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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, October 15, announced that the bicameral conference committee for the 2026 national budget deliberation will be livestreamed.

The bicameral conference committee is widely suspected of being a source of corruption after last-minute changes to the national budget were allegedly made during the closed-door meeting.

Lawmakers have been accused of inflating parts of the budget for kickbacks.

In an interview with the media at Malacañang Palace, Marcos said it has changed now.

‘I have an agreement with the Senate President and Speaker na ganun ang gagawin natin. We will livestream the entire process so that if there are questionable, shall we say insertions or additions or all that, it will also be clear who made those changes or who proposed those changes,’ Marcos said.

The president said there is also no longer a small committee making large changes.

Marcos earlier threatened Congress not to make gross changes to the National Expenditure Program, which has repeatedly happened over the past three budget years. During his State of the Nation Address, Marcos threatened to veto the budget that Congress would pass if they changed it.

Now, Marcos said there appeared to be no longer a need to act on this threat after seeing the recently passed budget of the House of Representatives.

‘I do not think, from the last time that I saw the last version of the budget, I did not see anything that broke away from the plans of the national government,’ Marcos said in a mix of English and Filipino.

However, Marcos said that he is not closing the door on a veto, since the process is still ongoing.

The admin is currently experiencing a highly controversial corruption scandal. Several high-profile leaders are suspected of inserting budget into flood control projects for later kickbacks.

While no explicit reason has been given, the corruption scandal has already seen the replacement of both the House Speaker and the Senate President.

Billions of pesos are suspected to have been stolen by officials and contractors in kickback schemes. Despite the high-profile nature of these cases, formal charges have yet to be filed for any government official.

A renewed surge of scams, this time primarily through calls, are hitting Filipinos as fraudsters are employing telemarketing-style schemes to acquire sensitive details like bank details.

Based on Whoscall’s third quarter data, the Philippines is entering a new phase of scam attacks, with criminals focusing their efforts on trying to dupe their targets through calls.

Whoscall, developed by Taipei-based innovator Gogolook, monitored a 78-percent spike in scam calls to 62,390 in the third quarter, from 34,964 in the second quarter.

Gogolook country head Mel Migriño said scammers are abusing the financial and telco industry practice of hiring third-party telemarketers to sell promos to customers. Scammers are using this scheme to deceive victims, pretending, for instance, to offer credit card limit upgrades.

Migriño expects scam calls to become more prevalent in the remaining months of the year. Given this, she warned Filipinos to be extra cautious when taking calls, as fraudsters will try to exploit the holiday season to promote fake incentives, promos and rewards.

On top of this, Whoscall reported a 32-percent surge in risky links to 27,510, attributed to scams that have shifted to chat apps, online platforms and social media.

Whoscall detected a 43-percent increase in loan-related links to 25,309, and it also flagged 1,926 travel scams ahead of the usual trips during the Undas break and Christmas season.

In contrast, Whoscall recorded a 94-percent drop in gambling links to 275 due to the government’s crackdown on illegal sites.

Migriño believes scam calls can hit six-digit levels in numbers in the fourth quarter, as scammers will work double time in duping as many victims as they can during the holiday period. As such, she urged Filipinos to report dubious numbers and risky links so authorities can check on them.

Scam Watch Pilipinas co-founder Jocel de Guzman also appealed to Congress to amend the SIM Registration Act. He said it is urgent for policymakers to place a cap on the number of SIMs that can be owned per individual.

In raids on scam hubs, De Guzman said authorities have uncovered criminals owning as many as 2,000 SIMs, all of which are used for fraudulent activities.

Whoscall is an app that can detect scam-linked numbers through its global phonebook, alarming users if calls and texts they are receiving are coming from bad actors.

Miguel Tabuena enters the $1-million Macao Open brimming with confidence and purpose, carrying momentum from a strong showing at the Indonesia International Championships two weeks ago.

