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Creamline will continue to miss Jia De Guzman when it resumes its campaign in the upcoming PVL Reinforced Conference.

Owing to a management decision, De Guzman will once again sit out another conference for the Cool Smashers as she continues her full-time commitment to Alas Pilipinas, which is eyeing to end a 20-year medal drought in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December.

‘Of course, it’s impossible not to feel the loss. Jia is different. She’s battle-tested and a big factor in games. We’ll always feel that it’s a missed opportunity not having her. But maybe it’s just not the right time yet. Hopefully, by next year,’ Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses told the reporters in Filipino.

Meneses, though, remains confident with his team roster with four-time Best Setter Kyle Negrito, who has stepped up her game since the eight-time winner De Guzman took her act to Japan last year, as well as Rhea Dimaculangan-Villarete and Mafe Galanza. ‘Kyle has really improved a lot from previous conferences. So the rotation is stable, there’s really no problem there,’ said Meneses. ‘We have two backups Rhea and Mafe. And they’re always ready.’

Creamline, which finished bronze in the PVL on Tour and Invitational, is raring to defend its throne in the Reinforced with American import Coco Schwan, Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga, Jema Galanza, and rookie Sheena Toring.

‘Our number one goal is to finish the conference healthy. That’s really the top priority. But of course, our mindset is also on defending our title. Hopefully, Courtney will be a big help to us,’ Meneses said.

Independent directors may soon be barred from seeking a longer term beyond nine years as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a circular setting term limits.

SEC chair Francis Lim on Wednesday told reporters that setting the term limit in stone would allow opportunities for ‘true, meaningful independent directors.’

Under the draft memorandum, independent directors will be elected for a three-year fixed term, meaning they will have security of tenure.

This is to ensure that independent directors ‘with different views’ are protected from sudden removal.

‘To make the independent directors truly independent, we’re giving them a three-year security of tenure . Once voted, they are elected for three years, not just one,’ Lim said on the sidelines of the Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines’ digital library launch. There’s a way out currently

At the same time, however, the chair clarified that they may only be elected for a maximum of three consecutive terms totaling nine years.

After that, they are barred from reelection in the same company.

Current rules state that independent directors are only elected for a one-year term. They may serve as independent directors for up to nine years, although companies may apply for exemptive relief for extraordinary cases.

But once the proposed rules are approved, the term limit would be firm and the SEC would no longer grant extensions, Lim noted.

The circular will take effect immediately, meaning independent directors serving their ninth year in 2026 may not be reelected, and their term will not be extended.

Possible penalty

Companies that fail to adopt the three-year security of tenure and the nine-year term limit may be fined P1 million.

The draft circular is available for public comment until Oct. 15.

Lim earlier pointed out that independent directors whose terms have expired in one company can move to smaller firms and share their expertise while also giving opportunities to other leaders.

Jerrick Ahanmisi finally came to terms with Terrafirma by signing a one-year contract after being acquired in a trade with Magnolia.

The four-point specialist sealed the deal alongside agent Danny Espiritu in a meeting with Dyip team manager Waiyip Chong

Both parties had been in negotiations since Terrafirma got the incoming fifth-year guard last August when it dealt the rights to Javi Gomez de Liano to Magnolia.

Terrafirma also acquired Magnolia’s second round pick in the recent Rookie Draft, which it used to select burly College of St. Benilde big man Shawn Umali.

Ahanmisi averaged 6.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 33 games for Magnolia in the 2024-25 campaign.

It was in the same season that Ahanmisi became known for knocking down shots from the league’s new four-point line, making 28-of-72 from the longest arc for a 39-percent clip.

He’s only ranked second to then-teammate Paul Lee, who made 31, and fourth in percentage among locals.

Minutes, however, were inconsistent-something that Ahanmisi looks to change now he’s on a Terrafirma side that hopes to show semblance of being competitive despite a relatively ragtag roster anchored by Louie Sangalang, Paolo Hernandez and Brent Paraiso.

Manny Pacquiao wasn’t even alive when Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier battled nearly to the death in the original ‘Thrilla in Manila’ in 1975. But half a century later, it’s Pacquiao himself leading the 50th anniversary celebration of that iconic heavyweight clash-this time as a promoter.

