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State-run Land Bank of the Philippines reported a 42-percent jump in earnings from January to September, reflecting the institution’s continued financial strength and solid performance amid its sustained efforts to expand lending activities.

Landbank’s net income had risen to P35.65 billion as of end-September, surpassing its full-year earnings of P35.36 billion in 2024.

Landbank said the performance during the nine-month period underscored the bank’s strong and sustained financial trajectory, marked by overall performance that continues to outpace its historical averages.

‘We remain steadfast in our mission to drive inclusive growth, empower the agriculture sector, and deliver innovative financial solutions for all Filipinos,’ Landbank president and CEO Lynette Ortiz said.

Ortiz added that the bank’s strong performance as of the third quarter highlights the institution’s prudent financial management, operational efficiency and continued investments in digital innovation.

The bank’s total assets expanded to an all-time high of P3.45 trillion, driven primarily by the continued growth of its loan and investment portfolios.

Its total loan portfolio reached P1.70 trillion, fueled by the significant increase in lending activities across all market segments.

Deposits, on the other hand, reached a new record high of P3.07 trillion amid the continued trust from both government and private sector depositors.

‘Landbank’s digital transformation continued to accelerate, processing 550.73 million digital transactions valued at P3.14 trillion as of September. This represents a 51 percent increase in volume from the previous quarter,’ the bank said.

The state-run bank maintained its focus on development financing, with loans to agriculture, fisheries and rural development reaching over P812 billion, equivalent to 47 percent of its total portfolio.

Meanwhile, Landbank has released P1.95 billion in loans under its flagship Agrisenso Plus Lending Program as of end-September, benefiting more than 12,300 borrowers since the program’s launch last year, who are mostly small farmers and fishers.

Ivan Panapanaan beat the buzzer with a layup and lifted Jose Rizal U to a 79-77 win over Arellano U yesterday in NCAA Season 101 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Bombers made a pair of defensive stops late, leading to a miss by AU’s King Vinoya, a rebound by Allan Laurenaria and a perfect pass by Sean Salvador to the wide-open Panapanaan for the game winner.

‘I was just thankful that until the last second, they believed that we can do it and there’s always a way,’ said JRU coach Nani Epondulan.

The win sent the Bombers in a share of that critical No. 3 spot in Group B with the Letran Knights on 5-4 records.

The top three teams in the two groups will advance to the quarterfinals while the last two squads will battle it out for one of the last two seats.

Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand was off to a turbulent start after a heated argument between Mexico’s representative, Fatima Bosch, and Miss Universe Thailand (MUT) National Director Nawat Itsaragrisil prompted walkouts from outgoing titleholder Victoria Kjaer Theilvig and several other candidates, delaying the sashing ceremony.

The tense exchange, posted by MUT on Nov. 4, reportedly arose from Itsaragrisil’s frustration that Bosch allegedly declined to share any promotional content about the host country, reportedly under instructions from her national director.

‘If you follow orders from your national director, you are dumb,’ Itsaragrisil told Bosch.

Tension escalated a few minutes later when Bosch attempted to defend herself after the unprompted insult, which angered Itsaragrisil, who perceived her response as an interruption.

‘I am still talking to everybody, why are you standing up to talk to me?’ Itsaragrisil asked. Bosch replied, ‘Because I have a voice,’ to which he cut off, ‘Yes, you have a voice, but you have to respect.’

‘But you are not respecting me as a woman,’ Bosch shot back before Itsaragrisil called security, prompting groans from Bosch’s fellow candidates.

Off-camera, Bosch could be heard saying, ‘As a woman, we are respecting and need to be respected. I am here representing my country, and it’s not my fault that you have problems with my organization.’

Shortly later, Theilvig and several contestants walked out in solidarity with Bosch. Speaking to pageant media stationed outside, the reigning titlist expressed disappointment over how the situation was handled.

