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Alexandra Eala became the first player from the Philippines to reach the third round of a Grand Slam in the Open era, beating Maya Joint in an "electric" atmosphere at Wimbledon on Thursday.The 21-year-old fought back to defeat Serena Williams' first-round conqueror Joint 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, roared on by hundreds of Filipino spectators on Court Three."It's obviously an amazing thing for me to do that for my country," she said after booking a last-32 tie with reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek."I really appreciate that I'm able to share this with the nation, but I think first and foremost it makes me super proud because of the work that I've put in."There was an unmistakably Filipino feel to the small arena on Thursday, and not just provided by her legion of enthusiastic fans waving the Southeast Asian archipelago nation's flag.Her team and family were wearing t-shirts bearing a picture of the sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines."I think the atmosphere today was amazing, it was electric, respectful and all that I could have hoped for," said Eala, who stayed on court for as long as possible to sign autographs."Of course I also want to give them time, my time," Eala told reporters of her fans. "It's extremely hard to get tickets here at Wimbledon so I'm very happy with the support."The world's 12th most populous country has not had many female sports stars to cheer in recent years, with men's boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and gymnast Carlos Yulo flying the flag on the global stage.Eala was sporting a custom Nike visor bearing a phrase in Tagalog which translates to: "Every dream begins as a seed. Once it grows, it cannot be stopped.""I think it's so sentimental to be able wear things or to carry parts of my culture with me on court, because of course it's a huge reason as to who I am," added Eala, the 29th seed."And for me to be able to represent the Philippines in Wimbledon, I guess, and in the biggest stages in the world, it means so much to me." Hard work 'paying off'Eala will resume her burgeoning rivalry with six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek on Saturday.She claimed a shock win over the Pole in the 2025 Miami Open quarter-finals, before losing a one-set lead in Madrid in a rematch a few weeks later.Eala allayed any fears for her supporters that she was carrying an injury, despite wearing heavy strapping on her right leg."I'm okay, no injury, no serious problem. The bandage is more preventative. I mean, I guess I'm normal tired. It's my job, so I'll be back," she said.Eala had previously struggled to translate her strong performances on the WTA Tour to the major stage, winning just one match in her previous five Grand Slam appearances.But she arrived at the All England Club in excellent grass-court form after reaching the semi-finals in Berlin and winning a WTA 125 title in Birmingham."I've been working extremely hard, my team has been working extremely hard and I really feel like it's paying off, so these wins mean a lot," said Eala.Eala gained a measure of revenge for an agonising loss to Joint, 12/10 in a deciding-set tie-break, in the Eastbourne final last year. "It hit me quite hard, I cried a lot, I wasn't able to watch those highlights for a couple of months," she said of that match."I think I've improved a lot in this past year, and I'm happy that I'm able to look back on that match now and smile."   

A highly anticipated rematch between boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao has been postponed indefinitely, Pacquiao's camp in the Philippines said on Friday.The news followed ESPN reporting that a planned Mayweather exhibition in Greece had been called off after an events company connected to the Pacquiao bout had sought an injunction.The two hall of famers, whose 2015 bout drove 4.6 million pay-per-view buys, have been at loggerheads since Mayweather stunned the boxing world by declaring a rematch announced by Netflix for September would only be an exhibition -- something bitterly contested by Pacquiao.On Friday, the Pacquiao camp released a statement blaming the postponement on "a volatile mix of federal lawsuits, scheduling overbooks, and financial gridlock completely surrounding the Mayweather camp".Events company CSI sued Mayweather last week seeking to recover at least $4.65 million the company says it paid the fighter for exclusive rights to promote the Pacquiao rematch and an exhibition bout with former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson that failed to materialise.Friday's statement said the earliest a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight could now take place would be early 2027."Should Mayweather and CSI settle their internal contract disputes out of court, promoters will immediately pivot to rescheduling a postponed exhibition between Mayweather and Mike Tyson, tentatively targeting September 12," the Pacquiao team statement said.Mayweather, 49, retired from boxing in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record.He was to have fought an exhibition against Greek kickboxing star Mike Zambidis on Saturday in a pay-per-view event to be held at the Telekon Center at the OAKA Olympic Complex in Athens.The now-shelved Pacquiao bout would have rematched the fighters in the top money-spinner in boxing history. 