‘To think I wasn’t even born during the original staging of ‘Thrilla in Manila,” Pacquiao said with a smile during the launch of the fight card. ‘I feel blessed to be the one to bring the 50th celebration to life.’

Presented by Pacquiao and the International Boxing Association, the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ anniversary event happens on Oct. 29 at Smart Araneta Coliseum-the same venue where Ali and Frazier made boxing history.

The card is headlined by the WBC strawweight championship bout between Philippines’ Melvin Jerusalem and South Africa’s Ayanda Kuse. It also features Olympic silver medalist Eumir Marcial against undefeated American Eddy Colmenares in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Pacquiao sees this event not only as a celebration but as a platform to elevate local talent.

‘It’s a big help for our boxers that they get this kind of break in these kinds of international promotions,’ he said.

The fight night also showcases Filipino rising stars, including Marlon Tapales, Carl Jammes Martin and Arvin Magramo in undercard bouts.

Manila Water Company Inc. has completed its acquisition of WawaJVCo Inc., another unit of the Razon Group behind the water supply dam in Rizal province, for P37.8 billion.

The group disclosed to the local bourse on Wednesday that the closing conditions for the deal had been met just this week.

This came three months after its parent Prime Infrastructure Inc. had decided to consolidate its water projects into Manila Water, with the latter taking 100 percent ownership of WawaJVCo.

Trident Water Company Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of Prime Infra, holds 56.91 percent of the outstanding common stock of Manila Water Bulk water supply

Gaining control of the firm allows Manila Water to take charge of both the Tayabasan Weir and the Upper Wawa Dam, which were designed to boost Metro Manila’s water supply.

Tayabasan Weir, which has a capacity of 80 million liters per day (MLD), has been up and running since late 2022.

Upper Wawa Dam, meanwhile, will have a supply capacity of up to 710 MLD once it begins its commercial operations by December. In an earlier statement, Manila Water said the move would ‘provide greater focus and flexibility in water resource allocation, while allowing for more efficient operations and overall cost management of the facility.’

Consolidation

‘By consolidating our assets under Manila Water as our core water infrastructure platform, we are enhancing system integration, operational efficiency and service delivery,’ Prime Infra president and chief executive officer Guillaume Lucci also said in an earlier statement.

Lucci expects this strategy to beef up the group’s status ‘as a leader across the entire water value chain.’

Two more party-list groups – Murang Kuryente and Ang Probinsyano – have been proclaimed as members of the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress, following the disqualification of Duterte Youth party-list.

At the House plenary session on Thursday, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos moved to allow Murang Kuryente party-list Rep. Arthur Yap and Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred delos Santos take their oath respectively before Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III.

Marcos made the motion following a Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclamation.

‘Madam Speaker, we are in receipt of the proclamation issued by the Commission on Elections declaring Murang Kuryente party-list as winner under the party-list system in the national and local elections on the 12th of May 2025, and to entitle its nominee, Arthur C. Yap, to sit as its representative in the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines,’ Marcos said.

‘Pursuant to the aforementioned proclamation, I move to allow Arthur C. Yap, representative of Murang Kuryente party-list, to take oath in open session,’ he added. Marcos made a similar motion for delos Santos. Both motions were separately approved by Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan; no one objected.

Prior to Murang Kuryente and Ang Probinsyano, Abono party-list Rep. Robert Raymond Estralla also took his oath of office before Dy.

This means three party-list seats left vacant due to the Duterte Youth party-list’s disqualification are filled up.

Duterte Youth won three seats in the 2025 midterm elections, ranking second with 2.338 million votes. However, the group was disqualified by Comelec based on the following grounds:

Untruthful statements in its petition, particularly on the eligibility of its nominees

No bona fide intention to represent the sector for which the petition has been filed and thus, preventing a faithful determination of the true will of the electorate

It has advocated for violence or unlawful means to achieve its goal

It was established that it is an adjunct or an entity funded or assisted by the National Youth Commission

On Tuesday, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the Comelec en banc decided with finality to cancel Duterte Youth’s registration.

‘The clerk of this Commission just issued today a certificate of finality and entry of judgment on the decision of the en banc [regarding the cancellation of Duterte Youth’s registration],’ Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said on Tuesday in an online interview with reporters.

