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Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers and condoled with victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday night.

Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy yesterday said he received a message from Papal Nuncio Charles John Brown that the pope has expressed sympathy and is praying for the quake victims.

‘The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown, called me to convey the Holy Father’s heartfelt sympathies for all the survivors of the earthquake, and his prayers for the eternal repose of the victims,’ Uy said.

He said the pope assured the faithful of his spiritual closeness as communities grieve and begin recovery efforts.

In his homily for the Feast of the Guardian Angels, Uy urged the faithful to embody the mission of angels by helping people in need.

‘In these difficult days, we are invited to show the spirit of angels by sharing whatever we can: food, clothing, shelter, prayers and even our time. Every act of generosity becomes a way of guarding, guiding and comforting others,’ Uy said.

He said to be an angel for someone is protecting the weak, comforting the lonely and giving hope to those who have lost much.

‘This is the best way to honor our guardian angels, by imitating their missions of love,’ he said.

On Wednesday, Uy visited parishes severely affected by the earthquake.

He offered prayers at the Daanbantayan District Hospital where several quake victims are being treated for injuries.

The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) issued an apology to Rosa Rosal and her family after falsely claiming the veteran actress had passed away.

FAMAS had initially posted an obituary card of Rosal, who turns 97 years old later this month, on its social media platforms.

The organization has since deleted the post and released a statement admitting that information fed to them was false.

“Ms. Rosal remains with us, and we deeply regret any confusion or distress this may have caused her family, friends, and admirers,” FAMAS said.

The organization added that it values truth and integrity, and going forward will be more vigilant in verifying information before releasing any statements, reiterating its apologies to Rosal, her loved ones and the public.

Entertainment journalist Mell Navarro confirmed with Rosal’s grandnephew, William Thio, that the retired actress was indeed still alive.

Navarro later shared a video from Thio of Rosal introducing herself and greeting everyone, “Merry Christmas.”

Prior to her retirement, Rosal – born Florence Lansang Danon – debuted during the Golden Age of Philippine Cinema, appearing in classic films like “Anak Dalita,” “Badjao” and “Biyaya ng Lupa.”

Later movies include “Sakada” and “Esperanza: The Movie” having appeared in the original series from 1998.

She also starred in television shows such as “Saan Ka Man Naroroon,” “Ang Iibigin Ay Ikaw,” “Narito Ang Puso Ko,” and “Vietnam Rose,” and hosted “Damayan” and “Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko.”

The Philippines has sharply expanded its startup incubation network under the 2019 Innovative Startup Act, but officials warned that limited funding, overlapping mandates and staffing constraints are holding back the sector’s potential.

At the Geeks On A Beach (GOAB 2025) technology conference in Cebu at Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark in Mactan, representatives from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the law provided a framework to nurture entrepreneurs but lacked the resources to match its ambition.

From just 12 incubators before the law’s passage, the country now counts 81, mostly embedded in universities and regional hubs, according to DOST Chief Technology Transfer Officer Russell Pili.

These facilities have backed 103 startups with a combined P398 million ($6.8 million) in funding, mainly for prototype development. Regional clusters have also been formed to encourage pitching and investment outside Metro Manila.

‘That’s a good development, but the level of funding remains a challenge,’ Pili said.

‘When the law was passed, no dedicated budget line came with it. We end up carving out resources from research projects and justifying them with the jobs created,’ Pili added.

The DICT in 2024 launched its own grant fund to support early-stage ventures at the prototype stage.

Two cohorts covering 19 startups have been rolled out, said assistant division chief Jeehad Januar Tanggol, but the program has been slowed by delays in regulatory approval and remains modest in scale.

Beyond financing, officials acknowledged coordination gaps.

DOST senior researcher Edward Paul Apigo said overlapping mandates and the absence of dedicated personnel have created confusion for founders. ‘Startups sometimes don’t know which agency to approach, because programs are scattered,’ he said.

