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OCTOBER 2 - 8, 2026 Volume 20 - No.40 • 16 Pages 611 North Brand Blvd., Suite 1300, Glendale, CA 91203 • Tel: (818) 9379981 • (818) 937-9982 • (213) 250-9797 • info@asianjournalinc.com

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Philippines challenges Chinese research ship off Batanes as China Coast Guard moves in

DATELINE Manila says vessel lacked authorization for research in Philippine EEZ; Beijing disputes Philippine account AJP Supreme Court allows Social Security data to be used in voter citizenship checks FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

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MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday, Oct. 1, that it challenged a Chinese research vessel operating off Batanes after deploying a patrol ship and aircraft to the area, where a China Coast Guard vessel later also appeared.

The Chinese-flagged Jia Hai Ke 7 had remained about 38 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat since Sept. 28, within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, according to the PCG. The agency said the Department of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that Manila had not authorized the vessel to conduct marine scientific research there.

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by AJPress

MANILA — The Supreme Court has dismissed three petitions challenging the Senate Impeachment Court’s revised method for calculating the two-thirds vote required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, leaving the tribunal’s Sept. 23 ruling in effect without resolving the constitutional question on its merits. The court, sitting en banc, dismissed petitions filed separately by former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. and Berteni Cataluña Causing on procedural grounds, including lack of standing and prematurity. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. receives the credentials of Japanese Ambassador Kitagawa Katsuro during a ceremony at Malacañang on Thursday, marking a step forward in strengthening Philippines–Japan relations (File photo/PCO)

Two properties, GenCorp deals and bank records come under scrutiny in Sara Duterte trial Registry officials testify on Matina, Samal properties; bank and financial-company witnesses ordered to appear by AJPress MANILA — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte turned this week to government contracts, firearms, land titles and financial records as House prosecutors continued presenting evidence under Article II of the complaint. Article II accuses Duterte of failing to fully and truthfully disclose assets, liabilities and business in-

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Supreme Court lets Senate impeachment voting rule stand

Emergency stay lets expanded federal SAVE system operate while legal challenge continues WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the government to resume operating an expanded citizenship-verification system that uses Social Security Administration records used by state and local election officials to check federal voter eligibility. The Sept. 25 order is an emergency stay, not a final ruling that the modified Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, known as SAVE, is lawful. It puts a June lower-court judgment on hold while the government’s appeal proceeds in the D.C. Circuit. The case concerns SSA records used for verification and does not change Social Security benefits. The system was expanded after President Donald Trump issued a March 2025 execu-

The Coast Guard deployed the 97-meter BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of its largest patrol vessels, and an Islander aircraft. At about 7:55 a.m. Thursday, the Philippine ship approached Jia Hai Ke 7 to within roughly 100 yards and launched a rigid-hull inflatable boat while personnel issued radio challenges, ac-

terests in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, or SALNs, and of maintaining prohibited financial interests. Duterte has disputed the allegations, which remain unresolved before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. On Sept. 28, Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System Division Chief Rendell Sopeña testified that

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Philippine anti-graft court keeps expublic works chief Bonoan in Estrada flood-control case

Second Division rejects prosecutors’ renewed attempt to remove former DPWH secretary from remaining graft charge by AJPress

MANILA — A Philippine anti-graft court has kept former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan as a co-accused of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in a graft case involving an alleged flood-control kickback scheme, rejecting prosecutors’ renewed attempt to remove Bonoan from the charge.

The Sandiganbayan’s Second Division disclosed during a Sept. 29 pretrial conference that it had denied the prosecution’s motion for reconsideration. Government prosecutors told the court they would continue treating Bonoan as an accused while awaiting further instructions from the Office of the Ombudsman. The ruling leaves in place an

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Leylah Fernandez wins Singapore Open, claims sixth WTA title by AJPress

SINGAPORE — Leylah Fernandez captured her first title of the season Sunday, defeating Australia’s Talia Gibson 7-5, 6-0 in the Singapore Tennis Open final for the sixth WTA singles championship of her career. Fernandez, the Canadian of Filipino and Ecuadorian heritage, won the final nine games to complete the victory in one hour and 38 minutes at OCBC Arena. The championship was her second at the WTA 500 level, following her Washington title in 2025. The 24-year-old entered Singapore as the No. 6 seed and ranked No. 31 in the world. She is projected to rise to No. 26 when the updated rankings are released Monday. Gibson, appearing in her first WTA final,

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From the Front Page

Leylah Fernandez wins Singapore... PAGE 1

LOVE BUS. First day of free Love Bus rides of the Roxas-Toril route in Davao City on Thursday (Oct. 1, 2026), part of efforts to accommodate more passengers and ease transportation shortage during peak hours. (PNA photos by Robinson Niñal Jr)

Philippines challenges Chinese... PAGE 1 cording to PCG spokesman Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela. The PCG said the research vessel maneuvered away from the Philippine boats. China Coast Guard vessel CCG-2503 subsequently entered the area and issued radio challenges to Teresa Magbanua. No collision or injuries were reported. By late morning, Jia Hai Ke 7 had begun moving away from the position it had occupied for several days. The PCG said it continued monitoring the vessel to ensure that it left the Philippine EEZ. China disputed Manila’s characterization of the incident. The Chinese Embassy in Manila said the research vessel was conducting normal operations in waters under Chinese jurisdiction and has maintained that China and the Philippines have

overlapping maritime claims in the area that should be addressed through negotiations. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states have jurisdiction over marine scientific research within their exclusive economic zones, and such research generally requires their consent. An EEZ is legally distinct from territorial waters and does not give a coastal state complete sovereignty over navigation. The PCG first confirmed Jia Hai Ke 7 near Itbayat on Sept. 28 after a maritime surveillance flight. It said the vessel did not respond to repeated radio challenges and had remained in roughly the same area rather than proceeding on a continuous transit. The agency also alleged that the vessel transmitted inaccurate Automatic Identification System location

data. Comparing those transmissions with information from Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection system, the PCG said the reported track would have required the ship to travel more than 2,000 nautical miles in less than a day. It assessed the discrepancy as deliberate AIS spoofing. That assessment has not been independently verified. The PCG describes Jia Hai Ke 7 as a privately owned, 70-meter research vessel equipped with a dynamic-positioning system used for marine survey work. Philippine officials have also noted that submarine communications cable routes pass through the Batanes-Luzon Strait area. The Coast Guard has not presented evidence that the vessel surveyed those cables, collected military information or was operating on behalf of the Chinese government.n

Philippine anti-graft court keeps... PAGE 1 Aug. 3 decision denying prosecutors permission to amend the criminal information and remove Bonoan from the case. The Ombudsman had sought his exclusion as part of an effort to use the former public works chief as a government witness in cases arising from investigations into alleged irregularities in flood-control spending. In its earlier ruling, the Second Division said Bonoan’s removal could affect Estrada’s available defenses and the presentation of evidence concerning the respective roles of the accused. The court said its decision did not determine Bonoan’s potential value or credibility as a prosecution witness in later proceedings. Bonoan pleaded not guilty to the remaining graft charge on Sept. 4. Estrada has also denied wrongdoing. No court has

found either man guilty in the pending Second Division case. The case stems from allegations involving flood-control projects in Bulacan that prosecutors say were included in the 2025 national budget. Prosecutors allege that Estrada received about P213.7 million in kickbacks connected to the projects and accuse Bonoan of participating in the alleged scheme. Those allegations remain to be established at trial. Bonoan’s status in the Second Division case differs from his position in separate proceedings before another branch of the Sandiganbayan. On Sept. 1, the court’s Fifth Division granted the Ombudsman’s request to remove Bonoan as an accused in a separate P573-million plunder case and another graft case involving Estrada and former public works

officials. The Fifth Division said seeking the discharge of an accused for possible use as a state witness fell within the Ombudsman’s prosecutorial discretion. The Fifth Division subsequently recalled warrants against Bonoan and ordered his release from hospital detention. His removal from those cases did not affect the separate graft charge pending before the Second Division, in which he had posted bail. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said in June that his office had reached a cooperation agreement with Bonoan and intended to seek his use as a state witness in flood-control cases. Whether Bonoan may ultimately testify, and in which proceedings, remains subject to the applicable court process.n

twice answered early service breaks by Fernandez in the opening set. The Australian earned a set point with Fernandez serving at 4-5, but Fernandez held for 5-5, broke Gibson in the following game and served out the set. Fernandez then swept the second set without facing a break point. She won 82 percent of her first-serve points in the set. Fernandez dropped only one set in five matches during the tournament. She began with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Japan’s Kyoka Okamura before defeating American Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals. Fernandez then defeated top-seeded Mirra Andreeva 6-2, 7-5. Andreeva, the reigning Roland Garros champion, had beaten Fernandez in their two previous clay-court meetings, while Fernandez had won their previous two meetings on hard courts. The Singapore victory was Fernandez’s second against a Top 10 opponent this season. In Saturday’s semifinal, Fernandez recovered from a one-sided opening set against Roland Garros runner-up Maja Chwalinska, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to her first final of 2026. The Singapore championship gives Fernandez three career titles in Asia. She won in Hong Kong in 2023 and Osaka in 2025 before adding Singapore this year. Her other singles titles came in Monterrey in 2021 and 2022 and Washington in 2025. Fernandez also acknowl-

Photo courtesy of WTA Tennis

edged the Filipino support she received during the tournament. During the trophy presentation, she thanked the Singaporean and “Pinoy fans” who attended matches throughout the week, saying their encouragement, energy and positivity had made the tournament special. Born in Montreal, Fernandez represents Canada in international competition. Her father, Jorge, is Ecuadorian, while her mother, Irene, is Filipino Canadian. Fernandez reached the U.S. Open sin-

Supreme Court lets Senate... PAGE 1

The petitions challenged the impeachment court’s interpretation of Article XI, Section 3(6) of the 1987 Constitution, which requires the concurrence of “two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate” for conviction. On Sept. 23, the impeachment court voted 13-1, with six senator-judges not participating, to set aside an earlier interpretation that treated 16 votes as the fixed requirement in a 24-member Senate. Under the revised rule, the voting base consists of senators who are legally and factually capable of participating when judgment is rendered. Presiding officer Francis Es-

cudero said senators who are legally prevented from acting or otherwise unable to participate under circumstances recognized by the tribunal may be excluded. Rodriguez argued that the impeachment court had added a qualification not contained in the constitutional text. Francisco and Causing also challenged the exclusion of senators who remain in office but cannot participate. The Supreme Court did not resolve those arguments on their merits. Senate Impeachment Court spokesman Regie Tongol said the Sept. 23 ruling remains undisturbed. His description of

gles final in 2021 and helped Canada capture its first Billie Jean King Cup championship in 2023. She arrived in Singapore with a 17-23 record for the season before winning five consecutive matches for the title. Fernandez is entered in the China Open in Beijing, the next WTA 1000 event on the Asian calendar. After the Singapore final, she said the victory gave her confidence but that the next tournament would require her to “start from zero.” n

the proceedings as “constitutionally bulletproof” represented the tribunal spokesman’s assessment, not a finding by the Supreme Court. Rodriguez said Thursday he was considering seeking reconsideration of the dismissal. Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio separately said a challenge could become ripe after the impeachment court votes on guilt or acquittal, particularly if a conviction were reached with fewer than 16 votes. The constitutional requirement remains two-thirds. The dispute concerns which senators should be counted when that fraction is calculated. n

