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Miguel Tabuena’s stunning breakthrough at the International Series Philippines could pave the way for an even greater achievement – a historic entry into the global stage of the LIV Golf League.

After his commanding victory at home at Sta. Elena Golf Club two weeks ago, Tabuena surged to No. 2 in the International Series Rankings. He solidified that position with a respectable joint-21st finish at the Hong Kong Open last Sunday, keeping his dream alive for a spot in the elite LIV Golf circuit.

On Tuesday, LIV Golf announced that the top two eligible players in the International Series Rankings will automatically earn roster spots for the 2026 LIV Golf League season – a groundbreaking development that could make Tabuena the first Filipino ever to compete in the prestigious league.

At present, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent leads the rankings with 325.59 points, followed by Tabuena with 221.19. Australians Lucas Herbert (202.95) and Wade Ormsby (195.00) trail close behind, with American Peter Uihlein rounding out the top five (188.17).

With only two tournaments left – the Singapore Open, which fires off Thursday, November 6, at the Singapore Island Country Club and the Saudi International, November 19-22, at the Riyadh Golf Club – the race for those two coveted LIV berths is wide open.

Herbert has opted to skip the $2-million Singapore championship, giving Tabuena a valuable opportunity to widen the gap. Still, the Filipino ace faces a stacked field led by the likes of Talor Gooch, John Catlin, Anthony Kim, Thomas Pieters, Paul Casey, Kazuki Higa and Seonghyeon Kim – as well as Vincent himself.

But Tabuena, riding high on momentum and confidence, embraces the challenge.

Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO Cho Minh Thant hailed the development as a major boost for players across the region.

‘This is an extremely positive development for our members and firmly cements our partnership with LIV Golf. The extra spot is a phenomenal opportunity for our members to rise to one of the pinnacle platforms in our game, and there is no doubt that the top two positions will be fiercely contested over the next two events,’ said Thant.

The pathway from the Asian Tour’s International Series to the LIV Golf League has already proven successful. Vincent and Andy Ogletree both earned their LIV spots through this route in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Others, including Jinichiro Kozuma, Kalle Samooja and Lee Chieh-Po, qualified through LIV Golf Promotions events.

International Series head Rahul Singh emphasized the life-changing nature of the opportunity.

‘We offer a proven, open pathway onto the LIV Golf League, and with this season’s route offering not just one but two opportunities to progress, there is a real life-changing opportunity for the players to grasp,’ said Singh.

For Tabuena, this moment could represent the culmination of years of perseverance and excellence on the Asian Tour. A berth in LIV Golf would not only elevate his personal career but also mark a historic milestone for Philippine golf – showcasing that Filipino talent can compete among the world’s best.

As he tees off in Singapore this week, all eyes will be on the 31-year-old ace. One more strong performance could move him closer to making history – and flying the Philippine flag on one of golf’s grandest stages.

A San Juan court has denied Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s request to stop former public works engineer Brice Hernandez from making further allegations against him.

Judge Aicitel Lascano-Nethercott of the San Juan Regional Trial Court Branch 160 has found ‘no extreme urgency’ to justify a temporary restraining order against Hernandez, who had testified to Estrada’s alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects.

Estrada said the court has yet to decide on his application for a preliminary injunction, which will be heard on Nov. 12.

The senator maintained that Hernandez’s claims are false.

At last month’s House inquiry, Hernandez accused Estrada of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects in Bulacan.

State officials, contractors and engineers have recently been implicated in anomalous infrastructure deals, kickbacks and budget insertions. – Neil Jayson Servallos

Only in the Philippines does Christmas start in September. The carols play, the Christmas lights go up, and the countdown to the longest holiday season in the world begins.

This year, Cyberzone is joining the festive beat by launching Tech the Season: a month-by-month holiday build-up designed to get Filipinos ready for the most wonderful time of the year with music, stories and, of course, the latest tech and gadget accessories.

September Soundcheck: A community-powered playlist

The celebration is already well under way with September Soundcheck, where our Cyberzone community has been actively dropping their funniest song combos, punniest playlist names and most unhinged album cover edits.

