Legaspi family stars in 1st show together ‘Hating Kapatid’

The Legaspi family of Carmina Villarroel, Zoren Legaspi, and twins Mavy and Cassy are all set for their first television series together “Hating Kapatid.”

The show “Hating Kapatid” promises to deliver a gripping tale of love, betrayal and redemption.

At the heart of the story is Carmina’s Roselle who has long harbored feelings for her childhood best friend, Zoren’s Cris who marries another woman who while wealthy comes off toxic.

As cracks begin to show in Zoren’s marriage and Roselle finds herself vulnerable, the two give in to a moment of weakness.

Roselle becomes pregnant but, unwilling to destroy Cris’ marriage, decides to raise the child alone despite Cris’ secret intention to take the infant. A delayed internal delivery a month later leaves Roselle with twins Belle and Tyrone (Cassy and Mavy).

Adding further depth to the series are Valerie Concepcion, Bobby Andrews, Leandro Baldemor, Mercedes Cabral, and rising stars Vince Maristela, Cheska Fausto, and Haley Dizon.

Adolfo Alix Jr. directs the series on a script by Luningning Ribay assisted by fellow writers Maria Christina Velasco, Renato Custodio, Wiro Michael Ladera, and Jai Shane Cañete.

“Hating Kapatid” premieres on October 13 and will run Mondays to Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. on GMA.

DILG probing alleged data breach of 40 million records

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is investigating an alleged data breach on its full disclosure policy portal wherein around 22 gigabytes of internal data were leaked.

Deep Web Konek, a cybersecurity advocacy organization, said more than 40 million records from the FDPP system such as audit trails, logs, attachments and user information were leaked.

Sought for comment, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said they are validating the supposed data breach.

‘I’ll get to it,’ Remulla said.

The hacker is said to be the same actor who defaced a DILG web directory.

Deep Web Konek said the cyber attack included a quote from the attacker: ‘Anyone can be corrupt given the opportunity to do so, but corruption remains a matter of CHOICE.’

There were also reports of websites by government agencies and local government units being hacked by threat actors.

The hackers left messages protesting corruption in flood control projects.

Among the affected websites were from local governments in Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.

Magnitude 6.7 quake hits Davao Oriental waters

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Davao Oriental on Friday evening – the strongest to hit the area since a magnitude 7.4 tremor rattled the region earlier in the day.

The quake was recorded at 7:12 p.m. and was felt across several parts of Mindanao, prompting a tsunami warning in nearby coastal provinces, according to state seismology agency PHIVOLCS.

The agency first reported the magnitude at 6.9 before revising it to 6.7.

Shaking felt across Mindanao. PHIVOLCS said Intensity IV shaking was felt in the cities of Davao and Bislig, and throughout Surigao del Sur. Instrumental intensities were also recorded in Magpet in Cotabato, Digos City in Davao Del Sur. Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental, Nabunturan in Davao de Oro, Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental, Malungon, Alabel in Sarangani, Tupi in South Cotabato, and Hinunangan in Southern Leyte.

Tsunami warning. Authorities are residents in coastal areas of Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Surigao del Norte to move to higher ground after PHIVOLCS issued a tsunami advisory.

The agency said forecast tsunami waves could arrive between 7:12 p.m. and 9:12 p.m.

Evacuation orders were issued in several towns as emergency response teams were deployed to monitor possible aftershocks and wave surges.

Casualties. At least one person was confirmed dead from the earlier magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the Davao region on Friday morning, causing widespread panic and power interruptions.

Authorities said damage assessments are ongoing, with reports of collapsed structures and minor landslides still being verified.

EDITORIAL- ‘Haunted hospitals’

Besides hundreds of non-existent or ghost flood control projects, the nation is now learning about ‘haunted hospitals.’

Unlike the flood control projects, the government health centers are in existence. But only 200 of 600 health centers built under the health facilities enhancement program or HFEP of the Department of Health are reportedly functional as of this year.

DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa had described the HFEP as the department’s own version of the flood control mess. Herbosa disclosed this during the plenary debates at the House of Representatives on the P253-billion budget proposed by the DOH for 2026.