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Supreme Court allows Social... PAGE 1

tive order directing federal agencies to make information available for citizenship checks involving people registering to vote or on existing voter rolls. DHS modified SAVE to incorporate Social Security records and permit bulk searches. Under the process described by the Supreme Court, an authorized agency submits identifying information through SAVE, such as a person’s name, date of birth and full or partial Social Security number. The Social Security Administration searches its records and returns results to the Department of Homeland Security, which responds through SAVE. The system may confirm citizenship or indicate that more information is needed. An inconclusive result is not, by itself, a finding that someone is a noncitizen. The Supreme Court noted that a naturalized U.S. citizen in Louisiana had Social Security records that did not accurately reflect her citi-

zenship and likely would have been required to provide additional proof. The League of Women Voters, several affiliates and the Electronic Privacy Information Center challenged the expansion, arguing that it violated the Social Security Act, Privacy Act and Administrative Procedure Act. U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan agreed in June and set aside the modifications. A divided D.C. Circuit panel later declined to stay that ruling. In an unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court said the plaintiffs likely have standing but that their statutory claims were unlikely to succeed. The majority said a 1996 immigration law likely permits DHS to request and receive citizenship and immigration information from other agencies and requires DHS to respond to state and local verification requests. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Jackson argued that

Dateline USA

the majority misread the statute and that outdated records could burden eligible voters. Texas said this month that 2,724 registered voters were initially identified through SAVE as potential noncitizens. Further review found 578 had demonstrated U.S. citizenship, including 506 whose passport information was added after the initial search. Texas also referred 117 cases for investigation of potential noncitizen voting. Those referrals are not findings that illegal voting occurred. Federal law separately limits systematic voter-roll removals close to an election. The National Voter Registration Act generally requires states to complete such programs at least 90 days before a federal election, although individualized inquiries may continue. The Supreme Court did not decide whether that restriction applies to programs aimed specifically at removing noncitizens, an issue pending in a separate case. n

Philippines regains spot as world’s No. 2 banana exporter by AJPress MANILA — The Philippines regained its position as the world’s second-largest banana exporter in 2025 as shipments rebounded from production setbacks linked to disease and weather, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The FAO’s final Banana Market Review 2025, released Sept. 24, placed Philippine exports at about 3 million metric tons, up roughly 30 percent from 2.33 million metric tons in 2024. The final tally revised upward the agency’s preliminary January estimate of 2.93 million metric tons. Ecuador remained the largest exporter. The Philippines had ranked third in both 2023 and 2024 after holding se-

cond place through 2022. FAO attributed the 2025 recovery largely to stronger supplies following earlier weather- and disease-related damage. It also cited industry reports of investments in banana production in Cagayan Valley, supported by Department of Agriculture inputs. The DA said its 2025 High Value Crops Development Program distributed 106,000 banana planting materials, 120,000 units of organic fertilizer and more than 215,000 biological-control agents. Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4, or TR4, remains a major threat, particularly to Cavendish bananas that underpin the export industry. In November 2025, the DA said about 15,500 hectares in the Davao Region had been affected.

Japan and China remain destinations for Philippine bananas. FAO said the Philippines still supplies about 75 to 80 percent of Japan’s banana imports, although Vietnamese shipments to that market increased in 2025. More recent production data show continuing pressure. Philippine Statistics Authority figures put nationwide banana output at about 3.96 million metric tons in the first half of 2026, down 3.1 percent from the same period in 2025. The government has continued seeking additional markets. Philippine saba bananas began commercial shipments to New Zealand this year, while the DA promoted Cavendish and Cardava bananas at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong in September. n

Philippine Supreme Court justice calls for stronger reporting of court corruption by AJPress MANILA — Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, serving as acting chief justice, has urged judges, court personnel, lawyers and

litigants to report suspected corruption through the judiciary’s existing integrity channel. In Memorandum Order No. 94-2026, dated Sept. 30, Leonen directed courts nationwide to increase public awareness of integrity@

judiciary.gov.ph, an email address for actionable information involving possible violations of anti-graft laws and judicial ethics rules. The memorandum identifies conduct that may warrant reporting, including

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Trump administration begins sending $500 ACA refund checks to more than 950,000 enrollees by AJPress California and Nevada residents are not included because both states operate their own ACA marketplace platforms WASHINGTON — The Trump administration began sending $500 checks Wednesday, Sept. 30, to more than 950,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees in 30 states, distributing money from what the White House describes as excess fees collected to operate the federal health insurance marketplace. The Treasury Department is issuing the checks to eligible recipients, accompanied by letters signed by President Donald Trump. The White House announced the program Sept. 10 and initially said payments would begin in October. The payment is $500 per eligible person. It is directed at consumers who obtained 2026 coverage through HealthCare.gov without federal premium assistance and therefore paid the full premium for their coverage. Most recipients have incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level and were not eligible for premium subsidies in 2026. Some people with lower incomes who did not receive subsidies also qualify, according to administration officials. The payments come from

federal marketplace user-fee revenue. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services charges insurers offering plans through the federally operated marketplace a percentage of premiums to finance HealthCare.gov and other exchange operations. Insurers can incorporate those fees into premiums. The White House says the Biden administration collected more in user fees than was necessary and describes the payments as refunds of consumer “overcharges.” That characterization is disputed. Cynthia Cox, director of the Affordable Care Act program at KFF, told Reuters that surplus user-fee revenue does not necessarily mean consumers were overcharged. Federal records also show that unused marketplace user-fee revenue predates the Biden administration. KFF reported that more than $1.2 billion in cumulative unused revenue had accumulated from fiscal 2018 through 2020, during Trump's first administration, as federal spending on marketplace operations, outreach and enrollment assistance declined. The federal marketplace fee has changed over time. CMS set it at 1.5% of monthly premiums for 2025. The Biden administration set the 2026 rate at 2.5%, partly reflecting expectations of lower enrollment after enhanced premium tax credits expired at the

end of 2025. The Trump administration has set the rate at 1.9% for 2027. The enhanced tax credits, introduced in 2021 and extended through 2025, had increased federal assistance for ACA customers and temporarily removed the income ceiling that had barred households earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level from receiving premium subsidies. CMS reported that 23.1 million people selected or were automatically re-enrolled in marketplace plans during the 2026 open-enrollment period, including about 15.8 million through HealthCare.gov. The refund program applies only to eligible consumers in the 30 states using the federal marketplace. California and Nevada residents are not included because both states operate their own ACA platforms: Covered California and Nevada Health Link. New York and New Jersey are likewise outside the program. The program does not apply to consumers enrolled through state-run marketplaces, even if they received no premium subsidy. The $500 payments are separate from medical-loss-ratio rebates insurers may owe when they fail to spend the federally required share of premium revenue on medical care and quality-improvement activities. n

IMF cuts Philippine growth forecast to 3.4% as oil costs, weak investment weigh on economy by AJPress MANILA — The International Monetary Fund has lowered its 2026 growth forecast for the Philippines to 3.4%, citing weak investment, delayed public construction and elevated energy costs. The projection, released after an IMF staff mission to Manila from Sept. 15 to 25, is down from the Fund’s previous 3.9% estimate and slightly below the government’s 3.5% to 4.5% growth target. The IMF also projects growth of 5.1% in 2027. Economic growth slowed to 2.3% year over year in the second quarter. Gross capital formation fell 9.2%, construction investment dropped 14.8%, and general-government construction declined 32.4%, ac-

cording to the Philippine Statistics Authority. The weakness was concentrated in investment rather than government spending broadly. Government final consumption rose 8.3%, while household consumption increased 2.8%. The IMF said stricter reviews of infrastructure projects had weighed on public construction and that weaker confidence had restrained private investment. It also cited natural disasters and a prolonged property-sector slowdown. Higher energy costs have added pressure. Brent crude futures were trading around $99 to $104 a barrel at the end of September, while the government temporarily suspended excise taxes on LPG, except when used for petro-

chemicals or motive power, and on kerosene, except aviation fuel. Headline inflation eased to 6.1% in August from 6.2% in July, but remained above the government’s 2% to 4% target range. The IMF expects inflation to average 5.6% this year before easing to 4.1% in 2027. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas raised its policy rate to 5% in August. The IMF said further tightening should depend on whether inflation remains elevated and second-round effects intensify. The Fund projects the current-account deficit to widen to 4.8% of GDP and urged faster execution of high-quality capital projects while protecting priority social and infrastructure spending.. n

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Two properties, GenCorp deals...

Alex Eala, Isa Briones named to TIME100 Next 2026 by AJPress

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte

PAGE 1 records before him covered 15 Davao City contracts with GenCorp Industries Inc. worth P34.216 million. Four went through public bidding and 11 through negotiated small-value procurement. Those figures differed from information earlier released by Davao City, which reported 19 GenCorp transactions worth more than P33.2 million. Sopeña said PhilGEPS relies on information entered by procuring entities and did not make a legal finding that procurement rules had been violated. Duterte listed GenCorp among her business interests in her 2024 and 2025 SALNs. A Philippine National Police official also testified that records showed 51 firearms registered to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio. The records were presented as part of the prosecution's Article II case. The testimony did not establish that possession of the registered firearms was unlawful. Baste Duterte takes the stand Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, the vice president's brother, appeared under subpoena on Sept. 29 and was declared a hostile witness for evidentiary purposes, allowing prosecutors to ask leading questions. The designation did not amount to a finding that he testified falsely. Mayor Duterte said he had not personally reviewed the GenCorp contracts and had learned of his sister's reported interest in the company through the impeachment proceedings. He said he would not have allowed the contracts had he known of her connection to the firm.

He also acknowledged that an assistant city administrator was authorized to sign contracts on his behalf and said the 19 contracts, spread over about five years, did not appear unusually numerous compared with the city government's overall transactions. The impeachment court separately ruled that Vice President Duterte could not be compelled to answer a prosecution request for admission covering 104 matters involving her and her husband's bank and tax records, among other issues. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero said prosecutors could not shift their burden of proof to the respondent through a request for admission and cited Duterte's constitutional right against self-incrimination. Land records examined When hearings resumed Oct. 1, prosecutors presented Davao City Register of Deeds Kathy Florence Baldonado and Samal Deputy Register of Deeds Marco Pineda. Baldonado authenticated records for a 379-square-meter property in Matina, Davao City, registered to Carpio. The records showed a P6-million purchase in July 2024 and a P8-million mortgage the following month. During comparison with Duterte's SALN, questions arose over whether the property corresponded to any listed real-estate entry. Baldonado said she had no personal knowledge of Duterte's SALN filings and did not determine whether the property had been omitted. The defense argued that the Matina property corresponded to an existing SALN entry. Baldonado did not confirm that the entries referred to the same property. Pineda testified about an-

PNA Photo by Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

other property in the Island Garden City of Samal registered to Carpio. As with the Matina property, prosecutors argued that the land record was not properly reflected in Duterte's SALN, while the defense disputed that interpretation. Whether either property was omitted or inaccurately reported remains unresolved before the impeachment court. Bank and financial records move forward The court on Oct. 1 granted prosecution requests for subpoenas covering seven banks and seven financial companies, directing officials to testify and produce records concerning Duterte and Carpio. The banks include Land Bank of the Philippines, Asia United Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Philippine National Bank and BDO Unibank. Prosecutors said they intend to begin presenting the bank and financial-company witnesses on Oct. 6. The prosecution also withdrew former senator Antonio Trillanes IV as a witness. Trillanes later said he had asked prosecutors to remove him from the witness list. Testimony by Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura was postponed after the defense sought additional time to prepare. The court moved his appearance to the next scheduled hearing. The impeachment court has made no final determination on Article II. The prosecution bears the burden of proving its allegations, while the defense may challenge the relevance, interpretation and sufficiency of the evidence presented.n

Filipina tennis player Alexandra Eala and Filipino American actress Isa Briones have been named to the 2026 TIME100 Next, TIME magazine’s annual list recognizing 100 emerging figures across entertainment, sports, business and other fields. Eala was selected in the Innovators category, while Briones was named among the Artists on the list released Sept. 30. Eala’s profile was written by 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, who

has known her since she began training atthe Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. The 21-year-old entered late September ranked No. 18 in the world after a season that included her first WTA Tour title. Eala won the Washington WTA 500 in August, defeating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final and becoming the first player representing the Philippines to win a WTA Tour singles championship. Briones plays Dr. Trinity Santos in HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt. Her TIME profile was written by co-star

Katherine LaNasa. The daughter of Filipino actor Jon Jon Briones, she made her Broadway debut as Eurydice in Hadestown in March 2024, appearing opposite her father as Hermes. Briones returned to Broadway this year as singer Connie Francis in Just in Time, playing the role from April 1 through May 29. TIME introduced TIME100 Next in 2019 as an extension of its TIME100 franchise, focusing on emerging figures the publication says are helping shape their respective fields. n

Philippines set to host WTA 250, two women’s tennis events in 2027 Higher-tier tournament planned for late October or early November by AJPress MANILA — The Philippines is set to host its first WTA 250 tournament in 2027, giving the country two international women’s professional tennis events in the same year, the Philippine Tennis Association announced Thursday. PHILTA Secretary General John Rey Tiangco said the WTA 250 is planned for late October or early November 2027, while the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open will return in January 2027. He said the WTA approved the country’s hosting application last week after PHILTA worked out details with the tournament’s franchise hol-

der. The WTA 250 will be a separate event and will not replace the Philippine Women’s Open, Tiangco said. PHILTA board member Dyan Castillejo said the WTA 125 is expected during the second week of the 2027 Australian Open. Exact dates and venues for the two Philippine tournaments have not been announced. The addition moves the Philippines into a higher level of the women’s professional circuit. WTA 250 tournaments are part of the main WTA Tour, with the singles champion receiving 250 ranking points. The country staged its first WTA tournament from Jan.