‘We have respect for everyone, but this is not how things should be handled. To trash another girl is beyond disrespectful, and it’s nothing I, as a person, can stand behind. That’s why I am taking my call, and I am going,’ the Danish beauty queen said before exiting the venue.

Theilvig later doubled down on her stance on her Instagram Stories, praising Bosch for standing up for herself.

‘It’s not always easy, but it is one of the most important acts of self-respect and strength you can show,’ she wrote. ‘It means knowing your worth, setting boundaries, and not allowing anyone or anything to undermine your voice or your value. It’s about acknowledging that you have a right to be heard, to express your opinions, and to pursue your dreams, regardless of any obstacles that may come your way.’

She also lauded the other candidates who walked out, captioning a photo of them, ‘This is women empowerment. This is sisterhood.’

Philippine delegate Ma. Ahtisa Manalo reportedly were among those who stayed put.

In a statement written in Spanish, Miss Universe Mexico stood by their delegate, saying, ‘What happened to Fatima Bosch in Thailand is unacceptable. No woman, in any setting, deserves to be insulted or humiliated. We firmly believe in the values that Miss Universe promotes: respect, dignity, and empowerment.’

The organization also criticized Itsaragrisil, saying his ‘behavior does not belong to Miss Universe, nor does it represent our beloved Miss Universe Organization or reflect the spirit of unity and respect that we uphold.’

Power struggle?

This marks the third controversy involving Itsaragrisil since Miss Universe 2025 began its official activities. Aside from being the national director of MUT, which he acquired earlier this year, the Thai businessman and media personality is also the founder of Miss Grand International, which just recently crowned a Filipina, Emma Mary Tiglao, as its latest winner.

A ‘Special Dinner and Talk Show’ event organized by MUT was declared ‘unauthorized’ by the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), calling it a violation of intellectual property. MUT countered that it had grounds to hold the event, claiming it was part of the official marketing package as Thailand serves as the host country.

Thai police also launched an investigation into MUO officials after Itsaragrisil filed a complaint accusing them of making candidates appear in a promotion for an online casino, which is illegal in Thailand.

These controversies, coupled with news that Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantú purchased a 50% stake in Miss Universe from Anne Jakrajutatip’s JKN Global Group, have fueled a possible power struggle within the organization ahead of the awaited Nov. 21 coronation in Bangkok.

Before the sashing ceremony, Itsaragrisil addressed the candidates that all MUT activities were legal and encouraged anyone with questions to raise their hand. When no one did, he called on Bosch – triggering the viral confrontation.

Hours later, Itsaragrisil apologized during a TikTok livestream for how he handled the situation, citing challenges in managing the competition as MUO officials had yet to arrive in Thailand.

‘If anything happened today, if you are not happy, if some delegates feel uncomfortable, I do apologize – also to the fans around the world. But please understand our side, too,’ he said, adding that he would ‘take good care’ of Bosch.

Despite his apology, Rocha announced that Itsaragrisil’s role in the competition would be limited, with the possibility of his complete removal.

‘Nawat, you need to stop,’ Rocha said in a televised statement in Spanish. ‘Every woman in the world should be respected. And Fatima, who, in addition to being a voice of her own, represents her country as well, just like the 122 delegates currently in Thailand.’

He added, ‘I will not allow any of them to be attacked and humiliated. Many of them have fought to reach this platform of visibility and voice, and they should not have to endure situations like this.’

Rocha also announced that the organization’s CEO, Mario Búcaro, would be flying to Thailand to assess the situation.

‘Damaged MU image’

Itsaragrisil himself is no stranger to controversy. He has been criticized for body-shaming contestants such as Miss Iceland 2015 Arna Ýr Jónsdóttir, whom he called ‘too fat,’ and Miss Grand International 2024 winner Rachel Gupta, who resigned from her title and was replaced by the Philippines’ Christine Juliane Opiaza.