Launched in 2008, the HFEP is supposed to provide funds for government health facilities to enhance access of the poor to health care. At the outset, the program aimed to augment the number of barangay health stations, rural health units, district and provincial hospitals as well as medical specialty centers. But many of the facilities could not operate due to lack of health professionals and other personnel.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno noted that over P170 billion had been allocated in the past decade for DOH infrastructure and equipment requirements alone. Including funds for personnel and commodities, the amount rises to P400 billion.

Despite those billions and the existence of the hundreds of health facilities under the HFEP, the government found it necessary to launch separate healthcare programs such as those under the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations.

AICS and other unconditional dole-outs received more official attention apparently because they politicized healthcare and other ayuda programs, with politicians allowed to endorse patients and use the programs for their self-promotion by taking personal credit for state-funded aid.

The HFEP highlights the waste of precious public funds when project implementation is not properly coordinated. If public funds will be spent to construct a health facility, there must be sufficient coordination and follow-through with local government units and other relevant agencies to ensure that there will be enough personnel to operate the facility. Otherwise the structure will become a white elephant that will deteriorate with the passage of time.

Staffing health facilities has been a problem for a long time in this country as nurses, doctors and other health professionals opt for higher pay abroad. The problem reached crisis proportions at the height of the COVID pandemic.

Poor people lacking access to health care bear the brunt of the problem, but ultimately, all taxpayers are hit, as billions in public funds go down the drain.

Flu surge forces schools to shift to online classes

Several schools have either taken a health break or shifted to online classes amid a reported spike in flu-like symptoms.

Adamson University said it is implementing deep cleaning and disinfection from Friday to Saturday, during which the university will be closed. Students will take their lessons online.

Normal office operations will continue on Monday, the university said.

National University Fairview has announced limited onsite classes, only allowing lab work for college students. However, both senior high school and college students will have most of their sessions online until October 11.

Prior to these announcements, several other schools had already issued a health break.

The University of Santo Tomas Junior High School also announced a three-day academic health break following an increase in flu-like symptoms among students and faculty. The school shifted from onsite to online classes from October 7 to October 9.

San Beda College Alabang had also announced a health break from October 6 to 7, ‘due to the increasing number of health and medical concerns among learners.’

While Ateneo de Manila University did not implement a health break, the school issued a health advisory for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines season.

‘Whether in crowded events or small group gatherings, we are exposed to health risks like respiratory diseases, especially in indoor activities where ventilation may be limited. The cold and damp environment promotes the proliferation of many viruses, including flu and rhinoviruses, particularly during rainy days,’ Ateneo said in a memo.

Some of the measures the university encouraged people to take include proper handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes.

People are also encouraged to routinely clean the surfaces of commonly touched objects and improve ventilation in their homes.

PAL urges creation of airport masterplan

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has urged government and private partners to come up with a Unified National Airport Masterplan to increase the country’s chances of keeping up with peers on visitor arrivals.

At the 2025 Philippine Aviation Summit, PAL chief operating officer Carlos Luis Fernandez said public and private stakeholders have to immediately craft a masterplan for airport development.

The masterplan has to outline the role of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the future, as gateways in Clark and Bulacan are competing for air traffic in Mega Manila.

Fernandez said the government also has to invest in upgrading secondary airports so they would be able to handle domestic and overseas flights. Without such an investment, he warned that the Philippines would stay behind Southeast Asian neighbors on visitor arrivals.

Last year, the country handled 60 million passengers through primary and secondary hubs. This is far from the air passenger traffic of regional peers, including Indonesia’s 156 million, Thailand’s 119 million, Vietnam’s 109 million, Malaysia’s 94 million and Singapore’s 68 million.

Singapore recorded more traffic through its single international airport in Changi Airport, when the Philippines operates nine gateways capable of handling foreign flights.

‘We need a masterplan standardizing secondary airports through night-rating, runway extensions and upgraded air navigational aides so they can serve as reliable mini-hubs,’ Fernandez said.

He also underscored that peers are building up their network of international airports, as Indonesia now manages 14; Vietnam, 12; and Thailand, nine.

The country is also struggling to boost cargo volume in spite of its favorable location in the heart of Asia and the Pacific. The Hong Kong International Airport is able to airlift five million tons of cargo, but all Philippine gateways can only combine 700,000 tons.

‘Every hour of delay threatens the freshness of tuna, bamboo and vegetable products and it adds cost to electronics and garment exports. By expanding cargo facilities in main hubs and enabling secondary airports to handle cargo efficiently, we can give micro, small and medium enterprises a fighting chance to reach their markets worldwide,’ Fernandez said.

