The running mate of the biggest gainer Rodrigo Duterte, Alan Peter Cayetano, turns out to be the biggest loser, according to the latest Manila Standard survey released on Tuesday, March 8. The poll, conducted by Laylo Research Strategies, showed that the number of respondents who would vote for Cayetano dropped across all regions since the group’s last survey in January. Cayetano’s rating stands at 11% nationwide, a 4-percentage-point decrease from 15% in January. He is at 4th place, trailing behind poll front runner Francis “Chiz” Escudero with 30%, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr with 24%, and Leni Robredo with 20%.

Read more on the Laylo poll on VPs.

Rappler’s Glenda Gloria writes: “In the 2010 presidential race, at least one candidate, Benigno Aquino III, already had a 7% lead over his closest rival as the campaign period entered the month of March that year. But the 2016 race that Aquino still wants to win through his chosen bet is a different story of unsteady numbers and constantly shifting choices.” A bird’s eye view of the 4 leading campaigns including Pacquaio’s recent troubles, the article also offers some juicy tidbits on the most enigmatic candidate, Rodrigo Duterte. “The biggest gainer in the Laylo polls, Duterte, might be having some problems in the home front.

Read more on Rappler’s round-up and analysis of the campaigns

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) expressed optimism that key economic reforms implemented over the past few years in the Philippines will be maintained by incoming set of leaders. S&P’s Sovereign Debt Committee chair John Chambers said, “Our assumption is that change in leadership is unlikely to reverse the economic reforms in the Philippines.” The S&P official was backed in this sentiment by the US-Philippines Society, an organization of business and civic leaders from the US and the Philippines. One member, retired Ambassador John Maisto, said that “any incoming administration is expected to keep the good economic policies.”

Read more on S&P’s view of leadership change in PH

A group of 1,400 Catholic schools joined the call against the supposed attempt of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr “to canonize” his father’s regime, calling it “Marcosian snares and Imeldific lies.” Earlier, the faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University denounced the “revision of history” by Marcos Jr. The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) also admit possible shortcomings: “It seems we have been remiss in instilling in the youth’s consciousness about the regime’s brutal savagery.” The original statement from the Ateneo faculty had nearly 530 signatories from the Ateneo community. The Ateneo faculty railed against “the shameless refusal to acknowledge the crimes of the Martial Law regime” The educators said historians, not politicians, should judge Marcos’ rule.

Read more on 141 schools vs Marcos revisionism, the Ateneo presidents’ statement and tales of torture

His favorite punchline is this: He is the Filipino’s last card. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte told supporters in Rizal province, federalism will usher in progress for regions outside Metro Manila. “The most outstanding feature of a federal set-up is that your resources stay with you. If it is P100, you send P30 to the federal government you retain P70.”

Watch Duterte on federalism

Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao said his upcoming fight will not give him advantage in publicity as he prepares for his 2016 Senate run. The boxer was commenting on a case filed before the Commission on Elections, asking the poll body to decide if a match against Timothy Bradley violates election rules. Pacquiao’s lawyer Ace Bautista said his April 9 match will run for a maximum of 36 minutes. The lawyer pointed out that boxing rules limit each round to 3 minutes and a match can last only up to 12 rounds, adding Pacquiao had boxing matches that lasted just 6 minutes. “If the match would be that quick, even if we call that match a partisan political activity, Congressman Pacquiao will not have any violation.”

Read more on Pacquaio’s response to Comelec case

An Australian woman accused of “xenophobia” in Singapore said she would plead guilty to sedition, an offense punishable by jail. Ai Takagi, 23, and her Singaporean husband Yang Kaiheng, 27, each face seven sedition charges for articles published between October 2013 and February 2015 on the socio-political website “The Real Singapore”, which they were forced by regulators to shut down last year. State prosecutors said the couple “brazenly played up racism and xenophobia” on the site and “resorted to outright and blatant fabrication.” Charge sheets said articles derided Chinese nationals and other guest workers in Singapore, while one post on the website “falsely asserted” that a Filipino family instigated a fracas at a Hindu festival in February. If found guilty, Yang and Takagi could be jailed up to three years. About 40% of the labor-starved island’s 5.5 million people are foreigners.

Read more on the xenophobia case in Singapore

Filipinos are among the best in Asia in terms of short-term savings and expense tracking behaviors, but they are also the second most indebted in the region. The latest Manulife Investor Sentiment Index (MISI) survey revealed many Filipino investors are unable to effectively invest their savings for the long term, with more than 80% of them having high levels of personal debt.

Read more on Filipinos’ savings and debt

Five-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova announced she tested positive for Meldonium, a substance she had been taking since 2006 but one that was added to the banned list this year. She said she did not look at the updated list before taking the drug. “I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down.” Sharapova was taking Meldonium for a variety of symptoms including an irregular EKG heart test and a family history of diabetes. Meldonium is used to treat heart trouble, including angina and heart failure. The World Anti-Doping Agency said there was evidence it has been used to enhance performance. Several sports figures tested positive for it this year, including Russian ice dancer Ekaterina Bobrova. Sharapova is currently ranked seventh in the world. Her skills on the court and glamorous looks made her a marketing juggernaut with more than $36 million in career earnings.

Read more on Sharapova’s drug test

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, flew out to the French Alps for a ski holiday with their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte – their first as a family of 4. It was also the first time the little royals played in the snow. They shared their photos which were taken by the Press Association’s royal photographer John Stillwell on social media.

See more photos of the British royals