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Greg Slaughter expressed his desire to return to the PBA this season after entering into discussions with new team Titan Ultra, which inherited his rights from NorthPort.

‘If I’m being honest, yes. I do want to come back to play in the PBA,’ Slaughter said after attending Sunday’s Leo Awards at Novotel Manila and the opening ceremonies of the 50th season at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Slaughter has not played in the league since suiting up for NorthPort in the 2021 Philippine Cup, spending time instead in Japan and the MPBL. His most recent stint was with the Basilan Starhorse.

The 7-foot center said he has already spoken with Titan Ultra team manager Aldreine Anglim. ‘It’s just a little talk with him so far, but nothing sudden,’ he said.

A potential return could boost either the Giant Risers or other teams. It also sparks the possibility of reviving his on-court rivalry with good friend June Mar Fajardo, whom he has faced since their days in Cebu’s collegiate league Cesafi.

The 2017 Governors’ Cup Best Player of the Conference was among the guests at the PBA’s golden season opener, upon the invitation of commissioner Willie Marcial.

‘I know it’s really a big year for the PBA, so I thought it would be a nice thing to be here,’ Slaughter said.

The Philippines remains a rice-deficit country, importing 15-30% of its annual needs.

This dependency undermines sovereignty. No nation can claim autonomy if it cannot feed its people.

Rice, central to Filipino culture and nutrition, accounts for 45-70% of daily calorie intake. Yet, current production of 12.86 million metric tons (20.4 Mt unmilled) falls short of the 15 million Mt (24.0 Metric ton) demand. The main threat: depressed farm gate prices are pushing farmers to abandon rice cultivation.

Climate change worsens this crisis. Droughts, floods, and typhoons have disrupted rice yields globally and locally. This year 2025 alone, four typhoons struck during the early harvest schedule causing a 150,000 Mt loss, with El Niño adding 600,000 Mt more-totaling a 750,000 Mt loss. Oil prices at $95-$105/barrel have driven up fertilizer costs.

Producing ,packaging, transporting and distributing 1 kg of nitrogen requires 2.15 liters of diesel oil equivalent (LDOE). A ton of palay needs 18-20 kg of nitrogen, translating to 215 LDOE.

Fertilizer contributes 50-60% of yield. Farmers are cutting usage due to cost, and very low price of palay risking a 25-30% drop in output-up to 4.8 million tons lost across 4 million hectares harvest.

Rice importation is a stop-gap measure. In 2025, the Philippines imported 4.7 million Mt .

If China imports heavily, regional prices will surge. Domestic consumption estimates-119 kg per capita-must be refined. With 11 million Filipinos abroad and 7-10 million consuming corn, actual demand may be overstated. Our revised estimate: 100-110 kg per capita.

To achieve self-sufficiency, yields must increase from 4.0 to 5.5 tons/ha. Irrigated areas average 4.3 tons/ha; rain-fed areas, only 3.0.

With improved seeds and training, 8 tons/ha is possible-but soil health, water access, and input costs must be addressed.

Meeting the rice needs of 110 million Filipinos requires 24million tons of unmilled rice and 100 billion tons of water. Irrigating 500,000 ha would cost ?500 billion.

Land conversion worsens the crisis. About 500,000 ha of prime irrigated land have been lost to urban expansion equivalent to the 500,000 ha needed to be irrigated.

Watershed degradation has weakened irrigation systems. Retail rice prices range from ?35-?60/kg, while palay prices have plunged to ?8-?13/kg-far below the ?18-?22/kg break-even cost.

This disparity deepens farmer debt and reduces yields. The income loss exceeds ?250 billion-four times the damage from Super Typhoon Yolanda.

This is not just market failure; it’s a policy-induced disaster rooted in the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), which dismantled NFA’s market powers and exposed farmers to global shocks without safeguards.

What must be done? Guarantee a farmgate price of ?25-?28/kg to reflect rising input costs. Revisit agrarian reform-why was the 10 million ha target halved? Land ownership incentivizes soil fertility investment.

Provide seed and equipment support for diversified agriculture. Farmers must relearn propagation of bahay-kubo species and redesign farms for ecological resilience.

Promote agroecology and household agriculture. Idle spaces abound, and our climate is generous.

We must also diversify carbohydrate sources. Mix rice with 30% white corn-we produce 7 million MT of corn, mostly yellow. A shift to white corn in irrigated lowlands could triple service areas.

Promote brown rice and increase vegetable intake. Filipinos consume only 40 kg per capita, far below the recommended 120 kg. The Chinese eat 225 kg.

Vegetables offer vital nutrients, fiber, and carbohydrates. Mixing 50% brown rice with well-milled rice can reduce consumption by 30-40%. Rice is more than food. It is sovereignty, livelihood, and climate resilience. We must act now.