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southern Philippines has risen to 41, with more than 450 people injured so far.Four people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue and the extent of damage across affected areas becomes clearer.The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck offshore near the coast of Sarangani Province in the southern part of the country, close to Mindanao, on Monday. The quake caused the collapse of residential and commercial buildings, triggered widespread landslides, and prompted tsunami warnings in the Philippines and several neighbouring countries before the alerts were later lifted.Authorities reported that rescue teams are continuing operations in General Santos City, one of the hardest-hit areas, searching for people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. Two individuals were rescued from a collapsed building, while the body of a third victim was recovered.In Sarangani Province, landslides and building collapses resulted in a large number of casualties. Some areas remain isolated and can only be reached by helicopter due to severe damage to roads and bridges.The earthquake forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate their homes and seek shelter in emergency evacuation centers, while approximately 88,000 people were directly affected by the disaster. Extensive damage also disrupted electricity, water, and telecommunications services in several impacted areas.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has recorded more than 138 aftershocks since the main quake, the strongest measuring 6.7 magnitude. As a result, many residents spent the night in evacuation centers and temporary tents.According to preliminary assessments, around 2,000 homes and 117 government buildings and facilities were damaged across the affected provinces. Operations at General Santos International Airport were temporarily suspended before partially resuming.The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically and volcanically active regions. This makes the country particularly vulnerable to powerful earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Hundreds of earthquakes occur in the country each year, ranging from minor tremors to destructive events that cause significant loss of life and property.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines Monday killed at least 35 people, according to provincial authorities, after toppling buildings and sparking tsunami warnings across the region.  National disaster authorities said at least a dozen people were still missing, while 134 had sustained injuries.  Philippine authorities urged people in affected coastal regions to move to higher ground after the offshore quake hit south of General Santos, a city of about 720,000, where the death toll was now 12, according to the tally at a local command centre.  A series of powerful aftershocks rocked the area from about two hours after the first quake, according to the US Geological Survey, with the largest measuring magnitude 6.5.  As night descended, AFP journalists watched as rescue workers in General Santos used their hands to dig through the rubble of a popular grocery store chain in a desperate bid to reach two employees buried beneath. **media[455345]**Morphy Angcad, a 35-year-old security guard, told AFP he was not ready to accept that his sister, one of the two, was dead.  "We received a call this morning telling us that she was one of the trapped there," he said, adding he had refused a hotel room so he could stand watch.  "I don't want to leave this site until I see the body of my sister... (but) I'm hoping against hope that she is still alive."  Dioslinda Deluvio told AFP her son Joey, the other employee, had come to visit her just weeks earlier, asking: "Ma, what is your plan for your life? Are you OK?"  "All I can do is cry now, imagining the good things he did in the world," she said.  A few kilometres away, others were preparing to spend the night on a sidewalk.  "I'll be sleeping here outside even if it's uncomfortable, because I'm scared there will be an aftershock," 34-year-old sales clerk Johnson Alerta told AFP.  "I feel safer here."  'So many lives' Rene Punzalan, disaster chief for hard-hit Sarangani province, told AFP 14 people had died in Glan municipality alone when a landslide buried their homes at the foot of a mountain.  "The landslide happened immediately after the earthquake, so many lives were lost," he said, adding that some areas had yet to report if they had sustained casualties.  "The greatest challenge is communication. The power was cut, so it's hard to get updates," Punzalan said.  Videos posted to social media and verified by AFP showed a shopping centre with a Jollibee fast food restaurant reduced to rubble in General Santos, while a school building that officials said was unoccupied crumpled in another.  In another video verified by AFP, young schoolchildren could be seen screaming in the arms of their teachers as the quake violently swayed them back and forth on the ground.  'Move to higher ground' Sarangani's Punzalan told AFP that more than 2,000 people evacuated due to a morning tsunami warning were now awaiting a green light to return to their homes.  "(Authorities) are still assessing the situation now if it will be OK to send them home," he said.  A notice from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had said tsunami waves were possible along the coasts of the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.  But by mid-afternoon, the Philippines and other countries had cancelled their warnings.  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who suspended classes across Mindanao island on what was to have been the first day of school, had called on residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately.  "Move to higher ground now. Do not wait," he said. "Your life is more important than anything left behind."  Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.  Eastern Mindanao was rocked by a pair of earthquakes of 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude in October that killed at least eight people.  These followed a magnitude 6.9 quake days earlier that killed 76 people in Cebu province in central Philippines.

