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Magnolia made another roster addition before the start of the PBA’s 50th season by signing former Phoenix forward Raffy Verano on Thursday.

The Hotshots announced the move on social media with a photo showing Verano being joined by team manager Alvin Patrimonio while inking on the dotted line. He had been joining Magnolia’s practices since the start of the week and even scored seven points in the 91-84 tune-up victory over Blackwater two days prior at Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City.

‘It’s a blessing, for sure,’ Verano told Inquirer after that tune-up game. ‘Everyone’s dream here in the Philippines is to be on a winning team. So I’m grateful and fortunate to land here.’

Verano joins Magnolia after he was released by Phoenix, which selected the Ateneo product in the second round of the Season 48 Draft two years ago.

Minutes have been inconsistent during the scrappy 6-foot-4 forward’s two seasons with the Fuel Masters.

His addition comes amid a busy offseason for Magnolia, which will now be handled by rookie coach LA Tenorio.

Also new to the squad are Javi Gomez de Liano and Paolo Taha while also signing rookie Gab Gomez.

Though we wish that our country can enable all Filipinos to make a decent living locally, it is nevertheless good to know that the government of the territory nearest us, Hong Kong, recognizes that Filipino domestic helpers provide essential services to its citizens.

Early this week, the HK government announced a welcome raise of 2.2 percent in its minimum allowable wage (MAW) for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs), from HK$4,990 to HK$5,100 monthly.

The law further stipulates that employers provide helpers free food, either in their household or through a monthly allowance of at least HK$1,236 (unchanged from last year).

‘The Government regularly reviews the MAW for FDHs to ensure its level is commensurate with Hong Kong’s economic and labor market conditions,’ says a spokesman.

‘In this year’s review, we comprehensively considered a basket of factors in accordance with the established mechanism, including Hong Kong’s general economic performance and labor market conditions over the past year, near-term economic outlook, affordability of FDH employers, basic living needs of FDHs and views of different stakeholders. Taking into account all the relevant factors in a holistic manner, the Government has decided to increase the MAW.’ Rising wages

The dynamics of employer-employee relations were analyzed in a survey by HelperChoice, a recruitment company connecting both parties, through 1,549 job postings published on its site between August 2024 and August 2025, with the objective of analyzing salary and hiring conditions in the territory.

The mandated minimum wage is one thing, but according to HelperChoice, the average monthly salary in 2025 is HK$5,722, which is a 7.9-percent increase from 2024.

The New Territories gives the highest average monthly wage at HK 5,886, followed by Hong Kong Island at HK$5,807, and Kowloon at HK$5,158.

‘This continued upward trend reflects employers’ growing willingness to offer competitive salaries to attract experienced domestic workers, particularly those already based in Hong Kong, whose paperwork processing is faster and who can often extend their contracts without returning home,’ says HelperChoice.

‘What families value most’

By law, FDHs must live with their employers. HelperChoice’s survey shows that 73.7 percent of employers provide a private room for them, 12.9 percent a shared room with a child, 8.3 percent shared space with another domestic worker, and 5.1 percent shared space with another adult family member, such as an elderly relative.

These signal the increasing trend towards more private living space for FDHs.

‘In 2025, we’re seeing a noticeable shift in what families value most,’ says Raymund Sze, the company’s general manager.

‘Employers are no longer just hiring based on cost, they’re willing to offer higher salaries for helpers with prior Hong Kong experience, child care or elderly care expertise. Convenience and reliability have become top priorities, especially in dual-income households where domestic workers play an essential role in day-to-day family life. Employers are typically willing to increase the salary when renewing the contract with a reliable domestic helper.’

Room for improvement

However, a March 2024 HelperChoice survey found areas for improvement. In interviews with FDHs, ‘several reported that they are ill-treated by the children: they lose credibility when their employer put into question their way of doing in front of the children; some housemaids are admonished because of the children’s behaviors or are held responsible in case the children complain to their parents.’

‘Less than a quarter of the domestic workers are taking care of pets but bites from dogs are unfortunately quite common among pet sitters.’

A third of interviewees said that their employers treated them disrespectfully, shouting at them, making them work long hours, giving them only little or leftover food.

Aside from sufficient wages, FDHs have the right to decent treatment as well.