By consolidating airport plans, Fernandez said the country can capture a larger share in Southeast Asia’s international arrivals, estimated to reach at least 187 million by 2030.

PAL, for its part, has committed to launch new flights and more frequency in its hubs across the Philippines in support of efforts to improve the country’s air travel.

P9.14 million petroleum products seized in Batangas

Petroleum products valued at P9.14 million have been seized by agents of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group from three suspects in Balagtas, Batangas on Monday night.

The CIDG said criminal charges have been filed against the suspects identified only as Ed, Sama and Sid for violating Presidential Decree 1865, which penalizes the illegal trading and distribution of petroleum products.

The suspects were arrested after residents sought the help of the police regarding a fuel pilfering activity in Barangay Balagtas.

CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said the suspects were caught pilfering fuel from two trucks parked in the area.

The trucks contained 40,000 liters of diesel, unleaded and premium fuel valued at P9.14 million.

Brigiding enters ‘Slaysian Royale’ finale as favorite after 3 badge wins

Queen energy literally reigned the penultimate episode of “Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale” as the remaining four contestants cemented their status as the Final Four.

Three Filipina queens -Divine Diva sisters Vinas Deluxe and Brigiding of “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1, and Arizona Brandy of the following season – were joined by the sole international queen remaining, Suki Doll of “Drag Race Canada” Season 2.

The ninth episode of “Slaysian Royale” saw the four drag queens amp up their performances in the Music Video Challenge featuring the song “High Time” by Reyn4 (pronounced as “reyna”).

Reyn4, the first all-Filipina girl group launched by World of Wonder, features the three “Drag Race Philippines” winners Precious Paula Nicole (the last Divine Diva), Captivating Katkat, and Maxie Andreison as well as Season 1 runner-up and “Drag Race UK vs. The World” finalist Marina Summers.

The group assisted the contestants in making their music video additions while Marina served as the episode’s guest judge alongside “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 16 winner Nymphia Wind, the franchise’s first East Asian winner as she is part-Taiwanese.

Suki Doll and Vinas Deluxe had issues shooting the music itself while Arizona Brandy and Brigiding slayed the challenge.

Meanwhile, for the fashion runway bearing an awards night theme, Viñas Deluxe wowed the judges with a campy big mouth ensemble accompanied by her witty makeshift trophy that truly showed her brand as the Pambansang Bunganga.

It was Brigiding however who came out on top to win a third Ru Badge, the most of the season, capped by an elegant celestial look embodying her “brightest star” brand.

After Arizona was declared safe and a finalist with Brigiding, Viñas and Suki were pitted against each other for a heartfelt lip sync battle to the song “Power” by Morisette Amon.

Host Paolo Ballesteros called a double shantay for Viñas and Suki, handing their places in the “Slaysian Royale) finale which will air on October 15.

Adonis Production House will be holding a special “slaygendary” finale viewing party featuring over 25 drag queens and an afterparty with 10 of the 12 “Slaysian Royale” contestants.

Three for Boxing Hall of Fame

There have been only 13 of 504 inductees in the International Boxing Hall of Fame from Asia and the list includes four Filipinos. The percentage of Filipinos is less than one percent despite the proliferation of outstanding fighters, promoters and managers.

The enshrined Filipinos are Flash Elorde (inducted in 1993), Pancho Villa (1994), Papa Sarreal (2005) and Manny Pacquiao (2025). Three Filipinos who deserve to be inducted are former world middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia, ‘Thrilla In Manila’ referee Carlos (Sonny) Padilla and referee Bruce McTavish.

Garcia turned pro in 1923 and compiled a record of 120-30-14 with 76 KOs up to 1945. He died in 1981 at 74. The oldest of six children, Garcia was born in Biliran and finished first grade before taking to the streets to do odd jobs. He learned to use the bolo hacking stalks in sugar cane fields, built up muscle as a blacksmith, worked in a bakery and took on all comers in streetfights. Garcia became a full-time prizefighter and was brought to California by his manager Jes Cortez in 1932. He failed in two bids to win the world welterweight crown, losing decisions to Hall of Famers Barney Ross and Henry Armstrong then finally ascended the throne in the middleweight division, stopping another Hall of Famer Fred Apostoli in the seventh round in New York City in 1939.