26 to 31, 2026, when the Philippine Women’s Open was held on hard courts at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila. The WTA 125 event carried a $115,000 financial commitment and a 32-player singles draw. Colombia’s Camila Osorio won the inaugural title, defeating Donna Vekic of Croatia 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final. Filipina Alex Eala, the No. 2 seed and a wild-card entrant, reached the quarterfinals before losing to Osorio. Her participation in either Philippine tournament in 2027 has not been announced. PHILTA said further details on the two 2027 events will be released later. n

Philippine Supreme Court justice... PAGE 3 demands for money, gifts or favors in exchange for court action or services; attempts to obtain confidential case information; prohibited ex parte communications; and claims of improper influence over judges or proceedings. Such reports are allegations unless established through investigation or disciplinary proceedings. Leonen said silence in the face of corruption can weaken public trust in the justice system and disadvantage

those with fewer resources. The integrity email was not created by the latest order. The Supreme Court established the channel in June 2024 through Memorandum Order No. 72-2024, saying it could be used to receive specific information about possible misconduct involving justices, judges and court personnel. The renewed directive comes as the judiciary continues implementing updated ethics and accountability rules. The Supreme Court launched the 2025 Code of

Judicial Conduct and Accountability and the corresponding code for court officials and personnel in January, followed by training sessions in September. The Court also reorganized the former Judicial Integrity Board into the Judicial Integrity Office in 2025. Gerard Mosquera, a former deputy ombudsman, was appointed in August 2026 as its first Judicial Integrity Officer, with authority to receive and investigate administrative complaints and recommend sanctions. n

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ABS-CBN ownership set for reshuffle as DOJ says anti-trafficking protection proposed P6-billion investment advances applies to Mary Jane Veloso after by AJPress

MANILA — ABS-CBN Corp. is moving toward a major ownership restructuring through a proposed P6-billion equity investment involving a new institutional investor and several Lopez-linked companies. I&C Holdings Corp. is subscribing to P3.5 billion in new shares. Three investment companies that ABS-CBN says represent branches of the Lopez family — Crème Investment Corp., Mantes Corp. and Presta Holdings Company Inc. — are investing a combined P2.2 billion, while Lopez Inc. will subscribe to another P300 million. After the transaction, I&C would hold 27.06 percent of ABS-CBN’s voting stock, according to disclosures filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange. I&C is a Philippine investment vehicle established by Fortman Cline investment bankers Daniel Ibasco, Gary Emerson Cheng and Clarisse Darlene Rose Tan. Corporate records reported by the Mani-

la Bulletin identify Fortress Capital Philippine Holdings Corp. as I&C’s largest shareholder. The subscriptions would reduce Lopez Inc.’s direct share of ABS-CBN voting stock from 78.40 percent to 44.35 percent. Crème would hold 5.94 percent, Mantes 5.93 percent and Presta 5.15 percent. Lopez Inc. would therefore no longer hold a majority of the voting stock by itself. The disclosures do not establish that the Lopez family has relinquished control or that I&C will take over management. ABS-CBN remains led by Chairman Martin L. Lopez and President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo L. Katigbak. Shareholders are scheduled to meet Sept. 30 to consider increasing ABS-CBN’s authorized capital stock from P1.5 billion to P4.5 billion to accommodate the new subscriptions. They will also consider increasing the board from seven to nine directors. Senior executives Socorro V. Vidanes and Roberto V. Barreiro have been nominated for the two

additional seats. The proposed investment comes as ABS-CBN continues to rebuild its business around content production, digital distribution and partnerships following the loss of its broadcast franchise in 2020. The company reported P6.88 billion in consolidated revenue for the first half of 2026, down 17 percent from a year earlier. Its net loss widened to P1.83 billion from P852 million, while operating expenses declined 5 percent to P8.46 billion. ABS-CBN also announced a retrenchment program in September covering about 200 employees, or roughly 7 percent of its workforce. The company cited weaker advertising and consumer spending among the pressures affecting its recovery. ABS-CBN has said proceeds from the subscriptions will be used for general corporate purposes. Completion remains subject to the corporate and regulatory approvals required for the capital increase. n

pardon

New legal development follows release of Filipino worker whose 2015 execution in Indonesia was halted at the last minute by AJPress MANILA — The Department of Justice said Thursday, Oct. 1, that a legal protection intended to prevent trafficking victims from being punished for acts resulting directly from their exploitation has been applied to Mary Jane Veloso, days after a presidential pardon ended her more than 16 years in Indonesian and Philippine custody. Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty cited the “non-punishment principle” under the country’s anti-trafficking law, which protects trafficking victims from liability for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in April 2010 after

authorities found 2.6 kilograms of heroin concealed in luggage she was carrying. An Indonesian court convicted her of drug trafficking and sentenced her to death. She has consistently maintained that she did not know the drugs were there and that she was deceived while seeking work abroad. Her case drew international attention in April 2015, when Indonesia prepared to execute her. Philippine authorities obtained a last-minute reprieve so she could testify in criminal proceedings involving people she identified as having recruited her. After years of diplomatic negotiations, Indonesia transferred Veloso to Philippine custody in December

2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed an absolute pardon Sept. 24, and she was released the following day. Speaking at the DOJ on Thursday, Veloso appealed to those she identifies as her recruiters to publicly acknowledge that she had no part in the drug offense. Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao face separate Philippine charges of qualified trafficking in persons, illegal recruitment and estafa. Both pleaded not guilty. Veloso testified in the cases on June 19. Since her release, DSWD and the Department of Migrant Workers have provided financial and reintegration assistance to Veloso and her family. n

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OCTOBER 2 - 8, 2026 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Opinion

Features

Election dates should not become moving targets BARANGAY elections rarely receive the attention given presidential or congressional contests. Yet for millions of Filipinos, the barangay is the government they encounter most directly. A barangay is not simply the Philippine equivalent of a neighborhood association. It is the country’s smallest political unit, with elected officials, public funds and responsibilities that in the United States would often be divided among a small municipal government, a city council district and county agencies. Barangay officials help deliver local services, respond to community concerns, coordinate disaster assistance and connect residents with municipal and national programs. That makes the latest change in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election calendar more than an administrative matter.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act 12326, moving elections scheduled for November 2026 to November 2028 and establishing five-year terms for barangay and SK officials. The last nationwide BSKE was held on Oct. 30, 2023. Republic Act 12232 had subsequently set the next elections for November 2026 before the new law changed the timetable again. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has asked the Supreme Court to invalidate the postponement provisions, arguing that they improperly extend incumbents’ tenure and delay voters’ opportunity to choose their local representatives. Comelec has stopped preparations for the 2026 elections and said it will comply with whatever the Supreme Court ultimately orders. The constitutional question belongs to the Court, and its previous decisions show why the

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Editorial

The long view Manuel L. Quezon III

A picture is worth a thousand words, but the picture also depends on the angle at which it was taken. Last August, Momentum Research (Cleve Arguelles’ firm after he left) asked people two questions about partisanship. The first was, how would you picture yourself: a supporter of the administration, opposition, or an independent? The biggest portion—67 percent—pictured themselves

Reset button as independents, or not a supporter of either the administration or the opposition. As for picturing themselves as supporting the administration, 17.5 percent self-identified as such; on the other hand, those who pictured themselves as supporting the opposition comprised 10.4 percent. There were 4.2 percent who said they didn’t know or were unsure, while 0.9 percent declined to answer. The second question was, some people describe themselves as supporters of the Marcoses, supporters of the

issue requires careful distinction. In 2023, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Republic Act 11935, which had post-

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Delaying the inevitable

Ctalk

Dutertes, and some also describe themselves as supporters of the opposition. How do you describe yourself? The biggest group was those who described themselves as independents or who didn’t support any of the groups mentioned: 45.5 percent. The next biggest group described themselves as supporters of the Dutertes and their allies: 28.9 percent. Those identifying themselves as supporters of the Marcoses and their allies comprised 11.6 percent, while those who described

ManilaTimes.net photo

poned the December 2022 BSKE to October 2023. The Court found that the postponement

Cito Beltran

I recently learned that San Miguel Corp. CEO Ramon S. Ang called for a press briefing with members of the Bulacan media. There, he presented satellite images, video footage, maps and the like. All this in an effort to disprove claims being spread by unknown Facebook accounts in the province that flooding there is caused by the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project.

“Not long after the media attendees’ stories were filed and posted, what followed bore some of the hallmarks of a coordinated online activity: locked profiles churning out comment after comment disparaging Ang and the airport – with the same comments making it to the comments section of multiple media outlets.” I am reminded of the words of Thomas Aquinas who pointed out: “To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who do

not believe, no explanation is possible.” Ramon Ang has, time and again, gone out of his way to be transparent about the airport project to the point that he personally engages the media and the public to update or clarify matters of concern and interest. But I agree with the position of St. Thomas Aquinas that no amount of explanation is enough to convince not only critics but especially those who are part of a

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Election dates should... PAGE 6 lacked sufficient legitimate governmental justification and infringed on the exercise of suffrage. But the Court reached a different conclusion in 2025 when it upheld Republic Act 12232. It ruled that Congress has authority to determine the terms and commencement of office of barangay officials and characterized that statute as one fixing terms rather than simply postponing an election. Republic Act 12326 presents another test of where that legislative authority ends and constitutional protections surrounding periodic elections begin. The effects are not confined to constitutional doctrine. First is accountability. Elections give residents a recurring opportunity to judge how officials have handled public resources, community services and local problems. Extending the interval before an election also extends the period before voters can retain or replace those officials at the ballot box. Second is political turnover. Whatever the performance of any individual barangay official, changing the election date leaves the existing officeholders in place longer than under the timetable voters had previously been given. In

communities where the same families or political organizations have long held influence, the length of an electoral cycle can have practical consequences for challengers seeking office. Third is youth participation. The change applies not only to barangay officials but also to the Sangguniang Kabataan. Young Filipinos who expected an opportunity to vote, run for office or enter local government in 2026 will instead face a different electoral calendar. That is significant in a country where the SK was created specifically to give young people a formal role in community governance. There is also a financial and administrative consequence. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said approximately P8 billion had already been spent preparing for the November 2026 elections before the postponement. The commission says materials and equipment may still be usable later if properly stored, reducing the extent of any eventual loss. For Filipino Americans, the closest comparison is not postponing an election for a homeowners association or advisory neighborhood council. It is closer to changing the election timetable for thousands of very small local governments whose officials exercise actual public authority.

