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Taking her concern to the podium, Manila District 4 Councilor Eunice Castro has accused fellow city councilor Ryan Ponce of acts of sexual harassment.

In a privilege speech on Thursday, Castro said, her voice shaking with emotion: ‘(Councilor) Ryan Ponce, shame on you for treating us women like an object.’

Castro said Ponce took advantage of her, even inside the session hall, as she revealed the contents of several chat messages the latter sent and later deleted.

The messages reportedly include: ‘Naka-see through ka kanina (You were wearing see-through),’ ‘Good morning sexy, inaabangan ko buhok at suot mo kanina (I was watching out for your hair and dress),’ and ‘Patingin ako ng ‘good morning face’ mo at pantulog mo para good morning talaga (Let me see your ‘good morning face’ and sleepwear so it will really be a good morning).’

Ponce also reportedly asked her to ‘reveal more’ when she was wearing a blouse that revealed her chest during a previous council session.

Aside from these instances, Ponce suggested that Castro take a yoni massage, which focuses on the female genitalia, when she told her fellow councilors that she wanted a massage.

Both Castro and Ponce joined the party of Mayor Isko Moreno in the May 12 midterm elections and are serving their first term as councilors.

Castro said she needed to drop her bombshell before the entire city council because she feared being stigmatized and isolated by certain fellow councilors.

‘Was it worth it? Yes, for my sanity!’ she said as she ended her speech.

She expressed hope that her experience would inspire other women to speak out against sexual harassment and abuse.

Ponce, who was present during the privilege speech, took the platform and apologized to Castro.

‘I stand here not to defend myself but to, in all humility, apologize for my actions, for my words that hurt her and her family,’ Ponce said in Filipino.

Vice Mayor Chi Atienza, who stressed that she would not condone harassment and misbehavior in and out of the session hall, said Castro could file charges before the committee on ethics and good government.

Atienza said charges for violations of civil service laws, code of conduct for public officials and Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos law) could also be filed.

Creamline parades its talented American import Courtney Schwan as it opens its title defense against Akari today in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the City of Dasmariñas Arena.

The 29-year-old Spokane, Washington native will carry on her broad shoulders the Cool Smashers’ hopes of extending their reign in the conference and eyeing their 11th championship.

‘I don’t feel any pressure. The team hasn’t put any pressure. I am here to have fun, and I’m very competitive though, so I’m ready to play as well,’ said Schwan, who had stops in seven teams across Italy, France and Greece.

The proud franchise will also have many-time league MVP winner Tots Carlos back after missing the PVL on Tour early this year.

Interestingly, Creamline will play in its 6:30 p.m. match against the same club it beat last year in this same conference – Akari.

The Chargers have brought in a fearsome American Annie Michem, who last suited up for a team in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Also fighting for a first victory are ZUS Coffee and Chery Tiggo at 4 p.m.

ZUS will have in its arsenal Anna DeBeer of the United States while Chery Tiggo brandishes Cuban Yunieska Batista.

‘We’re a bit smaller than the rest but we will give them a good fight,’ said ZUS coach Jerry Yee.

The local unit of the digital identity project World said the National Privacy Commission (NPC)’s cease and desist order (CDO) against Tools for Humanity (TFH) – the company co-founded by Sam Altman of OpenAI and developer of the World project – is a setback for responsible digital innovation and a surprising reversal after the company completed a year-long compliance process while making significant, legitimate investments in the country that began long before the technology was made available to Filipinos.

The NPC earlier ordered TFH to stop its operations after saying it found violations, including invalid consent and excessive collection of data.

The company said the decision, if not reversed, could deprive millions of Filipinos of technology designed to protect them from scams, identity theft and AI-driven fraud.

Before launching operations, World’s local team underwent extensive regulatory review, including participation in the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)’s Sandbox Program, formal registration with the NPC, and consultations with leading data privacy experts and government agencies.

World said the sudden shift in the NPC’s position following a change in its leadership is ‘alarming,’ particularly since World in the Philippines has been actively working with agencies such as the DICT and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to explore solutions to AI-related risks.

‘This sudden change in interpretation undermines the certainty that legitimate investors rely on when working with Philippine regulators. All these steps were done transparently and in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012,’ said Ryuji Wolf, a local operator representing World in the Philippines.

‘The order comes as a surprise given we worked closely with regulators to ensure that our technology not only meets but exceeds the country’s data protection requirements,’ Wolf added.