The Ayala group’s mobility solutions unit will soon let go of its Honda dealership business after more than three decades. The group cited the need to focus on key growth areas, including electric vehicles.

Ayala Corp. on Thursday disclosed that ACMobility, through Iconic Dealership Inc., would turn over its Honda dealership operations to ‘new dealer principals’ by Jan. 1. ACMobility will continue operating Honda Cars Makati, Pasig, Shaw, Bacoor, Cebu, Mandaue, Iloilo, Negros and Cagayan de Oro until Dec. 31.

‘This transition reflects our ongoing effort to optimize our portfolio and focus on new growth areas,’ ACMobility CEO Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala said in a statement. Since 1990, ACMobility has sold over 220,000 Honda vehicles through its dealerships, the company said.

The announcement comes two weeks after ACMobility said it had agreed with Volkswagen AG to stop the distribution of the German band in the Philippines.

Aside from Volkswagen and Honda, ACMobility’s portfolio also includes BYD, Isuzu and Kia.

Lindsey Vander Weide is ready to run it back with Petro Gazz, eager to reunite with former Oregon teammate and reigning PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle.

Vander Weide, who won Best Import and Finals MVP when the Angels claimed the 2022 Reinforced Conference crown, said she jumped at the chance to return when Petro Gazz came calling ahead of the import-laden tournament, which kicks off Tuesday at Ynares Center Montalban. ‘I kind of always wanted to come back right after I left, but I wasn’t sure if the cards were ever going to play out, and they contacted me this season. I’m in a part where I’m not playing right now, so I’m super excited to be back, and I knew I had to do it with Petro Gazz,’ said Vander Weide.

Vander Weide, who spent the past three years in Puerto Rico and in American pro leagues, is determined to bring back the Reinforced glory to Petro Gazz after a quarterfinal exit last year.

‘That’s the goal. That felt amazing to do last time. I’m really hoping we can do it again. Like you said, we still have a lot of firepower, plus Brooke, huge addition, so hopefully we can get that done,’ she said. The 27-year-old American outside spiker can’t wait to share the court with Van Sickle, whom she played with from 2016 to 2019 in the US NCAA Division 1.

‘We did a lot of big things in college. You guys know Brooke is a huge arm. I’m a big arm so I know that duo is going to be really good, just like it was back then. And like you said, a lot of my old teammates are here too, so that’s really exciting,’ said Vander Weide.

For Van Sickle, it’s a full-circle moment to once again play alongside Vander Weide, who first introduced her to the PVL.

‘It’s really just a full circle moment, having her here, having my parents here,’ said Van Sickle.

A Japanese government panel on Wednesday reviewed countermeasures for inflation that were included in the government’s fiscal 2024 supplementary budget and fiscal 2025 budget.

Referring to progress on measures that were compiled under his administration, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said, ‘They are being steadily implemented as a whole.’

‘We will continue to protect people’s lives and business activities from rising prices,’ he said at a meeting of the government’s Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy.

At the meeting, council members confirmed that the government’s subsidies for electricity and gas charges had worked to lower utility fees.

The members also found that rice prices have risen again, due to the distribution of newly harvested rice, after temporarily falling thanks to the release of the government’s stockpiled rice.

Looking ahead, the council said that price growth is expected to slow in the second half of this year and to hover around 2 percent in the next fiscal year starting in April 2026, due to the effects of countermeasures and a slower pace of increase in food prices.

Additionally, the council suggested that the sentiment of consumers, who were concerned that prices would keep rising, has shown signs of improvement.

Regarding US President Donald Trump’s high tariffs, a risk factor for the Japanese economy, the panel underlined the need to keep a close watch on future developments, citing negative impacts such as a decline in automobile exports to the United States and deteriorating earnings at Japanese automakers.

Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc. (CLFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Cebuana Lhuillier, once again brought disaster preparedness to the forefront through the Disaster Resilience Forum (DRF) 2025. With the theme ‘#ResilientPilipinas, #LahatHandaAtLigtas: A Vision Forged by Action, Fueled by Collaboration,’ this year’s forum served as a national platform to elevate awareness, shape policy dialogue, and mobilize collective action for a more resilient Philippines. The introduction of the ‘Big Wave’ framework is CLFI’s bold move to spotlight emerging threats such as storm surges, sea-level rise, and Manila Trench tsunamis. These hazards, often overshadowed by the ‘Big One,’ now demand equal urgency and coordinated response. Through this initiative, CLFI reaffirmed its commitment to empowering communities and driving proactive preparedness.

