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The towering Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, a landmark sculpture by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva, stands watch as families visit the graves of their departed loved ones at Eternal Gardens along Baesa Road in Caloocan City on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to observe All Saints’ Day.

Beneath the monument, families lay flowers, light candles and offer prayers, keeping cherished memories alive through a tradition passed down generations.

The observance continues on November 2, All Souls’ Day, when Filipinos traditionally remember and pray for the souls of the departed.

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga-Long celebrated as the undisputed Culinary Capital of the Philippines, Pampanga has officially cemented its place on the global gastronomic map.

Four of the province’s beloved dining spots have earned coveted honors in the inaugural Michelin Guide Philippines, proving that local flavors can capture the hearts-and palates-of international food critics.

During a glittering ceremony in Manila late last week, the Michelin Guide unveiled its 2027 selection, featuring 127 standout establishments across Metro Manila, Cavite, Pampanga, and Cebu. Among them, Pampanga’s dining institutions shone brightly.

Good food, great value

LEADING the local contingent are Apag Marangle in Guagua and Tito Boy in the Clark Freeport Zone, both awarded the prestigious Bib Gourmand distinction-an honor reserved for restaurants serving high-quality cuisine at exceptional value.

For Apag Marangle, known for its immersive farm-to-table Capampangan dining experience, and Tito Boy, celebrated for its modern, flavorful take on local comfort food, the award highlights a shared commitment: delivering soul-satisfying meals without compromising on accessibility.

Adding to the celebration, Tito Boy’s service team took center stage as Clyde Joshua Zafra received the Michelin Guide Service Award, recognizing outstanding hospitality and dedication to the guest experience.

Celebrating local heritage

ROUNDING out Pampanga’s honorees are Souq in the City of San Fernando and the legendary Mila’s Tokwa’t Baboy in Angeles City, both officially named as Michelin Selected establishments.

The recognition for Mila’s-famous for pioneering the iconic sizzling sisig and crispy tokwa’t baboy-underscores how humble, time-tested heritage cooking stands shoulder-to-shoulder with modern culinary concepts like Souq’s artfully curated comfort dishes.

Milestone

THE nationwide guide marks a monumental moment for Philippine dining, featuring one two-star restaurant (Helm), nine single-star establishments (including Toyo Eatery, Gallery by Chele, and Asador Alfonso), 31 Bib Gourmand spots, and 86 Michelin Selected venues. Special honors were also bestowed on Francis Lacson of Digámo (Young Chef Award) and Rob Job Sanchez (Exceptional Cocktail Award).

First published in France in 1900, the Michelin Guide relies on anonymous inspectors to assess dining establishments worldwide. While Michelin Stars represent peak culinary precision, the Bib Gourmand and Selected categories celebrate authenticity, consistency, and passion.

For Pampanga, this international recognition is more than a list of awards-it is a testament to generations of culinary craft, drawing global food enthusiasts to experience the rich flavors of the province.

Binance, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, said Friday that hackers stole more than $6 billion in what appears to be the largest cryptocurrency heist on record. Blockchain firms have pointed to the attack coming from a North Korean hacking unit.

The company said it has reserved more than $6.34 billion of company funds to cover the stolen assets and was beginning to recover assets for users. Binance worked with blockchain partners to freeze roughly $3 billion in affected assets.

The cryptocurrency exchange has promised to cover all losses, and it has been sharing regular updates on its social media channels as it uncovers more information about the hack.

‘We are working nonstop to resolve this,’ Binance’s co-CEO Richard Teng said Friday in a video posted to X.

In an exchange Friday with reporters at the White House, President Donald Trump said US officials were investigating the Binance hack. Asked whether North Korea was involved, Trump said: ‘We’re looking at that.’

Here’s what we know about the hack, possible North Korean involvement and Binance’s investigation.

North Korean hackers are suspected in the attack

Binance said on X that an initial investigation suggested the incident may have involved a compromised laptop, but that a subsequent investigation uncovered additional ‘points of breach.’

US-based blockchain intelligence firm TRM, in a post on its website late Thursday, attributed the attack to TraderTraitor, which it described as North Korea’s elite hacking unit. ‘We make this judgment with high confidence,’ the firm said.

‘An attacker moved approximately USD 6.36 billion out of Binance wallets on ten blockchains, most of it in about 20 minutes,’ TRM said. ‘Several features of this attack match earlier North Korea-linked heists.’

