Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Broadcaster-host Gretchen Ho expressed her disappointment at a family member being denied to exchange money at the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen in Norway.

In a Facebook post last October 6, Grechen shared a family member’s encounter at the airport’s foreign exchange station, where the lady behind the counter refused to accept their money after alluding to Philippine corruption.

“You came from the Philippines? We cannot exchange your dollars because of the corruption and money laundering in the Philippines,” Gretchen quoted.

The said family member and their companions were told to exchange their cash elsewhere beyond the airport. Gretchen added that her family member was trying to exchange $300 (P17,500 or 3,000 Norwegian krone).

“Terrible. What are we going to do about this, Pilipinas?” the broadcaster lamented.

Gretchen later updated her post, saying she submitted a report to the Philippine Ambassador to Norway, Enrico T. Fos, and that she was posting from her personal Facebook account.

The broadcaster-host shared in her post’s comments section a photo of the airport forex counter that her family member attempted to approach, and two individuals replied, sharing similar experiences.

One said, during a 2022 trip, they were denied exchanging their American dollars as they were told the Philippines was “a COVID hotspot country.”

The other individual, meanwhile, went there in March 2024 and tried to exchange euros but wasn’t attended to as the Philippines was on a “red list.” Both individuals managed to exchange their cash elsewhere.

Another Filipino from a more recent trip, just last August, shared his own experience, which was similar to the ones above, adding he experienced the same in other European countries and Australia.

A Filipino based in Oslo commented that he called up the airport’s foreign exchange station and confirmed the interaction took place.

He added that the counter doesn’t exchange money from travelers with Philippine passports that happen to reside in the Philippines “due to the strict anti-money laundering rules that they follow, ordered by the EU and NATO,” a rule that applies to other countries considered high-risk places.

Gretchen responded to the latter comment, saying she’s waiting for official word from the Embassy who will soon be meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“AFAIK (as far as I know), we have been removed from the list of high-risk countries as released in reports on August 2025. Does that mean we are back? It would be good to know,” she added.

The same individual repeated his comment to clarify the incident wasn’t discriminatory, explaining the employees were only following orders and may have been talking directly as Norwegians often did.

“Hindi daw sila pwede magpalit ng USD sa mga pinoy na nakatira sa Pilipinas. Kung Pinoy na nakatira sa Norway or ibang bansa, ok lang po. Kaya hindi po ito discrimination or racism. Blame our government,” he ended.

Two-time Olympian weightlifter Elreen Ann Ando is fast turning out as a legitimate medal contender for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 26-year-old Cebu native showed a glimpse of her potential by copping a bronze in the women’s 63-kilogram class of the IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway Sunday.

The Southeast Asian Games gold winner and Asian Games bronze medalist lifted 131kg in the clean and jerk to claim the country’s first and only medal in Forde so far.

She missed a second bronze in the total to Colombian Yenny Sinisterra, who had identical 231kg lift but took it on tiebreaks, being the first one to reach that mark.

Sinisterra had only 128kg in clean and jerk but had 103kg in the snatch.

Ando, who had 100kg in snatch, wound up fourth.

North Korean Ri Suk swept all three golds with a 253kg total on 111kg in snatch and 142kg in clean and jerk.

Inflation is expected to settle within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’s two to four percent target band by year-end, but lingering upside risks from food supply shocks and a weaker peso could keep monetary authorities cautious in the coming months, according to Manulife Investment Management.

Jean de Castro, head of fixed income for Manulife Investment Management, said the BSP’s forecast of 1.5 to 2.3 percent for September signals a return to target after six months of below-range inflation.

‘Supported by lower rice import tariffs and subdued global oil prices, inflation is expected to return to the two to four percent target band by the end of 2025,’ De Castro said.

Inflation in the Philippines eased to 3.2 percent in 2024 from an average of six percent in 2023. This year, consumer price growth has been muted, with inflation hovering below target for six straight months.

However, De Castro warned of lingering upside risks, citing ‘sticky food prices due to supply shocks stemming from typhoons and the extended rice import ban,’ as well as peso weakness beyond the 58-per-dollar level.

Against this backdrop, September inflation is widely expected to pick up from the 1.5 percent print in August as the effects of higher food prices begin to filter through. The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled to release the inflation data today.

Looking ahead to the Monetary Board’s policy meeting on Oct. 9, De Castro said the BSP is widely expected to keep the key rate unchanged at five percent, following three cuts earlier this year.

‘Given the impact of typhoons on food supply, and the peso’s recent breach of 58 to $1, we can expect the Monetary Board to adopt a cautious stance and pause at the upcoming Oct. 9 meeting,’ she said.