While the incubator network has opened opportunities in regional centers, officials warned the momentum will be difficult to sustain without more cohesive support and reliable funding streams.

‘We want to attract people to look at startups in their own regions,’ Pili said.

‘Not all founders have the luxury of travelling to Manila to pitch. But to make that vision work, we need more resources,’ he added.

Ahead of World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5, thousands of teachers walked out of their classes yesterday in a coordinated protest to denounce corruption and government neglect, specifically in the education sector.

Protest actions were staged across the country to push for increased education funding, better wages for teachers and accountability from public officials.

According to Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines chairman Vladimer Quetua, the demonstrations were held amid growing revelations of corruption in public infrastructure projects.

These include recent testimonies before the Senate detailing how classrooms, flood control systems and other projects were either left unfinished or constructed below standard due to kickbacks.

To illustrate their grievances, Metro Manila protesters staged a satirical game show skit that underscored the state’s neglect of the education sector – highlighting issues such as overworked teachers, meager salaries, the reduction of subjects in general and senior high school and the militarization of campuses – while public funds continue to be lost to questionable infrastructure projects, confidential funds and kickbacks.

Amplifying ACT’s calls for reform, Quetua called for a substantial salary increase for teachers and education support personnel, the doubling of the education budget to six percent of the gross domestic product and full accountability for corrupt officials.

He warned that if no meaningful reforms or concrete relief are forthcoming, teachers are prepared to escalate their actions.

‘World Teachers’ Day is not about hollow praises; it is our collective defiance against a corrupt system that starves education,’ said Quetua.

Education data

Meanwhile, in a bid toward seamless learner tracking and evidence-based policymaking, the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to unify their data systems.

The agreement was formalized during the first joint management committee meeting, with Education Secretary Sonny Angara, CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis and TESDA director general Jose Francisco Benitez.

‘For too long, our view of a student’s journey has been fragmented. We are finally seeing the complete picture, from their first day in kindergarten to their entry into the workforce,’ Angara said.

The initiative directly addresses the long-standing issue of disjointed learner data among the three agencies.

Previously, each maintained separate systems – DepEd’s Learner Reference Number (LRN), CHED’s own identifiers and TESDA’s Unique Learner Identifier – which made it difficult to track students across educational transitions.

Under the MOU, CHED and TESDA will adopt and utilize DepEd’s LRN as the unique identifier for students in higher and technical-vocational education.

DepEd will continue issuing the LRN and ensure its data is accessible to both agencies, while TESDA will provide its data to support the harmonization effort.

‘This unified system will be our compass for upskilling and reskilling the Filipino workforce, ensuring our training programs are not only world-class but also perfectly aligned with the needs of our growing economy,’ Benitez said.

Agrupis emphasized that higher education institutions will benefit from improved clarity in enrollment projections, scholarship program targeting and curriculum development.

The Second Congressional Commission on Education hailed the agreement as a critical move toward system convergence, especially for supporting Alternative Learning System completers, out-of-school youth and beneficiaries of programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship.

EDCOM 2 noted that the new system will improve enrollment forecasting for technical-vocational and higher education, guiding budget planning for state universities and colleges.

It also emphasized that the MOU is a direct result of the consensus reached during the first education data harmonization meeting it convened.

‘The new MOU acknowledges that sustained educational reforms are only possible when data is readily available and accessible for policy formulation,’ EDCOM 2 said.

The agreement also calls for coordination with other government agencies, including the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine Statistics Authority, to align the system with broader national development goals.

The three agencies aim to pilot the system by 2026 and fully implement it by 2027, following a phased approach supported by the Education Center for AI Research.

Regular fixtures in the playoffs last season, are Rain or Shine and Converge ripe for a deeper run and stronger finish this time?

That’s certainly what the two ‘dark horses’ are aiming for as the PBA Season 50 kicks off tomorrow with the Philippine Cup.

The Elasto Painters made it to the semifinals of the last four conferences, including all three tournaments of Season 49, but missed out on a ticket to the Last Dance each time. The FiberXers, for their part, reached the quarterfinals thrice last season but found themselves stranded in that stage.

