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Three days shy of a year after Bronny James made his preseason debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in this desert arena, the NBA’s most famous son resumed his quest to show he belongs in the big leagues.

While his 1-for-12 shooting performance in the Lakers’ opener wasn’t ideal, James felt his effort Friday night was another step forward in a process that’s already showing results to coach JJ Redick. Bronny James scored eight points while LeBron James and Luka Doncic sat out of the Lakers’ 103-81 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Bronny’s 40-year-old father is progressing deliberately in his return from a minor nerve injury to begin his record 23rd NBA season, while Doncic is also ramping up with caution after his busy summer playing for Slovenia at EuroBasket.

That left plenty of playing time in the Coachella Valley for depth players like Bronny James, who hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter for his only field goal. He missed his other seven 3-point attempts while struggling for buckets alongside fellow 2024 draft pick Dalton Knecht, who was 2 for 10 with 1-for-7 shooting from distance.

‘I felt like they were pretty good shots,’ said Bronny James, who turns 21 years old on Monday. ‘Not rushed, not forcing anything. Didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted to, so a lot of them were short, but most of them were on line. I felt like I could have made those. I felt like I took some good shots.’

Bronny’s confidence was undiminished by those misses after the Lakers opened their preseason in the same arena where Bronny James first played alongside his famous father in October 2024. The Palm Springs-area fans who rumbled with anticipation whenever Bronny touched the ball a year ago didn’t react much this time around. The novelty of Bronny’s presence has faded while he continues to grow into something much more than a sideshow.

Bronny was in the Lakers’ first substitution group, and he played nearly 23 minutes. He gave a consistent defensive effort with intermittent effectiveness as he works to become the impact defender that Redick believes he can become with more growth.

‘Definitely felt like I was more comfortable, especially with the ball in my hands, and with the defensive and offensive schemes,’ Bronny said. ‘But I’m just trying to feel it out. Feeling my way still and just continuing to grow.’

Bronny appeared in 27 games for the Lakers during his rookie season, even making basketball history by playing alongside his father in the opener. But he accomplished much of his growth in the G League, where he averaged 21.9 points and 5.5 assists for the Lakers’ affiliate.

After a summer of hard work, Bronny is demonstrating progress to Redick. ‘He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player,’ Redick said of Bronny. ‘Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there’s a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings, and doing it 5-on-5. . He’s a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level.’

Austin Reaves scored 20 points to lead the Lakers’ starters, which included newcomers Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia with Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Bronny James wasn’t the only Lakers player trying to stand out on defense. Ayton had eight rebounds and just one point while taking only two shots in 18 minutes, but he also blocked two shots while demonstrating his commitment to protecting the rim.

The Lakers’ preseason continues Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. Redick said Doncic also will sit out that game in San Francisco, as will LeBron James.

That means Bronny James will have more chances, and he remains determined to seize them. ‘I’m just trying to feel it out, trying to get some reps in with the guys,’ Bronny said. ‘There’s probably not going to be as many opportunities during the season, so I’m just coming out and defending hard, playing my game, doing the non-negotiables. So if JJ sees that, maybe he’ll give me an opportunity.’

Maynilad Water Services Inc. has secured the support of the United Kingdom for its upcoming stock market debut, signaling strong demand for what would be the country’s largest-and last-initial public offering (IPO) this year.

In its preliminary prospectus dated Oct. 3, Maynilad said it now had a cornerstone investment agreement with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office through its Mobilising Capital Through Listed Products (Mobilist) program. The concessionaire clarified, however, that the participation of Mobilist as a cornerstone investor would be finalized only if the IPO price does not exceed P15 per share.

This also goes for International Finance Corp. and Asian Development Bank, both of which are considering investing $100 million and $145 million, respectively.

The Mobilist program is an initiative by the British Investment Partnership that aims to support infrastructure development and green transition in Southeast Asia.

