PLDT, Creamline clash with PVL winning streaks at stake

 

November 5, 2026

Games Thursday, Nov. 5

(Philsports Arena)

1 p.m. – ZUS Coffee vs. Farm Fresh

3:30 p.m. – AFP vs. Alpha Insurance

6 p.m. – PLDT vs. Creamline

 

PLDT and Creamline head into their much-awaited showdown Thursday carrying impressive momentum, renewed confidence and a compelling score to settle in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series.

The High Speed Hitters have won back-to-back matches and gained a psychological boost from their bronze medal victory over the Cool Smashers in the recent PVL Invitational Conference.

But standing in their way at 6 p.m. at the Philsports Arena in Pasig is a Creamline side that has been virtually unstoppable, winning its first four matches in the tournament.

The 11-time league champions have barely broken a sweat in building their unbeaten run, posting straight-set victories over Akari and Capital1 before disposing of Galeries Tower and ZUS Coffee in four sets.

Despite Creamline’s imposing start, head coach Sherwin Meneses is taking nothing for granted, fully aware of PLDT’s firepower, experience and growing confidence following its recent victories.

“We really have to prepare, especially we’ll be facing PLDT. May momentum na sila, so doon muna kami magfo-focus ulit,” Meneses said.

The Creamline mentor also stressed the importance of making necessary adjustments as the tournament progresses, particularly with the series’ all-to-play format, which puts a premium on consistency, bench depth and quick adaptation.

“Number one, yung balance ng game kasi, yun nga, all-to-start, yun yung talagang number one na pino-problema namin. Pabor naman sa amin, pero siyempre, yung momentum change medyo mabilis,” he said.

Under the Siklab Series’ all-to-play rule, teams are required to give every player on their declared roster an opportunity to see action, making lineup management and bench readiness crucial.

Fortunately for Meneses, Creamline’s deep bench has given him the flexibility to respond to changing situations on the court.

“Buti na lang yung mga players namin, pag pinasok mo, ready. Yun yung number one. Then siyempre, yung basics, dapat limit yung errors namin. Hanggang doon lang muna kami. Yun nga, every game, iba yung makakalaban; every set, iba yung makakalaban,” he added.

PLDT, meanwhile, appears to be hitting its stride at the right time, coming off a four-set triumph over Capital1 and a straight-set romp over ZUS Coffee.

Savi Davison has rediscovered her scoring touch after a shaky start, drawing solid support from Kim Dy, Alleiah Malaluan and the formidable middle-blocking trio of Mika Reyes, Majoy Baron and Dell Palomata.

New recruit Jessa Ordiales has also earned a place in the rotation with a string of impressive performances, while veteran Kim Fajardo and Angge Alcantara have provided steady playmaking.

The matchup looms as a significant test for both sides, with Creamline looking to sustain its unbeaten run and PLDT eager to prove it can measure up against one of the league’s most formidable teams.

Another victory would strengthen Creamline’s bid for a semifinal berth, while a PLDT upset could further tighten the race to the Final Four, with seven teams still in contention and only three weeks remaining in the single-round elimination phase.

Under the tournament format, the top four teams will advance to the semifinals, with the top two seeds enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage.

The 1 p.m. encounter between Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee also carries major implications, particularly for the Foxies, who are desperate to break a stretch of three grueling five-set matches that produced just one victory.

Like PLDT, Farm Fresh needs another win to remain firmly in the semifinal hunt, but ZUS Coffee is equally determined to break through after dropping its first four matches.

With Galeries Tower finally ending its four-game slide through a five-set upset of Akari on Tuesday, the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles are also feeling the pressure to secure a breakthrough victory and keep their slim semifinal hopes alive.

A better calling in my life?

 

By Klaus Döring

November 5, 2026

What is a calling? Your life’s calling is what makes you feel that life is meaningful. It helps you live a purposeful life. Callings look different for everybody. Some people, for example, want to help others as part of their calling.

A career is rapid motion. A course of action. Sure! A professional path in life. Even progress through life. Here we are! That means a careerist is one who rushes wildly and makes personal advancement his or her aim in life!