Opinion & Features Many Filipinos abroad also retain direct connections to barangays through family, property, businesses and community responsibilities in the Philippines. Decisions involving local certifications, community services, disaster assistance and neighborhood administration can affect households even when some family members live overseas. Supporters of longer terms can point to continuity in governance, less frequent electoral disruption and the cost of repeatedly conducting nationwide local elections. Congress also possesses substantial authority over the structure and tenure of barangay government, as the Supreme Court recognized in its 2025 decision. The competing concern is whether repeated alterations to an election calendar eventually affect the predictability that periodic elections are intended to provide. That distinction is now before the Supreme Court. Its decision will have implications beyond whether Filipinos vote for barangay and SK officials in 2026 or 2028. It may further define how Congress can restructure the terms of the country’s most local elected officials while preserving the electorate’s periodic opportunity to decide who governs them. (AJPress) n

Delaying the inevitable... PAGE 6

sinister and well-financed group organized for the sole purpose of destabilizing and delaying the SMC-NMIA by preying on the emotions of Bulakeños by blaming the airport for flooding. I looked back on the history or early stage of the proposed SMC Bulacan airport and remembered that the project was actively blocked by certain individuals in government. They were deeply invested in the New Clark City Airport as well as businesses with in the Clark development project that they wanted Clark Airport to have exclusive control of aviation in the region. Another group wanted to protect the economic growth of Pampanga instead of allowing Bulacan to build up its own economic hub, a proposed legislation in support of this, which was killed at the Office of the President as PBBM’s first veto. Then there were those

who wanted to preserve and protect the old NAIA which was their gold mine. Another group was even pushing for Sangley as an alternative for domestic flights instead of NAIA. Come to think of it, many infrastructure projects of SMC as well as aviation-related endeavors have all been subjected to “generated opposition” or technical delay or sabotage starting with the expressways, trains, airline, the New NAIA and now the New Manila International Airport. To their credit, SMC has kept going as it has done in the past. RSA often says “this too shall pass” or “lilipas din yan.” One time I heard him say “Hindi na ba kayo na sanay?” Every undertaking of San Miguel Corporation has been completed, operating and, more importantly, beneficial to Filipinos on land and in the air. The expressway projects are ongoing concerns that

have expanded in lanes, volume and length. The Skyway keeps going further and better, and now the Star Toll is well on its way to operating in Quezon province and soon to Bicol province. Under RSA’s leadership, PAL transformed into a viable undertaking to the point that the previous owners bought back the company. When SMC won the bid to rehabilitate and develop NAIA, SMC was once again subjected to “created” negative publicity and disinformation. It became evident that there were sore losers who could not accept the SMC takeover. There were also several aviation-related companies and investors that were unwilling to give up their advantageous rentals within NAIA and of course, with the SMC management came the cleanup related to corruption. Today, critics claim that the New Manila International Airport project supposedly

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2 - 8, 2026

7

Reset button... themselves as supporters of the opposition, such as former Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Bam Aquino, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, and their other allies, comprised 9.6 percent, with those saying they didn’t know or weren’t sure amounting to 2.9 percent and those refusing to answer, 1.4 percent. The contrast between the two should lead to interesting discussion on the difference between party politics and personality politics: the “none of the above” cohort, based on the August snapshots, anyway, being enormous. The relatively small numbers for both “administration” and “opposition” sort of match the other, personality-based question, but the Duterte cohort for its part seems to have melted into the “none of the above” segment, which might also be a clue as to their thinking. In terms of personalities, however, the way most people think is a snapshot of eroded cohorts, at least when it comes to the Dutertes and the Marcoses, though the “opposition” has remained remarkably consistent over time. It is also showing a near-majority that considers itself unaffiliated with the three major groupings they read, hear, or watch about whenever politics is discussed. I often tell people that if Vice President Sara Duterte ends up convicted in an impeachment trial, one unin-

tended consequence would be the first election in 42 years that wouldn’t be about, one way or another, the Aquinos (in truth, the Edsa Coalition) and Marcoses (in truth, the Marcos-Macapagal-Estrada coalition) or their proxies. Nor would it be exchanging that decades-old dynamic for a Marcos-Duterte confrontation, spanning the next couple of decades at least, because neither of the two dynasties has an heir capable of leading, nationally, at this point. The various players might retreat to their respective bailiwicks and hold them, but there would be the chance that 2028 would be, for once, about tomorrow and not yesterday. And in the nick of time, too, considering the piled-up problems begging for some sort of attention, if not resolution, before we revert to being a basket case. What would happen were the Veep convicted in an impeachment would be to turn the 2028 election into a real contest, considering the old alignments are all, in one way or another, either exhausted or directly implicated in the mess the country’s consistently been in since the pandemic. To be sure, the old players, plus the most organized parties (three of which are subsidiaries of the largest corporations), will all play a role, and they will be among the first to shift their attention from the current confrontation to finding a horse to back in 2028 now that the field’s been

wiped clean. Either someone will emerge from left field, shaking things up, or there will be status quo candidates possibly different from what came before in being less extreme, less able to promise big while giving little detail, than those who’ve come before. While I personally wish for the administration to achieve the ultimate disruption by including an election for a constitutional convention in the 2028 polls, a shift to problem-solving instead of score-settling would be wonderful in and of itself. It would be like pressing the reset button; as I said, a means to look forward and not backward, for once. Premised, of course, on a conviction in the impeachment, itself based on the assumption that the evidence in at least one of the articles of impeachment is solid enough to result in the Veep’s removal and permanent disqualification from office. There is a remarkably large—even huge—percentage of citizens who seem primed to keep an open mind, without wearing blinders based on partisanship. (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff *** Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3 n

“blocked” river outflows to Manila Bay, causing water to backflow and flood wider areas across the province. They even use “inventive” AI graphic work to fool and mislead the public and Bulakenyos in particular that their worsening flooding is caused by a single project. Without needing to, SMC addressed flooding in the areas in Bulacan near the airport. The rivers that were supposedly blocked, three of them actually – the Santa Maria River, Meycauayan River and Taliptip (Alipit) River that surround the airport site – were actually widened and deepened, just like SMC has done in their river clean up in Metro Manila. What SMC did was essentially increase the rivers’ flood-carrying capacities and rate of discharge out to Manila Bay. People may not know it but

in the early stages of the project, San Miguel Corporation called on global experts to study the proposed site and provide engineering solutions. These global experts were: Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI), an engineering, research and technology firm specializing in water environments; UK-based Mott MacDonald, experts in coastal and marine engineering, and Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. of the Netherlands, experts in marine infrastructure. The engineering evaluation and services of such global firms became the stamp of approval that green lighted funding within SMC as well as European banks and regional investors who also conduct their own due diligence and sustainability assessments. We could go on discussing or arguing the merits or de-

merits of the Bulacan Airport or New Manila International Airport project. But to what end when we know that the alleged opposition is manufactured by vested interest groups? Do we want to be deprived of or denied world class infrastructure that brings economic growth annd allow the terrorism of the insignificant few to once again delay the inevitable? No one is going to build our nation but ourselves. (Philstar.com)

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*** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** E-mail: utalk2ctalk@gmail.com n

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OCTOBER 2 - 8, 2026 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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Marcos extends Dizon, Lopez appointments as CA confirmation awaits by AJPress MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has extended the appointments of Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said Wednesday, Sept. 30, after questions arose over the tenure of Cabinet officials awaiting Commission on Appointments confirmation. Recto said Marcos would submit their appointments to the CA “at the appropriate time.” He did not publicly specify the duration or legal form of the extensions. The announcement follow-

ed a Sept. 25 Senate budget hearing in which Sen. Imee Marcos questioned Dizon about the basis for his continued tenure at the Department of Public Works and Highways, citing the Administrative Code provision limiting a presidential temporary designation to one year. Dizon told senators he had yet to clarify his status with the Office of the President and said he would accept leaving the department if it were determined that his authority to remain had ended. Marcos placed Dizon and Lopez at the helm of the DPWH and Department of Transportation on Sept. 1, 2025. Palace announcements

at the time described Dizon as DPWH secretary and Lopez as acting transportation secretary. The Constitution requires presidential appointments of executive department heads to receive the consent of the Commission on Appointments. The Administrative Code separately authorizes temporary presidential designations but states that such a designation cannot exceed one year. Recto also said his own appointment as executive secretary would eventually be submitted to the CA. n

MANILA — Ateneo de Manila University remained the highest-ranked Philippine institution in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, holding the country’s top position in the table for a fifth consecutive year. Ateneo was placed in the 1,001–1,200 global band. The University of the Philippi-

nes followed at 1,201–1,400, while the University of Santo Tomas ranked 1,601–1,800. De La Salle University and Mapúa University were both in the 1,801–2,000 band, and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology was listed at 2,001+. Ateneo’s strongest score was in research quality at 66.9. The university said the figure was up from 52.4 in 2024. It also scored 34.5 for international outlook, 26.5 for teaching,

23.0 for industry and 13.1 for research environment. Times Higher Education evaluates universities across teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry. Its 2027 edition ranked 2,297 universities in 118 countries and territories. The University of Oxford remained No. 1 globally for an 11th consecutive year, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. n

ICC rejects Duterte bid for automatic expert verification of open-source evidence by AJPress THE HAGUE — International Criminal Court judges have rejected former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to require expert verification reports for open-source and user-generated evidence in his crimes against humanity case. Trial Chamber III ruled Sept. 28 that imposing the requirement on every such item would be unnecessary and could delay proceedings. The decision does not prevent

Duterte’s lawyers from challenging individual prosecution exhibits onauthenticity, reliability or admissibility. Judges said the defense should identify specific objections, allowing prosecutors to respond and provide supporting material when warranted. The chamber also approved adding a URL field to the court’s electronic evidence system to identify the internet sourceassociated with open-source material. The change is administrative and does not itself establish

authenticity or admissibility. Duterte’s defense sought the additional safeguard because of the volume of prosecution material and raised concerns about duplicates and document quality. Those remain defense assertions, not judicial findings. The ICC confirmed three counts of crimes against humanity involving alleged murder and attempted murder against Duterte in April. He is presumed innocent unless proved guilty. His trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 30. n

DOJ nears filing of U.S. extradition petition against Quiboloy by AJPress MANILA — The Philippine

Department of Justice is completing its final review of a U.S. request to extradite Kingdom

of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said Thurs-

PNA Photo by By Priam Nepomuceno

Padilla response reset in DOJ obstruction probe by AJPress

Ateneo remains top Philippine university in 2027 THE rankings by AJPress

PH, Indian navies conduct week-long naval drills with ASEAN

MANILA — Sen. Robinhood Padilla’s formal response to an obstruction-of-justice complaint has been reset to Nov. 12 after Department of Justice prosecutors directed police investigators to complete supporting documents tied to Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s May departure from the Senate. Padilla appeared at the DOJ on Sept. 25 for the first preliminary-investigation hearing but did not submit a

counter-affidavit. His lawyers said the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group still had additional records to provide. The CIDG alleges that Padilla and others helped Dela Rosa evade authorities after he left the Senate compound early May 14. Padilla has acknowledged that Dela Rosa rode in his vehicle but denies helping him escape. No finding has been made that Padilla committed an offense. The DOJ has said issuance of a subpoena is not

a finding of guilt and that prosecutors must determine whether sufficient evidence exists to file charges. Dela Rosa remains listed by the International Criminal Court as at large under a warrant alleging responsibility for the crime against humanity of murder. He has not been convicted. Under Presidential Decree No. 1829, obstruction requires proof of conduct undertaken with the purpose of obstructing or delaying apprehension or prosecution. n

