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The province, which was placed under a dengue outbreak two weeks ago, has recorded 16 deaths and 2,572 cases since the start of the year, prompting public schools to implement emergency mosquito-control measures as children and adolescents account for a significant share of infections.

The provincial government declared the outbreak on Oct. 1 following a sustained increase in dengue cases across several municipalities.

‘As we continue to monitor the dengue situation in Agusan del Sur, surveillance data and assessments conducted in coordination with our partner agencies have revealed a significant increase in cases, prompting the declaration of a provincial dengue outbreak,’ said Katrina Isabelle Cinco, a Nurse II at the Provincial Health Office (PHO).

‘This serves as a serious reminder that dengue prevention requires strengthened efforts, collective responsibility, and unified action,’ she added.

Provincial health data showed that children aged 10 to 14 were the most affected age group, accounting for 18.39 percent of all infections recorded from January to Oct. 15. The mean age of patients was 16.

With school-aged children particularly vulnerable, educational institutions have begun implementing measures to reduce mosquito exposure on their campuses.

Agusan del Sur National High School suspended classes on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 13, to allow fogging and misting operations within its premises.

Hospital admissions

Of the 2,572 reported cases, 1,86 patients, or 73.7 percent, required hospital admission or treatment at health facilities.

Primary care facilities handled 676 patients, while Democrito O. Plaza Memorial Hospital recorded 534 admissions and Valentina Galido Plaza Memorial Hospital reported 315.

The 16 fatalities involved patients aged four to 52.

Bayugan City recorded the highest number of deaths, with six, followed by Rosario with five and Loreto with two. Bunawan, San Francisco and Trento reported one fatality each.

Rosario also posted the highest dengue attack rate, at 12 cases per 1,000 residents, with 649 infections. Loreto followed with six cases per 1,000 residents and 285 infections, while Bunawan and San Francisco each recorded attack rates of four cases per 1,000 residents, with 210 and 361 cases, respectively.

Active screening

To curb the spread of dengue, the PHO has deployed vector-control response teams to barangays identified as hot spots.

Irene Macasarte, a Sanitation Inspector VI at the PHO, said health personnel were conducting active screening in communities to identify suspected cases and facilitate early intervention.

‘We are intensifying our surveillance efforts by deploying our Rural Health Units and primary care facilities to every barangay to conduct active screening and promptly identify individuals exhibiting symptoms of dengue,’ Macasarte said.

Health officials also cautioned residents against self-medication and ignoring early symptoms, emphasizing the importance of prompt medical consultation.

‘Treatment depends on each person’s symptoms and clinical assessment, which is why early consultation with a healthcare professional is essential for proper evaluation and timely detection,’ said Dr. Rosemaricris Perez, a Medical Specialist II at the PHO.

‘If you experience warning signs such as bleeding, persistent vomiting, or severe abdominal pain, seek medical attention immediately rather than waiting for your condition to worsen,’ she added. To help contain the outbreak, the Department of Health in the Caraga region has been promoting its ‘5S Strategy’: search for and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, support fogging in hotspot areas, and sustain hydration.

Gokongwei-backed GoTyme Bank has raised its year-end customer target to 12.5 million from 12 million, as monthly customer additions surged to 450,000-500,000, nearly doubling from its previous pace.

Speaking at the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines infrastructure forum, GoTyme CEO Nate Clarke said the digital bank currently has about 11.5 million customers.

Clarke said they expect to add more than 400,000 new customers per month over the next 12 to 18 months, driven by stronger brand recognition, broader product offerings, and the rollout of Apple Pay in August.

‘There are now seven digital banks. We’re contributing half of the new bank accounts opened every month. We are very hungry for new customers,’ Clarke said.

Despite the faster pace of customer acquisition, however, Clarke said they do not expect to bring forward their profitability target.

‘It’s the cost to acquire new customers. In the short term, the operating expenses will increase as we add an extra 200,000 customers per month. But we’re still targeting profitability next year,’ Clarke said.

‘Loan book growth and disbursements are really good, so that helps us,’ he added.

Clarke stated that deposits have increased by about 80 percent year on year, and he expects transactions to rise by about 100 percent by year-end, in addition to customer growth.

Lenders expect monthly loan disbursements to more than double, reaching about P2 billion by year-end, up from around P1 billion per month previously.

MoreTyme, the bank’s universal credit line, is driving most of the lending growth, while payroll lending for small and medium enterprises is also growing. MoreTyme remains invitation-only for now, with about 1.2 million customers invited to access the product. The bank plans to expand invitations to 2 million customers by the end of 2026 and allow all customers to apply by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

Filipino-Chinese model Randy See, who won the inaugural edition of Mr. Chinatown in 2013, died in a car accident in Manila, just five days before his 35th birthday.