What kicked off as a simple call for entries has turned into a full-on jam session. September Soundcheck proves that when it comes to the holidays: Filipinos don’t just join in, they set the tone.

Tech treats with brand partners

The holiday hype doesn’t stop at playlists. Cyberzone is teaming up with Electroworld, Gameline and other top brands and tenant partners to bring you curated tech treats all season long. From must-have lifestyle gadgets to gaming rigs that level up your play, to smartphones and accessories that keep you connected.

Stay tuned to the campaign as we unwrap exclusive collabs and product highlights you won’t want to miss. And coming this October: a spooky surprise awaits us!

Holiday tech rush: Pre-holiday madness to gadget craze

And if the playlist and spooky stories weren’t enough, Cyberzone is turning up the excitement with big shopping events.

Cyberzone Pre-holiday Madness at SM North EDSA, L4 Annex Atrium

November 27 to 30

One of Cyberzone’s most anticipated nationwide sales, offering exclusive deals, flexible payment options and raffle chances that make upgrading your tech easier and more affordable.

Cyberzone Gadget Craze at SM City La Union

October 17 to November 30, 2025

With just P500 worth of accumulated receipts, shoppers can win major prizes like laptops, smartphones and power banks.

Cyberzone Gadget Craze Nationwide

When: December 1 to 31, 2025

The year wraps up with the biggest raffle yet, open to all 69 Cyberzone branches for every P1,000 worth of accumulated receipts.

Pinoy ace Miguel Tabuena stayed on track for a potential spot in next year’s LIV Golf League as he held on to No. 2 in the latest International Series Rankings.

The IS Philippines champion finished joint 21st in the Link Hong Kong Open last Sunday, earning 54.74 ranking points to lift his tally to 221.19 and maintain his standing behind pacesetting Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe (325.59).

From here, Tabuena would need a strong showing in the two events of the IS series – the Moutai Singapore Open on Nov. 6 to 9 and the PIF Saudi International on Nov. 19 to 22 – to get in.

Originally, only the top-ranked golfer at the end of the season would punch a ticket to LIV Golf, but in a welcome development, LIV Golf expanded it to Top 2.

As such, Tabuena would need to just hang on to No. 2, if not overtake Vincent altogether, to join the likes of Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Joaquin Niemann, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith in the elite league that features 54-hole events.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) hiked its profit by nearly half to over P9 billion in the nine months to September, putting it on track to remit another record contribution to the government.

Based on its financial statement, PPA increased its net income by 46 percent to P9.19 billion from January to September, from P6.28 billion a year ago.

The regulator of domestic ports grew its revenue by 11 percent to P22.29 billion, drawing much of it from service and business income, which reached P22.25 billion.

PPA paired its revenue-generating efforts with cost-cutting interventions. The agency cut its spending by eight percent to P11.17 billion, from P12.18 billion, primarily on the reduction in its non-cash expenses.

Under Republic Act 7656 or the Dividends Law, state-run firms like the PPA are tasked to remit 50 percent of their profit to the Bureau of the Treasury. The dividends are accounted as non-tax revenues that the government uses to fund infrastructure and social projects.

In 2024, PPA turned in a record P5.2 billion in dividends, resetting the previous high of P5.06 billion in 2023.

PPA only ranks behind the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in remitting the highest dividends, making the agency one of the government’s most reliable state-run firms.

For 2025, PPA expects to remit another record amount on the expansion of its revenue stream and the privatization of local ports.

In July, PPA general manager Jay Santiago told The STAR that his agency is aiming to turn over 12 ports to the private sector this year. PPA wants the private sector to take over 12 ports in Luzon and Mindanao in line with the government’s push for more public-private partnerships.

Last year, PPA turned over the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex to the International Container Terminal Services Inc. in a P10.53-billion agreement. Since then, the port has undergone several upgrades to make it more receptive to the shipping industry’s demands.

PPA is also relying on the expansion of domestic travel by sea to increase revenue collection from passengers.

During the Undas break – when Filipinos went home to their provinces – PPA had projected a passenger traffic in ports of 2.2 million, but has so far recorded just 1.51 million as of yesterday afternoon.