At the helm of this advocacy is Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier, emphasized the critical role of barangays in disaster resilience. ‘Resilience begins in every barangay. To truly build a Resilient Pilipinas, we must empower local communities with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships they need to withstand the Big One, the Big Wave, and every challenge in between. Our vision is simple but urgent: lahat ligtas at handa,’ Lhuillier said.

The forum unfolded in three dynamic sessions:

Vision: Shaping a Resilient Future – Led by DOST, PHIVOLCS, DILG, and ARISE, this session called for stronger leadership and barangay-level capacity building.

Action: Empowering Local Champions – Featuring MMDA, OCD-NDRRMC, DSWD, and grassroots leaders, it showcased scalable, life-saving community solutions.

Collaboration: Strengthening Solidarity for Impact – A convergence of voices from the government, academe, NGOs, and the private sector, reinforcing the need for unified efforts.

CLFI Executive Director Jonathan Batangan highlighted the forum’s purpose: ‘More than just heightening awareness and networking among stakeholder-participants, the DRF2025 is a call to action. By placing the ‘Big Wave’ on the agenda, we challenge communities and leaders to look beyond immediate risks and prepare for the realities ahead. True resilience happens when vision, action, and collaboration come together.’

To translate advocacy into impact, CLFI launched a nationwide donation campaign under its Tulong sa Pagbangon program, enabling Filipinos to contribute via digital wallets, QR codes, and coin canisters. CLFI also donated E2G food bars to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), reinforcing its commitment to humanitarian aid. The donation was made possible through Lhuillier’s role as Philippine Ambassador of E2G, a global partner known for its ready-to-eat, nutrient-packed food bars for crisis response.

By sparking dialogue and delivering tangible support, the Disaster Resilience Forum 2025 advanced one shared goal: a #ResilientPilipinasand#LahatHandaAtLigtas.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it confiscated P245.10 million worth of illegal drugs in September this year.

The PNP, in a statement on Thursday said it conducted 4,624 anti-drug operations and arrested 4,246 suspects last month.

It detailed that authorities seized 121,740 pieces of marijuana plants; 31,416.64 grams of shabu (crystal meth); 15,676.42 grams of dried marijuana leaves; 3,448.98 grams of kush; and 40.02 grams of ecstasy.

The PNP further said it arrested 7,660 most wanted persons in September 2025.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues to change how we work, think, and interact, as well as our roles as consumers and professionals. For many, the excitement is tempered by a sense of uncertainty-questions of trust, talent, and responsibility loom large as AI tools permeate every sector. With such explosive growth, the challenges are profound. We face a new world with synthetic content affecting trust, where talent pressure and the need for rapid reskilling are ever-present, and where emerging cyber threats and ethical drift test the boundaries of responsibility.

What’s becoming increasingly evident, though, is that the future of work will not be defined by technology alone. In fact, the deeper we go into adoption, the more we see the need to focus on important signals instead of just data and prioritize strong fundamentals alongside rapid advancement. The solution doesn’t come from complex algorithms, but from deliberate human actions.

First is culture.

A common fallacy is that AI is only about the technology, but a pervasive bottleneck is organizational readiness.

Organizations that succeed in AI adoption are often characterized by senior leaders championing a culture of experimentation and learning, where teams are encouraged to try, fail, and learn in the open-all guided by ethical guardrails that ensure safety and responsibility without stifling opportunity.

At Microsoft, for example, significant gains-faster customer service, higher sales revenue, better marketing conversion, and improved HR accuracy-were achieved not through a ‘secret formula,’ but through a culture that values openness, continuous learning, and shared innovation.

Second is recognizing that ethics, at its core, is a human responsibility.

At Microsoft, we believe responsible use should be by design and by default-not optional. Every user, from frontline staff to executives, must understand the tools they use, the data they provide, and the impact their decisions have on others. They must be vigilant: asking tough questions and refusing to cut corners for the sake of convenience.