See’s death was confirmed by his partner, Ashelly, through a statement shared on her Instagram page last Saturday, Oct. 17.

‘In the early hours of this morning, Randy was involved in a car accident while driving alone in Manila. He has passed away,’ a rough English translation of her statement in Chinese reads.

Ashelly added that a farewell ceremony is being held for See in Manila until Monday, Oct. 19, with his inurnment scheduled on Tuesday, Oct. 20. No further details about the accident were disclosed to the public.

‘Thank you to all the friends who loved Randy. He will continue to live on in everyone’s memories and hearts,’ she concluded.

Aside from modeling and pageantry, See also had acting stints in the films ‘Feng Shui 2’ (2014) and ‘Beauty and the Bestie’ (2015).

The October 16-18 Home Ownership Weekend follows the partners’ September 8 agreement in Metro Manila. It takes the collaboration into regional communities, where prospective buyers can visit SMDC developments, discuss their housing needs and learn how to prepare for a home purchase.

The regional effort was marked on October 16 by a walkthrough at Glade Residences in Jaro, Iloilo, followed by a symbolic handover ceremony at Molo Mansion. SMDC also presented its Visayas portfolio and growth plans to local and regional media.

The venue added a local connection to SMDC’s homeownership vision. Molo Mansion, the Yusay-Consing ancestral house, was acquired and restored by the SM Group and adapted into a destination for Ilonggo culture, crafts and local products. It brought the discussion of future homes into a place that preserves part of the city’s past.

The activities reflect a broader goal: to help Filipinos pursue homeownership in the places where they choose to live and work. For SMDC, that means developing communities beyond Metro Manila and making information on housing choices and financing easier to access.

‘People build their lives in a community long before they buy a home there. Their work, their family and the people they count on are already part of that place,’ said Jessica T. Sy, vice president and head of design, innovation and strategy of SM Prime and SMDC. ‘For us, building a nation of homeowners means helping more families own a home where they have chosen to build their future. As we grow in the regions, our responsibility is to create housing choices that respect those roots.’

In Iloilo, Glade Residences offers studio and one-bedroom homes in Barangay Balabago, Jaro. Its development plan includes landscaped open spaces, swimming pools and a children’s playground. The location provides access to schools and healthcare institutions, including Central Philippine University and Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center.

In Bacolod, Smile Residences offers condominium living beside SM City Bacolod, while Parkville provides residential lots along Burgos Avenue for buyers planning to build their own homes. These options allow households to consider different ways of owning property based on their space needs, preferred location and plans.

SMDC’s regional portfolio also includes Vail Residences in Cagayan de Oro. This existing Mindanao presence supports its wider ambition to reach more prospective homeowners across Visayas and Mindanao, with the current activities centered on Iloilo and Bacolod.

Through the Pag-IBIG Fund partnership, buyers can ask about participating accredited SMDC projects, request estimated financing computations and understand the documents they need to prepare. The effort builds on SMDC’s established help desk and seller preparation, outlined when the partnership was announced in September.

SMDC also has a regional office in Iloilo that handles sales processing, contract documentation and customer support for buyers in Iloilo and Bacolod. This gives regional customers a local point of contact as they move through the purchase process.

‘Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ‘s Expande 4PH Program, we are working closely with our developer partners to make more quality homes available to Filipino workers and their families at prices and monthly payments they can afford. Through our partnership with SMDC, we are bringing more housing choices closer to our members in Iloilo, Bacolod and other parts of the Visayas,’ said Marilene C. Acosta, chief executive officer of Pag-IBIG Fund.

‘We want our members to have homes that suit their needs and budgets, preferably close to their workplaces, their children’s schools and their loved ones. With homes from SMDC and affordable financing from Pag-IBIG Fund, we hope to help more Filipino families achieve their dream of owning a home in the place they have chosen to build their future.’

Pag-IBIG Fund financing is available for qualified borrowers purchasing eligible properties in participating accredited projects. Pag-IBIG Fund determines borrower eligibility, property appraisal, actual loan amounts and final approval under its applicable requirements.

For a family that wants to stay close to work, school and loved ones, owning a home in its own city can be a step forward. Helping more families pursue that choice is how a nationwide homeownership vision becomes meaningful in everyday life.

Our first in the series of holiday gift guides is for fitness! Historically, the holidays are marked with libations and cheat days. Apart from gifting gym memberships, here are some wearables and tech accessories that can help you track your health and nerd out on the gym floor. We asked the Tech.INQ staff to pick out their recommendations for the holidays.