According to him, the poll body en banc will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the effects of the issuance of the certificate, particularly which party list groups will benefit from the three House seats originally allotted to Duterte Youth.

Garcia said the Comelec came out with the certificate of finality after the Supreme Court did not issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) within 30 days after the en banc upheld the cancellation of the party list group’s registration on August 29.

Originally, the House had a total of 317 seats, but the number grew to 318 following Comelec’s decision to allocate 64 seats to party-lists, instead of just 63.

During the canvassing done by the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) last May 15, a lawyer of the Philreca party-list said their computation shows that there should be 64 party-list seats and not just 63 – asking Garcia to heed their call.

In response, Garcia, sitting as the NBOC head, asked groups to provide their position papers on various issues like the number of seats. After the adjustment, Comelec proclaimed Gabriela Women’s Party as a winner of the party-list race. Last September 23, former Kabataan solon and now Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago took her oath of office as a member of the House.

After a hard-fought win at the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals last May, Cebuana street dancer Sam Rivera known in battles as ‘Nemesis’, is set to represent the Philippines, showcasing Filipino flair, rhythm, and freestyle creativity at the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2025 World Finals happening on October 11 to 12 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. The World Stage Awaits

After months of high-energy dance battles across the globe, the world’s best dancers are converging in Los Angeles for the ultimate one-on-one freestyle showdown. Champions from over 50 countries will bring their unique moves, cultural influences, and raw improvisation skills, creating a competition that’s as unpredictable as it is exciting.

The Philippines’ very own Nemesis is more than ready to face off the top dancers from all over the world, proving Filipinos have what it takes to take on the biggest international stage for street dance.

Training for the Battle After competing as a Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finalist in 2024, Nemesis returned this year stronger than ever, securing the crown at the 2025 National Finals in her hometown Cebu. Since that milestone win, Nemesis has been getting ready, refining her Krump freestyle, endurance, and stage presence to prepare for the world spotlight.

‘This year I’m really in it to win, but I also remind myself to have fun on stage when I’m dancing. Just vibe with the music and trust my body’s instincts,’ said Nemesis. ‘I’m the type of freestyle dancer that doesn’t prepare for sets, I just need to condition my body, relying on muscle-memory, as well as drills, also concepts and ideas to generate movements from there.’

The Filipino finalist also shared how mindset is just as important as physical training: ‘Readying myself mentally and emotionally for the pressure, because LA is where the best dancers are. But I take it as an opportunity to learn from them.’

On Nemesis’ approach for the World Final, she shared, ‘My goal is still to just give a good performance. So others will see that ‘Wow! This is what dancers in the Philippines are like!’ It depends on the crowd, but as long as you give a good performance, other people will see that you’re amazing.’Countdown to the Finals in LA

The Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals will bring together the best of the global street dance scene during the World Finals Week, running from October 7 to 11. The main World Finals competition takes place on October 11 at the Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, where dancers will go head-to-head in freestyle battles, with the twist that the crowd decides who moves forward. Catch the action live on Red bull TV on October 11 at 9 PM (PDT) / October 12 at 12 PM (Philippine time).

With global champions, rising stars, and local heroes in the mix, the competition promises to be an explosive display of creativity and artistry. Only one dancer will walk away as the 2025 Red Bull Dance Your Style World Champion.

Cheer On Nemesis’ World Finals Journey On October 7 to 11 show your support for Nemesis as she represents the Philippines on the world stage in Los Angeles. Follow Red Bull PH and Red Bull Dance on social media for the latest updates.

For more information and updates, visit the official Red Bull website and the following social media pages (Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok )

RJ Abarrientos and Ange Kouame joined Quentin Millora-Brown as new additions to the Gilas Pilipinas pool of coach Tim Cone.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas made the announcement on Tuesday as the pool was expanded to a total of 16 for the 2027 Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers, which start late next month. Gilas will be facing Guam twice in the first window of the first qualification phase.

Kai Sotto is also part of the pool, and could likely see action for the November window if he fully recovers from an ACL injury.

