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The mission is clear for Juan Gomez de Liaño in his rookie year with Converge.

The goal is to show the league what the FiberXers’ young core can do and he’s more than excited to get the ball rolling when Season 50 opens this Sunday at Araneta Coliseum.

‘I’m super excited. I feel like we really have a tough squad,’ he said during a launch party at BGC in Taguig on Monday night.

‘We’re a young group with a few vets. I can’t wait to get going with the boys and show the PBA what we’re capable of doing.’

So far in the preseason, Gomez de Liaño and company have shown promise.

Most recently, they beat the reigning champions of the Philippine Cup, San Miguel Beermen, 114-99, at Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.

After taking down the Beermen, though, the State U product still thinks the team has a long way to go before reaching top form.

For one, the FiberXers are still in the process of getting accustomed to their new roster that also included changes in their coaching staff.

‘We’re just trying to get familiarized with each other and, pretty much, build chemistry before approaching the season but it’s been good so far.’

Students in storm-prone regions such as Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, and Ilocos missed up to 44 percent of scheduled school days in the first quarter of School Year 2023-2024, according to new data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).

In the Cordillera Administrative Region, students lost 35 out of 80 school days, meaning nearly one out of every two scheduled days was spent out of class. Cagayan Valley (33 days lost) and the Ilocos Region (31 days lost) posted similar figures, compressing what should have been a full quarter of instruction into just over a month.

Metro Manila also experienced significant disruption, with 20 school days lost due to weather-related class suspensions – equivalent to one in every four days.

At the other end of the spectrum, Mindanao and Visayas regions reported minimal disruptions. Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and SOCCSKSARGEN each lost only three days out of 80, while the Davao Region lost five days. ‘The country is hemorrhaging learning time as storms and policy collide,’ said Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao, INQUIRER Metrics data scientist and associate professor at the University of the Philippines, in his analysis of the dataset.

‘What began as a precaution has calcified into habit: when a typhoon threatens, schools close whether or not damage occurs, and there is no clear plan to reclaim lost days,’ he added.

Panao noted that continued class suspensions-particularly in regions hit hardest by storms-could weaken students’ mastery of basic skills, widen learning gaps, and normalize the idea among children that schooling is optional during the rainy season.

In response to the growing challenge, the Department of Education (DepEd) last July highlighted the rollout of Learning and Service Continuity Plans (LSCPs) in all public schools.

These include alternative delivery modes (ADMs) such as online classes, self-learning modules, and activity sheets, along with protocols for storing learning devices and training teachers for rapid shifts in instruction.

These efforts are part of DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024, which revised class suspension guidelines and directed schools to update LSCPs regularly as part of emergency preparedness.

Despite these measures, EDCOM 2 data indicates that many regions-particularly in northern Luzon-remain especially vulnerable to extended academic stoppages.

Without stronger implementation of existing policies, improved infrastructure, and more robust recovery mechanisms, education experts warn that repeated weather disruptions may continue to reduce classroom contact time in the most affected areas.

‘Without swift flood-control action and aggressive catch-up programs,’ Panao warned, ‘the next storm will not only inundate streets-it will wash away the nation’s fragile promise of education.’

Security Bank Corp. has appointed Victor Lee Meng Teck, a Singaporean veteran banker, as its new president and CEO effective early January 2026.

Lee, the former CEO of CIMB Singapore, will replace Sanjiv Vohra after more than six years.

Vohra will remain as senior advisor to the board once he steps down next year, Security Bank said in a stock exchange disclosure on Tuesday.

‘We’re grateful to Sanjiv for his steady leadership during one of the most challenging periods in recent history,’ Security Bank chair Cirilo Noel said. Vohra was appointed months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which paralyzed economies across the globe.

Seamless transition

‘His vision and dedication have left the bank stronger, more resilient and well-prepared for the future,’ Noel added.

For his part, Lee is recognized for spearheading the growth of CIMB Singapore, doubling the bank’s revenue and raising return on equity to nearly 20 percent, according to Security Bank.