‘In the last four conferences nakarating kami ng semifinals. Hindi lang kami maka break-break, hanggang semifinals lang. Parati naming nakakatapat na team ‘yung TNT, we can’t get over that hump. But we feel na itong conference na ito mas nakahanda kami,’ said ROS coach Yeng Guiao.

Aside from the added experience his young guns like Adrian Nocum, Jhonard Clarito and Gian Mamuyac got from their Final Four appearances, what’s giving Guiao brighter hopes is the arrival of veteran Stanley Pringle.

‘I think what Stanley brings is he’s able to make players around him better and he can also mentor our younger guards. ‘Yung mga bata naming mga gwardya, maraming matututunan sa kanya,’ he said.

‘And then we have a closer. We have a lot of games I feel we could have won doon sa endgame or clutch situations. You need somebody like a Stanley Pringle to get you over and the other guys can learn from that. Maipasa niya ‘yan doon sa mga ibang kasama niya. So the future looks bright no for our team.’

Seasoned big man Beau Belga, who missed a good portion of the season-ending All-Filipino due to vertigo, is back to 100 percent fitness, providing experience and toughness to ROS.

Converge, now coached by Pampanga Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda, has been the busiest in the pre-season.

The squad arranged a trade with Phoenix to get the No. 2 pick in the rookie draft and use it for Juan Gomez de Liaño then re-signed vastly improved Schonny Winston and got veteran frontliner Rafi Reavis and rookie Kobe Monje on board to join forces with Justin Arana, Justine Baltazar and Alec Stockton.

‘Siyempre, sana umangat naman po ‘yung performance namin,’ said Pineda of their goal.

The debuting mentor downplayed talks tagging his souped-up crew as a strong contender.

‘Hindi po siguro. Hindi kami dapat bantayan nila, marami pong mas magagaling na teams. Nandoon po kami sa bottom and one good thing about that is nacha-challenge ‘yung mga bata ngayon dahil may ini-aim kami,’ he said.

Kapuso actress Barbie Forteza and host-comedienne Melai Cantiveros-Francisco have chipped in P100,000 each to help victims of the recent earthquake that struck Cebu.

A 6.9 earthquake hit Cebu last September 30, with aftershocks the last couple of days, resulting in hundreds of injuries and several fatalities.

Save the Children Philippines shared online that Barbie, who has been an ambassador of the non-governmental organization since last year, donated the amount to aid in the group’s cause supporting urgent relief and children’s education.

The organization also posted a social card featuring a statement by Barbie, who said that “children have the right to protection and education, even in the most difficult circumstances.”

“I hope more people will come together to support the children of Northern Cebu, because they deserve to feel safe, cared for, and hopeful again,” Barbie added.

Both Barbie and Save the Children Philippines are still calling on the public to help children in need.

Bisaya content creator Randolph Valmoria, also known as Run Dolph Vibes, shared on Facebook that Melai had donated P100,000 to the fundraising they were a part of.

Randolph shared the message Melai sent them for transparency, and called on others doing fundraising to do the same and not be fooled by corrupt politicians.

The creator also thanked Melai for her humility and generosity, dating back to when Randolph was organizing relief operations during the pandemic.

Metro Pacific Water (MPW) is scaling up its footprint in Iloilo with more than P11 billion in new projects, on top of the P4.2 billion it has already poured into rehabilitating the province’s aging water system.

‘MPW has been a partner of the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) for several years, and we recognize that the road to addressing Iloilo’s water challenges has not been easy,’ MPW President and CEO Andrew Pangilinan said.

‘We are not here to offer a quick fix. Quick fixes are what left Iloilo struggling in the first place. We are here to build a system that can stand for decades – one that future generations will not need to question.’

The planned capital program will fund both short- and long-term upgrades, according to Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW), the joint venture company serving Iloilo City and seven neighboring municipalities.