Garcia was one of only six fighters to hold Armstrong to a standoff and was the first man to floor World War II hero Ross to whom he lost three decisions. In their first encounter, Garcia decked Ross twice in one round, employing his dreaded ‘bolo’ punch. In the book ‘Barney Ross: The Life of a Jewish Fighter,’ author Douglas Century recounted how Garcia was close to scoring a KO. ‘Ross stumbled back to his corner and in at least one telling of the tale, Art Winch struck a match, holding the flame to Barney’s bare back to get the fighter to respond to the standard questions,’ wrote Century. ”What round is it?’ Barney stared mutely into his spit pail. ‘End of the first,’ he said at long last. ‘Barn, it’s the fifth.’ Fighting on street instinct and sheer muscle memory, Barney hung in for a decision but his face and body were battered.’

No Filipino fighter has won more bouts than Garcia who made his first title defense at the open-air Rizal Football Stadium before over 40,000 fans who witnessed his 13th round KO of Glen Lee in 1939 with Jack Dempsey as referee. President Manuel Quezon was at ringside and sat beside Garcia’s mother Pascuala Pieras. How could the Hall of Fame ignore the only Filipino world middleweight titlist ever, the man who dethroned a Hall of Famer, held Hammerin’ Hank to a draw and floored another Hall of Famer twice in the first fight of a trilogy?

Padilla, 91, worked nearly 70 world title fights in a career that spanned almost 40 years. In 1975, he was the third man in the ring with Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier at the Araneta Coliseum. His performance in the ‘Thrilla In Manila’ led to world-wide acclaim and he wound up with big-ticket assignments involving legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Mike Tyson and Pacquiao. Surely, he deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.

Lastly, McTavish logged over 150 world title bouts and was named WBC Referee of the Year thrice. For over 14 years, he was the main lecturer in referee seminars at the WBC Convention. His assignments brought him all over the world, including Siberia and the Klong Perm Central Prison for Women in Bangkok. He worked Pacquiao’s last appearance in Manila against Oscar Larios in 2006. McTavish passed away last July at 84.

Mynt CEO Martha Sazon among Fortune’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Asia 2025

For her transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to financial inclusion, Martha Sazon, the president and CEO of Mynt, the parent company of GCash, has once again been recognized as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Asia 2025.

This marks the second consecutive year she has earned a place on the prestigious list, which honors the most influential women shaping the future of the region across industries, including business, science, entertainment and sports.

Appointed in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sazon steered the country’s leading finance superapp through a period of rapid growth and transformation. With over 30 years of cross-industry experience, she led the platform to become the Philippines’ first and only $5 billion unicorn, now used by eight in 10 Filipinos.

Guided by its vision of ‘Finance for All,’ GCash has built the country’s largest and most inclusive cashless ecosystem, enabling millions of Filipinos to access payments, savings, credit, insurance and investments. To date, it has disbursed P287 billion in loans to 9.5 million borrowers, 90% of whom are first-time users of formal credit, underscoring how GCash and its lending services are opening the doors of financial inclusion. Most borrowers are women, low-income earners and residents outside Metro Manila, reflecting the deep reach of GCash across underserved sectors.

Its GSave service now reaches one in four banked Filipinos while GInsure has expanded access to protection, providing over 63 million affordable insurance policies nationwide.

Moreover, Sazon has been widely recognized for her leadership and innovation, being named the 2022 Master Innovator for Digital Transformation by the Mansmith Innovation Awards, 2023 Woman of the Year by the Asia Leaders Awards, recipient of the 2024 Front and Female Business Leader Award from Tatler, and one of Fortune’s 2024 Most Powerful Women of the Year (Asia).

Her influence continues to resonate globally, with GCash becoming the first Philippine company welcomed into the World Economic Forum’s Unicorn Community-a testament to its growing international relevance and to Sazon’s vision of building a more inclusive and sustainable digital future for all Filipinos.

The Fortune 100 MPW Asia rankings honor 100 leading women leaders who are transforming business across Asia’s major financial, consumer, and technology centers, as well as the transport, aviation, industrial and energy sectors-where scale, digitalization and supply?chain resilience define competitive advantage.

Their innovative strategies and leadership are driving market growth, scaling new platforms and shaping Asia’s business landscape.