Cone has retained the 12 players he had during the Fiba Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia, namely naturalized player Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos, Kevin Quiambao, AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, Japeth Aguilar, Jamie Malonzo and Carl Tamayo. Millora-Brown was confirmed by Cone to be available for his Gilas debut after his appeal to be a local player was approved by Fiba.

Kouame will be a second option as naturalized player in case Brownlee isn’t available, while Abarrientos was among those cut from the Asia Cup pool.

Gilas will have a longer preparation for the upcoming window after the PBA decided not to hold games in the Philippine Cup for the period of Nov. 17 to Dec. 4.

Right before I discuss everything I know about ‘The Guyver: Bio-Boosted Armor’, I want to give a brief background on how I first got to watch this Japanese manga series. It was in the mid-90s when my cousin from the States visited us, and he brought over various anime VHS tapes, and some of them were of this classic anime series. And from that moment on, when I put in that first tape in the VHS player, my young mind was blown away with what I was seeing.

Why is that?

Simply put, because it was like nothing I have ever seen before, and as a fan of anime like Dragon Ball Z, Ranma 1/2, Yu Yu Hakusho, Samurai X, Slam Dunk, and many others. ‘The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor’ was in an entirely different classification of its own because it was insanely violent, hard-hitting, and almost alien-horror-like in nature, which, with those three characteristics alone, did set it apart from every other anime series I have mentioned. For me, ‘The Guyver: Bio-Boosted Armor’ was a revelation of its time for everyone into anime, no doubt. That is why I still hold this classic anime series in high regard, because despite watching a lot of modern anime, this one still left a mark in my mind for everything it is all about.

I will discuss them below for all of you.

In an era dominated by slick, overly polished, high-budget superhero franchises and endless reboots, there is a certain undeniable raw, visceral, and chaotic energy found only in the cult classics of yesteryear, and certain anime are included in my favorites list. Enter ‘The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor.’ To be clear, I am referring to the 1989 Original Video Animation (OVA) and not previous or later adaptations. It became a favorite of hardcore anime fans, anime VHS tape traders, and late-night cable viewers. Now, in 2025, this treasured classic anime series, I believe, is primed for a resurgence, offering everyone an antidote to the glossy, predictable anime content cycle. This one will break you out of that. All you have to do is watch it.

Why so? ‘The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor’ will make you forget what you know about sanitized superhero origin stories. The Guyver is brutally honest, unpolished, and intensely uncompromising in its storytelling. This isn’t your average anime program, or what’s more, a kid’s Saturday morning cartoon. Haha.. This is an in-your-face body horror adventure that grapples with themes of power, greed, and merciless corruption-(almost like what is still happening in our side of the world) all told with a level of gruesome, ultra-violent, and monster-filled action that makes it feel uniquely fresh even decades later and not dated at all in some respects.

For me, this would be an ideal kind of anime for the current young generation, who have grown up watching the superhero boom, so it would not be a surprise if they get drawn to complex, morally ambiguous anti-heroes that blur the line between superhero and supervillain, because that is the ‘in’ thing now for them. The Guyver’s protagonist, Sho Fukamachi, is a reluctant hero at first. A regular high school kid who accidentally stumbles upon one of the missing ‘alien Guyver Units,’ he is forcefully and painfully merged with a powerful biomechanical armor that has its own built-in defense and offense systems, making him a living weapon of alien origin.

But Sho’s transformation is not a triumphant moment nor a sight to behold, but a hideously grotesque one. The ‘alien Guyver Unit’ latches onto him like an anaconda, and its immense power is as much a curse as it is a gift, constantly threatening to consume him if he loses control of it. Doesn’t this concept tap into the modern anxieties of losing oneself to an external force, making Sho’s accidental anti-hero journey relatable to the current young generation now, despite its monstrous exterior? Long before the internet, social media, news programs, documentaries, whistle blowers, mutants with telepathic abilities, and snail mail, of course, I am kidding about the last two, which all fully exposed corporate and governmental wrongdoings, there was The Guyver’s villainous Chronos Corporation. This mega-company hides its true nature as a global conspiracy of genetically engineered human-monster hybrids, known as ‘Zoanoids.’ Their global quest to retrieve the missing ‘alien Guyver units’ is not just a standard villain plot, but a clandestine, high-stakes hunt and race against time that pre-dates the paranoia of futuristic, apocalyptic, and wasteland movies like ‘The Matrix’, ‘Dark City’, ‘Riddick’, and even the complexities of modern whistleblower stories that can be drama-based, action-oriented, or a mix of both in some cases.