World’s proof of human system verifies that a person is human without collecting personal information such as name, address, birthday, or phone number. All biometric images are anonymously processed locally and deleted within seconds. ‘Our system does not identify individuals. It simply verifies that they are unique humans, not bots or AI accounts,’ Wolf said.

‘We don’t store, sell, or purchase biometric data.’ He said that World would file a motion for reconsideration with the NPC and would avail itself of all available remedies.

Despite this setback, Wolf said ‘World remains committed to working transparently with regulators to clarify the system’s design and demonstrate its full adherence to Philippine law.’

Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Celeste Cortesi donated P5 million each to victims of earthquakes that recently struck Cebu and Davao Oriental.

On September 30, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the northern part of Cebu, and just earlier this week a couple of quakes and numerous aftershocks were felt in the Davao region.

Cortesi’s beauty company Asul, which she co-founded with British philanthropist Jonathan Sterling, initially donated P5 million through the non-governmental organization Angat Buhay Foundation to aid Cebu relief operations on the ground.

The donation was used for hygiene kits, water and food packs, cash aid, medical missions, shelters and tents, and mobilization for affected families.

The beauty queen-turned-actress and Sterling then donated another P5 million following the 7.6 and 6.8 magnitude Davao Oriental quakes, this time through the Philippine Red Cross.

The newer donation will help the Philippine Red Cross in its rescue and relief efforts.

Last month, Sterling and Cortesi established the Sterling Scholarship Fund to annually aid the tuition and fees of 30 deserving students of the Ateneo de Manila University.

State seismologists recorded 824 aftershocks within 24 hours after the two Davao Oriental earthquakes, seven of which registered magnitudes above 5.

The aftermath of the Cebu quake saw 1,853 aftershocks in the first 24 hours following the main event.

At least 72 people were killed in Cebu areas in late September, while at least seven died during the Davao quakes.

Music is medicine for the soul, especially during times of crisis. That’s the goal of the organizers of the ‘Halad Musika Alang sa Norte’ benefit concert taking place tomorrow, October 12, at Fuente Osmeña Circle from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

‘Music is a universal language. When there was an issue of hunger, there was the Live 8 concert,’ said Percival ‘Valrock’ Dinopol at a press conference, October 8 at Golden Prince Hotel. ‘Although we don’t have The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin, we do have our local acts who can provide music that can soothe the soul.’

Attendees can expect not only to move to the groove but also to laugh, as comedians are part of the lineup.

‘Comedy has that same effect as music. You like the music, and then laugh. It helps remove the stress from the earthquake,’ he added.

Among those in the lineup are Jehramae Trangia, Jenna and Sofia, Roland ‘Bunot’ Abante, Chaliz, Coach Jaylord, and Christopher Castaños III, who were present at the presscon.

Also performing are Marielle Montellano, JM Dela Cerna, Akiko Solon, Amazing Peanut, Crazy Duo Jr., Klarylle Dumancas, Rootsession, Phanzchord, Inverted, Fullback, Blackzillah, Fiyah, GCode, Freshe Gabod Arda, Rqtek, Tagakay Rappers, Disco Jammers, Megamyx Babes, Neci Diaz, Crimson, Mark Magic and Company, 3rd Street, Homer Limatog, Bolabog Boys, Joe Talledo and the Band, Tropang Bonzlag, Sieth and Iyanna, 3Log, Gwenyth Reynes, Luchador, Zachary Silad Talents, and DJ Voltaire Zambo.

While Montellano and Dela Cerna are currently booked, including a stint in the current season of ABS-CBN’s ‘Your Face Sounds Familiar,’ the organizers said the JMielle duo is more than willing to help – especially since Montellano is from Tabogon, one of the towns badly hit by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake last September 30.

‘It was Marielle’s mom who helped us contact her,’ said MC Rey, one of the hosts of Sunday’s event. ‘Marielle is busy in Manila, but she is willing to help us in the concert as a performer and bring in JM as her partner.’

Some of the acts were in Cebu when the quake happened, such as Viva artist Trangia, who was visiting for a short stay.

‘I was about to sleep with my family when the earthquake happened,’ she recalled. ‘I am grateful that I was here when it happened because I was able to know the situation of my family firsthand.’

Castaños, another Viva artist, was also at home with his family when the quake hit. ‘It was so traumatic because we were on the second floor and a lot of things were shaking and falling. I got my phone, the dogs, and the entire family evacuated. The first thing I did was check up on people and how they were. Thankfully, nothing bad happened.’

