hand at the 3:04 mark of the third round to knock out No. 4 Khalil Rountree Jr. (15-7-0) in what earned the fight of the night. Pereira had beaten Prochazka twice already, second-round knockouts at UFC 295 and 303.

After his victory, Pereira used his spotlight during the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan to call for a moment of silence in honor of Jon Jones’ older brother, Arthur, who died unexpectedly earlier this week. ‘He was such a great guy,’ UFC president Dana White said. ‘When somebody passes away so young in their sleep, it’s brutal. The conversations I’ve had with Jon, he’s handling it well.’

In the co-main event, champion Merab Dvalishvili (21-4-0) successfully defended his bantamweight title with a unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46) over Cory Sandhagen (18-6-0). Dvalishvili, who strengthened his argument a Fighter of the Year contender, registered a UFC record for takedowns landed (20) with 37 attempts. His victory extended the division’s longest-ever win streak at 14 fights.

In their scheduled three-round featherweight bout, the stunned crowd watched No. 9 contender Youssef Zalal (18-5-1) top No. 8 Josh Emmett (19-6-0) by way of verbal submission at 1:38 of the first round with a wicked arm bar.

The University of the Philippines showed its trademark grit on Saturday-none more than Harold Alarcon.

Playing under the weather, Alarcon powered through sickness to help the Fighting Maroons gut out a 66-59 victory over National University at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, handing the Bulldogs their first loss of UAAP Season 88.

It wasn’t Alarcon’s scoring that stood out-he had only eight points-but he was all over the court during his short stints, finishing with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

‘I want to commend Harold because I know he only had a few points, but he played 20 minutes and every time he had the ball, he was just big time,’ said assistant coach Christian Luanzon. ‘For him to fight through what he was feeling, that was big for us.’

After trailing by one at the end of the third, the Maroons clamped down on defense, holding NU to just 10 points in the final quarter. UP’s communication and collective effort on switches and coverages proved decisive.

‘What’s important was that everyone was involved in communication,’ Luanzon added. ‘Everybody was on the same page.’

Gani Stevens and Francis Nnoruka anchored the attack with 10 and 14 points, respectively, but Stevens said Alarcon’s toughness set the tone.

‘Harold’s one of the veterans in our team and he came through for us even if he was sick,’ Stevens said.

Austin Reaves scored 20 points and Bronny James added eight while the Los Angeles Lakers lost their preseason opener 103-81 to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sitting out.

James is progressing deliberately in his return from a minor nerve injury to begin his record 23rd NBA season, while Doncic is also ramping up with caution after his busy summer playing for Slovenia at EuroBasket. Both superstars watched from courtside while the rest of the Lakers lost to the new-look Suns, who jumped to a 27-point lead in the third quarter.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game that Doncic will play at some point in the preseason, and he is hopeful LeBron James also will get at least one preseason game. Redick wants one preseason game with what he called ‘a dress rehearsal’ for the regular season with the Lakers’ full roster.

Bronny James hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter for his only field goal. He went 1 for 7 on 3-point attempts.

Devin Booker scored 24 points and Dillon Brooks added 10 in his first game for Phoenix, which acquired the veteran agitator from Houston in the seven-team trade of Kevin Durant in July.

The Lakers opened their preseason in the same Coachella Valley arena where Bronny James first played alongside his famous father in Los Angeles’ two preseason games here one year ago. With 40-year-old LeBron watching from courtside this time, Bronny was in the Lakers’ first substitution group, and he played nearly 23 minutes. Bronny, who turns 21 years old on Monday, didn’t make a shot in the first half and occasionally got beat on defense, but he hit five free throws and worked to run the Lakers’ offense.

Teoscar Hernandez rallied the Dodgers with a three-run homer in the seventh inning that bailed out Shohei Ohtani, both on the mound and at the plate, and led Los Angeles to a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Saturday night.

Ohtani struck out four straight times at the plate, the final time in the seventh with no outs and two runners on against Matt Strahm. No worries, at least for the reigning World Series champions.

Following a Mookie Betts popout, Hernández silenced a roaring Phillies crowd with an opposite-field drive to right off Strahm for a 5-3 lead. The veteran slugger gestured in wild celebration in his trot around the bases.

His hat off, Ohtani rose from his dugout seat to join in the fun, and exhale once he was on track for the win.

A three-time MVP, Ohtani recovered from a three-run second in his first career playoff pitching start to shut down the Phillies and finish with nine strikeouts over six innings.

Alex Vesia retired pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa with the bases loaded in the eighth to preserve the lead. Roki Sasaki worked the ninth for his first career save. Ohtani had admitted to nerves about playing in front of a crowd that voraciously tried to live up to its four hours of hell moniker – he was jeered as he stepped on the field during warmups – and he never found his footing at the plate.

Ohtani walked in the ninth.

Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez struck out Ohtani three times, included a called strike three in the fifth inning that sent a towel-waving crowd into delirium.

Sánchez was even fired up on that one, and punched his fist in the air as he left the mound.

The Oh-4 became but a mere footnote – though Ohtani is the first player to strike out four times as a batter and strike out nine batters as a pitcher in the same postseason game – in an exhilarating comeback for a Dodgers team riding high after thumping the Reds in two games in the Wild Card Series. Sánchez was thrust into the ace role when Zack Wheeler was ruled out for the season in August with complications from a blood clot. Wheeler was in full uniform and received a roaring ovation in the pregame introductions.

Sánchez pitched early like a No. 1 starter.

He fanned Ohtani on three pitches to start the game and breezed through five scoreless innings.

Kiké Hernandez chased Sánchez in the sixth when he ripped a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line that made it 3-2. David Robertson retired pinch-hitter Max Muncy to end the threat.

Robertson, the 40-year-old late-season pickup, allowed a single and hit Will Smith with a pitch to open the seventh before yielding to Strahm.

While disaster struck late for the Phillies bullpen, Vesia saved Tyler Glasnow in the eighth. Glasnow, pitching out of the bullpen in a short series, loaded the bases before he got the hook. Vesia got Sosa, who hit three home runs in a game last month, to fly out to center field. The Phillies had only two hits after they scored three times in the third on J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple and Harrison Bader’s sacrifice fly.

Up next

Jesús Luzardo will start for the Phillies on Monday in Game 2. Luzardo went 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA with a career-high 216 strikeouts in his first season with the Phillies after he was acquired from the Miami Marlins in an offseason trade. The Dodgers already had announced that two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was expected to start Game 2, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the bump in Game 3.