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Known as the City of Pines and Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio City is a premier tourist destination and home to a vibrant community of over 366,000 residents.

Beyond its cool climate and scenic beauty, Baguio is also known for its strong commitment to sustainability and progress, with its local government consistently championing projects aimed at creating a livable, inclusive and creative environment for its Baguio 2043 vision.

Helping to illuminate this vision is no other than the world leader in lighting, Signify. Together, Signify and the Baguio LGU have embarked on a transformative lighting project that not only enhanced the city’s visual charms but also propelled significant progress across various sectors.

In an interview with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the LGU was using traditional streetlights and was paying P4.9 million a month. But when they made the switch from high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) to low-wattage LED lights, not only did it generate significant savings for Baguio, but it also resulted in more safety and security for people due to better illumination.

‘Ang naging vision namin, Baguio 2043-a liveable, inclusive and creative Baguio,’ Mayor Magalong shared.

‘When we transitioned to LED, mas maliwanag pa…ang binabayaran nalang natin (ay) umaabot ng P1.5 to P1.6 million as compared sa P4.8 million. Ang savings namin is around P30+ million a year sa lighting pa lang,’ he added.

The impact of Philips lighting solutions extends beyond simply making streets brighter. It also lights the way to meaningful progress on tourism, public safety, good governance and the city’s overall environmental footprint.

Glowing reviews from tourists

Baguio’s picturesque views, bustling night markets and city activities added another layer of attraction with the help of reliable and appealing lighting.

Visitors have taken notice, describing a better experience with just a touch of the power of effective lighting.

“This is my second time roaming around the Baguio Night Market,” shared Sophia, a Balikbayan tourist. ‘And the first time I went here, it was not well-lighted. So I think it’s better na ganito siya kaliwanag. Kasi mas maayos siya and better experience siya for visitors.’

Local businesses also felt the benefits of the improved lighting system. Lighting, while often overlooked, holds a profound power to transform experiences and environments, making them better.

Shining the light on good governance

The Baguio LGU’s commitment to good governance and efficient resource management is the cornerstone of its operations. The partnership with Signify, in particular, reflects a meticulous approach to ensuring public funds are utilized effectively for the highest quality outcomes.

‘One of the things we are proud of here in Baguio is that there is no corruption,’ Mayor Magalong shared. ‘That’s why our principle of good governance is very strong. And you have to make sure also that there’s due diligence in choosing the right brand.’

‘We have to make sure that our suppliers are so aligned with our principle of good governance as well. That’s why for me, I would rather go for Philips because we have already tested it,’ he added.

The consistent quality and reliability of Signify’s Philips brand played a crucial role in the LGU’s decision. With this, Signify also underscores its commitment to providing innovative, sustainable lighting solutions that genuinely contribute to urban development and the well-being of communities.

The project in Baguio indeed serves as a powerful testament to how intelligent lighting can foster progress and create a better future.

The signify promise

Raghuraman Chandrasekhar, country leader for professional business at Signify Philippines, also echoed the same sentiment: ‘Taxpayers’ money is sacred, it is hard-earned. This drives us to win the trust of the government and the Filipino people. Given this, Signify works hard to execute LGU lighting projects right the first time. All of us at Signify owe this promise to everyone, and we are committed to working hard to keep this pledge.’

Signify remains committed to providing reliable, energy-efficient and future-ready lighting solutions across the Philippines. The story of Baguio City is a shining example of how, through collaboration and innovation, a city can light its way to a more sustainable and secure future.

Blacklist International, Boom Esports, Elevate and ACT Esports Club will be the four teams representing the country in the upcoming Honor of Kings International Championship (KIC) happening in Manila this November.

Boom Esports and Blacklist International advanced to the Honor of Kings’ world stage by booking the top two seeds in the group stages of the fall season of the 2025 Philippines Kings League (PKL). This granted them at least a top-four finish.

ACT Esports Club and Elevate had to go through the single elimination for the playoffs first to book their slots in the KIC.

Third seed ACT Esports Club had no trouble sweeping sixth seed TNT Tropang Alab, 2-0; while fifth seed Elevate pulled off an upset, sweeping fourth seed WETRND Esports, 2-0, to qualify to the KIC.