Still, she added that another cut remains possible in December if growth momentum weakens or if the US Federal Reserve eases further.

De Castro noted that a pause would likely keep the yield curve stable, with short-term yields anchored and longer tenors supported by contained inflation expectations.

‘On the other hand, a surprise cut could result in a flattening of the yield curve, encouraging more demand for longer-dated bonds and supporting loan growth, but may also heighten sensitivity to the currency and food price risks,’ she said.

For investors, she recommended a ‘dual approach’ of holding short-term tenors for flexibility amid policy uncertainty while selectively adding longer tenors to lock in current yields.

‘With short-term yields at multi-year lows and long-term yields near one-year lows, maintaining a defensive duration stance is advisable until inflation risks – especially from food and the currency – are better contained,’ she added.

Meanwhile, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows continue to pose a challenge. Net inflows dropped by 17.8 percent year-on-year to $376 million in June, the smallest since December 2024, bringing first-half inflows to just $3.4 billion.

‘For fixed-income securities, persistent FDI weakness may keep yields elevated, but a recovery, specifically if infrastructure and reforms gain traction, could enhance liquidity, lower long-term rates and improve the relative attractiveness of Philippine bonds,’ De Castro said.

With the country hit regularly by typhoons, torrential floods, killer landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, by now there should be a high level of preparedness and mitigation protocols for disasters.

The scenes in Cebu following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30 show that this has not been so.

A week after the earthquake, many of the affected communities continue to lack the most basic needs, particularly safe water and emergency shelters. The earthquake caused heavy damage to water pipes and electrical and telecommunications networks. With no electricity to run pumps, small suppliers of filtered drinking water could not resume operations.

Among the most telling illustrations of weak emergency response were the images of people sleeping inside plastic bags in Medellin town to keep out the rain. Continuing aftershocks made people fear further damage to their homes. They opted to stay outdoors, but it was clear that there was an acute lack of waterproof tents for outdoor emergency shelter.

In San Remigio town, over a dozen sinkholes have appeared including in portions of the town proper, damaging homes and infrastructure and raising fears of further ground collapse. Emergency responders are just starting to set up tent communities amid the possibility of long-term reconstruction.

The Philippine Red Cross was among the first to provide waterproof outdoor tents with roofing to the quake-hit areas. As of yesterday, so-called tent cities had taken shape, but still inadequate for the many families that have either lost their houses or remained fearful of returning to their homes.

In 2013, such tent cities sprung up across Eastern Visayas following the apocalyptic destruction unleashed by Super Typhoon Yolanda. If the tents, mostly donated by the international community, had seriously deteriorated over the years, shouldn’t at least some of them have been replaced for emergencies, especially since Cebu and neighboring provinces have been hit by destructive earthquakes, typhoons and floods in recent years?

Many evacuation centers in the country are woefully inadequate – in space, sanitation and health facilities and other basic creature comforts. The sorry state of evacuation centers is among the reasons why people are reluctant to leave their homes for safer ground even with the approach of powerful typhoons.

This shouldn’t be the case, considering that the country has been ranked at the top of the global disaster risk index and is among the most vulnerable to climate change. The dire situation in the quake-hit areas of Cebu should lead to better disaster preparedness.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada filed perjury complaints against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez over his statements implicating the senator in the flood control anomalies.

Estrada filed four counts of perjury complaints against Hernandez before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, October 7.

‘Talagang makikita mo na habitual liar itong si Brice Hernandez,’ Estrada said. (You can truly see that Brice Hernandez is a habitual liar.)

The complaints filed by Estrada covered four specific allegations, which were said by Hernandez in his statements during congressional investigations.

One of these is Hernandez’s claim that Estrada allegedly received a 30% kickback from anomalous flood control projects.

Another complaint concerns the matter of Beng Ramos being claimed as a staff member of the senator.

The third complaint involves the fake ID allegedly used in Manila and other casinos.

The fourth complaint is about Hernandez’s denial of involvement in the flood control projects.

The complaint filed is under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, which states:

‘Article 183. False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation. – The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person, who, knowingly makes untruthful statements and not being included in the provisions of the next preceding articles, shall testify under oath, or make an affidavit, upon any material matter before a competent person authorized to administer an oath in cases in which the law so requires.

Any person who, in case of a solemn affirmation made in lieu of an oath, shall commit any of the falsehoods mentioned in this and the three preceding articles of this section, shall suffer the respective penalties provided therein.’

On September 9, Hernandez implicated Estrada and Sen. Joel Villanueva, along with sacked public works district engineer Henry Alcantara and former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

Hernandez alleged that Estrada received kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects worth P355 million in Bulacan, stating Estrada’s share of the proceeds was 30%.