What is happening to our country today has been foretold very accurately by the greatest Asian writer and political novelist, Dr. Jose Rizal in his immortal masterpieces, the ‘Noli me Tangere’ and the ‘El Filibusterismo’. Our national hero has forewarned us two centuries ago of a social cancer of such malignant character that the least touch could bring the most agonizing pain and most devastating anguish.

The corruption in government, the plunder of the nation’s coffers, the oppression and exploitation of the poor, as well as the unabated abuses by the powers-that-be have all been portrayed by Dr. Rizal in his masterful literary works. But we all never learned from these dire yet accurate predictions. We ignored Rizal’s meticulous discernment and prognosis a century hence from his era. We never gave attention to the far-reaching consequences and implications of what he called the Philippines’ social cancer.

These thieving and scheming traditional politicians who dominate our government today were already described by Dr. Rizal in his masterful characterization of Capitan Tiago who, like the so-called political leaders nowadays, arrogantly wields power by sheer exploitation, oppression, and domination of the poor, the voiceless, and the marginalized. Capitan Tiago is today’s trapos who steal billions from public funds and use this money to perpetuate themselves in power.

The character of Doña Pia, Capitan Tiago’s subservient but secretly unfaithful wife is the representation of contemporary politicians’ spouses, who are neglected and even abused by their domineering husbands but who are themselves having secret liaisons with lovers, just as Doña Pia having a love child with the self-righteous and treacherous Padre Damaso. Maria Clara symbolizes the fruit of the forbidden tree, or the product of infidelity, which is the analogy for graft, which is the government officials’ betrayal of public trust.

The infidel, Padre Damaso and the lecherous Padre Salvi represent the socially irrelevant so-called religious leaders today who do not walk their talk and even practice the exact opposite of what they pontificate on. Damaso and Salvi are personified today by wayward members of the clergy as well as pastors of other denominations who use the Bible to amass money by selling the promises of salvation to the highest bidders. Many of them use the pulpit to advance their political agenda.

The bejeweled wives of senators and congressmen today who derive their ego-inflating pretensions for glory by their ostentatious display of branded bags and shoes, were portrayed by Dr. Rizal’s funny characterization of the obnoxious and even scandalous Doña Victorina, mal-educated but peerless in her shameless social climbing schemes and machinations. Well, we still have many of these wives, paramours, or kept women who display their luxury cars, carats, and cash every SONA in the house of the so-called peoples’ representatives.

Don Crisostomo Ibarra represents the bourgeois sons and daughters who were sent abroad to study and are now returning to the land of their birth, only to be scandalized by what the nation has become while they were enjoying the wine, women, and song in Europe and the Americas. These guys delude themselves into thinking that they are God’s appointed messengers to bring salvation to their homeland. The true heroes are represented by Elias who never left the land but continued the peoples’ struggles for liberation, even as a violent filibuster.

The peoples’ sufferings today have all been portrayed by Dr. Rizal in the hapless characters of Sisa, Crispin, and Basilio. They were maltreated, abused, and subjected to endless harassment and social and economic injustice by the likes of Capitan Tiago and Padre Damaso. The good guys were also portrayed in the characters of Padre Florentino and Pilosopo Tasyo. But they are few and often voiceless. Today, when they stand up to protest, they are often rounded up as rebels or drug addicts. Many of them are subjected to extra-judicial killing.

We have never taken Dr. Jose Rizal seriously. We never read, understood, much less accepted the true message from the pages of his Noli and Fili. And so, as long as we refuse to learn from the bitter lessons of history, we are condemned to keep on repeating the bitter parts of it. Perhaps we deserve the curse of the Philippine social cancer.

Typhoon Tino slightly weakened on Tuesday afternoon, November 4, but state meteorologists have retained a warning of Signal No. 4 in several areas.

In the latest weather bulletin, Tino decelerated to maximum sustained winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour, with gustiness of up to 180 kph.

The typhoon was last recorded over Guimaras and it will continue west across Western Visayas and northern Palawan.

Tino is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday, November 5.