Almost 6,000 people across four regions have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Paolo, (international name: Matmo) the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Saturday, with affected families numbering 1,833 or 5,979 individuals, across 10 provinces.

A total of 3,368 residents from Regions 1 and 3 were preemptively evacuated before the typhoon intensified, while 4,4317 people remain displaced. Of this number, many are staying in 74 evacuation centers, while others are sheltering outside designated facilities.

Paolo, which developed into a typhoon earlier this week, brought rains and strong winds over parts of northern and Central Luzon. The cyclone has since exited the Philippine landmass after crossing the country’s northern areas. The NDRRMC continues to monitor affected communities for damage assessment and assistance to displaced families.

Paolo is moving west-northwest toward southern China after exiting the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said on Saturday.

In its 11 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) lifted all the tropical wind signal advisories. However, they said Paolo’s outer rain bands may still bring storm to gale-force gusts over Batanes, northern Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Zambales and Bataan.

Pagasa located Paolo’s center at 440 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. It retained its momentum, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, gusts of up to 135 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 20 kph.

Paolo may re-intensify into a typhoon while moving over the West Philippine Sea.

Meantime, the European Union (EU) released pound 800,000, or an estimated P54,380,800, in humanitarian aid to support relief operations for communities struck by recent cyclones and floods in the Philippines.

For relief assistance

In their official statement released on Friday, the EU announced that the funds will be directed toward emergency assistance.

‘The funding will help address the most urgent needs of people in the hardest hit areas, including communities that are also affected by conflict,’ the EU said.

‘This allocation will be used to provide emergency relief in areas such as shelter, health, and water and sanitation,’ they added.

This latest contribution builds on the pound 6.5 million (an estimated P441,800,000) in humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness funding the EU has already provided to the Philippines this year.

That amount includes pound 500,000 (or almost P34,000,000) earmarked in July following an earlier string of tropical cyclones.

The EU delegation to the Philippines said it is also monitoring the aftermath of the Sept. 30 earthquake in Cebu.

‘The EU expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and stands ready to provide additional support pending on-going needs assessment,’ they said.

Volleyball player Risa Sato is expecting her first child.

The Chery Tiggo middle blocker made the announcement on her 31st birthday on Friday, sharing the news through an Instagram post.

‘Best birthday yet! Grateful for the tiny miracle that makes my heart so full,’ Sato said. Sato posted photos of herself showing a baby bump along with an ultrasound and baby clothes. She also included a picture with her partner, basketball player Enzo Joson-also a former National University standout who now plays in the MPBL.

She received congratulatory messages from fellow PVL players as well as her former and current teammates. Sato has been on an extended absence for a few months after joining the Crossovers in January. She did not suit up in the Invitational and On Tour tournaments.

The Filipino-Japanese middle blocker is expected to miss more months as she awaits the arrival of her baby.

Before switching teams, Sato won 10 titles with the Creamline Cool Smashers.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Cayetano said: ‘What if we all just resign and allow a snap election from the president, vice president, senate, and congress, with one important addition – no incumbent from the above can run for one election cycle.’

Cayetano suggested this while stating that Filipinos ‘have lost trust in government and government officials.’ He even affirmed this, saying ‘politicians are suspects.’

The senator also stated that public officials shouldn’t be afraid of stepping down.

‘If we truly serve them, then starting over shouldn’t scare us. Because real change starts with radical honesty – and the courage to admit when it’s time to step aside,’ Cayetano continued. A series of anti-corruption protests has ensued since the beginning of September due to the revelations that several government officials are allegedly involved in the supposed flood-control project anomalies.

‘National government has its bureaucracy and will continue to run. Governors, mayors and barangay chairpersons are generally trusted and will be in place,’ Cayetano added.

‘No drama, no excuses, no recycling. Just a clean slate for the Filipino people. A turning point leading to renewal and revival. Instead of People Power. Sacrifice from People’s Servants!’ he said.

Among the government officials accused in the flood-control controversy are executives from government agencies, members of the House and the Senate.

Amidst these conversations, several changes in the legislative branch have also occurred.

Former Senate President Francis Escudero was replaced by Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, shortly after Escudero was accused of allegedly receiving ‘kickbacks’ from the government-funded flood-control projects.

Later, Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez stepped down after being linked to the same controversies, stating that he did not want to stain the name of the president, and was shortly replaced by Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino ‘Bojie’ De Guzman Dy III.

Former Ako-Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co also resigned from the Congress after being tagged as the ‘mastermind’ behind the substandard or ‘ghost’ flood-control projects. Among the executive departments, the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Manuel ‘Manny’ Bonoan resigned in the middle of the investigations into the government agency.