Unbeaten Ateneo faces its biggest test just yet, clashing with reigning champion University of the Philippines in an pivotal Battle of Katipunan, while National University eyes to rebound against the struggling Adamson in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Game time is at 5 p.m., with the Blue Eagles staking their perfect slate to protect the pole position against the heating up Fighting Maroons in a two-game run from a flat start after the Bulldogs-Falcons duel at 2 p.m.

Ateneo will march into the battle pit with an 81-74 win against another rival La Salle for its fourth straight win, leading by as many as 33 points for a statement win to the rest of the league after missing the Final Four last season for the first time under master tactician Tab Baldwin, who has guided them to four titles including a three-peat before the pandemic.

The Blue Eagles, who bled for just a 4-10 slate in Season 87, sport a chance to surpass that tally in the first round alone but it will be a tough nut to crack against the Fighting Maroons, who have regained their groove after a listless start, warned Baldwin.

University Santo Tomas is up next for Ateneo after that, ending a dreaded three-game swing against top contenders that could make or break their bid for reemergence as the league’s creme of the crop.

“It’s going to be a battle between two teams playing for a lot. There’s UP fighting to get back into where they belong and us trying to hold to a really outstanding start to the season. That’s always pretty much the case early in the season,” said Baldwin after needing one last stand to fend off La Salle’s torrid comeback attempt marked by a 22-0 rally before more than 17,000 fans.

UP, indeed, is back in fine form after bowing to UST and Adamson in the first two games, taking care of its business against UE and just last week against National U with a stellar comeback from 22 points down, 66-59.

The Fighting Maroons are hopeful for that momentum to serve enough in trying to topple the Blue Eagles, made up of string of one-and-done players with a goal of completing a turnaround from last season’s playoff miss.

‘It’s the same approach, regardless of who we’re playing. Ateneo is also the only remaining team unbeaten. But for us, it does not matter if it’s Ateneo or another team, we’re going to give them a fight,” said UP deputy coach Christian Luanzon.

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has officially conferred its first-ever Certified Pet-Friendly Seal to Ayala Malls Vertis North, in recognition of the establishment’s commitment to creating a safe, welcoming environment for people and their beloved companion animals.

The certification underscores the mall’s inclusive pet policy that welcomes all breeds, especially aspins (Asong Pinoy) and puspins (Pusang Pinoy)-showing that pet-friendliness goes beyond pedigrees and embraces all animals equally.

Ayala Malls Vertis North is also a proud KabaliCAT partner, supporting PAWS’ Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TVR) program for community cats. Through this collaboration, the mall not only provides pet-friendly spaces but also contributes directly to responsible and humane population management of stray animals.

“The PAWS Pet-Friendly Seal is our way of honoring establishments that go the extra mile for companion animals and their humans,” Atty. Anna Cabrera, PAWS executive director, said.

“We commend Ayala Malls Vertis North for its inclusivity in welcoming aspins and puspins, and for its active partnership in TVR through KabaliCAT. This is what true pet friendliness looks like creating safe spaces while also addressing animal welfare at the community level,” she added.

For his part, Ayala Corporation Vice Chairman Fernando Zobel De Ayala said, ‘In our malls, animal welfare is more than a policy-it’s a reflection of who we are as a community. We believe responsible pet ownership begins with kindness, and we strive to live that value every day.”

He continued, “The reality is, our country faces many challenges with abandoned dogs and cats, but we’re committed to doing our part. When we treat pets as beloved family members-ensuring their safety, health, and happiness-we create places that are vibrant, inclusive, and truly humane. Together, we’re building a culture of care that benefits everyone.”

This marks the official conferment of the PAWS Pet-Friendly Seal to a shopping mall, setting a standard for other establishments to follow in promoting responsible pet ownership and animal welfare in the country.

Wondering where to dine in Sentosa Island, Singapore? From Chinese-Peruvian dishes to Japanese favorites and premium steak and seafood, here are three restaurants to check out on your next visit.

Craving something unique? CHIFA! serves Chinese-Peruvian flavors in dishes like Hen “Caldo Criollo” Chimichurri Soup, Saho Fan Salteado con Lomo de Res, and churros for dessert.

For those in the mood for Japanese food, KA-MON offers refined dishes, such as Baby Chicken, King Oyster Mushroom, and Ice Cream Mochi.

And if you’re looking for both seafood and steak, Osia Steak and Seafood Grill delivers with its Grass-fed Angus Beef Striploin, Mushroom Cream Soup, and Signature Hot Chocolate Soup.