The Filipino ace closed with a sizzling 65 to finish in joint 11th, a performance that not only reaffirmed his form but also boosted his belief heading into one of Asia’s most prestigious golf events.

Adding to the excitement, Tabuena has been grouped with former World No. 1 and English legend Lee Westwood in one of the tournament’s marquee pairings, teeing off at 7:15 a.m. on No. 10 alongside Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai.

The matchup with Westwood – a 44-time professional winner and eight-time Asian Tour champion – provides Tabuena with both a test and an opportunity to prove his mettle against an icon of the sport.

A two-time Asian Tour winner himself, Tabuena has long been considered one of the Philippines’ most promising talents. Known for his smooth swing and sharp iron play, the two-time Philippine Open champion has steadily built a reputation as a big-stage performer.

With course conditions at the Macau Golf and Country Club expected to demand precision and patience, Tabuena’s strategic approach and recent form position him well to contend.

Joining him in the lean but formidable Philippine contingent are Justin Quiban and rising Sean Ramos, both of whom carry their own set of ambitions and potential to spring surprises.

Quiban, a seasoned campaigner on the Asian Tour and a familiar name in regional circuits, tees off at 7:45 a.m. on No. 10 alongside China’s Wenchong Liang and Japan’s Takumi Murakami. With a game built on consistency and quiet resilience, Quiban has shown the ability to make cuts and hang tough in challenging fields.

A breakthrough finish here could be a launching pad as he eyes a deeper run in next week’s $2 million International Series Philippines.

Ramos, one of the country’s most talented young prospects, draws a late tee time – 12:45 p.m. off No. 1 – where he’ll be paired with Christopher Hickman and Yu-Cheng Ho. Though relatively untested on this kind of stage, Ramos is seen as a player with huge upside. His debut in such elite company may come with early jitters, but observers are watching closely to see if he can channel the moment into a breakout performance.

The Macao Open features a loaded field that includes China’s Haotong Li, Korea’s Sungjae Im, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, and Thai defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan. But with Tabuena riding high and Quiban and Ramos bringing hunger and upside, the Filipino trio could well become the week’s dark horses.

More importantly, this week’s championship serves as a crucial tune-up for Tabuena and company ahead of the International Series Philippines, set for next week at Sta. Elena Golf Club. That $2-million event will draw even greater global attention, with former major winners Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, and Louis Oosthuizen headlining the stellar cast.

Joining Tabuena, Quiban and Ramos in that blockbuster event are fellow Filipino standouts Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus, Keanu Jahns, Rupert Zaragosa, Clyde Mondilla, and three-time Asian Tour winner Angelo Que.

Mike Brown rested his top players Monday night (Tuesday Manila time) to get a better look at the New York Knicks’ depth and training camp hopefuls battling for a roster spot.

What he got instead was the team’s worst showing of the preseason.

The Washington Wizards jumped out early and never looked back, routing the Knicks 120-103 at Madison Square Garden.

‘I thought our starters did not bring the energy,’ Brown said after the game. ‘This is probably our worst basketball game overall. We did it in spurts: we weren’t very good to start the game, we weren’t very good to start the third quarter.’

With Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and several key reserves sitting out, Brown opened the game with a second-unit lineup featuring Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, Guerschon Yabusele, Pacome Dadiet and Malcolm Brogdon.

The experiment quickly unraveled. New York’s offense looked stagnant, its defense porous, and the Wizards capitalized, putting up 36 points in the first quarter to seize control.

Still, Brown tried to take positives from the lopsided loss.

‘Great film to learn from because we made a lot of mistakes that have been uncharacteristic of who we’ve been so far,’ he said. ‘Even in practice, we’ve played a lot better than this in terms of what we’re trying to do offensively and defensively. Great learning experience – we’ll all grow from it and hopefully take that step forward instead of just thinking we took a step backwards.’