Last year, it chipped in $12.5 million into the IPO of Edgar Saavedra-led Citicore Renewable Energy Corp.

Since then, the UK government has committed to boost trade and investment flows to the Philippines, particularly looking at sustainability-related projects.

For its part, Maynilad recently received the Philippines’ first Green Equity label, which would allow it to attract more investors by tagging its shares as ‘green’ prior to its offer.

‘We are proud to reach this point in Maynilad’s story,’ Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez said in a statement on Sunday night.

‘Our journey has always been guided by a clear mission-to deliver safe, sustainable and reliable water and wastewater services to our customers,’ he added. ‘The submission of our preliminary prospectus marks another step in that mission, as we open the door for broader public participation while continuing to comply with all regulatory processes.’

Apart from Mobilist, asset management firm Robeco Switzerland Ltd. is also participating as a cornerstone investor for an investment size of up to $20 million.

Others are Maybank Asset Management Singapore Pte. Ltd., Maven Investment Partners Ltd. – Hong Kong Branch, abrdn Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and QRT Master Fund SPC – Torus Fund SP.

Maynilad plans to raise up to P34.33 billion from its IPO. The offer period is scheduled from Oct. 23 to Oct. 29, with listing on the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange set on Nov. 7.

The final price will be determined on Oct. 20.Maynilad, whose service area covers the West Zone of the Greater Metro Manila area, also recently confirmed it was ‘looking’ at a potential buyout of the Villar group’s PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned that aftershocks from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that jolted northern Cebu on Sept. 30 could persist for weeks.

As of 2 p.m. on Saturday, the number of aftershocks it recorded had reached 5,336, Phivolcs said in a Viber message to reporters. Of these, 22 were felt, while 1,038 were plotted. Their magnitude ranged from 1.0 to 5.1.

It advised the public to stay vigilant ‘for strong aftershocks, secure their homes, know evacuation routes, and rely only on official sources for updates and safety instructions.’

Fault line

Phivolcs has also located the ‘onland extension of the newly-named Bogo Bay Fault’ that generated the earthquake in Sitio Looc, Brgy. Nailon, Bogo City.

‘The team observed fault scarps, open cracks, and small pressure mounds within a 2-meter-wide deformation zone,’ it said in a statement on Friday. ‘Initial field mapping recorded about 200 meters of surface rupture, while drone surveys revealed the fault may extend up to 1.5 kilometers, showing signs of right-lateral movement,’ it added.

It said its response team continues to conduct field verification to determine the full extent of the rupture.

Many residents in Bogo City, the epicenter of the quake, have opted to remain outdoors due to the aftershocks, prompting the provincial government to provide tents for them.

Rescue workers from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Red Cross and the Department of Public Works and Highways worked through Friday night to set up 30 tents that were completed by early Saturday.

Death toll

The death toll from the quake was again adjusted and pegged at 70, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Saturday.

OCD Deputy Spokesperson Diego Agustin Mariano told reporters via correspondence that Bogo City recorded the highest number of fatalities with 32, followed by San Remigio (15), Medellin (14), Tabogon (six), and one each in Sogod, Tabuelan and Borbon.

According to the latest situational report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), at least 559 people were injured.

Mariano said the highest numbers were reported in Bogo (180) and Tabogon (150), followed by San Remigio (86), Medellin (66), Tabuelan (20), Daanbantayan (29), San Francisco (14), Borbon (8), Catmon (4), and Carmen (2).

The NDRRMC said the quake affected 128,294 families, or 457,554 individuals, across Cebu. Of these, 407 families or 1,347 individuals were staying in four evacuation centers, while 7,942 families or 25,291 individuals were being assisted outside shelters.

Authorities also reported 18,154 damaged houses and 533 affected infrastructure facilities, although the total cost of damage was still being assessed. Seven road sections and 14 bridges were affected, with three roads and six bridges remaining impassable.

A total of 53 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity, enabling local governments to access emergency funds for relief and recovery.