He later shared ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of Gupta, insinuating she had undergone cosmetic surgery, writing: ‘She don’t talk and she don’t get authorized from organization. When we ask her, she said she ate protein a lot. She confirmed no surgery at all,’ drawing backlash for his remarks.

Itsaragrisil also angered Filipino pageant fans after suggesting that Catriona Gray’s Miss Universe 2018 win was ‘rigged,’ claiming that other contestants were ‘better than her.’

Online, netizens have rallied behind Bosch and have supported disciplinary actions against Itsaragrisil for his behavior.

‘Nawat damaged the MU image so quickly within a few days. He needs to learn how to handle his concerns more respectfully,’ one YouTube commenter said. Another added, ‘Rachel Gupta was right all along.’

In an interview following the incident, Bosch reaffirmed her admiration for Thailand while standing firm in defending her dignity.

‘What Nawat did was not respectful. He called me ‘dumb’ because of his issue with [my] organization, and I think that’s unfair. This platform is meant for our voices, and no one has the right to silence us,’ she said.

‘To everyone, especially women – no matter how big your dreams are, even if you wear a crown – if something costs you your dignity, you need to walk away.’

Eight members of the Eastern Police District (EPD)’s Special Operations Unit who allegedly stole P75 million in cash and valuables from a Chinese businessman in Las Piñas have posted bail after a court, citing weak evidence, granted them temporary liberty.

Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 197 Judge Eric Ismael Sakkam recommended bail of P300,000 for each of the police officers accused of kidnapping for ransom.

The suspects – four staff sergeants, two corporals and two patrolmen – posted bail on Monday.

In a 10-page resolution dated Nov. 3, Sakkam granted the police officers’ petition for bail even if they were charged with a non-bailable offense.

The victim, Chinese trader Li Jie, did not testify despite being accorded numerous opportunities to do so.

‘His absence on the witness stand, being the most crucial witness in this kidnapping case, substantially weakens the opposition to the petitions for bail,’ the court ruled.

The court noted that only the victim can testify on the circumstances surrounding his alleged kidnapping.

Another witness, a Chinese national, also failed to testify, which could have bolstered the case against the police officers.

The prosecution presented Col. Glenn Lomogan, who was the EPD’s deputy district director at the time.

The prosecutors, however, said that Lomogan was merely one of the arresting officers and lacked personal knowledge of the actual circumstances about the alleged crime.

The police officers are accused of bringing Li to the EPD headquarters in Pasig where he was allegedly held for P100 million in ransom in April.

Li supposedly had a warrant of arrest for illegal possession of firearms. It turned out to be a case of mistaken identity as the person on the warrant was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in March 2023.

With climate change, extreme weather is becoming the norm. Still, Cebu residents are asking if the magnitude of the flooding spawned by Typhoon Tino could have been much less with proper flood mitigation measures.

New Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro lamented that P26 billion was allotted for flood control in the province, ‘yet we are flooded to the max.’ Describing the flooding caused by Tino as ‘even worse than Ondoy,’ she wants an investigation and accountability from those responsible for the flood mitigation failure.

As Cebu declared a state of calamity, Malacañang reported yesterday that 343 flood control projects were implemented in the province during the Duterte administration, and 168 under President Marcos.

The scenes of destruction from flash floods that Cebuanos said was a first in their lifetime show the complete failure of flood mitigation measures. Even with climate change, there must have been other factors that contributed to the killer flood, and Baricuatro is not the only one who wants to find out what happened.

While extremely heavy rainfall could be blamed for floodwaters rising so rapidly people had little time to move to higher ground, manmade causes must have contributed to the interminable wait for the water to subside.

Residents and their pets were trapped on rooftops for up to a day, watching helplessly as their vehicles floated in the flood and banged against others. Even snakes sought higher ground.

In Negros Oriental, torrents of rainwater brought boulders crashing down from the mountains, leaving at least 12 people dead and destroying houses made of light materials.