With all four teams qualifying, all eyes will be on which squad lift the PKL trophy and be the country’s top seed as well as the country’s sole representative in the upcoming 2025 Honor of Kings Nation Clash in Malaysia at the end of this month.

The double-elimination playoffs of the 2025 PKL Fall Season will begin Friday, October 10, at the Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City, with Blacklist International versus ACT Esports Club, and Boom Esports against Elevate.

Just to be clear, our lawmakers themselves are the ones who have made it difficult (and continue to make it difficult) for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to quickly act and look into accounts of individuals who are under suspicion of money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption or illegal financial transactions.

Thus, if our legislators truly want to heed the call for transparency, address corruption and prove that they are not using the bank secrecy law to hide their own unexplained wealth, they should now act promptly to pass the necessary amendments to lift the restrictions on the bank secrecy law.

As currently crafted, the Philippines’ bank secrecy law imposes restrictive conditions for the BSP and/or the AMLC to look into individual accounts and put a freeze order on such accounts. The existing bank secrecy law requires the BSP and/or AMLC to first secure a court order to look into suspicious accounts.

Problem is, in securing the court order, information leakage often happens, so by the time the BSP and/or the AMLC secures the court order to look into private individual accounts, the suspected account holders may already have been able to move or empty the bank account.

According to the BSP, as early as 2011, the Group of Twenty or G20 had already declared that the ‘era of bank secrecy is over’ after it endorsed the standards on transparency and exchange of information.

In 2014, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development released the standard for automatic exchange of information as the new global standard of obtaining detailed account information from financial institutions, and exchanging that information automatically with other jurisdictions for the purpose of combatting tax evasion, money laundering and commission of other crimes. This global regulatory watch lifted the cloak of bank secrecy.

The last three to hold out from the transparency move were Lebanon, the Philippines and Switzerland. Switzerland and Lebanon eventually lifted their bank secrecy laws. The Philippines is now the only country to still have a restrictive bank secrecy policy, making it hard for the government to go after tax evaders and money launderers.

According to the International Monetary Fund, the Philippines’ bank secrecy law restricts the ability of the BSP to undertake effective supervision. The IMF noted that our secrecy laws undermine financial stability, financial integrity and development of the banking sector, and expose the banking system to reputational risk.

The IMF recommended that legislative amendments be promptly approved to give the BSP direct and full access to individual depositor information covered by bank secrecy laws.

The BSP, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Chamber of Thrift Banks and the Makati Business Club have proposed the repeal of bank secrecy laws. While there are pending legislative proposals to amend the existing bank deposit secrecy law in the Philippines, Congress has not exerted effort to enact the proposed amendments.

Fortunately, the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act was passed and signed into law last year to combat financial cybercrimes, safeguard the interests of financial consumers and uphold the integrity of the financial system. Under the AFASA, the BSP has the authority to investigate and inquire into financial accounts, and to share the said information with law enforcement and other competent authorities subject to the limitations imposed under the said law.

For such purpose, the relevant provisions of laws containing prohibitions against inquiry into or disclosure of deposits under the Law on Secrecy of Bank Deposits, Foreign Currency Deposits Act of the Philippines and the Revised Non-Stock Savings and Loan Association Act of 1997, shall not apply to financial accounts that are the subject of the BSP’s investigation.

Removing the restriction on our bank secrecy law is a crucial move as the world faces an even far greater threat from evolving digital technology and cryptocurrencies.

In a recent article of the IMF Finance and Development Magazine, Chady El Khoury, deputy division chief in the IMF’s legal department, wrote about fighting tech-fueled crime that now uses advanced technology and Artificial Intelligence.

In his article, he wrote that organized criminals are operating across international borders using advanced technology and social engineering, such as romance or investment scheme to manipulate victims using AI-generated profiles, encrypted messaging and obscured blockchain transaction to hide and move stolen funds.

Criminals, El Khoury wrote, are outpacing enforcement by adapting ever faster, using the best tools for their schemes, from laundering money through crypto and AI-enabled impersonation to producing deepfake content, encrypted apps and decentralized exchanges.