In addition to his resting stars, Brown said Josh Hart, Ariel Hukporti and Landry Shamet were sidelined – Hart with a lower back injury suffered during the preseason opener in Abu Dhabi, and Hukporti and Shamet due to illness. Brown said it was unfortunate that Shamet, one of three players vying for the Knicks’ final roster spot, could not play.

‘It’s important,’ Brown said before tipoff. ‘We want to try to give some guys some extended minutes to take a look at them tonight. It’s important because they’ve all been busting their behinds, and making that decision is extremely tough.’

The Knicks have until Saturday to finalize their roster. Unless a trade materializes – possibly involving Dadiet or second-year guard Tyler Kolek – New York can only keep one of Brogdon, Shamet, and Garrison Matthews for the remaining veteran minimum slot.

Brogdon, the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year, struggled mightily, scoring just four points on 2-of-7 shooting as the Knicks were outscored by 30 during his 18 minutes. Matthews also had a rough night, missing five of six shots and finishing with six points after opening the preseason strong in Abu Dhabi.

Kolek was the lone bright spot, leading New York with 20 points and six assists, while Clarkson added 12.

‘What Lies Beneath’ stars Kaila Estrada, Sue Ramirez, Charlie Dizon and Janella Salvador shared their thoughts on friendship, stressing the values that they consider important in their platonic relationships.

During the media conference of their series to be shown in Netflix, Kaila said she values her friends and keep her circle small.

“Ako kasi I’m also a reliable friend but also not want to tolerate ‘pag may ginagawang mali ‘yung kaibigan ko. I don’t think you’re being a true friend to that person if you just watch them do bad things and then let them fall apart or do something that will incriminate them as a person,’ Kaila said.

Her co-star, Charlie, has a similar view but she does not hesitate to cut off people especially when she does not share the same values as them.

‘Ako kapag nakita kong may mali siyang ginagawa (ay) sinasabi ko ring agad and kapag itinuloy pa rin niya ‘yung mali na kinonfront ko, well, mag-iba na lang ng landas. Ganu’n talaga kasi mag-kaiba na kami ng values,’ Charlie explained.

For Janella, she believes her strength as a friend is being a good listener.

“I’m gonna listen for everything muna, so, kung mayroon kang gustong sabihin o nagawa mo but after that sobrang i-real talk ko ‘yung friend ko, real talk talaga! Sasabihin ko talaga kung ano ‘yung (consequences o mali niya), what’s up, I’m gonna say it,” Janella said.

Sue said that honesty in friendship is a must. The actress said that friends understand each other better, thus they should be able to know them well and listen to explanation.

Sue also believes that friendship one of the more important kinds of love a person could have.

‘I think nakapa-important ng honesty sa friendship hindi puwedeng sakay ka lang ng sakay sa anong gusto ng kaibigan mo. Iba rin ‘yung input mo sa buhay niya (at) kaya ka niya kaibigan kasi may power ka para mas maintindihan niya sitwasyon, palalimin mo pa lalo ‘yung explanation mo kung hindi ganu’n kalinaw sa kanya,” she said.

‘More than love relationship, I think friendships are the most important. You don’t get anything out of it but trust and love, really. Hindi mo naman makakasama sa bed ‘yung bestfriend mo, ‘di ba? Hindi mo rin naman siya makakasama everyday ng buhay mo kasama mo sa bahay. Pero ‘yung mamahalin ang isang kaibigan, I think it’s one of the most important kinds of love and para ma-maintain mo ‘yun kailangan ng honest ka at kailangan alagaan ‘yung values,’ she added.

Companies in the Philippines are projecting only modest pay increases next year despite facing the steepest employee turnover rates in Southeast Asia.

The 2025 Salary Increase and Turnover Study by British-American consulting firm Aon projects an average 5.3% salary increase across Southeast Asia in 2026, signaling a stable but cautious compensation outlook as firms confirm a region-wide retention crisis and widening skills gaps.

