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Gwen Zamora surprised fans after she revealed her pregnancy with her third child with her husband, basketball player David Semerad.

Zamora announced that they are expecting anew by showing a video of herself flaunting her baby bump while at the gym, through her Instagram page on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

‘Busog lusog. Let’s go round 3!’ the caption reads.

In the pilot episode of their reality series ‘The Semerads: Halfie Together!’, the couple opened up about the pregnancy, admitting ‘it was not supposed to happen for another one to two years.’

‘I just got sexy,’ Zamora quipped.

Zamora and Semerad nonetheless looked forward to meeting the new addition to their family, revealing they have already prepared names for their baby No. 3.

‘Maybe this is really in God’s time because we’re still young, and the kids will be closer in age,’ Zamora said.

Semerad added, ‘Syempre it’s a blessing.’

Zamora and Semerad welcomed their firstborn Cooper in 2019, and their second child Amber Mae in 2023.

The couple got married twice-the first wedding was held in France in 2021, then the second one was in Batangas in December 2022.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will open its solar energy loan to qualified pensioners today, expanding its financing programs for retirees as it observes National Pensioners’ Week.

The Ginhawa Solar Energy Loan (GSEL) program helps active government workers finance the purchase and installation of residential solar energy systems. It became available in March 2026.

Under the program, qualified pensioners may borrow up to P500,000, payable over five years at an annual interest rate of 5 percent. The loan does not carry a service fee or application fee.

Furthermore, the GSEL expansion forms part of several changes GSIS has made to its benefits and services for retirees.

Among these is the expansion of the annual Christmas Cash Gift, which now covers qualified pro-rata pensioners and pensioners covered by the Portability Law.

Consequently, eligible pensioners receive an amount equivalent to one month’s pension or P10,000, whichever is lower.

In addition, GSIS also recently raised its funeral benefit to P50,000 from P30,000 for qualified members and pensioners who died on or after July 13, 2026.

Moreover, it likewise removed the previous cap on survivorship pensions, allowing qualified surviving spouses to receive up to 50 percent of the deceased member or pensioner’s pension.

Furthermore, GSIS has also been providing financial relief through its Balik Ginhawa loan-refund program, which will accept applications until the end of October.

As of Sept. 21, the agency said it had returned nearly P20 billion to more than 700,000 qualified members and pensioners, covering nearly 1.6 million loan contracts.

SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC), the hospitality arm of SM Prime Holdings Inc., is expanding into the premium leisure tourism market with the development of a new Shangri-La resort in Hamilo Coast, south of Manila.

SMHCC is partnering with Shangri-La Group to develop Shangri-La Santelmo Cove, a coastal resort slated to open in 2031.

The resort will feature about 40 villas and 50 rooms and suites, set within a protected cove known for its coral reefs, sea turtles and marine biodiversity.

The project marks SMHCC’s entry into the premium island resort segment as it expands its hospitality portfolio beyond city hotels and convention facilities into leisure destinations.

‘Shangri-La Santelmo Cove marks an important milestone in SM Hotels’ portfolio as we venture further into the island and leisure tourism landscape,’ SMHCC Executive Vice President Peggy E. Angeles said.

Angeles said the partnership combines SMHCC’s experience in developing hospitality destinations in the Philippines with Shangri-La Group’s international experience in operating hotels and resorts.

‘For SM Hotels, this project represents more than the addition of a new property to our portfolio. It is an opportunity to help shape the next generation of Philippine leisure destinations,’ she said.

Shangri-La Group Chief Operating Officer Sunny Paw said the project would build on the hotel group’s more than two-decade presence in the Philippines, where it operates properties in Manila, Boracay and Cebu.

‘Shangri-La Santelmo Cove presents a unique opportunity to celebrate the Philippines’ natural and cultural treasures,’ Paw said.

The resort is expected to incorporate nature-focused design and sustainability measures, with the partners positioning the development as a destination that balances high-end hospitality with environmental stewardship.

For SMHCC, the project is also expected to support Hamilo Coast’s development as a leisure destination while creating long-term tourism value for the area.

‘We are proud to partner with Shangri-La in creating a resort that allows guests to experience the beauty of the Philippines in a way that is both exceptional and mindful of its surroundings,’ Angeles said.

Alas Pilipinas’ Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella emerged as the last Filipino pair standing after the Philippines was denied an all-Filipino semifinals affair in the Asian Games women’s beach volleyball on Wednesday.

Pagara and Progella booked their fifth straight win, outlasting Japanese Ren and Non Matsumoto, 24-22, 22-20, on Wednesday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

However, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons weren’t able to forge an all-Philippines showdown after falling short against Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphonapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee, 17-21, 21-12, 13-15.