For World Teachers’ Day, teachers and education advocates called on the government to ensure teachers’ welfare and transparency in budgeting and accountability as they denounced the impacts of corruption on the education system.

In a press conference organized by E-Net Philippines, a non-government organization engaged in policy advocacy for education reforms, teachers slammed corruption in infrastructure projects in the country, emphasizing that while they struggle with delayed salaries and benefits, billions of pesos are allocated to ‘ghost’ flood control projects.

‘The ghost, substandard, and poorly built flood control projects have caused massive flooding in communities, forcing students and their families to leave their homes. This may be one reason why nearly a million children were unable to enroll, according to DepEd [Department of Education],’ Prof. Flora Arellano, president of E-Net Philippines, said in a statement on Sunday. Arellano also said that the education sector is not spared from corruption, as the DepEd previously reported that over 1,000 classrooms built by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were turned over despite being ‘incomplete.’

Education Secretary Sonny Angara then estimated that the classrooms cost between P2.5 and P3.7 million. He noted that while the funding for their construction was under the DepEd’s budget, it was the DPWH that bid out the projects to contractors.

Aside from this, the teachers questioned the use of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) funds for its alleged investment in online gambling and overpriced laptops. Sen. Risa Hontiveros previously said that the GSIS invested P1 billion of its funds in online gambling platform DigiPlus. She then questioned why the GSIS is using public funds as a capital for gambling.

With this, the E-Net Philippines called on the government to heed their demands:

Full implementation of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which includes hazard pay, hardship allowance, and medical benefits;

Salary upgrading and timely release of teachers’ benefits nationwide;

Audit and reform of DPWH’s infrastructure contracts and the suspension of classroom turnover until they are fully compliant;

Transparent budgeting and public accountability to ensure citizens’ access to monitoring of contracts, project status, and budget;

Protection of GSIS fund and redirection of public money to teachers’ welfare and education needs;

Safe, inclusive, and adequately-funded classrooms, especially for the alternative learning system, special education program, Madrasah, and indigenous peoples’ education; and

Commitment from DepEd leadership to work with teachers’ groups in enacting education reforms.

Far Eastern University finally barged into the win column at the expense of Adamson, 64-58, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday.

Mo Konateh dominated in the paint to power the Tamaraws with a monster double-double of 18 points and 21 rebounds, while Kirby Mongcopa added 15 points. Janrey Pasaol turned in another all-around performance with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

This time, though, his efforts didn’t go to waste as the Tamaraws chalked up their first victory after a 0-3 start.

‘I only got this kind of confidence from him (coach Sean Chambers) throughout my career,’ Pasaol said in Filipino at Mall of Asia Arena. ‘I’ve been trying to repay his trust in our practices so it’s good that I got to do it in the game,’ he added.

Monty Montebon was the sole double-digit scorer for the Falcons, who slid to 1-3, with 14 points that went with seven rebounds.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said he is considering stepping down from his post as chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee (BRC).

‘If my colleagues are no longer trusting me enough and they are not happy anymore with my handling of the blue ribbon committee, I’ve already thought of stepping down as an option,’ Lacson said in an interview with radio dzBB.

He noted the sentiments expressed by some of his colleagues in the upper chamber as the main reason.

‘All chairpersons of the committee in the Senate or in the House, we serve at the pleasure of our peers, because we were elected by our peers, particular members of the majority bloc. There were disappointments expressed by my colleagues in the Senate. We heard Sen. JV (Ejercito), also Sen. Sherwin (Gatchalian) has also expressed his sentiments,’ he said.

‘I’m not serving as chair of the blue ribbon committee at the pleasure of the president of the Philippines, at the pleasure of netizens, at the pleasure of bashers, not even at the pleasure of the public. I serve at the pleasure of my peers,’ he added.

‘One of the considerations is to move on or submit a resignation as chair of the blue ribbon committee and they just look for whoever can take over my place,’ said Lacson.

According to him, he is now crafting a letter for Senate President Vicente Sotto III regarding his intention. The Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on alleged flood control anomalies set for next week has been cancelled ‘until further notice.’ According to Lacson, he initially scheduled a hearing on Wednesday, October 8, upon the request of Sen. JV Ejercito to summon former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Mimaropa regional director Gerald Pacanan.

Pacanan was included among 10 DPWH officials who received a show-cause order from Secretary Vince Dizon to explain their reported lavish lifestyle and involvement in substandard projects.

‘To maximize the discussions, I checked with the DOJ if the supposed ‘tell-all’ affidavit/s of the Discayas were already available. Corollary to that, I also checked with the office of the executive judge of Manila [Regional Trial Court] if they have concluded the investigation on the possible violations of the notarized document involving TSgt Guteza and Atty Espera,’ Lacson likewise said in the message om Saturday.