Authorities, he said, now face anonymous, borderless threats, but are unfortunately held back by jurisdiction, process and legacy systems.

Annual illicit crypto activity growth, he wrote, has averaged about 25 percent in recent years and may have surpassed $51 billion last year, according to Chainalysis, a New York-based blockchain analysis firm specializing in helping criminal investigators trace transactions.

Bad actors, he said, still depend on cash and traditional finance, and money laundering specifically relies on banks, informal money changers and cash couriers. But the old ways are being reinforced or supercharged by technologies to thwart detection and disruption.

Encrypted messaging apps, he said, help criminal cartels coordinate cross-border transactions. Stablecoins and lightly regulated virtual asset platforms can hide bribes and embezzled funds.

Cybercriminals use AI-generated identities and bots to deceive banks and evade outdated controls. Tracking proceeds generated by organized crime is nearly impossible for agencies with insufficient resources.

AI lowers barriers to entry, he added. Fraudsters with voice-cloning and fake-document generators bypass the verification protocols many banks and regulators still use. Their innovation is growing as compliance systems lag.

Governments recognize the threats, but responses are fragmented and uneven – including in the regulation of crypto exchanges.

And there are delays implementing the Financial Action Task Force’s travel rule to better identify those sending and receiving money across borders, which most digital proceeds cross.

Actress Nadine Lustre revealed that she is not yet ready to become a mother.

The actress told ABS-CBN News that she is not yet ready to take on another major responsibility. She is currently focused on her acting career, as well as her businesses, including a local coconut milk brand she put up with her boyfriend Christophe Bariou.

“Nakakatakot maging nanay, honestly, like every time we (referring to Christophe) talk about it. I’ve been working for as long as I can remember, and I can’t imagine having another responsibility other than my career,” she said.

“I am so focused with my career and, of course, this guy and our businesses as well. So, parang hindi ako ready. So, saludo talaga ako sa mga moms,” she added.

On the big screen, Nadine is cast as a beauty queen in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Call Me Mother” with Vice Ganda.

“I’ve done a lot of research when it comes to being a beauty queen. Research and I’ve done a few days of training, because my character in the film is a beauty queen and it’s very important for me to know about the industry and about my character as well,” she said.

The actress said that she particularly focused on her fitness training since she would film pageant scenes for the movie.

“I would say the trickiest part of my role is that every time I’m on set or every time we’re filming or shooting a scene, my posture needs to be different, and the thing is I’m used to… I’m hunched all the time. But in the movie, I have to be upright and beauty queen posture, so it’s kind of tricky. It’s very challenging because I always have to remember,” Nadine said.

Golden start for Magnolia’s reboot under LA Tenorio.

As past and present stars celebrated the PBA’s half decade of basketball tradition, the Hotshots hit the ground running in the Season 50 Philippine Cup, beating Barangay Ginebra, 80-73, last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It was Tenorio’s anticipated coaching debut and his new charges deemed it best to mark it with a first win at the expense of his old team and long-time maestro, Tim Cone.

Tenorio, who won seven championships as a player and later playing-assistant for Cone at Ginebra, gave props to his troops for rising to the challenge to get it done in this emotional Manila Clasico opening-night tussle.

‘It’s not about me and coach Tim, it’s about the players of Magnolia and Ginebra,’ he said in his first appearance at the post-game presscon for victorious coaches.

‘I just want to thank the players and my coaching staff, they really guided me kasi alam nila mahirap, especially with the kind of atmosphere tonight. The players were really ready for this game. I really appreciate their effort, their focus. I guess they really want to give this first win sa akin,’ he added.

Zav Lucero dropped 17 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and one shot block in leading Magnolia’s charge. Jerom Lastimosa and debuting Javi Gomez de Liano fired 14 apiece as Rome dela Rosa added nine.

The Hotshots unleashed a blistering 10-0 opening salvo to set the tone for the wire-to-wire conquest. They seized big leads that reached as high as 15, at 63-48, then kept the Gin Kings at bay with clutch counters throughout.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his heartfelt closeness to the Filipino people, offering prayers for those most impacted by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu.