Villar stays with Senate minority despite split on Duterte impeachment threshold MANILA — Sen. Mark Villar will remain with the Senate minority despite voting differently from his bloc on a key procedural issue in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said. Villar was the only minority senator to participate in the Sept. 23 vote that overturned an earlier ruling fixing 16 votes as the number required to convict Duterte. Thirteen

senator-judges supported the revised interpretation, while impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero cast the lone opposing vote. Six minority senators did not participate. Under the revised formula, the constitutional two-thirds requirement will be based on senators legally and factually capable of participating when judgment is rendered. The ruling does not permanently set the threshold at 14 votes. Earlier that day, Villar abstained when Cayetano sought

to defer resolution of the threshold issue. Cayetano later said Villar remained in the minority and that senators were not expected to vote as a political bloc while sitting as impeachment judges. The dispute reached the Supreme Court, which on Sept. 30 dismissed three petitions challenging the Senate court’s interpretation on procedural grounds, including lack of standing and prematurity. The dismissal did not resolve the constitutional question on its merits itself. n

day, Oct. 1. “We’re almost ready to file that petition,” Vida told reporters, without giving a filing date. The DOJ said it received the formal U.S. request on Aug. 7. Filing the petition would begin a Philippine court proceeding; it would not itself authorize Quiboloy’s transfer to the United States. Under Supreme Court rules, the extradition court must determine whether

treaty requirements are met and whether the offenses are extraditable. Quiboloy was named in a 2021 superseding federal indictment in California charging him with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children, substantive sex-trafficking offenses, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling. Federal prosecutors’ allegations have not

been proven in court, and Quiboloy is presumed innocent unless convicted. He also faces separate criminal cases in the Philippines, where he has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, has said the defense will oppose extradition. Pending Philippine cases do not automatically end the extradition process; surrender may be deferred or temporarily arranged under applicable rules n

by AJPress

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Eala takes second straight Asian Games singles bronze

World No. 18 falls to China’s Wang Xiyu in three-set semifinal in Aichi-Nagoya by AJPress

NAGOYA, Japan — Alexandra Eala secured a second consecutive Asian Games women’s singles bronze medal Thursday after China’s Wang Xiyu rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 semifinal victory at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center. Eala, the top seed and world No. 18, built a 5-0 lead in the first set. Wang recovered in the second and moved ahead 4-1 in the deciding set before closing out the match. It gave Eala her third Asian Games medal. Eala also won bronze in women’s singles and mixed doubles with Francis Casey Alcantara at the Hangzhou Games held in 2023. Her Aichi-Nagoya run included a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej and a 7-5, 6-0 quarterfinal win over Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei. In

POC MEDIA POOL

women’s doubles, Eala and Shaira Rivera defeated Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Laam and Kallista Liu before losing 7-5, 6-2 to China’s Jiang Xinyu and Yang Zhaoxuan. Eala chose the Asian Games over the China Open in Beijing, a mandatory WTA 1000 event. The Philippine Tennis Association sought a formal WTA exemption. Reuters reported Thursday that Eala may still face a fine and ranking penalty; no public WTA ruling had been announced as of Oct. 1. The semifinal loss ended Eala’s chance to claim the Asian Games qualification

place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but it did not end her Olympic options. The principal remaining route is direct acceptance through the WTA singles rankings used on June 12, 2028, subject to International Tennis Federation eligibility and national-quota rules. Eala is scheduled to return to the WTA Tour at the Wuhan Open, a WTA 1000 event from Oct. 12-18. She is also listed for the Ningbo Open, a WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, China, from Oct. 19-25, and has been announced for the Hong Kong Tennis Open, scheduled Nov. 2-8. n

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Philippine government debt reaches record P19.61 trillion as peso weakness adds to borrowing by AJPress MANILA — The Philippine national government’s outstanding debt rose to a record P19.61 trillion at the end of August, reflecting additional borrowing and the weaker peso’s effect on foreign-currency obligations, according to the Bureau of the Treasury. The debt stock increased by P217.62 billion, or 1.12%, from P19.39 trillion at the end of July. It was P1.90 trillion, or 10.72%, higher than at the end of 2025 and 12.24% above the level recorded a year earlier. Domestic debt, which accounted for 67.53% of the total, increased by P130.37 billion to P13.24 trillion. The Treasury attributed the rise mainly to P127.85 billion in net issuance of government securities. External debt increased by P87.25 billion to P6.37 trillion, or 32.47% of the total. The Treasury said the increase in foreign debt reflected both financing flows and exchange-rate move-

ments. The peso weakened to P62.209 to the U.S. dollar at the end of August from P61.327 at the end of July, increasing the peso value of foreign-currency obligations by P90.32 billion. Net external loan availments added P2.86 billion, while movements in other currencies reduced the total by P5.93 billion. Since the end of 2025, external debt has risen by P775.74 billion. Treasury data attributed P452.92 billion of that increase to net foreign borrowing and P322.82 billion to currency valuation effects. The latest quarterly measure showed national government debt at 66% of gross domestic product at the end of June, up from 65.2% at the end of March and 63.2% at the end of 2025. The June ratio is the latest available because GDP data are reported quarterly. Philippine GDP grew 2.3% year on year in the second quarter, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Industry contracted 2.4%,

while gross capital formation declined 9.2%. Government finances also remained in deficit. The Treasury reported an August budget gap of P161.3 billion, bringing the January-to-August deficit to about P1.05 trillion. Under the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s updated fiscal program, the government projects a 2026 deficit of P1.659 trillion, equivalent to 5.4% of GDP, with the deficit ratio targeted to decline gradually to 3.5% by 2030. In a Sept. 25 assessment, International Monetary Fund staff described the government’s near-term pace of fiscal consolidation as broadly appropriate but said adjustment should rely more on revenue mobilization and stronger public financial management. The IMF also projected Philippine economic growth of 3.4% for 2026, citing weaker investment, natural disasters and external pressures, before a projected recovery to 5.1% in 2027. n

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OCTOBER 2 - 8, 2026 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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U.S.-trained gymnasts help Philippines place sixth in Asian Games women’s team final by AJPress NAGOYA, Japan — The Philippines finished sixth in the women’s artistic gymnastics team final at the 2026 Asian Games, with several U.S.-trained athletes helping the national squad reach the eight-team medal round. Levi Jung-Ruivivar, Kylee Kvamme, Haylee Garcia, Chiara Andrew and Lauren Supnet combined for 147.763 points in the Sept. 23 final at Nagoya General Gymnasium. China won with 166.462, followed by Japan at 165.362 and North Korea at 158.329. The Philippines had qualified seventh with 144.563,

then improved its total by 3.200 points in the final. Jung-Ruivivar posted the team’s highest uneven-bars score at 13.766 and added 13.133 on floor. Kvamme contributed 13.633 on balance beam and 13.300 on vault. In individual competition, Jung-Ruivivar placed 10th in the all-around with 50.065 points, while Kvamme finished 12th with 47.665. No Philippine woman advanced to an apparatus final, keeping the team result as the women’s principal achievement in Nagoya. Jung-Ruivivar, a Los Angeles native who competes for Stanford, represented the Philippines at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She earned three

NCAA All-America honors in 2026, including first-team recognition on balance beam. Kvamme, from Auburn, Washington, competes for Alabama and represented the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Championships. She previously competed for the country at the 2023 Asian Championships and World Championships. The women’s performance came during a historic Asian Games for Philippine gymnastics. Two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo won gold in floor exercise with 14.666 and later added the vault title. His younger brother, Eldrew Yulo, earned bronze on horizontal bar with 13.666. n

Larry Itliong Day observances renew focus on Filipino farmworkers’ role in U.S. labor history by AJPress Communities across California are preparing to mark Larry Itliong Day this October, renewing attention to the Filipino American labor organizer whose leadership helped launch the 1965 Delano grape strike and reshape the farmworker movement in the United States. The observance falls on Oct. 25, Itliong’s birthday, during Filipino American History Month. California law has recognized Oct. 25 as Larry Itliong Day since 2015 and requires the governor to proclaim the date annually. Schools and educational institutions are also encouraged to commemorate his life and contributions. The Legislature added a separate recognition this year through Senate Concurrent Resolution 190, authored by state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon. The measure designated Oct. 25, 2026, as Larry Itliong Day. Events are planned in several parts of the state. The UC Berkeley Labor Center has scheduled a Larry Itliong Day program for Oct. 22. In San Diego, the Council of Philippine American Organizations and the Filipino American National Historical Society’s San Diego chapter will hold

their third annual Larry Itliong Community Breakfast on Oct. 24. Delano will hold a community Unity Day on Oct. 24 at Larry Itliong Unity Park, in the city where the landmark grape strike began more than six decades ago. Modesto “Larry” Dulay Itliong was born Oct. 25, 1913, in San Nicolas, Pangasinan, in the Philippines. He arrived in the United States as a teenager and worked in agriculture, fisheries and canneries before becoming a prominent labor organizer. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Itliong settled in Stockton and continued organizing agricultural workers. He was involved in the 1948 asparagus strike and founded the Filipino Farm Labor Union in 1956. He later became a leading organizer with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, or AWOC. On Sept. 7, 1965, mostly Filipino AWOC members met at the Filipino Community Hall in Delano and voted to strike against area grape growers. The walkout began the next day. The National Park Service identifies Itliong and other Filipino organizers as leaders of the action. Historical accounts differ on the pre-

cise number of workers who joined the initial walkout, but Filipino farmworkers formed the core of the strike that began Sept. 8. Itliong then asked César Chávez and the predominantly Latino National Farm Workers Association to join the strike. On Sept. 16, the NFWA voted to participate, creating an interracial labor alliance that became central to the five-year Delano campaign and nationwide grape boycott. The two unions merged in 1966 to create the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, or UFWOC. The organization later became the United Farm Workers of America. The strike and boycott ended after major growers signed union contracts in 1970, marking a significant development in agricultural labor organizing and establishing the farmworker movement as a national force. Recognition of Itliong expanded decades after his death in 1977. In Los Angeles, his place in Filipino American history had already been given a prominent public expression. In 1995, Filipino American artist Eliseo Art Silva completed Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana, or “A Glorious History, A Golden Leg-

CARING FOR THE ELDERLY. Senior citizens join the Elderly Filipino Week celebration at The Annex Event Center, SM City Davao. on Thursday (Oct 1 ,2026) The event features a medical mission, fun and recreational activities, and government services, including PhilHealth’s YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan) Program, PhilSys National ID registration, and other services for senior citizens. (PNA photos by Robinson Niñal Jr.)

Fil-Am Baltimore teacher faces child sextrafficking charges in Pennsylvania by AJPress BALTIMORE — A Filipino American public school teacher in Baltimore is facing dozens of criminal charges in Pennsylvania after prosecutors accused him of sexually abusing and trafficking a teenage boy during repeated encounters over about two years. Rogie Bantigue Legaspi, 56, a seventh-grade science teacher at Hamilton Elementary/Middle School, was arrested Sept. 18 in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, following an investigation led by Chester County detectives. Prosecutors said Legaspi is charged with trafficking in minors, 15 counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, manufacturing child sexual abuse material and other offenses. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court. Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said the investigation began after detectives received a ChildLine report concerning a 15-year-old boy. According to prosecutors, the teenager told investigators that a man he knew as “Alex”

first contacted him through a social media platform when he was 12. Authorities allege that Legaspi later traveled from Maryland to Pennsylvania to meet the boy and that sexual encounters occurred from June 2024 through June 2026 in Chester and Lancaster counties. Investigators allege that Legaspi gave the teenager money and other items in connection with some encounters and recorded sexual activity. Prosecutors also allege that Legaspi facilitated contact between the teenager and other adult men and, on at least one occasion, brought another man to an encounter in which the teenager was sexually assaulted. Authorities said investigators reviewed communications and other records as part of the investigation. Detectives posing as the teenager contacted Legaspi on Sept. 17 and arranged a meeting in Chester County, according to authorities. Police said Legaspi arrived at a predetermined location in Parkesburg the next day and was arrested without incident. He was arraigned and ordered held on $5 million cash bail at Chester County Prison.

His preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 19. Baltimore school places teacher on leave Baltimore City Public Schools placed Legaspi on administrative leave after learning of his arrest. Hamilton Elementary/Middle Principal Natasha Pouncey told families that the district had received no information indicating that the Pennsylvania allegations involved any current or former Baltimore City Public Schools students. The district also said it had identified no previous complaints against Legaspi, according to the Baltimore Banner. Legaspi has worked for Baltimore City Public Schools since 2008. Earlier professional records show that he previously taught in Texas and the Philippines before joining the Baltimore school system. At a Sept. 25 news conference, prosecutors said investigators had not identified additional victims at that time. Authorities asked anyone with information about potentially concerning contact involving Legaspi to contact Chester County detectives. The charges remain before the court and have not been resolved. n

acy,” at Unidad Park in what is now Historic Filipinotown. The large-scale mural traces generations of Filipino American history and places Itliong prominently within the story of the farm labor movement. He appears alongside César Chávez, visually linking the Filipino-led Delano walkout with the broader coalition that followed. Silva positioned Itliong near the golden sun associated with the Philippine flag, giving the labor organizer a central symbolic presence in a work intended to recov-

er Filipino American stories that had received limited attention in mainstream historical narratives. The mural was completed seven years before Los Angeles formally designated Historic Filipinotown in 2002 and has since become one of the neighborhood’s most recognizable works of public art. State recognition followed. Carson established a local Larry Itliong Day in 2010. In 2015, then-Assemblymember Rob Bonta authored Assembly Bill 7, which made

Oct. 25 a day of special significance in California and required an annual gubernatorial proclamation. Itliong was inducted posthumously into the California Hall of Fame in 2021. His role is also preserved at the Filipino Community Hall in Delano, where AWOC members voted to strike in September 1965. The National Park Service recognizes the hall as a central site in the farm labor movement and in the interracial alliance that sustained the Delano campaign. n

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people events arts culture entertainment

Carlos Yulo, Chloe San Jose reveal engagement Artists remember veteran concert producer Susan Lim and kept private for nine months her decades in entertainment by AJPress

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo and longtime partner Chloe San Jose have announced their engagement, revealing that Yulo proposed on Dec. 18, 2025, and that the couple kept the milestone private for nine months. The pair disclosed the engagement on Sept. 28 through social media and a proposal video. Yulo wrote, “Nine months ago… she said yes,” while San Jose said they had chosen to keep the news between themselves before sharing it publicly. The proposal took place in Tagaytay, where Yulo presented San Jose with two engagement rings. In the video, he said the gesture was tied to the two gold medals he won at the 2024 Paris Olympics and credited San Jose with supporting him during the period leading to those victories. Yulo presented San Jose

with two rings, one with an oval blue-green center stone and another with a heartshaped yellow center stone, a gesture he said reflected the two Olympic gold medals he won in Paris. The announcement came days after Yulo won two titles at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He captured the men’s floor exercise on Sept. 24 with a score of 14.666, then won vault the following day with a two-vault average of 14.599. The floor title also gave Yulo championships at the world, Olympic and Asian Games levels in the event. Those were the same two disciplines in which he won Olympic gold in Paris, where he became the first Filipino athlete to win two gold medals at a single Games. Yulo and San Jose have been together since 2020 after first connecting online while living in different countries. Their relationship initially developed through messages and video calls before

by AJPress

Photo from Facebook/@ChloAnj

they were able to spend more time together in person.

The couple has not publicly announced a wedding date. n

Patrick Garcia revisits 2008 breakup with Jennylyn Mercado by AJPress Patrick Garcia has offered a new, detailed account of his 2008 breakup with Jennylyn Mercado, revisiting a relationship that became the subject of intense public attention while Mercado was pregnant with their son. In a Sept. 29 interview with entertainment host Ogie Diaz, Garcia said he decided to speak at length about the past after Michelle, his eldest daughter with

wife Nikka Martinez, told him that negative comments about him were appearing in the comment sections of Michelle’s social media posts. Garcia said the continuing criticism directed at him had also affected his family. Garcia and Mercado were a couple when they announced Mercado’s pregnancy in January 2008. Their relationship unraveled soon afterward, and Mercado publicly confirmed the breakup the following month. At the time, Mercado said

she felt she was not receiving the emotional support she needed during her pregnancy and expressed hurt over a televised interview in which Garcia was asked a hypothetical question about the baby’s paternity. Garcia now recalls that exchange differently. He said he understood the question as hypothetical and answered that he would still care for the child even if the child were not biologically his. According to Garcia, Mercado and her family took the

MANILA — The Philippine SArtists and colleagues are remembering veteran concert producer Susan Lim for a career that spanned Philippine productions and overseas tours for Filipino performers. Lim died Sept. 14. Pops Fernandez, Martin Nievera and Roderick Paulate were among those who later shared public tributes, recalling both her work in entertainment and their longtime friendships with her. Lim had been active in production since at least the early 2000s. Contemporary reports identified her with Big Slim Entertainment, which produced a 2003 Manila concert featuring “Meteor Garden” stars Ken Zhu and Vanness Wu with actress Barbie Hsu. Later that year, the company was also involved in a Philippine concert featuring all four members of F4. Her work later extended to the North American Filipino entertainment market. In 2022, Lim, then identified

with Big Slim Entertainment, worked with Nancy Yang of NY Entourage Productions on planned U.S. concert tours for Alden Richards and Gigi de Lana. More recently, Lim was part of the team behind the SexBomb Girls’ reunion concert series, which began in December 2025 and expanded into additional Philippine performances and overseas dates. During the group’s Australian tour in April, Rochelle Pangilinan publicly thanked Lim, identifying her as a co-producer with NY Entourage Productions. Fernandez recalled Lim as a longtime friend whose interest in concert production dated back to her younger years. Nievera said Lim had supported his career and Fernandez’s and helped bring them on U.S. tours. Paulate also paid tribute to their friendship. Lim was married to former SexBomb member Cynthia Yapchingco, who announced her passing and shared a personal tribute. n

answer as evidence that he doubted the pregnancy. Garcia said he tried to contact Mercado after the disagreement and later asked to be informed about medical appointments so he could be involved in the pregnancy. Mercado’s account at the time differed, including her assertion that she had sought greater emotional support from him. Garcia also addressed the breakup publicly in 2008,

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Photo from Facebook/@susan.o.lim

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Miss Asia Pacific USA Sophia Mendiola Boots Anson-Roa-Rodrigo reflects on a life beyond the screen joins international field in Cebu In Grateful, the veteran actress looks back on a career spanning entertainment, family, public service and advocacy

by AJPress CEBU, Philippines — Sophia Mendiola, Miss Asia Pacific USA 2026, is representing the United States at Miss Asia Pacific International as the competition moves through its Cebu events ahead of the Oct. 10 coronation night. Mendiola is among 38 delegates competing this year. The Southern California-based Filipino American has a background in professional dance and pageantry. A professional flamenco dancer, Mendiola has also trained in hip-hop and belly dance and has been involved with Flamenco with Roots, a nonprofit that provides dance education. She previously held the Miss Young Philippines USA 2025 title in Glendale, California, and appeared at Los Angeles Fashion Week during her reign. Mendiola also received the Miss Missosology special recognition during the pageant’s Sept. 26 press presentation at NUSTAR Resort in Cebu City. Missosology is a pageant-focused media and analysis platform that covers national and international beauty competitions. Miss Asia Pacific International traces its history to 1968, when the Philippine-founded competition debuted as Miss Asia Quest. It expanded in 1984 to include countries around the Pacific and became Miss Asia Pacific Quest, then adopted its current name in 2005 as partic-

by AJPress

Photo from Instagram/@missasiapacificintl

ipation widened beyond the region. The competition’s first major media event this year was held Sept. 26 at NUSTAR Resort in Cebu, where Philippine representative Gabrielle “Jiji” Galapia was named Darling of the Press. Denise Martinez of Honduras placed first runner-up in the media selection, followed by Thailand’s Sasiwararin Atsawahirankarn. The delegates presented their national costumes the following day at the Mactan Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City. Sandeepa Sewmini Don Sa-

marasinghe Disanayake of Sri Lanka won Best in National Costume, with Galapia placing first runner-up and Cambodia’s Ry Srey Neth second runner-up. Candidates are continuing with scheduled activities around Cebu before the preliminary competition on Oct. 6 at Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark. The Miss Asia Pacific International 2026 coronation is set for Oct. 10 at the Mactan Expo Center in Lapu-Lapu City, where reigning titleholder Isabela Fernandes of Brazil will crown her successor. n

Gerald Anderson focuses on business, acting and West Philippine Sea project by AJPress Gerald Anderson is concentrating on acting, his expanding hospitality business and a project about communities along the West Philippine Sea, saying another relationship is not among his immediate priorities. The 37-year-old actor said at a recent media event that he would rather allow romance to develop naturally than rush into a relationship. “Right now, I’m manifesting more about the West Philippine Sea, about business, about career,” Anderson said. His relationship with ac-

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Boots Anson-Roa-Rodrigo has spent more than six decades in Philippine entertainment, but her memoir, Grateful, presents a life shaped as much by family, public service and industry advocacy as by film and television. Born Maria Elisa Cristobal Anson on Jan. 30, 1945, she was the daughter of pharmacist Belen de Leon Cristobal and Oscar Gamboa Anson, better known as Oscar Moreno, a prominent postwar matinee idol and Sampaguita Pictures leading man. Her own career began while she was a senior studying Speech and Drama at the University of the Philippines, when she was invited to host the television program DanceO-Rama. There she met broadcaster Pete Roa. They married in 1964, had four children and remained together until his death in 2007. Anson-Roa moved into film in the late 1960s. Her performance in Lino Brocka’s Wanted: Perfect Mother earned her a FAMAS Best Actress nomination. She later shared the FAMAS Best Actress award with Vilma Santos, winning for Tatay Na si Erap while Santos was honored for Dama de Noche. It marked the first Best Actress tie in FAMAS history. Her screen career continued through films including May Minamahal, Mano Po, Blue Moon and Caregiver, while her work expanded beyond entertainment. From 1982 to 1986, she served as press attaché, cultural officer and special assistant to the ambassador at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. She later remained in the United States with her family before returning to the Philippines in 1993 and resuming her acting ca-

Photo from Facebook/@ElisaLover105

reer. She also taught communication and media-related subjects at the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. Her public-service work has also included a long association with the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, or MOWELFUND, which supports workers in the Philippine film industry. She has served the organization in several capacities, including chairman, and proceeds from Grateful have been designated for the foundation. In 2014, Anson-Roa married lawyer Francisco “King” Rodrigo Jr., a longtime family acquaintance who was also widowed. At 81, she remains active on screen in a role that places her in comparatively uncommon territory for mainstream Philippine cinema. In Brillante Mendoza’s Until She Remembers, Anson-Roa-Rodrigo plays Catherine, a woman living with Alzheimer’s disease and the former love of Concha, played by Charo Santos-Concio. Barbie Forteza plays Concha’s granddaughter Angel, who

sets out to find Catherine as her grandmother faces terminal cancer. The film reveals that Catherine and Concha had shared a same-sex relationship decades earlier before circumstances separated them. What distinguishes the film is not simply that it depicts a lesbian relationship, but that it places two women in their 70s and 80s at the center of that love story. Philippine screen portrayals of LGBTQ relationships have more often focused on younger characters; Mendoza’s film instead examines same-sex love, aging, memory and mortality through veteran actresses whose characters carry an unresolved relationship across decades. The role marked a departure from the maternal and family characters Anson-Roa-Rodrigo has often portrayed. She has said that playing Catherine took her outside her comfort zone and challenged her as an actress, particularly in portraying a same-sex relationship while exploring aging and memory loss. Asked how she hopes to be remembered, Anson-Roa-Rodrigo has used one word: “Serviam” — “I serve.” n