Apple Watch Series 12 (starts at P28,990)

The latest series of the Apple Watch may be overshadowed with the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max alongside the iPhone Duo later this year. However, we definitely should not sleep on the new Watch because it sports brand new tracking hardware that was never present in any series before.

From the front, the new Apple Watch 12 doesn’t seem like it has anything new. But if you flip it around, you’ll see that it has twice the number of sensors, from the previous four bumped up to eight green sensors so that it can ping your heart rate every 5 seconds. This is very useful for people who are consciously tracking their heart rate or refuse to wear a smart ring.

The Apple Watch Series 12 also comes with a new ceramic version that has a bit more heft starting at P65,990.

Momax 1-vibe bottle (P3,490)

Momax has combined hydration with music. The Momax 1-vibe bottle is a water bottle, magsafe holder, and TWS speaker all in one. This is a minimalist approach to working out at the gym, especially if you’re the type that wants to film yourself or have full view of your smartphone’s controls without putting it down. Momax is also a decent audio brand with IPX7 waterproofing for the bottle lid, which is also the speaker. The bottle holds 750ml of liquid in its double-wall receptacle.

HiFuture Lume Pro (P3,690)

If you’re looking for credible and affordable smart watches, HiFuture’s Lume Pro has a battery life good to go for one week. This beats out many other contenders in the space in terms of price as other watches from Garmin and TREX can cost upwards of P12,000 pesos. This is a fraction of the price. The Lume Pro comes with a 1.85″ square AMOLED display, health monitoring, and 100+ sports modes.

Weofly CURVE2 (P2,495)

If you’re looking for a more traditional round smart watch face, the CURVE2 from Weofly might be another good option for yourself or as a gift. The watch itself is rated for 3ATM waterproof, sleep monitoring, 1.43″ AMOLED (round) display, and at least 5 days of battery life.

Juby of Showtime Baby Dolls has been on the receiving end of criticism after talking about a dream she had that supposedly involved a sexual encounter with her celebrity crush, actor Donny Pangilinan.

Juby revealed this during the girl group’s guesting on the Sunday, Oct. 18 episode of ‘Gandang Gabi, Vice,’ after show host Vice Ganda asked the members’ respective crushes.

‘Para lang kay Donny ang giling-giling ko,’ Juby sang, making a play on the lyrics of the group’s song ‘Oohh Lala Baby.’

‘Meme, may back story kasi ako sa kanya. Hindi ko kasi talaga siya crush na crush, tapos on a random night napanaginipan ko siya. Kine-keme niya raw ako,’ she explained to Vice Ganda, who then burst into laughter.

The exchange circulated on social media including X, with fans pointing out how Pangilinan was sexualized in the conversation. Several netizens also expressed their dismay toward Vice Ganda for not calling Juby out.

‘This is all but cringe, cloutchasing, attention seeking clip. Like why do you normalize sexualizing someone on national TV? In exchange of your dignity and self respect? And how come Vice who’s personally close with Donny allowed this? All for what?! So disgusting and disappointing,’ X user @ixxxaaa said.

This is all but cringe, cloutchasing, attention seeking clip. Like why do you normalize sexualizing someone on national tv? In exchange of your dignity andamp; self respect? And how come Vice who’s personally close w Donny allowed this? All for what?! So disgusting andamp; disappointing.

‘A joke shouldn’t make others uncomfortable, whether it’s the person being talked about or people who aren’t even involved. Sana naisip yan nung nagkwento at nung host. What added fuel to the fire was the supposed ‘friend’ who chose to elaborate pa,’ user @doughnbil wrote.

‘As a host and his friend, you should know the difference between playful banter and sexual objectification. You can acknowledge the dream and move on but you didn’t,’ the netizen added.

a joke shouldn’t make others uncomfortable, whether it’s the person being talked about or people who aren’t even involved. sana naisip yan nung nagkwento at nung host. what added fuel to the fire was the supposed ‘friend’ who chose to elaborate pa. imagine if a man said that about a woman. what happened to your reaction to bong suntay’s comments about your girl friend, compared to your comments about donny now? dahil ba lalaki lang si donny kaya okay lang? may free pass? let’s walk the talk, no? why should the standard change simply because the speaker is a woman and the person being discussed is a man? as a host and his friend, you should know the difference between playful banter and sexual objectification. you can acknowledge the dream and move on but you didn’t. tao pa rin naman yang pinag uusapan niyo. the lack of basic human decency, unnecessary sexual explicitness, and objectification are simply too much.