‘I express my closeness to the beloved Filipino people, and in particular, I pray for those who have been most harshly affected by the consequences of the earthquake,’ Leo said in a message delivered in Itaian after the Jubilee Mass at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday, October 5 (Manila time).

‘Let us remain united and solidary in our trust in God and in the intercession of His Mother in every danger,’ he added.

Leo first extended his sympathies to the victims of the Cebu earthquake on October 2, according to Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy, who said the message was conveyed through Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown.

It can be recalled that Leo, also known as Robert Prevost, visited the Philippines several times when he was still the superior general of the Augustinians.

According to CBCP News, Leo has visited Cebu five times.

Meanwhile, the latest report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recorded a death toll of 71 and 559 injuries due to the powerful earthquake that struck on September 30.

In response, Uy, whom Leo appointed as the archdiocese’s prelate, ordered an assessment of the structural integrity of the churches.

Senators rejected Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for snap elections, with Senate President Tito Sotto warning that the proposal would invite ‘uncertainty and chaos.’

Cayetano on Sunday, October 5 urged all leaders – from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to members of Congress – to resign, saying the country needed a ‘fresh start’ that could be achieved through a snap election.

Political analysts and fellow lawmakers quickly questioned Cayetano’s call, noting that he did not offer to resign himself and suggesting the proposal was a distraction from genuine efforts at accountability.

Sotto said the Constitution provides no mechanism for such a move and warned it could cause unrest.

‘We have no constitutional nor legal framework for snap elections. We will be flirting with uncertainty and chaos,’ Sotto told reporters.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson also said snap elections were not the answer to restoring public trust.

‘Election, snap or regular, is not the solution. In fact, election campaigns actually add to more corruption – of the electorate by the candidates,’ Lacson said in a statement.

He said holding wrongdoers accountable would do far more to rebuild trust in government.

‘For a change, how about certainty of punishment of corrupt politicians? The higher the better,’ he added.

Facing criticism, Cayetano later clarified that his remarks were not meant to urge officials to step down.

‘It’s not my job nor my intention to tell anyone what to do, to tell anyone to resign… My duty is to reflect on the problems our nation faces – discern, pray, then articulate ideas,’ he said.

The coming Mindanao leg of the IP Games and the World Wushu Championships headline the topics to be discussed in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday, October 7, at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Philippine Sports Commissioner Fritz Gaston talks about his program that will be going to the Province of Agusan Del Norte and Municipality of Buenavista from October 11-12, featuring indigenous people vying in different games and sports.

Wushu Federation of the Philippines Secretary-General Julian Camacho, meanwhile, will be appearing in the Forum for the first time in a long while and is set to discuss the country’s hosting and preparation for the world biennial meet set here in 2027.

Presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus, the session starts at 10:30 a.m.

The public sports program is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and aired on a delayed basis over Radyo Pilipinas 2, which shares it on its official Facebook page Radyo Pilipinas 2 Sports.

The Court of Appeals has affirmed the dismissal of the criminal case against Dominican priest and exorcist Fr. Winston Cabading, who was accused of offending religious feelings over his comments on the 1948 Marian apparitions in Lipa City, Batangas.

In a 28-page ruling promulgated on Sept. 29, 2025, the appellate court’s 12th Division denied the petition for certiorari filed by retired Sandiganbayan Justice Harriet Demetriou, who sought to overturn the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision acquitting Cabading.

In May 2024, the Quezon City RTC Branch 224 granted Cabading’s motion to quash, ruling that the Facebook program where the alleged offending statements were made did not qualify as a ‘religious ceremony’ as defined under the Revised Penal Code.

Ruling upheld. The Court of Appeals upheld the RTC’s reasoning, saying Cabading’s remarks-warning the public about the alleged apparitions-were not made during any religious ceremony, which is a key element of the crime of offending religious feelings.

‘We uphold and support the RTC’s pronouncement that the online Facebook program entitled Pananampalataya at Katuwiran does not fall under the purview of a ‘religious ceremony,” the appellate court said.

‘The same is similar to a show, broadcast, telecast, videocast, performance, or dialogue and does not connote a formal or solemn act prescribed by the ritual or protocol of a religious procedure,’ it added.