Pons and Rondina were two points away from completing an epic comeback, 13-11, but the Thais scored four straight points to get away with the victory and set up a semifinal clash with Progella and Pagara.

The tandem dubbed as SiPons couldn’t repeat their Pingtung Open semis victory against the Thais. Kongphopsarutawadee also exacted sweet revenge on the Filipinos after losing in the Southeast Asian Games final last December.

The unbeaten Filipino pair of Progrella and Pagara survived a neck-and-neck duel against the resilient home bets, squandering a 19-16 lead in the second.

The Matsumotos tied the set at 19 before Progella stopped the bleeding. Ren forced another deadlock, but Pagara took matters into her own hands, scoring off the block to regain match point, 21-20. She ended a long rally scoring off Japan’s overpass to advance to the semis.

Pagara and Progella carry the Philippines’ hopes to win a beach volleyball gold medal, as the first pair from the country to reach the Asian Games semis.

The other semis bracket features an all-Chinese duel, with Shuting Cao and Jie Dong taking on Xinyi Xia and Xu Yan.

The provincial government of Zamboanga Sibugay has warned against the proliferation of falsified mining permits, following the interception of an illegal mineral shipment bearing the forged signature of Governor Dulce Ann Hofer.

In an advisory on Tuesday, the provincial government clarified that consistent with existing regulatory frameworks on mineral transport, Hofer ‘has not issued and will not issue’ any Ore Transport Permit (OTP) or Mineral Ore Export Permit (MOEP) to any individual, group, or commercial entity.

‘Any individual, group, instrumentality, or company possessing, using, and/or claiming to operate under an OTP or MOEP allegedly issued by the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay is hereby considered unauthorized and shall be subject to investigation and appropriate legal action,’ the statement read.

The Zamboanga Sibugay provincial government urged citizens to immediately report suspicious mining transport activities.

The provincial warning came on the heels of a joint inter-agency operation on Sunday, September 28, at Pulawan Port in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, where authorities arrested 52-year-old truck driver Ramil Tolibas after he presented a fraudulent OTP permit bearing Hofer’s falsified signature.

At around 1:00 p.m. Sunday, personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Maritime Police, and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) intercepted the wing van, with plate number AAV-4007 and owned by ‘UCHO,’ driven by Tolibas.

Engr. Grant Rey Prenala, of MGB-13), confirmed that the presented OTP was fake and carried a forged signature of Hofer.

He said only the MGB can issue mineral transport permits and not local government executive offices.

The wing van yielded 505 sacks of suspected high-grade mineral ores.

Tolibas admitted during questioning that the cargo was loaded in Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte, and was bound for Cebu City. The falsified permit listed FILI Dragons Mineral Trading, an enterprise based in Mandaue City, as the supposed owner of the shipment.

Following the seizure, Zamboanga del Norte Governor Darel Dexter Uy ordered intensified surveillance against illegal mining operations across the province to enforce environmental laws and protect local natural resources.

The appointments of Vince Dizon and Giovanni ‘Banoy’ Lopez as acting secretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Transportation (DOTr), respectively, have been extended, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto confirmed on Wednesday.

‘We’ve extended the appointment of Sec. Dizon and Sec. Banoy at the appropriate time. The president will submit for confirmation to the Commission on Appointments… But for now the president has extended the appointments of these two cabinet members,’ Recto said in an interview. Sen. Imee Marcos recently scrutinized Dizon’s position at the DPWH, flagging that his acting capacity at the agency had exceeded the one-year limit.

She grilled Dizon over his attendance at the DPWH’s budget hearing at the Senate on Sept. 25. She cited the Administrative Code, which states that appointed officers in an acting capacity may serve for only up to one year.

Dizon said he would confer with the senator’s brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on the matter.

On Sept. 1, 2025, Dizon was appointed acting secretary of the DPWH after serving as head of the DOTr for only six months. He was replaced by Lopez at the DOTr on the same day.

The Supreme Court (SC) has directed respondents in the petition filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal to file their comments on his plea to declare Republic Act (RA) No. 12326 unconstitutional and stop the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Named respondents in the petition were the Office of the President, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Commission on Elections.

During Wednesday’s full court session, the SC told respondents to comment on the petition as well as on the prayer of Macalintal to issue a temporary restraining order or a status quo ante order against the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 12326 that extends the term of office for barangay an SK officials to five years.

Respondents were given 5 days upon receipt to submit their comment.

The SC directed the respondents to comment on the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by Romulo Macalintal challenging the constitutionality of RA12326, as well as his request.