Blockchain analysis company Chainalysis also believed the Binance hack was likely carried out by TraderTraitor, its co-founder and CEO Jonathan Levin wrote on X.

Asked about the potential ties to North Korea, a Binance spokesperson said only that the company is ‘working closely with our law enforcement partners to confirm the identity of the criminals and bring them to justice.’

Experts have said that North Korea turned to crypto hacking and other illicit cyber activities in recent years as a source of badly needed foreign currency to support its troubled economy and fund its nuclear program in the wake of tough UN sanctions and other difficulties.

In December 2022, South Korea’s spy agency said North Korean hackers had stolen an estimated 1.5 trillion won ($1.1 billion) in cryptocurrency and other virtual assets over the past five years, more than half of it in 2022 alone. It said North Korea’s capacity to steal digital assets was considered among the world’s best.

Many are calling this the biggest crypto theft on record

While about half of the stolen assets were frozen, there is evidence that the hackers already are transferring and converting some of what wasn’t recovered, said Garrick Hileman, an independent cryptocurrency analyst.

‘Like in money laundering, you bring in the stolen goods and launder those through a mixer or tumbler,’ he said. ‘You mix it in with other cryptos, and it’s harder to track.’

How long it will take the hackers to turn that into something usable isn’t clear, he said. ‘The bottom line is there are places in the world where you can take your bitcoin and get that converted,’ Hileman said.

TRM and several other crypto firms and experts have said the hack represents the largest cryptocurrency theft on record.

In February of last year, another cryptocurrency exchange, Bybit, suffered a $1.5 billion hit when it was hacked. The FBI said North Korea and TraderTraitor were responsible for the hack. TRM listed the Bybit hack when it referenced similarities between the Binance hack and previous attacks linked to TraderTraitor.

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Binance’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, wrote on X that while Binance’s hack might be the largest in terms of its dollar value, previous attacks on other companies like the crypto exchange Mt. Gox have had a more substantial impact in terms of the bitcoin amount affected, he said.

Experts warn this scale of hacking could become more commonplace.

‘A cyber attack of this level is a matter of when, not if, particularly alongside the rise of AI,’ said Andy Ward, a senior vice president at Absolute Security. ‘Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and widespread as ever, and it is likely only a matter of time before an even larger hack, with even greater financial fallout, makes headlines.’

Where experts-and Binance-say things went wrong

The hack has raised questions about why stronger approval controls were not in place, said Kok Tin Gan, co-founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm NyxLab.

‘This looks like one signature that gave the attacker a never-expiring, full-access token to a Binance hot wallet,’ he said, referring to cryptocurrency wallets that hold users’ ‘private keys,’ or unique authorizations, digitally and that are connected to the internet.

Teng, Binance’s co-CEO, confirmed in a nearly five-minute video posted on X Friday that Binance’s own hot wallet was affected. ‘User assets are held under Binance’s established security architecture,’ he said. ‘The vast majority sits in cold wallets’-which are offline and used for secure storage-‘and are only moved into a hot wallet when a user makes withdrawal.’

Teng said Binance’s tech and security teams are ‘still deep’ in investigating the hack. He said it was not carried out by one person and that the attackers used complex tactics, including a ‘self-destruct mechanism’ that is making the incident more difficult to investigate.

‘We are working with law enforcement, blockchain intelligence firms, token issuers and other exchanges to trace and recover stolen funds,’ Teng said. ‘We will do everything within our power to make sure that these bad actors will be held accountable.’

Binance has said deposits were unaffected, while withdrawals have been suspended and are expected to resume in the next day or two.

The National Food Authority (NFA) said using 1-metric ton (MT) bags for its palay purchases slashed handling time and costs, providing additional procurement funds.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said a pilot test on the toner bag system at their warehouse in Davao del Sur showed a 75-percent reduction in handling time and a 50 percent cut in handling costs.

‘Work that used to take an hour can now be completed in just 15 minutes, while handling costs are halved. Using tonner bags also allows us to make better use of warehouse space,’ he added.

For Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who chairs the NFA Council, the potential savings could benefit farmers by allowing the grains agency to stretch its procurement budget and buy more palay from them.

‘For our rice farmers, this means we can potentially procure more palay with the same resources. If we can lower handling costs and use our warehouses more efficiently, more of the NFA’s resources can go toward buying palay at a fair market price from our farmers.’