Government agencies and humanitarian partners have provided P36.1 million worth of assistance to affected families, the NDRRMC said.

Airlifted

Aid has begun to reach some of the remote areas and islets in northern Cebu amid growing frustration among residents that not enough food and water were getting to them.

On Tuesday, 700 relief packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development were airlifted to Carnaza Island, Daanbantayan, on the northern tip of the province. Close to 700 families live on the island.

Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro asked for understanding from residents of the stricken areas, acknowledging there were delays in delivering much sought assistance mainly because of the traffic congestion involving long lines of vehicles bound for northern Cebu.

Overwhelming trauma

Cebu Rep. Sun Shimura said families in affected towns remained in dire need of immediate relief, particularly food and clean water.

‘If the houses are not destroyed, our emotions are-the trauma people are experiencing is overwhelming. Trauma cannot be easily addressed,’ Shimura said.

He added that families and children should not be left to beg for survival, reacting to news reports and social media posts about survivors lining the roads begging for help.

Shimura represents the fourth district, composed of Bogo City and the adjacent municipalities of Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Tabogon and Tabuelan.

Among those who have responded to the provincial government’s call for assistance was the One Negros Response Team, which arrived in Cebu on Friday night.

It brought essential supplies, including mobile water filtration systems, two water tankers, two ambulances, a rescue truck and medical aid, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.

Those who arrived were responders from the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the cities of Sipalay, San Carlos and Silay, according to Irene Bel Ploteña, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head.

Venezuelan beauty Andrea Rubio is making history for the Miss International pageant two years after she won her country’s ninth title in the competition.

The 2023 winner will return to the pageant stage, this time as a host, marking three straight years of appearing in the global tilt – first as a winning delegate, second as a reigning queen, and this time as a presenter.

She also becomes the first non-Japanese host for the international pageant in a long time. She will be joined by a yet-to-be-named former Miss International Japan onstage, the organizers said.

The Miss International pageant had earlier teased the return of a former titleholder to the pageant, and later revealed that it was Rubio, but did not yet mention that she was to host the finale show.

‘Miss International 2023 Andrea Rubio will be hosting the 63rd Miss International Beauty Pageant to be held on November 27th, 2025, with a live telecast starting at 6:00 PM Tokyo time,’ the pageant said on social media.

‘Andrea will be reporting the daily activities live from Japan through her channel, and will also help in sharing the inside information and tidbits leading to the final night!’ the Miss International pageant added.

Around 80 delegates are expected to compete this year, which also marks the Miss International pageant’s 65th anniversary.

Changes will also be made to how the winner will be chosen this year, something the Miss International pageant has repeatedly shared with the public. A Miss International theme song will also be introduced this year.

‘More details about this year’s pageant will be revealed in our social media accounts, so stay tuned for more updates!’ the organizers said.

The delegates are expected to arrive on Nov. 12, with the national costume competition scheduled on Nov. 16. The Miss International pageant will also ‘reformat’ its preliminary judging on Nov. 24.

The 2025 Miss International final ceremonies will be held at the Yoyogi National Stadium’s 2nd Gymnasium in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward on Nov. 27.

Manila-based Aika Events and Productions will mount the final competition show, the same team responsible for staging the three recent grand coronation ceremonies of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

It’s the second of the ‘Ber’ months, with the cold air slowly creeping into the season.

And for University of Santo Tomas, it’s never too early to talk Christmas.

‘We have a term around here that says our [stat sheet] looks like a Christmas tree. That’s what we’re really after with our 25 assists,’ said UST assistant coach Juben Ledesma, after a 111-99 victory over University of the East on Saturday.

‘That’s a good indication that our offense is really flowing.’

That flowing offense on display at UST’s Quadricentennial Pavilion helped the Tigers become the first team to hit 100 points in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament, a mark they crossed halfway through the fourth on a Nic Cabañero triple.

