Rhoanne De Guzman

It’s not a wonder why Alex Eala is popular. For a tennis player of her caliber –the first Filipina to win a main-draw singles match at a Grand Slam (US Open) in 2025- she is humble and sobrang bait. Three years earlier, in 2022, when she was 17 years old, she became the first Filipino to win a Junior Grand Slam singles title (US Open). In Melbourne last week, where she competed at the Australian Open, she surprised organizers by drawing a record crowd never seen in that tournament.

Three years after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to enhance the country’s food security by revitalizing the agriculture industry, eight of his 17 agriculture-related promises are still in progress, six have been fulfilled and three priority legislations were stuck in limbo. In his 2024 State of the Nation Address, he highlighted the challenges faced by Filipinos amid the rising food prices and vowed to prioritize enhancing local production.

With Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV poised to make a Senate comeback based on his unexpected high ranking in the May 12 midterm elections, VERA Files Fact Check noticed a barrage of posts online questioning the role he played in the enactment of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. The posts —which started spreading when initial unofficial vote tallies showed Aquino placing second to reelectionist Sen.