The following wind signals remain hoisted in the following areas:

Signal No. 4 (winds up to 184 km/h)

Luzon: Cuyo Islands

Visayas: The central and southern portions of Antique (Patnongon, Sibalom, Valderrama, Hamtic, San Jose, Bugasong, Anini-Y, San Remigio, Belison, Tobias Fornier, Laua-An), the central and southern portions of Iloilo (Calinog, New Lucena, Maasin, Oton, Pavia, Dueñas, Barotac Nuevo, Guimbal, Iloilo City, Tigbauan, Anilao, San Miguel, Leon, Mina, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Dingle, Zarraga, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Alimodian, Dumangas, San Joaquin, San Enrique, Badiangan, Banate, City of Passi, Pototan, Lambunao, Tubungan, Igbaras, Janiuay, Miagao) and Guimaras

Signal No. 3 (winds up to 117 kph)

Luzon: The northernmost portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian Islands

Visayas: The rest of Antique including Caluya Islands, Aklan, Capiz, the rest of Iloilo, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, San Carlos City, Calatrava, City of Escalante, Sagay City, Toboso, Salvador Benedicto, La Carlota City, Cadiz City, Bago City, Enrique B. Magalona, Valladolid, San Enrique, Bacolod City, La Castellana, Murcia, Silay City, Pulupandan, City of Victorias, City of Talisay, Pontevedra, Manapla) and the northern portion of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Canlaon City, Vallehermoso)

Signal No. 2 (winds up to 88 kph)

Luzon: The southwestern portion of Masbate (Balud), the southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Bongabong), the southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Magsaysay, San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan), the southern portion of Romblon (Santa Fe, Santa Maria, Looc, Alcantara, Cajidiocan, Odiongan, San Jose, Ferrol, Romblon, San Andres, Magdiwang, Calatrava, San Agustin, San Fernando) and the northern portion of Palawan (San Vicente, Roxas) including Cagayancillo Islands

Visayas: Cebu including Bantayan Islands, the northwestern portion of Bohol (Antequera, Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc, Loon, Dauis, Tubigon, Panglao, Clarin, Calape, Cortes, San Isidro, Inabanga), the central portion of Negros Oriental (Tayasan, Manjuyod, Bais City, Mabinay, Bindoy, Ayungon, City of Tanjay, Pamplona, Amlan, San Jose, City of Bayawan, Basay) and the rest of Negros Occidental

Signal No. 1 (winds up to 61 kph)

Luzon: The southern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres), the southern portion of Marinduque (Torrijos, Buenavista, Gasan, Boac), the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Paluan), the rest of Romblon, the and southern portion of Albay (Pio Duran, Jovellar, Libon, Oas, City of Ligao), the western and southern portions of Sorsogon (Magallanes, Santa Magdalena, Juban, Bulan, Irosin, Matnog, Pilar, Donsol, Castilla), the rest of Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands and the central portion of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City)

Visayas: The western portion of Northern Samar (San Isidro, Victoria, Allen, Capul, San Vicente, San Antonio), the western portion of Samar (San Jorge, San Sebastian, Santa Rita, Villareal, Zumarraga, Pinabacdao, Almagro, Calbayog City, Talalora, Jiabong, Pagsanghan, City of Catbalogan, Gandara, Motiong, Santo Niño, Tagapul-An, Santa Margarita, Tarangnan, Calbiga, Daram, Marabut, Paranas, Basey, Hinabangan), Biliran, Leyte, the northern and western portions of Southern Leyte (Libagon, Hinunangan, City of Maasin, Silago, Padre Burgos, Saint Bernard, Malitbog, Bontoc, Tomas Oppus, Macrohon, Limasawa, Sogod), the rest of Bohol, the rest of Negros Oriental and Siquijor

Prompted by the death of content creator Emman Atienza, a bill seeking to curb online hate and harassment has been filed in the Senate to strengthen protection against digital abuse and hold perpetrators accountable.

Senate Bill No. 1474, the Emman Atienza Bill, aims to expand existing laws on cybercrime and bullying by penalizing acts such as online hate speech, cyberstalking and the non-consensual sharing of private information.

It was filed by Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, who said the measure seeks to stop the rising cases of cyberbullying, online defamation and digital harassment, particularly against young and vulnerable internet users.