Going into the game, UST was averaging around 29 made field goals on 14.7 assists and they were going at the same assists-field goal rate against UE-except that the Tigers were doing it at full speed.

They wound up shooting slightly over 50 percent from the floor, making 38 field goals off their assists output.

‘Offensively, we’ve been a very fluid team since last year and with the addition of Collins (Akowe), our confidence skyrocketed,’ Ledesma added. ‘It really helps us big time. Add that with coach’s (Pido Jarencio) confidence with our boys.’

Cabañero played Santa Claus to his teammates with eight assists to go with his 22 points, three rebounds and two steals.

‘It’s my fifth year here in the UAAP, I already know our approaches with different teams and I just stick to the system given to me,’ he said after UST improved to 3-1 (win-loss).

‘Without my teammates, I wouldn’t score this much. They just give me confidence,’ the muscled guard added.

And to keep up with the holiday spirit, Akowe was the hard-nosed reindeer with 18 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks, bouncing back from an off-night against his high school squad, National University, which dealt UST its lone loss so far this season.

Republic Act No. 12288 or the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act-This law, signed by President Marcos on Sept. 12, 2025, establishes a competency-based promotion system for elementary and secondary teachers. It ensures their professional development and career growth by expanding the promotion tracks from Teacher I to Master Teacher I under a system that prioritizes qualifications and competence over seniority.

The Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act (Republic Act No. 11997)-Signed by President Marcos on June 3, 2024, the law takes its title from the Senate version of the measure (Senate Bill No. 1964), and sets an initial allowance of P5,000 per teacher for school year 2024 to 2025, followed by P10,000 starting school year 2025 to 2026 and every year thereafter.

Excellence in Teacher Education Act (Republic Act No. 11713)-This law, signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in April 27, 2022, strengthens pre-service teacher education by broadening the mandate and functions of the Teacher Education Council (TEC) chaired by the Secretary of Education.

List of bills recently filed in Congress for teachers:

House Bill No. 4531-Filed on Sept. 11, 2025, by House Assistant Minority Leader and Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino C. Libanan, the bill seeks to triple the World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit (WTDIB) from P1,000 to P3,000 for every public school teacher.

House Bill No. 2801-Filed on Aug. 4, 2025, by Bohol District Rep. Vanessa Aumentado, this bill proposes to upgrade the basic salary of public school teachers from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.

Senate Bill No. 211-Filed on July 14, 2025 by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, it seeks to grant a P15,000 salary increase for all public school teachers and personnel.

Senate Bill No. 410-Filed on July 9, 2025 by Sen. Bong Go, the measure aims to provide an across-the-board monthly allowance for all teaching and non-teaching personnel engaged in basic education.

House Bill No. 203-Filed on June 30 by ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise M. Co, this bill seeks to raise the minimum monthly salary of public school teachers to P50,000. -INQUIRER RESEARCH

MANILA, Philippines-LA Tenorio won his opening game as Magnolia coach after frustrating Barangay Ginebra, 80-73, in a low-scoring start to the PBA’s 50th season before a big crowd on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Zavier Lucero anchored the Hotshots’ big night with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, giving Tenorio an auspicious start to his new role calling the shots on the other side of the rivalry dubbed the ‘Manila Clasico.’ Jerom Lastimosa had 14 points and five assists while Javi Gomez scored 14 points in his first game for Magnolia.

Magnolia went up by 15 in the fourth, 63-48, even as it was able to foil Ginebra’s comeback bid in the final minutes. Stephen Holt posted 16 points, four rebounds and three assists but the Gin Kings dropped their opening assignment at the hands of their former backcourt general. Rookie of the Year RJ Abarrientos scored 11 with four assists while neophyte Sonny Estil tallied nine points and seven rebounds for Ginebra in the defeat.

Scottie Thompson uncharacteristically went scoreless in 31 minutes, missing all five attempts, while hauling down just five boards for Ginebra.