Nature’s fury can’t be stopped, but its impact can be minimized and its toll on lives, crops and property reduced.

The devastation from Tino must be compared with the cataclysmic flooding in Camarines Sur spawned by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in October last year. A post-mortem is needed to show what went wrong, and what can be done for better disaster preparedness and mitigation.

At the same time, in the light of revelations in the corruption scandal over flood control, a probe is needed to determine if graft and willful negligence contributed to the killer floods. The tragedy in Cebu, Negros and other areas hit by Tino shows the steep cost of a failed or non-existent flood control program. It is criminal negligence that cannot go unpunished.

Injury woes on their big men continue to hound the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, but the team found ways to grab a 91-80 victory over the Phoenix Fuel Masters in their PBA Philippine Cup clash on Wednesday.

Already reeling from injuries to big men Caelan Tiongson and Luis Villegas and guard Stanley Pringle, bruiser Keith Datu also went down with a hurt knee against Phoenix.

Datu rolled to the basket at the 7:56 mark of the third quarter, and he seemingly slipped and fell hard on the floor, clutching his right knee.

He did not return in the game, as he finished with nine points, four rebounds and three assists in almost 16 minutes of play.

After the game, Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao said that they had problems containing the big frontline of Phoenix with the absences of their players.

‘Yun nga, ganoon na lang parati. Parang finding ways na lang to win, no? I’m not really happy with the way we played, especially in the first half. We really had problems with rebounding. They’re a lot bigger team than we are. Plus, yun nga, nawala pa si Keith. Caelan still not available,’ he told reporters after the game.

‘Yun nga, we’re trying to manage both minutes. Hindi namin siya masyadong pinupuwersa. So kulang talaga kami sa bigs, manpower namin. But we’re struggling but we’re still here. We’re finding ways to win,’ he added.

The hole in the middle was evident against the Fuel Masters, as the frontline of Jason Perkins, Sean Manganti and Kai Ballungay was almost too big to overcome.

But Rain or Shine’s guards and wings clicked in the fourth quarter to help Rain or Shine break the game open.

‘We had some problems containing Jason Perkins for a stretch. He was just having his way in the middle. Because nga, kulang kami sa malaki. Yung laki ng katawan ni Gabe, yun na lang ang pinanglalaban namin dun sa katawan ni Perkins. But, paid off. Again, it’s the character, it’s the toughness,’ Guiao said.

‘We’re getting used to finding ways to win but I would rather win yung medyo maluwag-luwag. Hindi yung masyadong nahihirapan. Again, the score does not reflect the closeness of the game. If you look at the score, I think it’s a double digit lead. But, it’s a lot closer than that,’ he added.

‘We played better defense in the last quarter. Then, yung timely shots ni Anton, Mamu played a great game, Adrian played a great game.’

The status of Tiongson is expected to become clearer in the coming days, while Pringle is still ‘feeling some pain.’

The coach then joked that Villegas, who is still recovering from an ACL injury, will be ready ‘siguro by 2030.’

The PBA will have a break for the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers window from November 16 to December 4.

Rain or Shine is currently in solo lead with a 5-1 win-loss record. Phoenix dropped to 1-5.

The unemployment rate slightly decreased in September 2025, inching towards 3.8% from 3.9% the previous month, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday, November 6.

In terms of magnitude, this translates to around 1.96 million people who were unemployed as of September 2025-slightly higher than the 1.89 million unemployed persons recorded the same time last year.

Meanwhile, the current employment rate is at 96.2%, which means that 49.6 million people are employed in the Philippines.

Most of the people who are employed are in the services sector (61.3%), followed by agriculture (20.9%) and industry (17.8%).