Launched in October 2025, the pilot uses tonner bags in three NFA branches in Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, and Davao del Sur.

The Davao del Sur trial covers receiving, weighing, handling, and stacking, but excludes milling and distribution, it added.

Each bag is made of woven polypropylene designed to resist moisture and dust. Reinforced lifting loops allow forklifts to move the bags, reducing manual lifting, sack sewing, and stacking, according to the NFA.

‘This is part of our efforts to ensure that our stocks are food-safe and to make NFA operations more efficient and modern,’ Lacson said.

He added that the agency aims to set warehousing standards that the private sector can emulate.

The pilot also found that moisture levels remained within safe limits and spillage was minimal during the observation period. Pest infestation ranged from light to moderate and remained manageable.

The trial, however, identified operational gaps that should be addressed before wider adoption.

These include standardizing fumigation procedures for bulk stacks, testing bag compression and structural strength to establish safe stacking limits, and developing pest-control protocols suited to bulk storage.

The NFA said it would continue monitoring the system and refining its procedures before considering broader implementation.

The United States said it is moving to deepen military coordination with the Philippines, with U.S. Ambassador Lee Lipton reaffirming Washington’s commitment to Manila days after Defense Secretary Hegseth announced increased security cooperation funding and a new alliance modernization initiative during talks with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. in Cebu.

The renewed U.S.-Philippines defense initiatives come as Washington and Beijing continue high-level engagement despite intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Washington, where he and U.S. President Trump discussed trade, technology, artificial intelligence and regional security while agreeing to sustain dialogue through new mechanisms, including a China-U.S. AI Dialogue. Trump later said he expects to meet Xi again in China this month.

In a statement ‘addressed to the people of the Philippines,’ Lipton said the United States remains committed to the Philippines and a shared vision of a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific following Hegseth’s visit for the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).

‘Following Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s very successful visit to Cebu for the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, I want to reaffirm the United States’s enduring commitment to the Philippines and our shared vision for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific,’ Lipton said.

The statement followed a bilateral meeting between Hegseth and Teodoro on October 28 on the sidelines of the ASEAN defense meetings, where the two officials discussed security cooperation, alliance modernization and military posture initiatives.

According to a readout released by the U.S. Defense Department, the two defense chiefs agreed to launch an ‘alliance command and control modernization sprint’ aimed at enhancing real-time bilateral coordination and strengthening alliance resilience. They also welcomed progress in implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), including investments in critical infrastructure and storage facilities across the Philippines.

Hegseth likewise announced an increase in U.S. security cooperation funds to accelerate the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and enhance interoperability along the First Island Chain, a strategic arc stretching from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines. U.S. officials did not disclose the amount of additional funding.

In a separate post on X, Hegseth said he and Teodoro discussed ‘modernizing alliance C2, security cooperation, and deterrence in the South China Sea.’

‘We are accelerating efforts to modernize (the Armed Forces of the Philippines) and enhance our interoperability along the First Island Chain,’ he wrote.

In the US foreign policy and strategic context, the First Island Chain is the US defense strategic maritime perimeter stretching from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines, serving as a geographic barrier to Chinese naval expansion and the primary line of forward defense for the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific.

The Cebu engagements also included a separate meeting among the defense ministers of the United States, the Philippines, Japan and Australia, reflecting growing security cooperation among the four countries.

In another post on X, Hegseth described the talks as productive and said the four countries were moving ‘beyond words to practical cooperation along the First Island Chain.’

‘Deterrence is built on real capability and ready partnerships,’ he said. ‘We are moving beyond words to practical cooperation along the First Island Chain, bolstering readiness to ensure peace through strength.’

The remarks underscore increasingly close coordination among the four countries as they seek to strengthen deterrence and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific amid continuing tensions in the South China Sea.

For his part, Lipton described the U.S. commitment to Philippine security as ‘ironclad,’ citing joint military exercises, expanded maritime cooperation, disaster response support, public health assistance and security cooperation programs as evidence of the alliance’s strength.

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, the ambassador said the alliance remains a cornerstone of regional security.

‘As we mark 75 years of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, our message is clear: our alliance is stronger than ever,’ Lipton said.

He added that the United States stands firmly with the Filipino people in defending sovereignty, protecting territorial integrity and upholding freedom of navigation.