The game was highly-anticipated coming into the opener, given that Tenorio was facing his old team to begin the difficult task of trying to turn the fortunes of the Magnolia franchise.

Magnolia raced to a 10-0 lead, 13-2 and 19-5, though Ginebra was able to close in, trailing 26-24 in the second. But the Hotshots never relinquish their hold on the advantage the rest of the way.

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac, Mayor Alice Guo’s birth certificate was declared void on September 24 in a ruling of the Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) chief Claire Dennis Mapa revealed.

‘Recently, the certificate of live birth of Alice Guo was declared void by the RTC 3rd Judicial Region Branch 111 Tarlac City last September 24, 2025. This is good news for the Philippine government, the Philippine Statistics Authority,’ Mapa said during a hearing of the Senate committee on Finance on Friday.

A petition to cancel Guo’s registration was filed by the Office of the Solicitor General and the PSA on July 4, 2024 on the ground that the ex-mayor was ineligible for late registration.

In 2024, Guo was linked to a Philippine offshore gaming operation (Pogo) in Tarlac, alongside many others.

Her nationality and identity were also questioned, and documents from the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Department of Foreign Affairs asserted that Guo was a Chinese national. The PSA welcomed the Tarlac court’s decision, stating that it set a good precedent for other attempts of identity fraud in the country. ‘The court’s ruling sends a strong message that falsifying or misrepresenting information in civil registry documents carries serious consequences. Such actions are an attack on our individual and collective identity, as they undermine the country’s civil registry system,’ Mapa said.

BI echoed this position, and recommitted to imposing strict measures against those faking identities.

‘The RTC ruling is not just about one individual-it sends a resounding message to all foreign nationals who attempt to illegally acquire Philippine documents. We will not allow the sanctity of our nation’s civil registry and identity system to be compromised,’ BI Commissioner Joel Viado said in a statement on Sunday. Guo and her family are facing falsification and anti-dummy charges, and Guo in particular is facing money laundering charges, a qualified trafficking case, a graft case, and a material misrepresentation case before three different courts.

More than P2.1 million worth of shabu (crystal meth) were seized during a surprise inspection inside the Antipolo City jail in Rizal province on Saturday morning, October 4.

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel were undertaking on Saturday morning a surprise inspection – dubbed as ‘Oplan Linis Piitan’ – inside all dormitories at the detention facility located in Barangay San Jose when searchers discovered several packs of shabu hidden inside the air exhaust duct in one of the cells occupied by male inmates at around 9:30 a.m., the police in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) said in a report Sunday.

The seized meth was placed in one knot-tied transparent rubber condom, 10 knot-tied transparent plastics, and 14 sealed plastic sachets, weighing a total of 320 grams, worth P2,176,000 based on the Dangerous Drugs Board valuation at P6,800 per gram.

The BJMP and police were still determining the identity of the inmates behind the drug contraband.

When Ateneo needed a momentum-stopper against a furious La Salle rally, Shawn Tuano rose to the occasion.

The Blue Eagles’ 81-74 win over the Green Archers in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament may look comfortable on paper, but it was anything but. Ateneo had built a commanding 31-point lead at one point, only for La Salle to storm back in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 11, 68-57, with 3:45 left.

That’s when Tuano delivered.

‘If I’m needed to be the energy guy, I’ll be the energy guy. If I need to score, I’ll try to score. If I need to play defense, I’ll play defense,’ Tuano said after the game at Mall of Asia Arena. ‘I just try to do my roles to the best of my abilities.’

Tuano finished with 15 points, including five crucial points down the stretch. He buried back-to-back baskets to fend off the Green Archers and extend Ateneo’s lead to 73-59 with 3:19 remaining.

The forward’s timely contributions helped Ateneo preserve its perfect 4-0 start to the season.

‘Whatever coach Tab says or needs me to do on the court, I have to accomplish those. This is a good win but there’s a lot to learn,’ Tuano added.