The appellate court also rejected Demetriou’s claim that the RTC engaged in ‘judicial legislation’ by defining the term ‘religious ceremony.’

It warned that adopting Demetriou’s broader interpretation would set a ‘dangerous precedent,’ potentially classifying all faith-related activities-such as prayers, discussions, or online dialogues-as religious ceremonies under criminal law.

‘Religious ceremonies often involve various rituals and customs deeply rooted in tradition and belief,’ the ruling said. ‘These practices vary depending on the religion or culture being observed, but all serve to honor the deity or spiritual entity being worshiped and to connect participants with their community and history.’

‘The petitioner’s stand that the RTC resorted to judicial legislation . is likewise unacceptable,’ it added.

What came before. Demetriou filed the criminal complaint in December 2022, describing Cabading as a ‘rabid critic’ of the Mediatrix of All Grace devotion.

She accused the priest of offending her and other devotees by publicly criticizing followers of the Marian apparition at the Carmelite Monastery of Lipa in 1948, which the Vatican has twice ruled as “not supernatural.”

Sought for comment, Demetriou told Philstar.com she has yet to read the appellate court’s decision.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has introduced a new web-based application designed to automate the detection of sinkholes, a move expected to strengthen the government’s geohazard mapping and disaster response capabilities.

Developed by the bureau’s Lands Geological Survey Division, the system combines manual and automated methods to identify potential sinkholes, and assess karst formations or limestone terrain prone to ground collapse.

‘The application, that is currently being tested in the Central Visayas region, integrates manual digitization and automated geospatial analysis of available satellite data,’ the MGB said over the weekend.

The tool uses topographic maps from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority with satellite based digital elevation models to track changes in terrain and surface deformation.

Once fully implemented, the app is expected to improve data collection and the accuracy of sinkhole mapping used in local land use planning and post disaster response operations.

Death toll rises to 71

The reported death toll from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu last week has climbed to 71, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said yesterday.

In its situational report, the NDRRMC said 559 others were injured and for validation.

The earthquake affected some 128,464 families or 455,631 people. Of this number, at least 405 families were served in four evacuation centers.

Office of Civil Defense Administrator Harold Cabreros said search and rescue efforts following the earthquake in Cebu have now shifted toward relief and early recovery operations.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has assured quake survivors they can avail themselves of free surgery and other medical services at any hospital.

Acting PhilHealth president Dr. Edwin Mercado said the agency has approved a special policy relaxation to ensure that victims receive urgent, life-saving care at no cost.

Mercado said the Philippine Orthopedic Association and the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines have immediately pledged to extend timely surgical services and hospital care to earthquake victims.

In another development, the Department of Labor and Employment allotted an initial P11 million for the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers program in quake-affected areas.

Faster aid

Meanwhile, Sen. Erwin Tulfo has urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development to fast-track the distribution of food aid to earthquake victims.

Meanwhile, the Jesus is Lord Movement of Rep. Eddie Villanueva and the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Ekklesia of Rep. Benny Abante have been mobilizing assistance for quake victims.

Party-list Tingog, which is the organization of former speaker Martin Romualdez and his congresswoman-wife Yedda, along with their son Andrew Julian, rolled out its initial relief mission to assist quake-affected families.

‘One Caritas response’

Meanwhile, Caritas arms in other countries have united with Caritas Philippines for a ‘One Caritas response’ in helping earthquake victims in Cebu and those stricken by recent tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando and Opong.

In a Facebook post, Caritas Philippines said, ‘In collaboration with In-country CIMO-Catholic Relief Service Philippines, Caritas Germany, and Caritas Spain, a unified-One Caritas response has been agreed upon.’

Other Caritas partners such as Caritas Australia, Caritas Italiana, Caritas Austria, Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives Singapore, Caritas Asia including Caritas Internationalis have expressed their solidarity.

Caritas Philippines has coordinated with agencies under the United Nations such as the Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs.

Caritas Philippines would also be launching an emergency appeal through the Alay Kapwa Solidarity Fund to support the immediate needs of the most affected communities in Cebu or through Caritas International.