The point is, The Guyver had traits, characteristics, and qualities of everything, and for an anime series from the late 80s, that found its modern audience back in the ’90s, that is not bad at all. It is true that sometimes, it takes time to be appreciated and valued, as The Guyver has begun to re-experience in popular culture.

There is another point that I want to mention, that you will discover an unexpected, deep resonating philosophical quality about this classic anime series that also taps into humanity’s (us) oldest fears about our origins. As the story unfolds, the ‘alien Guyver units’ and ‘Zoanoids’ are revealed to be part of an ancient alien experiment that seeded life on Earth. That right there is a cosmic horror element-the idea that our existence is merely a science project gone wrong by aliens-is a theme for the all too familiar term ‘Gen Z’ or I would prefer to call them the young ones now, they will find this captivating, particularly in a cultural moment in time that is fascinated with ancient mysteries, religious themes, and alien theories. Seriously, they love this sort of stuff. Haha..

However, the only downside is that there are not a lot of episodes; with only 12 episodes in the original OVA series, ‘The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor’ may not be enough episodes for most, but on the upside, you would be able to watch all of them over the coming weekend. At least the number of episodes created based on the manga is not like 100 episodes or something that insane. Haha..Trust me when I say, these episodes are worth it. It is contained, it does not go off the rails, and it does not become overly complicated at all. It is a streamlined, focused story that delves into high-octane action without the different fillers common in a much longer series, and that is why I ended up believing that a dozen episodes are enough. Hey, it has always been about the quality and not the quantity, I believe.

Although I have to say, and this is not a major spoiler, the ending is notoriously abrupt-it is because the manga it’s based on remains unfinished to this day-the journey is well worth the ride, leaving a lasting impression with its originality, visceral nature, intensity, unforgettable action sequences, and violent imagery done with a purpose in mind. And it’s not done for no reason, which has been a far too common situation with many modern anime series that use blood, violence, sex, and other excesses that border on being ridiculous. You guys know what I mean by that statement. Simply put, there are modern anime that are worth all the praise, and some are all mere hype, which constitutes a nothing-burger. Haha..

All in all, for anyone who has grown tired of cinematic universes (the MCU and DCEU), long-drawn programs, and predictable character arcs from stale onscreen characters that resemble something that came out of a cookie factory, making them as generic as they appear, then The Guyver is your break from that, a reprieve, and a must-watch. It may be a relic of a bygone era, particularly my time, when anime began to push boundaries, reveled in its alien-monster-filled madness, and left a lasting, indelible mark on its specific anime genre that, in return, would become hallmarks for future anime series to get inspiration from.

But, in the end, The Guyver from ‘The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor’ became their blueprint. It was that influential to everyone who watched it for the first time during that era, and that is exactly why I am talking about it now to all of you.

Holding firm A. Soriano Corp. (Anscor) has sold its 22-percent stake in casual dining chain operator The Bistro Group to the Cheng family for P1.91 billion.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, Anscor said it had sold its shareholding in TBG Food Holdings Inc. to Inoza Business Holdings Inc., a newly established holding firm affiliated with Progeny Global Holdings Inc.

Progeny, owned by the Cheng family, owns integrated poultry producer Bounty Fresh and limited-service food retailer like Chooks-to-Go and Uling Roasters. The transaction represents value realization by Anscor of its investment in TBG, Anscor said in its disclosure.

New principal

Anscor had acquired a minority stake in the casual dining group in 2024 while the Chengs gained majority control this year. ‘Anscor extends its best wishes to the Bistro and Inoza teams. We are confident they will continue delighting Filipino consumers with their quality dining experiences for many years to come, and we look forward to seeing their continued success,’ it added.

The Philippine Competition Commission approved Inoza’s plan to acquire a majority stake in TBG in August. This was after considering the impact of the deal on the nationwide supply of chicken meat, table eggs, pork and beef. TBG’s brands include Italianni’s, TGI Fridays and Texas Roadhouse. /dda