October 5, 2014 Edition

Fresh clashes broke out at Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests early Sunday, October 5, with riot police using batons and pepper spray to fight back demonstrators, as student leaders reopened the door to talks with the government. With the protest movement entering its seventh night, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers gathered for a peace rally in the downtown Admiralty district near the government headquarters chanting “Peace! Anti-violence!” and singing democracy anthems. But across the harbor in the city’s densely packed Mong Kok district tensions flared anew, as crowds of baying protesters surrounded police, accusing them of cooperating with gangsters.

Read Agence-France Presse’s latest report on the ground, on Rappler. 

Since assuming public office – first as Makati mayor then as vice president – Jejomar Binay’s net worth has steadily increased. Binay’s SALNs from 1988 to 2013 – copies of which were released to the media – show that with the exception of 2011, the Vice President is becoming increasingly wealthy. The only exception in his steadily increasing wealth was in 2011 when his net worth dropped by more than P200,000. Most noticeable was the rise of his net worth in 2010, when his wealth soared by more than 13 million, a 31% increase from 2009.

Read more about the VP’s wealth on Rappler.

Muslims across the world observe Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” the holiday that pays tribute to the willingness of Prophet Ibraham to sacrifice his son Ismail. The feast, which is celebrated for 4 days, has distinct spiritual, educational and social significance for Muslims around the world. Devout Muslims everywhere celebrated the religious holiday, and in the Philippines, the faithful flocked to gatherings to mark the occasion. It also marks the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites, where almost 2 million believers converged despite the threats of Ebola, MERS-CoV, and the fear of terror attacks.

See scenes from this year’s Eid al-Adha on Rappler.

Repairs on the Rancudo Airstrip in Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea has been halted by President Benigno Aquino III, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told senators on Friday, October 3. Aquino made the order “not to disturb the status quo” to allow the country to keep its “moral high ground” while the protest against China’s activities in the disputed area is ongoing. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the Philippines has chosen refrain from actions in the West Philippine Sea “that may be construed as ramping up tensions or trying to provoke any of the claimant countries.” The defense department earlier allocated P480 million to upgrade facilities of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force there.

Read more on the decision on Rappler.

All eyes are on embattled Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director-General Alan Purisima as he faces charges of graft and plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman. This week, Purisima said his official residence was built for free, and that he got huge discounts when he bought his luxury vehicles, leading Senators Grace Poe and Serge Osmeña to doubt him. Despite the controversies, Purisima continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of the President despite the recent admissions and revelations.

Read the 5 arguments Malacañang has used to defend their top cop, on Rappler.

A Philippine climate envoy, environment groups, and volunteers kicked off their 1,000-kilometer advocacy walk from Manila to Tacloban, the city that sustained the most damage from Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Participants will traverse Metro Manila, Laguna, Batangas, Bicol, Samar, and Leyte in 40 days, expecting to arrive in Tacloban in time for the first anniversary of the world’s strongest typhoon. They will pass through areas susceptible to disaster risks, where they hope to increase the residents’ awareness of the threats of climate change and how communities can prepare for these.

Read the full story on the start of the march on Rappler.

Bookmark our live blog for daily updates on the 40-day #ClimateWalk to Tacloban.

While the Philippine President Benigno Aquino III teases the public on his supposed openness to seeking a second term were it not for an existing term limit, Filipinos are clearer on their stand: even if the Constitution is amended to allow a president to seek re-election, 6 out of 10 won’t vote for Aquino again. This sentiment was highest in the vote-rich Luzon island and the capital Metro Manila, as well as among the poorest and richest segments of the population, according to a survey that also showed an alarming number of respondents having little or no knowledge of the country’s fundamental law.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Pope Francis has appointed the head of the Dominican Order in the Philippines to join a 30-member commission tasked to examine Catholic doctrine. Fr Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, becomes the 4th Filipino to join the International Theological Commission for a 5-year term. “I am humbled by the appointment because I know, here in the Philippines, there are a lot of better theologians, better qualified ones,” Timoner told Rappler days after the Vatican announced his appointment on September 24.

Read more about Timoner and his new job on Rappler.

The rest of the world finally got a chance to watch the historic 25th anniversary gala of the legendary musical Miss Saigon, when it finally aired on BBC Radio 2 on Thursday, October 2. The gala performance held last September 22 was a special gathering of the past and present stars of the musical, led by the original cast of Lea Salonga, Jonathan Pryce, and Simon Bowman. They sang alongside the current cast members of the show and had emotions swelling as they sang the familiar hits with the same energy from 25 years ago.

Watch and read more on Rappler.

After days of waiting, the Philippines finally grabbed its first gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. Filipino-American Daniel Caluag earned gold in the men’s BMX race at the Ganghwa Asiad BMX Track on Wednesday, October 1, after finishing with with a count of 35.277 seconds in the first before following it up 35.366 seconds in the following round. In the final run, the former Olympian finished with a time of 35.431. In addition to Caluag’s gold, the Philippines has also won two silvers and four bronzes so far at the Asiad.

Read more on his win, and what rewards he will get, on Rappler.