Our responsible AI framework-grounded in fairness, privacy, security, inclusiveness, and accountability-sets the standard for ethical innovation. Training, tools, testing, and oversight are not mere checkboxes but ongoing commitments, and ethics must be a critical, active ingredient in building trust, and ensuring that AI amplifies human good, not harm.

Third is over-indexing on skills.

According to LinkedIn’s 2025 Work Change Report, AI literacy is now the most sought-after skill in the workforce. But AI literacy means far more than understanding how an algorithm works or training a model. Contrary to popular belief, mastering AI is not about learning to code-it’s about learning to communicate. Beneath the technical wizardry, the true key to unlocking generative AI’s power is remarkably accessible: prompting.

Prompting is both an art and a science. Whether you’re summarizing research, writing an email, or building a new platform, you first must know how to effectively prompt. Many organizations struggle in their AI adoption simply because they miss this fundamental step. Whereas others, conversely, succeed greatly by employing the opposite approach of fostering a culture of experimentation, learning, and shared innovation.

By honing the art of prompting through immersion-and inevitably, experimentation-individuals transform from curious explorers to confident daily users and, ultimately, creative problem-solvers. This shift-from a search engine mindset to an architect’s mindset-transforms AI from a blunt instrument into a powerful collaborator.

Lastly, ensuring agency as origin, not outcome.

At Microsoft, our adoption of AI is guided by this principle: ‘Don’t lose sight of your value.’ Ultimately, we believe the future of work with AI isn’t about the technology, it’s about elevating human insight-which is why we call our AI, Copilot.

With this transformative tool lies an incredible opportunity and a critical choice: we can either be cognitive off-loaders and delegate our thinking to AI-relying on automation to reduce mental effort-or we can become cognitive innovators and elevate our thinking, insight, and execution to entirely new levels. Either way, no other tool in history can better help us achieve our outcome of choice.

We’re all somewhere on the AI literacy ladder-from the curious explorers to the confident daily users, the capable prompt designers, the critical evaluators, and the creative inventors of new solutions. No matter where you are on this scale, the imperative is clear: build AI around you, not the other way around. By doubling down on skills, reinforcing a culture of learning, and embedding responsibility at every level, we can seize the opportunities of the AI era with confidence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘They’re probably still waiting for me,’ he quipped in jest during the launch of Titan’s adidas Gilas Pilipinas jersey customization at Bonifacio Global City. The joke landed, but the admiration behind it was genuine.

Now retired from the court, Pingris is best remembered as a cornerstone of the Gilas Pilipinas team that ended the ‘Korean curse’ in 2013. And the former national team enforcer knows exactly what wearing the flag means-and what it takes to win with it.

‘Their lineup now is really different from ours before,’ Pingris said. ‘I think [the current team has] a stronger lineup now. We just looked more solid [before] because of our bond. That’s something this team should have.’

It’s not a criticism, just perspective. The current Gilas squad, coached by Tim Cone, is brimming with talent. But with key players like Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, and Kevin Quiambao scattered across overseas and domestic leagues, forging chemistry has become a race against time.

Cone barely had a full roster during preparations for the FIBA Asia Cup, where the team placed eighth. Stars like June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez were tied up with the PBA Finals. Training was limited to a single complete week.

‘For me, the lineup is okay. They’re really strong,’ Pingris said. ‘But they lack the time to really get to know each other.’

Still, what he sees in the fight the current crop of Gilas players displays regularly on the floor gives him hope.

‘That’s always been our weapon,’ he said. ‘It’s not about talent. It’s all about our big hearts.’

Pingris knows what kind of leadership that heart needs, and he’s convinced Cone is the right man to provide it. He should know. He captained Cone’s San Mig Super Coffee squad to a rare Grand Slam in 2014.

‘Let’s just give him more time,’ Pingris said. ‘It’s better for us to see coach Tim run his plays.’

The triangle offense that Cone perfected in the PBA isn’t a quick fix. It demands trust, discipline, and-yes-time.

‘He won the Grand Slam because of the triangle,’ Pingris added. ‘He can teach that to the team. It’s up to them to apply it.’

Cone is currently back with Barangay Ginebra duties as the PBA’s 50th season kicks off, but the Gilas program resumes in two months for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Until then, Pingris remains hopeful.

‘They may be smaller, but they fight,’ he said. ‘Their games are improving. The Gilas program is doing well.’

And if they ever do call on him again?