The PSA noted that the following subsectors had the highest annual increases in employees:

Construction: Up by 514,000

Fishing and aquaculture: Up by 313,000

Accommodation and food service activities: Up by 307,000

Human health and social work activities: Up by 183,000

Agriculture and forestry: Up by 126,000

On the other hand, the following subsectors recorded the highest year-on-year decline in the number of workers:

Other service activities: Down by 493,000

Administrative and support service activities: Down by 356,000

Manufacturing: Down by 302,000

Transportation and storage: Down by 233,000

Public administration and defense; compulsory social security: Down by 220,000

In terms of the class of workers, wage and salary workers comprised 64.1% of employed persons in September 2025. They are followed by self-employed workers (27.6%), unpaid family workers (6.6%), and employers in their own family-operated farm or business (1.7%).

The country’s underemployment rate, or employed persons who need to work more hours or jobs, was at 11.1%. This is higher compared to August 2025’s 10.7%.

The current underemployment rate translates to around 5.52 million people.

Filipinos worked an average of 40.5 hours per week in September 2025.

The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said that the current employment rates still signified a stable economy, but continuous education and training in emerging skills was important. Filipinos must be trained in digital literacy, green technologies and higher-value services.

‘To build and strengthen the resilience of our labor markets, the Marcos Administration will focus on implementing strategies that create stable, high-quality jobs and expand opportunities for informal workers and the youth,’ DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.

Kalayaan Islands have been placed under Signal No. 1 as Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the state weather bureau PAGASA said.

As of 4 a.m. on Thursday, November 6, PAGASA said that Tino was estimated to be 265 kilometers north-northwest of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan, officially outside of PAR.

The typhoon is packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers near the center and gusts of up to 190 kilometers per hour (kph), moving west-northwestward at 35 kph toward central Vietnam.

Signal No. 1, which warns of strong winds ranging from 39 to 61 kph within 36 hours, remains in effect over the entire Kalayaan Island Group.

PAGASA said minimal to minor threats to life and property are possible in these areas.

Furthermore, the extensive reach of Tino’s outer rainbands and the surge of the northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, are expected to bring strong wind gusts over several other provinces not directly under a wind signal.

Batanes

Babuyan Islands

Ilocos Norte

Pangasinan

Zambales

Bataan

Cavite

Batangas

Occidental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro

Romblon

Palawan

Antique

Mariners were strongly advised to exercise extreme caution as sea conditions are expected to be hazardous. Up to rough seas 4 meters are forecast over the northern seaboards of Kalayaan Islands, while rough seas up to 3.0 m also affect the western seaboards of Palawan.

Mariners of small seacrafts, including all types of motorbancas, are explicitly advised not to venture out to sea under these rough conditions.

PAGASA forecasts Tino to slightly weaken before making landfall over central Vietnam within the next 24 hours, after which it is expected to dissipate due to terrain interaction rapidly.

‘Fung-Wong’ intensifies into a tropical storm

In the eastern portion of the Philippines, former Tropical Depression ‘Fung-Wong’ has intensified into a tropical storm.

As of 5 a.m., it is estimated to be at 1,715 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, moving northwestward at 20 kph.

It currently packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

PAGASA warned that Fung-Wong is expected to intensify rapidly, reaching typhoon category by Friday, November 7, and potentially strengthening into a super typhoon by Saturday, November 8.

The weather bureau added that the cyclone is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) late tomorrow evening or early Saturday morning, at which point it will be assigned the domestic name ‘Uwan.’

Looming threat to Luzon. Based on Fung-Wong’s forecast track, PAGASA said that there is an increasing probability of the cyclone making landfall on Monday, November 10, over northern or central Luzon at or near its peak lifetime intensity.

In anticipation of the powerful cyclone, PAGASA has warned that the highest possible alert, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5, may be hoisted over the affected areas.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) clarified that its new rule on large-value cash transactions does not impose an outright cap on withdrawals, assuring the public that depositors and businesses can still access funds exceeding P500,000 as long as these are supported by valid documents and legitimate purposes.