‘While social media serves as a platform to advocate for truth, it has also given room for ruining reputations, spreading fake news, rumors, false accusations and violence. In reality, there are no delete or edit buttons for the ones we have hurt,’ Ejercito said.

He said the measure was inspired by the story of Atienza, daughter of television host Kim Atienza, who fell victim to online bullying.

Under the bill, digital platforms will be required to take down or block harmful content within 24 hours of verified complaints or court orders, suspend or ban offending users and preserve digital evidence.

The Alas Pilipinas girls’ team opens its Final Eight campaign against unbeaten Chinese Taipei in the 2nd Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s U16 Championship on Wednesday at the Prince Hamzah Sports Hall here.

Buoyed by their breakthrough 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 win over Iran to finish second in Pool B, the national youth team continues its dream run with an acid test against Chinese Taipei, which swept Pool D, at 6:30 p.m. (Philippine time).

Team captain Xyz Rayco, who has been leading the way for Alas U16, vows to keep growing with her teammates in their first-ever international tournament.

‘You can expect us to improve. We’ll correct the mistakes we made in the game [against Iran] and play even better in the next one,’ said Rayco, who scored 13 points to take down Iran.

Alas plays in the Asian Women’s U16 Championship’s unique Final 8 format, grouped with defending champion Japan, Chinese Taipei and Thailand in Pool F, where the top two will advance to the semifinals.

The Philippines will carry over a 0-1 record from its four-set defeat to Japan in the first round, same goes with Thailand, which lost to Chinese Taipei, 25-18, 22-25, 25-18, 25-23, on Monday.

Pool E is composed of China (1-0) Hong Kong (1-0), Korea (0-1) and Uzbekistan (0-1).

Chinese Taipei banks on leading scorer Chen Ting-Yi, who dropped 24 points to beat Thailand and complete a first-round sweep. Chan Tzu-Yun and Cheng Yung-Yu are also expected to step up.

‘I want to win against the Team Philippines. And I hope everyone will do their best,’ said Chen through a translator.

Alas U16 coach Edwin Leyva urged his wards, also led by setter Resty Jane Olaguir, spikers Nadeth Herbon and Merish Beltran, middle blockers Madele Gale and Jhenica Sadia, as well as libero Frances Ramos, to keep on believing in themselves.

‘The other teams are really good, but they’re definitely beatable,’ Leyva said. ‘We just have to come up with the right game plan and strategies to outsmart their style of play.’

AVC and Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara also congratulated and encouraged the youngest national team to keep improving moments after beating Iran.

Alas girls wrap up their final eight campaign, taking on Thailand on Thursday at 4 p.m. (Philippine time).

The Department of Finance (DOF) is strongly supporting a new directive that aims to strengthen safeguards against access of minors to tobacco products online.

In a move to tighten tobacco regulation, the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-Tobacco) approved a resolution mandating all online tobacco sellers, e-marketplaces and digital platforms to install or improve stricter age verification to ensure compliance with the law.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the new resolution would put a grip over the sale and distribution of tobacco products.

‘The finance department remains fully prepared to extend its support to ensure the proper regulation of these products, particularly in safeguarding the welfare of our youth,’ Recto said.

The resolution includes preventing individuals under 18 years old from viewing, accessing, purchasing or selling tobacco products through online platforms.

As a member of IAC-Tobacco, the DOF helps oversee the implementation of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which governs the manufacture, distribution and sale of the said product in the country.

The finance department added that the resolution also mandates e-marketplaces and digital platforms to exercise due diligence in monitoring online merchants and to adopt necessary measures that would guarantee full compliance with existing tobacco regulations.

They are likewise required to provide the IAC-Tobacco with proof of compliance within 90 days after the resolution’s publication to ensure adherence to tobacco regulations.

‘Section 9 of RA 9211 declares it unlawful to sell and distribute tobacco products to any minor. It further states that it shall not be an excuse for the seller or distributor to be unaware of the minor’s real age,’ the DOF said.

‘Neither shall it be a defense that they had any reason to believe that the product was for the consumption of the minor to whom it was sold,’ it said.