Abante, who competed on ‘America’s Got Talent’ in 2023, was in his hometown of Santander when the tremor occured. Although he was on the opposite end of the island from the northern part, which was the epicenter and suffered most of the damage, he still felt the quake from afar, as did his dogs, who kept barking.

Jaylord was working on the second floor of a building in IT Park on that fateful night. He recalled, ‘I thought it was the end of the world. The building was shaking so much that I had to say the ‘Our Father’ prayer five times.’

Following the quake, some of the acts joined donation drives. They see performing at the benefit concert as a way to use their talents for the greater good.

‘My friends and I organized a donation drive last weekend. When we saw what happened in the mountain areas in the North, we saw how the children and families were badly in need of water and food, as well as the congested traffic where we were stuck for 14 hours,’ Jaylord recalled. ‘Seeing their situation firsthand motivated me to help more. If my talent can help people, I am happy to oblige.’

Trangia added: ‘Seeing the people’s situation in North Cebu fueled my drive to help others. It would be fulfilling as a performer to use my talents. It feels amazing to perform with a purpose.’

Organized by Brownian Records and Production, and Adliner Valrock Advertising in partnership with the Cebu City Government and the Philippine Red Cross Cebu Chapter, ‘Halad Musika’ is a free benefit concert where attendees are encouraged to donate cash or relief goods. It’s a free-for-all event, though organizers said they encourage guardians to accompany minor concertgoers.

To ensure transparency, attendees will be issued a receipt for their donation by the Red Cross. Additionally, the organizers are required to submit a report of all donated goods to the local government.

‘One of Mayor Nestor Archival’s conditions to help us is that we need to be transparent. We have to submit a report of how much we received and what we received, and report back to his office,’ Valrock said.

It turns out that the proposed 50 percent tax on content creators attributed to Senate President Tito Sotto was fake. Unfortunately, this was discovered after some impulsive readers had already taken hammer and tongs to the good senator’s name. The perpetrator of this misinformation obviously did not think this through. It is a convoluted and complicated issue, one which may never be untangled.

Firstly, there is the issue of jurisdiction. What is Filipino content? Does this refer to content generated in the Philippines, paid out in the Philippines, or created by Filipino citizens? Is it considered Filipino content if you are a Filipino living and earning outside the country?

Secondly, who will police Filipino content creators? Does the charter of any government agency compass online content creation? Sports in particular is easy to replicate and steal. We have already seen veteran sports journalists like Nick Giongco, Sid Ventura and this writer have content taken verbatim and shared on other platforms with no proper attribution. Basketball and boxing in particular are easy prey, since many venues and tournaments do not regulate spectators who use their phones to record the events. Some of these accounts, particularly in boxing, receive millions of views on a daily basis.

Fair use doctrine allows for the reuse of sound bites, portions of news reports, photos, and even short clips of video for analysis, commentary and criticism. However, there are many unscrupulous content creators who steal entire interviews and critical highlights which rightly belong to the original producers. In many cases, they simply translate voice reports and news items into Filipino, take credit and get away with it, since most sites cannot interpret translated content. Another problem is the sheer number of idea thieves. You would have to file cases against all of them, and it is extremely difficult to pinpoint who started it. The volume of resources needed to do so is too big to accommodate.

Next, how would you decide who to tax and how much to tax them? In most of the cases of monetization, when the creator signs up, he already indicates where he will be taxed. In YouTube for example, you have to fill up a form and indicate if your country has a tax treaty with the US, where the video broadcasting site is located. Then there’s the whole mess of whether or not they qualify for Philippine taxation. In most places in America, you are required to pay a state tax and a federal tax. In some cases, this combined taxation could reach up to 50 percent, as is the case in California.

And would such taxation apply to legitimate sports broadcast organizations, celebrities, sports personalities and media? In the case of news outlets, their attempts to expand their reach often result in greater online income as a byproduct. Beyond that, international sports celebrities like Alex Eala, Manny Pacquiao and even local sports personalities have such large followings that generating income is almost secondary when it happens. And again, who would you tax? The athlete, the company whose products they endorse, the go-between who brokered their agreement or all of them?

The bottomline is that there would be too many problems in regulating and then taxing online content creation, especially since the flow of content is constant, extremely popular and easily passed around. Nowadays, you could be faceless, unheard, unidentified and still be able to earn off someone else’s hard work. Sadly, opportunism goes beyond sports, perpetuated by thoughtless, inconsiderate, unimaginative copycats.

A fisherman died after he was hit by lightning in Nasugbu, Batangas on Thursday afternoon.

The fatality, identified only as Allan, 48, died at the scene of the incident that occurred in Barangay Bundukan.