What can we do if “career doubts” won’t go away? First, allow me to quote my Bible, especially Jude (Watch out! Sound the alarm!), who writes in the style of a teacher watching a freight train bear down on a student driver. Yes, bells ring out: “Be merciful to those who doubt.” (Jude 1:22).

What does my calling in life mean? Your calling can be thought of as the urge to share your gifts with the world. When you express your gifts for the sake of others, you often experience the joy of being fully alive.

A true calling is a career or walk of life that a person feels compelled or meant to pursue. Finding meaning in life is something people often spend a lot of time contemplating. Some individuals, however, may feel a passion so strong that they quickly know in their hearts what they were born to do.

“The way that people pick up careers is incredibly primitive,” said Nicholas Lore, founder of the Rockport Institute, a career coaching firm, and author of “The Pathfinder.” Strong tobacco, indeed. That’s why so many people are dissatisfied with their jobs.

Believe me, I have always thought about finding a true calling for myself. Sure, people whose careers aren’t the right fit often feel like impostors, as Professor Robert I. Sutton, an organizational psychologist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, said. Very, very well said, sir.

Notice dreams and signs. Prioritize creative expression. Think about what you used to love. Notice what feels good. Turn down the distractions. Pay attention to what keeps coming back. Try new things regularly.

How about you, my dear reader of this column? Are you also placing too high a value on the external rewards of a job, like money, prestige and power? Of course, for many of us (most?), these things are indeed important. Hold on, please! The work you do, the skills your job requires and the value of your work are really more vital to fulfillment. Paperwork or not … You think you’ve found a better career fit? Go ahead, but don’t expect it to be your life’s calling!

I waited for my “better calling” (what a terrible term!) while experiencing many other wonderful moments in life. I also realized that several professional things I did in the past were not very compatible with me. But I gained many valuable experiences.

Today, I am what I am. And I am proud of it. Almost 72. A retiree with so many opportunities still available in the Philippines.  

+++

Questions, comments or suggestions? Email me at doringklaus@gmail.com, follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn, or visit one of my websites: www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com.

Hubert Aiwanger ist tot: Bayerns Wirtschaftsminister leblos im Hotel entdeckt – „zutiefst geschockter“ Söder

 

Stand:

05.11.2026, 00:04 Uhr

Von: Daniel Dillmann, Nail Akkoyun

Nach Informationen der Bild-Zeitung starb der Freie-Wähler-Chef, bayerische Vize-Ministerpräsident und Wirtschaftsminister Hubert Aiwanger am Mittwoch. (Archivbild) © Lennart Preiss/dpa

Bayerns Wirtschaftsminister Hubert Aiwanger ist im Alter von 55 Jahren verstorben. Das bestätigen die Berliner Polizei und die bayerische Staatsregierung.

Berlin – Der bayerische Wirtschaftsminister Hubert Aiwanger ist tot. Das berichtet die Bild-Zeitung zuerst unter Berufung auf Quellen aus der bayerischen Staatsregierung und der Berliner Polizei. Auch dem Münchner Merkur von Ippen.Media wurde Aiwangers Tod aus Regierungskreisen bestätigt.  

New taxes, but at what cost to Filipinos?

 

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published Nov 4, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Nov 3, 2026 06:20 pm

The government’s pursuit of additional revenues is a crucial test for the country. Will plugging tax leakages strengthen the Philippine economy, or will ordinary Filipinos once again shoulder the cost of fiscal consolidation?

The Department of Finance (DOF) is currently examining the removal of the ₱10,000 de minimis import threshold and an additional tax on online gambling. While both proposals promise potential revenue gains, their consequences deserve scrutiny beyond the government’s collection targets.

Under Section 423 of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, imported goods valued at ₱10,000 or below are exempt from customs duties and taxes. The DOF argues that this exemption disadvantages local manufacturers, whose products are generally subject to taxation, particularly as cross-border e-commerce expands.

There is merit in addressing this imbalance. Requiring imported goods to bear appropriate taxes could level the competitive playing field, encourage consumers to consider locally manufactured alternatives, protect domestic enterprises, and potentially support jobs. Additional collections could also finance infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other public services.