Packed crowds turned out to see Alexandra Eala at the Australian Open Monday but the Philippines trailblazer was unable to deliver for her adoring fans in a first-round defeat, admitting it was “a bit overwhelming”. The 20-year-old was playing in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time and even practice sessions were mobbed by large numbers of her followers. She stormed to the first set against Alycia Parks in front of a full house at the intimate court six. But the lower-ranked American fought back in front of the fiercely pro-Eala crowd to win 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. The umpire had to repeatedly call for spectators to quieten down as they tried, unsuccessfully, to will Eala to victory. Hundreds more Philippines fans watched on nearby big screens and waved their national flag. Chants of “let’s go Alexandra” frequently rang out, then hush descended when her American opponent sealed the match. Eala was rushed from the court afterwards surrounded by as many as a dozen security guards. “It was so heart-warming,” she said of the hero’s welcome she received all week. “That’s one of the things that makes a loss like today a little bit harder – I know a lot of people were rooting for me.” Eala, who has put Philippines tennis on the map, admitted however that some of the attention had been too much. “It’s a process to take it all in. I think this week definitely there were elements that were a bit overwhelming, especially during my practices,” she said. “I didn’t expect that many people to be there. So it’s a learning process.” The 49th-ranked Eala has risen fast in the past 12 months. She trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca and broke into the top 100 last year following her shock run to the semi-finals in Miami, where she beat world number two Iga Swiatek. In August at the US Open, she carved out a piece of tennis history, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match. “I’m still young, so learning how to deal with all of this attention, but then at the same time being grateful,” Eala said after her loss to the 99th-ranked Parks. Although disappointed, Eala said just being at the first major of the year was significant for her nation. “I guess this is one of the moments that I can reflect on what this means for Philippine tennis,” she said. “I’m the only Filipina in the draw this year. I’m the only Filipina that’s ever been in the draw, I think. So there are positives to take away.” 

Hard hat-wearing rescue workers and backhoes dug through rubble in search of survivors Saturday in the shadow of a mountain of garbage that buried dozens of landfill employees in the central Philippines, killing at least six.About 50 sanitation workers were buried when refuse toppled onto them on Thursday from what a city councillor estimated was a height of 20 storeys at the Binaliw Landfill, a privately operated facility in Cebu City.Rescuers were now facing the danger of further collapse as they navigated the still-shifting wreckage, Cebu rescuer Jo Reyes said Saturday."Operations are ongoing as of the moment. It is continuous. (But) from time to time, the landfill is moving, and that will temporarily stop the operation," she said.Cebu City councillor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the city's disaster council, said another two bodies had been uncovered Saturday by crews working in 24-hour shifts.The discovery brings the death toll to six, while 32 people remain missing."We found another two bodies, but we cannot retrieve the bodies because of the heavy metal beam that fell on them, so we are trying to cut the metal," he said.To assist in the rescue operation, 20 trucks equipped with hydraulic cranes and specialised cutting attachments were being sent to help rescuers forced to crawl to reach areas blocked by debris."Our rescuers are struggling because the metal beams are big," he said. "With (the trucks), the metal can be lifted and our rescuers can navigate the site more efficiently."We are just hoping that we can get someone alive ... We are racing against time, that's why our deployment is 24/7."Twelve employees have so far been pulled alive from the garbage and hospitalised.Numerous families were on site awaiting word on the fate of their relatives, Joel Garganera, another Cebu City council member, said Saturday."We are hoping against hope here," he said.The city councillor described the height from which the trash fell as "alarming", estimating the top of the pile had stood 20 storeys above the area struck."Every now and then, when it rains, there are landslides happening around the city of Cebu ... how much more (dangerous is that) for a landfill or a mountain that is made of garbage?" Garganera said."The garbage is like a sponge, they really absorb water. It doesn't (take) a rocket scientist to say that eventually, the incident will happen." 