Reports said the victim and his companion, Nicholas Ibañez, were gathering crabs and seashells in a swamp when lightning struck.

Ibañez rushed to the victim’s house to inform his family about the incident.

After realizing that the victim was already dead, the family decided not to bring him to the hospital.

Police said the family signed a waiver declining an autopsy of the victim’s remains.

The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors dealt the Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs their first defeat, 51-47, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 25 basketball tournament on Thursday, October 9, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Trailed by a hairline, 41-42, after three quarters, the Warriors seized the upper hand, 46-43, in the final five minutes before hanging on to a precarious four-point triumph.

Kyle Maglinte was the lone double-digit scorer in the low-scoring game, churning in 14 points, two rebounds, one assist, and three steals as the Warriors evened their record at 2-2.

The injury-depleted Cheetahs, on the other hand, saw their three-game winning streak come to a screeching halt.

In high school play, the five-peat seeking Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu(SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles escaped the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers, 65-63, for their second straight win.

The Baby Panthers valiantly fought back after being down by six points late in the game to pull within a matchstick, 63-64, but Lian Kent Basa split his charities in the last three seconds to settle the final tally for the Magis Eagles.

The Baby Panthers actually had one last shot to steal the match but Luke Brent Dy misfired on a desperate 3-pointer as the time expired.

Basa finished with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals while Henry Kristoffer Suico produced a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds with four assists for the Magis Eagles.

Jhonrey Recio added 10 points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks for the only unbeaten team in the juniors division.

Dy tallied 14 points with nine rebounds, two steals and a block while Champ Davidson Brigoli had 12 points, four rebounds and one steal but to no avail as the Baby Panthers fell to 2-2.

As promised by Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, the distribution of financial assistance to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) will begin today, October 11, 2025, in their respective barangays.

This rollout follows the completion of the senior citizens’ aid distribution earlier this week.

The city prioritized senior citizens not only because of their age but also due to their significantly larger population. Cebu City has over 90,000 registered senior citizens, while the number of registered PWDs is estimated at around 15,000 based on recent local government records.

The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) will oversee the barangay-level distribution to ensure accessibility and proper verification.

Beneficiaries are reminded to bring their valid PWD identification cards to claim their financial assistance.

This initiative forms part of Cebu City’s broader social protection efforts and aligns with Republic Act No. 10070, which mandates local government support for PWDs through institutionalized programs and the establishment of Persons with Disability Affairs Offices (PDAO).

A woman’s reproductive system functions well with the help of two key hormones: estrogen and progesterone.

The more commonly known estrogen regulates the menstrual cycle and prepares the uterus for pregnancy, while progesterone thickens the uterine lining to receive a fertilized egg and plays a role in the breasts’ milk production capacity.

Both hormones regulate a woman’s mood, help maintain bone density, and contribute to brain function. However, prolonged exposure to or high levels of these hormones increase the risk of breast cancer.

This is because estrogen and progesterone fuel the growth of hormone-sensitive, or hormone-dependent, breast cancer cells.

Hormones drive cancer. Dr. Melodie Grace Remorca, a doctor from the Makati Medical Center’s Breast Imaging Center, explained that hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells contain hormone receptors – estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors – which are proteins that activate when hormones bind to them.

‘Once activated, these receptors affect specific genes, which, in turn, stimulate cell growth,’ the doctor added.

According to the American Cancer Society, about two out of three breast cancer cases are hormone receptor-positive.

How therapy helps

Hormone therapy can treat hormone-sensitive breast cancer by reducing the production of estrogen and progesterone in the body or by preventing these hormones from binding to the receptors on cancer cells.

‘Depending on the type of hormone therapy, this protocol can also slow the growth of cancer that has spread and lower the risk of cancer developing in other breast tissue,’ Dr. Remorca said.

This kind of therapy can be given before surgery to shrink the tumor or combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy to make it easier for doctors to remove the tumor.

Alternatively, hormone therapy can be administered after surgery and is recommended for at least five years.

Dr. Remorca hailed hormone therapy as an effective approach to treating hormone-sensitive breast cancer, as it reduces the risk of recurrence and improves survival rates.

‘Of course, the type and stage of cancer and a patient’s overall health ultimately play a role in a patient’s prognosis, so early detection is still crucial to a favorable outcome,’ the doctor said.

If a woman notices any breast cancer symptoms – a lump in the breast, nipple inversion or discharge, or changes in breast size or shape – it is recommended to see a specialist immediately for an initial screening.