‘The 5.3% regional average reflects stable growth but underscores that competitive pay alone is no longer enough to retain skilled employees,’ Aon said in its analysis.

The study analyzed data from more than 700 companies across six Southeast Asian markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The study shows that while most countries in Southeast Asia are keeping pay hikes moderate, Vietnam leads the region with a projected 7.1% salary increase next year, followed by Indonesia at 5.9%.

By contrast, Singapore and Thailand are among those keeping a tighter rein on compensation growth, with average increases of 4.3% and 4.7%, respectively.

Philippine companies’ dilemma

In the Philippines, salaries are expected to rise moderately by 5.2% in 2026, which is slightly lower than this year’s 5.3% increase. The rate just sits below the regional average.

The country, however, is seen to have highest attrition rates in the region entering 2026, as one in five employees is expected to voluntarily leave their companies.

This projected 20% attrition rate in the Philippines surpasses Singapore’s 19.3% and Malaysia’s 18.2%, underscoring a growing challenge among Philippine employers to hold on to skilled staff amid rising job mobility across industries.

Sectors most affected include information technology, sales, engineering, and cybersecurity, where global demand for digital talent continues to pull Filipino workers toward better-paying opportunities abroad and in multinational firms.

University of Batangas and Immaculada Concepcion College launched their title-retention bids in grand fashion after blasting their rivals at the start of the volleyball competitions in the 2025 PG Flex-UCAL Season 8 on Tuesday, October 14, at the UB Millennium Gym in Batangas City.

The UB Brahmans banked on the deadly duo of Christian Briones and Prince Ramirez to beat the Centro Escolar University Scorpions, 25-18, 25-20, 25-17, while the ICC Lady Blue Hawks demolished Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas Lady Dolphins, 25-16, 25-17, 25-16.

The power-hitting Ramirez scattered 13 points on 12 attacks and a service ace, but it was Briones who emerged as the Player of the Game with his creative plays and timely attacks. Briones tallied 13 excellent sets apart from logging in five points on three attacks, one block and an ace.

For the Lady Blue Hawks, it was Jehiel Moraga who stood out by firing 12 points highlighted by three blocks and an ace.

But the day belonged to ICC’s Gio Devosora, who exploded for 28 points on 24 attacks, two blocks and the same number of services aces in the team’s remarkable reverse sweep win over Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas, 21-25, 16-25, 25-20, 26-14, 15-10.

Other opening-day winners in the distaff side were Centro Escolar University, Olivarez College and Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, while in the men’s side were Manila Central University and LPU-Batangas.

The CEU Lady Scorpions drew 19 points from Lourdes Cinco to outlast UB Lady Brahmans, 16-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-23, while Lovelee Hernandez delivered 14 points in LPU-B’s 25-9, 23-25, 28-26, 25-17 win over Philippine Women’s University.

Devosora was ably aided by Mark Nacor, who scattered 12 points in the league backed by Akari, Smart Sports, Spalding, Hapee Toothpaste, Mighty Bond, Quintana Sports, Vital Purified Drinking Water, Topflite, Crane and Maruyama, CafeFrance and RC1 Lubricating Spray.

StudyIn, the world’s most trusted higher education consultancy, is set to host its first large-scale education fair in the Philippines.

The StudyIn Global University Fair 2025 will take place on November 8 at Makati Diamond Residences, bringing together leading universities and education partners from around the world to connect with Filipinos who want to study abroad. Admission is free.

Meet the top universities from UK and Australia in 1 fair

The Global University Fair marks a milestone for StudyIn in the Philippines, welcoming over 20 top universities from the UK and Australia. The one-day event offers students and parents the chance to meet university representatives, explore academic programs and discover scholarship opportunities.

Highlights include:

Seminars delivered by the British Council, Austrade and StudyIn experts.

One-on-one sessions with university representatives.

Networking opportunities for students, parents and academic professionals.

Admission to the event is free of charge.