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Beyond defense cooperation, Lipton said Washington is seeking a stronger economic partnership with Manila, stressing that reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade remains essential to shared prosperity.

During the ASEAN defense meetings in Cebu, Hegseth also proposed developing a U.S.-ASEAN framework for defense cooperation focused on maritime domain awareness, interoperability and cooperation among regional navies. The proposal is expected to be discussed further as Singapore assumes the chairmanship of the ASEAN defense process next year.

The Philippines recently concluded its hosting of the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and the 13th ADMM-Plus, where regional defense leaders discussed security challenges and practical defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Philippine officials said the meetings highlighted the importance of sustained engagement by dialogue partners, including the United States, in supporting regional peace and stability.

Padel Pilipinas juniors won two division titles at the Play Padel Greenfield Open 2026 recently in Mandaluyong City.

Gio Manito, 19, and partner Jack Cruz won the Men’s Gold division after huge come-from-behind victories.

Manito and Cruz stunned defending champions Antoine Boutain and Juan Thomas De Carranza, 0-6, 6-1, 6-4, in the semifinals before rallying past French-Spanish pair Amaury Brucker and Enrique Marchán, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, for the title.

Manito, a member of Padel Pilipinas’ grassroots program in Talisay City, Cebu, was among the first athletes introduced to the sport through the initiative.

In the Men’s Bronze division, 16-year-old Abdulracman Pangcoga and 18-year-old Hanie Omar beat Carlo Principe and Firas Abdulriham, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4), in the final.

Thirteen-year-old Lailah Al-Mosa and 12-year-old Althea Panarigan completed the medal haul with a third-place finish in the Women’s Bronze division.

The results highlight the progress of Padel Pilipinas’ grassroots program, which has held nationwide clinics since 2023 to introduce the sport to more communities.

In August 2025, the federation partnered with the Talisay City government to open Cebu’s first padel courts and the country’s first public padel courts. It also recently held a three-day grassroots and coaches’ training program at Ormoc City’s public courts, home to the Philippines’s second public padel club.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are urging countries across Eastern Africa to strengthen preparedness and surveillance measures as heavy rainfall and flooding associated with El Niño increase the risk of Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks.

RVF is an acute viral disease that affects livestock, including sheep, goats, cattle, buffaloes and camels, and can also infect humans. The virus is transmitted mainly by mosquitoes, while the movement of infected animals can contribute to its geographical spread. Humans can also become infected through direct contact with infected animals or animal products.

Heavy rainfall and flooding linked to El Niño, which is approaching record strength, encourage the spread of RVF by expanding mosquito breeding sites and potentially disrupting veterinary services. Current El Niño conditions are comparable to those observed in 1997-98, when one of the largest recorded RVF epidemics and epizootics affected Eastern Africa.

The countries currently assessed as facing the highest risk are Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Risk is also increasing in Burundi and Rwanda, while lower but growing risks exist in the Comoros, northern Madagascar, the Department of Mayotte, south-western Saudi Arabia and western Yemen.

In their latest alert, FAO and IGAD are calling on affected countries to strengthen risk-based surveillance, pre-position vaccines and essential supplies, and enhance coordination across sectors and borders through a One Health approach.

The alert is delivered through the world’s largest Global early warning and prevention system for animal health (FAO-EMPRES). For more than 30 years, through continuous disease monitoring, risk assessment, forecasting and timely risk communication, EMPRES has helped Members anticipate animal disease threats and take appropriate prevention and preparedness measures.

Above-average rainfall and flooding are expected across most of Eastern Africa. The heaviest rainfall is forecast for southern Ethiopia, Kenya, and central and southern Somalia, where there is a greater than 90 percent probability of receiving more than 400 mm of rainfall.

Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania are also expected to experience wetter-than-normal conditions. The western Indian Ocean islands and parts of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly western Saudi Arabia, face increased flood risk. Drier-than-normal conditions are expected in southern Sudan and across Southern Africa. Warmer than average temperatures are forecast for much of the Greater Horn of Africa.

Based on the October 2026 forecast of the FAO RVF Early Warning Decision Support Tool (RVF DST), conditions suitable for RVF transmission are expected to increase across much of Eastern Africa between October 2026 and January 2027.

Following a long period of rainfall deficits, rainfall has picked up in recent weeks in parts of southern Sudan, western South Sudan, eastern Ethiopia, southern Somalia and coastal Kenya, with heavy rains and a rising flood risk in Ethiopia and Somalia.