‘Having a sexual dream about someone is one thing. Publicly turning that person into the subject of your sexual fantasies for entertainment on national TV is another,’ a netizen using the handle @tangingreason said. ‘Men can be objectified, too! Imagine if a man went on national TV and publicly described a sexual dream about a female celebrity in this much detail. Would people find it funny or would they call it inappropriate? And why are we normalizing and tolerating this kind of behavior? We need to stop acting like this is okay just because it’s a joke or a dream.’

Saw a clip and it gave me the ick. Having a sexual dream about someone is one thing. Publicly turning that person into the subject of your sexual fantasies for entertainment on national tv is another. A dream might be involuntary, but choosing to broadcast its intimate details is a different matter entirely. Men can be objectified, too! Imagine if a man went on national tv and publicly described a sexual dream about a female celebrity in this much detail. Would people find it funny or would they call it inappropriate? And why are we normalizing and tolerating this kind of behavior? We need to stop acting like this is okay just because it’s a joke or a dream.

Juby, Vice Ganda as well as Pangilinan have yet to publicly comment on the matter as of this writing.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) begins its first week-long sale today on business class and premium economy seats, offering discounts of up to 40 percent on international flights and up to 60 percent on domestic routes.

According to the Lucio Tan-led carrier, it will offer a 30-percent discount on base fare for international travel between November 1 and March 31, 2027, while travel from April 1, 2027 will carry discounts of up to 40 percent.

Morevoer, domestic travel will feature even higher discounts. Travelers can secure business class or premium economy seats at a 40% discount for trips between November 1 and March 31, 2026. Additionally, those traveling from April 1, 2027, onward can enjoy discounts of up to 60%.

In addition, PAL’s credit card partners will also offer 0 percent interest on installment payments for domestic flights with a minimum transaction of P40,000.

Meanwhile, PAL said travelers booking business class seats may avail themselves of perks such as fast-tracked check-in and arrival through exclusive counters and a dedicated immigration lane in Manila. Premium economy passengers, meanwhile, may also check in via dedicated counters and enjoy priority boarding after business class.

‘More than simply getting from one destination to another, flying in a premium cabin can make all the difference, particularly on PAL’s mid- and long-haul routes where extra space, enhanced amenities and personalized service help travelers arrive feeling more rested and refreshed,’ PAL said on Monday.

In total, PAL flies to 29 destinations across the Philippines and 40 destinations in Asia, North America, Australia and the Middle East.

In the first half, the airline flew 8.2 million passengers and recorded a net loss of $25.1 million as fuel costs skyrocketed to $674.5 million.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to raise interest rates again later this week as inflation remains stubbornly high, forcing policymakers to weigh the need to curb price pressures against signs of weakening economic growth.

All 20 economists polled by the Inquirer expect the BSP to tighten monetary policy at the Monetary Board’s Oct. 22 meeting.

Eighteen forecast a quarter-percentage-point increase, while the other two expect a more aggressive half-point hike.

The central bank’s benchmark interest rate, which influences how banks price loans, stands at 5 percent.

The BSP has raised it by a total of 75 basis points since April, as war in the Middle East drove up global oil prices, putting pressure on net energy importers such as the Philippines and weighing on their currencies.

Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive, discouraging households and businesses from spending and investing.

By cooling demand, the BSP aims to ease pressure on prices and prevent too much money from chasing too few goods. But tighter monetary policy can also weigh on economic activity, which grew by just 2.6 percent in the first half of the year.

Inflation surged to a three-year high of 7.2 percent in September, far exceeding market expectations, as elevated oil prices compounded food supply disruptions caused by heavy monsoon rains.

Although much of the price pressure stems from supply constraints, economists say the BSP must keep inflation expectations in check to prevent a broader cycle of rising prices and wages.

Nicholas Mapa, chief economist at Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., said the BSP was expected to maintain a measured pace of monetary tightening and avoid what he called ‘overzealous’ rate increases.

‘[The] BSP [is] also mindful of inflation expectations but they remain cognizant that monetary policy is less effective against supply side pressures,’ Mapa said.

Aris Dacanay, senior Asean economist at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd., said there was a risk that the BSP’s rate-hiking run could extend into the first half of 2027.

‘Yes, growth continues to sputter. But the risk of inflation breaking out of its cage is too large to ignore,’ Dacanay said. ‘[This] week is unlikely to mark the end of the BSP’s tightening cycle.’

When the BSP raised rates in August, Gov. Eli Remolona Jr. described the move as a ‘preemptive’ response to risks stemming from the ongoing El Niño episode and wage increases. Last week, Remolona said policymakers were bracing for the possibility of a ‘Godzilla’ dry spell.