‘Short-term projects include pipe replacements and upgrades in HS Jaro, Diversion, Q. Abeto, Iloilo City Proper, Mansaya, Bo. Obrero, and Sinikway,’ said MPIW Commercial Support Services Department head Annie Mae Salonga.

‘For the long-term, we have started developing the 66.5 million liters per day (MLD) Desalination Plant and a 5 MLD modular facility to help secure Iloilo’s water supply.’

Salonga said the utility has also standardized more than 28,000 meters to ensure fair and accurate billing.

‘Old meters degrade over time and no longer provide accurate readings. Standardization ensures that the consumption recorded is exactly what the customer is charged – no more, no less,’ she said.

MPIW Chief Operating Officer David Berba emphasized that customer trust underpins the expansion.

‘Water is not just a commodity – it is life itself. It is the mother cooking rice for her family, the student washing before school, the worker refreshing after a long day. That is why trust is so important in this service. And trust is not built by words – it is built when Ilonggos turn on their taps and water flows, day after day,’ he said.

Despite the heavy investment pipeline, Salonga clarified that any adjustments in water rates would be determined by MIWD and regulated by the Local Water Utilities Administration. She noted that rates have not changed since 2018 despite rising operating costs.

‘With the improvement of water services through service level projects, customers will enjoy 24/7 safe and reliable water supply and will feel that their payments are truly worth it,’ she said.

MPW, through MPIW, entered Iloilo in 2019 to take over what it described as a heavily strained and outdated network.

The company now serves more than 860,000 people across Iloilo City and seven municipalities, stretching over 572 square kilometers and the Tigum-Aganan Watersheds.

Rolling out these projects, the company added, requires coordination with multiple regulators – including MIWD, LWUA, and the National Water Resources Board – as well as the priorities of eight local governments.

A government worker died while more than 500 people were left homeless in separate fire incidents in Samar, Davao and Cagayan de Oro recently.

Reynold Muñez, 30, an employee of the provincial government of Samar, was trapped in the fire that gutted his house in Barangay Canlapwas, Catbalogan City on Wednesday.

Muñez was reportedly trying to rescue his son, not knowing that his family had already evacuated.

The fire was reportedly caused by a faulty power connection.

In Davao City, more that 150 houses were destroyed in a fire that broke out in Barangay 21-C on Thursday.

The fire quickly spread to houses made of light materials.

No one was reported injured or killed in the incident that left more than 200 families homeless.

In Cagayan de Oro City, up to 121 people lost their homes in a fire that broke out in Barangay 17 on Thursday.

Affected families took shelter under a nearby bridge.

Pacific’s top seed and Masters Toronto champion Paper Rex has been eliminated in the Valorant Champions Tour’s culminating event – the Valorant Champions Paris – after suffering a 0-2 sweep from fellow Pacific be South Korea’ DRX in the lower bracket semifinals.

After an undefeated run in the group stages, Paper Rex absorbed its first loss of the tournament, against Europe’s FNATIC, which had enacted its revenge for falling to the Southeast Asian organization back in the grand finals of Masters Toronto.

Relegated to the lower brackets, Paper Rex managed to regroup and dispatch Europe’s Team Heretics to stay alive in the tournament, only to set up a Pacific El Clasico as it went up against fellow Pacific team DRX in the lower bracket semis.

In DRX’s map pick of Ascent, Paper Rex had a strong defensive side, finishing the half with a 9-3 lead, only for DRX to answer with a five-consecutive-round win to even out the series and eventually force an overtime. Though Paper Rex managed to take the opening round, it was DRX that would close out the map at 13-15.

The South Koreans continued to ride their winning momentum in Lotus, dismantling Paper Rex’s offensive side to sweep the Express, 13-8, and eliminate them from the tournament.

Though seeing the end of their 2025 season, the Express remained upbeat with what they were able to achieve after a rocky start in the beginning of the year.