Lawyer Petchie Espera denied notarizing an affidavit submitted by Orly Guteza, a former aide of Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co. Guteza, presented as a surprise witness in the Senate blue ribbon panel hearings, alleged that he delivered cash to the homes of certain lawmakers.

The senator said both of the affidavits and the notarized document would not be ready within a week. ‘Having been informed that both would not be ready within one week, not to mention that the BRC hearing will conflict with the budget and [Commission on Appointment] hearings, I informed SP Sotto of the cancellation until further notice,’ said Lacson. /

Masculados, a Filipino music group known for their macho concepts, is returning to the music scene with the goal to captivate the hearts of millennials and Gen Z listeners.

The comeback of Masculados – consisting of Chard, Robin, Nico, David, Enrico and Orlando – was announced by Universal Records, their music label, in a press statement.

‘We are glad that Masculados is coming back to their home label. We shall be working on new songs with Masculados, and we look forward to delivering more hits. ‘Yung mga millennials and Gen Z, gusto nating malaman nila yung kasikatan ng Masculados (We want the Millennial and Gen Z listeners to know how famous the Masculados are),’ said Universal Records executive vice president Ramon Chuaying.

Without disclosing the details of their comeback, the group said they’re excited for their upcoming projects.

‘Looking forward kami sa mga projects ulit, kasi dito nagsimula ang mga songs namin at dito naman nakilala rin ang grupo (We’re looking forward to our projects again because this is where our music started and how we became known as a group),’ they said, hinting that their upcoming music will feature ‘100% kaldagan (bouncing).’

Formed in 2003, the macho group is best known for their hit songs ‘Jumbo Hotdog,’ ‘Sana Mama,’ ‘Nakaka’ and ‘Lagot Ka,’ to name a few. /ra

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert insisted she remained the right person to lead the league on Friday as she responded to an avalanche of recent criticism from leading players over her stewardship of the sport.

Engelbert, speaking ahead of Friday’s opening game of the WNBA Finals in Las Vegas, has been in the crosshairs this week after Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier accused her of ‘negligent’ governance of the WNBA. A slew of players have since spoken out in support of Collier, who said the WNBA suffered from the ‘worst leadership in the world’ and detailed a range of grievances from inconsistent officiating and failure to take players seriously.

Collier also alleged Engelbert had been dismissive of criticisms by Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and a new generation of players who had boosted interest in the sport, saying they should be ‘on their knees’ in gratitude for the commercial opportunities they had received.

Asked directly about those remarks on Friday, Engelbert initially declined to be drawn before later denying she had used that phrase.

‘There’s a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all this reporting,’ Engelbert told a press conference. ‘I have been in touch with Napheesa. We’ve exchanged texts, we’re talking next week . obviously a lot of reporting, lot of inaccuracy about what I did or didn’t say, so I’ll leave it there. ‘I’m just obviously disheartened. I’m a human too. I have a family. I have two kids who are devastated by these comments. It’s obviously been a tough week.’

However when asked later whether she felt players like Clark should be ‘grateful’ for off-court earning opportunities, Engelbert replied: ‘Obviously I did not make those comments. Caitlin has been a transformational player in this league.

‘She’s been a great representative of the game. She’s brought in tens of millions of new fans to the game . as I said, there’s a lot of inaccuracies reported out there, and I certainly did not say that.’

‘Never been a quitter’

In her season-ending exit interview on Tuesday, Collier said the WNBA leadership had failed to get a grip on officiating errors accusing the league of ‘self-sabotage’.

WNBA players are also in the midst of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement and have called for a greater share of the revenues being brought into the sport, which has enjoyed a boom in recent seasons driven in large part by Clark’s arrival in the league. ‘I was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league, and me personally, do not care about them or listen to them,’ Engelbert said in her opening remarks. ‘If the players don’t feel appreciated and valued by the league then we have to do better and I have to do better.’

Engelbert said the WNBA’s competition committee would meet at the end of the season to evaluate the state of the game, including game rules, officiating and player safety.

She also said players would be invited to contribute to the establishment of a ‘multi-stakeholder task force’ which would address the issues raised by Collier and other players including the failure to tackle rough play.

‘I think it’s pretty clear that we’re misaligned on what our stakeholders want from officiating,’ Engelbert said. ‘We have heard loud and clear that we have not lived up to that needed alignment and that attention and change is needed to serve the WNBA to the level of excellence that is not currently being met. ‘We will take a hard look at what the proper line should be for good, aggressive play that we recognise has evolved into rough play.’

Engelbert also said the league wants to ‘significantly increase’ the salary and benefits given to players while also ensuring the ‘long-term growth and viability’ of the WNBA.

Engelbert also insisted she was the right person to lead the league.