Partnerships with student organizations

StudyIn has partnered with key student organizations to extend the fair’s reach and impact:

AIESEC – De La Salle University (DLSU): Engaging globally minded student leaders.

UP CAPES – University of the Philippines: Supporting engineering and STEM-focused students in exploring global study options.

AMSTUD – De La Salle University (DLSU): Providing international pathways for students in American Studies.

These collaborations reflect StudyIn’s commitment to empowering student groups that foster academic excellence, leadership and career readiness.

Academic focus

The fair will highlight academic areas most in demand among Filipino students, including:

Business and MBA programs designed for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs.

Health Science degrees that prepare students for careers in medicine, nursing, allied health and related fields.

Technology and Artificial Intelligence courses at the forefront of innovation.

Engineering and Architecture programs blending technical expertise and creativity.

Students will also gain insights into scholarships and post-study work opportunities, opening doors to international career pathways.

The partner universities attending are:

Cambridge Education Group (UK)

CEG/ Aston University London and University of Hull London

Edith Cowan University

Education Centre for Australia

James Cook University

Leeds Beckett University

Malvern House International Limited

Mander Portman Woodward

Navitas Australia

Regents College London

Sheffield Hallam University

Southern Cross University

St. George’s University

Study Group International Centres

Teesside University

University of Canberra

University of Central Lancashire

University of Chester

University of Hertfordshire

University of Northampton

University of Portsmouth

University of South Wales

On a mission to connect Filipinos to global academic opportunities

Through the Global University Fair, StudyIn aims to connect Filipinos to global universities and opportunities through expert guidance and assistance.

‘At StudyIn, our mission is to open doors for Filipino students who dream of studying abroad. The Global University Fair is a milestone for us here in the Philippines because it connects students directly with top universities and programs that align with the world’s most in-demand careers. Whether it’s healthcare, business, technology or innovation, we want Filipino students to see that global opportunities are within their reach and that they are guided at every step of the journey,’ says Isabel Brotonel, Philippines country manager.

StudyIn works with students across the Philippines to provide free counselling, application support and personalized guidance on studying overseas.

The organization collaborates closely with universities and institutions in key destinations, including the UK, Australia and Canada, ensuring students are supported at every stage of their international education journey.

The recently announced reshuffle at the Department of Transportation, specifically at the Land Transportation Office, gives hope as well as some misgiving.

Hope because the transfer of former LTO chief Atty. Vigor Mendoza to head the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is a better match for a lawyer. In the meantime, the posting of Markus Lacanilao as new LTO chairman places a very knowledgeable man on the job.

My misgivings about the reshuffle has to do with the why. Under many administrations, appointments and reshuffles done during the mid-term has always been met with doubt and suspicion.

Time and again, the move is suspected as intended for ‘fund raising’ for the next election or to generate ‘retirement funds’ for outgoing administration officials. It has happened in the past and under the current tsunami of corruption, suspicions are justified.

We should nonetheless give the appointees the benefit of the doubt and the chance to implement real changes and improve the services, particularly of the DOTr and its agencies. From recent new reports, acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni ‘Banoy’ Z. Lopez is trying to do exactly that.

Believing that the wheel that squeaks the most gets the oil, I humbly request Lopez, Lacanilao and Mendoza to consider the following observations in public roads for the sake of public safety, peace and order.

If you drive late afternoon or evening, there is a possibility that you have been misled into thinking there is a traffic light several cars ahead because of ‘Green Lanterns.’

Drivers would see a ‘green’ light ahead but wonder why the cars were not moving. Once in a while the lights would be red, but Waze or experience tells you there is no traffic light.

Drivers get disoriented while others are triggered to honk their horns so the cars ahead would go through the green light. The green lanterns are actually accessory lights on the top rear of trucks.

I don’t know if this is an actual requirement of the LTO or DOTr, but if it is, might I suggest that the lights be clear or white. This way people don’t confuse them for traffic lights.