In a memorandum issued by the BSP’s Financial Supervision Sector, the central bank released a set of frequently asked questions to address public confusion and ensure consistent implementation of Circular 1218, which took effect on Oct. 7.

‘The new regulation will not prevent customers from accessing or withdrawing their funds,’ the BSP said, adding that the measure ‘is not intended to burden or financially exclude legitimate private businesses and government-related transactions.’

It emphasized that customers may withdraw more than P500,000 in cash provided that proper identification and supporting documents such as proof of payment for hospital bills or business transactions are presented.

Circular 1218 requires banks and other BSP-supervised financial institutions to apply enhanced due diligence (EDD) for cash transactions exceeding P500,000 per banking day.

However, the BSP clarified that EDD can be performed ahead of time or periodically, particularly for clients who routinely make large withdrawals consistent with their business operations.

‘For large value cash payouts or transactions which are already expected as part of a customer’s regular operations, the conduct of EDD can be performed periodically or simplified,’ the BSP said.

Additional documents may no longer be required for every transaction if the withdrawals align with the client’s usual business activities and risk profile.

The BSP also allows post-transaction EDD for clients who make multiple withdrawals within a day from different branches or channels as long as the bank’s monitoring system can consolidate the customer’s total transactions.

Banks and financial institutions are required to maintain systems capable of aggregating activities across accounts and branches to detect potential money laundering or terrorism financing risks.

The P500,000 threshold, the BSP said, applies to the aggregate amount of cash transactions in one day, covering both peso and foreign currency withdrawals. It also applies to joint accounts, ‘for the account of’ and ‘in trust for’ arrangements.

According to the central bank, the policy aims to mitigate the risks of money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing, citing findings from its latest risk assessments that showed cash-based transactions are still being exploited to move illicit funds into and out of the financial system.

‘This approach enhances payment security and efficiency while avoiding undue delay or disruption to legitimate financial services,’ the BSP said.

The BSP further clarified that the new rule would not affect cash aid releases or emergency withdrawals in areas under a state of calamity. Large payouts for such cases may still be made in cash, provided they are properly documented.

Circular 1218 was approved by the Monetary Board on Sept. 18 and directs banks to encourage the use of traceable channels such as fund transfers, checks and digital payments for transactions above the P500,000 threshold.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is warning the public against entities misusing the names of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and legitimate companies in connection with advance fee scams.

The commission said it has received reports that certain individuals have been invoking the BSP logo, name and personnel as well as the name of UNA Financing Corp. to lend an appearance of legitimacy to their activities.

The SEC said the BSP has clarified that it has no connection with such activities and that the misuse of its logo was unauthorized.

‘The SEC joins the BSP in reminding the public to exercise vigilance when dealing with individuals or entities claiming any connection with legitimate financing companies or government regulators,’ the commission said in an advisory.

UNA Financing has also denied involvement in the alleged fraudulent activities, asserting that its lending procedures do not resemble the methods described in the complaints.

‘While the SEC continues to monitor any related reports, no verified violations under the Securities Regulation Code or the Lending Company Regulation Act have been established against the company based on the information available to date,’ the commission said.

The SEC said that it appears that the name of UNA Financing has also been used without authorization, consistent with the BSP’s findings.

As such, the commission urged the public to exercise independent verification before engaging in any financial transaction.

The SEC said that misrepresentation of government agencies or legitimate companies constitutes a serious violation of law and may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative action.

The commission likewise reiterated its warning against advance fee scams, wherein victims are promised loans, investments or prizes in exchange for the payment of an advance or processing fee.

These fraudulent solicitations are commonly conducted through text messages, emails or social media by persons misrepresenting legitimate institutions.

The commission urged the public not to remit money or share personal information with unverified parties and to ensure that entities offering loans or investments are duly registered and licensed by the appropriate regulatory authorities.

‘The SEC enjoins the public to stay vigilant, verify before transacting and immediately report suspicious activities to proper authorities,’ it said.