RA 12326, enacted on Sept. 24, 2026, fixed the terms of barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan to five years and postponed the November 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to November 2028.

In his 26-page petition filed on Monday, Macalintal urged the SC to issue an immediate temporary restraining order or a status quo ante order to stop the implementation of RA 12326.

Macalintal argues that the new law violates the electorate’s right to vote by postponing the 2026 BSKE under the guise of fixing officials’ terms of office. He claimed that it effectively allows incumbent barangay and SK officials to ‘hold over’ their positions for three years, or from December 2025 to November 2028.

He said the 2026 elections were already delayed because the last BSKE election was held Oct. 30, 2023, with the succeeding election supposedly set for December 2025.

This is the third time that Marcos has signed a law amending the BSKE law.

University of Santo Tomas avoided disaster to notch its second win in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball, beating University of the East, 98-87, at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.

The Growling Tigers led by as much as 23 points before the Red Warriors made it interesting and threatened to pull off a comeback in the fourth quarter.

Fortunately for coach Pido Jarencio, his team had all the answers to keep UE at bay and winless after four games.

‘They (UE) know how to play. They might be 0-3 but they have a new coach and the players want to show out so in the second half they got some momentum,’ Jarencio said in Filipino.

‘At least we were steady in the end to get the win. That was our story. As long as we get that W, it doesn’t matter by how much, as long as we win.’

Trailing by 10, the pesky Red Warriors unleashed a 7-3 rally capped off by a triple from Toper Lagat to slice the lead to six, 86-80, with 5:24 remaining.

Mark Llemit called a ceasefire and sank a jumper to halt UE’s run and extend UST’s advantage to 88-80 with under five minutes to go.

The Red Warriors continued to fight, even slashing the deficit again to six, 89-83, before Llemit shut the door on UE with a triple to put the Tigers up, 92-83, with 2:39 left in the game.

Llemit ended up with a season-high 22 points that went with seven rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block for UST, which improved to 2-1. Amiel Acido scored 16 while Collins Akowe tallied a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Lagat led UE, which crashed to 0-4 even under a new coach, with 22 points, while Mo Tanedo and Cole Cruz-Dumont added 16 and 12, respectively.

President Marcos’ economic team will soon convene to review its macroeconomic and fiscal targets, as policymakers seek to incorporate the latest developments, including the administration’s planned tax reforms.

Speaking to reporters, Romeo Balanquit, assistant secretary at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), said the interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) will meet in November to revisit the targets.

The DBCC is chaired by the secretary of DBM.

Balanquit said the meeting would discuss the impact of the Department of Finance’s proposed tax reform package on the revenue target of the government.

On spending, he said policymakers would unlikely make any adjustments as the current level is already deemed supportive of economic growth without straining the government’s fiscal space.

‘We would be able to adjust some estimates on the revenue side,’ Balanquit said. ‘On expenditure, we cannot afford to even lower it further.’

2026 target

Malacañang has said Mr. Marcos wanted to have a tax reform package-projected to raise P518.71 billion between 2027 and 2030-enacted this year.

The plan includes higher levies on sweetened drinks, tobacco and alcohol, single-use plastics and wealth.

This is expected to more than compensate for the estimated P326.92 billion the government expects to forgo by expanding personal income tax exemptions and exempting small businesses from the minimum corporate income tax.

The Marcos administration has set a P1.658-trillion budget deficit ceiling for this year, equivalent to 5.4 percent of gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, the government is aspiring for economic growth of between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent this year.

But in the first half, growth averaged only 2.6 percent as the conflict in the Middle East intensified and government spending remained weak following a major corruption scandal.

Bagabag town showcased a giant ‘buko’ (coconut) pie display made up of 480 standard-sized pies during the 23rd Pabbalat Festival and its 285th Founding Anniversary on Tuesday.

Bagabag Mayor Benigno Calauad told reporters that the giant display of buko pies, which had a 15-meter diameter, was given free to residents who attended the gathering.

Vendors cooked the pies along the buko pie alleys in the town. ‘We talked with the tourism officer and the buko pie makers to prepare the giant display, and these were consumed quickly,’ Calauad said.

The festival would be more exciting next year with a longer buko pie preparation. Buko pie is the town’s signature draw and is its One Town-One Product (OTOP), the mayor added.

Tourists and occasional travelers usually drop by the Bagabag alleys to purchase the famous snack.

Provincial Tourism Council Chairperson Ruth Padilla, who joined the event, said she was surprised to learn that many buko pie makers hail from Bagabag.

‘These delicious buko pies are associated with the town so let us maintain the quality of the cooked products and ensure the availability of the goods every day,’ she said.