But eliminating the threshold is not automatically equitable. Many Filipinos use online platforms to purchase affordable clothing, household necessities, school supplies, and other goods unavailable or more expensive locally. Import duties and applicable taxes could increase their prices, disproportionately affecting low-income households already struggling with inflation and limited purchasing power.

Moreover, taxing inexpensive imports will not automatically revive local manufacturing. Domestic producers must also address production costs, infrastructure constraints, productivity, and competitiveness. Without stronger local industries and efficient customs administration, consumers could simply pay more without receiving better alternatives.

The proposed online gambling tax presents a different opportunity. Former Finance Secretary Ralph Recto had estimated that an additional 10-percentage-point levy on gross gaming revenues, on top of the approximately 38 percent currently collected through existing government charges and taxes, could generate another ₱20 billion annually.

Such revenue could finance public hospitals, addiction-treatment programs, education, and social protection. A higher tax could also discourage excessive gambling if operators pass some of the additional cost to players. However, this outcome is not guaranteed. Excessive taxation could push some bettors toward illegal platforms, undermining regulation and collections. Effective enforcement, responsible-gambling safeguards, and monitoring must accompany any new levy.

Could this become another sin-tax success story?

The comparison with tobacco and alcohol taxation is instructive, but not exact. Philippine sin-tax laws demonstrate how excise collections can support public health financing. Republic Act 11346 and related legislation allocate portions of tobacco and alcohol tax revenues to PhilHealth and health programs. An online gambling levy could adopt a similar earmarking mechanism, directing a defined share toward addiction prevention, mental-health services, and treatment.

However, unlike tobacco and alcohol taxes, gambling taxation must contend with rapidly evolving digital platforms and potentially offshore operators. Collection and enforcement therefore require specialized capabilities.

The government's simultaneous consideration of travel-tax abolition and general tax amnesty further complicates the revenue equation. Removing the travel tax could ease expenses for departing Filipinos, while a carefully designed amnesty might encourage tax compliance. Yet foregone collections must be matched by credible alternative revenues.

Ultimately, revenue generation should not be measured solely by how much the government collects, but by how effectively those taxes improve people’s lives.

Before imposing new taxes, policymakers must establish who pays, who benefits, how much is collected, and whether the promised economic gains outweigh the added burdens. Transparency, impact assessments, and measurable public benefits should be non-negotiable.

Filipinos need a government that closes genuine tax loopholes without turning every economic activity into another revenue opportunity. The real test of fiscal policy is not whether government coffers grow, but whether public welfare grows with them.

Someone is Jealous of You

1. Gives you less eye contact.

2. Very curious to know your bad news.

3. They include criticism with any compliment.

4. Competes with you always, trying to turn everything into a competition and outdo you in every possible way.

5. He or she will start copying your ideas, style, or behavior, trying to achieve the same success as you.

6. They appear bored or absent when you report to them some joyful news or celebrate achievements.

7. They initiate or spread false stories with your information to harm your reputation.

Thank you for reading..

 The phrase "Character is power"—famously attributed to educator and author Booker T. Washington—means that a person's inner moral strength, integrity, and values provide a truer, longer-lasting form of influence than physical force, money, or social status alone.

Core Meanings

• True Authority Over Force:

External power (like wealth, title, or physical might) can force compliance, but character commands genuine respect and loyalty without coercion.

• Who You Are in the Dark:

True character is defined by your choices when no one is watching, when consequences seem hidden, and when you do not stand to gain applause.

• Sustaining Success:

Talent can open doors and education can create opportunities, but character is what sustains long-term success.

• Character Shapes How Power is Used:

Power acts as an amplifier. If a person has a weak or corrupt character, power leads to abuse; if they have a strong, ethical character, power is used to build and protect others.

Why Character Acts as Power

• Builds Trust:

People naturally follow and trust those whose actions match their spoken values.

• Creates Resilience:

Character is forged through trial and suffering, giving individuals the inner fortitude to handle setbacks and pressure.

• Leaves a Lasting Legacy:

Titles fade and fortunes change, but the reputation of a person's integrity remains remembered long after they are gone.

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