Pressure on the peso adds another complication. A hawkish US Federal Reserve has bolstered the dollar, weighing on currencies including the Philippine peso, which weakened beyond 63 per dollar for the first time last week.

Emilio Neri, lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands, said the size of this week’s rate increase would likely depend on the peso’s performance in the coming days. If the currency weakens toward 64 per dollar, the BSP could opt for a half-percentage-point increase, he said.

‘A larger hike could also be presented as a pre-emptive move against second round effects and the rapid de-anchoring of inflation expectations, especially ahead of the potential supply shock from El Niño,’ Neri said. ‘Regardless of whether the BSP delivers a 25 or 50-basis point hike [this] week, the balance of risks increasingly points to further tightening in the next six months.’

Jonathan Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong and Co., said a larger rate increase could help anchor inflation expectations amid what he called ‘a series of unfortunate events.’

Filipino-Irish-British model Christina Nadin surprised fans after she appeared at the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, making history as the second Filipino woman to walk the runway of the annual fashion event.

Nadin made her debut during the PINK segment held on Monday, Oct. 19 (Sunday, Oct. 18 in the United States).

In an earlier post on her Instagram page, Nadin celebrated the feat, showing a cake with ‘Congrats! VS Angel!’ written on it. She also shared a clip from when she was informed that she would be part of the lingerie brand’s much anticipated event.

‘Secrets out. Mum, I’m walking the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,’ she captioned her post.

Nadin’s Victoria’s Secret runway debut comes eight years after Kelsey Merritt made history as the first Filipina to walk the lingerie brand’s runway in 2018.

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A post shared by Christina Nadin (@christinanadin)

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A post shared by Victoria’s Secret PINK (@vspink)

The 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show kicked off in California, with American model Bella Hadid opening the event. Joining her were runway regulars Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Bela’s sister Gigi Hadid, Alex Consani, Anok Yai, Ashley Graham, Joan Smalls, Elsa Hosk, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Paloma Elsesser, to name a few.

Barbara Palvin, who previously gave birth to her first child with husband Dylan Sprouse, also strutted the runway in her fifth season in the fashion show.

Aside from the showcase and the live performances by Megan Moroney, Megan Thee Stallion, Tate McRae and Katseye, among the show highlights was Kylie Jenner’s surprise debut appearance donning the Fantasy Bra which is reportedly worth about $50 million.

Cheering for Kylie was her boyfriend, Timothee Chalamet, and her mom, Kris Jenner.

Filipino beauty queen and model, Miss Universe 2018 titleholder Catriona Gray, also attended the lingerie brand’s fashion show at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles.

Gray gave a glimpse of her look for the event, also sharing a photo of herself in the audience alongside Indonesian actress-singer Cinta Laura Kiehl via her Instagram page.

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has abandoned its earlier plans to build its next major data center in the Visayas or Mindanao, instead scouting locations in Calabarzon for new facilities as it seeks to capitalize on the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

Converge cofounder and CEO Dennis Uy said the fiber broadband provider is planning two additional data centers, with Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas among the potential locations. These would add to its existing facilities in Pampanga and Metro Manila.

At the same time, Uy said one of the proposed facilities could become Converge’s largest data center yet, with a potential capacity of 80 megawatts (MW).

The company’s largest existing facility in Angeles, Pampanga, has an initial capacity of 12 MW, expandable to 36 MW, making the new facility significantly larger. Converge also operates data centers in Caloocan and Pasig, as well as Clark, Pampanga.

‘It’s the biggest,’ Uy told reporters last week. ‘This is for AI.’ Keeping data centers in Luzon marks a departure from Uy’s position in 2025, when he said Converge was considering locations in the Visayas and Mindanao for a potential 100-MW data center that would have been the company’s largest.

Beyond expanding its physical infrastructure, Uy said Converge is also developing a token-based platform that would let subscribers access multiple large language models, depending on their preferences and needs.

Although Converge already has expansion plans on the drawing board, Uy emphasized that developing data centers would require substantial investment and several years of preparation.

According to Uy, building a hyperscale data center costs at least $10 million per MW, meaning a facility of the scale Converge is considering could require capital expenditures of around $800 million, or P50 billion.

Despite the substantial costs, Uy remains intent on expanding Converge’s data center footprint as the company seeks to catch up with its more established telecommunications rivals, PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc.

PLDT’s data center arm, Vitro Inc., is already preparing to pursue a real estate investment trust (REIT) listing next year, the first of its kind in the Philippine data center sector. Globe, meanwhile, is a partner in the STT GDC Philippines consortium and has also expressed openness to pursuing a similar route for its data center assets.

Asked whether Converge was considering a REIT listing of its own, Uy said he saw no immediate need.