The Philippines, the United States, and Japan conducted a new round of joint naval exercises in the West Philippine Sea, underscoring their deepening security cooperation.The 13th Multilateral Maritime Cooperation Activity (MMCA) -- and the eighth held this year -- involved key assets from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the US Indo-Pacific Command, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Sunday, the Philippine side deployed two missile-capable frigates, BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), along with an AW159 helicopter.The United States deployed the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, led by the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), while Japan deployed the destroyer JS Akebono (DD-108) along with an SH-60K Seahawk helicopter.The Philippine Coast Guard also supported the activity by enhancing maritime domain awareness.The exercises included communications checks, at-sea replenishment techniques, anti-submarine warfare drills, maritime domain reporting, helicopter deck landings, formation maneuvers, and an integrated final exercise.

The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that 31 roads in eight regions were impassable due to landslides and flooding caused by the typhoon.The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon mobilized all available resources to reopen the affected roads, emphasizing the need for swift action to ensure rescue, relief, and transportation operations in the disaster-stricken areas. He added that DPWH's Disaster and Incident Management Teams were working continuously to address the damage and clear main roads that were hindering aid delivery.Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported that the typhoon was gradually weakening as it moved away from Luzon Island toward the western Philippine Sea today.The Philippine Weather Bureau also reported that the eye of the typhoon was located 135 km west-northwest of Bacnotan, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km per hour and gusts of up to 160 km per hour, a central pressure of 970 hectopascals, and was moving west-northwest at 20 km per hour.Typhoon Uwan has left at least 241 people dead or missing, making it the worst natural disaster to hit the Philippines this year.

Philippine officials, led by Health Undersecretary Dr Mary Ann Palermo-Maestral asserted the country’s commitment to integrating mental health into national policies and services during the 6th Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in Doha, the embassy has said.The two-day summit, held from September 30-October 1, is a key international platform designed to foster collaboration, share best practices, and integrate mental health as a core component of overall health and human rights – a focus consistent with key UN instruments, including the UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Mental Health and Human Rights.During a panel discussion focusing on the implications of the UN High-Level Meeting of Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Palermo-Maestral detailed the Philippines’ comprehensive national framework and the strategies being employed to address rising mental health needs.She highlighted the country’s concerted efforts in embedding mental health promotion within existing community-based primary health care processes. Key initiatives include securing sustainable financing for mental health programmes and advancing data research and innovation.She added that a whole of government approach is used to address the increasing incidence of depression and similar problems among vulnerable individuals, including minors. Several government agencies collaborate to operate health promotion bureaus, establish peer support groups, and maintain easily accessible crisis hotlines for children and youth.Philippine ambassador Mardomel Celo D Melicor stressed the necessity of facilitating access to mental health services for Filipinos residing abroad. He cited the particular vulnerability of Overseas Filipino Workers who “live and work overseas, far from their basic social support groups”.“In Qatar, we are continually engaging with local authorities and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the welfare of our kababayan, including their mental health, is given utmost priority,” he said.

International Criminal Court prosecutors have charged former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his "war on drugs."A heavily redacted charge sheet dated July 4 but only made public on Monday lays out the accusations against the 80-year-old former leader, currently sitting in ICC detention in The Hague.The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while Duterte was mayor of Davao City.The second count relates to 14 murders of so-called "High Value Targets" in 2016 and 2017 when Duterte was president.And the third charge is about 43 murders committed during "clearance" operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers.These took place across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018, the prosecution alleged."The actual scale of victimisation during the charged period was significantly greater, as reflected in the widespread nature of the attack," said the ICC prosecutors."The attack included thousands of killings, which were perpetrated consistently throughout the charged period," they alleged.The charges against Duterte stem from his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed thousands.The arrest warrant issued for Duterte on March 7 contained one charge of crimes against humanity relating to 43 alleged murders.The prosecutors' charges came on the eve of what was scheduled to be Duterte's appearance at the ICC to hear the accusations against him.However that sitting was postponed as the court weighs whether Duterte is fit to hear the charges.His lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has said his client is not able to stand trial "as a result of cognitive impairment in multiple domains".Kaufman has urged the ICC to postpone proceedings against Duterte indefinitely.Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11, flown to the Netherlands that same night and has been held at the ICC's detention unit at Scheveningen Prison since.At his initial hearing, he followed by video link, appearing dazed and frail, barely speaking.