‘As we welcome Victor, we’re confident this seamless transition will allow us to sustain momentum and capture new opportunities,’ Noel noted.

Lee’s appointment comes two months after Security Bank announced the early retirement of Eduardo Olbes, its chief financial officer. Olbes, who first joined Security Bank 15 years ago, became senior advisor to the president and CEO on Aug. 11.

A few weeks ago, actress, realtor, and content creator Christine Li posted a simple thought on her Threads account: can a certain 24-hour gym chain consider putting up a women-only branch?

That’s it. That, as the kids of my age used to say, is the tweet (well, Threads). There wasn’t even a straight-up demand-it was a kind, polite request to even just consider the thought.

The reactions came swift, and the post became a moderate amount of viral; not the craziest numbers, but enough to drift onto my own For You feed on Threads. Men were mad-for reasons that can only really be construed as sadness and offense, because they won’t get to see good-looking women wearing figure-hugging gymwear, should the idea come to fruition.

‘We thought you wanted equality?’ they ask. ‘Why are you now demanding special treatment?’

Meanwhile, the women were understandably and obviously supportive. One woman even recounted her own experiences with being stalked by a guy in the gym of the same chain Li goes to. Others have quickly pointed out that the bizarre overreactions from the guys was just proving Li’s point.

Give the women what they want

So here I am, as a guy with some column space on this newspaper: Li’s right. If the women need a women-exclusive branch of that gym to work out in peace, let them have it. For the women who are just fine working out in regular branches, they still get to do that.

If the women need a women-exclusive branch of that gym to work out in peace, let them have it.

A friend has personally recounted to me that the reason she doesn’t work out in commercial gyms is because she felt she was being ogled and sexualized. And as someone who wants all my friends to be lifting or at least working out in some form, that doesn’t sit right with me.

The women who ask for and champion this very clearly just want to be left alone. It’s because many dudes can’t keep their eyes and audacity to themselves, thinking that their attention is wanted just because they’ve maxed out their physiques.

In 2021, a survey by Women’s Running UK found that 69 percent of women don’t feel safe or comfortable when receiving unwanted attention from men while working out, and 76 percent report feeling like men were regularly staring at them creepily. Although this study was done in another country, it’s clear that the experience is universal.

Photo by Brook Cagle/Unsplash+

In fact, a different survey by American corporate wellness platform WellHub found that 65 percent of women would feel comfortable attending a women-only gym. That’s how bad the problem is.

Start acting right

Any claim from offended guys of women ‘ragebaiting’ or ‘seeking special treatment’ with these asks is simply masking their need to ogle attractive ladies in the gym. As another woman in Li’s post points out, if you’re secure in your masculinity and are actually in the gym to lock in and work, this suggestion wouldn’t set you off the way it has for so many guys on Threads. Basically, the real issues women have shouldn’t sit right with you. And feeling another type of way about it is quite telling.

Plus, I actually have a second reason why I support a women-only gym: there are too many people, even at late hours. As much as I am pro-women’s safety, I am also very pro-fewer people in the gym. Anything that frees up room in there and keeps me from having to wander around, figuring out which machine I can use, is a great idea to me.

So let the ladies have their own branch. This isn’t even a new idea, as some franchises abroad have already long adopted the women-only model to some success. If you have a real problem with it, start acting right. Tell your boys to act right, and maybe the women won’t be so scared to lift beside you.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake jolted Cebu Tuesday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

In its latest update, Phivolcs said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 9:59 p.m.

Its epicenter was located 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a depth of 10 kilometers. Phivolcs reported the following intensities in affected areas:

Intensity III- San Fernando, CEBU

Intensity II- Laoang, NORTHERN SAMAR

Instrumental intensity IV was also recorded in Cebu City, Cebu, and Villaba, Leyte.

Phivolcs said aftershocks and damage to properties are expected./mcm

Aside from non-existent flood control projects, the Marcos administration will also look into the alleged ‘ghost’ farm-to-market roads (FMR) implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In a briefing on Tuesday, Palace press officer Claire Castro said Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon is already doing his investigation about the FMRs.