Patrick Garcia revisits 2008... PAGE 11

Photo from Instagram/@andersongeraldjr

denying that he had abandoned Mercado and later saying he learned through television that she considered their relationship over. Mercado gave birth to their son, Alex Jazz, on Aug. 16, 2008. The former couple

later established communication around their son. Garcia married former actress Nikka Martinez in 2015, and they have four children together. Mercado had not publicly responded to Garcia’s latest account. n

Photo from Facebook/@onlygarcias

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Regine Velasquez opens up about Alden Richards says ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ menopause and changes in her singing voice appearance was his ‘rawest’ interview by AJPress MANILA, Philippines — Following their low-key civil wedding in July and honeymoon in Europe, Bea Alonzo’s husband, Puregold Price Club president Vincent Co, was recently spotted at the Hakot Relay event in Cavite. Vincent took part in Puregold’s sports event on Saturday at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus. However, Bea was not spotted at the event. Vincent appeared to be in a hurry. He briefly interacted with Bea’s new interim manager, Chris Cahilig, before heading off to join the relay race. Earlier this month, Bea shared photos on social media from their honeymoon in Europe, giving her followers glimpses of their trip to various cities across Italy. When asked why Bea was not around at the event, Chris replied, “May ibang mundo naman si Bea. Haha!” He also admitted that he was unsure whether Bea is into running. On Bea’s career plans, Chris said, “As in wala pa rin. Generally, andaming pending, kontrata na ina-ano, andaming endorsements. Nakakatuwa, nakaka-overwhelm.” When queried about reports that Bea may take a break after her current series, Chris answered, “Well, it’s her choice.” “Bea has been out of the country for a long time. Kagagaling niya lang ng dalawang magkasunod na international trips. So, di pa uli kami nagkikita. So, ang usapan pa lang namin mga kontrata. Yun lang ang kaya kong ibigay (answers). But the plans and everything, I really cannot pre-empt anything. May mga pina-plano but…”

by AJPress

Photo from Instgram/@reginevalcasid

he added. Chris was tapped as Bea’s new interim manager following the resignation of her longtime manager, Shirley Kuan, in August. Meanwhile, the Hakot Relay South Luzon leg drew more than 4,000 runners who competed and joined in the “hakot” moments of the race. It also marked the launch of the brand’s first-ever 8K Individual Challenge, with around 500 runners taking on the full eight kilometers. “We wanted to offer runners a fresh and enjoyable way to challenge themselves, with the ‘hakot’ mechanic adding a playful and uniquely Puregold twist to the race. Being part of the running community is meaningful to us, and it is a privilege for Puregold

to bring people together for a shared panalo experience,” remarked Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Puregold senior marketing manager. Participants in the team Hakot Relay went home with a Grocery Sling Bag and a Finisher’s Grocery Bag, while solo 8K finishers collected their loot in a finisher’s grocery cart wagon. “We’re always looking for ways to level up the Hakot Relay and give Filipinos something new to look forward to,” added Piedad. “This year, this meant introducing our first-ever 8K challenge and bringing the experience to an even bigger scale.” Chris also said that the Hakot Relay Run will hold another event in Luneta in December, featuring local artists. n

Gerald Anderson focuses on business... PAGE 12 tress Julia Barretto ended last year. Star Magic and Viva Artists Agency confirmed in September 2025 that the two had mutually ended their relationship and urged the public to avoid speculation about the separation. Anderson has since devoted more attention to businesses in Zambales. In April, he opened Trivera, a river resort in Cabangan, his second property in the province. His earlier Botolan resort began

operating in 2020 and later expanded to include camping accommodations. He is also working with SOLORA Philippines to add glamping structures to his hospitality ventures. Acting remains his main profession. After the conclusion of the ABS-CBN action drama Blood Vs. Duty, Anderson said he began filming an action-comedy project for Netflix with Jerald Napoles. Other production details have not been announced.

Anderson also leads Pusong Bayani, a four-episode online series about fisherfolk, military personnel and coastal communities connected to the West Philippine Sea. Promoted to auxiliary captain in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary in 2024, Anderson has said the program seeks to explain the issue through the experiences of people living and working in Palawan and Zambales, while emphasizing diplomacy over confrontation. n

MANILA — Alden Richards says his emotional appearance on Gandang Gabi Vice was the most candid television interview of his career, reflecting a point at which he feels less compelled to manage how others see him. “This is my rawest interview. Unfiltered,” Richards said in a Sept. 25 interview with GMA’s 24 Oras. “I’m not trying to impress anyone anymore.” Richards, 34, was the first guest when Gandang Gabi Vice returned to television on Sept. 13 through a collaboration between GMA Network and ABS-CBN. His conversation with Vice Ganda moved from his career to relationships, the pressure of remaining single and expectations surrounding marriage and family. Richards said he had spent years looking for a lasting relationship and had felt pressure from what he called a Filipino “culture of deadlines.” He said he eventually realized that, instead of continuing to search for love from another person, he needed to develop a stronger sense of love for himself. He became emotional while discussing that realization. Vice Ganda later said Richards cried for nearly 10

Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

minutes and that she considered stopping the interview, but Richards chose to continue. Richards subsequently described the taping as a grounding experience and said the conversation surprised even him. Reflecting on the episode, Richards said some viewers told him they had never seen him display such a broad range of emotions. He attributed his openness

to reaching a point in his life where he prefers being direct rather than trying to please others. The interview aired during a busy professional period for Richards. Love, Siargao, his first screen pairing with Nadine Lustre, began its GMA television run Sept. 28 after streaming on Viu. He is also working on Code Grey, an upcoming GMA medical drama. n

Vhong Navarro weighs legal options after appeals court reduces convictions in 2014 case by AJPress VMANILA — Actor and television host Vhong Navarro is weighing further legal action after the Court of Appeals reduced the convictions of Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee and two co-accused in the criminal case stemming from a 2014 incident in Taguig. Navarro’s lawyer, Alma Mallonga, said his camp would pursue remedies available under Philippine law following the appellate ruling. The Court of Appeals modified the May 2024 convictions of Cornejo, Lee, Simeon Palma Raz Jr. and Ferdinand Guerrero from serious illegal detention for ransom to

grave coercion, cutting the penalty from reclusion perpetua to prison terms ranging from six months to three years, six months and 21 days. The court also imposed a P100,000 fine. Their release, however, is not immediate. The Bureau of Corrections said Cornejo and Lee must also complete sentences tied to a separate grave-coercion conviction arising from the same 2014 episode. Because the penalties are served successively, BuCor placed Cornejo’s minimum sentence date at Dec. 23, 2026, and Lee’s at Feb. 18, 2027, subject to final verification and applicable sentence credits. The cases trace back to Jan. 22, 2014, when Navarro said

he was beaten, restrained and pressured to turn over money during an encounter at a condominium in Taguig. The incident led to criminal cases against Cornejo, Lee and several others. Cornejo separately pursued sexual-assault allegations against Navarro. In 2023, the Supreme Court ordered the dismissal of rape and acts-of-lasciviousness charges against him after finding that probable cause had not been established. That ruling is legally separate from the cases against Cornejo, Lee and their co-accused. Navarro’s camp had not publicly announced a specific filing challenging the latest Court of Appeals decision. n

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Health @Heart Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS By 2030, the human race, killed by robots, will be erased from the surface of the Earth, according to some critics of Artificial Intelligence. In 2019, US Congresswoman AOC predicted that in 12 years (2031), “the world will end” due to climate change. While we are waiting for the extinction of the human race and the end of the world, allow me to discuss why I think Artificial Intelligence will be a great boon to the world and the human race, and why I think it will be man’s best friend, making life healthier, better, more comfortable, longer, and more fun for us humans. Naturally, just like any new device or idea, we must truly study and deeply understand AI, and know how to manage and fully control it wisely and safely. To slow down its progress now and allow our adversaries to be ahead of us is foolhardy and dangerous. Had Japan been ahead of us in developing the Atom Bomb, which the USA used to end WWII by bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki, history would have been a disaster for the West. As a cardiac surgeon, I can visualize how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can revolutionize modern medicine. By automating administrative burdens as an essential collaborator for medical professionals, the symbiotic relationship not only restores humanity to the practice of medicine but ultimately saves countless lives through superior, more precise care. AI-Powered Medical Scribes: Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools can securely listen to a doctor-patient conversation and instantly synthesize it into a structured, accurate clinical note. AI directly targets the electronic health record-keeping crisis, a major factor in physician burnout, through ambient clinical intelligence. AI can automate routine tasks like drafting insurance pre-authorizations, sorting inbox messages, and managing prescriptions. By relieving doctors of clerical burdens, AI returns them to their original calling: interacting directly with patients. This reduction in cognitive fatigue directly translates to safer care, as well as happier, more focused physicians. Enhancing Diagnostic Accuracy to Prevent Fatal Errors: Diagnostic errors and delayed treatments contribute to hun-

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AI and Medicine dreds of thousands of preventable deaths annually. AI serves as a tireless, ultra-precise "second set of eyes" across multiple medical specialties. Advanced Radiology & Pathology: Deep learning algorithms can analyze X-rays, MRIs, and biopsy slides in seconds, identifying microscopic anomalies—such as early-stage lung nodules or aggressive breast cancers—that might be missed by a fatigued human eye. Sepsis and Deterioration Alerts: By recognizing subtle, multi-variable trends hours before overt symptoms appear, AI can alert nursing staff in ICUs to impending sepsis or cardiac arrest, buying critical time to deploy life-saving interventions. Continuous Remote Monitoring: Wearable devices integrated with AI track patient biometrics at home. If a congestive heart failure patient begins retaining fluid, the AI flags (communicates) the trend to the care team, allowing for a simple medication adjustment that prevents an emergency hospitalization or a fatal event. Not replacing humans The integration of Artificial Intelligence in medicine is not a replacement for human clinicians, but a vital reinforcement. AI successfully mitigates the burnout threatening the medical workforce. Simultaneously, its capacity for rapid data analysis, early symptom detection, and diagnostic precision creates a safety net that catches errors before they reach the patient. Ultimately, an AI-supported healthcare system is one where doctors have the time to care, and patients have a much higher probability of surviving and thriving. A powerful catalyst The integration of Artificial Intelligence into medicine and healthcare delivery represents one of the most profound technological shifts of the modern era. Historically, healthcare has been constrained by human cognitive limits, administrative bottlenecks, and the immense time required to translate biological discoveries into bedside treatments. Today, AI acts as a powerful catalyst, augmenting human clinical expertise, streamlining logistics, and personalizing patient care. AI is transitioning healthcare from a reactive system to a proactive, predictive, and highly efficient model of medicine, as I have described in my book, Let’s Stop ‘Killing’ Our Children (Amazon.com)