According to the RVF DST, Tanzania currently has the largest area classified as suitable for RVF transmission, followed by Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and southern Sudan. New suitable areas have also emerged in southern Somalia, Rwanda and Burundi. With heavy rains forecast for the rest of the season, suitable areas are expected to expand further, including in Uganda.

These conditions are likely to create ideal mosquito breeding habitats. Combined with livestock movements, they could increase the risk of outbreaks and make surveillance and response more challenging.

NEW Bilibid Prison (NBP) officials on Monday strongly denied reports alleging a two-week water shortage inside the national penitentiary and dismissed claims that prisoners or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were being forced to pay for access to clean water.

NBP Superintendent Gary Garcia addressed the allegations, explaining that while the prison’s water pumps are currently non-functional, repairs are actively underway – a situation previously disclosed by Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. during a media briefing.

To offset the reduced supply caused by the ongoing pump maintenance, Garcia emphasized that BuCor has engaged water concessionaire Maynilad to deliver clean water to the facility.

Detailed operational records show that between October 29 and November 1, 2026, Maynilad completed eight separate deliveries of 10 cubic meters each to NBP’s Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC), amounting to a total volume of 80 cubic meters. In addition, agency fire trucks carried out five supplemental water deliveries-three on October 30 and two on November 1.

The RDC incurred a daily water expense of P14,538.54 during the period, bringing the total cost for the four days of Maynilad deliveries to P58,154.16.

Garcia clarified that all expenses incurred from the emergency water supply are fully subsidized by the government, reassuring the public that no inmate is required to pay for water.

‘I held a dialogue with the PDLs yesterday, and they confirmed that the water supplied by Maynilad and the water delivered by BuCor fire trucks are free of charge because the agency is shouldering the expenses,’ Garcia said.

He denounced the extortion claims as a deliberate ‘demolition job’ designed to tarnish his reputation and sabotage ongoing reforms within the prison system. He suggested that the false reports may be a retaliatory move by certain sectors inside the compound affected by BuCor’s aggressive contraband crackdowns, locally known as ‘Galugad’ operations, inside the RDC.

Garcia assured that BuCor remains committed to restoring the main water pumps promptly while maintaining continuous delivery through Maynilad and agency fire trucks to safeguard the health and well-being of the inmates. He vowed to press ahead with internal cleansing efforts inside the country’s main penitentiary despite pushback and smear campaigns.

During a supposedly surprise inspection, recently reinstalled Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon lambasted key officials of Victory Liner Bus Inc. after discovering that the toilets in one of its bus terminals had no running water. In another inspection, while a manager was attempting to explain his side, Dizon hurled expletives, loudly interrupting the poor fellow. I understand Dizon’s frustration. The commuting public deserves better service, and government agencies must demand accountability from the entities they regulate.

However, while several facilities across the country experience similar problems, not all shortcomings are necessarily attributable to negligence or incompetence. Some may have legitimate and even excusable explanations. What I find difficult to rationalize is Dizon’s apparent penchant for publicly shaming the very entities his agency regulates, whether in his previous capacity in Public Works or now in Transportation. With television cameras rolling, his inspections often turn into public spectacles in which people are berated and humiliated. Some have described him as a disruptor. His management style, however, appears to rely heavily on a public shaming campaign, a practice that became more conspicuous in government during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

To be fair, inspections, particularly unannounced ones, are effective management tools. They keep organizations alert, prepared, and focused on the services they are supposed to deliver. At the military academy, we experienced all kinds of inspections in our barracks, day and night, to keep us on our toes. After all, once deployed in combat areas, soldiers must be ready to fight at any given moment.

In law school, surprise quizzes are a regular staple of my teaching. They ensure that students come to class prepared. I sometimes joke that they are my way of distinguishing good students from very good ones. When I was with the Bureau of Immigration, I adopted a similar approach. I visited offices and ports of entry and exit without prior notice to determine whether immigration officers were actually doing what they reported to the main office. These inspections and audits usually ended with detailed discussions of what had been observed, what needed improvement, and how deficiencies could be addressed. No expletives. No public shaming. There is a difference between demanding accountability and humiliating people. The former is an exercise of leadership; the latter can easily become an abuse of authority.