Dizon told Malacañang that the DPWH is ‘also closely monitoring this issue because it really needs to be addressed at the soonest possible time.’

According to Castro, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Independent Commission on Infrastructure not to limit its investigation to flood control projects, but to all of government infrastructure.

Lodged under the budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA), FMRs are agricultural infrastructure designed to connect agricultural production areas to markets and major roads for efficient delivery of goods, and reduce transportation costs.

The DPWH is responsible for commissioning, bidding and constructing the FMRs identified and validated by the DA.

For 2026, the DA proposed a budget of P16 billion for FMRs.

On Sept. 18, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered a ‘sweeping audit’ of all FMR projects constructed in the past four years, amid the controversy surrounding flood control projects.

More than a week after, the DA discovered anomalous FMR projects in two provinces in Mindanao, based on the initial findings of its audit.

In an interview on dzBB on Tuesday, Tiu Laurel said two FMR ghost projects were found in Davao Occidental, and these structures were built in 2021 and 2022. /apl

In today’s fast-paced, always-on culture, professionals need the tools that not only keep up with their demanding schedules but also support a healthier way of integrating work into your life. The Galaxy Z Fold7, powered by Galaxy AI, meets these evolving needs by enhancing productivity and managing work efficiently when you are on the go.

Intelligent Multitasking

The Galaxy Z Fold7 is Samsung’s lightest and thinnest fold yet at just 215 grams and is 8.9 mm thick when folded and 4.2 mm thick when unfolded. But this device is packed with features that lets you work anytime and anywhere. With its large screen, you can utilize different applications at the same time and have them displayed beside one another, as you would with a computer display.

With Galaxy AI Optimized for Large Screens, the Galaxy Z Fold7 further boosts productivity by leveraging key features like AI Results View and Drag and Drop. AI Results View shows results in a separate window, so your original content stays visible. You can also be more efficient with Drag and Drop, moving AI-generated content-such as images and text-between apps using Multi Window, which enables smooth transitions from one app to another.

Smart Tools for Daily Workflow

Note-taking is now smart and easy. The Note Assist feature utilizes Galaxy AI to organize your handwritten notes. It will even make a simple summary that you can go through so you can easily remember the highlights.

When you are in meetings, Transcript Assist is an absolute revelation. It transcribes voice recordings into text, makes a summary of the entire conversation and can even translate the dialogue transcript into another language with AI technology.

You can enhance your messaging with a tool like Writing Assist, which allows you to adjust the conversational tone of your text. It also provides real-time translation, which helps you communicate effectively and ensures that every conversation is a meaningful one.

All-Day Performance

Out and about? The Galaxy Z Fold7 is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor that can handle whatever the day throws your way, all without slowing down. It makes multitasking all while running advanced apps, fast and smooth. You can do your daily work with no problems.

The device has also been equipped with 4400 mAh smart battery and mDNIe technology which manages power by optimizing brightness, sharpness, and contrast for a natural viewing experience. It memorizes your routines and optimizes power consumption to stay with you through the longest and busiest days.

The Circle to Search with Google feature is fast and easy to access. Thanks to this feature, you can learn more about any object or text in your photos, in a webpage, or in a document, by simply drawing a circle around it. Voila, search results appear without the need to type your query.

Gemini Live also offers a new level of productivity for professionals with its multimodal AI. This feature understands what you see, say, and do, allowing you to ask questions and get instant answers without switching between apps. With screen or camera sharing, you can simply show Gemini what you’re working on, ask questions for immediate insights. This transforms the way professionals can collaborate, research, and problem-solve in real time.