The most immediate and revolutionary impacts of AI: Machine learning models, trained on millions of clinical data points, can identify subtle patterns that may escape even the most experienced human eyes, with accuracy rates that rival or surpass human specialists. For instance, AI systems can detect microscopic signs of breast cancer or early-stage lung nodules years before they become symptomatic. Furthermore, AI-driven pathology tools accelerate the biopsy analysis process, providing rapid cellular staging that allows oncology teams to initiate lifesaving interventions days or weeks ahead of traditional schedules.In drug discovery, AI bypasses traditional trial-and-error laboratory methods by using predictive modeling to simulate how billions of molecular compounds will interact with specific disease targets. AI can design entirely new synthetic proteins or repurpose existing medications for new therapeutic uses in a fraction of the time Healthcare providers spend a disproportionate amount of time on charting, billing, and documenting patient encounters. Ambient clinical intelligence—AI systems that securely listen to doctor-patient conversations and automatically generate structured electronic health records (EHRs)— frees clinicians from their screens, allowing them to focus entirely on the patient. By streamlining these workflows, hospitals can reduce costs, minimize waiting times, and maximize resource utilization. Through wearable devices and remote monitoring sensors, AI continuously tracks vital signs, blood glucose levels, and cardiac rhythms of patients in their own homes. Predictive algorithms can flag a deteriorating trend in a chronic heart failure patient and alert a care team to intervene before a crisis occurs, significantly reducing hospital readmissions. For rural or underserved populations, AI-driven triage systems and telemedicine platforms provide expert-level diagnostic support and guidance where physical specialists are unavailable, bridging the gap in global health equity. In conclusion, Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the landscape of medicine by expanding the boundaries of what clinicians can achieve. The synergy between human empathy and artificial intelligence

Dodjie Simon’s ‘Best of All’ enters 2027 GRAMMY® consideration by AJPress Filipino songwriter Elzar “Dodjie” Simon has entered a collection of Original Pilipino Music into the 2027 GRAMMY® Awards process with Best of All (The Music of Dodjie Simon), a seven-track album built around four-part vocal arrangements. Simon said the album and two of its recordings were submitted for consideration for the 69th Annual GRAMMY® Awards. The album was entered for Best Global Music Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; “Ikaw Lamang” was entered for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals; and “Kulang Ang Paleta” was entered for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella. The Recording Academy reviews entries for eligibility and category placement before qualifying works advance through the awards process. First-round voting is scheduled for Oct. 12 through Oct. 22, with nominees to be an-

nounced Nov. 16. The 69th Annual GRAMMY® Awards will be held Feb. 7, 2027, in Los Angeles. Released Aug. 11, Best of All features Moy Ortiz, Nica Tupas, Bianca Lopez-Aguila and Joshua Cadeliña. Its seven tracks are “Pinakahihintay,” “No Mount Too High,” “Best of All,” “In God Alone,” “Ngayon ang Bukas,” “Kulang Ang Paleta” and “Ikaw Lamang.” Four songs are in Tagalog and three in English. Four tracks are a cappella. Joel Navarro arranged the album and produced it with Simon. Martin Andrew Guevara served as recording engineer, while Jett Galindo handled mixing and mastering. Marvin Querido plays keyboards on “In God Alone” and “Ngayon ang Bukas,” while Francisco Llorin on cello and Japs Bautista on oboe join the singers on “Ikaw Lamang.” Galindo, a Filipino mastering engineer and Berklee College of Music graduate, was the mastering engineer on Gaby Moreno’s X Mí (Vol. 1), which won the 2024 GRAM-

Elzar “Dodjie” Simon

MY® Award for Best Latin Pop Album. Navarro’s career spans choral conducting, arranging and music education. A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Music, he later spent 12 years conducting choirs at Calvin University before returning to Southeast Asia. Ortiz has had a long career in Philippine vocal music as artistic and musical director of The CompanY and as a composer, arranger, performer and record producer. n

SB19 honored by Senate after historic Lollapalooza performance MANILA — The Philippine Senate has honored SB19 after the group became the first homegrown Filipino act to perform at Lollapalooza, recognition that has also opened a broader discussion about government support for the country's creative industries. The Senate adopted Resolution No. 545 on Monday, Sept. 28, commending Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin for their achievements and contributions to Philippine music. Sen. Bam Aquino, who filed the measure, cited the group's international reach and its promotion of Filipino music and identity.

SB19 performed an hourlong set on the Allianz Stage at Chicago's Grant Park on July 30, appearing on the opening day of Lollapalooza 2026. The performance included “DAM,” “GENTO,” “MAPA,” “VISA,” “DUNGKA!” and “CRIMZONE,” as well as the live debut of “LAWLESS.” The group also performed its version of Francis Magalona's “Mga Kababayan.” Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan separately sponsored Senate Resolution No. 573, which also commended SB19 for its Lollapalooza appearance and its role in bringing Original Pilipino Music to an international audience. The Senate recognition

comes as Aquino works with SB19 and its company, 1Z Entertainment, on proposed legislation addressing the needs of Filipino artists and other creative professionals. Details of the measure remain under development. During discussions after the Senate appearance, Josh said creative workers often lack a government sector specifically focused on their concerns, particularly when artists spend extended periods overseas touring and representing Philippine culture. SB19's international schedule this year has also included performances at Japan's Summer Sonic festival in Osaka and Tokyo. n

will undoubtedly define the next golden age of medicine. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in

Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, medical missionary, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He is a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, US senator, and later a presidential

candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry S. Truman, President George HW Bush, Astronaut Gus Grissom, pugilist Muhammad Ali, distinguished educators, renowned scientists, etc. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com. On Amazon.com, search for “Where is My America?” Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com n

by AJPress

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2 - 8, 2026

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A Glimpse at Anna Orlina’s First Solo Exhibit

My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)

Rogelio Constantino Medina Glass sculptor Anna Orlina has stepped out of the shadow of her famous father, Ramon Orlina, to present her highly anticipated first solo exhibition, “Reflections of Being.” Running from September 18 to October 11, 2026, at Galerie Stephanie in Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City, the show marks a significant milestone in her decade-long journey of working with glass. While Anna spent years honing her foundational techniques by observing her pioneering father and studying at institutions such as the Pilchuck Glass School, “Reflections of Being” represents the crystallization of her own distinct artistic voice. Unlike the more traditional geometric focus associated with the older generation, her solo work features vibrant color pairings, energetic forms and a playful use of light. For her debut, she spent five to six months focused on creating a deliberate 10-piece collection rather than following her usu-

al routine of participating in group exhibitions. The exhibition offers an intimate journey into Anna Orlina’s multicultural identity, femininity and family bonds. Her Filipino-Malaysian heritage is reflected in the vibrant palette of the 10 works, drawing heavily from her experience growing up in a multicultural household. Several pieces are inspired by her young nieces, Mari and Kira. She translated their bright personalities into playful forms, creating a delicate glass butterfly for Mari and a radiant star structure for Kira. Her creative process combines meticulous cutting, laminating, coldworking, grinding and polishing. Demonstrating her interest in innovation and sustainability, she also upcycled waste glass into some of the new luminous forms. Family, faith, femininity, cultural and ethnic lineage, and selfhood are among Anna’s abiding subjects in this exhibition. From these thematic explorations emerge works that are distinctly hers: playful and lucent in design, yet revealing a contemplative

core drawn from her experiences as a young woman and daughter and as an inheritor of the Orlina glass legacy. Glass, with its sensitivity to light and shadow, texture and movement, allows her work to take on a range of interactive and optical dimensions while maintaining a strong sense of form. These qualities also offer a tactile kind of play. She likens the process of constructing her glass art, which involves cutting, grinding, polishing, laminating and upcycling scraps into something new, to the modular, hands-on spontaneity of assembling LEGO bricks. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Associate Professor lII Rogelio Constantino Medina is an award-winning Filipino international journalist, columnist, and academic. He is well-regarded for his extensive contributions to both local Philippine media and major international news publications. He has built a career spanning several decades across various domains, including news, business, trav-

Young sculptor Anna Orlina.

Anna Orlina's "MARIposa".

One of Anna's eye-catching glass works, "Ascent".

Anna Orlina's fascinating glass work.

A profile of Anna Orlina with her glass works. Another Anna's attractive artistic work.

el, lifestyle, science, sports, and health. He has written for major global outlets like the Far Eastern Economic Review in Hong Kong, The Japan Times in Tokyo, and

Gulf News in Dubai. Notably, he made history as the first Filipino journalist to interview Japan's first astronaut, Dr. Mamoru Mohri. He is a credentialed member

of the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Press Centers in New York City and Washington, D.C. rogeliocmedina@ yahoo.com n

Dyan Castillejo and a lifetime at the heart of Philippine sports

Photo from Instagram/@dyancastillejo

by AJPress MANILA — Long before Dyan Castillejo became a familiar presence at boxing matches, tennis tournaments and major sporting events around the world, she knew competition from another vantage point. She was the athlete. Castillejo spent much of the 1980s as one of the Philippines’ leading women’s tennis players, competing internationally before moving into broadcasting and beginning a

second career that has kept her closely connected to Philippine sports for more than three decades. The transition gave her an uncommon perspective. She first represented the country on the court, then spent much of her working life reporting on athletes doing the same. Sports had surrounded Castillejo from an early age. Her father, Lino Castillejo, was a sprinter and football player who represented the Philippines at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo. He later managed the national football team and

served as an official of the Philippine Football Association. Several of his children gravitated toward competitive sports, and tennis became Dyan’s focus. She developed into a national champion and competed at Junior Wimbledon and the Junior U.S. Open before representing the Philippines in the Federation Cup, now the Billie Jean King Cup, as well as the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games. A 2016 Philippine Star profile described her as national champion for more than a decade and recorded appearances in 12 Federation Cups, three Asian Games and six SEA Games. Her professional ranking provides a durable measure of that period. Official WTA records show Castillejo reaching No. 403 in singles and No. 245 in doubles in 1986. At the 1987 SEA Games in Jakarta, she and her sister Nina won silver in women’s doubles. Castillejo also earned bronze in the women’s team and mixed doubles events at those Games. Her playing career unfolded when Filipino tennis players had considerably fewer opportunities to build sustained careers on the international

professional circuit. As competitive tennis receded, broadcasting offered another path. Castillejo joined ABS-CBN and built a career as a correspondent, anchor and television host. She became associated with The World Tonight and later Sports Unlimited, which evolved into Sports U, while her reporting expanded from tennis and basketball to boxing and major international competitions. Boxing became one of her most visible assignments. During Manny Pacquiao’s rise into a global attraction, Castillejo regularly reported from his training camps, weigh-ins and fights, interviewing Pacquiao, trainers and opponents. The work took her repeatedly to the United States and placed her near many of the defining moments of his career. Her assignments eventually extended beyond conventional sports reporting to international pageants, including Miss Universe. She continues to cover that field for ABS-CBN alongside her sports work, with bylines on Miss Universe Philippines events in 2026. Her family, meanwhile, car-

ried the tennis connection into another generation. Castillejo married businessman Anton Garcia in 1999. Their son, Matthew Castillejo Garcia, later represented the Philippines in Junior Davis Cup competition and played NCAA tennis at Hofstra University in New York, where he completed four seasons and studied economics. Tennis has remained more than a former profession for Castillejo. In 2017, she received the Fed Cup Commitment Award, an International Tennis Federation recognition of sustained service in international team competition. She is now a member of the board of the Philippine Tennis Association, the sport’s national governing body. She also remains on the reporting beat. In September, Castillejo filed repeatedly from the Singapore Tennis Open, covering Alexandra Eala, her opponents and the tournament’s growing Filipino following. Her Sept. 25 report on Tatiana Prozorova’s victory over Eala was among her latest ABS-CBN tennis bylines. That work gives the later

chapters of Castillejo’s career a particular resonance. She competed when the presence of a Filipina on the international professional circuit was uncommon. Eala now competes regularly against the world’s leading players on the biggest courts in tennis. Eala has since taken Philippine women’s tennis into new territory, becoming the first player representing the Philippines to win a WTA Tour-level singles title. By late September, she had risen to No. 18 in the world. The careers belong to different eras, and direct comparisons have limits. Training, sports science, tournament access and the professional structure of women’s tennis have changed substantially since Castillejo competed. What connects them is the vantage point. Castillejo once traveled abroad with the Philippines beside her name as a player. Decades later, she is still courtside, this time documenting a generation reaching places Philippine tennis had not reached before. The racket gave way to the microphone. The sport never really left. n

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