Expectedly, Bible readers will remember the occasion when Jesus Christ became angry in the temple. He drove out the money changers and those who had turned His Father’s house into a marketplace. His anger was not an uncontrolled outburst born of personal frustration. It was a response to the desecration of what was sacred. His indignation was directed at the wrongdoing and the exploitation taking place, not at the pursuit of personal revenge against those involved.

Righteous anger is not an excuse for losing self-control. It is anger directed toward correcting what is wrong and restoring what is right. It does not nurture bitterness or settle personal scores. Most importantly, righteous anger leads to godly action rather than personal gratification. Government leaders would do well to heed James 1:19-20: ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.’

The process of making things better begins with understanding what works and what does not. Much of that information can be obtained from the very people who deliver the services. Leaders must learn to listen. When listening is coupled with empathy, it produces dividends. By listening patiently and humbly, without prejudgment and with the genuine intention of understanding, leaders encourage their people to become more open and transparent. They become more willing to identify problems, offer solutions, and accept responsibility. Proverbs 17:27 reminds us: ‘The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.’

Leaders like Dizon can be firm without being insulting or demeaning and decisive without abandoning restraint. They must learn to exercise anger only when it serves a righteous purpose. For those who wish to understand how to exercise righteous anger, they need not look further than Jesus Christ. His example in the temple teaches us that anger must have a proper object, a justifiable purpose, and a moral foundation.

Dizon and other government officials must be careful about their propensity to tongue-lash people during inspections. Public shaming may produce immediate compliance, as people scramble to avoid another embarrassing appearance on television. Shame can compel people to obey, but it cannot inspire them to genuinely become better. Lasting improvements come from sustained accountability and a culture that encourages people to do what is right even when no cameras are watching.

Leadership is never measured by how loudly one can berate subordinates. It is measured by how effectively one brings out the best in others while holding them accountable. After all, the objective of an inspection should be to improve public service, not to manufacture a public spectacle at someone else’s expense. Media ought to help by not sensationalizing these ‘angry inspectors.’

Siegfred has a diversified set of education and experiences which has made him a game changer and a servant leader in organizations. His professional degrees came from the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA. His corporate experiences include stints as general counsel for the country’s flag carrier, a food exporter with manufacturing plants in Davao and in Laguna, and a sports distributor company. Siegfred is a former soldier and a lawyer by profession, a teacher and inspirational speaker by passion, and a book author and a writer with a mission.

Nearly nine in 10 mobile broadband tests conducted by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) at Metro Manila’s major bus terminals posted download speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps), but Smart Communications Inc. failed to meet the regulator’s standard for dropped calls.

Of the 128 test campaigns the NTC completed, 114, or nearly 90 percent, recorded download speeds of at least 50 Mbps, the regulator said.

‘Reliable mobile connectivity is essential in transport terminals, particularly during periods when large numbers of Filipinos travel to reunite with their families,’ NTC Deputy Commissioner Andy Castelar said.

Smart, however, registered a call drop ratio of 5.26 percent, well above the prescribed standard of less than 2 percent.

Dito Telecommunity Corp. (Dito) and Globe Telecom Inc. both recorded an average call drop ratio of zero percent, meeting the standard.

On speed, Dito posted the highest recorded download speed at 851 Mbps at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX). Smart followed with 456 Mbps, also at PITX.

Globe’s fastest recorded speed was 330 Mbps, logged at the Raymond Transportation terminal in Quezon City.

All three mobile network operators (MNOs) achieved an average short message service (SMS) success ratio of 100 percent, surpassing the prescribed standard of more than 99 percent.

‘The Commission commends our MNOs’ readiness to heed the public’s reliance on mobile telecommunications services to communicate with their families, coordinate their trips and access essential information throughout their journey this Undas 2026,’ Castelar noted.

The NTC called on all MNOs to take note of the results and give their utmost attention to improving the service.

The regulator said it will continue its monitoring and validation activities nationwide and will pursue appropriate regulatory action, as may be warranted, to keep telecommunications services reliable and responsive to the public.

The tests covered 12 terminals: Victory Liner Cubao, Superlines Cubao, Baliwag Transit Cubao, Five Star Bus Cubao, HM Transport Inc., Raymond Transportation, Bicol Isarog, Florida Bus Terminal Cubao, Araneta Bus Terminal, PITX, and the Victory Liner and Florida Bus terminals in Sampaloc, Manila.