Available in four colors, Blue Shadow, Jetblack, and Silver Shadow, as well as the online exclusive Mint, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is more than a smartphone, it is an intelligent and intuitive companion that continually transforms mobile productivity, designed for ambitious professionals with all-day efficiency, refined style, and a competitive advantage.Enjoy expanded access to Google AI Pro and 2TB of cloud storage, free for six months with your Galaxy Z Fold7. Plus, get up to ?5,000 off when you pay via one-time payment using a credit/debit card, online bank transfer, or e-wallet until September 30, 2025.

The menu of programs under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) should adapt with the rapidly changing digital landscape so Filipino workers would be ‘future-ready’, Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said on Tuesday.

Yamsuan in a statement said he has filed House Bill (HB) No. 4037 or the proposed Tesda Programs Modernization Act to address the job and skill mismatch issues hounding the workforce today.

Under HB No. 4037, Tesda’s programs would be expanded by also covering digital skills and emerging technologies – including the placement of courses on artificial intelligence (AI), software development and coding, game design, cybersecurity, digital marketing, robotics and 3-D printing.

‘Within twelve (12) months from the effectivity of this Act, Tesda shall expand its courses and programs to include emerging technologies and digital skills aligned with the Industry 4.0 and future industrial revolutions, such as but not limited to Artificial Intelligence, software development and coding, game development, cybersecurity, digital marketing and e- commerce, robotics, and 3-D printing,’ Yamsuan said in the bill.

‘Tesda shall ensure that its courses and programs are reviewed every three (3) years and updated as necessary, to remain responsive to technological advancements, with the goal of future-proofing the Filipino workforce,’ the bill added.

According to Yamsuan, the country needs to make sure that Filipino workers remain competitive across the globe, by requiring Tesda to modernize its offerings.

‘In this digital age, the labor market is constantly evolving. We need to make sure that our labor force can always catch up by mandating TESDA to broaden its accredited course offerings to include programs that would arm our workers with ‘future-ready’ skills,’ Yamsuan, a member of the House committee on labor and employment, said.

Yamsuan cited the case of his city, Parañaque, noting that there are a lot of available jobs within buildings accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, but applicants fail to meet the standards set by these companies.

‘For example, in the City of Parañaque, there are multiple buildings accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, reflecting continued demand for information technology and technology-enabled services.8 However, there are not a lot of opportunities to learn about emerging technologies to access higher-value jobs,’ Yamsuan said in the bill’s explanatory note.

‘This measure aims to expand Tesda’s accredited programs to modern technological and digital fields. By doing so, it operationalizes the constitutional mandate to give priority to science and technology education, training, and services,’ he added.

Yamsuan also pointed out a 2021 report by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies, which stated that the current Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs are largely ineffective in curbing underemployment among young people.

The same report also found that six in 10 Filipino workers are employed in elementary or agricultural occupations, and jobs often rely on basic skills.

Yamsuan is not the lone lawmaker who has raised concerns over the adequacy of Tesda’s programs and other higher and technical education offerings. Last August, Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said that part of his priority as the House committee on higher and technical education chairperson is to modernize the Tesda and Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) charters.

Acidre explained that updating the two agencies’ charter laws is part of a 10-point higher education reform legislative agenda.

Last July, nonprofit organization Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said that despite decades of reforms to the education system, the country’s learning crisis has persisted, with the gap between graduates and employment only growing wider and students’ performance as well as teaching quality continuing to decline.

PBEd Executive Director Hanibal Camua said these factors have caused a growing disconnect between education and employment, as graduates struggle to find jobs after graduation.

Yamsuan said the bill seeks to address these findings, and other recommendations by Edcom 2 or the Second Congressional Commission on Education – like a call to prioritize digital technology in terms of working on overseeing curriculum standards.

‘All these sectors require our workers to possess technological skills dahil halos lahat ng industriya ngayon ay gumagamit na ng makabagong teknolohiya (because almost all industries today utilize modern technologies),’ he added.

Teachers and education workers are set to stage a walkout in time for the commemoration of World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 3 (Friday), the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) announced on Tuesday.

The walkout will take place in Mendiola, according to ACT Chair Vladimer Quetua, as a sign of protest in marking the World Teachers’ Day to again demand for substantial education budget increase, salary hikes, and would even double as a call to end corruption and bureaucrat capitalism ‘that continue to deprive schools of resources.’