‘If you win a trophy in any year, it’s a good year. We’ve attended the two big events, Toronto and Paris, and we did well in Champs, in my opinion. I think we would have lost to the two teams that are in the top three. So that means that if anything, I think we lost to better teams, and I’m very, very proud of their performance in general, especially their resilience at the start of the year. I think the fact that we still managed to stick together and go through our tough times, I think it’s a huge milestone for the team. As a group, I think I just want them to know I’m very proud of them. I thought that they improved all the way here. And particularly for PatMen, I think as a rookie to come into our team, it’s a hard thing to do, and I know there’s a lot of self-doubt, but I think you should look back and be proud of yourself because I think you played well throughout the year,’ said Paper Rex’ coach Alexandre “alecks” Sallé during the team’s post-match press conference.

Filipino player Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza, who joined Paper Rex last March took to social media to share his message to his Filipino fans after the tough defeat.

“Maraming salamat sa mga messages niyo kababayan kahit sobrang malas ko this game against DRX, sumusuporta pa rin kayo! Sana this offseason mabalik ko yung confidence ko tulad ng dati at mas makapag adjust ako nang mabilis sa meta and roles and mas mahandle ko nang maayos yung pressure. I realized na 3 years in tier 2 is not enough experience for me and playing in tier 1 is so much different but I learned a lot of things this year,’ Mendoza said on his Facebook page.

Echoing his coach, Mendoza said he is proud of the achievements he and his team has done for the year, vowing to do better in the next season.

“It’s been a good run this year still and hoping next year will be better for us and sana mas maraming Pinoy ang makapasok at masuportahan natin! It’s not the end of the world despite losing this and 4th place is not a failure. Thank you ulit sa mga suporta niyo! Next year, I will do my best to be a better player,’ he added.

Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday slammed as ‘political retribution’ the ethics complaint filed against him at the Senate over his P30-million campaign donation from flood control contractor Lawrence Lubiano of Centerways Construction and Development.

Escudero was referring to a complaint filed against him by lawyer Eldridge Marvin Aceron for accepting campaign funds from Lubiano for his Senate comeback bid in the 2022 elections.

The former Senate president pointed out the timing of the complaint days after he delivered a plenary speech naming his counterpart, former speaker Martin Romualdez’s role in the alleged kickbacks scheme from flood control projects.?Escudero himself is accused by former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo of receiving P160 million in kickbacks, an allegation Escudero denied.

‘I am not surprised anymore. This is what I pay for naming Martin Romualdez, and for uncovering the truth. This is just part of the harassment from his minions,’ the senator posted on social media in Filipino.

‘This isn’t about ethics. This is political retribution. This complaint is still part of their script and a desperate smokescreen. I will expose it for the politically motivated sham that it is,’ he added, using the hashtags ‘#SelectiveJustice’ and ‘#LabananAngScriptNiMartin.’

According to Aceron’s ethics complaint, Lubiano’s Centerways – one of the top 15 flood control contractors flagged by President Marcos – bagged 112 contracts worth P16.67 billion in Escudero’s turf, Sorsogon, from 2021 to 2025.

Escudero served as Sorsogon governor from 2019 to 2022.

Aceron alleged Centerways secured only 12 contracts worth P720 million in 2021, but this ‘escalated dramatically’ to P15.9 billion worth of contracts from 2022 to 2025, or after the P30-million donation to Escudero.

‘The sheer number, aggregate value and geographic concentration of these projects, coinciding with the P30-million donation, underscore the appearance of impropriety and raise serious doubts about the independence of public procurement from political influence,’ the 21-page complaint read.

‘This stark before-and-after contrast strengthens the inference that the donation and the subsequent flow of contracts in the Senator’s bailiwick are linked in both timing and magnitude,’ it added.

Sen. JV Ejercito, who chairs the ethics committee, confirmed the verified complaint against Escudero, but said he has yet to convene the committee since his designation last week.

Ejercito said he will still ‘see if there is still a need’ to tackle the complaint, with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure already tackling Escudero’s alleged role in the controversy.