While on the subject of trucks, the LTO and DOTr really need to outlaw or ban steel brackets for side view mirrors. Many commercial vans feature these side view mirrors and they are deadly because they extend further out.

Drivers usually tighten them in place so when it hits a rider or a pedestrian, it is certain to do serious damage if not kill someone.

I personally had to assist a young woman pre-Covid time who was hit by such and landed in the hospital with a serious head injury and was bedridden for months! All it takes is a memo to save lives.

Asec. Lacanilao might be able to do a better job with LTO law enforcement regarding Smog Man and Sonic Boom, which describe the state of old jeepneys passing Shaw Blvd., Henry Javier Rd., etc.

Jeepneys seem to have been allowed to get away with violating the law on air pollution and noise pollution. Many such vehicles now create ‘unusual levels of noise,’ enough to trigger Apple watches to warn you of risk to your hearing.

Sadly, the once vigilant LTO was tough on these as well as motorcycles and scooters installed with non-standard exhaust mufflers and head lights. Meanwhile, I regularly see riders not wearing helmets in inner roads of Metro Manila and provincial cities in Batangas.

I hope that the new LTO chief and his staff will not rely on social media videos and reports on motoring websites such as Visor to monitor traffic violations in the comfort of their offices.

While the practice of sending show-cause letters and suspending licenses were OK, people got the impression that it was because the LTO head then was a lawyer more than a law man.

Speaking of law enforcement operations, yesterday morning, Tuesday, I drove alongside two bigger than dump trucks along C-5. I assumed that such heavy laden, often overloaded trucks would stay at ground level.

But as I got closer and closer to the C-5-Ortigas flyover, I was honestly worried and scared for my safety and those around me. One regular dump truck and the two bigger than dump trucks made a beeline for the flyover.

I seriously would have avoided driving alongside them up the flyover because I was reminded of the two bridges in Isabela and Cagayan that collapsed, involving the same type of overloaded trucks.

Imagine my fright as I observed the bigger trucks crawling up the flyover, which meant that they were hauling very heavy materials or, as I said, were overloaded.

Even more frightening was the trucks lurching at the top of the flyover after using so much torque to get to the top. Imagine that on your rear-view mirror along with surround sound! What if the brakes failed?

People have long been asking, even demanding, the DPWH and the DOTr to set up weigh bridges at the entrance of EDSA and C-5. There was even a policy or rule that banned dump trucks going over flyovers.

Shall we wait for an entire family or more people to die before something is done? Probably.

Akari proved that its stunning five-set victory over powerhouse Creamline was no fluke, beating Chery Tiggo, 25-11, 22-25, 29-27, 17-25, 15-7, yesterday in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Annie Mitchem, Eli Soyud and Ced Domingo fired 17, 17 and 16 points, respectively, with Fifi Sharma also providing a lift as the Chargers zoomed to the Group B lead with a 2-0 record.

It came on the heels of a 23-25, 25-23, 30-28, 23-25, 15-12 squeaker over the Cool Smashers, the reigning champions and the league’s yardstick, last Saturday.

The strong start was the significant improvement for the chargers of Akari coach Tina Salak.

‘I saw the character, growth and composure of the team improved. The team is starting to mature,’ she said.

Akari could have wilted under pressure against Creamline boasting 10 crowns and Chery Tiggo, reigning supreme in the Bacarra bubble several years back.

But it did not.

‘Every day, we have a mindset that we want to prove ourselves,’ said Domingo.

It was the Crossovers’ second straight defeat.

In what was expected to be a tightly contested decider, Domingo’s poise and precision under pressure turned the momentum decisively in the Chargers’ favor. She scored three crucial points during a fiery stretch that saw Akari surge to a commanding 9-4 cushion, a lead the Chargers never relinquished.

In the second game, ZUS Coffee routed Galeries Tower, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16, to remain atop Group B with a 3-1 mark. The Highrisers dropped to 0-2.