Quetua lamented how teachers continue to bear the brunt of persistent problems, especially in public schools, such as their meager wages, overcrowded and dilapidated classrooms, shortages in books and other learning materials, and the growing list of workloads.

While these problems remain unresolved, he pointed out that the government would rather spend its billions of funding on the ‘pork-laden’ infrastructure projects, confidential funds, and the continued funding for its counterinsurgency programs under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, which, during the Duterte administration, had been notorious on linking government critics with the underground armed rebellion.

‘This won’t be just a simple celebration of World Teachers’ Day this year,’ Quetua said at a press conference in Quezon City. ‘We are all suffering from hunger and neglect while our officials are milking all funds intended for Filipinos, which include funds for education.’

The only way for them to be seen and heard again would be through their collective action in calling for an end to corruption and to press the government for higher salaries for teachers and more funding for the education sector.

Among their calls would be the increase of salary, suggesting that the increase for all teachers and education workers be increased to P50,000 as minimum for Teacher I rank and P36,000 as minimum for education support personnel.

Quetua said they will also call for an increase in salaries for Instructor I, with a Salary Grade 16, and equal pay for private school teachers.

The group will also urge the government to double the education budget to meet the United Nations’ requirement of 6 percent of the gross domestic product.

‘The October 3 walkout will serve both as a day of protest and a day of assertion: to honor the struggles of teachers by demanding decent pay, sufficient funding for classrooms and learning resources, and the dismantling of corruption at the highest levels of government,’ Quetua said.

‘World Teachers’ Day is not about token recognition or hollow praises from the same government that abandons us,’ Quetua noted. ‘It is about the collective voice of teachers demanding justice, dignity and real support for education.’ /cb

While it is his prerogative to step down from his post, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co should still return to the country to face the possible charges against him for his alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects of the government, according to Malacañang.

The renewed call for Co came as his colleagues at the House of Representatives expected him not to come back anytime soon, and the Department of Justice raising concern that it would be ‘inevitable’ for him to be a ‘fugitive.’

‘Nothing can stop him from making his decisions, but if ever a case is filed against him, he will not be able to avoid it, he cannot run away from it,’ Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing on Tuesday.

‘So it would be better that if he becomes an accused, he should simply fight for his rights and defend his innocence based on the evidence he holds,’ she added.

Co resigned from being a member of the House on Monday, citing ‘the real, direct, grave and imminent threat’ to him as well as ‘the lives of my family members.’

The decision to leave his post came just as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) asked the Office of the Ombudsman to recommend filing of graft complaints against him and 17 others, including officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and his construction firm Sunwest Inc. over a substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million.

According to the ICI, Co, as former House appropriations committee chairperson, received unwarranted benefits in relation to construction projects of Sunwest.

Co was accused of getting billions of pesos in kickbacks by contractors and DPWH officials testifying in congressional inquiries into flood control projects.

‘If his name is being mentioned, then definitely he must answer it. Because if he fails to respond and chooses to avoid it, he will only appear guilty. That’s why it is better for him to explain his side,’ Castro said.

The DOJ has requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a blue notice on Co.

Castro said the DOJ was still waiting for a response from the Interpol on its request as of Tuesday.

Should it be granted, the notice practically allows surveillance on the lawmaker, since it serves to advise Interpol’s member states to ‘collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.’

According to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, they no longer expect Co to face the DOJ, which may lead to him being tagged as a fugitive through the Interpol.

‘He won’t make any more appearances. He will be a fugitive. Isn’t that how people usually act when they have problems-they disappear?’ said Remulla in a press conference.

‘So far, he’s not yet a fugitive, but that will inevitably be his status here,’ he added.

As of Sept. 29, Remulla said Co was currently staying in Madrid, Spain.

The DOJ is verifying reports that he is set to return to Singapore via Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Oct. 5 to get admitted to a hospital.